Patents Represented by Attorney Robert A. Miller
  • Patent number: 5414112
    Abstract: Certain N-bis(phosphonomethyl) amino acids are novel compounds and are useful in preventing calcium carbonate scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Vera Dragisich
  • Patent number: 5413719
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the dosage of a polyelectrolyte treating agent in a water treatment process using a fluorescent material having the opposite electrical charge as a polyelectrolyte treating agent used to treat water in a water treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Ananthasubra Sivakumar, Jitendra Shah, Narasimha M. Rao, Scott S. Budd
  • Patent number: 5413680
    Abstract: A method of detecting microbiological fouling of felts used in paper making machines is described. A felt suspected of containing microbiological deposits is contacted with iodonitrotetrazolium and then examined for a predetermined color change confirming the presence of bacteria on the felt. The felt assumes a red color in the presence of at least one million colony forming units of bacteria per gram of dry felt within thirty minutes after the iodonitrotetrazolium has contacted the felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Maureen B. Nunn
  • Patent number: 5411889
    Abstract: A target-specie responsive regulation of water treatment agent feed is achieved by the monitoring of a subject target-specie indicator. A target specie in a sample taken from the system is selected as the subject target-specie indicator, or instead an incipient reagent is added to the system sample to form a subject target-specie indicator. Such a formed subject target-specie indicator comprises a combination of the incipient reagent and a target specie. The subject target-specie indicator might then monitored by fluorescence analysis of the sample to determine at least one fluorescence emission value that can be correlated to the in-system concentration of the target specie. In combination with an inert tracer, the system consumption for the target specie can be determined. A responsive adjustment of the in-system concentration of a water treatment agent can be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John E. Hoots, Martin R. Godfrey
  • Patent number: 5407577
    Abstract: A process for removing color from a pulp and paper wastewater which comprises the following steps: (A) treating the wastewater with an enzyme which is capable of oxidizing at least a portion of the color forming components of the wastewater; and (B) treating the wastewater subsequent to the enzyme treatment of step (A) with a tannin-degrading microorganism capable of degrading at least a portion of the oxidized color forming components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Nhuan P. Nghiem
  • Patent number: 5405495
    Abstract: A method for deinking of repulped xerographic paper comprising adding an organic polymeric particulate and a substantially water insoluble organic ester to a repulped aqueous slurry containing xerographic toner particles in an amount sufficient to at least partially agglomerate the xerographic toner particles within the slurry to larger particle sizes; and removing the xerographic toner particles from the slurry by one or more liquid/solid separation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: David R. Cosper, Karen R. Tubergen
  • Patent number: 5405898
    Abstract: The acrylate ester groups of lower acrylate ester latex polymers are converted to hydroxamic groups by the expediency of pH adjustment and using salt free hydroxylamine. Lower reaction temperatures are used. A high HLB surfactant is also used to help further stabilize the particles. The finished modified acrylate ester latex polymers are considered to be new compositions having a use in a variety of industrial applications such as settling agents in the treatment Bayer process liquors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Anthony G. Sommese
  • Patent number: 5403493
    Abstract: An aqueous scale inhibitor product is corrosive to the elongated feed lines of a geothermal well due to the length of such feed lines, extended residence time of the product therein, and/or the elevated internal temperatures reached therein, and such corrosivity of aqueous scale inhibitor products is reduced when the scale inhibitor actives are no more than about 10 weight percent of the aqueous solution, when the pH of such aqueous solution is raised to the range of from about 5.5, or 8, to about 12, when carbohydrazide is added to such product, and by combinations of such factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Mouche, Eugene B. Smyk
  • Patent number: 5401420
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system and method for chemical precipitation and removal of metals from wastewater in a continuous or batch treatment process includes an ion-selective sulfide electrode and a reference electrode disposed in a precipitation tank for measuring an electrochemical potential therebetween in a predetermined range. A controller unit is provided which is responsive to the electrochemical potential in the predetermined range and is connected to a precipitant feed unit for automatically controlling the chemical precipitant fed into the precipitation tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kristine S. Siefert, Pek L. Choo, Wayne M. Carlson
  • Patent number: 5401810
    Abstract: There is provided a strength resin polymer for papermaking that has pendant alpha-hydroxy acetal substituents to (N-alkyl)(C.sub.1-2 alkyl)acrylamide mer units. There also is provided a process for preparation of such resin polymer by adduction of a pre-existing polymer, or the monomer precursors thereto, with an acetal-aldehyde reactant under alkaline conditions. There is provided such strength resin polymer in the form of a fluid liquid system, for instance a fluid solution or a fluid oil-continuous water-in-oil emulsion, particularly when such a system has a high concentration of resin polymer. There is provided activated polymer versions of certain of such resin polymers and paper compositions containing such activated polymer. There is also provided papermaking processes including the step of activating such resin polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Roger H. Jansma, A. James Begala, Gary S. Furman
  • Patent number: 5399591
