Patents by Inventor Norman N. Li
Norman N. Li 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: 4155844Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for separating components from liquid mixtures which comprises emulsifying said liquid mixture in an immiscible liquid which is characterized as a solvent for the components. The emulsion is then contacted with an inert gas whereby the components of the mixture which, because of their solubility, permeate into said immiscible liquid, and are stripped therefrom by the inert gas. The components may then be separated from said inert gas stream by condensation and subsequent phase separation or fractionation, by absorption, distillation or by adsorption. In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the liquid mixture comprises a hydrocarbon which is emulsified in an aqueous surfactant containing liquid. The hydrocarbon mixture contains hydrocarbons of different types, as well as hydrocarbons mixed with oxygenated compounds, i.e. alcohols, ketones, acids, and mixtures thereof. In a particular embodiment the hydrocarbon mixture contains toluene and heptane.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1977Date of Patent: May 22, 1979Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventors: Norman N. Li, Robert P. Cahn
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Patent number: 4125461Abstract: A process for demulsifying an emulsion containing a continuous phase and a dispersed phase comprising removing a portion of the continuous phase, combining the remaining emulsion with a liquid miscible with the dispersed phase and applying a mechanical shearing stress to the resulting combination.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1977Date of Patent: November 14, 1978Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventor: Norman N. Li
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Patent number: 4098736Abstract: A process for preparing reactive products which comprise two or more relative components is described. Said process comprises emulsifying at least one reactant in a first liquid which is substantially impermeable to all of the reactants, forming droplets of said emulsion, and suspending said droplets in a second liquid which is immiscible with said first liquid and which forms an immiscible continuous liquid phase, which comprises the remaining reactants. Preferably, the emulsion and the continuous liquid phase density are adjusted to be substantially equal so that a nonsettling product is obtained. In a most preferred embodiment, the reactive product comprises a two-component adhesive system, i.e., an epoxy resin and an amine hardener, said epoxy resin and amine hardener are maintained separate from each other by the exterior phase of an emulsion, the interior phase comprising the hardener, and the continuous phase, wherein said emulsion is suspended, comprising the epoxy resin.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1972Date of Patent: July 4, 1978Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventors: Norman N. Li, Adam L. Shrier
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Patent number: 4086163Abstract: A process for removing a dissolved component from a feedstream. The feedstream is contacted with a liquid membrane emulsion which removes a portion of the dissolved component. After separation of the emulsion from the feedstream, a substantial portion of the remaining dissolved component is removed by solvent extraction.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1976Date of Patent: April 25, 1978Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventors: Robert P. Cahn, Norman N. Li
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Patent number: 4064040Abstract: This invention relates to novel liquid membrane formulations which are water-in-oil emulsions wherein the oil phase comprises a sulfonated polymer having a backbone which is substantially nonaromatic, for example, less than 10 mole % aromatic, and uses thereof in high temperature liquid membrane processes. The emulsions are useful in liquid membrane water treating processes, especially in water treating processes which are desirably run at high temperatures. In the most preferred embodiment, these compositions are used in a liquid membrane sour water treating process wherein a waste water stream containing ammonium sulfide is contacted with a liquid membrane emulsion, i.e. the emulsions of the instant invention, at conditions whereby ammonia permeates through the external phase of the emulsion into an acidic internal phase wherein it is converted to a nonpermeable form, e.g. ammonium ion, while H.sub.2 S is continuously stripped out of the waste water solution by means of an inert gas, e.g. steam.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1976Date of Patent: December 20, 1977Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventors: Gopal H. Singhal, Martin L. Gorbaty, Richard M. Minday, Norman N. Li
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Patent number: 4056462Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for separating components from liquid mixtures which comprises emulsifying said liquid mixture in an immiscible liquid which is characterized as a solvent for the components. The emulsion is then contacted with an inert gas whereby the components of the mixture, because of their solubility, permeate into said immiscible liquid, and are stripped therefrom by the inert gas. The components may then be separated from said inert gas stream by condensation and subsequent phase separation or fractionation, by absorption, distillation or by adsorption. In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the liquid mixture comprises a hydrocarbon which is emulsified in an aqueous surfactant containing liquid. The hydrocarbon containing mixture contains hydrocarbons of different types, as well as hydrocarbons mixed with oxygenated compounds, i.e. alcohols, ketones, acids, and mixtures thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1973Date of Patent: November 1, 1977Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Norman N. Li, Robert P. Cahn
