Patents by Inventor Kerry L. Sublette
Kerry L. Sublette 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).
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Patent number: 7961327Abstract: A method to sense pH of a fluid and an optical pH sensor. The method includes the steps of supplying at least a portion of an optical source through an input fiber. The optical source is passed through a sensor head having a sapphire window to a fluid. Optical power reflected from the fluid is collected in a plurality of output fibers in the sensor head. The reflected optical power in the output fibers in the sensor head is thereafter converted to an electrical signal which is used to determine the pH of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2010Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Bovaird & Co.Inventors: Peter LoPresti, Kerry L. Sublette, Kaveh Ashenayi, Brian Bovaird
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Patent number: 7150833Abstract: Highly porous, beads are comprised of a polymer and a second compound mixed into it. The second compound, an amendment, is either a nutrient or a compound having high affinity to one or more nutrients. A plurality of these beads may be exposed to an aqueous environment, usually a body of water. Bacteria and other microorganisms rapidly enter and remain within the nutrient filled interior space of the beads. Any of a number of various detection methods may then be used to characterize, detect and/or identify the microorganisms.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2005Date of Patent: December 19, 2006Assignee: The University of TulsaInventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 6908556Abstract: Highly porous, beads are comprised of a polymer and a second compound mixed into it. The second compound, an amendment, is either a nutrient or a compound having high affinity to one or more nutrients. A plurality of these beads may be exposed to an aqueous environment, usually a body of water. Bacteria and other microorganisms rapidly enter and remain within the nutrient filled interior space of the beads. Any of a number of various detection methods may then be used to characterize, detect and/or identify the microorganisms.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2002Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: The University of TulsaInventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Publication number: 20030121853Abstract: Highly porous, beads are comprised of a polymer and a second compound mixed into it. The second compound, an amendment, is either a nutrient or a compound having high affinity to one or more nutrients. A plurality of these beads may be exposed to an aqueous environment, usually a body of water. Bacteria and other microorganisms rapidly enter and remain within the nutrient filled interior space of the beads. Any of a number of various detection methods may then be used to characterize, detect and/or identify the microorganisms.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 6471864Abstract: Highly porous, adsorbent biocatalyst beads of poly(hexamethyleneadipamide) or poly(caproamide) polymer having powdered activated carbon dispersed throughout the polymer and biocatalytic material, such as bacteria, located within macropores of the beads, are highly useful and relatively inexpensive polymeric beads, compared to similar known aramid beads, in removing organic and/or some inorganic contaminants from aqueous streams. The biocatalytic material consumes the organic and/or some inorganic contaminants which are adsorbed by the activated carbon and metabolizes the contaminant into harmless products, while continuously renewing the adsorptive capacity of the activated carbon.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: The University of TulsaInventors: Kerry L. Sublette, William A. Redman, Thomas I. Bair
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Patent number: 5480550Abstract: A biological process is described for caustic waste streams containing inorganic sulfides to effect neutralization of the caustic and, oxidation of sulfides to sulfate. The process is based on the contact of these caustic streams with mixed, fiocculated cultures of a sulfide-oxidizing bacterium from the genus Thiobacillus and various heterotrophs. The process may also degrade any organic components present in the waste stream.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1994Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: ABB Environmental Services, Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 5269929Abstract: A biological process is described involving the conversion of SO.sub.2 to H.sub.2 S using sulfate reducing bacteria in co-culture with facultatively anaerobic heterotrophs under anaerobic conditions in a maintenance medium which includes a substrate fermentable by the facultatively anaerobic heterotrophs to produce an end product which acts as the carbon and energy source for the sulfate reducing bacteria. Glucose and sewage sludge are the two fermentable substrates described. The process is described as being used in conjunction with a process for removing SO.sub.2 from a flue gas and then converting the SO.sub.2 to H.sub.2 S. The H.sub.2 S may be reacted with some remaining SO.sub.2 in a Claus reactor to produce elemental sulfur or the H.sub.2 S may be used as a reducing gas to regenerate the sorbent being used to remove the SO.sub.2 from the flue gas.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1992Date of Patent: December 14, 1993Assignee: ABB Environmental Services Inc.Inventors: Kerry L. Sublette, Badri N. Dasu
