With Addition Of Liquid To Gaseous Fluid Mixture Patents (Class 95/71)
  • Patent number: 11866203
    Abstract: Systems and methods to remove dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment involve one or more ionic shower units installed external to an interior volume of a facility. Each ionic shower unit releases positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the dust and generate neutralized dust. The interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock. One or more collection units is installed external to the interior volume. Each collection unit traps the neutralized dust to prevent the dust from entering the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julie Strickland, Nicholas Brophy
  • Patent number: 11833527
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for capturing bioaerosols. More particularly, the apparatus for capturing bioaerosols includes a sprayer configured to spray a buffer solution for protecting aerosol particles in a form of droplets; and a capturer into which air including the droplets and the aerosol particles is introduced and in a capture solution in which the aerosol particles are captured, wherein discharge members provided with a plurality of nanostructures are provided on a surface of the capturer to charge the aerosol particles. Due to such a configuration, high discharge efficiency can be anticipated even at a low voltage without damage to aerosol particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: Research Cooperation Foundation of Yeungnam University, INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jeong Hoon Byeon, Jung Ho Hwang, Hyeong Rae Kim, Sang Gwon An
  • Patent number: 11358094
    Abstract: An air conditioning device includes a body comprising an inlet plenum portion to receive input air including vapor molecules, a spray chamber portion to receive the input air, the received input air being rigorously mixed within the spray chamber, a sprayer portion to charge a liquid droplet and to release the charged liquid droplet into the rigorously mixed air to cause the charged liquid droplet to attract a vapor molecule, such that the vapor molecule attaches to the charged liquid droplet and separates from the input air, a separation chamber portion to cause the liquid droplet with the attached vapor molecule to separate from the rigorously mixed air and to condense and collect as liquid within an outlet plenum, and an air outlet portion to direct output air from the air conditioning device, a first humidity of the output air being less than a second humidity of the input air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: AUBURN UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Lorenzo Cremaschi
  • Patent number: 9839916
    Abstract: A wet-type electric dust collection device and low-concentration SO3 mist containing, in which the wet-type electric dust collection device has an electrical field formation part in which a plurality of discharge electrodes are provided on opposing surfaces of a first electrode and second electrodes for forming a DC electrical field. The discharge electrodes of the first electrode and the discharge electrodes of the second electrodes generate corona discharges that are reversed in polarity relative to each other. The gas containing the SO3 mist and the dust is guided to the electrical field formation part without electrically charging the SO3 mist and the dust or spraying a dielectric in the gas, and while the gas flows between the electrodes, the corona discharges impart electric charges of alternately reversed polarity to the SO3 mist and the dust. The first electrode and the second electrodes collect the charged SO3 mist and dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Matsuura, Shiro Suzuki, Tooru Nishiyama, Mitsuaki Nishitani, Yasutoshi Ueda
  • Patent number: 9321056
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-filter (1) for exhaust gas cleaning and/or heat recovery, particularly also for exhaust gas cleaning for the exhaust gases of biomass firings, in which the electro-filter (1) has a precipitation chamber (2) through which the exhaust gas is passed, whereby a charging device (6) for electrostatic charging of particles present in the exhaust gas is disposed in the region of the precipitation chamber (2) or adjacent to the precipitation chamber (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Westfaelische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen, Bocholt, Recklinghausen
    Inventors: Tobias Boehm, Hermann Kuhrmann, Julius Rawe
  • Patent number: 9109807
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device and system for desorption and dehumidification, comprising a conductive electrode, a moisture absorber, and a power source. The conductive electrode comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the first surface has a plurality of protrusion elements. The moisture absorber comprises a third surface formed on the plurality of protrusions. The power source provides power to the conductive electrode such that a uniform and stable micro-discharge phenomenon is generated thereby forming a continuous charge flow. The continuous charge flow can further generate an electrical interruption for depolarizing the attraction between the moisture molecules and moisture absorber whereby the moisture molecules can be desorbed from the moisture absorber more easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Ming-Shiann Shih, Jau-Chyn Huang
