Patents Examined by Ardith E Hertzog
  • Patent number: 7008609
    Abstract: There is provided a method of producing hydrogen gas serving as fuel for a portable fuel cell, whereby hydrogen gas can be provided easily, safely, and at a low cost. To that end, the method of producing hydrogen gas comprises the steps of causing friction and mechanical fracture accompanying the friction to occur to a metallic material under water and increasing thereby chemical reactivity of atoms of the metallic material, in close proximity of the surface thereof; wherein water molecules are decomposed by accelerating corrosion reaction of water with the metallic material. Further, for the metallic material, an aluminum or aluminum alloy material is used as industrial waste including refuse and cutting chips (curls) of an industrial aluminum material. Meanwhile, pure water not substantially containing ionic impurities and organic molecules is used for the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Dynax Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Watanabe, Yoko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7005403
    Abstract: A coated catalyst whose coating of active composition is a multimetal oxide comprising the elements Mo, V and Te and/or Sb can be used for the gas-phase catalytic oxidation of propane to acrylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frieder Borgmeier, Andreas Tenten, Hartmut Hibst
  • Patent number: 6998100
    Abstract: Chlorite-like phyllosilicate materials are found useful as SOx sorbents. A novel process of sulfur oxide sorption is provided utilizing these layered materials as contact solids. Typical industrial applications include sulfur removal from fluid catalyst cracking process, cold-side combustion gas sulfur abatement and cleaner coal gasification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Toll Processing and Consulting, LLC
    Inventors: Edwin W. Albers, Harry W. Burkhead, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6992042
    Abstract: Pyrogenically prepared titanium dioxide doped by means of an aerosol contains an oxide from the group zinc oxide, platinum oxide, magnesium oxide and/or aluminium oxide as the doping component. It is prepared as follows: in the pyrogenic preparation of titanium dioxide, a metal salt solution is atomised to form an aerosol and injected into the production stream. The titanium dioxide may be used as a photocatalyst or as a UV adsorber or in processes for purification of waste water or waste air/gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Degussa AG
    Inventors: Ina Hemme, Helmut Mangold, Sven-Uwe Geissen, Anna Moiseev
  • Patent number: 6986878
    Abstract: A process for producing potassium sulfate from potash and sodium sulfate, which involves providing a source of sodium sulfate and passing the sodium sulfate through cationic exchanger. Eluted potassium sulfate containing sodium sulfate is reacted with potash to form further potassium sulfate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Dirdal Rand Technologies
    Inventor: Gary Derdall
  • Patent number: 6984768
    Abstract: A method for destroying halocarbons. Halocarbon materials are reacted in a dehalogenation process wherein they are combined with a solvent in the presence of a catalyst. A hydrogen-containing solvent is preferred which functions as both a solvating agent and hydrogen donor. To augment the hydrogen donation capacity of the solvent if needed (or when non-hydrogen-containing solvents are used), a supplemental hydrogen donor composition may be employed. In operation, at least one of the temperature and pressure of the solvent is maintained near, at, or above a critical level. For example, the solvent may be in (1) a supercritical state; (2) a state where one of the temperature or pressure thereof is at or above critical; or (3) a state where at least one of the temperature and pressure thereof is near-critical. This system provides numerous benefits including improved reaction rates, efficiency, and versatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ginosar, Robert V. Fox, Stuart K. Janikowski
  • Patent number: 6984767
    Abstract: The invention consists of a method for treating polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated media by: a) combining the media with a fluid containing one or more liquid hydrocarbons to form a media/fluid mixture; b) sonicating the mixture at audio frequency to extract PCB from the media into the fluid; and c) treating the fluid with sodium-containing alkali metal. The method may include additional steps to reduce the size of the media. Alternatively, the fluid can be decanted from the media after sonication and treated separately with sodium-containing alkali metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sonic Environmental Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Lorrie Hunt, Jim McKinley, Rod McElroy
  • Patent number: 6979505
