Patents Examined by Pranav N Patel
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Patent number: 11897800Abstract: As pellets grow from seed/sand in a fluidized bed pellent reactor, the weight of the reactor is measured and the density of the contents of the reactor is calculated, and the input flow of untreated water, water treatment chemical, and seed/sand are adjusted to provide improved removal of water hardness while reducing fine particulates in the outflow of softened water from the reactor.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: RDP Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Richard W. Christy
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Patent number: 11890580Abstract: The present disclosure describes a field flow fractionator including (1) a top plate assembly including (a) a first non-corrosive material, and (b) at least three fluid fittings machined (simpler) into the material, (2) a spacer, (3) a membrane, (4) a bottom plate assembly including (a) a second non-corrosive material, (b) a cavity machined into the second non-corrosive material, (c) a frit configured to be placed into the cavity, and (d) at least one bottom plate o-ring configured to seal the bottom plate assembly to the spacer, and (5) where the top plate assembly, the spacer, the membrane, and the bottom assembly define a separation channel. In an embodiment, the at least three fluid fittings including a fitting for an in-flow, a fitting for an out-flow, and a fitting for a cross-flow.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Wyatt Technology, LLCInventor: Steven P. Trainoff
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Patent number: 11884567Abstract: A system and method for producing very high concentration brine streams from which commercially efficiently obtained minerals may be obtained is produced by a dual membrane brine concentrator system (DTRI Concentrator). The system includes a nano-filtration system which removes divalent ions from the seawater, a brine concentrator such as a hollow fine fiber forward osmosis system which receives and further concentrates the brine rejected from the nano-filtration system, a SWRO system which receives the NF system permeate and removes monovalent ions, and another brine concentrator which further concentrates the brine rejected from SWRO system. Various permeate and reject brine flow may be forwarded through the Dual Membrane Brine Concentrator system, and multiple stages of the system components may be used, to enhance brine concentration and improve system efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: SALINE WATER CONVERSION CORPORATIONInventors: Ahmed Alamoudi, Mohammed Ayumantakath, Nikolay Voutchkov, Seungwon Ihm, Eslam Alwaznani
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Patent number: 11883784Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a microporous membrane that incorporates an additive having low water solubility at the membrane's active surface from a precipitation fluid. The incorporated additive at the membrane's active surface can improve one or more of the membrane's hydrophilicity, wettability, anti-fouling behavior, blood compatibility, and stability over long periods of use or repetitive use. The microporous membrane with this modified active surface can be a hollow fiber, flat sheet, or other self-supporting shape. The microporous membranes can be used for membrane filtering or a solute and/or solvent exchange process, which involve contacting aqueous-based fluid or blood with the microporous membrane, such processes for dialysis, blood oxygenation, or blood separation filtering, or other processes.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Praveen Kosaraju, Monica P. Hall, Jiunn Teo
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Patent number: 11878270Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems for separating a fluid. The methods and systems include a plurality of osmosis modules operably coupled together. At least some of the plurality of osmosis modules include an osmosis membrane, a feed side on a first side of the osmosis membrane; a draw side on a second side of the osmosis membrane; a feed inlet operably coupled to the feed side; a draw inlet operably coupled to the draw side; a feed outlet operably coupled to the feed side; a draw outlet operably coupled to the draw side. The at least some of the plurality of osmosis units further including a feed recirculation loop operably coupled to the feed inlet, the feed outlet, and a feed inlet of a downstream osmosis module; and a draw recirculation loop operably coupled to the draw inlet, the draw outlet, and a draw inlet of a downstream osmosis module.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2019Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Porifera, Inc.Inventors: Charles Benton, Carl Lundin
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Patent number: 11872338Abstract: The introduction pipe is extend from an inlet port to the inside of the chamber body, and has, as an end opening thereof, a discharge port provided in the inner circumferential surface of the chamber body so as to be directed toward the circumferential direction. The inner circumferential surface of the chamber body is provided so as to spirally extend, along the circumferential direction, from a discharge point at which the discharge port is disposed, to a connection point at which the outer circumferential surface of the introduction pipe is connected to the inner circumferential surface of the chamber body. The inner circumferential surface is formed such that a second radius connecting the connection point to the center axis of the chamber body is shorter than a first radius connecting the discharge point to the center axis of the chamber body.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: NIKKISO CO., LTD.Inventors: Shunsuke Kawamura, Ryo Kato
