Patents Examined by Douglas J. Theisen
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Patent number: 8070865Abstract: A vacuum vessel for continuous or semi-continuous treatment of oils in connection with deodorization comprises spaces (12, 121, 122) through which oil to be treated is brought to pass and means to heat or cool the oil in the form of U-tubes. There are perforated pipes (26) arranged at the bottom of said spaces to lead stripping gas into said oil. The vessel has a connection to a vacuum source (7). The spaces in the vessel are arranged such that the oil to be treated in the vessel flows through the same by gravity. The heating or cooling medium passing the U-tubes is arranged to be pumped therethrough. The U-tubes for heating or cooling medium are arranged in such a way in said spaces that the flow of oil is counter-current to the flow of heating or cooling medium all through the vessel and a number of U-tubes are arranged in groups (13), parallel and in rows above each other in said spaces.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2006Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Alfa Laval Corporate ABInventor: Bjarne Gullov-Rasmussen
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Patent number: 8016920Abstract: A riser-based slug control system and a method of controlling slugging in a fluid flowing through a riser are provided. The system includes a gas-liquid separation separator that has a housing defining an internal volume. An inclined inlet is connected to the housing and configured to receive a flow of multiphase fluid and direct the flow of fluid into the housing so that the fluid flows spirally in the volume and separates, with gas from the fluid collecting in an upper portion of the volume and liquid from the fluid collecting in a lower portion of the volume. A tubular passage, which extends at least partially through the internal volume of the housing, defines a plurality of orifices. The tubular passage is configured to receive liquid from the lower portion of the volume and gas from upper portion of the volume, and deliver the mixture of the combined liquid and gas through an outlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.Inventors: Gene E. Kouba, Shoubo Wang
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Patent number: 8002878Abstract: A method and cyclonic separator are disclosed for degassing a fluid mixture comprising a carrier liquid and one or more gaseous and/or vaporizable components, wherein: —the fluid mixture is accelerated in a throat section (6) of a vortex tube (1) such that the static pressure of the fluid mixture is decreased and vaporizable components evaporate into a gaseous phase; —the accelerated fluid mixture is induced to swirl within the vortex tube such that the fluid mixture is separated by centrifugal forces into a degassed liquid fraction and a gas enriched fraction; —the degassed liquid fraction is induced to flow into a liquid outlet conduit (4) which is located at or near the outer circumference of the vortex tube (1); and—the gas enriched fraction is induced to flow into a gas outlet conduit (3) which is located at or near a central axis of the vortex tube (1).Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2005Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Shell Oil CompanyInventors: Marco Betting, Gerhardus Willem Colenbrander, Michael Alvin Curole, Theodorus Cornelis Klaver, Eric Johannes Puik
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Patent number: 7988772Abstract: An air/oil separator includes a housing having an inlet for aerated oil or hydraulic fluid and outlets for the separated air and oil or fluid. The housing is generally cylindrical and defines an upper, inlet portion, a center, separator portion and a lower collector portion. The upper, inlet portion of the housing includes a first, tangential inlet passageway which merges with a second, spiral or circular passageway. The spiral or circular passageway communicates with the cyclonic separator portion which may be either cylindrical or frusto-conical. A coaxial outlet in the upper, inlet portion allows separated air to return to the engine or transmission housing while an outlet in the lower, collector portion returns oil or hydraulic fluid to the device.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Pete R Garcia
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Patent number: 7985283Abstract: A system for at least partially de-aerating a hydraulic fluid in a transmission includes a plurality of transmission components, a first reservoir for receiving de-aerated hydraulic fluid, a first pump in communication with the first reservoir and operable to pump the de-aerated hydraulic fluid to the plurality of transmission components, a second reservoir for receiving aerated hydraulic fluid from the plurality of transmission components, a second pump in communication with the second reservoir and operable to pump the aerated hydraulic fluid from the second reservoir, and a separator for receiving the aerated hydraulic fluid from the second pump and operable to de-aerate the aerated hydraulic fluid and communicate the de-aerated hydraulic fluid to the first reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2008Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Gm Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Pete R Garcia
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Patent number: 7967892Abstract: A water deaerating system and method are provided. The first end of an open-ended conduit is placed beneath the surface of a body of oxygen-rich water. The conduit extends into a housing and where the second end of the conduit resides at a location in the housing that is above the surface of the body of oxygen-rich water. A vacuum is applied to a spatial region defined within the housing above the location of the second end of the conduit. The oxygen-rich water is pumped through the conduit and exits the second end of the conduit to enter the spatial region of the housing. The oxygen-rich water descends through the housing due to gravity. The oxygen-rich water's descension is interrupted and the vacuum operates to remove oxygen from the oxygen-rich water so-descending to generate oxygen-depleted water.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Sea Knight CorporationInventors: Claude R. Thompson, William M. Lechler, Neil F. Marshall
