Patents Examined by Anthony R Shumate
  • Patent number: 11547968
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a gas separation method which is capable of desirably separating a slight amount of a component from a mixed gas under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of a gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less; and a gas separation membrane which is suitable for use in this gas separation method. According to the present invention, in a gas separation method wherein a specific gas (A) in a mixed gas, which contains the specific gas (A) at a concentration of 1,000 ppm by mass or less, is selectively permeated with use of a gas separation membrane, an extremely thin gas separation membrane that has a film thickness of 1 ?m or less is used, so that the gas (A) is desirably separated under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of the gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD., NANOMEMBRANE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takuya Noguchi, Takahiro Senzaki, Toshiyuki Ogata, Toyoki Kunitake, Shigenori Fujikawa, Miho Ariyoshi
  • Patent number: 11534722
    Abstract: A gas separation apparatus includes a separation membrane module including at least one gas separation membrane element in a housing, a casing for blocking external air, and a heat source unit for adjusting a temperature of a heat medium with which the casing is filled. The casing holds greater than or equal to two separation membrane modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED, RENAISSANCE ENERGY RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobutaka Kodama, Takehiro Nakasuji, Osamu Okada, Masaaki Teramoto, Nobuaki Hanai
  • Patent number: 11534724
    Abstract: A drying method for a separation membrane includes supplying a gas for drying to the separation membrane so that a value obtained by dividing the difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a flow rate of the gas for drying on a membrane surface of the separation membrane by the minimum value of the flow rate is less than or equal to 15%. The gas for drying is less than or equal to 40 degree C. and contains a water-soluble gas that has a solubility in 1 cm3 of water of greater than or equal to 0.5 cm3 in conditions of 40 degree C. and 1 atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Noda, Takeshi Hagio
  • Patent number: 11536231
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for an air filter configured to be mounted onto an air inlet of an internal combustion engine. The air filter comprises a first end cap configured to couple with a base which is configured to support a conventional air filter and provide an interface between the conventional air filter and the air inlet. A filter medium which is relatively thicker than the conventional air filter is configured to remove particulate matter and other contaminates from an incoming airstream. A second end cap is configured to couple with a cover which is configured to fasten the conventional air filter and the base onto the air inlet, such that the incoming airstream is directed through the filter medium. The air filter is configured to be installed in place of the conventional air filter without necessitating alteration of the base and cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Williams
  • Patent number: 11534721
    Abstract: A fluid separation apparatus comprising a fluid separation membrane is provided. The fluid separation apparatus comprises a fluid separation membrane extending in one direction and having a cross-section with a closed curve shape, wherein the fluid separation membrane has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, and an outer diameter of 60 mm to 360 mm when the cross-section is adjusted to be circular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventors: Gwan Shig Kim, Ky Yeong Shin
  • Patent number: 11519080
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide conversion system for an environment includes a first gas-liquid contactor-separator downstream of the environment; an electrochemical conversion cell downstream of the first gas-liquid contactor-separator; and a cleaned ionic liquid storage intermediate the first gas-liquid contactor-separator and the electrochemical conversion cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rebecca Kamire, Stephen Yates
  • Patent number: 11517860
    Abstract: The invention relates to dense synthetic membranes made from polymerised phosphonium-based ionic liquids which were found to be particularly suitable for use in gas separation. The membranes are obtainable by copolymerization via UV-curing of a composition comprising a phosphonium-based ionic liquid monomer, a co-monomer, a cross-linker, a surfactant and a photo-initiator, the remainder of the polymerization mixture consisting of water. The invention also relates to a process of manufacturing said membranes, resulting in solid, dense and mechanically stable membranes, and to the use of the membranes so produced in the separation of gas mixtures, particularly gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Universitá Di Pisa, Universitá Della Calabria
