Patents Examined by Anthony Kuhar
  • Patent number: 6746656
    Abstract: Methods for producing molybdenum carbide. An embodiment of the method may comprise heating a precursor material in a first heating zone in the presence of a reducing gas and a carbonizing gas, the first heating zone having a first temperature. Moving the precursor material into a second heating zone to form the molybdenum carbide from the precursor material, the second heating zone having a second temperature, the second temperature being at least 100° C. hotter than the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Cyprus Amax Minerals Company
    Inventors: Mohamed H. Khan, Joel A. Taube
  • Patent number: 6734334
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes one or more processes to immobilize a waste that contains one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, hazardous compounds, and/or other compounds present in the waste. Each of the processes create a barrier against leaching and diffusion of the wastes. The first barrier is created by integrating the waste with an immobilizing mineral. The second barrier is a layer of non-radioactive or non-hazardous material that covers the first barrier. The second barrier may be created using an overgrowth procedure or by sintering. The third barrier is created by a rock or glass matrix that surrounds the first and/or second barriers. The fourth barrier is created by ensuring that the rock or glass has the same or similar composition as the indigenous rock at the disposal site. The resultant rock or glass matrix is in equilibrium with the groundwater or local hydrothermal solutions that are saturated with components of the indigenous rock of the disposal area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Geomatrix Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Anatoly Chekhmir, Arthur Gribetz
  • Patent number: 6727400
    Abstract: A method for deactivating a toxic chemical agent comprising contacting said toxic chemical agent with an halogenated resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Triosyn Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Messier, Norbert Laderoute, John Moorehead, Lindy DeJarme, Lynette Blaney
  • Patent number: 6669916
    Abstract: Disclosed are a carbon dioxide purification process and apparatus including (i) an adsorbing step for removing a predetermined amount of hydrocarbons from a carbon dioxide feed gas to reduce the caloric value of the feed stream, and (ii) a catalytic oxidation step located downstream of the adsorbing step for removing residual hydrocarbons from the feed gas by catalytic oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Joseph Heim, Amitabh Gupta
  • Patent number: 6667021
    Abstract: n the manufacture of sodium carbonate having increased CO2 uptakes the carbonation reaction to form sodium bicarbonate is enhanced by the addition of particular amounts of a cationic quaternary amine, selected from the family of dialkylethoxylated quaternary salts, benzylalkyl quaternary salts, or a combination of quaternary salts from these families, to treat the 25-30% by weight sodium carbonate liquor prior to filtration. The manufactured product yields a modified sodium carbonate liquor product that, when crystallized and converted to any anhydrous product, is more readily carbonated with CO2 in the production of sodium bicarbonate. The cationic additive reacts with organic materials in the sodium carbonate liquor to form solid polymeric by-products. Thus the treatment with a cationic compound is made prior to filtering the liquor. After filtering to remove the polymeric by-products and other solid materials, the liquor is evaporated or crystallized to produce a purified and modified sodium carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: General Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Victor Eugene Braman, Marco Antonio Cortes, Stephen Tremayne Gaddis, Kenneth Douglas Boyle
  • Patent number: 6663843
    Abstract: A method for producing a barium-containing composite metal oxide, comprising calcining a mixture of a barium compound and a metal compound comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, europium, manganese, strontium, calcium, terbium, zinc and titanium, or calcining a barium-containing composite metal salt comprising barium and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, europium, manganese, strontium, calcium, terbium, zinc and titanium, in a gas comprising a hydrogen halide and water vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keiji Ono, Susumu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 6664210
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bound metal oxide particle comprised of metal oxide and a binder, with the binder preferably being a starch solution. The present invention also relates to a method for forming a bound metal oxide particle, with the preferred method including extruding and pelletizing a metal oxide and binder composition to form pelletized metal oxide particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Delbert C. Scranton, Jr., Alvin Samuels, Alan D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6638489
