Patents Examined by Ciel P Thomas
  • Patent number: 10287223
    Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for an electrochemical cell including an anode and a cathode where the anode is contacted with a metal ion that converts the metal ion from a lower oxidation state to a higher oxidation state. The metal ion in the higher oxidation state is reacted with an unsaturated hydrocarbon and/or a saturated hydrocarbon to form products. Separation and/or purification of the products as well as of the metal ions in the lower oxidation state and the higher oxidation state, is provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Calera Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Weiss, Ryan J Gilliam, Kyle Self, Gal Mariansky, Margarete K Leclerc, Riyaz Mohammed Shipchandler, Jacob Nagar
  • Patent number: 10290886
    Abstract: An electrochemical system includes an electrochemical device having a stack of elementary electrochemical cells each including an electrolyte interposed between a cathode and an anode; ducts for supplying the anodes and the cathodes with gas and for collecting the gases generated by the latter; an enclosure having the electrochemical device housed therein and including at least one inlet duct and one outlet duct to circulate an air flow in the enclosure; and a circuit for analyzing the air in the enclosure. The circuit includes a sensor capable of measuring an oxygen content present in the outlet duct of the enclosure; and an analysis unit capable of diagnosing a leak of the device when the measured oxygen content differs from a predetermined oxygen content in the inlet duct of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: André Chatroux, Thomas Donnier-Marechal
  • Patent number: 10280523
    Abstract: Among other things, a device for use in electrolyzing water is described. The device comprises an electrolysis unit that includes a chamber, an ion exchange structure in the chamber, a cathode, an anode, a high pressure chamber, and a reservoir. The chamber is separated by the ion exchange structure into a first compartment and a second compartment. The cathode is in the first compartment and the anode in the second compartment. The reservoir is disposed in the high pressure chamber for storing water to be supplied to the chamber of the electrolysis unit. In some implementations, the ion exchange structure is a proton exchange membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Encite LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Alan Marsh, Donald Merrill Parker
  • Patent number: 10277095
    Abstract: An example generator cooling arrangement includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump configured to receive and adjust a fluid containing hydrogen and to provide a refined supply of hydrogen. An electric power generator receives the supply of hydrogen. The refined supply of hydrogen is used to remove thermal energy from the electric power generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Michael L. Perry
  • Patent number: 10273589
    Abstract: An electrodes/electrolyte assembly—MEA, electrochemical membrane reactor—is described and a method for the direct amination of hydrocarbons, namely for the direct amination of benzene to aniline, and a method for the preparation of said electrodes/electrolyte assembly. The presented Solution allows the increase of conversion of said amination to above 60%, even at low temperatures, i.e., between 200° C. and 450° C.; preferably between 300° C. and 400° C. The electrodes/electrolyte assembly for direct amination of hydrocarbons comprises: an anode (1), electrons and protons conductor, that includes a composite porous matrix, comprised by a ceramic fraction and a catalyst for said amination at temperatures lower than 450° C.; a porous cathode (3), electrons and protons conductor, and electrocatalyst; an electrolyte (2), protons or ions conductor and electrically insulating, located between the anode (1) and the cathode (3), made of a composite ceramic impermeable to reagents and products of said amination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CUF—QUIMICOS INDUSTRIAIS S.A.
