Patents Examined by Harry D. Wilkins, III
  • Patent number: 12203179
    Abstract: A method includes providing raw water into a first filter assembly to remove solids from the raw water to form a filtrate, providing the filtrate from the first filter assembly into a second filter assembly to electrochemically remove ionics from the filtrate to form purified water, and providing the purified water to an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen by electrolyzing the purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Ohmium International, Inc.
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Ramesh Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 12203181
    Abstract: A bipolar plate for an electrochemical reactor, including at least one anode sheet and one cathode sheet, each having an internal face and an external face, the anode and cathode sheets being in contact with each other via their internal face, each anode and cathode sheet including, on its external face, channels for circulating reactive fluids, the channels demarcating, at the internal faces of the anode and cathode sheets, cooling pipes for a flow of a heat transfer fluid, the channels of the anode and cathode sheets including alternating bosses and indentations, the bosses of the anode sheet being arranged in a staggered manner and the bosses of the cathode sheet being arranged in a staggered manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventor: Jean-Philippe Poirot-Crouvezier
  • Patent number: 12203184
    Abstract: A system for a multi-chambered electrochemical cell for carbon dioxide removal includes an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell includes an anodic chamber at a first end of the electrochemical cell, which includes an anode. The electrochemical cell includes an acid swing chamber adjacent to the anodic chamber and separated by a cation exchange membrane. The electrochemical cell includes a desalination chamber separated from the acid swing chamber by a anion exchange membrane. The electrochemical cell includes a base swing chamber in fluid communication with the acid swing chamber and the desalination chamber. The base swing chamber is adjacent to the desalination chamber and separated by a cation exchange membrane. The electrochemical cell includes a cathodic chamber at a second end of the electrochemical cell, the cathodic chamber comprising a cathode, wherein the cathodic chamber is adjacent to the base swing chamber and separated by a second anion exchange membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Dante Simonetti, Gaurav Sant, David Jassby, Yenwen Tseng, Andrew Liotta, John Buttles, Maryam Haddad
  • Patent number: 12188141
    Abstract: A process for electrowinning a metal using a flow-through electrowinning apparatus can include the steps of: a) conveying an anolyte material and a metal chemical feedstock material along an anolyte flow path within an anolyte chamber; b) conveying catholyte material along a catholyte flow path within a catholyte chamber that has a cathode; c) applying an activation electric potential between the anode and a cathode that is sufficient to electrolyze and liberate metal ions from the metal chemical feedstock material in the anolyte chamber, thereby causing a flux of metal ions to migrate through a porous membrane from the anolyte chamber to the catholyte chamber and a metal product to be formed in the catholyte chamber; and while applying the activation electric potential, extracting a feedstock-depleted anolyte material from the anolyte chamber; and extracting an outlet material comprising the catholyte material and the metal product from the catholyte chamber via a catholyte outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Arcadium Lithium Intermediate IRL Limited
    Inventor: Maciej Jastrzebski
  • Patent number: 12188140
    Abstract: An electrorefining process for refining relatively purer lithium metal from a lithium-alloy feedstock material using a three-layer electrorefining apparatus can include a) providing an anode layer comprising a molten, lithium-alloy feedstock material that includes a combination of lithium metal having a first purity and a carrier material; b) providing an electrolyte layer comprising a molten salt electrolyte material; c) providing a product layer comprising molten lithium metal having a second purity that is greater than the first purity above the electrolyte layer; and d) applying an activation electric potential that is sufficient to electrolyze the lithium-alloy feedstock material between an anode layer and the product layer that is electrically isolated from the anode layer, whereby lithium metal is liberated from the lithium-alloy feedstock material, migrates through the electrolyte layer and collects in the product layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Arcadium Lithium Intermediate IRL Limited
    Inventor: Maciej Jastrzebski
  • Patent number: 12180599
    Abstract: An electrolysis device may include a housing having a cavity that is configured to receive a precursor solution. The precursor solution may include chloride. An electrolysis circuit may be located in the cavity of the housing. The electrolysis circuit may include a power source, a first electrode and a second electrode electrically coupled to the power source, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the power source and the first and second electrodes. Upon the control circuit being activated while the precursor liquid operably couples the first and second electrodes together, the electrolysis circuit may be configured to generate a hypochlorite solution from the precursor solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Chun Huang, Paloma Pimenta, Guofeng Xu, Matthew Lee Kolb
  • Patent number: 12180603
