Patents Examined by Anthony R Shumate
  • Patent number: 11691109
    Abstract: The gas separation membrane element contains a gas separation membrane, and a sealing portion for preventing mixture of a source gas and a specific gas permeated through a gas separation membrane. The gas separation membrane has a first porous layer including a porous membrane, and a hydrophilic resin composition layer disposed on the first porous layer. The sealing portion is a region in which a cured material of a sealant penetrates in at least the first porous layer in the gas separation membrane, and a thermal expansion coefficient A of the sealing portion and a thermal expansion coefficient B of a material forming the first porous layer satisfy a relation (I): 0.35?A/B?1.0??(I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tsutomu Tasaki, Shinichi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11691108
    Abstract: A CMS membrane module includes plurality of hollow fiber CMS membranes that are enclosed within an open cylindrical shell whose ends are embedded in tubesheets. The shell is concentrically disposed within an open cylindrical pressure vessel whose open ends are covered by and secured by end caps. The shell includes a feed fluid inlet formed therein between the tubesheets and a retentate outlet in between one of the tubesheets and an adjacent end cap. A retentate seal is formed between the shell and the pressure vessel at a position between the tubesheets. A permeate seal is formed between the pressure vessel and the tubesheet that is adjacent a permeate port of the module. A structure made up of the CMS membranes, shell, tubesheets, and seals is slidable within the pressure vessel and not fixed in place in relation to the pressure vessel and end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Tao Li, Raja Swaidan, Robert A. Gagliano
  • Patent number: 11684885
    Abstract: Filter media comprising a pre-filter layer and related components, systems, and methods associated therewith are provided. In some embodiments, the pre-filter layer may be designed to impart desirable properties to the filter media, such as a high gamma and/or long service life, while having relatively minimal or no adverse effects on another property of the filter media that is important for a given application. For instance, a pre-filter layer may be used to improve the upstream removal of fine particulate matter, which may clog a downstream efficiency layer comprising submicron fibers and reduce filtration performance. The pre-filter layer may be configured to increase service life and/or increase the gamma of the filter media. Filter media, as described herein, may be particularly well-suited for applications that involve filtering air, though the media may also be used in other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventors: Sudhakar Jaganathan, Nagendra Anantharamaiah, Maxim Silin
  • Patent number: 11684890
    Abstract: Provided are a methane-selective composite membrane comprising: a UiO-66 type organic-inorganic composite nanoporous material, a MIL-100 type organic-inorganic composite nanoporous material, or a ZIF-8 type organic-inorganic composite nanoporous material to which a methane-selective functional group is introduced for selectively separating methane from a gas mixture containing methane/nitrogen, a use thereof, and a method of preparing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jeong Hoon Kim, Chang In Kong, Yang No Yun, Su Young Moon, Bong Jun Chang, Bo Ryoung Park, Youn-Sang Bae, Tea-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11679356
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a CO2 selective gas separation membrane and a method for preparing the gas separation membrane and the use thereof. The CO2 selective gas separation membrane comprises a gas permeable or porous support layer; and at least one gas permeable polymer layer, which is surface modified with polymer chains having CO2 philic groups, wherein the gas permeable polymer layer has a spatially controlled distribution of the CO2 philic groups on the surface thereof. The method of preparing the CO2 selective gas separation membrane, comprises the steps of: depositing at least one gas permeable polymer layer on a porous or gas permeable support layer to form a dense membrane, and surface modifying the dense membrane with polymer chains having CO2 philic groups, to obtain spatially controlled distribution of the CO2 philic groups on the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SINTEF TTO AS
    Inventors: Marius Sandru, Eugenia Mariana Sandru, Per Martin Stenstad
  • Patent number: 11666851
    Abstract: A filter element may include a primary layer of filter media defining a chamber having an open end and a closed end distally opposite the open end, and at least one secondary layer of filter media adjacently fixed to the primary layer of filter media. The at least one secondary layer of filter media may be located at the closed end of the primary layer of filter media for increasing a pressure drop at the closed end, such that fluid flow is homogeneously distributed through the chamber in response to the pressure drop. The primary layer of filter media is formed of a non-compressible material and may be tapered to further controlling pressure drops through the chamber. A pocket filter assembly may include one or more filter elements disposed within a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Robert George, Alfin Leo
  • Patent number: 11654401
