Countercurrent Patents (Class 159/4.04)
  • Patent number: 10843100
    Abstract: A spray drier system is provided for spray drying a liquid sample such as blood plasma. The spray drier system may include a spray drier device adapted to couple with a spray drier assembly. The assembly may include an enclosure mounted to a frame. The assembly may receive a flow of drying gas which is directed by the enclosure shape towards a spray drying head mounted within the enclosure to the frame. Flows of a liquid sample may be further received by the head, which aerosolizes the liquid sample. Aerosolized liquid sample and drying air may be mixed within a drying chamber of the enclosure to produce dried sample and humid air. The dried sample and humid air may also be separated in a collection chamber of the enclosure, with the humid air exhausted from the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Velico Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdul Wahid Khan, Dennis Brian Hubbard
  • Patent number: 9737482
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the field of pharmaceutical sciences. More specifically, the present invention includes apparatus and devices for the preparation of pharmaceutical formulations containing large diameter synthetic membrane vesicles, such as multivesicular liposomes, methods for preparing such formulations, and the use of specific formulations for therapeutic treatment of subjects in need thereof. Formation and use of the pharmaceutical formulations containing large diameter synthetic membrane vesicles produced by using the apparatus and devices for therapeutic treatment of subjects in need thereof is also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest George Schutt, Ronald Warren McGuire, Peter Andrew Walters, Kathleen D. A. Los
  • Patent number: 9079209
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus which coats a substrate inside the vacuum chamber with the powder transported and entrained on the air from the outside without any extra gas supplier. Namely, the apparatus can coat the powder transported and entrained on the air naturally sucked in from the outside on a substrate through the spray nozzle inside the vacuum chamber as the pressure of the vacuum chamber is controlled and the pressure of the front of the spray nozzle is set under the atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Inventors: Ok Ryul Kim, Ok Min Kim, Kuen Sik Lee, Seung Chae Cheong
  • Patent number: 8679291
    Abstract: A process for concentrating wastewater includes combining heated gas and liquid wastewater to form a mixture of heated gas and entrained liquid wastewater, breaking the entrained liquid wastewater into fine entrained liquid wastewater droplets, transferring heat from the heated gas to the entrained liquid wastewater to partially evaporate the entrained liquid wastewater, and removing a portion of the fine entrained liquid wastewater droplets from the mixture to provide a demisted gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Heartland Technology Partners LLC
    Inventors: Bernard F. Duesel, Jr., Michael J. Rutsch, Craig Clerkin
  • Patent number: 8533971
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and techniques for spray drying a fluid to produce a dried powder. Assemblies include a spray drying head attachable to a gas supplier and a liquid sample, such as a standard unit of blood product. The spray drying head can be adapted to provide an aerosolized flow of liquid sample exposed to a drying gas. The assembly also includes a drying chamber adapted to separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried powder and humid air. The assembly can be disposable, provided in a sterilized kit and having simplified attachments allowing quick connect and disconnect from the gas and liquid sample. Separation of the powder from the humid air exiting the drying chamber occurs within a filtered collection bag. In some embodiments, one or more of the drying chamber and collection bag are formed form a thin-walled, collapsible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Velico Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Brian Hubbard, Jr., Michael Haley, John Charles Rosenfelder, George T. Perivolotis
  • Patent number: 8356421
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and techniques for spray drying a fluid to produce a dried powder. Assemblies include a spray drying head attachable to a gas supplier and a liquid sample, such as a standard unit of blood product. The spray drying head can be adapted to provide an aerosolized flow of liquid sample exposed to a drying gas. The assembly also includes a drying chamber adapted to separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried powder and humid air. The assembly can be disposable, provided in a sterilized kit and having simplified attachments allowing quick connect and disconnect from the gas and liquid sample. Separation of the powder from the humid air exiting the drying chamber occurs within a filtered collection bag. In some embodiments, one or more of the drying chamber and collection bag are formed form a thin-walled, collapsible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Velico Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Brian Hubbard, Jr., Michael Haley, John Charles Rosenfelder, George T. Perivolotis
  • Patent number: 8347525
