Abstract
A long term dust free mass of natural silica particles is produced by covering 10-60 percent of the total surface area of the particles with a thin film of white mineral oil with a low viscosity of less than 200 Saybolt SUS at 100 F. and preferably in the range of 60-100 Saybolt SUS at 100 F.
Claims
1. A mass of free flowing silica particles wherein the surfaces of said particles have very thin film areas of an extremely pure substance having a low viscosity of less than 200 Saybolt SUS at 100 F., said very thin film areas of extremely pure substance on said silica particles cover 10-60 percent of the total surfaces of said silica particles, said extremely pure substance contains no water and is a liquid that captures over 90 percent of the total airborne silica dust of said particles of said mass, whereby said very thin film areas reduce silica dust by covering a portion of the surfaces of said particles and by capturing said airborne dust of said particles of said mass to create an eight-hour weighted average (TWA) crystalline silica dust of less than 0.05 milligram per cubic meter exposure level and said reduced exposure level of crystalline dust remains at a value of less than 0.05 milligram per cubic meter exposure for over 10 days.
2. A mass of free flowing silica particles as defined in claim 1 wherein said very thin film areas comprise less than 1000 ppm by weight of said mass.
3. A mass of free flowing silica particles as defined in claim 1 wherein said very thin film areas of extremely pure substance have a thickness less than ten molecules.
4. A mass of free flowing silica particles as defined in claim 3 wherein said extremely pure substance containing no water and capable of capturing airborne silica dust is white mineral oil.
5. A mass of free flowing silica particles as defined in claim 2 wherein said extremely pure substance containing no water and capable of capturing airborne silica dust is white mineral oil.
6. A mass of free flowing silica particles as defined in claim 1 wherein said extremely pure substance containing no water and capable of capturing airborne silica dust is white mineral oil.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 is a layout drawing of the preferred manner of implementing the invention;
(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged pictorial view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 is a listing of an important parameter used in the implementation of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 4-11;
(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic layout view describing aspects of a mechanism for implementing one embodiment of the invention;
(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the falling particle stream and droplet nozzle system used in implementing this embodiment of the invention;
(7) FIG. 5A is a schematic view illustrating one of the droplets D used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;
(8) FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic illustration of a portion of the outer surface of a particle illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 covered by novel small droplets and oil surface areas formed by the small droplets to cover the silica particle surfaces;
(9) FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic illustration of the many small droplet created oil surface covering areas constituting the invention;
(10) FIG. 8 is a schematic layout view of another embodiment of the invention using large globules to cover the surfaces of falling silica particles with oil layers;
(11) FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic view, like FIG. 6, illustrating a portion of the outer surface of a particle shown in FIG. 8 to depict the oil surface areas formed by the large globules used in the embodiment of FIG. 8;
(12) FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic illustration of a particle surface with a high percentage covered by the oil surface areas formed by the large globules;
(13) FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic illustration of a particle surface with a small percentage covered by the oil surface areas formed by the large globules;
(14) FIG. 12 is a layout drawing the preferred commercial implementation of the invention using a loading silo; and,
(15) FIG. 13 is a layout drawing of an alternative commercial implementation of the invention using a transloader.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(16) The two embodiments of the present invention are described in detail in FIGS. 4-11. They relate to the concept of reducing the crystalline silica dust concentration of silica particles and retaining this silica dust reduction for an extended time to allow shipment to the user site. In practice, the invention is implemented during loading a mass of essentially dry, sand-like particulate or granular material into a transport vehicle, such as a truck. The invention is primarily used to ship a mass of silica particles, such as frac sand, which is dust controlled to the site of a hydraulic fracking operation but is also used to ship silica particles to a glass making facility and to a foundry for use there.