    Abstract: A cartridge for non-cryogenically separating a gas into components includes a plurality of hollow polymeric fibers, the fibers being anchored by a pair of tubesheets, each tubesheet being adjacent to a head, the tubesheet and head being joined by a clamshell retainer. The cartridge does not have a core tube. The fibers are enclosed within a sleeve, the sleeve being sufficiently thin so as to be a non-structural element. The cartridge may be inserted within a larger pressure vessel. The cartridge of the present invention can accommodate more fibers than comparable cartridges of the prior art, and therefore has greater throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Generon IGS, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kociolek, Marc Straub, Frederick L. Coan, Luis Brizuela, John A. Jensvold, Kyle Jensvold, Karen Skala
  • Patent number: 11642629
    Abstract: Methods and systems for producing and using multi-layer composite co-polyimide membranes, one method for producing including preparing a microporous or mesoporous membrane support material for coating; applying a sealing layer to the membrane support material to prevent intrusion into the membrane support material of co-polyimide polymer; applying a first permselective co-polyimide layer atop and in contact with the sealing layer; and applying a second permselective co-polyimide layer atop and in contact with the first permselective co-polyimide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventors: Garba Oloriegbe Yahaya, Seung-Hak Choi, Ahmad Bahamdan
  • Patent number: 11638904
    Abstract: A method of encapsulating an engineered pellet in a porous membrane is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (i) dissolving a membrane solute in a membrane solvent to produce a membrane solution; (ii) applying the membrane solution to a pellet to form a pellet encapsulated with the membrane solution; (iii) subjecting the membrane solution that encapsulates the pellet to a phase inversion and; (iv) drying the pellet to form a porous membrane encapsulated pellet. A porous membrane encapsulated pellet is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignees: The University of South Alabama, The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Thomas Grant Glover, Stephen Michael Christopher Ritchie
  • Patent number: 11628393
    Abstract: A method of fuel tank inerting includes separating process air into nitrogen-enriched air and oxygen-enriched air with an air separation membrane. A vacuum is applied to the air separation membrane to produce a pressure differential across the air separation membrane. The vacuum is manipulated to vary the pressure differential and vary purity of the nitrogen-enriched air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Rheaume, Haralambos Cordatos
  • Patent number: 11617992
    Abstract: Ceramic proton-conducting oxide membranes are described herein, which are useful for separating steam from organic chemicals under process conditions. The membranes have a layered structure, with a dense film of the perovskite over a porous composite substrate comprising the perovskite material and a metallic material (e.g., Ni, Cu, or Pt). The perovskite comprises an ABO3-type structure, where “A” is Ba and “B” is a specified combination of Ce, Zr, and Y. The perovskite ceramic materials described herein have an empirical formula of Ba(CexZr1-x-nYn)O3-?, wherein 0<x<0.8 (e.g., 0.1?x?0.7 or 0.2?x?0.5); and 0.05?n?0.2; and ?=n/2. In some embodiments n is about 0.2. In some other embodiments 0.6?x?0.8; and n is about 0.2, such as Ba(Ce0.7Zr0.1Y0.2)O3-?, also referred to herein as BCZY712.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Tae H. Lee, Uthamalingam Balachandran
  • Patent number: 11607650
    Abstract: A thin micro-porous membrane sheet and filtering device using it is presented. The membrane sheet includes a thin porous metal sheet of thickness between 20 and 200 ?m with a porous ceramic coating of thickness less than 25 ?m on at least one of its surfaces. The porous metal sheet has mean pore sizes at micro and sub-micrometer level and has a surface substantially free of pores greater than 10 micrometers. The ceramic coating layer may be made of particles with a mean particle size in a range of 10 to 300 nm and contains certain sintering promoters. The ceramic coating is sintered with the metal sheet in non-oxidizing environment at lower temperatures than typical ceramic membranes. The thin membrane sheet is used to filter fine particulates from micrometers to nanometers from a liquid or gas stream. The thin membrane sheet may be assembled into a filter device having high surface area packing density and straight mini-flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Molecule Works Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 11602703
    Abstract: A degasification system includes a degasification unit in which a plurality of degasification modules degasifying a liquid are connected, wherein the degasification unit has a connection supply pipe which connects the liquid supply paths of the plurality of degasification modules in series and in which openings through which the liquid passes are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of degasification modules such that the liquid is supplied to the hollow fiber membrane bundles of the plurality of degasification modules in parallel, and wherein the degasification unit is configured such that a pressure loss of the liquid from a supply port of the connection supply pipe through which the liquid is supplied to the discharge ports of a downstream side degasification module is larger than a pressure loss of the liquid from the supply port to the discharge ports of an upstream side degasification module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DIC Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yamamoto, Katsuhiko Igari, Kenji Sano, Kazumi Oi
