Patents by Inventor Michael C. Skriba

Michael C. Skriba 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).

  • Patent number: 5414195
    Abstract: The concentrations of residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material in a slurry produced in a particulate material washing process are monitored on-line and can be used to control the washing process. In alternative embodiments of the invention, x-rays, thermal neutrons or laser beams are directed at the slurry as it flows through a flow cell to induce emission of secondary x-rays, gamma rays or light, respectively, characteristic of the heavy metal contaminants and constituents representative of the solids contents of the slurry. These characteristic energies are measured and used to determine the concentration in ppm of the residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material within the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Steven H. Peterson, Edward J. Lahoda, David C. Grant, Edward F. Sverdrup, Thomas V. Congedo, John Bartko, Robert E. Witkowski, Arthur L. Wolfe, William D. Partlow, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 5242503
    Abstract: A process for removing metal from a solid material includes the steps of admixing the metal containing solid (10) with an aqueous liquid (26) and particles of ion exchange material (28) having a strong affinity for metal in a mixer (24), to form a slurry, allowing the slurry materials to interact, and removing the ion exchange material loaded with metal (32) from the solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: David C. Grant, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 5174971
    Abstract: The thermal neutron capture cross-section of zirconium may be altered by altering its natural isotope distribution through a steady state chromatographic separation of these isotopes using an anion exchange resin as the stationary phase of the chromatographic column. Zirconium is dissolved in a very strong acid which causes the formation of a zirconium anion, such as the ZrOCl.sub.4.sup.-2 anion formed in six normal hydrochloric acid, and eluted off the column with a weaker acid. Distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope are collected. In a preferred embodiment, the process also separates the zirconium from hafnium and the other impurities normally present in the product obtained by chlorinating zircon sand and utilizes a continuous annular chromatograph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Snyder, Michael C. Skriba, Edward J. Lahoda, Ernest D. Lee
  • Patent number: 5133901
    Abstract: The concentrations of residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material in a slurry produced in a particulate material washing process are monitored on-line and can be used to control the washing process. In alternative embodiments of the invention, x-rays, thermal neutrons or laser beams are directed at the slurry as it flows through a flow cell to induce emission of secondary x-rays, gamma rays or light, respectively, characteristic of the heavy metal contaminants and constituents representative of the solids contents of the slurry. These characteristic energies are measured and used to determine the concentration in ppm of the residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material within the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Steven H. Peterson, Edward J. Lahoda, David C. Grant, Edward F. Sverdrup, Thomas V. Congedo, John Bartko, Robert E. Witkowski, Arthur L. Wolfe, William D. Partlow, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 5045240
    Abstract: Waste material containing hazardous or radio-active species is treated by: separating a portion of the waste material and identifying the particle size range of the severely contaminated fraction by use of a sieving apparatus (6) and a contamination detection apparatus (8); passing the waste material (15) near a contamination detection apparatus (12) to identify the waste material that is contaminated and segregate that material by a diverter (17) to provide contaminated portion (19); passing the contaminated portion (19) into a fluidized bed apparatus (16) where an aqueous leaching solution (21), effective to leach soluble, contamination species, contacts the contaminated material at an upward velocity effective to remove the particle size range that is determined to contain the severely contaminated fraction of the waste material, to provide a severely contaminated effluent slurry (24); and removing the leach solution from the slurry in a dewatering apparatus (26) to provide a solution (27) containing solub
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Michael C. Skriba, David C. Grant
  • Patent number: 4916108
    Abstract: A process for producing supported metal catalysts having increased catalytic activity is provided. This process includes the steps of forming a high surface area porous support of a suitable porous material such as alumina or zirconia, dissolving a salt of a selected catalytic metal in an appropriate supercritical fluid solvent, contacting the porous support with the supercritical fluid solution of the catalytic metal salt to impregnate the porous support with the solution so that the catalytic metal salt may be adsorbed on the surfaces of the support, and removing the supercritical fluid solvent by reducing the pressure or increasing the temperature to change the supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid phase to the gas phase, which may then be recycled for further use. The insoluble catalytic metal salt is deposited in the form of a film on the surfaces of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: David F. McLaughlin, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 4774975
    Abstract: For removal of the contaminant deposits from a surface such as a tube sheet of a vertical tube heat exchanger, as in a nuclear steam generator, having plural spaced heat exchange tubes connected to the tube sheet, a lance is radially moved along the tube sheet between parallel rows of tubes. The lance carries a nozzle for ejecting a stream of high pressure cleaning fluid toward the sludge deposits, the nozzle acting cyclically to sweep the stream throughout a range of directions centered about the nozzle axis. The nozzle may include diverting streams for deflecting the cleaning fluid stream, with the diverting streams either being generated by a fluidic oscillator or being fed back from the outlet portion of the nozzle. Alternatively, pivoting vane means may be provided in the nozzle to divert the cleaning fluid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: David L. Ayers, Terry Wright, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 4762647
    Abstract: A process is described for reducing the volume of spent ion exchange resins containing radioactive contaminants, and a filter aid having groups reactive with the functional groups of the resins. Spent ion exchange resin and the filter aid are dewatered, then subject to a pressure of about 2000 psi in conjunction with 250.degree. C. heat to reduce the volume occupied by the resin by up to a factor of 5 and impart rewet stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Eugene E. Smeltzer, Michael C. Skriba, Keith K. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 4685971
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved process for oxidizing chromium in deposits in the cooling system of a nuclear reactor using a solution of ozone. The improvement consists of adding to the solution about 0.01 to about 0.5% of a water-soluble cerium IV compound, about 0.1 to about 0.5% of a water-soluble aromatic compound having at least one ketone group on an aromatic ring, or adding both. Also disclosed is the composition of water, ozone, the cerium IV compound and the aromatic compound. Also disclosed is a process for decontaminating the cooling system of nuclear reactors by adding a decontamination composition to the coolant, circulating the coolant between the cooling system and a cation exchange resin, removing the decontamination composition by passing it through an anion exchange resin, adjusting the temperature to 40.degree. to about 100.degree. C., adding the ozone oxidation composition, circulating the coolant through the cooling system, raising the temperature to at least about 100.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Alexander P. Murray, Lawrence F. Becker, Jr., Clifton G. Slater, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 4530723
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for rapidly forming a solid monolith of an aqueous mixture of an ion exchange resin and boric acid. A fouling agent and sufficient basic accelerator to neutralize the mixture are added. Cement is then added which hardens in a few hours. Also disclosed is a composition of the ion exchange resin, boric acid, water, a fouling agent, a basic accelerator, and cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Eugene E. Smeltzer, Michael C. Skriba
  • Patent number: 3960732
    Abstract: An improved system for dewatering dilute slurries is disclosed. The system includes a spring-loaded sludge feed tray incorporating an adjustable flow splitter plug, along with spring-loaded sludge side guides. The sludge-cake compression section provides for a compression roller which is adjustable between two positions as a component in the backflushing of the sludge carrier screen using cake effluent. Also, a particular screen sludge solids loading range is employed which results in a significant improvement in performance and capacity of the dewatering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lippert, Michael C. Skriba