Patents Examined by Brian W Cohen
  • Patent number: 11603599
    Abstract: A system for synthesizing ammonia includes a reactor including an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and an energy source arranged to deliver energy to one or more reactants receivable through the inlet portion of the reactor, and the energy source activatable to reduce nitrogen to ammonia in the presence of hydrogen, at least one hydrogen pump in fluid communication with the outlet portion of the reactor, each hydrogen pump including at least one electrochemical cell, and a recirculation circuit in fluid communication between the at least one hydrogen pump and the inlet portion of the reactor and configured to direct a respective hydrogen stream from each hydrogen pump to the inlet portion of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ohmium International, Inc.
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah
  • Patent number: 11578415
    Abstract: Disclosed are membrane electrode assemblies having a cathode layer comprising a carbon oxide reduction catalyst that promotes reduction of a carbon oxide; an anode layer comprising a catalyst that promotes oxidation of a water; a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) layer disposed between, and in contact with, the cathode layer and the anode layer; and a salt having a concentration of at least about 10 uM in at least a portion of the MEA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Twelve Benefit Corporation
    Inventors: Etosha R. Cave, Sichao Ma, Qun Zeng, Sara Hunegnaw, Kendra P. Kuhl, George Leonard, Ashley D. Mishra, Ajay R. Kashi
  • Patent number: 11572630
    Abstract: The present invention provides a water electrolysis method comprising: supplying at least water into an electrolysis cell which includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and an anode and a cathode disposed sandwiching the solid polymer electrolyte membrane therebetween; and providing a potential P between the anode and the cathode to generate oxygen from the anode, wherein an oxidation catalyst containing at least one of first transition metals is present on at least a part of a surface of the anode, and the potential P satisfies P1<P<P2, wherein P1 indicates a lowest potential at which oxygen is generated from the anode, and P2 indicates a lowest potential P2 at which a quantitative index of a dissolved chemical species derived from the oxidation catalyst begins to show potential dependence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: RIKEN
    Inventors: Ryuhei Nakamura, Hideshi Ooka, Nadege Bonnet, Ailong Li, Shuang Kong, Hongxian Han
  • Patent number: 11560631
    Abstract: A method of producing graphene sheets from coke or coal powder, comprising: (a) forming an intercalated coke or coal compound by electrochemical intercalation conducted in an intercalation reactor, which contains (i) a liquid solution electrolyte comprising an intercalating agent; (ii) a working electrode that contains the powder in ionic contact with the liquid electrolyte, wherein the coke or coal powder is selected from petroleum coke, coal-derived coke, meso-phase coke, synthetic coke, leonardite, lignite coal, or natural coal mineral powder; and (iii) a counter electrode in ionic contact with the electrolyte, and wherein a current is imposed upon the working electrode and the counter electrode for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent into the powder; and (b) exfoliating and separating graphene planes from the intercalated coke or coal compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, mechanical shearing treatment, or a combination thereof to produce isolated graphen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11555253
    Abstract: In a plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus and a method of plasma electrolytic oxidation using the plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus, the plasma electrolytic oxidation apparatus includes a chamber and an electrode unit. The chamber is configured to receive an electrolyte. The electrode unit is configured to receive the electrolyte from the chamber and to treat an object with a plasma electrolytic oxidation treatment. The electrode unit includes an electrode, an enclosing part and a cover. The electrode is configured to receive a voltage from outside, and to form a receiving space in which the electrolyte is received between the electrode and the object. The enclosing part is configured to enclose a gap between the electrode and the object. The cover is configured to cover the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hun-su Lee, Jaewoo Kim, Un-Seok Jung, Yoonsang Kim, Yongchae Jung, Jaesang Yu, Yongseok Choi
  • Patent number: 11549186
    Abstract: An electrochemical process implements, in a decoupled manner, a first step of electrolysis of an electrolyte to produce gaseous oxygen in a chamber and a second step of electrochemical conversion of H+ ions into gaseous hydrogen in a chamber which contains a liquid phase and a gas phase not dissolved in the liquid phase. Gaseous hydrogen produced in the conversion step is partly present in the gaseous headspace of chamber and as bubbles in the electrolyte, and partly dissolved in the electrolyte which is saturated with hydrogen. The electrolyte has at least one redox pair (A/B) forming at least one intermediate vector enabling the decoupling of the first and second steps. The interface between the gas and liquid phases is increased during the second step to accelerate the diffusion, from liquid phase to gas phase, of the dissolved hydrogen able to supersaturate the electrolyte. Pressurized gaseous hydrogen is then collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ERGOSUP
