Patents by Inventor Steven D. Overman

Steven D. Overman 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).

  • Apparatus for removing selenium from refinery process water and waste water streams
    Patent number: 6156191
    Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient and highly effective method of removing dissolved selenium from a variety of refinery process water and wastewater streams. The present invention also provides a new and effective method of oxidizing selenium and organo-selenium compounds to the selenite [+IV] oxidation state in order to be adsorbed by a metal oxide or metal hydroxide precipitate. The invention includes two continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR) operated in series. The stream to be treated and one of several iron salts (ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, etc.) are introduced into the first CSTR, forming ferric hydroxide and ferric oxyhydroxide precipitates. The pH of the first CSTR is automatically controlled by adjusting the injection rate of the ferric salt. The effluent stream from the first CSTR is directed into a second CSTR into which potassium permanganate is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Steven D. Overman
  • Process for removing selenium from refinery process water and waste water streams
    Patent number: 5993667
    Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient and highly effective method of removing dissolved selenium from a variety of refinery process water and wastewater streams. The present invention also provides a new and effective method of oxidizing selenium and organo-selenium compounds to the selenite [+IV] oxidation state in order to be adsorbed by a metal oxide or metal hydroxide precipitate. The invention includes two continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR) operated in series. The stream to be treated and one of several iron salts (ferric sulfate, ferric chloride, etc.) are introduced into the first CSTR, forming ferric hydroxide and ferric oxyhydroxide precipitates. The pH of the first CSTR is automatically controlled by adjusting the injection rate of the ferric salt. The effluent stream from the first CSTR is directed into a second CSTR into which potassium permanganate is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventor: Steven D. Overman