  • Patent number: 8852325
    Abstract: A device for collecting particles that have a high electron affinity, particularly explosive particles, from a gas, includes a flow channel (12a) in which at least one electrically positive collector electrode (20a) and at least one ionising electrode (18a) are arranged, between which an electrical field is present so that the particles having high electron affinity can be indirectly charged by corona discharge on the ionising electrode (18a) and can be displaced towards the collector electrode (20a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Beer, Gerhard Müller, Jan Spannhake, Wolfgang Legner
  • Publication number: 20140290480
    Abstract: A process for dedusting a dust laden vapor gas mixture (VGM) obtained by pyrolysis of a material containing hydrocarbons includes treating the dust laden VGM in a dry electrostatic precipitator at a temperature in a range from 380 to 480° C. so as to separate dust from the VGM. Then, the VGM is cooled to a temperature in a range from 310 to 360° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: ENEFIT OUTOTEC TECHNOLOGY OÜ
    Inventors: Hermann Sieger, Christian Binder, Nikola Anastasijevic, Andreas Orth
  • Patent number: 8845785
    Abstract: An air purification system comprises a chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet, a plurality of flexible wires hanging from a ceiling of the chamber, a spray mechanism configured to spray droplets in the chamber, and a sound wave generator configured to generate a standing sound wave in the chamber. During operation of the air purification system, the plurality of flexible wires are elastically deformed by the standing sound wave generated by the sound wave generator such that portions of the plurality of flexible wires converge at nodes of the sound wave, and also the droplets move to the nodes of the standing sound wave, while trapping particles in the air during the movement to the nodes. The droplets collide against and are adsorbed to the plurality of flexible wires at the nodes of the sound wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Takahisa Kusuura
  • Patent number: 8808433
    Abstract: A novel method and system of separating carbon dioxide from flue gas is introduced. Instead of relying on large temperature or pressure changes to remove carbon dioxide from a solvent used to absorb it from flue gas, the ion pump method, as disclosed herein, dramatically increases the concentration of dissolved carbonate ion in solution. This increases the overlying vapor pressure of carbon dioxide gas, permitting carbon dioxide to be removed from the downstream side of the ion pump as a pure gas. The ion pumping may be obtained from reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, thermal desalination methods, or an ion pump system having an oscillating flow in synchronization with an induced electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Roger D. Aines, William L. Bourcier
  • Patent number: 8790445
    Abstract: Air scrubbers and approaches for removing CO2, SO2, and other gaseous contaminates from gas emissions. An approach for removing a gaseous contaminant from a gas emission may include providing a supply of an ionic liquid. The gaseous contaminant may be absorbable in the ionic liquid. The approach may also include spraying the ionic liquid into the gas emission. The gaseous contaminant in the gas emission may be absorbed in the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid having the gaseous contaminant absorbed therein may be collected on a counter electrode and separated from the gas emission. Spraying the ionic liquid into a gas emission may include ultrasound agitation of the ionic liquid. The approach may also include venting the gas emission having the gaseous contaminant separated therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Wei Yang, Tariq Samad
  • Patent number: 8790444
    Abstract: An emissions reduction slack includes a conditioning section, collector section utilizing a Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP), and output section. A chemically active aqueous stream is introduced into an incoming process stream in order to saturate the stream and produce a fog stream wherein water is condensed on the surface of particulates. The process of condensation increases the efficiency of the particulate filtration process conducted by the WESP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: RSR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Ellis, Henry V. Krigmont
  • Patent number: 8728204
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing quench water required by a wet electrostatic precipitator. The apparatus includes a wet electrostatic precipitator and an evaporator in flow communication with the wet electrostatic precipitator to evaporate at least one portion of bleed water discharged from the wet electrostatic precipitator into steam. The method includes directing at least one portion of bleed water discharged from the wet electrostatic precipitator to an evaporator and directing at least one portion of flue gas from a boiler to the evaporator. The energy of the at least one portion of flue gas is used to evaporate the at least one portion of the bleed water into steam. The steam is directed to the wet electrostatic precipitator. The at least one portion of flue gas is directed from the evaporator to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: EISENMANN Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Patent number: 8728203
