Patents Examined by Arun S. Phasge
  • Patent number: 10543460
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. Systems, methods and equipment are described for upgrading process streams using electrodialysis or electrodialysis reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Maia Stapleton Mukherjee, Christopher Cooper
  • Patent number: 10526714
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for using CO2 mineralization to produce sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate and output electric energy. The device comprises an anode area, an intermediate area, and a cathode area. The anode area and the intermediate area are spaced by a negative ion exchange membrane (2). The intermediate area and the cathode area are spaced by a positive ion exchange membrane (3). The anode area, the intermediate area, and the cathode area can accommodate corresponding electrolytes. An anode electrode (1) is disposed in the anode area, a cathode electrode (4) is disposed in the cathode area, and the cathode electrode and the anode electrode are connected through a circuit. A raw material hydrogen gas inlet is disposed in the anode area, and a CO2 inlet and a product hydrogen gas outlet are disposed in the cathode area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SICHUAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Heping Xie, Yifei Wang, Tao Liu, Jinlong Wang
  • Patent number: 10519048
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell containing a sacrificial electrode suitable for electrocoagulation as well as an electrocoagulation process for removing various pollutants from water or wastewater by the use of the electrochemical cell. Also, the sacrificial electrode itself. Several electrochemical cells can be coupled to an electrochemical cell assembly. Certain aspects and embodiments are especially suitable for reduction of fluoride or fluoride in combination with heavy metals such as hexavalent chromium or arsenic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HÖGANÄS AB (PUBL)
    Inventors: Madan Tandukar, Kyle Unger, Paul Endler
  • Patent number: 10513789
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the capital and operating costs of a smelting process system and improving the environmental impact of the smelting process using an IGT system to remove and filter undesirable and environmentally hazardous gases and particulates from each electrolytic cell in the smelting process system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Bechtel Mining & Metals, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Frederick Baxter
  • Patent number: 10507429
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell according to the present disclosure includes a casing provided with an inflow port and an outflow port, a bipolar membrane laminated body in which two or more bipolar membranes are laminated so as to be opposed, electrodes disposed so as to sandwich the bipolar membrane laminated body, and a first diffusion member disposed between the inflow port and the bipolar membrane laminated body, and provided with through holes communicating between the inflow port and the bipolar membrane laminated body. The first diffusion member is formed such that each of the through holes provided in a peripheral edge portion has a larger opening area than an opening area of the through holes provided in a central portion. This can uniformize a flow of water, so that water treatment can be efficiently executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Sasabe, Daisuke Suzuki, Tomoko Tani, Noriyoshi Ueya, Katsuhiko Uno, Masahiro Ohama
  • Patent number: 10501854
    Abstract: Localized excess protons are created with an open-circuit water electrolysis process using a pair of anode and cathode electrodes for a special excess proton production and proton-utilization system to treat a substrate material plate/film by forming and using an excess protons-substrate-hydroxyl anions capacitor-like system. The technology enables protonation and/or proton-driven oxidation of plate/film and/or membrane materials in a pure water environment. The present invention represents a remarkable clean “green chemistry” technology that does not require the use of any conventional acid chemicals including nitric and sulfuric acids for the said industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Inventor: James Weifu Lee
  • Patent number: 10494276
    Abstract: Electrolytic cartridges for, systems for, and methods of electrolyzing a brine solution of water and an alkali salt to produce acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water are provided. The system includes an internal chamber for receiving the brine solution and at least two electrolytic cartridges immersed in a brine bath. Each electrolytic cartridge includes an electrode, an ion selective membrane disposed on a side of the electrode so as to define a space adjacent to at least a portion of the electrode, a permeable insert covering the ion selective membrane on a side opposite the space, and a bonding plate disposed on the permeable insert on a side opposite the side facing the ion selective membrane. The methods recycle at least a portion of alkaline electrolyzed water into the feed of a cartridge having a positively charged electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Spraying Systems Co.