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Patent number: 5077208Abstract: Disclosed is a process by which a gas containing nitric oxide is contacted with an anaerobic microbial culture of denitrifying bacteria to effect the chemical reduction of the nitric oxide to elemental nitrogen. The process is particularly suited to the removal of nitric oxide from flue gas streams and gas streams from nitric acid plants. Thiobacillus dentrificians as well as other bacteria are disclosed for use in the process.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1990Date of Patent: December 31, 1991Assignee: ABB Environmental Services Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 5032291Abstract: A process is disclosed for treating water or solids contaminated with a nitro- or nitroso- substituted compound comprising reducing a nitro- or nitroso- substituted compound in the presence of an effective catalytic amount of at least one of a corrin- or porphyrin- metal complex. The present invention is particularly useful in treating waste water or soil contaminated with nitro- or nitroso- substituted compounds.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1990Date of Patent: July 16, 1991Assignee: ABB Environmental Services Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 5004551Abstract: A process for treating water or solids contaminated with at least one chlorinated phenol which comprises oxidizing the at least one chlorinated phenol in the presence of an effective catalytic amount of a corrin- or porphyrin-metal complex. A preferred catalyst is a complex of Fe.sup.3+ ion with protoporphyrin known as hematin. Chlorinated phenols which may be oxidized include those found in hazardous wastes such as chlorophenols, dichlorophenols, trichlorophenols, tetrachlorinated phenols, and pentachlorinated phenols.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1990Date of Patent: April 2, 1991Assignee: ABB Environmental Services Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 4880542Abstract: A process for oxidizing the sulfide (H.sub.2 S, HS.sup.-, S.sup.-2) in sour water to convert the sulfide to sulfate by producing a sulfide tolerant strain of Thiobacillus denitrificans and then co-immobilizing the T. denitrificans and CaCO.sub.3 on or within a carrier to form the biofilter. The sour water is contacted with the biofilter in a continuous process.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1988Date of Patent: November 14, 1989Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 4879240Abstract: Mutant strains of Thiobacillus denitrificans are used to inoculate an environment containing sulfate and sulfate-reducing bacteria to control the net formation of sulfide. The mutant strains are tolerant of significant concentrations of soluble sulfides and may also be tolerant of glutaraldehyde which is a biocide effective against sulfate-reducing bacteria and which may also be added to the environment. One environment for use of the invention is in a water injection well for the secondary production of petroleum and another is the control of sulfide production in the treatment of waste materials.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1988Date of Patent: November 7, 1989Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Kerry L. Sublette, Maron E. Woolsey, Francis S. Manning, Anne D. Montgomery, Michael J. McInerney
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Patent number: 4859588Abstract: There is disclosed a method for desulfurizing gases by microbiological techniques which involve the use of chemoautotrophic bacteria of the Thiobacillus genus to convert sulfides to sulfates either as a sulfide removal process or as a process for producing biomass. More specifically, the invention involves the use of Thiobacillus denitrificans under aerobic conditions to oxidize sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide to sulfate compounds. The process may be carried out by various techniques such as in a continuous bioreactor system using an immobilization matrix. The method is particularly suited to the disposal of hydrogen sulfide which has been otherwise removed from natrual gas and producing a biomass byproduct.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1988Date of Patent: August 22, 1989Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 4804453Abstract: A pair of electrodes in the configuration of parallel plates represents how multiple pathways are formed through which emulsions of relative polar and relative non-polar liquids are passed. The electrode plates are comprised of materials which render the plates varying in electrical conductivity to establish multiple electric fields which degrade in the direction of emulsion flow.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1982Date of Patent: February 14, 1989Assignee: National Tank CompanyInventors: Kerry L. Sublette, Floyd L. Prestridge
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Patent number: 4760027Abstract: There is disclosed a method for desulfurizing gases by microbiological techniques which involve the use of chemoautotrophic bacteria of the Thiobacillus genus to convert sulfides to sulfates either as a sulfide removal process or as a process for producing biomass. More specifically, the invention involves the use of Thiobacillus denitrificans under aerobic conditions to oxidize sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide to sulfate compounds. The process may be carried out by various techniques such as in a continuous bioreactor system using an immobilization matrix. The method is particularly suited to the disposal of hydrogen sulfide which has been otherwise removed from natural gas and producing a biomass byproduct.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1986Date of Patent: July 26, 1988Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 4581120Abstract: A multistage separator for oilfield emulsions is disclosed. The separator utilizes a mechanical inclined plate separator constructed of electrically nonconductive materials disposed downstream of an electrostatic separation section. Electrostatic charges imparted to the flowing emulsion by the electrostatic section migrate to the mechanical portion and establish a surface charge on the inclined plates thereof. This surface charge results in enhanced coalescence of the aqueous and nonaqueous dispersions present in the emulsion.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 1984Date of Patent: April 8, 1986Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Kerry L. Sublette
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Patent number: 4469582Abstract: The shell of a cylindrical vessel, horizontally extended, contains three compartments through which emulsions of polar and non-polar liquids are sequentially passed for separation. The heating and the electric field in the first two compartments are optional. The third compartment contains an inclined plate separator connected to an electrical system to generate electric fields within the passages of the separator to coalesce and separate the polar liquid from the non-polar liquid.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 1982Date of Patent: September 4, 1984Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Kerry L. Sublette, Floyd L. Prestridge