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing waste effluent from a system including a boiler and a wet electrostatic precipitator, the waste effluent having blow down water discharged by the boiler during a blow down operation and bleed water discharged by the wet electrostatic precipitator. The method includes collecting the blow down water and providing it to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a makeup water supplement, evaporating a portion the bleed water and leaving residual bleed water, providing the evaporated bleed water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a further makeup water supplement, and using the residual bleed water to quench ash produced by combustion of solid fuel by the boiler. The apparatus includes an evaporator that provides direct contact between hot boiler flue gas and the bleed water such that a portion of the flue gas is quenched before being provided to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: EISENMANN Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Patent number: 8702850
    Abstract: In an electric device (1), an air inlet (3),a gas-liquid contact portion (5), a water collecting portion (6) and an air outlet (7) are arranged in sequential order from upstream of an air duct (2). In a water storage portion (8) the gas-liquid contact portion (5) is dipped and the water collected thereby is stored. An electrolyzing portion (9) generates the electrolyzed water (4) containing an active oxygen species by electrolyzing the water stored in the water storage portion (8). As a result, a compact electric device with an air cleaning function is provided at low cost that is capable of generating water containing an active oxygen species without requiring additional water feed and without generating a by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Suzuki, Masahiro Iseki, Keiko Kurokawa, Mineo Ikematsu, Hiroyuki Umezawa, Yoshiaki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8603262
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus may include a flow source such as a fan which creates air flow through a ventilation duct or other structure to be cleaned. A projectile source projects projectiles such as dry ice pellets proximate the structure to dislodge debris particles therefrom and introduce the dislodged debris particles into the air flow. An electrostatic precipitator removes the particles from the air flow. An upstream sensor may be used to detect the particles upstream of the electrostatic precipitator and determine if the structure is clean using a controller. A downstream sensor may be used to detect the particles downstream of the electrostatic precipitator and determine the efficiency of the electrostatic precipitator using the controller. Carbon dioxide within the air flow may also be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Inventor: Roseanne Lambert
  • Patent number: 8591629
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing waste effluent from a system including a boiler and a wet electrostatic precipitator, the waste effluent having blow down water discharged by the boiler during a blow down operation and bleed water discharged by the wet electrostatic precipitator. The method includes collecting the blow down water and providing it to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a makeup water supplement, evaporating a portion of the bleed water and leaving residual bleed water, providing the evaporated bleed water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a further makeup water supplement, and using the residual bleed water to quench ash produced by combustion of solid fuel by the boiler. The apparatus includes an evaporator that provides direct contact between hot boiler flue gas and the bleed water such that a portion of the flue gas is quenched before being provided to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Publication number: 20130255491
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing waste effluent from a system including a boiler and a wet electrostatic precipitator, the waste effluent having blow down water discharged by the boiler during a blow down operation and bleed water discharged by the wet electrostatic precipitator. The method includes collecting the blow down water and providing it to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a makeup water supplement, evaporating a portion the bleed water and leaving residual bleed water, providing the evaporated bleed water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a further makeup water supplement, and using the residual bleed water to quench ash produced by combustion of solid fuel by the boiler. The apparatus includes an evaporator that provides direct contact between hot boiler flue gas and the bleed water such that a portion of the flue gas is quenched before being provided to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Patent number: 8545600
