Patents by Inventor Vaughn V. Astley

Vaughn V. Astley 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: 20110127223
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of phosphoric acid plant pond water where an increased recovery of phosphorus values from the input pond water is achieved through the dilution of the initial pond water with clarified water from the product generation stage and/or the final stage clarified water. The recycle of the product generation stage and/or final stage waters to dilute the feed pond water mitigates or eliminates the problems of silica gel formation and precipitation that occur when undiluted pond waters are processed. In addition, the dilution reduces phosphate losses in the first liming or neutralization stage rejected solids thereby increasing the yield of Di-Calcium Phosphate or ammonium magnesium phosphate or potassium magnesium phosphates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: VEOLIA WATER NORTH AMERICA OPERATING SERVICES, LLC
    Inventors: Vaughn V. Astley, Dennis H. Michalski, Robert Cook
  • Patent number: 7560031
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of phosphoric acid plant pond water facilitating the recovery of phosphorus values from the input pond water. In certain aspects the process recycles solids from a later stage neutralization and separation into the clarified liquid stream from an initial clarification and neutralization stage. A sufficient amount of solids are added to the clarified liquid stream to effect the pH-dependent precipitation of a phosphate product. In alternative aspects an intermediate pH-dependent precipitation of a phosphate product is achieved through the addition of a neutralizing agent. The phosphate product is further characterized by a low concentration of fluoride. In addition the phosphate product can be further processed to a high purity technical grade phosphoric acid. In certain aspects the process employs flocculating agents to enhance the formation of precipitates. In further aspects, methodologies taught herein facilitate the reduction of silica in the process streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Phosphate, Inc.
    Inventors: Vaughn V. Astley, Dennis H. Michalski
  • Patent number: 7491333
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of industrial waste water. The process includes the steps of admixing partially-treated waste water containing precipitated impurities with a flocculating agent in a flocculation basin, directing the admixed waste water to an elongated sedimentation basin, allowing flocculated solids in the waste water to settle to the bottom of the sedimentation basin, removing the settled solids from the bottom of the sedimentation basin and directing the treated water from the sedimentation basin. The process can further include the step of adjusting the pH of the waste water to precipitate impurities in the waste water prior to the addition of the flocculation agent. The elongated sedimentation basin can include a pair of sloped sides to consolidate the settled solids at the bottom of the basin. The settled solids can then be removed by suction. The basins can be formed from the excavation or impoundment of earth in an area adjacent to a waste water-generating facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Cleanwater Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald A. Luke, Vaughn V. Astley
  • Patent number: 6758977
    Abstract: A process for the partial purification of contaminated phosphoric acid plant pond water is described, in which the pond water is treated sequentially, with two basic compounds, clarified, aged, clarified again and re-acidified. The thus treated pond water, still containing the majority of the phosphate originally present, can then be concentrated via the removal of essentially pure water, using any conventional means of concentration, without the formation of solid precipitates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: IMC Global Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis H. Michalski, Kenneth J. Jardine, Vaughn V. Astley
  • Patent number: 6758976
    Abstract: A simplified process for the partial purification of contaminated phosphoric acid plant pond water having a molar calcium plus magnesium to fluorine ratio greater than or equal to about 0.60, is described, in which the pond water is treated with a basic compound, clarified, aged, clarified again and re-acidified. The thus treated pond water, still containing the majority of the phosphate originally present, can then be concentrated via the removal of essentially pure water, using any conventional means of concentration, without the formation of solid precipitates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: IMC Global Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Michalski, Kenneth J. Jardine, Vaughn V. Astley
  • Publication number: 20030085178
    Abstract: A simplified process for the partial purification of contaminated phosphoric acid plant pond water having a molar calcium plus magnesium to fluorine ratio greater than or equal to about 0.60, is described, in which the pond water is treated with a basic compound, clarified, aged, clarified again and re-acidified. The thus treated pond water, still containing the majority of the phosphate originally present, can then be concentrated via the removal of essentially pure water, using any conventional means of concentration, without the formation of solid precipitates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Dennis H. Michalski, Kenneth J. Jardine, Vaughn V. Astley
  • Publication number: 20030080067
    Abstract: A process for the partial purification of contaminated phosphoric acid plant pond water is described, in which the pond water is treated sequentially, with two basic compounds, clarified, aged, clarified again and re-acidified. The thus treated pond water, still containing the majority of the phosphate originally present, can then be concentrated via the removal of essentially pure water, using any conventional means of concentration, without the formation of solid precipitates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Dennis H. Michalski, Kenneth J. Jardine, Vaughn V. Astley
  • Patent number: 6241796
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of granular fertilizer grade DAP (a product composed of ammonium phosphates, principally diammonium phosphate, resulting from the ammoniation of phosphoric acid, as defined in Official Publication No. 52 of the Association of American Plant Food Officials, dated 1999) comprising partially preneutralizing orthophosphoric acid with ammonia, completing the ammoniation of the orthophosphoric acid with ammonia in a rotary ammoniator-granulator to provide granular DAP, sizing the granular DAP to provide the granular DAP product, reducing the particle size of the oversized granular DAP, and recycling the undersized granular DAP and the sized-reduced oversized granular DAP to the ammoniator-granulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: IMC-Agrico Company
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Jardine, Vaughn V. Astley