Patents Examined by Chester T. Barry
  • Apparatus for using permeate to flush a reverse osmosis filter
    Patent number: 11389770
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method use permeate to flush a reverse osmosis filter membrane in the same flow direction as when fluid is being filtered through the membrane. The apparatus includes a housing having a membrane positioned therein. The membrane has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The housing has an inlet port located outward of the exterior surface of the membrane and first and second outlet ports. The first outlet port is located outward of the exterior surface of the membrane and the second outlet port is located inward of the interior surface of the membrane. A first pump is used to route pressurized, untreated fluid from a fluid source through the membrane to produce permeate. A second pump is used to route permeate to a desired function while also routing some permeate at low pressure to the housing to flush the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Sonny's Water Systems, LLC.
    Inventors: Paul Philip Kalscheur, Michael Aaron Huiting, Clint Jeffrey Griesbach, Theodore Paul LaVigne, Jay Scott Dayak
  • Method of removing Cr(VI) ions from an aqueous electrolyte solution
    Patent number: 11389887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing Cr(VI) ions from an aqueous electrolyte solution, particularly an electrolyte solution for electrochemical metal machining, which comprises the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) with Fe(II) ions. The Fe(II) ions are added to the electrolyte solution in the form of an aqueous salt solution which has been brought into contact with an ion exchange resin loaded with Fe(II) ions. The invention further relates to a device (1) for electrochemical machining of a workpiece (2) by means of an aqueous electrolyte solution (6), which has an ion exchanger (11) which has been loaded with an ion exchange resin charged with Fe(II) ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Nicole Feiling, Max Niegl, Martin Koenitzer, Norbert Rast, Rudolf Hill, Dieter Mauer
  • Systems and methods for automated control of mixing and aeration in treatment processes
    Patent number: 11390544
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling aeration and mixing processes are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: ENVIROMIX, INC.
    Inventors: Theodore K Jenkins, Robert Elliott Locklair, Stuart F. Humphries
  • Process and system for managing water in a food preparation sink
    Patent number: 11377376
    Abstract: A method and system for managing water in a food preparation sink is provided. The system includes a sanitizer comprising a chemistry optimized for a food preparation sink water load, a delivery system configured to transport and deliver the sanitizer to the food preparation sink; and a verification element that is configured to be added to the water load in the food preparation sink and indicate when the water in the food preparation sink is not promoting growth or spread of bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SMARTWASH SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Child Wilhelmsen, Christopher Michael McGinnis, Danny Elmer Lindstrom, James M. Brennan
  • Method for wastewater treatment
    Patent number: 11377380
    Abstract: Compositions, systems, and methods of using alkaline-producing Aluminate salts in the sludge collection and digestion steps of wastewater processing to reduce acidity and/or build alkalinity, reduce hydrogen sulfide release, and reduce phosphate in the effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: INLAND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, INC.
    Inventor: Douglas G. Kelley
  • Resin beads and inorganic particles
    Patent number: 11369953
    Abstract: Provided is a resin composition comprising (a) a collection of resin beads, wherein the collection of resin beads has pH of 8 or above, and wherein the collection of resin beads has volume average diameter of 150 ?m to 2,000 ?m; and (b) a collection of inorganic particles, wherein the inorganic particles contain one or more alkaline earths, and wherein the collection of inorganic particles has volume average diameter of 0.5 ?m to 50 ?m. Also provided is a method of processing an aqueous composition using such a composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Collin H. Martin, John David Finch, Takashi Masudo, Daika Kouzaki
  • Rapid reduction of aqueous selenate with chromous ions
    Patent number: 11370677
    Abstract: Processes are provided for the kinetically efficient reduction of selenate species to selenide species using chromous ions in acidic solution. This reduction may advantageously be carried out in the presence of sulphate species, with selective selenate reduction in preference to the reduction of sulfate. The reduced selenate may be removed from the chromous-treated solution, for example by precipitation of a copper-selenide solid. The chromic ions formed by reaction of chromous ions in the reduction of selenate may also be removed from solution, for example by addition of a base to form an insoluble chromic hydroxide solid. The chromic hydroxide may be recycled to regenerate chromous ions, for example by electrolysis. In this way, systems are provided for continuously removing dissolved selenium from wastewater streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SEABRIDGE GOLD INC.
