Patents Examined by Allison Fitzsimmons
  • Patent number: 9302207
    Abstract: A process separates out and removes water present in liquid fuels. The fuel supplies an internal combustion engine by a fuel delivery pump (12). Water is separated out at a filter (5) having a collecting space (27) for collecting separated water and connected upstream of the suction side (11) of the fuel delivery pump (12). The pump suction action counteracts outflow of water from the collecting space (27). Depending on the amount of water collected, the pump suction action is negated, and an outlet valve at an outflow orifice (37) of the collecting space (27) is opened by a discharge (43, 53) producing a pressure gradient enabling the discharge of water from the collecting space (27) over a discharge period when the fuel delivery pump (12) is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: HYDAC FILTERTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Viktor Lauer, Martin Hager
  • Patent number: 9265875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating blood composition disorders and blood function disorders. Said method comprises steps, in which blood or blood plasma of a patient is brought into extracorporeal contact with a second fluid (bioequivalent), wherein said second fluid is blood or modified blood, which comprises at least granulocytes, thrombocytes, and erythrocytes. Furthermore, the invention relates to devices for performing said method and to the use of such a device or blood or modified blood, which comprises granulocytes, thrombocytes, and erythrocytes, for treating blood composition disorders and blood function disorders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Artcline GmbH
    Inventor: Steffen Mitzner
  • Patent number: 9255023
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating contaminated impound water are disclosed which include a pretreatment stage wherein contaminated water is oxidized, pH adjusted, treated with a coagulant, and treated with a polymer to form a flocculent comprising bulk solids and fine particles. The oxidizing step may include two or more stages, one of which is a treatment with ferrous iron generated from iron filings or steel wool. Bulk solids are removed, and the liquid portion containing fine particles is applied to a low pressure microfiltration unit to remove the fine particles resulting in a microfilter effluent. The microfilter effluent may be directly fed to a reverse osmosis (R/O) unit. The R/O reject may be recycled to another R/O unit (second pass). The R/O permeate may be blended as needed with the microfiltration effluent to provide the final discharge effluent with reduced contaminant levels and maximized throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen D. Allen
  • Patent number: 9254355
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for the regeneration of spent dialysis solutions. The present invention further relates to systems and methods for continuously regenerating spent dialysis solution during dialysis. The present invention further relates to systems and methods for conducting dialysis that further include using chemical and physical separators in conjunction with ion exchange cartridges and/or adsorption cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold F. Sandford
  • Patent number: 9220998
    Abstract: Provided is a filter medium for a liquid filter, having a three-dimensional micropore structure of a multi-layered structure using a multilayer nanofiber web that is obtained by performing air-electrospinning, to thus be thin but have high efficiency and long life, a method of manufacturing the filter medium using the multilayer nanofiber web, and a liquid filter using the filter medium. The filter medium for a liquid filter, includes: a nanofiber web that is made by stacking nanofibers that are obtained by air-electrospinning a fibrous polymer material and that have micropores; and a supporter that is inserted and combined onto one surface or in an inner portion of the nanofiber web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: AMOGREENTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: In Yong Seo, Seung Hoon Lee, Yong Sik Jung
  • Patent number: 9221701
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of operating steam generators, particularly evaporators, in hard water environments characterized by high Si and Mg content in which the pHcold of the feed water stream is maintained within a range of about 11 to 12 in order to reduce, eliminate or remove scale from internal evaporator surfaces. Additional components may be added to the feed water stream including surfactants, chelants, dispersants, sequestrants and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CHEMTREAT, INC.
    Inventors: John Richardson, Rob Bedinger, James Wilkins
  • Patent number: 9221000
    Abstract: A filtration barrier includes a filter mesh that has a plurality of groups of flexible filter elements, with each group having at least a first and second flexible filter elements disposed in spaced relation. The first flexible filter element is more flexible than the second. Each flexible filter element is secured to the first and second anchoring members of the mesh and free therebetween. During forward fluid flow, the first and second flexible filter elements are supported against downstream deflection and lie in a common plane. For reverse fluid flow, the first flexible element of a group displaces farther from the common plane than the second flexible filter element of that group, such that a first backwash opening associated with the first flexible element is larger than a second backwash opening associated with the second flexible element. Each group may have more elements, and associated methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Inventor: Ian D. Doig
  • Patent number: 9212068
    Abstract: A water purification device includes an expandable water collecting device having a variable volume, wherein at least part of the surface of the water collecting device includes a filter area, the filter area being permeable to water and allowing water to enter the water collecting device when the filter area is submerged in water. The device further includes a mechanically driven expansion means for exerting a force for increasing the volume of the water collecting device and thereby drawing water through the filter area into the water collecting device. In use, the water collecting device is submerged and the expansion means is released, drawing water into the water collecting device through the filter membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: CREAHOLIC S.A.