    Inventors: Alberto Figoli, Francesco Galiano, Giuseppe Barbieri, Adele Brunetti, Lidietta Giorno, Christian Silvio Pompelli, Cinzia Chiappe, Bartolo Gabriele, Raffaella Mancuso, Yujiro Itami
  • Patent number: 11519079
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide conversion system for an environment includes a first gas-liquid contactor-separator downstream of the environment; an electrochemical conversion cell downstream of the first gas-liquid contactor-separator; and a cleaned ionic liquid storage intermediate the first gas-liquid contactor-separator and the electrochemical conversion cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rebecca Kamire, Stephen Yates
  • Patent number: 11504675
    Abstract: A carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane having improved separation characteristics for separating olefins from their corresponding paraffins is comprised of carbon with at most trace amounts of sulfur and a group 13 metal. The CMS membrane may be made by pyrolyzing a precursor polymer devoid of sulfur in which the precursor polymer has had a group 13 metal incorporated into it, wherein the metal is in a reduced state. The pyrolyzing for the precursor having the group 13 metal incorporated into it is performed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere and at a heating rate and temperature such that the metal in a reduced state (e.g., covalently bonded to carbon or nitrogen or in the metal state).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Han Chu, William J. Koros, Liren Xu, Mark K. Brayden, Marcos V. Martinez
  • Patent number: 11498035
    Abstract: A zeolite membrane complex includes a porous support, and a zeolite membrane formed on the support. The zeolite membrane includes a zeolite crystal phase constituted by a plurality of zeolite crystals, and a dense grain boundary phase, which is a region between the plurality of zeolite crystals. A density of at least part of the grain boundary phase is smaller than a density of the zeolite crystal phase. A width of the grain boundary phase is 2 nm or more and 10 nm or less. Accordingly, it is possible to realize high permeability and high separating performance, and high durability of the zeolite membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Kinoshita, Makiko Ichikawa, Kenji Yajima, Makoto Miyahara, Katsuya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11491447
    Abstract: This ionic liquid-containing laminate includes a porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C), said layer holding an ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) within voids therein, and a porous layer lacking affinity with ionic liquids (B). The porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C) may include an inorganic material (e.g., metal oxide particles having an average particle size of 0.001 to 10 ?m on a number basis). The ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) may include an ionic liquid containing cations selected from ammonium, imidazolium and phosphonium cations, and anions selected from fluorine-containing anions, cyano-containing anions and amino acid-derived anions. The porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C) may include 1 to 100 volume parts of the ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) with respect to 100 volume parts of voids therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Nakamura, Masao Iwaya, Takamasa Suzuki, Tomohiro Goto
  • Patent number: 11478760
    Abstract: Provided is a waterproof gas-permeable membrane (1) having higher levels of both gas permeability and waterproofness than conventional ones. The waterproof gas-permeable membrane (1) includes: a non-porous resin film (2) having through holes (21a to 21g) formed to extend through the thickness of the resin film (2); and a liquid-repellent layer (3) formed on a principal surface of the resin film (2) and having openings (31) positioned in register with the through holes (21a to 21g). The through holes (21a to 21g) extend straight and have a diameter of 15 ?m or less. The through holes (21a to 21g) are distributed at a hole density of 1×103 holes/cm2 or more and 1×109 holes/cm2 or less in the resin film (2). The through holes (21a to 21g) extend in oblique directions with respect to a direction perpendicular to the principal surface of the resin film (2). The through holes (21a to 21g) that extend in different oblique directions are present together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Furuyama, Masaaki Mori, Yuichi Abe, Keiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11478753
    Abstract: Provided is a hollow fiber membrane module that exhibits excellent durability even when a chemical such as a radical polymerizable compound is used for a separation or mixing process. Also provided is a method for producing the hollow fiber membrane module in a highly productive manner. More specifically, there is provided a hollow fiber membrane module at least including a tubular body, a cap, a hollow fiber membrane, and an end seal portion, wherein at least a liquid contacting portion of the end seal portion is sealed with a cured product of a curable resin composition including an epoxy resin, and wherein the epoxy resin includes a polyglycidyl ether of a polycondensate of an aromatic compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group and an aromatic compound containing a formyl group and a phenolic hydroxyl group, and there is provided a method for producing the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: DIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youhei Suganuma, Kazumi Oi, Tsugio Tomura, Makoto Kimura