    Inventors: Maryam Mohammadi, Berend Wassink, Jianming Lu, David Dreisinger
  • Decision support system and method for water treatment
    Patent number: 11365140
    Abstract: A decision support system and method can be used to control a water treatment or distribution system. The decision support system collects data from multiple water system operators and analyses the data for a selected water system according to one or more rules or algorithms. The system returns data, optionally including alerts or predictions, to the system operator. Optionally, the decision support system uses machine learning applied to (i) historical data from a selected water system and/or (ii) data from other water systems to modify the rules or algorithms used to analyze current data from a selected water system. In some embodiments, the data collected includes microbial population data such as ATP data, optionally including derivatives of microbial population data; microbial speciation information; or, metagenomic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: LUMINULTRA TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Patrick Andrew Whalen, Jordan Jeremy Schmidt
  • Apparatus and method for recovering effective resources including nitrogen and phosphorus
    Patent number: 11364463
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for recovering effective resources including nitrogen and phosphorus. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, provided are an apparatus and a method for recovering effective resources, which efficiently recover resources such as methane, nitrogen, and phosphorus while minimizing the use of chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Daehwan Rhu, Jaemin Choi, Minki Jung, Hojae Hwang, Seyeong Kim, Ken Tasaki
  • Biological solids processing
    Patent number: 11358907
    Abstract: A method of processing biological solids includes blending a sludge with calcium oxide and delivering the blended sludge and calcium oxide to a pressurized container; injecting, into the blended sludge and calcium oxide in the pressurized container, an additive capable of exothermic reactions with the calcium oxide; regulating pH in the pressurized container to produce class A biological solids from the sludge; and pumping the blended sludge, calcium oxide, and additive from the pressurized container to a reactor. A system used for this process include sources of calcium oxide and biological solids, an additive injector, and a pressurized reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Schwing Bioset, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Anderson, Charles M. Wanstrom, Lakshminarasimha Krishnapura
  • Lithium extraction in the presence of scalants
    Patent number: 11358875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to recovery of lithium from liquid resources to produce lithium solutions while limiting impurity precipitation in the lithium solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: LILAC SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David Henry Snydacker, Amos Indranada, Alysia Lukito
  • Excrement treatment agent
    Patent number: 11358879
    Abstract: An object is to provide an excrement treatment agent, which can suppress not only the odor of feces but also the ammonia odor in various environments. An excrement treatment agent, comprising limonite, lignin and bentonite, wherein, when further comprising slaked lime, the amount of the slaked lime is 10 mass % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: EXCELSIOR INC.
    Inventor: Kanichi Adachi
  • Crosslinked resin, synthesis thereof, and use for removing organic dyes
    Patent number: 11351520
    Abstract: A crosslinked resin made up of polymerized units of a linear polyamine with at least 3 primary and/or secondary amine functionalities and a bisacrylamide. The crosslinked polymers are porous spherical particles with a BET surface area in the range of 50-120 m2/g. A method of the synthesizing the crosslinked polymer is specified. A method for using the crosslinked resin as an adsorbent material in removing pollutants including organic dyes (e.g. Congo red, Rhodamine B) and heavy metals from an aqueous solution or an industrial wastewater sample is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Nisar Ullah, Abdul Waheed, Muhammad Mansha, Izzat Wajih Kazi
  • Activated carbon-iron/cerium oxide nanocomposite suitable for dye removal
    Patent number: 11345615
    Abstract: Activated carbon, e.g., from waste tires, modified by bimetallic Fe and Ce nanoparticles can provide high surface area and active sites for enhanced dye adsorption. Such nanocomposites can offer magnetic removal from aqueous solutions containing, e.g., Methylene Blue or Rhodamine B. Adsorption equilibrium data fit well to the Langmuir isotherm model, with an adsorption capacity was 324.6 mg/g. Rhodamine B adsorption by such activated carbon-Fe—Ce magnetic adsorbents has an endothermic character and pseudo-second-order kinetics. In ethanol solution, rhodamine B was desorbed at high efficiency and such materials, which could be recycled up to 5 cycles. Such magnetic nanocomposites are adsorbents for treating dyes such as rhodamine B in wastewater, even in large scale adsorption systems. Polyamides can be grafted to such nanocomposites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventor: Tawfik Abdo Saleh Awadh
  • Filter agitator
    Patent number: 11338225
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe filter agitators, filtration units comprising the filter agitators, methods of using the filter agitators, and the like. In certain embodiments, the filter agitators comprise a plurality of first fins extending outwardly from a central vertical axis and arranged in a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the central vertical axis, wherein the plurality of first fins is configured to promote laminar flow of a fluid flowing in a first direction and induce turbulent flow of a fluid flowing in a second direction; and optionally a plurality of second fins positioned above the plurality of first fins and extending outwardly from the central vertical axis, wherein the plurality of second fins is configured to induce or further induce turbulent flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: THE TRU SHRIMP COMPANIES, INC.