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for removing contaminants from a hydrogen processor feed stream, as in a fuel cell power plant (110). Inlet oxidant (38), typically air, required by a catalytic hydrogen processor (34) in a fuel processor (14) for a fuel cell stack assembly (12) in the power plant (110), may contain contaminants such as SO2 and the like. A cleansing arrangement, which includes an accumulator/degasifier (142, 46) acting as a scrubber, and possibly also a water transfer device (118), receives the inlet oxidant and provides the desired cleansing of contaminants. Water in the water transfer device and in the accumulator/degasifier serves to dissolve the water-soluble contaminants and cleanse them from the oxidant stream. The cleansed oxidant stream (138?) is then delivered to the hydrogen processor and to the fuel cell assembly, with minimal inclusion of detrimental contaminants such as sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Albert P. Grasso, Bryan F. Dufner, Jay C. Files, John L. Preston, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6979431
    Abstract: A method for labelling a sulfide compound with technetium or rhenium, comprising the reaction of a disulfide compound with pertechnetate or perrhenate in the presence of borohydride exchange resin to obtain a complex of technetium or rhenium with the sulfide compound. The method can directly label disulfide compounds with technetium or rhenium, can skip the synthetic step of thiol-protected S-precursor, and is useful for high value-added radiopharmaceuticals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Kyung Bae Park, Sang Hyun Park, Hui Jeong Gwon, Sun Ju Choi, Byung Chul Shin, Young Don Hong, Sang Mu Choi, Woong Woo Park, Kwang Hee Han, Beom Su Jang
  • Patent number: 6964755
    Abstract: A high activity catalyst is obtained by oxidizing and modifying the surface of zinc sulfide by hydrogen peroxide. An oxidation treatment is carried out in basic aqueous solution. The high activity photocatalyst is added to the basic aqueous solution in which hydrogen sulfide is dissolved to recover hydrogen and sulfur under low energy. Thus, the inexpensive high activity photocatalyst having a high catalytic activity and a long duration of life is realized and hydrogen gas is efficiently generated under little energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Agency
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tohji, Atsuo Kasuya
  • Patent number: 6955801
    Abstract: A step (1) of heating a fluoronickel compound to release a fluorine gas, a step (2) of allowing a fluorine gas to be occluded into a fluorinated compound, and a step (3) of heating the fluoronickel compound and reducing an inner pressure are conducted in a container, respectively, at least once, and thereafter a high-purity fluorine gas is obtained in the step (1). Also, a step (5) of heating a fluoronickel compound and reducing an inner pressure and a step (6) of allowing a fluorine gas reduced in a hydrogen fluoride content to be occluded into the fluoronickel compound are conducted in a container having a fluorinated layer formed on its surface, respectively, at least once, the step (5) is further conducted, and thereafter a fluorine gas containing impurity gases is contacted with the fluoronickel compound to fix and remove the fluorine gas, and the impurities are analyzed by gas chromatography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Showa Denka K.K.
    Inventors: Junichi Torisu, Hitoshi Atobe, Yasuyuki Hoshino
  • Patent number: 6953565
    Abstract: A process for producing an ammonium polythiomolybdate of the formula (NH4)2Mo3S13.n H2O where n is 0, 1 or 2 in which an aqueous ammoniacal molybdate solution is reacted with hydrogen sulfide gas in a closed system at superatmospheric pressure until the H2S is no longer absorbed by the solution to form a slurry of solid ammonium tetrathiomolybdate containing a portion of the starting molybdenum in a mother liquor containing the balance of the molybdenum and thereafter heat soaking the reaction product in the presence of elemental sulfur to form the desired product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Infineum International Limited
    Inventors: Ronald P. Wangner, Joby V. John, Gregory C. Giffin
  • Patent number: 6951635
    Abstract: Zinc oxide-based sorbents, and processes for preparing and using them are provided, wherein the sorbents are preferably used to remove one or more reduced sulfur species from gas streams. The sorbents contain an active zinc component, optionally in combination with one or more promoter components and/or one or more substantially inert components. The active zinc component is a two phase material, consisting essentially of a zinc oxide (ZnO) phase and a zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) phase. Each of the two phases is characterized by a relatively small crystallite size of typically less than about 500 Angstroms. Preferably the sorbents are prepared by converting a precursor mixture, containing a precipitated zinc oxide precursor and a precipitated aluminum oxide precursor, to the two-phase, active zinc oxide containing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Research Triangle Institute
    Inventors: Santosh Kumar Gangwal, Brian Scott Turk, Raghubir Prasad Gupta
  • Patent number: 6946108