(17) The preferred general implementation of the invention is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 as system 10. Supply silo 20 at the supply facility for the silica particles accepts the natural silica particles for storage and subsequent transportation to the site for use. In system 10, silo 20 has an outlet valve 30, which is normally adjustable and is often rectangular, but could be circular. Valve 30 releases stream S1 of natural silica particles, which particle stream is densely packed into the continuous mass of natural granular silica particles. Such dense particle mass is not easily penetrated by the novel dust control treatment, as shown in FIGS. 4-11. Stream S1 has an effective diameter a, which diameter term is used in the fashion of particle shape description, meaning the shape could be rectangular, circular, or otherwise. The effective diameter is an assumed dimension for defining the cross-sectional area of stream S1. Indeed, effective diameter also means the general thickness of particle stream S1, such as the width of a square or flat stream as shown in FIG. 13. This dense concentration of silica particles drops downwardly by the force of gravity against a horizontal deflector plate P1 having a drop-off edge 100, which edge is normally circular. After dense particle stream S1 collides downwardly with plate P1, the silica particles cascade over edge 100 to form second silica particle stream S2, which is loose flow of spaced silica particles that allows access to the various particles from the outside because the particles in the stream are less dense and have been diffused by deflector plate P1. The shape of particle stream S2 is shown in FIG. 2. The transverse dimension of the thin circular stream S2 is identified as b that is less than 6 inches, so it can be more easily penetrated by the discrete liquid masses, droplets or globules, used in the two embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4-11. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the effective diameter a of particle stream S1 is drastically larger than thickness b. In the preferred application, the effective diameter a is preferably in the range of 3-6 inches and at least five times the relatively thin thickness b of particle stream S2. As silica particle stream S2 moves downwardly from drop-off edge 100 of plate P1, a series of nozzles 110 surrounding stream S2. These nozzles spray either small droplets or large globules of low viscosity white mineral oil onto the downwardly falling silica particles. Both of the discrete liquid masses are identified as arrows 110a. This novel dust reduction procedure of using a very low amount of white mineral oil to cover 10-60 percent of the particle surfaces with film areas is explained in more detail in description of the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 4-11. These silica particles are efficiently covered by thin film areas preferably created by discrete liquid masses of white mineral oil areas propelled against the particles. Discrete liquid masses 110a from nozzles 110 penetrate the loose mass of particles in stream S2. Thickness b is controlled to a less dense creating value so the discrete liquid masses penetrates a distance to cover the falling silica particles in the stream. Silica particles cascading from edge 100 are collected as load L of silica particles (proppant, glass making particles, etc.) in the bed of truck T for transport to the particle using site. By using horizontal deflector plate P1 having an area larger than the area of stream S1, the particles create a sand dead bed DB on the top of plate P1. The dense silica particles in stream S1 collide with plate P1 and are accumulated on the plate so that there is no direct contact of the relatively hard particles in stream S1 with the plate. This sand dead bed action protects the plate for long term use.
(18) A first embodiment for practicing the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 5 where the novel thin white mineral oil film areas are applied by droplets D. Downwardly falling silica particles in particle stream S2 are treated with a selected white mineral oil from supply 200, which mineral oil is atomized into small droplets D by device 210 driven pressurized air from atomizer 210. The pressurized atomized white mineral oil is propelled against the particles in stream S2 as atomized droplets D, schematically illustrated in FIG. 5A. Small atomized droplets D are propelled against the silica particles in steam S2 as indicated by arrows 220 from atomizing nozzles 222. These nozzles are arranged generally horizontally on both sides of stream S2 having an inwardly facing wall 230 and outwardly facing wall 232 as best shown in the schematic partial illustration of FIG. 5. In practice, horizontal nozzles 222 are evenly spaced around one wall 230, as indicated by arrows 220 in FIG. 5. Very small droplets D have an effective diameter X, as shown in FIG. 5A. This effective diameter is less than 300 microns and preferably in the range of 50-100 microns. In some applications, small atomized droplets D have even smaller effective diameters. Droplets D constitute the discrete liquid masses of white mineral oil propelled against the surfaces of particles P, one of which is partially shown in FIG. 6. In accordance with the invention, white mineral oil is used because it is the most refined mineral oil having the least amount of impurities. This purified mineral oil will best reduce the side effects of the silica particles as they are ultimately used. In accordance with the invention, the selected white mineral oil has a low viscosity of less than 200 Saybolt SUS at 100 F. so the film