Patents Examined by Bradley R Spies
  • Patent number: 10753241
    Abstract: A fluid filter apparatus comprising an upper housing shell; a lower housing shell; a pleat pack element comprising a peripheral frame and a folded pleated media. The frame is at least partially molded over the media to secure the media in the frame, and the media comprises two or more types of media of different densities from each other. A flow control element is disposed for changing the proportion of flow between the first media and the second media responsive to changes in at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate and/or viscosity of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FILTRAN LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim A. Khalil, Vasyl Kondratyuk
  • Patent number: 10737200
    Abstract: A method of operating a filter press, wherein filter material is fed into a filter chamber so as to form a filter cake between at least two sides of a flexible said filter medium. Filtrate is received from the filter chamber and the filter cake formed the filter chamber is discharged. Prior to discharging the filter cake, compression is applied on the filter cake formed within the filter chamber by providing compression fluid gas at a compression pressure exceeding a prevailing pressure within the filter chamber, directly on a side of the filter medium exterior to the filter chamber, so as to exert said compression pressure directly on said side of the filter medium, thereby causing the filter medium to yield against the filter cake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventor: Bernd Böhnke
  • Patent number: 10737224
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to agarose ultrafiltration membrane composites and methods for making and using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Jad Jaber, Wilson Moya, Mikhail Kozlov
  • Patent number: 10737222
    Abstract: The present invention provides a preparation method for a composite porous structure, comprising the following steps: step (a): preparing a porous substrate having multiple pores, a first surface and a second surface; and step (b): continuously feeding a cooling fluid to contact the first surface and to flow continuously to the second surface through the pores of the porous substrate, and heating a coating material to multiple molten particles by a heat source and spraying the molten particles onto the second surface of the porous substrate, so as to form a coating layer having multiple micropores on the second surface of the porous substrate and obtain the composite porous structure formed. Besides, also provided is a composite porous structure prepared by the preparation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: EXTREMEM, INC.
    Inventors: Yu-Ling Li, Chao-Hsiang Kang
  • Patent number: 10717662
    Abstract: A process for the simultaneous removal of iron and phosphate ions from a chlorinated hydrocarbon waste stream, such as a waste stream derived from a process for manufacturing 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa) and/or 1,1,1,3-tetrachloropropane (HCC-250fb). The waste stream contains at least one of chlorinated hydrocarbons, tributyl phosphate (TBP) and/or triethyl phosphate (TEP), iron, FeCl2 and/or FeCl3, a TBP-FeCl2 complex and/or a TBP-FeCl3 complex, and a TEP-FeCl2 complex and/or a TEP-FeCl3 complex, and is subjected to thermal oxidation to generate a second, aqueous waste stream containing at least one of hydrogen chloride (HCl), FeCl3 and/or FeCl2, and H3PO4. The second waste stream is exposed to a base to generate a precipitate including at least one insoluble compound selected from the group consisting of FePO4, Fe(OH)3, and Ca3(PO4)2, and the precipitate is separated from the second waste stream to produce a liquid phase including only trace amounts of iron and phosphate ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Terris Yang, Hsueh Sung Tung
  • Patent number: 10710006
    Abstract: Transducer assemblies that can be used in acoustophoretic systems are disclosed. The acoustophoretic systems including the transducer assemblies and methods of operating the acoustophoretic systems are also disclosed. The transducer assemblies include a housing, a polymeric film attached to the housing, and a piezoelectric material attached to the polymeric film. The piezoelectric material is not attached to, and does not come in direct contact with, the housing. The piezoelectric material is configured to be driven by a drive signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave. The piezoelectric material can be attached to the polymer film by an adhesive coating on the polymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jeffrey King, Jack Saloio, Brian McCarthy
  • Patent number: 10710027
    Abstract: A reinforced oil-absorptive membrane material, includes: a tubular support (101) and an oil absorbing layer (102) provided on a surface of the tubular support (101), wherein a plurality of holes are provided on the tubular support (101); and the oil absorbing layer (102) is a piece of nonwoven fabric with a polymer layer provided thereon. The reinforced oil-absorptive membrane material has an excellent oil-absorbing and supportive performance, and is capable of being utilized continuously in a negative pressure suction manner and thus shows high oil absorption efficiency. A method for manufacturing the reinforced oil-absorptive membrane material including pre-treating the nonwoven fabrics by aqueous alkali, covering a membrane casting solution including a solvent, a graphene, polyvinylidene fluoride, pore-forming agent and inorganic particle, and then solidifying and extracting to obtain the oil-absorbing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TIANJIN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Changfa Xiao, Tai Zhang, Junqiang Hao, Jian Zhao
  • Patent number: 10710911
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of decomposing ettringite, to form amorphous aluminium trihydroxide, which includes the step of lowering a pH of a slurry containing ettringite to a value between 8 and 8.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: MINTEK
    Inventor: Martha Hendriette Kotze
  • Patent number: 10703660
    Abstract: An organic contaminants treatment system comprises a first pH adjustment tank, a Fenton reaction tank, an H2O2 purging tank, a second pH adjustment tank, a holding tank, and a membrane tank. An organic contaminants treatment method couples Fenton reaction and membrane filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: CITIC Envirotech Ltd
    Inventors: Jianlin Liu, Kai Yin Melvin Tang
  • Patent number: 10696940
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for the continuous, microbe-reduced production and/or processing of a biopharmaceutical, biological macromolecular product from a heterogeneous cell culture-fluid mixture, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a particle-free fluid from a heterogeneous cell culture-fluid mixture containing the product, in the form of a product stream, (b) at least one filtration, providing a filtrate, (c) at least two chromatography steps for purifying the product, (d) at least one virus depletion, (e) at least one ultrafiltration and/or at least one diafiltration of the product stream of steps (b), (c) and/or (d), characterized in that the at least two chromatography steps from (c) comprise a purification via at least two chromatography columns and/or membrane adsorbers in each case and that the process is carried out in a closed and modular manner The invention further provides a corresponding modular system for carrying out said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: BAYER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Benjamin Maiser, Peter Schwan, Martin Lobedann, Volker Möhrle