  • Patent number: 11471825
    Abstract: Processes and systems for the capture of CO2 from a CO2-containing gas stream are provided. The CO2-containing gas stream is passed to a membrane contactor absorber wherein the CO2-containing gas contacts or passes a first side of a membrane element while a CO2 selective solvent with a viscosity between 0.2 and 7 cP contacts, passes or flows on second side of the membrane, opposed to the first side. The CO2 permeates through the hollow fiber membrane pores and is chemically absorbed into the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shiguang Li, Travis Pyrzynski, Howard Meyer, Naomi Klinghoffer, Timothy Tamale
  • Patent number: 11471839
    Abstract: A thin film composite gas separation membrane comprising a polyether block amide copolymer coating layer and a nanoporous asymmetric support membrane with nanopores on the skin layer surface of the support membrane and gelatin polymers inside the nanopores on the skin layer surface of the support membrane. A method for making the thin film composite gas separation membrane is provided as well as the use of the membrane for a variety of separations such as separations of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from natural gas, carbon dioxide removal from flue gas, fuel gas conditioning, hydrogen/methane, polar molecules, and ammonia mixtures with methane, nitrogen or hydrogen and other light gases separations, but also for natural gas liquids recovery and hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide removal from natural gas in a single step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Xueliang Dong, Chunqing Liu, Howie Tran
  • Patent number: 11466372
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide conversion system for an environment includes a first gas-liquid contactor-separator downstream of the environment; an electrochemical conversion cell downstream of the first gas-liquid contactor-separator; and a cleaned ionic liquid storage intermediate the first gas-liquid contactor-separator and the electrochemical conversion cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rebecca Kamire, Stephen Yates
  • Patent number: 11465102
    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: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu Choi, Kwan Young Lee, Yang-Hwan Jeong
  • Patent number: 11458441
    Abstract: Disclosed are a CHA zeolite membrane and a method of preparing the same, and more particularly, a CHA zeolite membrane having high capacity to separate CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 even under wet conditions using a membrane produced using a synthetic precursor having a controlled ratio of Si and Al, a method of preparing the same, and a method of capturing and removing carbon dioxide using the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu Choi, Kwan Young Lee, Sung-Won Hong
  • Patent number: 11458435
    Abstract: An acidic gas separation device includes: a first separation device which has an inorganic separation membrane and is configured to separate a gaseous hydrocarbon fluid containing an acidic gas into a first gaseous fluid having a large acidic gas content and a second gaseous fluid having a smaller acidic gas content than the first gaseous fluid by the inorganic separation membrane; and a second separation device which has an organic polymer separation membrane and is configured to separate the second gaseous fluid into a third gaseous fluid having a large acidic gas content and a fourth gaseous fluid having a smaller acidic gas content than the third gaseous fluid by the organic polymer separation membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Mashiko, Minoru Morita, Takeo Kawase, Yosuke Kunishi
  • Patent number: 11458437
    Abstract: A membrane device is presented that can used for a wide range of applications from once-through filtration, crossflow filtration, molecular separation, gas/liquid absorption or reaction, gas dispersion into liquid, and degassing of liquid. The device comprises a thin flat sheet membrane that allows certain fluid or molecules go through while blocking others. The membrane sheet is fixed on a supporting structure with mini channel on two sides of the membrane for respective feed and sweep flows. The membrane sheet is sealed with gaskets with two cover plates that the membrane sheet can be replaced or cleaned. The cover plate provides connection ports to connect the feed fluid to the feed channels on one membrane surface and to connect the sweep fluid to the sweep channels on the other surface of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Molecule Works Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Anirudh Balram