created by spreading of droplets D is very thin. The small droplets of selected white mineral oil constitute less than 1000 ppm by weight of the total mass of particles. Preferably, the amount of white mineral oil deposited on the particles comprises 200 to 600 ppm by weight of the total mass of silica particles. This is a very small amount of white mineral oil that forms the thin film areas of mineral oil on the surfaces of the particles. In accordance with the invention, a very small amount of mineral oil is deposited on the particles as indicated by the process shown in FIG. 4. The thin film areas created by the selected white mineral oil contains a very small amount of oil and covers only 10-60 percent of the total surfaces of all the silica particles. In summary, the selected white mineral oil is a mineral oil having extremely low impurities. Furthermore, the mineral oil has a very low viscosity which preferably in a range of 60-100 Saybolt SUS at 100 F. The small amount of white mineral oil with the low viscosity causes the oil to cover only 10-60 percent of the surfaces of the particles. It has been determined that this low amount of mineral oil has little side effects and constitutes less impurities for subsequent use. The very thin mineral oil film caused by small droplets D reduces silica dust concentration by capturing over 90 percent of the total airborne dust of the particles of the mass to create an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) crystalline silica dust measurement of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter exposure level. It has also been found that this reduced dust concentration remains at a value of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter exposure for over ten days. Consequently, the natural silica particles can be used as long term dust free proppants for hydraulic fracturing as well as long term dust free natural silica particles for glass making and use in the foundry industry. Since the white mineral oil is not a water based substance, as previously used for dust control and includes a very small amount of oil, the moisture content of the silica particle mass is less than 0.10 percent and the silica particle mass maintains its free flowing characteristic. This moisture content is well below the 0.30 percent moisture content which must be controlled when the particles are covered by a polymer solution, as in previous techniques for reducing dust in the hydraulic fracturing field. This is a distinct advantageous property of the novel silica particle mass of the invention.
(19) In FIGS. 6 and 7, the surface covering action of propelled small droplets D against the silica particles is schematically illustrated. Silica particles P have an outer surface PS onto which small white mineral oil droplets D collide and are dispersed as thin film due to the extremely low viscosity of the white mineral oil. Droplets D spread to form film areas 240. The droplet formed thin film areas 240 having a thickness defined generally by the low viscosity of the droplets. Since the viscosity is extremely low, the film has a very thin thickness, which may be as low as 2 to 10 molecules of the selected white mineral oil. Since there is a very small amount of white mineral oil used in the process, surface PS has a substantial amount of uncovered area 242 as illustrated schematically in FIGS. 6 and 7. Particle surface PS covered by thinly spread areas 240 capture the dust on the surface of particle P, schematically illustrated as capture areas 250 in FIG. 6. To complete the dust reduction accomplished by the present invention, thin film areas 240 also have a tendency to physically attract and accumulate airborne silica dust AD, as schematically shown in FIG. 6. Consequently, the mass of silica particles is technically dust free with a measured dust exposure level of less than 0.10 milligrams per cubic meter. This is a definition of dust free; however, the invention actually reduces the crystalline dust to a measured exposure level of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter. Since areas 240 are formed from a substance that is not water based, the dust exposure level is retained at the low value for a long period of time. Indeed, it has been found that the full mass of silica particles has a reduced dust exposure area or concentration of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter for over ten days. This is substantially greater than the four day retention time of dust reduction water based polymer solutions used in the hydraulic fracturing art where long term is defined as more than four days. The present invention creates a novel mass of silica particles which is long term dust free even though there is a slight amount of airborne silica dust associated with the mass.
(20) The invention involves creating a long term dust free mass of natural silica particles by using a selected white mineral oil having a low viscosity of less than 200, and preferably 60-100, Saybolt SUS at 100 F. by creating a number of thin film areas spread over surface S of particles A. These film areas are created by discrete liquid masses of selected white mineral oil propelled against surfaces S of silica particles A, so that the mineral oil spreads over the particle surfaces to form very thin oil film areas. These areas of white mineral oil comprise less than 1000 ppm by weight of the mass and preferably 200-600 ppm by weight. There is a small amount of oil spread as thin film over surfaces. Consequently, this small amount of oil creates small, if any, side effects. Surprisingly, such very small amount of oil has crystalline silica dust reduction properties realized by the invention.