    Abstract: A process for producing refined lithium metal can include: a) processing a lithium chemical feedstock material using an electrowinning apparatus to produce a crude lithium metal having a first purity; b) combining the crude lithium metal with a carrier material to create a lithium-rich feed alloy; c) introducing the lithium-rich feed alloy as a feedstock material to an electrorefining apparatus and processing the lithium-rich feed alloy using the electrorefining apparatus to separate lithium metal from the carrier material thereby producing i) a refined lithium metal having a second purity that is greater than the first purity and ii) a lithium-depleted alloy that comprises the carrier material and less lithium metal than the lithium-rich feed alloy; and d) extracting the lithium-depleted alloy from the electrorefining apparatus and recycling at least a portion of the lithium-depleted alloy to provide at least a portion of the carrier material used in step b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Arcadium Lithium Intermediate IRL Limited
    Inventor: Maciej Jastrzebski
  • Patent number: 12180602
    Abstract: A process for producing refined lithium metal can include: a) processing a lithium chemical feedstock material using an electrowinning apparatus to produce a crude lithium metal having a first purity; b) combining the crude lithium metal with a carrier material to create a lithium-rich feed alloy; c) introducing the lithium-rich feed alloy as a feedstock material to an electrorefining apparatus and processing the lithium-rich feed alloy using the electrorefining apparatus to separate lithium metal from the carrier material thereby producing i) a refined lithium metal having a second purity that is greater than the first purity and ii) a lithium-depleted alloy that comprises the carrier material and less lithium metal than the lithium-rich feed alloy; and d) extracting the lithium-depleted alloy from the electrorefining apparatus and recycling at least a portion of the lithium-depleted alloy to provide at least a portion of the carrier material used in step b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Arcadium Lithium Intermediate IRL Limited
    Inventor: Maciej Jastrzebski
  • Patent number: 12173419
    Abstract: An apparatus, also named transfer box or TB, for conveying an anode assembly outside of an electrolyte cell is described. An apparatus, also named cell preheater lifting beam or CPLB, for conveying an anode assembly or a cell pre-heater outside of an electrolyte cell is also disclosed. TB and CPLB are conjointly used for starting up the electrolytic cell or for replacing a spent anode assembly while maintaining the production of non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum or aluminium. The thermal insulation of the TB allows maintaining the anode temperature homogeneity and preventing thermal shocks when introducing the inert anodes into the hot electrolytic bath. TN and CPLB allow accurate positioning of anode assemblies or cell-preheaters over the electrolysis cell before achieving mechanical and electrical connections of the anode assembly or the cell pre-heater to the electrolysis cell. Several related methods for the operation of an electrolytic cell are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: ELYSIS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Bruno Petitjean, Alain Noizet, Benoit Bardet
  • Patent number: 12173416
    Abstract: A composite membrane that is suitable for use in a molten alkaline water electrolyzer. In one embodiment, the composite membrane includes a porous support, the porous support being in the form of a matrix of metal oxide particles randomly arranged to form a plurality of tortuous pores. The composite membrane also includes molten electrolyte filling the pores of the porous support, the molten electrolyte having hydroxide ion conductivity. The molten electrolyte may be a single species of an alkali hydroxide or of an alkaline earth hydroxide. Alternatively, the molten electrolyte may be a eutectic or non-eutectic mixture of two or more species of alkali hydroxides or alkaline earth hydroxides. The composite membrane may further include one or more additives, such as a coarsening inhibitor, a crack attenuator, and a reinforcing material. The composite material may be used to make a molten alkaline membrane water electrolyzer with high electrical efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: GINER, INC.
    Inventors: Hui Xu, Andrew Sweet, Winfield Greene, Kailash Patil
  • Patent number: 12168832
    Abstract: A circuit for supplying electrical power at a rated direct current of 20-100 kA to an electrolysis cell is provided. The circuit comprises an upstream and a downstream busbar connected to each other with a short-circuiting device which, when closed by an actuating mechanism, allows the busbars to be electrically connected to each other. An anode bar is equipped with an anode connection interface and a cathode connection interface, for connection to the anode and cathode, respectively. The cathode connection interface is connected to the downstream busbar. The circuit comprises means for absorbing movement of elements of the circuit due to thermal expansion. A disconnector connected to the upstream busbar and to the anode bar is opened by an actuating mechanism and it electrically disconnects the upstream busbar and the anode bar from each other after a non-zero time interval Tm when the short-circuiting device has been closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: AMC
    Inventor: Michel Pillet
  • Patent number: 12169179
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a transfer chamber, an annealing station, a robot arm, an edge detector and a trigger device. The transfer chamber is configured to interface with an electroplating apparatus. The robot arm is arranged to transfer a wafer from the transfer chamber to the annealing station. The edge detector, disposed over a predetermined location between the transfer chamber and the annealing station, comprises a first charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor and a second CCD sensor. When the robot arm is carrying the wafer to pass through the predetermined location, the first CCD sensor and the second CCD sensor are located over a first portion and a second portion of the edge bevel removal area respectively, and the trigger device is configured to activate the first CCD sensor and the second CCD sensor to capture an image of the first portion and an image of the second portion respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chao-Tung Wu, Kuo-Chung Yu, Chung-Hao Hu, Sheng-Ping Weng