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spray drying system and a method for its operation that provides a composition of dry. or essentially solvent free, particles from a solution of an agent. The system comprises a generally vertical tube reactor arranged for counter-current removal of solvent from a process flow fed with aerosol droplets of solution descending from the top said reactor with an ascending gas flow. The reactor includes a perforated process tube for transportation of the process flow from the outlet of an aerosol generating device to a dry particle collecting device. A membrane sleeve essentially surrounds the peripheral area of said process tube and separates the descending process stream from the ascending gas stream. Vaporized solvent is transported from the process stream to the ascending gas stream. A reactor housing is sealingly covering said process tube and membrane sleeve and is provided with means for introducing and/or removing the process fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Inhalation Sciences Sweden AB
    Inventor: Per Gerde
  • Patent number: 8191280
    Abstract: Described herein are devices and techniques for spray drying a fluid to produce a dried powder. Assemblies include a spray drying head attachable to a gas supplier and a liquid sample, such as a standard unit of blood product. The spray drying head can be adapted to provide an aerosolized flow of liquid sample exposed to a drying gas. The assembly also includes a drying chamber adapted to separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried powder and humid air. The assembly can be disposable, provided in a sterilized kit and having simplified attachments allowing quick connect and disconnect from the gas and liquid sample. Separation of the powder from the humid air exiting the drying chamber occurs within a filtered collection bag. In some embodiments, one or more of the drying chamber and collection bag are formed form a thin-walled, collapsible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Velico Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Brian Hubbard, Jr., Michael Haley, John Charles Rosenfelder, George T. Perivolotis
  • Publication number: 20110100560
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spray drying system and a method for its operation that provides a composition of dry. or essentially solvent free, particles from a solution of an agent. The system comprises a generally vertical tube reactor arranged for counter-current removal of solvent from a process flow fed with aerosol droplets of solution descending from the top said reactor with an ascending gas flow. The reactor includes a perforated process tube for transportation of the process flow from the outlet of an aerosol generating device to a dry particle collecting device. A membrane sleeve essentially surrounds the peripheral area of said process tube and separates the descending process stream from the ascending gas stream. Vaporized solvent is transported from the process stream to the ascending gas stream. A reactor housing is sealingly covering said process tube and membrane sleeve and is provided with means for introducing and/or removing the process fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventor: Per Gerde
  • Publication number: 20090120590
    Abstract: A heating system for a spray dryer has a heating element, a heating unit having an open-pore metal foam, and a fluid input and a fluid output. The metal foam is arranged between the fluid input and the fluid output so that fluid which flows in through the fluid input and out through the fluid output is laminarized. A method for simultaneously heating and laminarizing a fluid with the aid of an open-pore metal foam is also disclosed, as is an electrostatic precipitator having a sleeve-shaped electrode connected to a base part of the precipitator. Also disclosed is a device for detaching particles from an inner surface of a sleeve-shaped electrode, a method for detaching particles, and a spray dryer with a heating system as above and/or with an electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: BUCHI LABORTECHNIK AG
    Inventors: Mathias Schon, Ralph Baumgartner
  • Patent number: 6956101
    Abstract: Process and installation for extracting a monomer from an aqueous broth of a polymer, in which, after the broth has been heated, the broth is subjected to a depressurization in a depressurization chamber and is then introduced into a vertical column, divided into several chambers, on which are superimposed perforated plates, where the broth is flushed with an ascending stream of inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Solvay (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Philippe Taranti, Mario Golin
  • Patent number: 6820865
    Abstract: This method achieves spray drying by injection super heated slurry type material counter currently into a duct delivering preheated drying gas. Drying gas velocity is above flooding velocity, and the feed spray is delivered by a variable-flow nozzle valve which maintains constant kinetic energy per unit mass of spray over its flow range. Spray cone angle is also adjusted over the same flow range. Conventional facilities are used for heating drying gas and for collecting dried solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Inventor: David Nicholson Low
  • Patent number: 6190498
    Abstract: A relatively simple portable evaporator for quickly evaporating large volumes of water includes a stand with adjustable legs, a frame carrying a tubular housing and a motor rotatably mounted on the stand for rotation around a vertical axis, a fan in the housing driven by the motor, a nozzle rotatably mounted on one end of the housing for directing air from the fan upwardly and outwardly from the housing, and a manifold carrying a plurality of jets for receiving water from a tailings pond or other source and spraying the water into a stream of air exiting the nozzle for expediting evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Slimline Mfg. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kim Blagborne