Patents by Inventor Audrey Heidt

Audrey Heidt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Recovering valuable mined materials from aqueous wastes
    Patent number: 9555418
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for recovering a target material from an aqueous stream. The target material can be a natively hydrophobic target material, such as a hydrocarbon material, such as coal. The target material can also have a surface modification that renders it hydrophobic. Systems for recovering the target material can comprise an extractant formulation comprising a light hydrocarbon solvent and a high molecular weight hydrophobic polymer, wherein the extractant formulation is mixable with the aqueous stream in a mixer to form an admixed solution having a hydrophobic portion and an aqueous portion, with the target material partitioning to the hydrophobic portion; a separator for isolating the hydrophobic portion from the aqueous portion; and a collector to which the hydrophobic portion is directed, wherein the target material is recovered from the hydrophobic portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Soane Mining, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Soane, Nathan Ashcraft, Phyo Kyaw, Audrey Heidt
  • Recovering Valuable Mined Materials from Aqueous Wastes
    Publication number: 20130134074
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for recovering a target material from an aqueous stream. The target material can be a natively hydrophobic target material, such as a hydrocarbon material, such as coal. The target material can also have a surface modification that renders it hydrophobic. Systems for recovering the target material can comprise an extractant formulation comprising a light hydrocarbon solvent and a high molecular weight hydrophobic polymer, wherein the extractant formulation is mixable with the aqueous stream in a mixer to form an admixed solution having a hydrophobic portion and an aqueous portion, with the target material partitioning to the hydrophobic portion; a separator for isolating the hydrophobic portion from the aqueous portion; and a collector to which the hydrophobic portion is directed, wherein the target material is recovered from the hydrophobic portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: David S. Soane, Nathan Ashcraft, Audrey Heidt