    Inventors: James B Swartz, James I Moyer, John Hazelwood, James D Rossom
  • Patent number: 10487407
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell has four volumes. A porous anode is provided between a first volume and a second volume. A ground electrode is provided between the second volume and the third volume. A porous cathode is provided between the third volume and the fourth volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hughes Timothy, Wilkinson Ian
  • Patent number: 10486151
    Abstract: An ion-exchange membrane is disclosed here including ion-permeable layers impregnated with an ion-exchange material and arranged in an order from one face of the membrane to the opposite face of the membrane such that opposing layers in the supporting membrane substrate provide sufficiently identical physical properties to substantially avoid irregular expansion when in a salt solution. The ion-permeable layers including at least one non-woven layer and at least one reinforcing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: BL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John H. Barber, Russell James MacDonald, Yongchang Zheng, Kai Zhang, Yonghong Zhao
  • Patent number: 10487409
    Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus for producing chlorine bleach includes an anode plate, a cathode plate spaced apart from the anode plate, one or more inner conductive plates positioned between and spaced apart from the anode plate and the cathode plate, and a sleeve surrounding the anode plate, the cathode plate, and the one or more inner conductive plates. A system for producing chlorine bleach includes, in addition to the electrolysis apparatus, a container having an opening and which is configured to hold a solution of water and salt. The system further includes a power source having a first terminal connected to the anode plate and a second terminal connected to the cathode plate. Upon connecting the anode plate and the cathode plate to the power source and inserting the electrolysis apparatus into the solution, electrolysis of the solution produces chlorine bleach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Edge Outreach, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Diebold, Joseph Jacobi, David Mekus
  • Patent number: 10472262
    Abstract: Provided are a capacitive deionization electrode module, a method of manufacturing the same, and a deionization apparatus using the same. The capacitive deionization electrode module includes: a conductive support that is formed by injecting and fixing carbon-based electrode powders into and to fine pores of a porous substrate; and a coating layer coated on one surface of the conductive support, to thereby implement a current collector for the deionization apparatus having ultra-thin, slim, and excellent flexible features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: AMOGREENTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Sik Hwang, In Yong Seo
  • Patent number: 10458028
    Abstract: An electrochemical method for ammonia synthesis including the steps of: preparing a single-crystalline metal thin film; and synthesizing ammonia by using the single-crystalline metal thin film electrode. More particularly, it relates to improvement of the production yield and synthesis rate of ammonia trough the method for preparing ammonia by using an electrochemical reactor which includes a cathode including a single-crystalline metal thin film on the surface thereof, an anode and an electrolyte, wherein the method includes the steps of: supplying nitrogen to the cathode; supplying aqueous electrolyte solution to the anode; and applying an electric voltage between the cathode and the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jong Hyuk Park, Hyun Seo Park, Jimin Kong
  • Patent number: 10435801
    Abstract: A syngas generation system that combines a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) and a carbon gasification unit is described. On the cathode side of the SOEC, CO2 and H2O are electrochemically converted to syngas. At the anode side of the system, a second stream of syngas is produced through a carbon gasification process in which solid carbon is reacted with H2O/CO2. Oxygen ion transported across the SOEC electrolyte reacts at the anode with a portion of the syngas produced in the gasification process. This reaction product (H2O/CO2) can be fed back to the gasification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Libin Lei, Fanglin Chen, Yao Wang
  • Patent number: 10435426
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for separating sugars and acids with reduced energy consumption, including a step of diffusively dialyzing a first acid hydrolysate obtained by saccharifying biomass with an acid solution, thereby preparing a second acid hydrolysate wherein the concentration of the acid solution contained in the acid hydrolysate is decreased; and a step of electrolyzing the second acid hydrolysate, thereby separating sugars from the acid solution, which is advantageous in that less energy is consumed, the separated acid solution can be recycled directly without further treatment due to high concentration and loss of sugars can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Youngsoon Um, Kyung Min Lee, Sun-Mi Lee, Hong Gon Kim, Gyeongtaek Gong
  • Patent number: 10428804
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for direct conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy are provided. The system can have a flow of ions, such as between an anode and a cathode. In between the flow of ions, is a membrane, either synthetic or biologically derived. Proteins are bound to that membrane. Further, the proteins are responsive to the ions and undergo a conformational shift, thus using the presence or absence of ions for creating movement. This portion can be referred to as a “kinetic cell”. A portion of the proteins, such as the aqueous portion, can be tethered to a moveable substrate, which translates the motion in the kinetic cell to the exterior. Multiple kinetic cells can be used in coordination to increase the kinetic force generated, analogous to a battery stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Jens Strabo Hummelshøj
  • Patent number: 10406501
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for electrochemical metal or other positive ion removal from polycrystalline diamond (PCD), such as PCD used in earth-boring drill bits. PCD used in the systems and methods described herein has an electrical conductivity-enhanced region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Qi Liang
  • Patent number: 10407676
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to compositions and methods for the production of nucleic acid molecules. In some aspects, the invention allows for the microscale generation of nucleic acid molecules, optionally followed by assembly of these nucleic acid molecules into larger molecules. In some aspects, the invention allows for efficient production of nucleic acid molecules (e.g., large nucleic acid molecules such as genomes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC GENEART GMBH, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES AS
    Inventors: Thomas Poehmerer, Phillip Kuhn, Frank Notka, Andreas Zeidler, Korbinian Heil, Axel Trefzer, Geir Fonnum, Federico Katzen, Kristian Andersson
  • Patent number: 10399871
    Abstract: Provided is an electrolysis apparatus with which the liquid that is to be treated can be continuously electrolyzed with high efficiency under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. The electrolysis apparatus includes a cylindrical container main body including an inner peripheral surface serving as a cathode surface, an anode plate disposed in the container main body along an axis thereof, and end members attached to the respective ends of the container main body with nuts interposed therebetween, respectively. The end members are provided with nozzles, respectively, through which the liquid is passed. The end member is provided with a power supply rod connected to the anode plate which is inserted in the end member. Bipolar electrode plates are disposed in the container main body so as to be parallel to the anode plate. Insulators support the sides of the anode plate and the sides of the bipolar electrode plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Yukitaka Matsumoto, Hideki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10392274
    Abstract: A device for electrocoagulation to treat a process stream, such as water, wastewater, or industrial waste. Also, a method to treat a process stream, such as water or wastewater, or industrial waste, utilizing said device. An electrocoagulation device configured to treat a process stream, the device including a cathode; an anode, wherein the anode is porous and water permeable; and a pressure system, wherein the pressure system is configured to flow at least 95% of the process stream through the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: HÖGANÄS AB (PUBL)
    Inventors: Kyle Unger, Madan Tandukar, Paul Endler
  • Patent number: 10384953
    Abstract: Methods and systems that remove impurities from phosphogypsum (PG), including from radium and heavy metal salts, and produce gypsum binders and products. In one embodiment, PG is reacted with a chloride solution in an acidic environment under mechanical manipulation and/or heat followed by galvanic and/or zeolite absorption removal of impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LTD., VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Konstantin Kovler, Boris Dashevsky, David Samuel Kosson, Yonathan Reches