Clean, compressed sorbent tablets
View Patent ↗A pressed sorbent form includes a sorbent and a binder. The sorbent is chosen from the group including silica gel, molecular sieve, activated carbon, and clay. The binder is powdered ethyl vinyl acetate.
1. A pressed sorbent comprising:
a pressed sorbent part comprising a sorbent material comprising at least one of silica gel, molecular sieve, activated carbon, and clay;
a binder comprising ethyl-vinyl acetate and present in an amount greater than 30% of the weight of the pressed sorbent part; and
further comprising a coating applied on the exterior of the pressed sorbent part, after the pressing of the sorbent part.
2. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount of from about 30% to about 50% of the weight of the pressed sorbent.
3. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount of from about 30% to about 40% of the weight of the pressed sorbent.
4. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount of about 30% of the weight of the pressed sorbent.
5. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises generally spherical particles having a diameter of about 5 microns to about 50 microns and the sorbent comprises generally spherical particles having a diameter of between about 50 mesh and about 200 mesh.
6. The pressed sorbent according to claim 5 , wherein the binder particles have a diameter of about 10 microns to about 40 microns and the sorbent particles have a diameter of between about 50 mesh and about 200 mesh.
7. The pressed sorbent according to claim 6 , wherein the binder particles have a diameter of about 15 microns to about 25 microns and the sorbent particles have a diameter of between about 50 mesh and about 200 mesh.
8. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , further comprising a salt.
9. The pressed sorbent of claim 8 , wherein the coating is a water-based coating.
10. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , the sorbent including an arcuate shape.
11. The pressed sorbent according to claim 1 , wherein the sorbent material is an activated carbon comprising one of a wood-based carbon, a coconut-based carbon, and a petroleum-based carbon.
12. The pressed sorbent of claim 1 , wherein the coating consists of at least one member selected from the group of polyethylene, olefin polymers, and olefin copolymers.
13. The pressed sorbent of claim 12 , wherein the coating is a powder coating.
14. The pressed sorbent of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises polyethylene.
15. A method of forming a pressed sorbent comprising the steps of:
forming a pressed sorbent part by mixing a desiccant comprising at least one of silica gel, molecular sieve, activated carbon, and clay and a binder comprising ethyl-vinyl acetate to form a mixture;
pressing the mixture, in the absence of an external heat source, to form a pressed sorbent part; and
applying a coating to the pressed sorbent part.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the mixture is pressed at substantially room temperature.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of activating the pressed sorbent.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein activating the pressed sorbent tablet is accomplished by heating the pressed sorbent at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 500° C.
19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of hardening the pressed sorbent by exposing the pressed sorbent to a hardening temperature greater than the temperature at which the mixture is pressed.
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the hardening temperature is sufficient to soften the binder material to promote adhesion of the particles comprising the pressed sorbent.
21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the coating consists of at least one material selected from polyethylene, ethyl vinyl acetate, olefin polymer, and olefin copolymer.
22. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the step for forming the pressed sorbent is a dry-process in which the mixture is free from liquids.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the mixture is pressed at a pressure of between about 16,000 pounds per square inch and about 37,000 pounds per square inch.
24. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising including in the mixture a salt.
25. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the mixture is pressed to form a sorbent tablet at a pressure of between about 10,000 pounds per square inch and about 50,000 pounds per square inch.
26. The method of claim 15 , wherein the coating consists of at least one member selected from the group of polyethylene, olefin polymers, and olefin copolymers.
27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the coating is a water-based coating.