    Inventors: Vincent Bizouard, Elisa Grindler, Jocelyn Polet
  • Patent number: 11549194
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrolyte for electropolishing metal surfaces, said electrolyte comprising methanesulphonic acid and additionally at least one phosphonic acid, as well as to an electropolishing method for same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Hirtenberger Engineered Surfaces GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hansal, Selma Hansal, Gabriela Sandulache
  • Patent number: 11549188
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an anion exchange membrane disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first metal mesh, a first catalyst layer wrapping the first metal mesh, a second metal mesh, and a second catalyst layer wrapping the second metal mesh. The first metal mesh is disposed between the anion exchange membrane and the second metal mesh. The second metal mesh is thicker than the first metal mesh, and the first catalyst layer is thicker than the second catalyst layer. The second catalyst layer is iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, platinum, gold, or aluminum. The second catalyst layer is crystalline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsin Lin, Hsiao-Chun Huang, Li-Duan Tsai, Hao-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 11542443
    Abstract: A desalter/dehydrator system that comprises a pressure vessel, and first and second distribution headers disposed within the pressure vessel. The first distribution header is configured to inject an oil/water emulsion at a location within an electric field generated within the pressure vessel. The second distribution header is configured to inject the oil/water emulsion at a location below an electric field generated within the pressure vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventors: Merlin Thomas Collins, Jr., James Eugene Batchelor, Jonathan Carter Boul
  • Patent number: 11534706
    Abstract: The invention relates to devices for purifying hydraulic and dielectric fluids (oils and fuels) of mechanical impurities. Electric filter for purifying hydraulic and dielectric fluids comprises a housing with an inlet pipe and outlet pipe, high-voltage power supply, composite unit disposed inside the housing and consisting of current-carrying plates and dielectric spacers with apertures for current-carrying and heavy-duty fastening elements, a front plug and rear plug, and current-carrying and heavy-duty fastening elements, wherein the surface of the current-carrying plates is provided with a porous ceramic dielectric coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SCIENCE & PRACTICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
    Inventors: Nikolay Anatolevich Tuz, Denis Valerevich Kurganov
  • Patent number: 11512407
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a device for laser-assisted electrochemical composite deposition using a rifling-type hollow rotating electrode, which relate to the field of micro-composite processing in special processing technologies. A center of a laser beam is allowed to pass through a rifling-type hollow rotating electrode and focus onto a cathode substrate. When the rifling-type hollow rotating electrode is rotated at a constant speed, an electrodeposition solution rotates in the rifling-type hollow rotating electrode and generates a certain centripetal force to improve the precision and localization of deposition. During the process of the present invention, an internal rifling structure of the electrode is rotated at a high speed so that the deposition solution generates a centripetal force. The internal rifling structure and an external helical structure of the rifling-type hollow rotating electrode make the deposition solution move upward to form a “self-circulation” system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Jiangsu University
    Inventors: Zhaoyang Zhang, Yucheng Wu, Kun Xu, Xueren Dai, Shuai Yang, Sheng Guo, Douyan Zhao
  • Patent number: 11505870
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for efficiently spitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using a nanocomposite that includes ((BiVO4)x—(TiO2)1-x, wherein x ranges from 0.08 to 0.12, and optionally silver nanoparticles; methods for making a nanocomposite used in this method by a simple solvothermal method; and to photoanodes and photoelectrochemical cells and devices containing the nanocomposites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Safyan A. Khan, Shahid Ali, Manzar Sohail, Ibrahim Khan, Mohamed A. Morsy
  • Patent number: 11505872
    Abstract: A gas production apparatus including: an electrolysis vessel; first and second electrolyte circulation systems; and an electrolyte exchanger, the first/second electrolyte circulation system including: a first/second circulation tank receiving and storing a first/second electrolyte flowing out from an anode chamber/a cathode chamber; and a first/second circulation pump supplying the first/second electrolyte to the anode chamber/the cathode chamber, the electrolyte exchanger transferring part of the first electrolyte existing in the first electrolyte circulation system into the second electrolyte circulation system on one hand, and transferring part of the second electrolyte existing in the second electrolyte circulation system into the first electrolyte circulation system on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Tanaka, Yoshikazu Kodama, Daisuke Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11500401
