Method of cleaning passageways using a mixed phase flow of a gas and a liquid
A method of cleaning surfaces using a mixed phase cleaning mixture of an aqueous solution and a flow of gas sufficient to produce droplets of the liquid which are entrained by the gas for a time sufficient to clean tubing of various lengths and geometries and porous membranes to remove biofilm, debris and contaminants.
1. A method for cleaning a pipeline comprising:
(a) forming a mixture of gas and liquid in the pipeline wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets; and
(b) passing the mixture of gas and liquid through the pipeline at a flow rate and at a volumetric ratio of gas to liquid sufficient to provide a local shear stress at the inside of the pipeline of at least about 53 Pa and to provide the droplets throughout the length of the pipeline.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas to the liquid is at least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas to the liquid is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture of gas and liquid is provided within the pipeline at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture of gas and liquid is provided within the pipeline at a velocity of at less than about 100 m/s.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises a cleaning agent comprising at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol, and a non-surfactant detergent.
7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
9. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
10. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
11. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
12. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
13. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
14. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
15. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.
16. A method for cleaning a membrane, the method comprising:
(a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a membrane in a housing, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid phase at a volumetric ratio of at least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
(a) rinsing the membrane with water.
18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
19. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the membrane comprises at least one of ultrafiltration membrane and a reserve osmosis membrane.
20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
21. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of less than about 100 m/s.
22. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
(a) soaking the membrane with the liquid phase.
23. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture is provided at a temperature above ambient temperature.
24. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol and a non-surfactant detergent.
25. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
26. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
27. A method according to claim 25 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
28. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
29. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
30. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
31. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
32. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
33. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.
34. A method for cleaning a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
(a) applying a mixture of gas and liquid to a tube side of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the mixture comprising the gas and the liquid at a volumetric ratio of least about 50:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C., and wherein at least a portion of the liquid is provided in the form of droplets and the liquid comprises at least one cleaning agent.
35. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase is less than about 6,000:1 when measured at 1 atmosphere and 0° C.
36. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of at least about 10 m/s.
37. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a velocity of less than about 100 m/s.
38. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture is provided at a temperature above ambient temperature.
39. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises at least one of a surfactant, an oxidizing agent, an alcohol and a non-surfactant detergent.
40. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an anionic surfactant.
41. A method according to claim 40 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of fatty acid soaps having an alkyl chain length of up to about 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof.
42. A method according to claim 40 , wherein the anionic surfactant comprises at least one of sodium dodecyl sulfate, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, acyl iosthionates, acyl glutamates, N-acyl sarcosinates, alkenyl succinates, and mixtures thereof.
43. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises an amphoteric surfactant comprising at least one of alkyl dimethyl amine oxides, alkyl carboxy betaines, alkyl sulfobetaines, amide-amino acid type amphoterics, and mixtures thereof.
44. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyethylene fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esthers, polyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sugar esters of fatty acids, alkyl polyglycosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, fatty acid monoglycerides, alkyl monoglycerol ethers, fatty acid polypropolene glycol esters, and mixtures thereof.
45. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a cationic surfactant comprising at least one of ammonium salts, phosphonium salts, pyridinium salts, and mixtures thereof.
46. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises a dispersant.
47. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises an antifoaming agent.
48. A method according to claim 34 , wherein the mixture comprises a chelating agent.