(21) The discrete liquid masses used to practice the invention may be small droplets D, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, or large globules G shown in FIG. 8 where the amount of white mineral oil applied to the surfaces of particles A covers in the range of 10-60 percent of the total surface areas of particles A by spreading the oil of large globules G. These globules are propelled from appropriately sized globule forming nozzles 260, only one of which is illustrated. Nozzles 260 propels a stream of globules G toward the downwardly falling particles A, as indicated by arrow 260a, and are spaced across or around one or both walls of the falling silica particles. These globules have an effective diameter of substantially less than 1500 microns and preferably in the range of 800 to 1200 microns. Indeed, in practice the effective diameter of the large liquid globules G is greater than 600 microns. These globules propelled along arrow 260a from appropriately sized nozzles 260 are formed from the selected low viscosity white mineral oil, as indicated by block 262. This mineral oil is highly pressurized, as indicated by pressure generator 264. The size of the nozzles horizontally arranged across or around the inner wall of the downwardly falling fine particles A, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, is selected to determine the desired effective diameter of globules G. Since the amount of mineral oil deposited on the surfaces of particles A less than 1000 ppm of the total mass and preferably 200-600 ppm of the total mass, not all of surfaces S of the particles A are covered. Indeed, surface coverage created by globules G is in the range of 10-60 percent as accomplished when using droplets D.
(22) The oil film coverage on particles A created by large globules G is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 9-11. Particles A have an outer surface S covered by film areas 270a and 270b, as shown in FIG. 9. These thin oil film areas are not formed by small droplets, as in the first embodiment, but are merely film areas coated over the surfaces of various particles A to create dust capturing zones 280a and 280b under film areas 270a and 270b. Globules G form film areas 270a, 270b which are film layers F with a very small thickness Th caused by the very low viscosity of the selected white mineral oil. As discussed in FIG. 6, the thin film or layers of white mineral oil on surfaces S also attract airborne dust AD to further reduce the amount of dust and, thus, decrease the crystalline silica dust concentration of the total silica particle mass. Since globules G are relatively large compared to particles A, they are merely propelled against the particles and collide with the particles to create areas 270a and 270b on the outer surfaces S of the various silica particles A. Using this second delivery system, it has been found that some particles may have a large amount of white mineral oil as shown in FIG. 10 wherein the mineral oil areas are illustrated as areas 270a, 270b, 270c, and 270d on the surface that converge to nearly cover total surface S. Indeed, these areas could cover all area of surface S on a given silica particle A. Likewise, a particle A could have a very small amount of oil film areas, as illustrated in FIG. 11, wherein only spaced areas 270e and 270f are formed on a given particle. Indeed, some particles could have no mineral oil. Some particles could have a large amount of mineral oil as indicated in FIG. 10 or very little mineral oil as illustrated in FIG. 11. However, the mineral oil still covers 10-60 percent of the particle surface areas. In accordance with the invention, a very pure mineral oil and a very low viscosity creates a silica dust control technique having a small amount of impurities and minor tendency for side effects while still producing long term dust free silica particles at low cost. A small amount of low viscosity selected white mineral oil is applied in very small amounts of a very thin oil film, which may converge or remain separate. Surprisingly, this very small amount of selected white mineral oil results in long term dust free silica particles and the mass remains free flowing. The discrete liquid masses propelled against the particles can be either very small droplets, as shown in the embodiment FIGS. 4-7, or large globules G, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 8-11.
(23) In summary, discrete masses (droplets D or globules G) have a very small weight relationship to the total mass of natural silica particles, but, the low viscosity of the selected white mineral oil (less than T200 and preferably T60-T100) causes the small amount of oil to cover 10-60 percent of the total surface area of the mass. Using the selected white mineral oil involves the lowest impurity level to reduce side effects which are further reduced by the small amount of oil needed to practice the invention. Since there is little, if any water, the low dust concentration is long term.