    Abstract: In a method for removing solids from overspray produced when painting objects, the overspray is absorbed by an air flow and is conducted to a deposition surface, across which a deposition liquid flows and where a large part of at least the solids is transferred into the deposition liquid, is discharged by said deposition liquid, and is removed from the liquid by means of a deposition process. A deposition liquid is used and disclosed which comprises a detackifying medium and an optional suspending fluid, paint overspray particles being detackified using the detackifying medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Eisenmann AG
    Inventors: Guenther Dingler, Erwin Hihn, Werner Swoboda, Michael Schlipf
  • Patent number: 8480787
    Abstract: A system includes an ultrasound wave generator, a fluid cavity coupled to the ultrasound wave generator, an array of micro-machined ultrasonic-assisted electrospray nozzles coupled to the fluid cavity, an electrode configured to impart a charge onto the fluid output of the electrospray nozzles, and a carbon dioxide release unit configured to receive the ionic liquid after absorption of carbon dioxide by the ionic liquid and to remove carbon dioxide from the ionic liquid such that the regenerated ionic liquid can be recycled for additional carbon dioxide capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Adam Dewey McBrady, Wei Yang, Tariq Samad
  • Patent number: 8398745
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for accommodating therein a processing target substrate; a gas exhaust path through which a gas inside the processing chamber is exhausted; one or more exhaust pumps provided in the gas exhaust path; and a scrubber for collecting harmful components from an exhaust gas. The apparatus further includes an ionized gas supply unit for supplying to the gas exhaust path an ionized gas for neutralizing charged particles included in the exhaust gas flowing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jun Yamawaku, Junji Oikawa, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8398744
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for minimizing a quantity of particulate matter entrained within a gas stream is provided. A coarse filter removes at least a portion of particulate matter having a relatively-large particle size from the gas stream. An agglomerator agglomerates particulate matter having a relatively-small particle size remaining in the gas stream into particulate clusters after the portion of the particulate matter having the relatively-large particle size has been removed by the coarse filter. An injector introduces an agglomerating material into the gas stream before the gas stream enters the agglomerator. The agglomerating material promotes agglomeration of the particulate matter having the relatively-small particle size into the particulate clusters. And a second filter receives the gas stream and removes at least a portion of the particulate clusters entrained within the gas stream exiting the agglomerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bradley Stephen Rogers, James Easel Roberts
  • Patent number: 8316852
    Abstract: Device for extracting particles from exhaled breath, comprising a cooling system (16) for creating droplets by condensation of the water vapor contained in the exhaled breath; a droplet recovery unit (7) provided with a side wall (2) having a grid form and converging towards an outlet opening (9), allowing the droplets attracted towards said side wall (2) to flow along the latter towards the outlet opening (9); and a discharge electrode (1) mounted inside the droplet recovery unit (7), said side wall (2) of said droplet recovery unit (7) defining a counter electrode to said discharge electrode (1) in order to attract droplet-collecting particles carried by exhaled breath towards said side wall (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, CNRS
    Inventors: Patrick Pouteau, Jean Luc Achard
  • Patent number: 8317901
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to cyclonic separation or filtering of nanoparticles suspended in a gas. A plume of liquid droplets may be generated using an ultrasound or other generator. The gas may be mixed with the plume of liquid droplets, which may have received an electrostatic charge prior to mixing, to promote preferential adhesion of the nanoparticles to the liquid droplets. The gas with suspended nanoparticles and suspended liquid particles may flow through a cyclonic separator that spins rapidly, causing the cleaned gas to flow out of the filter while the liquid with adhered nanoparticles may be discharged, collected, and/or re-used in the plume generator. By causing nanoparticles to adhere to larger liquid particles, the filter may allow the filtering and collection of much smaller particles than current systems may filter under atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Ezekiel Kruglick
  • Publication number: 20120222550
    Abstract: An emissions reduction stack comprises a conditioning section, collector section utilizing a Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP), and output section. A chemically active aqueous stream is introduced into an incoming process stream in order to saturate the stream and produce a fog stream wherein water is condensed on the surface of particulates. The process of condensation increases the efficiency of the particulate filtration process conducted by the WESP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Timothy W. Ellis, Henry V. Krigmont
