Patents by Inventor Maria Elektorowicz

Maria Elektorowicz 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).

  • Publication number: 20230002266
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Elham Safaei Takhtehfouladi, Maria Elektorowicz, Robert S. Reimers, Jan Oleszkiewicz, Fadi Dagher
  • Publication number: 20190177197
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Elham SAFAEI TAKHTEHFOULADI, Maria ELEKTOROWICZ, Robert S. REIMERS, Jan OLESZKIEWICZ, Fadi DAGHER
  • Patent number: 9771281
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating wastewater. The processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the wastewater and an activated sludge, in a single reactor, with an electric current having a density of less than about 55 A/m2, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrical zone for treating the mixture; exposing the mixture to an intermittent ON/OFF electrical exposure mode to the electric current in which an OFF period of time is about 1 to about 10 times longer than an ON period of time; and maintaining an adequate oxidation-reduction potential in the single reactor. Such processes allow for substantial removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater in the single reactor of various forms and for obtaining another mixture comprising a treated wastewater and solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: VALORBEC, s.e.c., THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
    Inventors: Sharif Ibeid, Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewicz
  • Publication number: 20150291464
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: VALORBEC S.E.C.
    Inventors: Elham Safaei Takhthehfouladi, Maria Elektorowicz, Robert S. Reimers, Jan Oleszkiewicz, Fadi Dagher
  • Publication number: 20150001094
    Abstract: There are provided processes for treating wastewater. The processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the wastewater and an activated sludge, in a single reactor, with an electric current having a density of less than about 55 A/m2, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrical zone for treating the mixture; exposing the mixture to an intermittent ON/OFF electrical exposure mode to the electric current in which an OFF period of time is about 1 to about 10 times longer than an ON period of time; and maintaining an adequate oxidation-reduction potential in the single reactor. Such processes allow for substantial removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater in the single reactor of various forms and for obtaining another mixture comprising a treated wastewater and solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicants: Valorbec Societe en Commandite, University of Manitoba
    Inventors: Sharif Ibeid, Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8329042
    Abstract: Sludge is treated in a treatment chamber by providing a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber and applying an electrical current between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode in proximity to the outlet. A flow of water is induced from the sludge towards the outlet by the electrical current. An ion exchange textile comprising exchangeable functional groups grafted thereon is located in proximity to at least one of the electrodes such that the ionic forms of the metals are exchanged with the functional groups on the ion exchange textile. Accordingly the sludge is dewatered and metals in the sludge are captured commonly in the treatment chamber while the electrical current simultaneously inactivates pathogens in the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventors: Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8147700
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system and method comprises a treatment chamber having a filtration membrane spanning an effluent outlet of the chamber and a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber so as to be in communication with the wastewater. An electrical potential difference is applied between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode. A flow of fluid is induced out of the treatment chamber through the filtration membrane to the effluent outlet. Accordingly the treatment chamber is arranged to biologically treat the wastewater, electrochemically treat the wastewater and mechanically filter the wastewater through the filtration membrane commonly therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Inventors: Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewcz, Khalid Bani-Melhem
  • Publication number: 20100078389
    Abstract: Sludge is treated in a treatment chamber by providing a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber and applying an electrical current between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode in proximity to the outlet. A flow of water is induced from the sludge towards the outlet by the electrical current. An ion exchange textile comprising exchangeable functional groups grafted thereon is located in proximity to at least one of the electrodes such that the ionic forms of the metals are exchanged with the functional groups on the ion exchange textile. Accordingly the sludge is dewatered and metals in the sludge are captured commonly in the treatment chamber while the electrical current simultaneously inactivates pathogens in the treatment chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewicz
  • Publication number: 20100051542
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system and method comprises a treatment chamber having a filtration membrane spanning an effluent outlet of the chamber and a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber so as to be in communication with the wastewater. An electrical potential difference is applied between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode. A flow of fluid is induced out of the treatment chamber through the filtration membrane to the effluent outlet. Accordingly the treatment chamber is arranged to biologically treat the wastewater, electrochemically treat the wastewater and mechanically filter the wastewater through the filtration membrane commonly therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Maria Elektorowicz, Jan Oleszkiewicz, Khalid Bani-Melhem