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Patent number: 11872528Abstract: An electrochemical system has a first reservoir receiving a feed stream. The feed stream includes a solvent and a solute different than the salt. A second reservoir receives a brine stream with a higher salt concentration higher than the feed stream. Electrodes contact a loop of redox-active electrolyte material causing reversible redox reactions. The reactions cause the loop to accept a first ion from the salt in the first reservoir and drive a second ion into the brine stream in the second reservoir. Three ionic exchange membranes of alternating type define the first and second reservoirs. A concentrate stream is output from the first reservoir, the concentrate stream having a second solute concentration greater than the first solute concentration.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Eugene S. Beh, Michael Benedict
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Patent number: 11857927Abstract: A reverse osmosis filter ram apparatus comprises a base rack having a controllable linear actuator thereon, preferably a hydraulic ram apparatus. The ram apparatus comprises detachable and changeable connection brackets configured to alternately connect to steel reverse osmosis tubes and fiberglass reverse osmosis tubes. The linear actuator comprises a plunger head that is configured to push one or more spools within a reverse osmosis tube for moving tubular reverse osmosis filters therein, either for adding the same from the reverse osmosis tube or removal of the same from the reverse osmosis tube. Systems and methods of using the same are further provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Complete Water Solutions, LLCInventor: Nathan Olszak
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Patent number: 11858837Abstract: A sequencing batch reactor includes a liquid level sensor configured to measure a level of liquid in the vessel and provide an indication of the level of the liquid to a controller and a sludge detector configured to measure a position of an interface between sludge and solids-lean supernatant in the vessel and to provide an indication of the position of the interface to the controller. The controller is configured to perform a comparison between the level of the liquid and the position of the interface and control an amount of solids-lean supernatant removed from the vessel during the decant stage based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLCInventors: Timothy Lee Lindemann, Michael Casey Whittier
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Patent number: 11857928Abstract: The invention relates to a multistage membrane distillation apparatus (5000), comprising a plurality of multistage membrane distillation modules (500, 600), the modules being configured to be flowed through in parallel by a liquid (F) to be concentrated. Each module comprises a plurality of serial condensation/evaporation stages (50, 60) configured to be flowed through in series by the liquid to be concentrated. Each condensation/evaporation stage comprises a plurality of parallel condensation/evaporation elements (101, 102) configured to be flowed through in parallel by the liquid to be concentrated. Each condensation/evaporation element comprises at least one condensation unit and at least one evaporation unit. The apparatus further comprises at least one of: a centralized heating stage configured to generate steam and to provide the steam to each of the modules in parallel, and a centralized condensation stage configured to receive steam from each of the modules in parallel and to condensate the steam.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2018Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: EVCON GMBHInventors: Norbert Borgmann, Markus Wenzel, Wolfgang Heinzl
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Patent number: 11850347Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for the separation of blood into blood products and, more particularly, to systems and methods that permit automated recovery of white blood cells after producing a leukocyte-reduced blood product.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Wegener, Benjamin E. Kusters
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Patent number: 11845682Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to water desalination. In one aspect, a method includes generating a diluted draw solution using forward osmosis. Wastewater is on a first side of an osmotic membrane and a draw solution is on a second side of the osmotic membrane. The draw solution comprises a mixture of water and an ionic liquid. Water in the wastewater diffuses across the osmotic membrane to the draw solution to form the diluted draw solution. The diluted draw solution is heated using a photonic heater to a temperature above a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the ionic liquid to phase separate the diluted draw solution into the ionic liquid and treated water.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2021Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: the Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Robert Kostecki, Ravi S. Prasher, Akanksha K. Menon, Andrew Z. Haddad, Jeffrey J. Urban
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Patent number: 11839854Abstract: An energy recovery system for use in a reverse osmosis system is provided. The energy recovery system has a pair of double headed pistons that reciprocate to pressurize unfiltered water into a reverse osmosis filtration unit. High pressure wastewater from the reverse osmosis filtration unit is used in conjunction with a pump to pressurize the unfiltered water that is pumped to the reverse osmosis filtration unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: PARKER-HANNIFIN CORPORATIONInventors: Paul Kamel, Kelly Sullivan, Steven T. Yoshimura, Bruce Worsley, Salvador Lopez