    Abstract: A superabsorbent polymer having improved absorption under pressure and fast absorption rate is obtained by first providing a solution containing carboxylic acid monomers or water soluble salts thereof, and a crosslinking agent. A carbonate blowing agent and a polymerization initiator are added, individually or in combination, to the solution to form a carbonated monomer solution. A polymerization initiator is then added to the carbonated monomer solution which is then polymerized at temperatures ranging from about 0.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C., forming a microcellular hydrogel. The microcellular hydrogel is chopped or ground into gel pieces having a particle diameter ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 5.0 cm. The gel pieces are dried at temperatures ranging from about 85.degree. C. to about 210.degree. C., and are then ground to form a polymer having a particle size of from about 0.05 mm to about 5.0 mm. A mixture is formed from 100 parts by weight of the polymer and about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Scott J. Smith, Eric J. Lind
  • Patent number: 5395897
    Abstract: The invention comprises a process for synthesizing a high molecular weight hydroxamic acid polymer and other substituted amides onto a polyacrylic acid or a polymethacrylic acid latex backbone by reacting a stable, inverse polyacrylic acid or polymethacrylic acid latex with hydroxylamine sulfate, in the case of hydroxamic acid, or other primary amines, to produce the high molecular weight substituted amides. The invention further comprises a method of clarifying Bayer process liquors using the substituted amides produced by the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John R. Hurlock, Martha R. Finck
  • Patent number: 5393380
    Abstract: Diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride/3-acrylamido-3-methyl-butanoic acid copolymers were prepared and found to be effective pitch control agents in papermaking systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Peter E. Reed, Carol S. Greer
  • Patent number: 5391606
    Abstract: Emissive compositions are described that can be applied as a coating to the surface of an investment casting mold to increase or decrease the rate of cooling of a casting within the mold. A coating that decreases the rate of cooling of an investment casting within an investment casting mold may comprise a compound having an emissivity less than the emissivity of the mold; a high temperature glass-forming material and a solvent to make a slurry. Similarly, a coating that increases the rate of cooling may comprise a compound having an emissivity greater than the emissivity of the mold; a low temperature glass-forming material and a solvent to make a slurry. Also disclosed in a method of investment casting wherein an emissive composition is applied to the investment casting mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Ronald S. Doles
  • Patent number: 5389548
    Abstract: Concentration of a polyelectrolyte in the water of an aqueous system is controlled by first withdrawing a sample of the water and adding a known or standard amount of a fluorochromatic reagent to the sample. Then light energy is directed into the sample whereby light energy of a selected excitation wavelength for the fluorochromatic dye is available for absorption by the fluorochromatic reagent. The intensity of light emitted about a selected emission wavelength for the fluorochromatic reagent is measured and the intensity of the emitted light is compared to a standard curve, comprising a plot of fluorescence emission intensity of the fluorochromatic reagent in the presence of a polyelectrolyte versus concentration the polyelectrolyte. The concentration of the polyelectrolyte in the sample of water is determined from the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: John E. Hoots, Claudia C. Pierce, Roger W. Kugel
  • Patent number: 5389135
    Abstract: The instant invention comprises a method of preventing ash deposition on equipment comprising adding a hemicellulose extract to phosphonate to form a mixture. The ratio hemicellulose extract to phosphonate in the mixture is preferably between 75 to 1 to 100 to 1. Once the mixture is formed, it is introduced to the equipment by injection into the spray water line. (Dosages of the mixture were based on the water flow). Alteratively, molasses maybe used in place of the hemicellulose extract to achieve comparable results by the instant method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: NALCO Chemical Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Mouche, Dana Novak
  • Patent number: 5387405
    Abstract: A secondary polishing process for Bayer Process liquors suspension is described. The polishing process uses a combination of bio-polymers, particularly such bio-carbohydrates as dextran, with an inert insoluble solid, such as a filter aid, to treat the primary red mud settler overflow, then clarifying these treated overflow liquors in a secondary clarifier. Results provide for from 0-20 milligrams per liter suspended solids, often from 0-5 ppm suspended solids, and may make sand filter or Kelly filter operation an option in the Bayer Process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Connelly, Robert P. Mahoney, Ralph W. Kaesler, Robert L. Wetegrove
  • Patent number: 5387393
    Abstract: Corrosion, cracking and blistering of steels in contact with water containing refinery streams contaminated with cyanide is inhibited or prevented by treating the streams with a cyanide reactive scavenger comprising at least one amine-aldehyde reaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Veronica K. Braden, Manian Ramesh
  • Patent number: 5385586
    Abstract: A method for inhibiting the precipitation of sodium oxalate crystals in a Bayer process liquor. The method comprises the step of adding to the Bayer process liquor, after red mud separation and immediately prior to crystallization of alumina trihydrate, or during crystallization of alumina trihydrate, or during classification of alumina trihydrate, an effective amount of a cationic, surface active, alkylammonium salt compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Graeme J. Farquharson, John D. Kildea, Anthony E. Gross, Stephen C. Grocott
  • Patent number: 5385605
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and compositions for obtaining synergistic anti-microbial (biocidal) activity using a combination of methylene(bisthiocyanate) and 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol. The methods and compositions of the invention are very effective in preventing microbial spoilage of latex carpet backing compounds and in paper and pulp preparation, particularly with respect to latex paper coatings. Compositions containing the active ingredients in ratios of from 0.001 parts methylene(bisthiocyanate) to 1 part 2-bromo-2-nitro-propane-1,3-diol to 10 parts methylene(bisthiocyanate) to 1 part 2-bromo-2-nitro-propane-1,3-diol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventor: Allen R. Syrinek