Patents Examined by Nam Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9840428
    Abstract: A system for treating and recycling rainwater, including at least three stages constructed wetlands disposed along a sloped surface. Each stage constructed wetland includes a coarse gravel layer, a fine gravel layer, an improved soil layer, and wetland plants from bottom to top. Slopes are disposed at two sides of the upper part of each constructed wetland and are different in heights. An intermediate overflow pipe is disposed at the top of the slope between every two adjacent constructed wetlands. A last overflow pipe communicates with a municipal rainwater pipe. The coarse gravel layers of every two adjacent constructed wetlands are connected by connecting pipes. A perforated water collecting pipe is disposed at front ends of the connecting pipes. A water outlet pipe is disposed in the bottom of the coarse gravel layer of a last stage constructed wetland and is connected to a clean water reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: CHONGQING UNIVERSITY, SHENZHEN YUEZHONG (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hongxiang Chai, Songming Tan, Yuming Zhou, Qiang Jiang, Shen Li, Luwei Guo, Wei Kang, Lei Kong
  • Patent number: 9834462
    Abstract: Provided is a method for removing a scale in a steam generation facility, whereby it becomes possible to remove a scale deposited on the inside of a boiler vessel during the operation of a boiler without causing corrosion of the boiler. A method for removing a scale in a steam generation facility is disclosed, wherein in the steam generation facility, a pH of boiler water is adjusted to 11.3 or more, and a polyacrylic acid having a weight average molecular weight that is 0.50 to 2.00 times a reference weight average molecular weight as calculated from the following calculation formula (1), or a salt thereof, is added in accordance with the pH value of the boiler water during the operation of a boiler, thereby removing a scale deposited on the inside of a boiler vessel: Reference weight average molecular weight=?8462×{(pH value)?11.3}+61538??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mizuyuki Sakai, Yukimasa Shimura
  • Patent number: 9809474
    Abstract: Process for treating effluents containing nitrogen in ammonium form, using a sequential biological reactor (1), according to which: a volume of effluents to be treated in one complete cycle is introduced into the biological reactor in one or more successive fractions by volume, each fraction by volume being treated during a subcycle; each subcycle comprises a phase of feeding with a fraction by volume, and at least a first aerated step, during which total or partial oxidation of the ammonium to nitrites takes place by injection of air or of oxygen into the effluent, a settling out and emptying step taking place after the end of the complete cycle; the weight of N—NH4 to be treated is determined from the volume of effluents in the reactor at the end of the feeding phase, and from the difference between the initial N—NH4 concentration in the reactor and a concentration desired at the end of the aerated step, a maximum aeration time TM is dedicated to the aerated step, and an initial air flow rate Qairinit, for
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SUEZ INTERNATIONAL
    Inventor: Laure Graveleau
  • Patent number: 9797840
    Abstract: Fluorescent nanoparticles are provided. The nanoparticles are formed from poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-(1-cyanovinylene-1,4-phenylene)]. Also provided are methods for imaging a target to which the nanoparticles are bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Daniel T. Chiu, Changfeng Wu, Fangmao Ye
  • Patent number: 9790111
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for thickening or dehydrating sludge, which includes at least: a) a step of adding flocculants to the sludge to be treated; b) a step of flocculation by agitation of the sludge with the flocculants thus added in order to form a mixture of flocks and an aqueous solution; c) a step of mechanical separation of the flocks and the aqueous solution formed during the preceding step; d) a step of recovering the aqueous solution and the flocks that make up a treated sludge; wherein: the added flocculants are made up of at least one cationic starch (S) and at least one cationic polyacrylamide (P); the cationic starch or starches (S) including a fixed weight percentage of nitrogen of at least 2%; and the weight ratio (R) ws/(ws+wp), expressed as solids, is included between 0.6 and 0.99.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Roquette Freres
    Inventors: Laura Crowther-Alwyn, Medhi Carre, Michel Simon
  • Patent number: 9770722
    Abstract: An inlet arrangement for a tray-based grit removal system utilizes a set of separate inlet hoses to connect the vertical stack of trays to a horizontally-disposed inlet chute, thus eliminating the inlet duct utilized in prior art configurations. Each hose is configured to have about the same length and diameter, providing an essentially uniform influent pressure at the input to each tray. The hoses are directly connected between the trays and the inlet chute, where each tray may be formed to include a hose coupler of the same diameter as the hose. The inlet chute may take the form of a trough or tube (or other suitable geometry), with the plurality of hoses all terminating along a common, horizontal output face of the chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Envirodyne Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Sheker, Roy Shanafelter, Eric Alan Bushey