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Patent number: 7955421Abstract: A degasser having a flapper opening including a hinge. The hinge may permit purging of any liquids and solids without regular human intervention. There may be a fixed opening at the base of the degasser, such that there is a constant emptying from the bottom of the tank. The separation of gas from liquid may be involved in applications pertaining to pulping and oxygen delignification.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2008Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Andritz Inc.Inventors: Tyson Bradford Hunt, Jerry M. Floyd
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Patent number: 7947122Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving the efficiency of gas removal wherein gas-enriched process liquid (2) is introduced tangentially into a vertical essentially cylindrical vessel (1) and thereafter removed at the bottom of the vessel. By means of centrifugal force gas (2d) is brought to enrich in a part (2a, 2b) of the liquid (2). This part (2a) of liquid (2) having an enriched gas content (2c) is redirected to at least one vertical means (7) arranged centrally in the vessel (1), and separately removed therefrom. The present invention also relates to a de-gassing arrangement in an arrangement including at least one vertical essentially cylindrical vessel (1). Said vessel (1) includes at least one tangentially arranged inlet (4) for gas-enriched liquid and at least one discharge (6) for de-gassed liquid, which discharge is arranged at the lower portion of the vessel (1).Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2005Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Pom Technology Oy ABInventor: Paul Olof Meinander
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Patent number: 7918924Abstract: A 3-dimensional air bubble trapping apparatus includes a plurality of chambers, each having an inflow and outflow channel at both ends, and which traps air bubbles in a material introduced through the inflow channel, wherein the chambers are divided into a previous chamber and a next chamber based on a moving direction of the material in the chamber, and wherein the outflow channel of the previous chamber is connected to the inflow channel of the next chamber, and wherein a face perpendicular to an outflow direction of the material in the outflow channel of the previous chamber is not disposed parallel with a face perpendicular to the outflow direction of the material in the outflow channel of the next chamber, whereby air bubbles in the material are trapped without being affected by an angle defined by a gravity direction and vibration of the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2008Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hun Joo Lee, Soo Suk Lee, Soo Hyung Choi
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Patent number: 7905945Abstract: A fluid dispensing system includes a dispensing pump that receives a flow of material and a dispense tip coupled to the dispensing pump. The dispense tip delivers the material to a substrate. The fluid dispensing system further includes a vacuum unit that draws a vacuum on the material in the fluid dispensing system.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: DL Technology, LLC.Inventor: Jeffrey P. Fugere
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Patent number: 7901492Abstract: A device in connection with a pipe separator. The pipe separator comprising an extended tubular body (1) with a diameter that is principally the same as or slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet pipe (3) of the pipe separator. A gas manifold (2) is arranged in connection with the inlet pipe. The manifold (2) includes a number of vertical degassing pipes (7), which are connected to the supply pipe (3) immediately ahead of the inlet to the separator and which end in an overlying, preferably slightly inclined gas collection pipe (6). The manifold is designed so that the gas will be diverted up through the vertical degassing pipes and collected in the gas collection pipe (6) for return to the outlet pipe after the separator or transported onwards to a gas tank or gas processing plant or the like.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Norsk Hydro ASAInventors: Per Eivind Gramme, Gunnar Hannibal Lie
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Patent number: 7892331Abstract: A dialysis fluid cassette includes a rigid portion defining at least one valve chamber, the rigid portion further defining an air separation chamber, the air separation chamber when in an operating position including a first sidewall and a second sidewall, a first fluid opening, a second fluid opening, and a separation wall extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, the separation wall having a free edge residing within the air separation chamber, the separation wall forcing the dialysis fluid to flow from one of the fluid openings around the free edge of the separation wall to the other of the openings.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Donald D. Busby, Michael E. Hogard, Michael R. Prisco, Atif M. Yardimci, James C. Laird
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Patent number: 7892332Abstract: A dialysis fluid cassette includes a rigid portion defining first and second valve chambers, the rigid portion further defining an air separation chamber in fluid communication with the first and second valve chambers, the air separation chamber including a baffle and structured such that when the cassette is placed in a dialysis instrument, (i) the baffle extends upwardly from a bottom of the air separation chamber and (ii) first and second openings to the air separation chamber, communicating fluidly and respectively with the first and second valve chambers, are located near the bottom of the air separation chamber, such that the dialysis fluid is forced up one side of the baffle and down the other side of the baffle when flowing through the air separation chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.Inventors: Michael R. Prisco, Atif M. Yardimci, Serhan Acikgoz, James C. Laird, Shincy J. Maliekkal, Justin B. Rohde