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Patent number: 4029744Abstract: The salt of a weak acid and a weak base is removed from a solution by contacting said solution with an emulsion. Said emulsion comprises an exterior phase which is characterized as immiscible with said solution and permeable to the weak acid and/or weak base in their un-ionized forms. One of the species which can permeate through said exterior phase reacts with a reactant present in the interior phase of the emulsion which converts said permeating species to a non-permeable form, i.e., by neutralization, thus providing a continuing driving force for the permeation of said permeating species. The other nonreacting or nonpermeating species is stripped from solution by passing an inert gas through said solution. Stripping and neutralization in the interior phase of the emulsion are carried out simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1975Date of Patent: June 14, 1977Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Norman N. Li, Robert P. Cahn
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Patent number: 4014785Abstract: The instant invention relates to novel liquid membrane formulations, i.e., emulsions, which comprise an aqueous interior phase and a water-immiscible exterior phase; said water-immiscible exterior phase comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and a solvent for this polymer. These compositions may additionally contain a water insoluble surfactant to stabilize the emulsions. In the most preferred embodiment, the aqueous interior phase comprises a strong acid, for example from about 1 to 10 percent by weight sulfuric acid. These emulsions are useful in liquid membrane processes for the separation of dissolved components from aqueous solution. Emulsions of the instant invention are characterized as showing very low swelling when contacted with aqueous solutions, especially at higher temperatures and thus are especially effective for use in the treatment of sour water feed streams by the liquid membrane technique.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1975Date of Patent: March 29, 1977Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Norman N. Li, Gopal H. Singhal, Richard M. Minday, Martin L. Gorbaty
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Patent number: 4001109Abstract: This invention relates to a process for demulsifying an emulsion which can be either of the water-in-oil or oil-in-water type, which comprises mixing the emulsion with a mixture of two or more comiscible volatile solvents, at least one of which is miscible with the water and at least one of which is miscible with the oil, thereby causing the separation of the emulsion into an oil and a water layer. Preferably, the water-miscible solvent is an alcohol and the oil-miscible solvent is a light hydrocarbon, more preferably, a saturated hydrocarbon or a monoolefin. Since it is generally desirable to recover the solvent for reuse in emulsion breaking, the oil-miscible solvent will have a boiling point of at least 50.degree. C. less than the boiling point of the oil.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1974Date of Patent: January 4, 1977Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Norman N. Li, Taras Hucal, Robert P. Cahn
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Patent number: 3969265Abstract: This invention relates to novel liquid membrane formulations which are water-in-oil emulsions wherein the oil phase comprises a sulfonated polymer having a backbone which is substantially nonaromatic, for example, less than 10 mole % aromatic, and uses thereof in high temperature liquid membrane processes. The emulsions are useful in liquid membrane water treating processes, especially in water treating processes which are desirably run at high temperatures. In the most preferred embodiment, these compositions are used in a liquid membrane sour water treating process wherein a waste water stream containing ammonium sulfide is contacted with a liquid membrane emulsion, i.e., the emulsions of the instant invention, at conditions whereby ammonia permeates through the external phase of the emulsion into an acidic internal phase wherein it is converted to a nonpermeable form, e.g., ammonium ion, while H.sub.2 S is continuously stripped out of the waste water solution by means of an inert gas, e.g., steam.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1976Date of Patent: July 13, 1976Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Gopal H. Singhal, Martin L. Gorbaty, Richard M. Minday, Norman N. Li
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Patent number: 3959173Abstract: The instant invention relates to novel liquid membrane formulations, i.e., emulsions, which comprise an aqueous interior phase and a water-immiscible exterior phase; said water-immiscible exterior phase comprising an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and a solvent for this polymer. These compositions may additionally contain a water insoluble surfactant to stabilize the emulsions. In the most preferred embodiment, the aqueous interior phase comprises a strong acid, for example from about 1 to 10 percent by weight sulfuric acid. These emulsions are useful in liquid membrane processes for the separation of dissolved components from aqueous solution. Emulsions of the instant invention are characterized as showing very low swelling when contacted with aqueous solutions, especially at higher temperatures and thus are especially effective for use in the treatment of sour water feed streams by the liquid membrane technique.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1974Date of Patent: May 25, 1976Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering CompanyInventors: Norman N. Li, Gopal H. Singhal, Richard M. Minday, Martin L. Gorbaty
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Patent number: 3942527Abstract: A process for oxygenating blood which comprises, contacting an emulsion, the exterior phase of which comprises an oxygen saturated fluorinated organic compound surrounding aqueous droplets containing a carbon dioxide absorbent or reactant, with mammalian blood. The oxygen permeates rapidly from the fluorocarbon into the blood, while the CO.sub.2 within the blood permeates through the fluorocarbon into the aqueous interior phase wherein it is absorbed or converted by a reactant to a nonpermeable form. In this manner the blood is oxygenated and CO.sub.2 is simultaneously removed.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1974Date of Patent: March 9, 1976Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.Inventor: Norman N. Li