  • Patent number: 8241397
    Abstract: An air scrubber, system, and method of use are provided. The air scrubber includes an electrospray nozzle for creating an ionic fluid electrospray plume; an air sample intake positioned to provide an air sample interacting with the ionic fluid electrospray plume; and a counter electrode positioned to collect the electrospray plume. The selected chemicals in the air sample are captured by ionic fluid electrospray plume and accumulate on the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Adam Dewey McBrady, Wei Yang
  • Publication number: 20120180658
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for the removal of a gaseous fluid comprising (a) applying an electric field between a first electrode arranged to generate a corona discharge and a second electrode, comprising a haze-permeable electrically conductive sieve of a plurality of conductive strands, (b) atomizing a liquid to providing a liquid haze between the first and the second electrode, wherein the liquid is a solvent for the gaseous fluid, and (c) arranging a substrate behind, relative to the first electrode, the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Willibrordus Nicolaas Johannes Ursem, Rein André Roos, Johannes Cornelis Maria Marijnissen
  • Publication number: 20120017759
    Abstract: A system includes an ultrasound wave generator, a fluid cavity coupled to the ultrasound wave generator, an array of micro-machined ultrasonic-assisted electrospray nozzles coupled to the fluid cavity, an electrode configured to impart a charge onto the fluid output of the electrospray nozzles, and a carbon dioxide release unit configured to receive the ionic liquid after absorption of carbon dioxide by the ionic liquid and to remove carbon dioxide from the ionic liquid such that the regenerated ionic liquid can be recycled for additional carbon dioxide capture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Adam Dewey McBrady, Wei Yang, Tariq Samad
  • Patent number: 8092578
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing waste effluent from a system including a boiler and a wet electrostatic precipitator, the waste effluent having blow down water discharged by the boiler during a blow down operation and bleed water discharged by the wet electrostatic precipitator. The method includes collecting the blow down water and providing it to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a makeup water supplement, evaporating a portion of the bleed water and leaving residual bleed water, providing the evaporated bleed water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a further makeup water supplement, and using the residual bleed water to quench ash produced by combustion of solid fuel by the boiler. The apparatus includes an evaporator that provides direct contact between hot boiler flue gas and the bleed water such that a portion of the flue gas is quenched before being provided to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Eisenmann Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Patent number: 8088198
    Abstract: A wet electrostatic precipitator (1) includes an inlet (2) for receiving a gas (4) containing a pollutant, and an outlet (6) for discharging therefrom the gas (8) from which said pollutant has been at least partially removed. Nozzles (24) are operative for purposes of spraying liquid onto at least one first vertical collecting surface (30) of at least one collecting electrode (18). A liquid distributor (42) is provided for purposes of pouring liquid onto at least one second vertical collecting surface (44), said at least one second vertical collecting surface (44) being located on a further collecting electrode (36), with said further collecting electrode (36) being located downstream of said at least one collecting electrode (18). The nozzles (24) are located upstream of the liquid distributor (42), as viewed with reference to the direction of flow of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Sune Bengtsson, Rikard Hakansson
  • Publication number: 20110226127
    Abstract: In a method for removing solids from overspray produced when painting objects, the overspray is absorbed by an air flow and is conducted to a deposition surface, across which a deposition liquid flows and where a large part of at least the solids is transferred into the deposition liquid, is discharged by said deposition liquid, and is removed from the liquid by means of a deposition process. A deposition liquid is used and disclosed which comprises a detackifying medium and an optional suspending fluid, paint overspray particles being detackified using the detackifying medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: EISENMANN AG
    Inventors: Guenther Dingler, Erwin Hihn, Werner Swoboda, Michael Schlipf
  • Patent number: 7998255
    Abstract: An electrostatic phase change generating apparatus is described. The apparatus causes a change of state to occur in an input gas, for example, ambient air. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus removes moisture from air, and may be used to generate water from air, dehumidify air, cool air, and the like. The ability to generate water from air has global importance as the need for clean water increases each year. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus uses high voltage but low current allowing for very energy efficient operations. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus uses a phase change vessel containing a liquid, a bubbler immersed in the liquid for conveying a gas, and a high voltage source to bias the liquid with respect to an upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Convergitech, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Wolfgang Blum