    Inventors: Adelio Miguel Magalhaes Mendes, Alejandro Franca Gomes Ribeiro, Margarida Dias Catarino, Ana Sofia Pimentel Felix, Mario Jorge De Oliveira Pinho
  • Patent number: 10273588
    Abstract: A method of sealing a multi-component bipolar plate is disclosed. The method may include inserting a first seal between a first component and a second component, wherein the first seal is aligned with a first plurality of protrusions formed on a surface of at least one of the first component and the second component. The method may also include compressing the first component and the second component to cause the penetration of the first plurality of protrusions into the first seal. The method may further include plastically deforming the first seal in order to create a first sealing surface between the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Nuvera fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Domit, Scott Blanchet, Roger Van Boeyen, Kevin Beverage
  • Patent number: 10260161
    Abstract: This invention concerns a substrate holder reception apparatus (1) for clamping a substrate holder (11) in a substrate holder clamping direction (SHCD) in a predetermined position of the substrate holder (11) and releasing the substrate holder (11), comprising at least one substrate holder connection device (21) for mechanical aligning and electrically contacting of the substrate holder (11), wherein the substrate holder connection device (21) comprises a separate substrate holder alignment device (211) for aligning the substrate holder (11) with the substrate holder connection device (21) in an alignment direction, and a separate substrate holder contact device (212) for electrically contacting the substrate holder (11). Further, the invention concerns an electrochemical treatment apparatus (5) comprising the substrate holder reception apparatus (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Atotech Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Rauenbusch, Tobias Bussenius, Stefan Vitzthum
  • Patent number: 10260158
    Abstract: An anode clamp configured for clamping an anode rod to an anode bus, the anode clamp comprising a first rotating mechanism and a second rotating mechanism. The first rotating mechanism is configured to be rotated by a user and is in contact with the second rotating mechanism. When the first rotating mechanism is rotated, it causes the second rotating mechanism to rotate. The second rotating mechanism as a pawl which is configured for being rotated downwards to apply pressure on an anode rod located below the pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Alan Morris Scholes
  • Patent number: 10253422
    Abstract: An electrolysis method of preventing the voltage of an electrolytic bath from rising over time without halting electrolysis and an electrolysis device for executing the method are provided such that: in operation of a two-compartment electrolytic bath, which has a membrane partitioning an anode compartment from a cathode compartment and in which a sulfide ion-containing white liquor for use in a pulp production process is fed into the anode compartment while direct current is supplied to the electrolytic bath to produce polysulfide in the anode compartment through electrolysis, and a sulfide ion-containing white liquor for use in a pulp production process that contains at least one of a scale cleaning agent and a scale inhibitor is fed to the anode compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignees: NIPPON PAPER INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., PERMELEC ELECTRODE LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Suyama, Kazuhiro Kurosu, Masaaki Kato, Hideo Otsu
  • Patent number: 10242806
    Abstract: The solar fuels generator includes an ionically conductive separator between a gaseous first phase and a second phase. A photoanode uses one or more components of the first phase to generate cations during operation of the solar fuels generator. A cation conduit is positioned provides a pathway along which the cations travel from the photoanode to the separator. The separator conducts the cations. A second solid cation conduit conducts the cations from the separator to a photocathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Joshua M. Spurgeon, William C. West, Chengxiang Xiang
  • Patent number: 10233549
    Abstract: To convert light into a chemical substance with high conversion efficiency. A device, comprising: a photovoltaic layer having a first face and a second face; an oxidation electrode layer electrically connected to the first face of the photovoltaic layer; a reduction electrode layer electrically connected to the second face of the photovoltaic layer; a first electrolytic solution being supplied to the oxidation electrode layer; a second electrolytic solution being supplied to the reduction electrode layer; and a porous layer, provided to in contact with at least one of the first electrolytic solution and the second electrolytic solution, having fine pores through which a product produced by the oxidation reaction or the reduction reaction passes, and being given a temperature gradient wherein the product being purified by the porous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Akihiko Ono, Satoshi Mikoshiba, Yuki Kudo, Ryota Kitagawa, Jun Tamura, Eishi Tsutsumi, Yoshitsune Sugano
  • Patent number: 10227701
    Abstract: An insulating frame for electrolysis cells is proposed, which has a geometric form with corners, said insulating frame being of a flat design and having an anode and a cathode side as well as an outer and inner end face, the insulating frame being characterized in that it is has an edge area directly adjoining the inner end face, characterized in that in the area of the corners the edge area has corner expansion joints in the form of cut-outs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: UHDENORA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Dirk Hoormann, Dmitri Donst, Frank Funck, Philipp Hofmann, Gregor Polcyn, Peter Toros, Peter Woltering
