HIGH-PURITY COMPOSITE MATERIALS, METHODS OF MAKING HIGH-PURITY COMPOSITE MATERIALS, AND METHODS OF USING HIGH-PURITY COMPOSITE MATERIALS
A composite filter aid may include acid-washed diatomaceous earth and a low extractable metal mineral. A method for making a composite material may include blending an acid-washed diatomaceous earth and a low extractable metal mineral, adding a binder to the blended diatomaceous earth and low extractable metal mineral, and forming the composite material from the acid-washed diatomaceous earth, the low extractable metal mineral, and the binder. A method for filtering a liquid may include providing a liquid for filtering and filtering the liquid through a composite filter aid that includes an acid-washed diatomaceous earth and a low extractable metal mineral.
1 . A composite filter aid comprising:
an acid-washed diatomaceous earth: and
a low extractable metal mineral,
2 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the composite filter aid comprises an agglomerated composite filter aid including the acid-washed diatomaceous earth and the low extractable metal mineral.
3 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability in a range from 0.1 to 20 darcys.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the low extractable metal mineral is perlite.
6 . The composite filter aid of claim 5 , wherein the perlite comprises an expanded perlite.
7 . The composite filter aid of claim 5 , wherein the perlite comprises an unexpanded perlite.
8 . The composite filter aid of claim 5 , wherein the perlite comprises a milled expanded perlite.
9 . (canceled)
10 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the low extractable metal mineral has a low soluble metal content with FCC arsenic less than 0.5 mg/kg and BBC iron less than 30 mg/kg.
11 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , further comprising a binder.
17 . (canceled)
18 . The composite filter aid of claim 16 , wherein the binder comprises an alkali silicate binder.
19 . The composite filter aid of claim 16 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a cellulose, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), starch, Candalilla wax, a polyacrylate or related copolymer, a polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride polymer or copolymer, dextrin, lignosulfonate, sodium alginate, magnesium stearate, a silica binder, an alkali silica, or mixtures thereof.
20 - 21 . (canceled)
22 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a d 50 in a range from 30 to 70 microns.
23 - 30 . (canceled)
31 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a BET surface area in a range from 5 m 2 /g to about 50 m 2 /g.
32 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the composite filter aid has a median pore size in a range from 1 to 35 microns.
33 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the composite filter aid is in a range from 2 to 7 mL/g.
34 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 40 ppm, as measured by EBC.
35 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the composite filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 20% by weight.
36 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the composite filter aid has a wet density in a range from 5 to 20 lbs/ft 3 .
37 . A method for making a composite material, the method comprising:
blending an acid-washed diatomaceous earth and a low extractable metal mineral;
adding a binder to the blended diatomaceous earth and low extractable metal mineral; and
forming the composite material from the acid-washed diatomaceous earth, the low extractable metal mineral, and the binder.
38 - 49 . (canceled)
50 . A method for filtering a liquid, the method comprising:
providing a liquid for filtering; and
filtering the liquid through a composite filter aid comprising
an acid-washed diatomaceous earth, and
a low extractable metal mineral.
51 - 54 . (canceled)