  • Patent number: 7959717
    Abstract: An air conditioning system with an electrostatically atomizing function includes an electrostatically atomizing unit and a ventilation duct which flows conditioned air. The electrostatically atomizing unit generates a mist of charged minute water particles. The electrostatically atomizing unit is provided with a discharge port which locates adjacent to an air outlet of the ventilation duct. The mist of the charged minute water particles flows into an airflow which is sent from the ventilation duct. The mist of the charged minute water particles effectively spreads to the space by the air flow without dissipating inside the ventilation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yano, Toshihisa Hirai, Kishiko Hirai, legal representative, Sumio Wada, Akihide Sugawa, Tatsuhiko Matsumoto, Shousuke Akisada
  • Patent number: 7938885
    Abstract: A device designed for the removal of soot dust of fuel oil combustion. The device is based on the two-stage wet-electrostatic dust removal-desulfurization device, with different numbers of layers of the mesh screen being installed in the wet type dust removal-desulfurization device. This device not only has a relatively high efficiency in both of common dust removal and desulfurization, but also can remove the black smoke from fuel oil combustion efficiently with a removal efficiency ?99%, and thus solves the present technical problem in the treatment of in the treatment of soot dust of fuel oil combustion. At the same time, with the advantages of cheaper construction cost and economy, the device of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the traditional bag filter process, which is expensive and cannot operate desulfurization simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventor: Qingbao Huang
  • Publication number: 20100300286
    Abstract: Air scrubbers and approaches for removing CO2, SO2, and other gaseous contaminates from gas emissions. An approach for removing a gaseous contaminant from a gas emission may include providing a supply of an ionic liquid. The gaseous contaminant may be absorbable in the ionic liquid. The approach may also include spraying the ionic liquid into the gas emission. The gaseous contaminant in the gas emission may be absorbed in the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid having the gaseous contaminant absorbed therein may be collected on a counter electrode and separated from the gas emission. Spraying the ionic liquid into a gas emission may include ultrasound agitation of the ionic liquid. The approach may also include venting the gas emission having the gaseous contaminant separated therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Wei Yang, Tariq Samad
  • Patent number: 7828883
    Abstract: A novel method and system of separating carbon dioxide from flue gas is introduced. Instead of relying on large temperature or pressure changes to remove carbon dioxide from a solvent used to absorb it from flue gas, the ion pump method, as disclosed herein, dramatically increases the concentration of dissolved carbonate ion in solution. This increases the overlying vapor pressure of carbon dioxide gas, permitting carbon dioxide to be removed from the downstream side of the ion pump as a pure gas. The ion pumping may be obtained from reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, thermal desalination methods, or an ion pump system having an oscillating flow in synchronization with an induced electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Roger D. Aines, William L. Bourcier
  • Patent number: 7780761
    Abstract: A gas sampling canister has an electrospray nozzle for creating an ionic fluid electrospray plume. A gas sample intake is positioned to provide a gas sample flowing through the ionic fluid electrospray plume. A cooled counter electrode is positioned to collect the electrospray plume such that selected chemicals in the gas sample are captured by ionic fluid accumulating on the cooled counter electrode. A system and method for sampling gas are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Wei Yang, Matthew S. Marcus, Adam Dewey McBrady
  • Patent number: 7717980
    Abstract: A contaminant extraction apparatus, systems and method for extracting contaminants, such as particles and polar molecules, from an air flow containing a contaminated gas such as air so that the contaminants are expelled from the embodiments after they are extracted. One method includes the steps of generating two electric fields in separate air flow channels separated by an extraction grid with the second electric field having a greater potential difference than the first electric field; generating a first air flow through the first air flow channel and a second air flow through a second air flow channel; dispensing charged liquid droplets into the first air flow using at least one charged droplet generator; allowing the droplets to transfer charge to those contaminants; and expelling the contaminants into the second air flow using the potential difference in the second electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sentor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary C. Tepper, Royal Kessick, Dmitry Pestov, Michael P. Eddy