  • Patent number: 10221493
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recovering copper and zinc from an aqueous sulfate and chloride containing solution. In the first process step zinc and copper are simultaneous extracting with an extraction solution comprising a liquid chelating cation exchanger and a liquid anion exchanger. The extraction is followed by consecutive stripping stages. First the anionic species are washed from the organic phase with one or more aqueous solutions and finally the copper is stripped with an aqueous acidic solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Erkki Paatero, Kari Hietala, Mika Haapalainen
  • Patent number: 10221495
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cell for metal electrowinning equipped with a device useful for preventing the adverse effects of dendrite growth on the cathodic deposit. The cell comprises a porous conductive screen, positioned between the anode and the cathode, capable of stopping the growth of dendrites and preventing them from reaching the anode surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: INDUSTRIE DE NORA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Fiorucci, Alice Calderara, Luciano Iacopetti, Giuseppe Faita
  • Patent number: 10218011
    Abstract: An electrochemical system including a stack of a longitudinal axis with alternating ceramic cells and interconnectors and including a thermal management mechanism incorporated in the stack, the thermal management mechanism including plates having a structured lateral surface through which a thermal transfer by radiation towards outside of the stack takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Jerome Laurencin, Gerard Delette, Magali Reytier
  • Patent number: 10208388
    Abstract: An ion exchange membrane electrolyzer includes an elastic body configured to press on a second electrode so as to bring an ion exchange membrane into close contact with electrodes. The elastic body includes a fixed part fixed to one of a base part and the second electrode, and an elastic part that extends from the fixed part, and is configured to press on the second electrode by elastic deformation. The elastic part is formed so as to be plate-like and formed so as to be corrugated along a direction in which it extends, such that a top part on one side is in contact with the base part and a top part on the other side is in contact with the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Osaka Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hatano, Manabu Nagase, Li Weitao
  • Patent number: 10196748
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a reduction catalyst includes a charge collector having a metal layer on a surface; and a modified organic molecule bound to a surface of the metal layer and containing a quaternary nitrogen cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Jun Tamura, Satoshi Mikoshiba, Akihiko Ono, Chingchun Huang, Yuki Kudo, Ryota Kitagawa, Eishi Tsutsumi, Yoshitsune Sugano
  • Patent number: 10188986
    Abstract: A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) doser includes a DEF inlet configured to receive DEF, a DEF outlet configured to spray DEF out of the DEF doser, and an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell is located between the DEF inlet and the DEF outlet and couplable to a power source. The electrochemical cell is configured such that, when DEF is flowing from the DEF inlet to the DEF outlet and when the electrochemical cell is coupled to the power source, the electrochemical cell causes an electrolytic reaction in the DEF flowing from the DEF inlet to the DEF outlet to produce gaseous products in the DEF flowing from the DEF inlet to the DEF outlet, and wherein the gaseous products comprise one or more of H2 or NH3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Randal A. Goffe
  • Patent number: 10188001
    Abstract: The present invention relates to printed circuit boards (PCBs), and more particularly, to methods of forming high aspect ratio through holes and high precision stub removal in a printed circuit board (PCB). The high precision stub removal processes may be utilized in removing long stubs and short stubs. In the methods, multiple holes of varying diameter and depth are drilled from an upper and/or lower surface of the printed circuit board utilizing drills of different diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SANMINA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Douglas Ward Thomas, Shinichi Iketani, Dale Kersten
  • Patent number: 10184188
    Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for use in an electroetching or electrodeposition process in which material is etched from or deposited onto the surface of an electrically conductive component. The apparatus comprises a support for supporting the component within a tank containing an electrolytic solution; and a first-polarity electrode arranged to be located within the tank and immersed in the electrolytic solution and shaped to surround at least a part of the component in a contactless manner. In use, an electric field produced by the first-polarity electrode results in an electric variance between at least a part of the component and a second-polarity electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the first-polarity electrode. An electroetching and an electrodeposition process are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Alpesh Desai, Richard Keetley Davis, Colin James Cook