    Inventors: Elmar Mock, Marcel Aeschlimann, Christoph Rusch, Andre Klopfenstein
  • Patent number: 9206061
    Abstract: CO2 absorption and desorption affords differing osmotic pressure metal salt osmolyte draw solutions from a common solution. These draw solutions serve a staged forward osmosis membrane process. First stage draw solution is the lowest osmotic pressure osmolyte. First stage concentrate is fed to the second stage and fresh water is externally extracted from the first stage diluted osmolyte. Concentrated first stage osmolyte returns from fresh water extraction, blends and is heated with solid precipitates of the lower osmotic pressure solute. CO2 desorbs from the lower osmotic pressure osmolyte converting to a higher osmotic pressure osmolyte. The higher osmotic pressure osmolyte serves as second stage draw solution to further dewatering the first stage concentrate. Second stage concentrate conveys to external processing or discharge. CO2 absorption converts the dilute high osmotic pressure osmolyte from the second stage to the lower osmotic pressure osmolyte serving as draw solution in the first stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventors: James Jeffrey Harris, Upen Jayant Bharwada
  • Patent number: 9208915
    Abstract: A method of processing ion exchange resin radioactive waste, wherein the radioactive waste contains a plurality of fractions of radioactive waste based on density, which may include cation resin waste and anion resin waste, wherein at least one of the plurality of fractions comprises a total concentration of at least one radionuclide, including performing at least one of the following operations (i), (ii) or (iii): (i) separating the at least one of the plurality of fractions from the radioactive waste utilizing a moving freeboard; (ii) separating the radioactive waste into cation resin waste and anion resin waste; or (iii) removing at least a portion of the total concentration of the at least one radionuclide from: the radioactive waste; the at least one of the plurality of fractions separated by the moving freeboard; or at least one of the radioactive waste, the cation resin waste or the anion resin waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Frank Hussey, David Bradbury, George Richard Elder, Lisa Maxine Edwards
  • Patent number: 9200991
    Abstract: A sorptive extraction layer for immobilized liquid extraction of target molecules preferably from biological samples is disclosed. The sorptive extraction layer is mainly composed of ethylene-acrylate-copolymer. Preferably, microplate wells are at least partially coated with such a sorptive extraction layer. There is also disclosed a method of extracting target molecules preferably from biological samples. According to this method, immobilized liquid extraction is carried out with a sorptive extraction layer which is mainly composed of ethylene-acrylate-copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventor: Robert Wohleb
  • Patent number: 9193587
    Abstract: A water treatment device includes an inner canister or cylinder that includes a seal and a filter assembly attached on one end. The water treatment device also includes an outer canister which is filled with unpurified water. The inner canister or cylinder is pressed into the outer canister to produce pressure on unpurified water that forces the unpurified water through the filter assembly. The inner canister or cylinder can be opened to reveal drinkable, or substantially purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rex Bennett
  • Patent number: 9174860
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the separation of materials from heterogeneous fluids and provides a means of effecting stimulant-sensitive flocculation and consolidation of solid suspensions within a liquid medium. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of controlling the state of a suspension of solid particles in a liquid, including applying to the suspension a stimulus adapted to control inter-particle forces between the solid particles. The stimulus is reversibly operable to control attraction and/or repulsion. Means of consolidating a sediment bed and of separating the resultant liquids-rich and solids-rich phases are also within the ambit of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Newcastle Innovation Limited
    Inventors: George V. Franks, Graeme John Jameson, Yao-de Yan, Simon Richard Biggs
  • Patent number: 9156001
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for further purifying ultrapure water, according to which any impurities in ultrapure water can be stably removed to a high degree within a small space over a prolonged period; and an apparatus therefor. Ultrapure water introduced into an ultrapure-water purifying apparatus 10 passes through an ion exchange resin layer 5 in a lower chamber 1a. During this process, metal ions, for example, in the ultrapure water are removed by the ion exchange resin. The ultrapure water then passes through a perforated plate 4, flows into an upper chamber 1b, and permeates an ion exchange filter 6. During this process, metal ions and other impurities remaining unremoved by the ion exchange resin layer 5 are removed. Specifically, metal ions are removed to a certain extent by the ion exchange resin, so that it is enough for the ion exchange filter provided downstream thereof to remove an extremely small amount of metal ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Kobayashi, Kunihiro Hayakawa, Masanobu Osawa