  • Patent number: 7708814
    Abstract: Carbon dioxide contained within exhaust gas is combined with bivalent metal ions such as calcium ions or the like in concentrated salt water to form precipitated calcium carbonate and then can be expelled out. Such an environmental friendly design is realized by a bottle upside down device with a bottle neck exit on a bottom. A piston inside the device can be elevated to a top portion to produce a near vacuum air pressure inside the device. All the brine, exhaust gas, and oxygen, ozone drawn together into the device can be accelerated to form, at least, precipitated calcium carbonate to reduce carbon dioxide contained within the exhaust gas. Chemical reaction is accelerated by a high voltage discharger below the piston and by flashing a portion of water to atomize the brine. A heater can heat up the near vacuum device to accelerate chemical reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Chia-Chang Liu
  • Publication number: 20100043634
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing significantly or to zero the waste effluent from a system including a boiler and a wet electrostatic precipitator, the waste effluent comprising blow down water discharged by the boiler during a blow down operation and bleed water discharged by the wet electrostatic precipitator. The method comprises collecting the blow down water, providing the collected blow down water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a makeup water supplement, evaporating a portion the bleed water and leaving residual bleed water, providing the evaporated bleed water to the wet electrostatic precipitator as a further makeup water supplement, and using the residual bleed water to quench ash produced by combustion of solid fuel by the boiler. The apparatus includes an evaporator that provides direct contact between hot boiler flue gas and the bleed water such that a portion of the flue gas is quenched before being provided to the wet electrostatic precipitator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: EISENMANN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph Shulfer, Eberhard Veit
  • Patent number: 7632341
    Abstract: A hybrid, wet electrostatic precipitator has multiple precipitation zones for removing particulate and contaminants from a flue gas stream. A first precipitation zone has at least one discharge electrode and at least one collection plate made of a metal or a fiber glass reinforced plastic. A second precipitation zone has at least one discharge electrode and at least one collecting electrode which is a porous membrane sheet. The precipitation zones are in series with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Triscori, Albert L. Moretti, Robert E. Snyder, Donald P. Tonn
  • Patent number: 7531027
    Abstract: An improved system for removing particles and contaminants from an air flow attract particles and contaminants to a plurality of charged spray droplets. The system has a first channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a first air flow is directed, an air flow containing a plurality of contaminants, a solvent reservoir containing a volume of solvent, one or more charged droplet sources for producing a plurality of charged liquid droplets, a second channel with an inlet and an outlet into which a second air flow is directed, one or more voltage reduction electrodes positioned about at least one of said electrospray sources, a grounded counter electrode, and at least one grid positioned between the plane of the charged droplet source and the grounded counter electrode. The voltage between the grid electrode and the charged droplet source is sufficient to sustain an electrospray process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Sentor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary C. Tepper, Royal Kessick, Dmitry Pestov
  • Publication number: 20090114090
    Abstract: A gas sampling canister has an electrospray nozzle for creating an ionic fluid electrospray plume. A gas sample is intake positioned to provide a gas sample flowing through the ionic fluid electrospray plume. A cooled counter electrode is positioned to collect the electrospray plume such that selected chemicals in the gas sample are captured by ionic fluid accumulating on the cooled counter electrode. A system and method for sampling gas are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Alex Gu, Wei Yang, Matthew S. Marcus, Adam Dewey McBrady
  • Patent number: 7503512
    Abstract: A liquid stored in the liquid storing means within a housing is supplied to a carrier. A high voltage applied to a discharge end of the carrier and an opposed electrode to emit tiny ionized liquid particles. At leas part of the liquid storing means is detachable to the housing for easy replenishment of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakada, Hiroshi Suda, Tomonori Tanaka, Tomohiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7494532