    Abstract: A flue gas desulfurization apparatus includes at least one activated carbon fiber board 20 provided in a catalyst unit 6, the board being formed by alternatingly juxtaposing one or more plate-like activated carbon fiber sheets and one or more corrugated activated carbon fiber sheets so as to provide vertically extending conduits, wherein water for producing sulfuric acid is supplied, through a capillary phenomenon, to the activated carbon fiber board 20 provided in the catalyst unit 6. The flue gas desulfurization apparatus attains removal of sulfur oxides (SOx) by adding a minimum required amount of water to the activated carbon fiber board 20 so as to attain uniform water distribution and can reduce the amount of water required for removing sulfur oxides (SOx).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihisa Kobayashi, Akinori Yasutake, Takashi Kurisaki, Kiyoshi Tatsuhara
  • Patent number: 6942842
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of carbon monoxide gas (CO gas) that is free of sulfur compounds to the greatest possible extent and a process to use that gas in chemical syntheses, for example, for the synthesis of phosgene from carbon monoxide and chlorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Breuer, Karl-Heinz Köhler
  • Patent number: 6932952
    Abstract: A wet type exhaust gas desulfurization method includes sucking liquid in a liquid reservoir containing a sulphur compound formed from sulphur dioxide contained in exhaust gas so as to form a flow of the liquid, reducing the flow of the liquid in diameter to form a depressurized region in the flow, the reducing including passing the liquid through a reduction section which includes a reduction section plate having a reduction section hole and a peripheral portion surrounding the reduction section hole, the peripheral portion protruding toward the upstream side of the flow, introducing air into the depressurized region so as to generate a mixture stream of the air and the liquid, and spouting the mixture stream into the liquid reservoir. The reducing includes forming cavities in the flow, the forming cavities includes shearing the flow, and the shearing includes bringing the flow into contact with the peripheral portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Onizuka, Toru Takashina
  • Patent number: 6921523
    Abstract: An efficient process for the preparation of magnesium thiosulfate involves reaction of magnesium hydrosulfite and sulfur at elevated temperature. Magnesium hydrosulfite can be prepared from commercial magnesium oxide and sulfur. Sulfur dioxide can be used to maintain pH. The resulting product is an emulsion of liquid magnesium thiosulfate and solid byproducts. Under controlled conditions, including mole ratios of MgO to sulfur, temperature of the reaction process, and pH, as well as rate and duration of SO2 purging, production of byproducts can be reduced to less than about 2% by weight. The magnesium thiosulfate solution can be prepared with concentrations of at least about 25%, preferably at least about 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Massoud Hojjatie, Constance Lynn Frank Lockhart
  • Patent number: 6919059
    Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnaces (16) and (26) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur vapour is extracted in condenser (32) from the resulting gas mixture so as to form a sulphur vapour depleted gas stream. The sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide is reduced to hydrogen sulphide. This reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted therefrom in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for treatment typically together with a second feed gas steam comprising hydrogen sulphide. Employing both furnaces (16) and (26) makes it possible to obtain effective conversions to sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide in the feed gas without having the recycle any of the water vapour depleted gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
  • Patent number: 6906235
    Abstract: Novel iron sulfides having excellent durability and excellent treating properties of heavy metals, processes for producing the iron sulfides, iron sulfide mixture, a heavy metal treating agent containing either of these novel iron sulfides as an effective component, and a method by which wastes containing various heavy metals are treated with the heavy metal treating agent are disclosed. The iron sulfide having a mackinawite structure which contains FeMxNySz wherein M represents an alkaline earth metal, N represents an alkali metal, and x, y and z, indicating the molar proportions of the respective elements, represent numbers satisfying 0.01<x?0.5, y?0.2 and 0.7?z?1.4, as an essential component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Tosoh Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Funakoshi, Mitsuru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6902714
    Abstract: Provided is a method and plant for reducing SO2 emissions in which a catalyst for catalyzing the formation of cement clinker is extracted from kiln exhaust gas and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: F. L. Smidth A/S
    Inventors: Lars Skaarup Jensen, Ebbe Skyum Jöns