  • Patent number: 12163235
    Abstract: A device for producing fluorine gas has a first flow path configured to send a fluid from the inside of an electrolytic cell through a mist removal unit configured to remove mist from the fluid to a fluorine gas selection unit and a second flow path configured to send the fluid from the inside of the electrolytic cell to the fluorine gas selection unit without passing through the mist removal unit and has a flow path switching unit configured to switch a flow path through which the fluid flows depending on the average particle size of the mist measured by an average particle size measurement unit. The second flow path has a clogging suppression mechanism configured to suppress clogging of the second flow path by the mist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Resonac Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Mikami, Yohsuke Fukuchi, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12163240
    Abstract: An electrolysis cell with a cell frame and to a method for producing an electrolysis cell, wherein the cell frame has a stepped inner profile. The inner profile has at least one support surface for receiving a planar component in the cell frame, and the support surface has a recess for a seal. A seal is first placed in the recess, and a membrane-electrode unit, a first gas diffusion layer, and an electrically conductive top layer are then introduced into the cell frame. The cell frame is then rotated, and a second gas diffusion layer is applied. The electrolysis cell produced in this manner includes the cell frame with the seal and the different layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH &Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Plobner, Alexander Spies, Jochen Straub
  • Patent number: 12163234
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and apparatus for producing a CNM product that may comprise carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The method and apparatus employ carbon dioxide (CO2) and a carbonate electrolyte that is lithium-free as reactants in an electrolysis reaction in order to make CNTs. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a graphene-defect agent may be introduced into the electrolysis reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: C2CNT LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Licht, Gad Licht
  • Patent number: 12146232
    Abstract: Provided is an active layer composition of a reduction electrode for brine electrolysis containing a metal precursor mixture containing a ruthenium precursor, a platinum precursor, and a lanthanide metal precursor, and an organic solvent containing an alcohol-based compound and an amine-based compound. Also provided is a reduction electrode containing a metal substrate and an active layer that is a dried and heat treated active layer composition positioned on the metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon Yi Kim, Hee Jun Eom, Myung Hun Kim, Dong Chul Lee, Sang Yun Jung, Gyo Hyun Hwang, Jong Wook Jung, Yong Ju Bang
  • Patent number: 12146228
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator, comprising a water tank and an electrolysis device. The water tank has a first hollow portion for containing electrolyzed water. The electrolysis device is disposed inside the first hollow portion of the water tank for electrolyzing the electrolyzed water to generate a hydrogen-oxygen mixed gas. When the electrolysis device starts to electrolyze the electrolyzed water, the first hollow portion of the water tank is filled with the electrolyzed water for standing at a full level of water. And after the electrolysis device electrolyzed the electrolyzed water, the level of water for the electrolyzed water filled into the first hollow portion of the water tank is higher than 95% of the full level of water. The gas generator of the present invention provides the design for saving space and nearly a zero gas chamber to reduce the possibility of explosions resulting from hydrogen-oxygen mixed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Inventor: Hsin-Yung Lin
  • Patent number: 12146230
    Abstract: A chlorine dioxide gas generating device is provided. The device includes a housing, an anode and a cathode, a first reagent and a second reagent, and a hydrophobic membrane. The housing has a cavity. The anode and the cathode are each coupled to and located within the cavity. The first reagent and the second reagent are each located within the cavity. The first reagent and the second reagent are configured to generate chlorine dioxide gas via electrolysis responsive to an electric current being passed into the anode and the cathode. The hydrophobic membrane is coupled to the housing and is configured to allow the chlorine dioxide gas to exit the housing while preventing fluids from flowing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: CUPOD LLC
    Inventor: Wayne Osterholm
  • Patent number: 12134827
    Abstract: A compressor for a solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) system, the system including one or more stamps that receives hydrogen input and outputs wet hydrogen, a heat exchanger or condenser that is configured to decrease the temperature of the wet hydrogen, a compressor that is configured to increase the pressure of the wet hydrogen, and a dryer that is configured to reduce the dew point of the wet hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joshua Mermelstein
  • Patent number: 12134826
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrode for CO2 electroreduction in an acidic electrolyte comprising cation species, the electrode comprising: a substrate, a metal-based catalyst material, and a cation-augmenting material; wherein the cation-augmenting material comprises an acidic group exchanging protons with the cation species of the acidic electrolyte so as to increase a concentration of the cation species at a surface of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignees: TOTALENERGIES ONETECH, THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
    Inventors: Jianan Erick Huang, Fengwang Li, Adnan Ozden, David Sinton, Edward Sargent