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Patent number: 7887621Abstract: The invention relates to a device which comprises a channel (1) carrying a flowable medium. The due operation and/or maintenance of the device is associated with the formation of inclusions (3) inside the channel (1) of a fluid or gas distinct from the aforementioned medium. The channel (1) is configured in such a manner that the inclusions are moved towards a channel exit (4) by capillary forces. The invention also relates to a method for removing inclusions (3) from corresponding devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2006Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.Inventors: Peter Koltay, Christian Litterst, Steffen Eccarius
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Patent number: 7883567Abstract: The deaerating and dissolving apparatus or the deaerating and dissolving method includes: a pipe which is configured to feed a liquid; a flow rate control section which is provided to a middle portion of the pipe and is configured to feed the liquid at a predetermined flow rate to a downstream side; a cavity forming section which is provided to a middle portion of the pipe downstream of the flow rate control section and is configured to produce a stationary cavity which is in contact with the liquid, and a pressurization or depressurization section which pressurizes or depressurizes the inside of the cavity, wherein the liquid is deaerated when the inside of the cavity is depressurized with the pressurization or depressurization section, and a gas is dissolved into the liquid when the inside of the cavity is pressurized with the gas supplied through the pressurization or depressurization section.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: National University Corporation Okayama UniversityInventor: Seiichi Washio
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Patent number: 7871462Abstract: A dialysis fluid cassette includes a rigid portion defining at least one valve chamber, the rigid portion further defining an air separation chamber, the air separation chamber when in an operating position including an inner surface, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and configured to cause a dialysis fluid to spiral around the inner surface toward the fluid outlet, such that air is removed from the dialysis fluid.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.Inventors: Atif M. Yardimci, James C. Laird
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Patent number: 7871461Abstract: A bubble separator capable of performing efficient bubble separation with a compact and simple structure is provided. The bubble separator includes a centrifugal bubble separating mechanism and an auxiliary bubble separating mechanism. The centrifugal bubble separating mechanism has a first bubble separator body in which a first fluid introducing part, a first fluid discharging part, and a first gas discharging part are provided. The auxiliary bubble separating mechanism has a guiding portion, a second bubble separator body, a second fluid introducing part, a second fluid discharging part, and a second gas discharging part. According to the bubble separator of the present invention, in addition to minuscule bubbles it is also possible to separate large bubbles that could not be completely separated using the centrifugal bubble separating mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasuhiro Saito
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Patent number: 7850767Abstract: An anti-foaming degassing device for use in fuel dispensing equipment, having: a circulating pump (1) for the fuel, a vortex degassing enclosure (2) connected to the outlet of the pump (1) and provided with a lateral outlet pipe (8) for the degassed fuel and with an axial outlet pipe (9) for a gas-enriched fraction of fuel, a separating vessel (3) connected to the axial outlet pipe (9) in which the liquid fuel is separated by gravity before being transferred back to the pump (1), and control means (20) making it possible to vary the flow rate of the fraction collected by the axial outlet pipe (9) according to its gas content. The axial outlet pipe (9) opens in the lower part of the separating vessel (3), into the gravity-separated liquid fuel, in such a way as to prevent the formation of foam in this vessel.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Tokheim Holding BVInventor: Franck Christian Bizien
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Patent number: 7842123Abstract: Apparatus (20) for removing gas bubbles from a liquid to be infused to a patient wherein a gas trap (42) is located at the upper end of a vertical column (38, 40, 40a) having a lower inlet (44) and an upper outlet (56). A bracket (39) supports the column above the patient, and a bubble-separator (46, 39a, 47, 66, 63), positioned between the inlet and the outlet, causes gas bubbles to move toward the column axis as they rise so that they are captured in the gas trap (42). Liquid to be de-gasified is supplied from a vertical level above the column outlet and is delivered through the side outlet (56) to the patient below.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2009Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Inventors: Ehud Milo, Simcha Milo
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Patent number: 7837769Abstract: Disclosed is a compressed air powered vacuum mechanism and method for enabling a user to lower atmospheric pressure in enclosed containers and thereby remove carbon dioxide and other entrained gasses from fluids, in this instance wine, in multiple enclosed containers. In a short time, the resulting wine will improve in taste and aroma and clarity, an improvement normally associated with wine that has been naturally aged for many months. A compressed air driven vacuum generator reduces the atmospheric pressure above the wine. When the atmospheric pressure is low enough the entrained gasses will quickly boil off the enclosed wine at room temperatures, disassociating from the fluid, without harming the wine. There are instances in the processing of wine and in keeping containers of food and drink fresh, where following the removing of gasses from the enclosed containers that the vacuum must be retained. This is optionally accomplished with a vacuum retaining on/off mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2008Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Inventor: Rhone Daniel Lahr