(24) FIG. 12 is a layout drawing of a system used in practice for implementing the present invention as it has been explained in the two embodiments of FIGS. 4-11. In this practical loading mechanism, system 300 includes silo 20 as generally discussed in FIG. 1 with adjustable valve 30, as previously described. In this practical implementation of the invention, there is provided a dust collector 302 preceding discharge outlet 310 for creating stream S1. Circular plate P3 has drop-off edge 320. A series of nozzles 322 designed to create a flow of discrete liquid masses, such as small droplets D in FIGS. 4-7 with an effective diameter in the range of 50-100 microns, i.e. less than 300 microns, and to direct this mass of dust control small droplets formed from low viscosity white mineral oil in manifold 324 onto the inside from the downwardly falling silica particle stream S2. Alternatively, nozzles 322 are designed to propel pressurized large globules G of white mineral oil to perform the embodiment of FIGS. 8-11 where the effective diameters of the globules are less than 1500 and greater than 600 microns. Preferably the effective diameters are in the range of 800-1200 microns. The design and structure of nozzles 322 are within the skill of the art, as long as small oil droplets D are created or large pressurized globules G are created to practice the invention. Moveable spout 340 is set in place by spout positioner track 342. Downwardly falling stream S2 is formed into a cone shape configuration by spout 340. Stream S2 as described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown as a cone shaped configuration having diverging sides 400 converging at outlet point 402 directly above load outlet spout 350 of silo 20. FIG. 12 illustrates the sand dead bed advantage wherein horizontal plate P3 accumulates silica particles, as illustrated by the dead bed DB. Consequently, horizontal deflector plates used in the invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 has a long life since the rapidly moving particles do not contact the surface of the deflector plate to cause wear of the plate.
(25) A primary use of the present invention in practice is for a silo loading device, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8; however, the invention can be used when a transloader TL loads particle material PM into transport truck T or other transport vessel, as illustrated in FIG. 13. In this practical implementation of the invention, conveyor belt 500 directs silica particle material PM into conformed discharge compartment 502 projecting over outer wheel 504 of the loader. Material PM flowing from the belt into compartment 502 is in the form of stream S1 that collides with the upper surface of a somewhat horizontal deflector plate P4 as a dense particle stream S1 of condensed silica particles is directed to the generally horizontal plate in this transloader version of the immediate transportation aspect of the present invention. Plate P4 has an outer drop-off edge 510, which is generally a flat or curved surface, over which stream S2 cascades in the same fashion as previously described. The surfaces of silica particles in downwardly falling stream S2 are covered by film areas constituting 10-60 percent of the total surfaces of the silica particles. This novel concept of partially covering the silica particles by propelling discrete liquid masses of low viscosity white mineral oil directed against the falling particles by vertically spaced groups of appropriately designed sets of nozzles 512, 514. The discrete liquid masses are either small droplets D or large globules G. The nozzle sets create a dust free stream S2 of silica particles for deposit into truck T. Thus, the dust free, and long term, silica particles can be available for immediate transportation to the hydraulic fracturing site for proppants or to the glassmaking site for silica particles used as fillers in this industry.
Summarizing the Invention
(26) The invention involves creating surface film areas of white mineral oil with a low amount to cover 10-60 percent of the surfaces of a mass of silica particles. This novel concept can be accomplished by depositing a large number of small droplets D on the surfaces of the silica particles as described in FIGS. 4-7. As an alternative, the surface film areas can be created by pressurized large globules G of white mineral oil propelled against the falling silica particles, as shown in FIGS. 8-11. These many discrete liquid masses spread rapidly forming very thin film areas of dust control oil to cover the surface silica dust and capture airborne silica dust. The invention in the novel concept of using very low weight of white mineral oil, with a low viscosity of less than 200 Saybolt SUS at 100 F., preferably 60-100 Saybolt SUS at 100 F., i.e. T60, T70 and T100, white mineral oil. Consequently, the dust concentration is drastically reduced with very little white mineral oil, such as less than 1000 ppm and preferably 200-600 ppm by weight of the mass. This small amount of white mineral oil is less than 0.10 percent by weight of the silica particle mass. Use of such low weight of white mineral oil results in little, is any side effects, which is extremely important when the silica particles are used for glass making and when used in the metal foundry industry. Since the dust control oil is not water based, the low dust concentration obtained by the application of discrete liquid masses remains for a long time, such as at least 10 days. This feature of the invention is again very applicable to use of the silica particles in glass making. It has been found that the silica particles used in hydraulic fracturing are used in a short time, less than 4 days. However, in the glass industry, it is necessary for the silica particles to retain the low dust concentration caused by the use of a small amount of white mineral oil covering surfaces of the particles for a substantially longer time. This long term retention of low dust concentration characteristic is obtained by the novel silica particle mass of the present invention.
