Patents Examined by Frank Lawrence
  • Patent number: 9744495
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for removing nano-particulates from a gas. The systems may include a chamber to contain the particulate-containing gas, a source of the gas, a source of water vapor, a source of a supersonic gas, and at least one ultrasonic transducer in contact with the chamber. The chamber may also include one or more receptacles to receive the particulates. The methods may include introducing the particulate-containing gas and the water vapor into the chamber. A gas may be introduced into the chamber at supersonic speeds thereby cooling the water vapor to form nucleating ice crystals. The ultrasonic transducers may then introduce ultrasonic power into the chamber thereby causing the particulates to contact the ice crystals. The nucleating crystals, with their attached particulates, may then fall under gravity to be captured in the receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Nanjing University
    Inventors: Juan Tu, Han Lin, Bin Liang
  • Patent number: 9744521
    Abstract: Structured adsorbent beds comprising a high cell density substrate, such as greater than about 1040 cpsi, and a coating comprising adsorbent particles, such as DDR and a binder, such as SiO2 are provided herein. Methods of preparing the structured adsorbent bed and gas separation processes using the structured adsorbent bed are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: John F. Brody, Daniel P. Leta, Tracy Alan Fowler, Stephanie A. Freeman, Joshua I. Cutler
  • Patent number: 9738539
    Abstract: This invention refers to a microporous crystalline material of zeolitic nature that has, in its calcined state and in the absence of defects in its crystalline matrix manifested by the presence of silanols, the empirical formula x(M1/nXO2):yYO2:gGeO2:(1?g)SiO2 in which M is selected between H+, at least one inorganic cation of charge +n, and a mixture of both, X is at least one chemical element of oxidation state +3, Y is at least one chemical element with oxidation state +4 different from Si, x takes a value between 0 and 0.2, both included, y takes a value between 0 and 0.1, both included, g takes a value between 0 and 0.5, both included that has been denoted ITQ-55, as well as a method for its preparation. This invention also relates to uses of the crystalline material of zeolitic nature for adsorption of fluid components, membrane separation of fluid components, storage of fluid components, and catalysis of various conversion reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Edward W. Corcoran, Jr., Pavel Kortunov, Charanjit S. Paur, Peter I. Ravikovitch, Yu Wang, Avelino Corma Canos, Fernando Rey Garcia, Susana Valencia Valencia, Angel Cantín Sanz, Miguel Palomino Roca
  • Patent number: 9737846
    Abstract: Adsorbent materials comprising a core, for example CHA, and at least one coating, for example DDR, are provided herein. Adsorbent contactors and gas separation processes using the adsorbent materials are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Barbara Carstensen, Daniel P. Leta, Preeti Kamakoti, Peter Ravikovitch, Joshua Varon, Tilman Wolfram Beutel, Karl Gottlieb Strohmaier, Ivy Dawn Johnson, Harry W. Deckman, Frank Cheng-Yu Wang, Charanjit Singh Paur
  • Patent number: 9737843
    Abstract: A fuel tank cap includes a casing; a main chamber disposed in the casing; a vapor vent channel disposed in the casing and communicating with the main chamber; annular partition walls disposed in the main chamber and configured to divide the main chamber into troughs, each partition wall including a cut so that the troughs are capable of communicating with each other via the cut; and activated carbon filled in the troughs. The vapor vent channel includes the cuts and the troughs. The activated carbon captures fuel vapors and absorbs VOCs in the fuel vapors when the fuel vapors pass through the vapor vent channel. The invention eliminates the low efficiency problem of capturing the harmful VOCs of the fuel vapors by the conventional activated carbon canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SENTEC E&E CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Chou, Chia-Ming Yu
  • Patent number: 9737236
    Abstract: A gas concentration apparatus and a method of operating the gas concentration apparatus are provided. The gas concentration apparatus includes a gas concentration module. The gas concentration module includes a base component having a chamber configured to accommodate carbon foam, a gas inlet connected to one side of the chamber, a gas outlet connected to the other side of the chamber, and a heating device disposed on at least one side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Kookmin University Industry Academy Cooperation Fo
    Inventors: Si-Hyung Lim, Janghyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 9731242
    Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption apparatus having: a housing with an arc-shaped inner surface, the housing being arranged with at least one gas inlet, at least one exhaust port and at least one gas outlet for discharging the separated gas; a rotor arranged in the housing, at least two contact ends being arranged on the rotor for maintaining a non-stop sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing, individual cavities, i.e., air cavities between the adjacent contact ends and formed between the external surface of the rotor and the inner surface of the housing, and each air cavity being separated by the contact ends; adsorption chambers set inside the rotor as parts of the rotor and rotated along with the rotor, molecular sieves being loaded in the interior of the adsorption chambers, and the adsorption chambers being provided with screen openings for connection with the air cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: IP TECH Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: XiaoShan Zhou, Ming Sun, Ji Lei
  • Patent number: 9731243
    Abstract: A low pressure re-absorber is integrated with a sulfur-rich solvent flash drum or a sulfur-rich solvent stripping column in a solvent acid gas removal process that provides for sufficient sulfur concentration for the downstream sulfur recovery unit. In another aspect of the invention, carbon dioxide containing or carbon dioxide rich gas streams that are at a lower temperature relative to a lean solvent stream are used to cool those lean solvent streams and then optionally to cool other process streams, to save energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoming Wen, Edward P. Zbacnik, Saadet Ulas Acikgoz, Lubo Zhou
  • Patent number: 9732649
    Abstract: An evaporative emission control canister system comprises an initial adsorbent volume having an effective incremental adsorption capacity at 25° C. of greater than 35 grams n-butane/L between vapor concentration of 5 vol % and 50 vol % n-butane, and at least one subsequent adsorbent volume having an effective incremental adsorption capacity at 25° C. of less than 35 grams n-butane/L between vapor concentration of 5 vol % and 50 vol % n-butane, an effective butane working capacity (BWC) of less than 3 g/dL, and a g-total BWC of between 2 grams and 6 grams. The evaporative emission control canister system has a two-day diurnal breathing loss (DBL) emissions of no more than 20 mg at no more than 210 liters of purge applied after the 40 g/hr butane loading step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Ingevity South Carolina, LLC
    Inventors: Laurence H. Hiltzik, Peter D. McCrae, James R. Miller, Roger S. Williams
  • Patent number: 9724636
    Abstract: A regenerative air dryer system including a plurality of air dryer modules, wherein air dryer modules of the plurality of air dryer modules have different air flow rates. A controller selectively operates different combinations of air dryer modules of the plurality of air dryer modules so that a selected combination of air dryer modules has a combined air flow rate based on system air flow requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Suburban Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Ericson, Brad Barger
  • Patent number: 9718022
    Abstract: A device for producing purified oxygen, has a feed (1, 1?) of a mixture of oxygen and argon, and has at least one bed (2, 2A, 2B) of oxygen adsorption material, a purge (3, 3?) for discharging the separated argon and a circuit (4, 4?) for injecting a portion of the purified oxygen produced, into the feed (1, 1?). The device has a programmable logic controller (PLC) for treating the degree of purity and/or the production flow rate that can be set by the user and a control of said purge (3, 3?) as a function of the degree of purity of the purified oxygen and/or of the production flow rate which are desired by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Bernard Zenou, Laurent Zenou
  • Patent number: 9718008
    Abstract: An example nonlimiting embodiment of the present invention provides a flow divider that includes a slurry receiving compartment and a discharge arrangement having a plurality of discharge apertures. The slurry receiving compartment is arranged to relatively uniformly flow a portion of a slurry into each of the discharge apertures. The discharge apertures may be arranged linearly and/or horizontally such that the portions of the slurry exits each of the discharge apertures at a relatively even flow rate and feed feed boxes connected to vertically tiered screening surfaces of a screening machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Derrick Corporation
    Inventors: Mike Peresan, James Colgrove
  • Patent number: 9717876
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of an oxygen concentrator system that includes a home oxygen concentrator system couplable to a portable oxygen concentrator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Inova Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Wilkinson, Dragan Nebrigic
