Patents Examined by Clare Perrin
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Patent number: 9133041Abstract: A groundwater remediation method for treating acidic or alkaline groundwater containing divalent and trivalent metal cations includes the step of injecting a slurry or suspension of solid alkaline material into the ground, the slurry or suspension being injected into one or more regions such that the groundwater contacts the solid alkaline material and the divalent and trivalent metal cations react to form a layered double hydroxide (LDH) material.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2007Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationInventor: Grant Brian Douglas
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Patent number: 9133038Abstract: A process for treating a natural or wastewater containing dissolved Mg or dissolved Al comprising the steps of adding at least one Mg-containing compound or at least one Al-containing compound to the natural or wastewater to thereby form a layered double hydroxide (LDH) containing Mg and Al as predominant metal species in a lattice of the LDH. The LDH may comprise hydrotalcite. The AL-containing compound may be aluminate or aluminium hydroxide derived from the Bayer process or from an alumina refinery.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2010Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationInventor: Grant Brian Douglas
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Patent number: 9120039Abstract: There is provided method and apparatus for creating a longitudinally disposed, sharp pulse of liquid, useful for pulseback renewal of liquid-entry faces of a panel-bed liquid filter or a panel-bed liquid-powder contactor. Perforations are disposed along the wall of a tank in a path generally parallel to the tank's axis. Stoppers are provided for stoppering the perforations. With the perforations so stoppered, a liquid is introduced at high pressure into the tank. Thereafter, a quick unstoppering of the perforations releases the liquid from the tank in form of a longitudinally disposed, sharp pulse of liquid moving in a direction perpendicular to the tank's axis. If the tank is placed vertically alongside or within a space that in normal operation receives liquid from a panel bed, the sharp pulse can effectively pulseback the panel bed.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: Arthur M. Squires Irrevocable TrustInventor: Arthur M. Squires
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Patent number: 9084952Abstract: A device for the treatment of water, in particular a filter device. The device has a cartridge which has a container for receiving treatment agents for water, particularly for receiving filter agents, and a connection head arranged on the container. In addition, a connection element is provided which has a recess for the connection head. At least one locking shaft is provided with which the connection head can be fixed in the connection element. The locking shaft is rotatably mounted and can be rotated from a locking position to an unlocking position and back again. A cartridge with a recess in the connection head is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2008Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: BRITA GMBHInventor: Marc Namur
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Patent number: 8985343Abstract: A separator plate is used for separating immiscible liquids and solids from a liquid mixture. The oil water separator plate is composed of bi-directional corrugations extending in both lateral and longitudinal directions, thereby forming a plurality of peaks and valleys. A ramp extends from each peak to the neighboring valleys. An elongated oil port is formed in the peak for passing immiscible liquids that disengage from the liquid mixture. The oil port includes a tip portion angled approximately vertically from horizontal. Solids disengaged from the liquid mixture translate through a solids aperture. Fences are included along the lower surface of the plate to guide rising immiscible liquid. The separator plate is configured for stacking by selectively engaging a pin with one of a number of sockets in another plate. The pin and sockets permit varied vertical spacing and alignment in both lateral directions and longitudinal directions.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Inventor: Kirby Smith Mohr
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Patent number: 8980100Abstract: We provide a system and method for reverse osmosis treatment of water, including seawater and brackish water. Methods and systems of embodiments of the invention may include, for example, ultrafiltration followed by biofoulant removal, both of which precede reverse osmosis. In preferred embodiments the system is run at a low flux. For example, a flux of 6-8 GFD may be used with seawater. Additional embodiments may provide the above process in conjunction with a reverse-osmosis membrane cleaning system. The membrane cleaning system is a “clean in place” system that includes use of the natural pressure differential in the reverse osmosis system to remove biofoulants and their precursors.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Aquatech International CorporationInventor: Ravi Chidambaran