(27) When the white mineral oil is applied, as disclosed in FIGS. 4-11, the silica particles will have an average TWA dust measurement of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter exposure level and are therefore classified as dust free. In the relevant hydraulic fracturing art, dust free means an average measured TWA dust exposure level of less than 0.10 milligrams per cubic meters. Thus, the silica particles produced by the novel concepts are clearly dust free.
(28) The present invention reduces the airborne dust concentration by over 90 percent. As is well known, that an eight-hour time weighted average (TWA) of the crystalline silica dust of the mass after application of the discrete liquid masses of white mineral oil involving small droplets atomized by air pressure in one embodiment or large pressurized globules in the second embodiment. The extended time of measured exposure level (TWA) of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter is over 10 days making the silica particles long term dust free which term means keeping the silica particles measured exposure level to less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter for at least four days. Since no water is used in the present invention, the low dust concentration level is maintained over 10 days, thereby, meeting and surpassing the characteristic of long term dust free silica particles.
(29) Three examples were used in developing the invention using the embodiment in FIG. 4-7. Crystal Plus Oil 70T was the low viscosity white mineral oil used. 70T means the Saybolt SUS at 100 F. (standard viscosity designation) is 70. This viscosity designation compares to cST at 40 C. of 12.3 or about 12-13.
(30) In the first example using 70T oil a low weight of 0.10 percent of the weight of the silica particle mass was employed. There was a 97 percent reduction in TWA measured exposure level and it retained level of less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter for over 10 days. The second example used mineral oil of only 0.05 percent by weight of the silica particle mass, but the dust reduction was still about 98 percent. The other characteristics were generally the same as in the first example. A third example used mineral oil of only 0.025 percent by weight of the silica mass. Even with this extremely low weight of mineral oil, the claimed characteristics of the invention were obtained with less surface coverage. These results are extremely surprising in that so little white mineral oil is needed in practicing the invention, i.e. less than 1000 ppm and preferably 200-600 ppm. Thus, the side effects are limited, and the cost is drastically reduced. Further examples using the embodiment of FIGS. 8-11 with the same amount of white mineral oil accomplished the same crystalline silica dust reduction values and lasted over 10 days. It was discovered that the advantage of the invention is use of the invention as described and claimed, irrespective of which embodiment was practiced.
(31) In summary, by using 200-600 ppm white mineral oil with a very low viscosity, T60, T70 or T100, the crystalline silica dust measure level is reduced to less than 0.05 milligrams per cubic meter and, without water, the low crystalline silica dust level below this level is maintained by over 10 days. The mineral oil areas are very thin films spread over the particle surfaces. The low thickness and large coverage by the spreadability of the surface covering is due to the very low viscosity of the extremely pure mineral oil. The purity of the mineral oil also reduces side effects. The silica dust concentration is reduced by capturing dust on the surface and attracting airborne free dust. The silica particles are dust free and are long term dust free.
(32) When defining aspects of the invention, selected or targeted effective diameters of the discrete liquid masses of white mineral oil, whether small droplets or large globules, are specified. It is acknowledged that, as a practical matter, there will be an insignificant or very minor number of the discrete liquid masses outside such selected or targeted effective diameters. However, at least 99 percent or more likely over 99.9 percent of the discrete liquid masses are within the stated effective diameters. This concept relates to any targeted value of the parameters of the invention, where appropriate, such as particle grain size.
(33) While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, and equivalences thereof, can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined to form yet other embodiments of the invention of this application. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.