    Inventors: Angela Kaye Landsman, Joshua David Gross
  • Removing arsenic from water with acid-activated clay
    Patent number: 11332387
    Abstract: The description relates to a composition and a method for reducing the concentration of arsenic in water. Contaminated water is contacted with acid-activated clay characterized by a removal efficiency for arsenic of at least 95 wt %. Following sufficient contact, the water is separated from the acid-activated clay. In preferred form, the acid activated clay is characterized by a BET surface area of at least about 200 m2/gram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Fuel Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingming Fang, Heng Wang
  • Removal of selenium from water with kaolinite
    Patent number: 11332388
    Abstract: The description relates to a composition and a method for reducing the concentration of selenium in water. Contaminated water is contacted with a kaolinite clay characterized by a removal efficiency for selenatearsenate of at least 40 wt % at ambient temperature. The adsorption process is fast. Following sufficient contact, the water is separated from the kaolinite clay. In a preferred form, the kaolinite clay has high surface acidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Fuel Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingming Fang, Heng Wang
  • Thin film composite hollow fiber membranes fabrication systems
    Patent number: 11331632
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for fabricating thin film composite hollow fiber membranes. In some implementations, an apparatus is used to remove excess first solution from a hollow fiber that has been immersed in a first solution. In some implementations, the method and apparatuses include flowing a gas, for example, compressed gas or ambient air, past a surface of a hollow fiber that has been immersed in a first solution prior to immersion in a second solution. In some implementations, the gas is flowed past the surface under positive pressure, while in other implementations the gas is flowed under negative pressure, for example, vacuum. The apparatuses and devices can be used to produce thin film composite hollow fiber membranes without pressing or damaging the hollow fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Seung-Hak Choi, Melhan M. Ben Sultan, Halah A. Shaikh Sulaiman, Abdulrahman A. Alsuwailem
  • Adsorption method
    Patent number: 11325847
    Abstract: A method of selectively and efficiently adsorbing an anion such as a phosphate ion which adversely affect the environment when discharged without any treatment, or an anion which can be used beneficially when recovered, from waste water or a solution including such ion using an adsorbent. A method of adsorbing an anion of interest from an aqueous solution (A) containing the anion of interest and the other anion using an anion adsorbent, including performing at least (1) a step of contacting the aqueous solution (A) having a pH of 5.8 or less with the anion adsorbent to allow the anions to be adsorbed to the anion adsorbent, and then (2) a step of contacting water or an aqueous solution (B) having a pH of 5.2 to 11 with the anion adsorbent to desorb at least a part of the other anion adsorbed to the anion adsorbent from the anion adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: TAKAHASHI METAL INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Hirokawa, Tsuyoshi Noishiki, Nobuo Kimura, Yuichi Tateishi, Yukiko Takahashi
  • Decontamination method and apparatus for effluents
    Patent number: 11325844
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for decontamination of effluent, includes connecting a first ejector to source of a first motive fluid, directing from the first ejector first motive fluid into piping connected to a source of effluent thus causing the effluent to stream in the piping and simultaneously causing the effluent to be heated, and controlling the directing of the first motive fluid in such a way that a predetermined thermal effect is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: PHARMTEC SA
    Inventor: Mats Mickos