  • Patent number: 10696575
    Abstract: A mobile water purification system having a trailer, a pretreatment subsystem having a cyclonic separator, a filtering subsystem fluidly connected with the pretreatment subsystem, the filtering subsystem having at least one bedded filter; a reverse osmosis subsystem fluidly connected with the filtering subsystem, the reverse osmosis subsystem having a waste output and a product output; a collection tank fluidly connected with and downstream of the reverse osmosis subsystem; a distribution subsystem fluidly connected with and downstream of the collection tank; a source water inlet mounted to the exterior and fluidly connected to the pretreatment inlet, the source water inlet outside of the at-least partially enclosed space; and a discharge water outlet mounted to the plurality of sidewalls and fluidly connected to the pressure tank, the discharge water outlet having an outlet opening outside of the at least partially-enclosed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Waterfleet, LLC
    Inventor: Alan Pyle
  • Patent number: 10688442
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a method of forming highly ordered membrane protein crystals. The forming process is done in the presence of a magnetic field to exploit the diamagnetic anisotropy of the membrane protein. Further described is a method of magnetic alignment and crystallization of membrane proteins in two-dimensional (2D) sheets for protein structural characterization and applications in functional devices. Block co-copolymers are used in alternative embodiments to assist with the crystallization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignees: CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Meagan Mauter, Manish Kumar
  • Patent number: 10686110
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus that uses a brine from a well that is used to both generate electricity and recover valuable minerals present in the brine. The method and apparatus uses a hydrophobic membrane to separate water vapor from the brine to concentrate the brine that is then used to recover the minerals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Southern Research Institute
    Inventors: Ryan Melsert, Jay Renew
  • Patent number: 10676381
    Abstract: Disclosed is an acid waste water treatment and method wherein heavy metal hydroxides and gypsum are precipitated in a single operation and wherein amorphous aluminium trihydroxide and gypsum are separated in a single solid-solid separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MINTEK
    Inventor: Martha Hendriette Kotze
  • Patent number: 10675592
    Abstract: An acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment means comprising polyethersulfone (PES) having dispersed therein hydroxy-sodalite (H-SOD) so as to form a membrane is described. The PES-H-SOD membrane is suitable for treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) by providing a filtration means to remove toxic chemicals, including but not limited to heavy metals. The invention extends to a method of manufacturing the acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
    Inventors: Michael Olawale Daramola, Bongile Silinda, Sandile Aubrey Masondo
  • Patent number: 10675594
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved semipermeable membranes based on acrylonitrile copolymers for use in dialyzers for the extracorporeal treatment of blood in conjunction with hemodialysis, hemofiltration or hemodiafiltration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of producing such membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Benjamin Malard, Corine Lambert
  • Patent number: 10668409
    Abstract: A mobile water treatment plant includes a container (10) having: a plurality of tanks, including a clarifying tank fitted with a multiplicity of inclined plates defining a multiplicity of channels there between, an upstream tank from which water is arranged to be fed to the clarifying tank and a downstream tank to which water is arranged to be fed from the clarifying tank; means for introducing a neutralizing agent into water in the upstream tank; at least one storage space within the interior space of the container for accommodating the neutralizing agent. The container is of generally cuboidal shape having a length greater than its width and having sides, ends, a top and a bottom and has corner fittings positioned to enable standard equipment for handling freight containers to engage the container and the overall width of the container is substantially the same as the width of a standard freight container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Siltbuster Limited
    Inventor: Richard Henry Coulton
  • Patent number: 10668406
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an enhanced multi-dimensional chromatography system and method using selectable At-Column Dilution to improve compatibility of the interface and transfer between the multiple dimensions. The use of At-Column Dilution (“ACD”) with multi-dimensional chromatography can provide greater retention of the diverted components on subsequent stationary phases, and increase the sensitivity and peak shape of the component(s) separated on subsequent dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Amanda B. Dlugasch, Thomas E. Wheat, Dan Root, Jean-Michel Plankeele, Isabelle Francois, Edward R. Aig
  • Patent number: 10669181
    Abstract: A portable liquid filtration device includes a GPS tracking unit, a portable housing, an inlet configured to receive non-potable water, and an ozone chamber positioned within the portable housing. The ozone chamber is configured to generate an ozone gas from received air. The device also includes a filtration duct positioned within the portable housing and downstream from the inlet. The filtration duct includes at least one advanced oxidation (AO) chamber configured to mix the received water with the ozone gas, and at least one ultraviolet (UV) chamber downstream from the at least one AO chamber and including a UV lamp positioned adjacent the water within the filtration duct. The device further includes an outlet positioned on the portable housing and downstream from the filtration duct. The filtration duct is operable to output at least 400 liters per hour of the received water from the outlet as potable water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Inventor: Steven J. Blad
  • Patent number: 10662092
    Abstract: A method for removing humic substances comprising lignin, other lignin type compounds and their disintegration products from an aqueous alkaline waste water from a bleaching of chemical pulp, which method comprises —obtaining an aqueous alkaline waste water comprising humic substances such as dissolved lignin, and —adding a high cationic starch having a charge density value of at least 1.8 meq/g dry matter of starch derivates determined at pH 7-7.5 to the alkaline waste water to precipitate humic substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Jonni Ahlgren, Sakari Halttunen, Jussi Ruotsalainen, Maria Luhtala, Miia Niemelä