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Patent number: 8980101Abstract: A method of inhibiting scale formation and deposition from a feed stream passing through a membrane system is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) controlling the pH of said feed stream within the range between about 7.0 and about 8.2; (b) optionally controlling the temperature of said feed stream within the range between about 5° C. to about 40° C. when the membrane system is an RO system, a NF system, an ED system, an EDI system or a combination thereof; (c) optionally controlling the temperature of said feed stream within the range between about 40° C. and about 80° C. when the membrane system is an MD system; and (d) adding an effective amount of a scale inhibitor to said feed stream, said scale inhibitor comprises an AA-AMPS copolymer.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Nalco CompanyInventor: Deepak A. Musale
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Patent number: 8932470Abstract: An aggregate-removing filter material efficiently removes aggregates that are contained in a blood product for transfusion and may cause transfusion reactions without clogging, and exhibits excellent quality stability, and a blood product filtration method uses a filter apparatus that includes the aggregate-removing filter material and a leukocyte-removing filter material. The aggregate-removing filter material includes short fibers having a fineness of 0.7 to 4.0 dtex and a fiber length of 1 to 80 mm, and a ground fabric that includes long fibers, a fiber axis of the long fibers being oriented in a planar direction of the ground fabric, the short fibers being entangled with the ground fabric so that the aggregate-removing filter material has a total weight per unit area of 10 to 80 g/m2, and a layer of the short fibers forming a three-dimensional structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2009Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuya Fukuda, Yoshimasa Matsuura
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Patent number: 8894733Abstract: Disclosed is a method for recycling a cerium oxide abrasive. The method may include adding a strong alkali solution to a slurry waste of the cerium oxide abrasive, adding sodium fluoride to the slurry waste, and separating a cerium oxide particle included in the slurry waste from other kinds of particles.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2011Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.Inventors: Won-Jae Moon, Sang-Oeb Na, Hyung-Young Oh
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Patent number: 8871097Abstract: A method of reclaiming a formate brine may include increasing the pH of a spent formate brine fluid comprising water-soluble polymers; treating the fluid with an oxidizing agent; and removing at least a portion of suspended solids from the fluid. Further, a method of reclaiming a formate brine may include lowering the pH of the spent formate brine fluid comprising water-soluble polymers; increasing the pH of the spent formate brine fluid to initiate precipitation of materials solubilized in the fluid; treating the fluid with an oxidizing agent to break down remaining water-soluble polymer; and recovering at least a portion of the formate brine.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: M-I L.L.C.Inventors: Hui Zhang, Robert L. Horton, Charles Svoboda, Frank E. Evans
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Patent number: 8834725Abstract: A process for treating acid mine drainage containing heavy metals and soluble contaminants is provided. In one embodiment, at least a metal cation is added to the acid mine drainage at a pre-select pH to form insoluble heavy metal complexes. In one embodiment, the metal cation is a trivalent metal ion, e.g., ferric iron such as in ferric sulfate. In another embodiment, a divalent metal ion such as in ferrous sulfate is used. After the removal of the heavy metal complexes, the effluent water is treated with at least a phosphate additive to remove remaining soluble contaminants, thus producing a treated water stream with reduced levels of contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Rahul Shankar Bhaduri, Alexander Kuperman, Michael Dubrovsky
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Patent number: 8821725Abstract: A slurry handling and disposal system is provided for waste slurry and particulates. The system includes a waste bin provided with support structures for retaining a flexible removable filter element with a filter element supported above a floor of the waste bin. The particulate matter component of a volume of the waste slurry and particulates deposited in the filter element is retained in said filter element while the liquid component of the waste slurry and particulates are collected in a base portion of the waste bin.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Inventor: Owen Charles Weston
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Patent number: 8790516Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing arsenic as scorodite from solutions that contain iron and arsenic. In accordance with the method, arsenic is first precipitated as ferric arsenate and subsequently processed hydrothermally into crystalline scorodite.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Outotec OyjInventors: Mikko Ruonala, Jaakko Leppinen, Ville Miettinen