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Patent number: 11827543Abstract: A method for continuous supply of peracetate oxidant solution with activity to generate to generate reactive oxygen species includes production processing in a liquid stream starting with a feed water and sequentially adding alkali concentrate, hydrogen peroxide solution and acetyl donor and introducing a resulting peracetate oxidant solution into a product buffer tank from which the peracetate oxidant solution is dispensed for use as a reactive oxygen species-generating oxidant, In the product buffer tank peracetate oxidant solution has a pH in a range of from pH 10 to pH 12, a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid in a range of from 60:1 to 6000:1 and a molar ratio of peracetate anions to hydrogen peroxide of greater than 16:1.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Clean Chemistry, Inc.Inventor: Wayne E. Buschmann
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Patent number: 11827539Abstract: A near-zero maintenance integrated purification device for drinking water supply of villages and towns and a method for treating source water using this device are provided to solve the multi-pollution problems caused by microorganisms, turbidity, iron, manganese, taste and odor, and organic matter in the drinking water sources of villages and towns. The device includes a small-spacing folding plate speed sink regulating water tank, a small diameter tube reactor, a granular active carbon (GAC) slow-speed filter tank, a gravity-driven ultrafiltration membrane tank and an ipsilateral U-turn corridor clean water tank. The near-zero maintenance integrated purification device is applicable to different types of water sources (e.g., groundwater, lake water, reservoir water, spring water, snowmelt water, cellar water and rain water, etc.), and could efficiently remove kinds of pollutants, improving the biological and chemical safety of drinking water.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Heng Liang, Xiaobin Tang, Xishou Guo, Jinlong Wang, Weijia Gong
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Patent number: 11827537Abstract: The present inventions are directed to systems and methods to increase the removal of PFAS and other recalcitrant organic compound contaminants from water, and particularly ground and drinking water, using sub-micron powdered activated carbon.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2019Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.Inventors: Terence K. Reid, Peter G. Baumann
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Patent number: 11813576Abstract: A cross flow filtration unit, which provides a planar, rigid filter plate for filtration of liquid media. The plate has a planar membrane, which is fluid tight bonded at its edges to the surface of a partly hollow supporting plate having exit openings, internal flow channels, and flow areas for a first liquid medium. The membrane is in fluid contact with said the liquid medium at its internal surface and being in fluid contact with a second liquid medium at its external surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2019Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Sani Membranes ApSInventor: Henrik Hjelmsmark
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Patent number: 11806675Abstract: A method of vacuum membrane filtration including placing a membrane filter between a filtration base and a pouring funnel, an upper side of the filtration base having a membrane bearing area with a bearing structure and a supporting contour surrounding the bearing structure and the supporting contour having at least one notch in flow connection with a bottom side of the membrane bearing area, detachably mounting the pouring funnel on the filtration base thereby clamping the membrane filter between the filtration base and the pouring funnel, applying suction to the filtration base such that the membrane filter is pulled against the bearing structure and comes into contact with the supporting contour, and dismounting the pouring funnel from the filtration base while still applying the suction, causing an outer rim of the membrane filter to bulge upward from the supporting contour and uncover the at least one notch.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2023Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Inventors: Sebastian Pruehl, Karl Pflanz, Juliane Grossmann, Michael Schuetzler
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Patent number: 11806669Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in terms of control and process technology for a method of continuous removal of a component from a liquid mixture using a membrane unit comprising at least one membrane stage. The improvement is that a portion of the overall permeate stream is recycled to the feed vessel and/or beyond the feed vessel but upstream of the conveying device, and the remainder of the overall permeate stream is removed, with the recycled permeate having a higher concentration of the component to be separated off than the removed permeate. The presently disclosed method can especially be used for separation of a homogeneously dissolved catalyst from a liquid reaction mixture.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Evonik Operations GmbHInventors: Frederik Gluth, Marc Schäpertöns, Thomas Quell, Frank Geilen, Stefan Drees, Fabian Höckelmann, Robert Franke
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Patent number: 11801477Abstract: A cell retention device includes a structured support with a plurality of circumferentially distributed ribs to retain the active filtering surface of a flexible, porous membrane filter medium. The filter medium surrounds the support in contact with the peaks of the ribs, thereby forming axial voids between the rib peaks. This arrangement imparts sufficient structural support over small regions of the filter medium to facilitate its use in a circular (or other rounded) configuration while providing sufficient channel volume to support high throughput of fluid sparse of cells.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Sunflower Therapeutics, PBCInventors: Andrew Banchieri, Flora Liu, Marc Miller Graham