    Abstract: A carrier is used to carry a liquid, and a high voltage is applied between a discharge end of the carrier and an opposed electrode to emit ionized liquid particles. The carrier has a liquid collecting end opposite to the discharge end to feed the steam of the liquid from a steam generator, condensing the liquid therearound, and feeding the condensed liquid to the discharge end. Accordingly, even when the liquid contains cations such as those of Ca and Mg, the steam of the liquid can extremely reduce the content of these impurities, avoiding the precipitation of the impurities at the discharge end of the carrier to assure stable electrostatic atomization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Azukizawa, Sadahiko Wakaba, Hiroshi Suda
  • Patent number: 7473298
    Abstract: Charged fine particulate water is provided, which has a nanometer particle size, for example, a particle size of 3 to 100 nm, and contains radicals such as hydroxyl radicals and superoxides. This charged fine particulate water can be generated by applying an electric-field intensity of 700 to 1200 V/mm between a pair of electrodes, while supplying water between the electrodes. By allowing the thus obtained charged fine particulate water to diffuse into an indoor space, it is possible to effectively remove bad odor components/bacteria from the indoor space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Suda, Yasunori Matsui, Narimasa Iwamoto, Toshiyuki Yamauchi, Shigekazu Azukizawa, Takayuki Nakada, Tomonori Tanaka, Tomohiro Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20080302241
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas cleaning system, a built-in cleaning section is embodied as an upright U, in which a first leg includes an ionizing zone to ionize particles or aerosols carried in the gas. The gas flows from above into the first leg and downward in a direction of gravity through the ionizing zone. A second leg includes a collector to separate the particles or aerosols from the gas flow, which flows into and through the collector in a direction from below and upward, counter to the direction of gravity. A spraying device is mounted above the collector to rinse the collector. A transition from the first to the second leg includes a connecting zone including a container to collect the particles or aerosols separated of the gas, which container includes a discharge pipe disposed at a lowest point of the container to discharge the liquid enriched with the particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
    Inventors: Andrei Bologa, Thomas Wascher, Hanns-Rudolf Paur, Klaus Woletz
  • Patent number: 7459009
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing particulate matter from a gas stream containing particulate matter, the apparatus including: a mist-producing element that mixes a gas stream entering the apparatus with liquid droplets; and a down flow Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP) pass section having ionizing electrodes that electrically charge the particulate matter and the intermixed liquid droplets, and collecting surfaces in the form of an array of polygonal tubes, wherein the collecting surfaces are under the influence of an electrical field to attract and remove electrically-charged particulate matter and intermixed liquid droplets from the gas stream. An embodiment utilizing two down-flow Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP) sections (i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Eisenmann Corporation
    Inventors: Isaac Ray, Mark A. West, Boris Altshuler
  • Patent number: 7442234
    Abstract: A device and a method for removing undesirable gases and particles from the air are provided. The device includes a purifying chamber through which air (1) to be purified is arranged to pass and has an entrance end provided with a zone (2) producing water dust. The purifying chamber is provided with ionemitting tips (3) operating by high voltage current and with collecting surfaces (4) collecting impurities from the air. The zone (2) is provided with dies (7) producing water dust having a droplet size of 20 to 40 ?m, and the collecting surfaces (4) are grounded. The ion emitting tips (3) are directed toward the collecting surfaces (4) and generate ion jets rushing from the ion emitting tips (3) causing water dust and gases and particulate materials attached to the droplets of said dust to be forced against said collecting surfaces (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventor: Veikko Ilmasti
  • Patent number: 7427313
    Abstract: The device according to the invention includes a drip chamber, which is adapted for connecting to the ordinary water mains, a metal plate and a nozzle that is connected to the drip chamber and disposed above the metal plate and a collecting vessel. The object of the drip chamber is to convert the continuous flow of water from the water mains into discrete drops, thus forming a water reservoir in the bottom of the drip chamber, which is electrically insulated from the water supply while the reservoir still receives a constant new supply of water. Water from the reservoir is passed on to the nozzle and sprayed over the steel plate. An impressed voltage on the nozzle and thereby the water attracts the impurities in the air and these will bind to the water and follow it when the water runs down into a collecting vessel, which is subsequently emptied into the house's drainage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Inventors: Hans-Jacob Fromreide, Tomm Slater