  • Patent number: 9713780
    Abstract: A compact rotating separator apparatus to which a fluid stream containing gas, two liquids of different density, and solids is supplied via nozzles or exhaust from a process component; and which employs high centrifugal forces to produce pure streams of the gas, each of the liquids, and a waste stream containing the solids. The energy in the fluid stream is converted to shaft power in the rotating separator apparatus and can be used to generate power. Oil, gas, water and solids from a production well can be directly separated into the constituent streams while producing useful power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Energent Corporation
    Inventors: Lance G. Hays, Shawn Barge
  • Patent number: 9713787
    Abstract: The embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to adsorbent beds, adsorbent contactors, and methods of using same. The disclosure includes polymer filaments that include an adsorbent particle, such as a zeolite, metal oxide, metal organic framework. A plurality of fibers composed of the polymer filaments can be formed into an adsorbent bed for use in pressure swing and/or temperature swing adsorption processes. The plurality of fibers can be packed into a bed randomly, spirally wound, or woven into a fabric that can be formed into a contacting structure. The adsorbent particle can be contained within the polymer filament and can interact with a medium having a component for adsorption by being in fluid communication with the medium via tortuous pathways within the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Tracie L. Owens, Daniel P. Leta
  • Patent number: 9708188
    Abstract: Methods and systems for purifying argon from a crude argon stream are disclosed, employing pressure swing adsorption at cold temperatures from ?186° C. to ?20° C.; more preferably from ?150° C. to ?50° C.; and most preferably from ?130° C. to ?80° C. with oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent. In some embodiments, the oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent is a 4A zeolite, a chabazite, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Roger Dean Whitley, Garret Chi-Ho Lau, David Ross Graham, Donn Michael Herron, Qiao Zhao, Erin Marie Sorensen
  • Patent number: 9702322
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus includes a case and a heating unit removably attached to the case by a twist lock structure. The case has a tank port and a purge port and contains an adsorbent therein. The tank port communicates with a fuel tank. The purge port communicates with an internal combustion engine. The heating unit has an atmospheric port and a heater. The atmospheric port is open to the atmosphere. The heater is disposed between the atmospheric port and the adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Makino, Osamu Fujimura
  • Patent number: 9700829
    Abstract: A method of trapping or capturing zinc is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises a step of contacting a zinc vapor with a zinc getter material. The zinc getter material comprises nanoparticles and a metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Simona E. Hunyadi Murph, Paul S. Korinko
  • Patent number: 9694311
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a product gas are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one separation bed to separate adsorbable components from a gas source, a valving means to selectively direct gas from the gas source to the at least one separation bed, at least one sensing device associated with the at least one separation bed to sense the progress of an adsorption zone within the separation bed, and a controller. The controller includes logic to read the output of the at least one sensing device and control the gas separation process based on the progress of the adsorption zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Invacare Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph B. Richey, II, William J. Daniels
  • Patent number: 9697921
    Abstract: A ventilation system operating method for a service personnel-accessible operations room or control room in a nuclear plant or nuclear power plant enables a supply of decontaminated fresh air at least for a few hours in the event of serious incidents involving the release of radioactive activity. The content of radioactive inert gases in the fresh air supplied to the operations room should be as low as possible. Therefore, an air supply line is guided from an external inlet to the operations room, a first fan and a first inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air supply line, an air discharge line is guided from the operations room to an external outlet, a second fan and a second inert gas adsorber column are connected into the air discharge line, and a switchover device interchanges the roles of the first and second inert gas adsorber columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Areva GmbH
    Inventor: Axel Hill