Patents Assigned to Nalco Company
  • Method and apparatus to monitor and control sheet characteristics on a creping process
    Patent number: 8958898
    Abstract: The invention embodies methods and apparatuses to monitor and control the characteristics of a creping process. The method involves measuring optical properties of various points along a creped paper sheet and converting those measurements into characteristic defining data. The invention allows for determining the magnitude and distribution of crepe structures and their frequency and distribution. This allows for the generation of information that is accurate and is much more reliable than the coarse guessing that is currently used in the industry. Feeding this information to papermaking process equipment can result in increases in both quality and efficiency in papermaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: William A. Von Drasek, Sammy Lee Archer, Gary S. Furman, Jr.
  • Glycerides and fatty acid mixtures and methods of using same
    Patent number: 8955685
    Abstract: Green compositions and technologies are provided. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of separating a first material from a second material. For example, the method can comprise mixing the first material and the second material in a slurry with a beneficiation composition. The beneficiation composition can comprise one or more glyceride and fatty acid mixtures extracted from an ethanol process. Air bubbles can be provided in the slurry to form bubble-particle aggregates with the first material and the bubble-particle aggregates can be allowed to be separated from the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Bo L. Tran, Kerem Eraydin
  • Foamers for downhole injection
    Patent number: 8950494
    Abstract: A method of foaming a fluid for recovering gas from a gas well and enhancing oil production from a gas-lifted oil well penetrating a subterranean oil-bearing formation is disclosed and claimed. The method includes introducing into the fluid a foam-forming amount of a composition comprising at least one compound selected from the following: X+ alkyl benzene sulfonate; X+ alkylnapthalene sulfonate; alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate; diallyldiphenyloxide disulfonate; X+ alkyl sulfate; naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate; and combinations thereof. The method of invention further provides foamers that are compatible with a reverse osmosis membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Duy T. Nguyen, Fenfen Huang
  • Additives for improving hydrocarbon recovery
    Patent number: 8939208
    Abstract: Processes for recovering hydrocarbons from subterranean formations are disclosed. The hydrocarbon can be contacted with water or steam and one or more additives, and subsequently recovered. The hydrocarbon can be selected from heavy or light crude oil, bitumen, an oil sand ore, a tar sand ore, and combinations thereof. The additive can be, for example, a fluorinated hydrocarbon. Compositions or mixtures including hydrocarbons, water or steam, and additives are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Kimberly Jantunen Cross
  • Control over ammonium fluoride levels in oxide etchant
    Patent number: 8932874
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for identifying the amount of ammonium acid in a buffered oxide etching composition. In buffered oxide etching compositions it is very difficult to measure the amount of ammonium acid because it has varying equilibriums and it is toxic so it hard to handle and sample. When used to manufacture microchips however, incorrect amounts of ammonium acid will ruin those chips. The invention utilizes a unique method of spectrographically measuring the ammonium acid when in contact with added chromogenic agents to obtain exact measurements that are accurate, immediate, and safe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Amy M. Tseng, Brian V. Jenkins, Robert M. Mack
  • Metal scavenging polymers and uses thereof
    Patent number: 8927637
    Abstract: A polymer, a composition, and uses for either are disclosed. The polymer is derived from at least two monomers: acrylic-x and an alkylamine, and has attached to the polymer backbone a functional group capable of scavenging at least one metal. The polymer has a polymer backbone with a fluorescing quantity of conjugated double bonds, thereby providing a method for controlling metal scavenging via fluorescence. These polymers have many uses in various media, including wastewater systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Paul J. Zinn, Winston Su, Rebecca L. Stiles, Darlington Mlambo
  • Methods and compositions of beneficiation
    Patent number: 8925730
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for separating materials are provided. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of separating a first material from a second material. For example, the method can comprise mixing the first material and the second material in a slurry with a beneficiation composition. The beneficiation composition can comprise one or more fatty acid by-products derived from a biodiesel manufacturing process. Air bubbles can be provided in the slurry to form bubble-particle aggregates with the first material and the bubble-particle aggregates can be allowed to be separated from the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Bo L. Tran, Dmitri L. Kouznetsov
