METHOD FOR BIOLOGICAL DECONTAMINATION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING WASTES AND APPARATUS FOR REALISING SAID METHOD Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C02F3/34 C12N1/26 C12M1/02 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to biotechnology. Disclosed is a method for biological decontamination of liquid hydrocarbon-containing wastes which are formed when cleaning natural gas and gas pipelines. A biopreparation of hydrocarbon-oxidising microorganisms is added to liquid hydrocarbon-containing wastes in amount of 1 kg of biopreparation per 10 kg of hydrocarbons. Water is simultaneously added to the working vessel to obtain a working suspension with volume ratio of wastes to water ranging from 1:4 to 1:50, depending on the initial concentration of hydrocarbons. Macroelements, trace elements and, optionally, an acidity regulator are then added. Decontamination is carried out for 12-15 hours while constantly stirring and feeding air. Temperature is kept in the range from 28°C to 36°C and pH is kept in the range 4 to 7. The decontamination product is then discharged from the working vessel, leaving not less than 25% of the volume of the working suspension. The whole decontamination cycle is repeated. The second and subsequent decontaminations are carried out without adding the biopreparation. Also disclosed is apparatus for biological decontamination of liquid hydrocarbon-containing wastes which are formed when cleaning natural gas and gas pipelines. The apparatus has a working vessel with process pipes, a mixer and a supply vessel mounted on top of the working vessel and linked to the working vessel by a connecting pipe. The mixer is fitted with an electric drive and is mounted with possibility of turning about a vertical axis. The working vessel is fitted with a level gauge, a loading bin for the biopreparation, a vessel for trace elements and macroelements, a vessel for the acidity regulator and a built-in heat-exchanger. The connecting pipe is fitted with a stop valve and a pipe for feeding water.

EFFECT: shorter duration and higher efficiency of the decontamination process, wider field of using the method and the apparatus.

4 cl, 2 dwg, 1 tbl