Still Patents (Class 202/232)
  • Publication number: 20140294693
    Abstract: A portable biodiesel manufacturing or processing plant for processing on continuous basis a raw plant based oil feedstock to form biodiesel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: The Biocube Corporation
    Inventors: Laurence Baum, A Alexander Kelly
  • Publication number: 20140262732
    Abstract: An onsite purification plant/system to delivery high and ultra high purity product, such as, process chemicals, industrial and specialty gases to manufacturing processes within the onsite plant turndown ratio from 0% to 100% while preserving the predetermined purity of the supplied substances within a predefined specification range is provided. Preserving liquid/vapor ratio in at least one of the purification means/units ensuring that product purity range stays unchanged is achieved by redirecting the product back into the onsite purification plant/system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Edward Conway, Vladimir Yliy Gershtein, Jeffrey Alan Hopkins, Brian M. Lindenmuth, Thomas M. Booth
  • Publication number: 20140131190
    Abstract: A purification device for purifying dirty liquid is provided. The device includes a heating vessel for heating the dirty liquid, at least one inlet valve, at least one outlet valve, at least one gas overpressure valve for discharging gas located in the heating chamber, the valves being mechanically engaged with each other via a valve control unit such that in operation of the heating vessel, up to a limit gas pressure, the inlet valve can be operated in an open position and the outlet valve and the gas overpressure valve can be operated in a closed position), and once the limit gas pressure has been exceeded, the inlet valve can be closed by the valve control unit and the outlet valve and/or the gas overpressure valve can be opened by the valve control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Henri SADOUNE, Yannick DIEUDONNE
  • Publication number: 20140034480
    Abstract: A tantalum-material multilevel distillation crucible; the distillation crucible comprises a crucible body (1), an insulation plate (2), and a receiving hood (3); the insulation plate (2) is sheathed in the upper part of the crucible body (1), and the receiving cover is disposed on top of the crucible body (1) and above the insulation plate (2); the crucible body (1) is made of tantalum in a horn-shaped circular truncated cone increasing in size from top to bottom; and the insulation plate (2) is made of a high-temperature resistant refractory material with good insulation performance, characterized by: the insulation plate (2) comprises of a plurality of insulation plates that can be stacked and used (2); and a heating unit (6) provided with a plurality of pads (5) that can be stacked and used at the bottom of the crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Ping Yuan, Limin Tao, Qiuhua Xu
  • Patent number: 8241466
    Abstract: A spiral double-tube structure including an inner tube for introducing a solvent vapor resulting from vaporization within a distillation still and an outer tube which a coolant gas cooled by an outdoor machine is passed through is disposed in a buffer tank; the solvent vapor is directly cooled from the surrounding area by the coolant gas with a large temperature difference and thus condensed into a liquid state; by means of an ejector, the liquid is mixed with the solvent suctioned from the buffer tank and returned into the buffer tank; since the solvent in the buffer tank is also directly cooled by the coolant gas, the cooling efficiency is high; accordingly, both the solvent vapor generated from the distillation still and the solvent in the buffer tank for reducing the pressure inside the distillation still can be efficiently cooled without using cooling water, and downsizing of the apparatus can also be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Techno Create Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Noro, Katsuhito Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20120085094
    Abstract: A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and a method of cooling photovoltaic (PV) cells in the system is described herein. Energy from an excitation source such as the sun hits the PV cells in the PV-T system causing heating that reduces PV efficiency. The PV cells are cooled by fluid in an intact heat-transfer system making a heated water byproduct while the PV cells release a form of energy. In addition, the PV-T system can be implemented in a desalination plant to harvest energy and heat for desalination processes. The present invention also includes methods for transferring heat from PV cells to the earth to improve PV performance and reduce thermal shock to the PV cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Thomas A. Davis, Malynda A. Cappelle
  • Publication number: 20110139600
    Abstract: The fluid density-driven desalination system is an evaporative desalination system utilizing gases having differing molecular weights from that at of water vapor in order to assist in the evaporation and condensation of pure water vapor. Evaporation of pure water from a saline solution through a first capillary evaporator plate is assisted by a first gas having a molecular weight less than that of water vapor, thus driving the evaporated water vapor downwardly for collection and condensation. Similarly, evaporation of pure water from brine through a second capillary evaporator plate is assisted by a second gas having a molecular weight greater than that of water vapor, thus driving the evaporated water vapor upwardly for collection and condensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: JIHAD HASSAN AL-SADAH, BASIM AHMAD ABUSSAUD