  • Patent number: 9765265
    Abstract: A separation tank for crude oil. Fluid enters an inlet section of a center column of the tank via an offset inlet pipe so the fluid enters swirling. Solids that settle in the inlet section are removed by a center column drain and a solids removal system. Free gas rises and exits from the top of the tank. Liquid flows out of the center column via a diffuser that spirals the fluid evenly toward the wall of the tank where oil coalesces and wicks upward. Liquid flows downward around two flow diverting baffles where more oil coalesces and wicks upward via an oil conduit into the oil layer. The water flows under the lower flow diverting baffle and exits the tank through the outlet section. A large circular oil collector weir uniformly removes oil from the oil layer. Interface draw offs located below the oil-water interface remove excess BS&W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: KBK Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Will D. Ball, IV
  • Patent number: 9766256
    Abstract: Methods for separating, cells, particles, or other molecules of interest (MOI) from unwanted materials not of interest (MNOI). by forced movement of MOI into certain zones having properties which deter the entry of unwanted materials. MOI are tagged with magnetic particles and moved with a magnetic field through a fluid, or zones, of higher specific gravity that prevents, unwanted less dense materials from entering. Buoyant or other forces are used to remove any unbound material from the complexes with ASG before reading. Readable labels include the magnetic particle tagged complex itself, and other labels such as enzymes, chemiluminescent materials, radioactive isotopes, chromogenic and fluorogenic substrates and other labels may be used. The invention applies to many assays, diagnostic tests, separative procedures and chemical syntheses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CHROME RED TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Henry A. Graham, John G. Gorman, James P. Rowell
  • Patent number: 9764263
    Abstract: A filter element is disclosed. The filter element may include filter media extending circumferentially around and longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the filter element. The filter element may also include pilot structure attached to the filter media and configured to locate the filter element. The pilot structure may include an axial cross-section that includes at least one of a noncircular feature or an asymmetrical feature relative to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Andrew McElroy, Mark Taylor Allott
  • Patent number: 9766235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to trifunctional crosslinking reagents carrying (i) a ligand-reactive group for conjugation to a ligand of interest having at least one binding site on a target glycoprotein receptor, (ii) an optionally protected aromatic hydrazine group for the capturing of oxidized receptor-glycopeptides and (iii) an affinity group for the detection, isolation and purification of captured glycopeptides, their methods of production, as well as their use in methods for detecting, identifying and characterizing interactions between ligands and their corresponding glycoprotein target receptors on living cells and in biological fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ETH Zurich
    Inventors: Andreas Frei, Bernd Wollscheid, Ock-Youm Jeon, Erick Carreira
  • Patent number: 9738550
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a biofilter for wastewater digestion, in which a high degree of contaminant removal is obtained with a single device. In order for these levels to be achieved, the following are essential: the shape of the biofilter, the supply/discharge ratio of the biofilter, the position and height of each of the components and, finally, the combination of two packed zones, namely: a random zone, and a zone arranged in the form of ringed or corrugated tube bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Jose Rogelio Perez Monsrreal
  • Patent number: 9725341
    Abstract: Methods for removing one or more contaminants from an aqueous stream comprising: adding one or more hydraulic binders and one or more promoters to the aqueous stream, and separating the contaminants from the aqueous stream are provided. The methods may be used for removing contaminants that are arsenic-based, selenium-based, cadmium-based, zinc-based, mercury-based, iron-based, chromium-based and/or phosphate-based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Lucas Moore, Amir Mahmoudkhani, Jean Robert Durand, Laura Sanders
  • Patent number: 9702869
    Abstract: The present invention relates to conjugates of 5-fluorouracil, 5-fluorouracil immunogens, antibodies that bind 5-FU and/or 5-FU conjugated to another molecule, and assays for detecting, quantitating, and monitoring amounts of 5-fluorouracil in a sample such as in blood plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: DEFINED DIAGNOSTICS, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Q Hu, Xiaofen Huang, Reid W Von Borstel
