Patents Examined by Clare Perrin
  • Patent number: 9133041
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventor: Grant Brian Douglas
  • Patent number: 9133038
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventor: Grant Brian Douglas
  • Patent number: 9120039
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Arthur M. Squires Irrevocable Trust
    Inventor: Arthur M. Squires
  • Patent number: 9084952
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: BRITA GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Namur
  • Patent number: 8985343
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventor: Kirby Smith Mohr
  • Patent number: 8980100
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Aquatech International Corporation
    Inventor: Ravi Chidambaran
  • Patent number: 8980101
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Deepak A. Musale
  • Patent number: 8932470
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fukuda, Yoshimasa Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8894733
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Jae Moon, Sang-Oeb Na, Hyung-Young Oh
  • Patent number: 8871097
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Robert L. Horton, Charles Svoboda, Frank E. Evans
  • Patent number: 8834725
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Shankar Bhaduri, Alexander Kuperman, Michael Dubrovsky
  • Patent number: 8821725
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Owen Charles Weston
  • Patent number: 8790516
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventors: Mikko Ruonala, Jaakko Leppinen, Ville Miettinen
  • Patent number: 8753524
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad L. Felch, Matthew Patterson, Shane Wiercinski
  • Patent number: 8748556
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Gihane Nasr, Mihail-Dumitru Barboiu, Christophe Charmette, José Gregorio Sanchez Marcano
  • Patent number: 8728324
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald A. Meskers, Jr., Trevor James Dale, Bernard Joseph Neidert, Rosa Crovetto, Karen Annette Welton
  • Patent number: 8728326
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wenqing Peng, Yangang Liang, Shengxia Liu, Larry Neil Lewis, Robert James Perry, Stephen Robert Vasconcellos, Su Lu, Guixi Zhang
  • Patent number: 8728325
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Altaf Hussain, Isik Riza Turkmen, Joel Minier Matar, Samir Gharfeh, Samer Adham
  • Patent number: 8708422
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Krumhansl, Patrick V. Brady
  • Patent number: 8702992
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nanjing University
    Inventors: Hongqiang Ren, Qiucheng Li, Tao Zhang, Lili Ding, Ke Xu, Xinkun Ren