Patents Examined by Ana M. Fortuna
  • Patent number: 10207940
    Abstract: A composite water purification apparatus and method thereof are provided. The composite water purification apparatus includes a container, a sacrificial anode, a photocatalyst anode and a cathode. The container is employed for receiving liquid including water and gas. The photocatalyst anode includes a photocatalyst for conducting a photocatalytic reaction. The cathode is electrolyzed with the sacrificial anode and the photocatalyst anode. The cathode, the sacrificial anode, and the photocatalyst anode are immersed in the container to contact the liquid. The present invention enhances the purity of the water, while prolonging the service life of the sacrificial anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Chih-Pin Huang, Chien-Hung Chen, Hsin-Ju Yang, Chi-Chang Hu, Wei-Chieh Lin
  • Patent number: 10196281
    Abstract: Provided is an outdoor water purifier with backwashing function relating to a mini outdoor portable backwashing water purifier. It comprises a raw water inlet apparatus comprising a raw water inlet channel and a water inlet one-way valve device provided on the raw water inlet channel; a filtering apparatus comprising a filtering chamber and a filter core assembly provided therein, provided behind the water inlet one-way valve device and communicating with the raw water inlet apparatus; a piston apparatus comprising a piston cylinder, a piston located in the chamber of the piston cylinder, a piston rod and a handle, the piston cylinder chamber communicating with the filtering apparatus; and a purified water outlet apparatus comprising a purified water outlet channel provided with a water outlet one-way valve device, and a purified water outlet provided with a switch device. It further comprises a backwashing drainage apparatus communicating with the filtering apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: DONGGUAN DIERCON TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yinhuan Sun
  • Patent number: 10196291
    Abstract: Tertiary wastewater treatment wherein a tank is divided into a primary separation chamber, an aerobic chamber, and a clarifier chamber. Media are preferably disposed in the aerobic chamber and most preferably, the media can be contained in one or more porous containers. A recirculation path is preferably provided between the aerobic chamber and the primary separation chamber. In one embodiment, the recirculation between the two chambers can be powered by an air lift pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Adelante Consulting, Inc.
    Inventors: Virginia Lynne Smith, Charles Joseph English, Jennifer Leigh Pope
  • Patent number: 10188782
    Abstract: A blood processing filter comprises an inlet-side flexible container and an outlet-side flexible container that sandwich a filter element, an inlet port, and an outlet port, the filter further comprising: a flow path securing sheet; a first seal portion; and a second seal portion, wherein the flow path securing sheet includes a pair of ribs disposed opposite to each other with the outlet port interposed therebetween, and a slit formed inside of the pair of ribs, and diffusing openings that are disposed outside of the pair of ribs and continuously open from the ribs to the lateral portions of the first seal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI MEDICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Yokomizo, Tomoko Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 10179321
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method (100) for removal of metals from aqueous solutions comprising the steps of treating (102) the aqueous solutions with an adsorbent, allowing (104) the aqueous solutions and the adsorbent to be in contact for a predetermined time to obtain treated aqueous solutions, collecting (106) the treated aqueous solutions, filtering (108) the treated aqueous solutions and discharging (110) the filtered aqueous solutions. The adsorbent comprising plurality of natural biomaterials. Further, the plurality of natural biomaterials are capable of adsorbing the metals from the aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: DR. D. Y. PATIL VIDYAPEETH
    Inventors: Neelu Nawani, Prithviraj Desale, Balasaheb Kapadnis, Aminur Rahman, Noor Nahar, Abul Mandal
  • Patent number: 10173914
    Abstract: A process for removal of selenium and nitrate from waste water includes both electrochemical and bioprocessing treatment. Embodiments include use of activated walnut shell a growth media for selenium-reducing bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Aquatech International, LLC
    Inventors: Ravi Chidambaran, Pavan Raina, Nitin Chandan, Dhairyasheel Toraskar, Narendra Singh Bisht
  • Patent number: 10174171
    Abstract: A nanoporous film formed from a series of vinyl addition block polymers derived from functionalized norbornene monomers are disclosed and claimed. The nanoporous films as disclosed herein are useful as pervaporation membranes and antireflective coatings among various other uses. Also disclosed herein are the fabrication of nanoporous films into pervaporation membranes which exhibit unique separation properties, and their use in the separation of organic volatiles from biomass and/or organic waste, including butanol, phenol, and the like. The fabrication of nanoporous films into antireflective coatings are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: PROMERUS, LLC, THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