    Abstract: There are disclosed a process for cleaning a harmful gas which comprises bringing the harmful gas containing as a harmful component, an organosilicon compound represented by the general formula: CH2CH—SiR3, CH2CH—Si(OR)3, CH2CHCH2—SiR3 or CH2CHCH2—Si(OR)3, wherein R indicates a saturated hydrocarbon group or an aromatic compound group, into contact with a cleaning agent comprising activated carbon adhesively incorporated with at least one species selected from the group consisting of bromine, iodine, a metal bromide and a metal iodide in which the metal is exemplified by copper, lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, aluminum and tin; and a cleaning agent comprising the same. The cleaning process and the cleaning agent enable to practically clean a harmful gas which is exhausted from a semiconductor manufacturing process and the like by the use of a dry cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Japan Pionics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Otsuka, Yukichi Takamatsu, Youji Nawa, Kazuaki Tonari
  • Patent number: 6638488
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for isolating, decomposing, and fixing the organic hazardous substances in a stable manner using chemical techniques and isolating and decomposing the organic hazardous substances from various waste mixtures. The temperature treatment is preferably kept within room temperature range of between 0-30° C. The detoxification of the organic hazardous substances avoids secondary pollution of the environment when the treated materials are released in the soil, atmosphere, or in groundwater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventors: Yukoh Akae, Kazuo Kote
  • Patent number: 6635796
    Abstract: A process for chemical fixation of radionuclides and radioactive compounds present in soils, solid materials, sludges and liquids. Radionuclides and other radioactive compounds are converted to low-temperature Apatite-Group structural isomorphs (general composition: (AB)5(XO4)3Z), usually phosphatic, that are insoluble, non-leachable, non-zeolitic, and pH stable by contacting with a suspension containing a sulfate, hydroxide, chloride, fluoride and/or silicate source and a phosphate anion. The Apatitic-structure end product is chemically altered from the initial material and reduced in volume and mass. The end product can be void of free liquids and exhibits sufficiently high levels of thermal stability to be effective in the presence of heat generating nuclear reactions. The process occurs at ambient temperature and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhiraj Pal, Karl W. Yost, Steven A. Chisick
  • Patent number: 6630422
    Abstract: A method of production of a highly absorbent, polysaccharide-based material, wherein an aqueous solution containing a starting material including a cross-linkable polysaccharide-based polymer blend of an electrically charged polysaccharide-based polymer and an electrically uncharged polysaccharide-based polymer is subjected to cross-linking in order to obtain a water-swelled gel. The cross-linked, water-swelled gel is dessicated with a polar solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Alessandro Sannino, Giuseppe Mensitieri, Fausto Esposito, Matteo Del Nobile
  • Patent number: 6630421
    Abstract: A reactive agent for decomposing fluorine compounds comprising alumina and an alkaline earth metal compound; a process for decomposing fluorine compounds, comprising contacting the reactive agent with a fluorine compound at a temperature of 200° C. or more; and a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising an etching or cleaning and a decomposing using the reactive agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Showa Denko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Atobe, Toraichi Kaneko, Yuji Hayasaka, Shinichi Yano
  • Patent number: 6627085
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for reducing the amount of silicon in brine. More specifically the silicon content of the brine is reduced to 1 ppm or less by using low caustic excess. The disclosed process can also be characterized as lowering sodium hydroxide excess (caustic excess) while maintaining the sodium carbonate level thereby obtaining a brine with a low level of silicon. A further purification step employs a sludge blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Vulcan Chemicals
    Inventors: Derrek R. Burrows, Brian W. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6627164
    Abstract: A method of making sodium zirconium carbonate is described which involves forming a mixture of zirconium oxychloride with soda ash and then heating at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to form the sodium zirconium carbonate. Subsequent washing and filtration steps can further form parts of this process. A novel sodium zirconium carbonate is further described which contains from about 2 wt % to about 5 wt % Na+; from about 44 wt % to about 50 wt % ZrO2; from about 12 wt % to about 18 wt % CO32−; and from about 32 wt % to about 35 wt % H2O.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Renal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond J. Wong