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Patent number: 8753524Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a stream comprising a hydrocarbon liquid and an aqueous-based liquid are provided. The systems and methods may utilize a media composite comprising a mixture of a cellulose-based material and a polymer. In certain systems and methods, the media composite is capable of being backwashed. The stream comprising the hydrocarbon liquid and aqueous-based liquid may be separated by contacting the stream with the media composite. In certain system and methods, the stream comprising the hydrocarbon liquid and aqueous-based liquid may be coalesced by contacting the stream with the media composite.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Chad L. Felch, Matthew Patterson, Shane Wiercinski
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Patent number: 8748556Abstract: A method of preparation for Self-supporting dynamic polymer membranes (called “dynamer” membranes) of the polyimine type is provided along with their use in separation processes, especially for separating gaseous species.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueInventors: Gihane Nasr, Mihail-Dumitru Barboiu, Christophe Charmette, José Gregorio Sanchez Marcano
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Patent number: 8728324Abstract: Water soluble or water dispersible terpolymers are employed in high pressure steam generating systems to control deposit formation and contaminant transport in the aqueous medium in such systems. The terpolymer may comprise repeat units formed from acrylic acid, allylalkoxylated ethers, and allylhydroxylated alkyl ether.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Donald A. Meskers, Jr., Trevor James Dale, Bernard Joseph Neidert, Rosa Crovetto, Karen Annette Welton
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Patent number: 8728326Abstract: The invention relates to a polymer comprising structural units of formula and formula wherein R1, R2, R5 and R6 are independently hydrogen, a methyl group, or —COOH, only one of R1 and R2 or R5 and R6 is —COOH; R3 and R7 are independently hydrogen, or a methyl group; R4 is —COOH, —CONH2 or —OH, when R4 is —OH, R1, R2 and R3 are respectively hydrogen; and R8 is —COO, —CONH, or —O—, when R8 is —O—, R5, R6 and R7 are respectively hydrogen. Methods for preparing and using the polymer are also described herein.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2011Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wenqing Peng, Yangang Liang, Shengxia Liu, Larry Neil Lewis, Robert James Perry, Stephen Robert Vasconcellos, Su Lu, Guixi Zhang
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Patent number: 8728325Abstract: Advanced oxidation process namely ozonation and Fenton's (hydrogen peroxide/Fe:2+) were utilized to degrade kinetic hydrate inhibitor (KHI). The oxidized solution after scavenging oxygen can be successfully disposed to the injection well. This facilitates use of KHI more frequently and in higher concentrations for future projects oil & gas operations. It also offers an alternative that competes efficiently with thermodynamic hydrate inhibitor (THI) or complements THI.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Altaf Hussain, Isik Riza Turkmen, Joel Minier Matar, Samir Gharfeh, Samer Adham
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Patent number: 8708422Abstract: An in situ recovery of uranium operation involves circulating reactive fluids through an underground uranium deposit. These fluids contain chemicals that dissolve the uranium ore. Uranium is recovered from the fluids after they are pumped back to the surface. Chemicals used to accomplish this include complexing agents that are organic, readily degradable, and/or have a predictable lifetime in an aquifer. Efficiency is increased through development of organic agents targeted to complexing tetravalent uranium rather than hexavalent uranium. The operation provides for in situ immobilization of some oxy-anion pollutants under oxidizing conditions as well as reducing conditions. The operation also artificially reestablishes reducing conditions on the aquifer after uranium recovery is completed. With the ability to have the impacted aquifer reliably remediated, the uranium recovery operation can be considered inherently safe.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: James L. Krumhansl, Patrick V. Brady
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Patent number: 8702992Abstract: A continuous flow reactor, including a cylindrical coagulation crystallizer, a funnel type protective baffle for static settling, and a conical static settler. A lower end surface of the cylindrical coagulation crystallizer is connected with an upper end surface of the conical static settler, and the funnel type protective baffle for static settling is connected with an inner wall of the cylindrical coagulation crystallizer.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Nanjing UniversityInventors: Hongqiang Ren, Qiucheng Li, Tao Zhang, Lili Ding, Ke Xu, Xinkun Ren