    Abstract: A passive dual modulating regulator that responds to a pressure differential between a hydrogen-side and an oxygen-side of one or more proton-exchange membrane (PEM) cells is provided. The passive dual modulating regulator includes a flexible diaphragm that is clamped along its periphery between hemispherical chambers. A bi-directional valve assembly extends through the flexible diaphragm and includes opposing valve plugs for selectively closing the output ports of the respective hemispherical chambers. Large or sustained pressure imbalances between the hydrogen-side and the oxygen-side of a hydrogen generation system are avoided without active control inputs of any kind, and consequently a rupture of the PEM is entirely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: LG, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon J Marsh, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11492301
    Abstract: An object is to provide a methane synthesis device having as a whole a reduced size and a simplified configuration. A methane synthesis device 100 is composed of respective components from an end plate 2 at the leftmost side to an end plate 23 at the rightmost side and is compactly assembled by fastening plural bolts and nuts to bring these individual components into tightly contact with each other. The components may be divided into a Sabatier reaction unit of signs 3 to 9, a water electrolysis unit of signs 13 to 19, and other components. Hydrogen gas generated in the water electrolysis unit is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and supplied to the Sabatier reaction unit, and methane is synthesized in the Sabatier reaction unit. The size of the device is reduced as a whole and configuration is simplified by integrally stacking the water electrolysis unit, the Sabatier reaction unit, a carbon dioxide supplying unit, and a hydrogen gas supplying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Omar Mendoza, Asuka Shima, Takayuki Abe, Mitsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Motohiko Sato
  • Patent number: 11492712
    Abstract: An anode mounting member (16) of a fluorine electrolytic cell including: a plurality of stacked annular packings surrounding a sidewall of a cylindrical anode packing gland (14); a cylindrical exterior member (23) surrounding an outer periphery of the packings; and an annular fastening member (24) that fastens the plurality of packings and the exterior member (23) to the anode packing gland (14), wherein among the packings a first ceramic packing (17) is located at an end of the longitudinal direction on an electrolyte tank side, and a second resin packing (18) is adjacent to the first packing (17), central axes of the anode packing gland (14) and the exterior member (23) coincide, an inner diameter (17r) is 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm larger than an outer diameter (14R), and an outer diameter (17R) is 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm smaller than an inner diameter (23r).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Yohsuke Fukuchi, Nozomi Inoue, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11492722
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor apparatus and a potential measuring apparatus capable of preventing deterioration in signal characteristics due to parasitic capacitance caused by providing a configuration for realizing an electrode plating process when an electrode and an amplifier are provided on the same substrate. When a power source supplies a potential necessary for plating processing and a breaker reads a signal from liquid, and an amplifier amplifies and outputs the signal, the power source required for the plating processing is blocked with respect to the electrode. This is applicable to the potential measuring apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Sato, Machiko Kametani, Jun Ogi, Yuri Kato
  • Patent number: 11479869
    Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus for the electrolytic production of oxygen from oxide-containing starting material includes at least one cathode which at least partly delimits a receiving region which in at least one operation state is configured for receiving the oxide-containing starting material and at least one anode, wherein the electrolysis apparatus has at least one selective oxygen pump which is at least partly realized integrally with the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Haeming, Achim Seidel, Uwe Zell
  • Patent number: 11476057
    Abstract: A chemical etch is performed on a sheet of material. An electrochemical etch is performed on the sheet of material after the chemical etch is performed on the sheet of material. A capacitor is fabricated such that an electrode included in the capacitor includes material from the sheet of material after the electrochemical etch was performed on the sheet of material. In some instances, the chemical etch included at least partially immersing the sheet of material in an etch bath that includes molybdenum. Additionally or alternately, the chemical etch can be performed for a period of time less than 60 s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin King, Ralph Jason Hemphill, Timothy Marshall, David Bowen
  • Patent number: 11473206
    Abstract: Provided are a photocatalyst, a method for preparing the same, and a water splitting apparatus including the same. Without using an additional device, a photoelectrode with improved current density may be obtained through visible light absorption using the upconversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SOGANG UNIVERSITY RESEARCH & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jun Hyuk Moon, Dong Ho Choi