  • Method of controlling gas hydrates in fluid systems
    Patent number: 8921478
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting hydrates in a fluid comprising water and gas comprising adding to the fluid an effective hydrate-inhibiting amount of a composition comprising one or more copolymers of N-alkyl(alkyl)acrylamide monomers and one or more cationic monomers selected from acid and alkyl chloride quaternary salts of N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl(meth)acrylates and N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl(meth)acrylamides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Peter G. Conrad, Erick J. Acosta, Kevin P. McNamee, Brian M. Bennett, Olga E. S. Lindeman, Joseph R. Carlise
  • Recovery and separation of crude oil and water from emulsions
    Patent number: 8911615
    Abstract: A composition and method demulsify a produced emulsion from anionic surfactants and polymer (SP) and alkali, surfactants, and polymer (ASP). The produced emulsion is demulsified into oil and water. In one embodiment, the composition includes a surfactant. The surfactant comprises a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or any combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: William Marsh Rice University, NALCO Company
    Inventors: Olina G. Raney, John Hera, Jr., Duy T. Nguyen, Michael K. Poindexter, George J. Hirasaki, Clarence A. Miller
  • Method of detecting and reducing contamination in papermaking boiler systems
    Patent number: 8906202
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and system for detecting contamination of boiler condensate and/or boiler feedwater in a papermaking process. The method includes measuring an oxidation-reduction potential at one or more locations in the boiler condensate and/or the boiler feedwater of the papermaking process with one or more corrosion stress monitoring devices. A controller is operable to assess whether the measured or a calculated oxidation-reduction potential is within an optimum range. The controller is operable to cause transmission of a signal to direct feeding an effective amount of one or more reductants and/or one or more pH-controlling chemicals into the boiler feedwater and/or one or more a satellite feed locations of the papermaking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: David A. Grattan, Peter D. Hicks, George T. Totura
  • Antimicrobial composition
    Patent number: 8900641
    Abstract: An antimicrobial composition prepared by mixing a polymer-ammonium salt formulation comprising one or more polymers and one or more ammonium salts with alkali and a chlorine source in a molar ratio of chlorine (as Cl2) to ammonium ion of about 1:10 to about 10:1 and methods of using the composition to control biofouling of aqueous systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Manian Ramesh, Cathy C. Doucette, Andrew J. Cooper
  • Compositions and methods for diverting injected fluids to achieve improved hydrocarbon fluid recovery
    Patent number: 8889603
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to compositions and methods that may be used for enhanced oil recovery, for modifying the permeability of subterranean formations and for increasing the mobilization and/or recovery rate of hydrocarbon fluids present in the formations. The compositions may include, for example, expandable cross linked polymeric microparticles having an unexpanded volume average particle size diameter of from about 0.05 to about 5,000 microns and a cross linking agent content of from about 100 to about 200,000 ppm of hydrolytically labile silyl ester or silyl ether crosslinkers and from 0 to about 300 ppm of non-labile crosslinkers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Pious V. Kurian, Kin-Tai Chang, Manian Ramesh, Olga E. Shmakova-Lindeman
  • Method of monitoring corrosion potential of engineering alloys in aqueous systems
    Patent number: 8888988
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring and monitoring the corrosion potential of engineering alloys used in aqueous systems is disclosed and claimed. The method is applicable for a variety of alloys including, but not limited to, copper-based, iron-based, nickel-based, other metallic-based alloys, and their combinations. The corrosion potential is typically determined by measuring a voltage between a specific material in the described oxidation-reduction potential measuring device and a reference electrode. Corrosion potentials for specific materials of construction may be used for diagnostic or control purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Peter D. Hicks
  • Reducing aluminosilicate scale in the bayer process
    Patent number: 8889096