  • Patent number: 6624114
    Abstract: The invention relates to supported catalysts consisting of an active material on an inert support in the shape of rings, wherein the rings have one or more notches in the upper and/or lower flat side of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Consortium fur Elektrochemische Industrie GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Jürgen Eberle, Dirk Groke, Christoph Rüdinger, Ulrich Wecker
  • Patent number: 6624339
    Abstract: A phosphosilicate apatite useful as a confinement matrix for radioactive waste, and having the formula: MtCaxLnyHfwPuz−w(PO4)6−u(SiO4)uF2  (I) wherein: M represents an alkaline metal, Ln represents at least one cation selected from lanthanides, and t, x, y, z, w and u are such that: 0≦t≦1, 8≦x≦10, 0≦y≦1, 0<z≦0.5, 0≦w≦z, and 0<u≦y+2z, and the total number of positive charges provided by the alkaline metal, Ca, Ln, Hf and Pu cations are equal to 20+u is prepared by a sintering-reaction of a mixture of reagent powders, in a neutral or reducing atmosphere, with application of pressure before or during sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Jo{overscore (e)}lle Carpena, Laurent Boyer, Jean-Louis Lacout
  • Patent number: 6605750
    Abstract: A product gas generated through the decomposition reaction of organohalogen compounds and steam is neutralized with an alkali solution and is left to stand for a predetermined period of time, while a neutralization product generated in this neutralization reaction is caused to precipitate in the alkali solution and is then removed. In order to remove the neutralization product completely, a takeout tube 71 is disposed to plunge into a waste gas processing tank 41 and a disk-shaped plate 71a is fastened at the distal end of the takeout tube 71 in parallel to the bottom surface of the waste gas processing tank 41, while the takeout tube 71 opens in the lower surface of the plate 71a at the center thereof. Thus the solid-liquid separation efficiency of the neutralization product and the alkali solution is improved and the quantity of alkali solution remaining in the neutralization product that is disposed of as waste is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Bessho, Toshio Hattori, Yasuhiro Tsubaki, Takayoshi Hamada
  • Patent number: 6602820
    Abstract: A method for producing a nitrogen oxide storage material that contains at least one storage component in the form of particles of an oxide, carbonate or hydroxide of the elements magnesium, strontium, barium, lanthanum and cerium on a carrier material from the group consisting of doped cerium oxide, cerium/zirconium mixed oxide and aluminum oxide or mixtures of these. The method is carried out by suspending the support material in an aqueous solution of precursors of the storage components, this suspension is then introduced into a hot gas stream, the temperature of which is calculated so that, during a residence time of the suspension in the hot gas stream of less than one minute, the solvent of the suspension is evaporated out and the precursors of the storage components are thermally broken down and converted to the storage components before the storage material that forms in this way is separated from the stream of hot gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Degussa-Huls Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Göbel, Lutz Marc Ruwisch, Ralph Kiessling, Martin Foerster
  • Patent number: 6603050
    Abstract: Improved apparatus and approaches are described for destruction of energetic materials. The approaches include hydrolysis of the energetic materials by combining a volatile base and water with the energetic materials. The unreacted base from the hydrolysis reaction mixture is recovered and reused for further hydrolysis of energetic materials. The apparatus include components suitable for recovering and reusing unreacted base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: UXB International, Inc.
    Inventor: Harley L. Heaton
  • Patent number: 6596915
    Abstract: Volatile organic compounds, for example organophosphonate compounds including chemical warfare agents, pesticides, and solvents, are decomposed by contacting the compounds with either a manganese oxide catalyst in the presence of visible light or a catalyst material selected from the group consisting of vanadium, vanadium oxide, manganese oxide and mixtures thereof deposited upon a catalyst support that is heated to at least 300° C. The catalyst material may be regenerated by a process selected from the washing with water, washing with a solvent, heating, exposing to light, purging with oxygen, purging with a reactive gas, exposing to microwave radiation, and combinations thereof. The catalyst composition may be used as an air filter in a vehicle, a building or a personnel protection device, such as a gas mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Sunita Satyapal, James D. Freihaut