  • Patent number: 9701935
    Abstract: A magnetic particle comprises a polysaccharide matrix and a plurality of magnetic crystals dispersed in the matrix. A method for making magnetic particles comprises combining a basic solution with a metal ion solution and allowing the metal ions to oxidize to form magnetic crystals, and combining the magnetic crystals with a polysaccharide solution to form the magnetic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: StemCell Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Woodside, Graeme Milton, Jason Dowd
  • Patent number: 9682181
    Abstract: A dialysis device including a dialysis circuit, a blood circuit; and a dialyzer. The dialysis device includes a device for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic field and a device for generating an electrostatic direct current field. Both devices are designed and arranged in such a way that blood to be treated can be exposed to the high-frequency electromagnetic field and the electrostatic direct current field when passing through the dialyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Jankowski, Anselm Fabig, Ulrich Tschulena, Carsten Müller
  • Patent number: 9670084
    Abstract: A method for treating wastewater containing TMAH and ammonium nitrogen includes the steps of (a) introducing a first solution which contains ammonium nitrogen but no TMAH into a single reactor with microorganisms comprising nitrifying bacteria and anammox bacteria, and denitrifying the first solution by the microorganisms under a dissolved oxygen concentration ranging from 0.1-0.5 mg/L and a pH value of 7-8; (b) when the denitrification efficiency reaches a steady state, introducing a second solution which contains ammonium nitrogen and TMAH and has a concentration of TMAH lower than 60 mg/L into the reactor; and (c) gradually increasing the concentration of TMAH in the solution to be added into the reactor for several times whenever the denitrification efficiency reaches a steady state. Accordingly, the inhibition of TMAH to the anammox bacteria can be significantly decreased, and both TMAH and the ammonium nitrogen can be treated simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: Leaderman & Associates Co., Ltd., National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Der-Ming Lee, Ming-Kuei Chiang, Chin-Te Chen, Keng-Chuan Sung, Chien-Ju Lan, Jih-Gaw Lin, Ying-Chang Liang
  • Patent number: 9657370
    Abstract: A removal method of manganese in which manganese is removed by precipitating manganese selectively from sulfuric acid waste water containing aluminum, magnesium and manganese with inhibiting the precipitation of magnesium. The removal method of manganese from waste water in which manganese is removed by precipitating manganese selectively from the sulfuric acid waste water containing aluminum, magnesium and manganese with inhibiting the precipitation of magnesium, characterized in that said waste water is subjected to the following steps (1) and (2). (1) First, aluminum in said waste water is removed. (2) Subsequently, neutralizing agent is added into the wastewater after removing aluminum, then pH of the waste water is adjusted at 8.0 to 9.0, and oxygen gas is blown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Norihisa Toki, Hirofumi Shoji, Keiji Kudo, Tatsuya Higaki
  • Patent number: 9656239
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling metals in a liquid are described. The liquid is contacted with a hexahydrotriazine and/or a hemiaminal material, and metal is adsorbed from the liquid onto the material. The hexahydrotriazine and/or hemiaminal material may be made from a diamine and an aldehyde.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dylan J. Boday, Jeannette M. Garcia, James L. Hedrick, Rudy J. Wojtecki, Gavin O. Jones
  • Patent number: 9637402
    Abstract: A process for treatment of sludge made up of saline organic solids or organic waste produced in a saltwater or brackish aquaculture system is described. The process includes use of a modified reactor, operating under anaerobic conditions, which yields methane from the digestion of the saline organic solids. Modification of a traditional reactor to include a packing substrate provides for saline waste digestion not previously known. Additionally provided is a process for producing methane from the digestion of organic solids. Inclusion of and use of modified reactors in aquaculture systems is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY
    Inventors: Yossi Tal, Kevin R. Sowers
  • Patent number: 9630866
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for workup of nitrite-comprising alkaline process wastewaters from the nitration of aromatic compounds, wherein the alkaline process wastewater is acidified by addition of acids and the offgas which comprises nitrogen oxides and escapes from the acidified process wastewater is worked up, comprising the steps of a) acidifying the process wastewater by adding acid to a pH below 5, which forms an organic phase which separates out, an acidic aqueous phase and a gaseous NOx-containing phase, and b) removing the gaseous NOx-containing phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Ruediger Fritz, Renate Hempel, Michael Zoellinger, Holger Allardt, Reiner Reetz