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of inhibiting the accumulation of DSP scale in the liquor circuit of Bayer process equipment. The method includes adding one or more particular silane based small molecules to the liquor fluid circuit. These scale inhibitors reduce DSP scale formation and thereby increase fluid throughput, increase the amount of time Bayer process equipment can be operational and reduce the need for expensive and dangerous acid washes of Bayer process equipment. As a result, the invention provides a significant reduction in the total cost of operating a Bayer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Timothy La, John D. Kildea, Kevin L. O'Brien, Everett C. Phillips, Kailas B. Sawant, David H. Slinkman, Frederick J. Swiecinski, Ji Cui
  • Method of conditioning a mixed liquor containing nonionic polysaccharides and/or nonionic organic molecules
    Patent number: 8889008
    Abstract: A method of conditioning a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor containing one or more nonionic polysaccharides and/or one or more organic molecules is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Deepak A. Musale, John H. Collins
  • Method of using sulfur-based corrosion inhibitors for galvanized metal surfaces
    Patent number: 8883073
    Abstract: A composition and method for inhibiting white rust formation on galvanized surfaces. The composition includes thiols, polymeric dithiocarbamates, and xanthates. The composition may be introduced onto the galvanized surface, especially in an industrial water system, using a variety of different methods or programs including integrating with current programs or developing a new program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Srikanth S. Kidambi
  • Glycerol based polymer surface active chemistry and production
    Patent number: 8884049
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of efficiently producing branched, cyclic glycerol-based polymer surface active products having ester and alkyl functional groups with a co-product as anti-biodegrading agent from inexpensive readily available glycerol monomer. The method involves polymerizing glycerol or glycerol with at least another monomer to multiple other monomers in the presence of particular amount of a strong base as the catalyst under a particular distillation environment. The polyol then undergoes esterification, alkylation and crosslinking in presence of particular amount of a catalyst under a particular low activity atmospheric environment. The glycerol-based polymer surface active products produced by the inventive method are beneficial for reducing lignin, extractives and rejects levels in pulping process of papermaking industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Xiaojin Harry Li, Prasad Duggirala, Joanna L. Shih
  • Furnish pretreatment to improve paper strength aid performance in papermaking
    Patent number: 8882964
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods, compositions, and apparatus for increasing the strength of paper made out of a furnish having a large proportion of OCC. The method involves the following steps: 1) Providing a paper furnish having a large amount of OCC in it, 2) adding strength promoter to the furnish prior to adding a strength agent to the furnish, 3) adding a strength agent to the furnish, and 4) making a paper product from the furnish. This method allows cheap OCC material to be used in a papermaking process without the quality problems that the anionic trash in OCC typically causes. Thus paper products having low costs and high quality can be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Yulin Zhao, Jun Li, Qing Long Rao, Weiguo Cheng
  • Synthesis of 7-acetyleno quinone methide derivatives and their application as vinylic polymerization retarders
    Patent number: 8884038
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for synthesizing 7-Acetyleno quinone methide compounds that is safe and inexpensive. The method avoids the need for extremely cold reaction temperatures and unlike the prior art does not require any highly explosive materials. The method comprises the steps of: a) performing a condensation reaction between 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and a secondary amine thereby forming a secondary amine quinone methide intermediate; b) removing water from the secondary amine quinone methide intermediate by azeotropic distillation; c) adding the dehydrated secondary amine quinone methide intermediate to an organic medium containing a metal acetylide to form a Mannich base intermediate; and d) adding a release agent to the Mannich base intermediate to yield a 7-Acetyleno quinone methide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Jonathan Masere
  • Method of using aldehyde-functionalized polymers to enhance paper machine dewatering
    Patent number: RE45383
    Abstract: A method of enhancing the dewatering of a paper sheet on a paper machine comprising adding to the paper sheet about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of one or more aldehyde functionalized polymers comprising amino or amido groups wherein at least about 15 mole percent of the amino or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes and wherein the aldehyde functionalized polymers have a molecular weight of at least about 100,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Michael R. St. John, Angela P. Zagala