Patents by Inventor Ezio Bracco

Ezio Bracco 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).

  • Reclaiming water and usable brine concentrate from domestic sewage
    Patent number: 6635177
    Abstract: A method of processing sewage. Non-biodegradable solids are first removed from the sewage for separate disposal. The sewage is then introduced to the bottom of a fermentation cell designed to optimize sedimentation and methane fermentation of settleable organic solids, most of which settle in the fermentation cell. Sulfate-reducing micro-organisms that release sulfides are growing in the fermentation cell. The sulfides released combine with multivalent metal particles in the sewage to form insoluble particles, a portion of which settles in the fermentation cell. The remaining metal sulfides, other suspended solids, microorganisms, nutrients, and pathogens in the sewage are then removed by natural means followed by Dissolved Air Flotation, Slow Sand Filtration and disinfection. Metal ions that escaped sedimentation in the fermentation cell are adsorbed by microorganisms that have a strong negative surface charge. Finally, reverse osmosis is carried out to produce purified water and a high-salinity concentrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Expertise SRL
    Inventors: William J. Oswald, Franklin Bailey Green, Ezio Bracco
  • Reclaiming water and usable brine concentrate from domestic sewage
    Publication number: 20020153303
    Abstract: A method of processing sewage. Non-biodegradable solids are first removed from the sewage for separate disposal. The sewage is then introduced to the bottom of a fermentation cell designed to optimize sedimentation and methane fermentation of settleable organic solids, most of which settle in the fermentation cell. Sulfate-reducing micro-organisms that release sulfides are growing in the fermentation cell. The sulfides released combine with multivalent metal particles in the sewage to form insoluble particles, a portion of which settles in the fermentation cell. The remaining metal sulfides, other suspended solids, microorganisms, nutrients, and pathogens in the sewage are then removed by natural means followed by Dissolved Air Flotation, Slow Sand Filtration and disinfection. Metal ions that escaped sedimentation in the fermentation cell are adsorbed by microorganisms that have a strong negative surface charge. Finally, reverse osmosis is carried out to produce purified water and a high-salinity concentrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: William J. Oswald, Franklin Bailey Green, Ezio Bracco