  • Publication number: 20100300868
    Abstract: A device for producing drinking water is described, said device comprising supply means (10, 10a, V1, 11) able to provide a quantity of inlet water; a distillation system (20, 21, 23) able to distil said quantity of inlet water so as to obtain a corresponding quantity of distilled water; a salt supply system (40) able to provide, in the form of a concentrated aqueous solution, at least one reserve supply of salts necessary for obtaining water which may be defined as drinking water; and a mixing system (30) able to receive at least a part of this salt reserve and mix it in a controlled manner with the quantity of distilled water, at the same time aerating the latter, so as to provide drinking water; and a dispensing tap (50) able to dispense this quantity of drinking water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventor: Bruno Pirone
  • Publication number: 20100270171
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and a system for reducing the amount of fluid in a biological mass comprising solids and fluid in the form of liquid and gas. The system includes a temporary storage container for receiving and temporary storing a biological mass, at least one separator arranged to receive the biological mass from the temporary storage container and separate at least a portion of the fluid of the mass from the solids of the mass, a solids container for receiving the solids fraction separated from the biological mass, and a liquid-purifying device arranged to purify the liquid which is separated from the mass by means of the separator. The system is substantially fluidtight towards the surroundings and the separator includes a screen cloth and a device for inducing a fluid flow. The fluid flow is arranged to carry a portion of the liquid out of the mass and through the screen cloth, the essential part of the fluid flow has been recirculated in the system (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Per Reider Orke
  • Publication number: 20100243425
    Abstract: The system contains a liquid-tight enclosure. An input source is connected to the liquid-tight enclosure for inputting water into the liquid-tight enclosure. A heating element is in thermal communication with at least a portion of the water within the liquid-tight enclosure. A plurality of substantially vertical plates are aligned along a substantially horizontal axis within the liquid-tight enclosure. Each of the substantially vertical plates has an opening. A groove is formed along each of the substantially vertical plates. A first end of the groove on each of the substantially vertical plates is proximate to the opening. At least one manifold extends through a plurality of the openings of the substantially vertical plates. The manifold is in fluid communication with a plurality of the first ends of the grooves. An output opening is formed in the liquid-tight enclosure. The output opening is arranged in fluid communication with the manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Samuel T. Kjellman
  • Patent number: 7707830
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Publication number: 20090032387
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved type of distillation of water. Usual distillation is related to a liquid's boiling point. However, it is possible to distill significant quantities of water at temperatures well below the boiling point. During distillation a compound is taken from a liquid-phase to the gas phase and then condensed to the liquid again to get a pure liquid. The present invention uses water sprayed and adsorbed onto a solid surface such as micro-powder made from wood as a starting material. Absorbing water onto such a surface results in rapid evaporation with a relatively low temperature gradient when the water and particles are agitated. The present invention could be characterized as solid-phase distillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: BIOMASS CONVERSIONS LLC
    Inventor: Seiji HATA
  • Publication number: 20040026227
    Abstract: An improved system for reboiling a liquid in a separator is disclosed. The system includes a separator having a bottom fractionation tray, a conduit for removing liquid accumulated on the bottom fractionation tray, and a reboiler for reboiling liquid removed from the bottom fractionation tray to form a vapor which is returned to the separator by another conduit and below the spatial location of the bottom tray. The vapor returned to the separator is at least substantially sealed off from fluid flow communication with the accumulated liquid removed from the bottom fractionation tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Mark John LaCour
  • Publication number: 20020032357
    Abstract: Removal of water in a vinyl chloride monomer purification system is achieved through (1) providing a distillation column for separation of a liquid admixture of vinyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, and water into (a) an essentially pure vinyl chloride product stream and (b) a hydrogen chloride distillate stream; and (2) placing a drying system in fluid communication with the distillation column midsection at a connection point where the water is at sufficient concentration to provide a useful mass transfer flux of water from a withdrawn midsection stream into a drying agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Wayne A. Lockhart, Terrence M. Nimchuk, Joseph J.D. Brochu, Ralph Smeding