  • Patent number: 11603443
    Abstract: A composite porous membrane contains at least one porous base layer and at least one uniaxially stretched coating layer located on at least one side surface of the porous base layer. For example, the composite porous membrane comprises at least one porous base layer and at least one nanofiber-like non-polyolefin polymer porous layer oriented along the transverse stretching direction of the composite porous membrane and located on one or two side surfaces of the porous base layer, or the composite porous membrane comprises a biaxially stretched polypropylene porous base layer and a uniaxially stretched coating layer located on at least one side surface of the porous base layer. The composite porous membrane is coated with a coating solution prior to transversely stretching. The nanofiber-like non-polyolefin polymer porous layer may reduce cracking of the composite porous membrane in the machine direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jianjun Zhou, Lin Li, Zhiyu Hu
  • Patent number: 11596905
    Abstract: Disclosed are a heterogeneous zeolite membrane and a method of preparing the same, and more particularly a heterogeneous zeolite membrane that has CHA and DDR zeolite structures by growing seed particles into a crystal structure different from that of the zeolite membrane and can thus separate CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 even under wet conditions, a method of preparing the same, and a method of capturing and removing carbon dioxide using the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu Choi, Kwan Young Lee, Yang-Hwan Jeong
  • Patent number: 11583810
    Abstract: Provided are a porous substrate structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The porous substrate structure includes a substrate, an anodic aluminum oxide layer and a double metal oxide layer. The substrate has a plurality of pores. The anodic aluminum oxide layer is disposed on the substrate. The double metal oxide layer is disposed on the anodic aluminum oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chun-Ju Huang, Yen-Hsun Chi, Bing-Hung Chang
  • Patent number: 11583807
    Abstract: A separation membrane module may decrease a bending load applied to a support member supporting ends of tubular separation membranes and omission of a seal member between the outer circumferential surface of the support member and the inner circumferential surface of a housing. The separation membrane module may include a tubular housing, tubular separation membranes arranged in a longitudinal direction of the housing, end tubes connected to lower ends of the tubular separation membranes, a support box supporting the end tubes, and a backpressure chamber below the support box. The tubular separation membranes may be in communication with a support box collection chamber. A nozzle disposed on the support box may extract permeated fluid. A chamber and the backpressure chamber are in communication via a gap between the support box outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface. The chamber and backpressure chamber have substantially the same pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11571662
    Abstract: A filter module for sterile filtration and virus filtration of fluid media. The filter module includes a filter membrane with a porous edge structure arranged thereon and at least one anchoring element. The filter membrane with the porous edge structure is embedded in the anchoring element and serves as edge reinforcement to improve the connection of the filter membrane to the anchoring element. The texturing or surface roughness of the edge reinforcement provides an interlocking effect between the filter membrane and the anchoring element. The embedding of the filter membrane in the anchoring element provides a fluid-tight connection of the membrane to the anchoring element which prevents the occurrence of leaks in the end region of the filter module. A method for producing the filter module is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM BIOTECH GMBH
    Inventors: Paschalis Nikoloudis, Sebastian Handt, Thomas Loewe
  • Patent number: 11565213
    Abstract: A device for exchange of water molecule and temperature between two fluids. The device comprises thin molecular sieve membrane sheets that allow water molecules to permeate through while blocking cross-over of the exchanging fluids. The device provides two sets of flow channels having a hydraulic diameter ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 mm for respective process and sweep fluid flows. The two sets of the channels are separated by a membrane sheet having a thickness less than 200 ?m. The thin molecule sieve membrane may be prepared by forming an ultra-thin zeolite membrane layer on a porous metal-based support sheet which provides very high water permeance so that the exchange can be conducted in a compact membrane module at high throughput. The device can be used to remove water from a process stream of higher water content by use of a sweep fluid of lower water content or higher water affinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Molecule Works Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 11559772
    Abstract: The invention relates to carbon supported crack- and tear-free graphene membranes of large area useful for selective gas separation, method of preparation and uses thereof. In particular, the invention relates to carbon supported crack- and tear-free graphene membranes having good gas separation performance, in particular high H2 permeance and H2/CH4 selectivities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: GAZNAT SA
    Inventors: Kumar Varoon Agrawal, Shiqi Huang