Patents Assigned to Ion Research, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9663864
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon and hydrogen fuels and other products may be produced by a process employing a combination of fermentation and electrochemical stages. In the process, a biomass contained within a fermentation medium is fermented with an inoculum comprising a mixed culture of microorganisms derived the rumen contents of a rumen-containing animal. This inoculated medium is incubated under anaerobic conditions and for a sufficient time to produce volatile fatty acids. The resultant volatile fatty acids are then subjected to electrolysis under conditions effective to convert said volatile fatty acids to hydrocarbons and hydrogen simultaneously. The process can convert a wide range of biomass materials to a wide range of volatile fatty acid chain lengths and can convert these into a wide range of biobased fuels and biobased products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, ION Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony B. Kuhry, Paul J. Weimer
  • Publication number: 20140038254
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon and hydrogen fuels and other products may be produced by a process employing a combination of fermentation and electrochemical stages. In the process, a biomass contained within a fermentation medium is fermented with an inoculum comprising a mixed culture of microorganisms derived the rumen contents of a rumen-containing animal. This inoculated medium is incubated under anaerobic conditions and for a sufficient time to produce volatile fatty acids. The resultant volatile fatty acids are then subjected to electrolysis under conditions effective to convert said volatile fatty acids to hydrocarbons and hydrogen simultaneously. The process can convert a wide range of biomass materials to a wide range of volatile fatty acid chain lengths and can convert these into a wide range of biobased fuels and biobased products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Ion Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony B. Kuhry, Paul J. Weimer
  • Patent number: 8518680
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon and hydrogen fuels and other products may be produced by a process employing a combination of fermentation and electrochemical stages. In the process, a biomass contained within a fermentation medium is fermented with an inoculum comprising a mixed culture of microorganisms derived the rumen contents of a rumen-containing animal. This inoculated medium is incubated under anaerobic conditions and for a sufficient time to produce volatile fatty acids. The resultant volatile fatty acids are then subjected to electrolysis under conditions effective to convert said volatile fatty acids to hydrocarbons and hydrogen simultaneously. The process can convert a wide range of biomass materials to a wide range of volatile fatty acid chain lengths and can convert these into a wide range of biobased fuels and biobased products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Ion Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony B. Kuhry, Paul J. Weimer