  • Patent number: 9108161
    Abstract: The present invention provides a water purifier which is easily removable from a drinking water supply apparatus, and has a built-in filtration filter with high efficiency of purifying raw water of a bottle. The water purifier is removable from a drinking water supply apparatus, and the drinking water supply apparatus including a bottle for containing water and a main body which has a recess into which a neck of the bottle is insertable. The water purifier is characterized by being placed between the recess of the main body and the neck of the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Yanou, Futomitsu Horiuchi, Hisashi Yano
  • Patent number: 9084952
    Abstract: A device for the treatment of water, in particular a filter device. The device has a cartridge which has a container for receiving treatment agents for water, particularly for receiving filter agents, and a connection head arranged on the container. In addition, a connection element is provided which has a recess for the connection head. At least one locking shaft is provided with which the connection head can be fixed in the connection element. The locking shaft is rotatably mounted and can be rotated from a locking position to an unlocking position and back again. A cartridge with a recess in the connection head is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: BRITA GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Namur
  • Patent number: 9085477
    Abstract: A method of reducing a sulfate concentration in wastewater comprises directing the wastewater stream to a precipitation reactor and mixing the wastewater stream with a calcium source and a calcium salt seed material to precipitate calcium sulfate. The precipitated calcium sulfate is then separated from a treated effluent and directed to a settling tank where the precipitated calcium sulfate is separated into heavier calcium sulfate precipitants and lighter calcium sulfate precipitants. The heavier calcium sulfate precipitants and the lighter calcium sulfate precipitants are separately recirculated to the precipitation reactor. A predetermined mass ratio of solids is maintained in the precipitation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
    Inventors: Kashi Banerjee, Charles D. Blumenschein, Robert G. Cook, John C. Schrader
  • Patent number: 9085469
    Abstract: A method or process for removing perchlorate ions from water includes mixing water containing perchlorate ions with a reducing agent such that the perchlorate ions and the reducing agent undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction. During the oxidation-reduction reaction, perchlorate ions are reduced to chloride ions and the reducing agent is oxidized. The oxidized reducing agent is separated from the water containing chloride ions and the oxidized reducing agent is regenerated and reused in the reduction of the perchlorate ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
    Inventors: Kashi Banerjee, Charles D. Blumenschein
  • Patent number: 9078969
    Abstract: A dialysate regeneration system for removing contaminants from spent dialysate according to this invention includes a dialysate circulation flow path including a pump that pumps spent dialysate through the dialysate circulation flow path, a first cartridge adapted to remove contaminants from the spent dialysate, including a first cleaning solution inlet and a first cleaning solution outlet, a second cartridge adapted to remove urea from the spent dialysate, the second cartridge including semi-permeable hollow fibers adapted for transport of urea across the walls of the semi-permeable hollow fibers and adapted to retain at least calcium, magnesium, and sodium ions in the spent dialysate, and including a second cleaning solution inlet and a second cleaning solution outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Norma J. Ofsthun, Harold F. Sandford, Amanda K. Stennett, Jiunn Yeong Teo, Cheryl Ford, Benjamin J. Lipps, Michael James Beiriger
  • Patent number: 9068156
    Abstract: A horizontal plate microbial support media. The horizontal plate microbial support media having a plurality of frustum shaped protuberances extending there-from, the frustum shapes having a hole in their upper base for allowing fluid to flow there-through. These media plates able to be stacked for use in a bioreactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Bio Energy Development LLC
    Inventors: William C. Stewart, Gail Leslie Reitzel