    Inventors: Andrew Bell, Oleksandr Burtovyy, Bryan D Vogt, Changhuai Ye
  • Patent number: 10167211
    Abstract: A method of filtering a fluid includes flowing a fluid into a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a vessel defining a pressure chamber and a filter screen disposed within the vessel. The screen divides the pressure chamber into a first subchamber and a second subchamber. In addition, the method includes flowing the fluid from the first subchamber to the second subchamber, and controlling a first pressure of the first subchamber relative to a second pressure of the second subchamber to induce cavitation in the flowing fluid. Further, the method includes precipitating out dissolved impurities within the fluid during the cavitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Green Age Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Arthur Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Martin Margulies
  • Patent number: 10159926
    Abstract: A tunable nanofiber filter device can include a filter housing defining an interior space, the housing having defined therein and inlet and an outlet, each in fluid communication with the interior space, and a plurality of filter laminas disposed within the interior space, each filter lamina including an upper surface, a lower surface, and an aperture defined therethrough. The plurality of filter laminas can be arranged in a stack wherein the opposing surfaces of adjacent filter laminas define a portion of an interlaminar flow space extending between the opposing surfaces. The flow space can be in fluid communication with the apertures of corresponding adjacent filter laminas to form a continuous flow passage extending through the lamina stack from the inlet to the outlet. An array nanofibers can extend into the flow passage from a portion of each filter lamina such that a fluid flowed through the flow passage flows across a portion of said array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ultra Small Fibers, LLC
    Inventors: William Hudson Hofmeister, Robert A. Van Wyk, Keith Allen Holloway
  • Patent number: 10159914
    Abstract: A tank system may be conventional and fixed, or mobile, such as a fracking fluid or other tank trailer. A drain port thereof is fitted with an adapter connecting a snorkel system to drain liquids from near the top of the liquid level in the tank. A snorkel head at the extreme distal end of a tube near the longitudinal center of the tank is suspended by a system of buoys. A flow field controller plate resists formation of vortices near the snorkel head, so it can operate as near the surface as possible, withdrawing the highest grade oil efficiently. At its exit, the proximal end of the tube drains oil through an inner conduit of an adapter at a penetration in the wall of the tank. The adapter forms an annulus around the inner conduit draining tank bottoms directly from the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: THOUGHT PRESERVE, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Bell, C. Michael Miller, Kristen Tucker, John Michael Higley
  • Patent number: 10150066
    Abstract: A screen assembly for a shale shaker, the screen assembly including a support structure and at least one layer of screening material thereon. The support structure includes structural members having a thermal expansion coefficient and the at least one layer of screening material has a thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal expansion coefficient of the structural members is substantially equal to the thermal expansion coefficient of the at least one layer of screening material. A method for making a support structure for a screen assembly is also provided. The method includes placing at least one support member in a mold whereupon a flowable plastics material is injected into the mold, whereupon the flowable plastics material hardens, at least a portion of the flowable plastics material forming a brace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: George Alexander Burnett
  • Patent number: 10150088
    Abstract: Disclosed is a statistical copolymer that includes both zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units and a filtration membrane that contains a selective layer formed of the statistical copolymer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the above-described filtration membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Tufts University
    Inventors: Ayse Asatekin Alexiou, Prity Bengani
  • Patent number: 10150684
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system and method are provided for preventing or reducing ammonia rebound during periods of warming weather. The system may be operated in first and second modes of operation. During the first mode of operation, wastewater may pass directly from a reactor to a partial mix cell and then to a polishing cell. During the second mode of operation, which typically occurs during a springtime warmup period, wastewater is retained within the partial mix cell until sludge and biosolids therein are substantially digested, while wastewater exiting the reactor is temporarily directed to the polishing cell, thereby bypassing the partial mix cell. Upon digestion and stabilization of the sludge and biosolids in the partial mix cell, the system may return to the first mode of operation. Sludge and biosolids may optionally be removed from the reactor during the first and second modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Charles E. Tharp
  • Patent number: 10144652
    Abstract: A fluid magnetizer is provided, including: a housing; a magnetizing member, received in the housing; a resonance member, cooperating with the magnetizing member to resonate, received in the housing, the resonance member, the magnetizing member and the housing defining a channel flowing past the resonance member and the magnetizing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Chung-Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 10138147
    Abstract: A water treatment device (1) is provided with: a biological treatment tank (2) for storing a stored liquid (5); a pump (7) for generating a circulating liquid flow formed of the stored liquid (5); a gas-liquid two-phase flow generation device (8) for using the circulating liquid flow to suction a gas containing oxygen, whereby a gas-liquid two-phase flow in which the gas is dispersed in the circulating liquid flow is generated; and a nozzle (12) for injecting the gas-liquid two-phase flow into the biological treatment tank (2). Such a water treatment device (1) is capable of adequately circulating the stored liquid (5) in the biological treatment tank (2), adequately aerating the stored liquid (5), and adequately treating the stored liquid (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Satou, Susumu Okino, Nobuyuki Ukai, Hideo Suzuki, Hiroshi Nakashoji, Shigeru Yoshioka, Hideaki Sakurai, Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10137419
    Abstract: A method for preparing a polygraphene membrane includes adding graphite and sodium nitrate into sulfuric acid to form a first mixture; adding potassium permanganate solution into the first mixture to form a second mixture; adding hydrogen peroxide solution to the second mixture to form a mixture including soluble manganese ions; filtering the mixture including soluble manganese ions to form an aqueous suspension; centrifuging the aqueous suspension; performing ultrasonication of the suspension to obtain graphene oxide sheets; acylating the graphene oxide sheets to prepare an acylated graphene oxide sheet; and polymerizing the acylated graphene oxide sheets to prepare polygraphene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventor: Tawfik Abdo Saleh
  • Patent number: 10130915
    Abstract: Self-supporting structure comprising a monobloc for installing cylindrical filtration cartridges therein. In one embodiment a structure provides two side panels on each side of the monobloc used for sealing the numerous passageways, at the same time, provided within the monobloc. Such a structure aims to sharply reduce the number of components required to install cylindrical filtration cartridges in a filtration plant, while keeping the same number of cartridges. Thus the invention contributes to highly reduce the investment and the maintenance costs of a filtration plant, and offers also the opportunity to reduce the operational cost of such a plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ALTO SOLUTION SA
    Inventor: Mehdi Berrada
  • Patent number: 10130919
    Abstract: A method for preparing a polygraphene membrane includes adding graphite and sodium nitrate into sulfuric acid to form a first mixture; adding potassium permanganate solution into the first mixture to form a second mixture; adding hydrogen peroxide solution to the second mixture to form a mixture including soluble manganese ions; filtering the mixture including soluble manganese ions to form an aqueous suspension; centrifuging the aqueous suspension; performing ultrasonication of the suspension to obtain graphene oxide sheets; acylating the graphene oxide sheets to prepare an acylated graphene oxide sheet; and polymerizing the acylated graphene oxide sheets to prepare polygraphene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventor: Tawfik Abdo Saleh
  • Patent number: 10124299
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a graphene-based membrane and a method of manufacturing the same. The graphene-based membrane includes: monolayer graphene containing defects; a deposition layer disposed on the defects; and nanopores surrounded by the deposition layer. The method of manufacturing a graphene-based membrane includes forming a monolayer graphene sheet and partially forming a deposition layer on the graphene sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GWANGJU INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: In Soo Kim, Euntae Yang, Junho Song, Chang-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 10124280
    Abstract: A laminated filter comprises a housing inner sleeve filter element and head cover covering the housing, the housing having an inlet and a second outlet. An inner bottom face of the housing has a sealing ring, a bottom end of the inner sleeve being disposed between the sealing ring and an inner side of the housing, and a top end of the inner sleeve being disposed in the head cover. A bottom end of the filter element is disposed at an inner side of the sealing ring, and a top end of the filter element is disposed in the head cover. A gap communicating with the inlet is formed between the inner sleeve and housing. The top end of the inner sleeve has first filtrate openings, and the top end of the filter element has first and second baffle structures, the second baffle structures having second filtrate openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Guangdong Liansu Technology Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongbin Huang, Jiyue Yang, Guangping Huang