Patents Examined by Ivars Cintins
  • Patent number: 6551515
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for selectively binding specific metal ions, such as Ca2+and Cd2+, contained in a source solution are disclosed and described. This is accomplished by the use of a composition comprised of an EGTA ligand covalently bonded to a particulate solid supports through a hydrophilic spacer. The composition formula of the present invention is SS—A—X—L where SS is a particulate solid support such as silica or a polymeric bead, A is a covalent linkage mechanism, X is a hydrophilic spacer grouping, L is an EGTA ligand with the proviso that when SS is a particulate organic polymer, A—X may be combined as a single covalent linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Bruening, Krzysztof E. Krakowiak
  • Patent number: 6551514
    Abstract: Methods for rendering a cyanide or cyanide-containing compound substantially insoluble in an aqueous solution or suspension of cyanide-containing materials comprising: mixing a reagent comprising a thiosulfate salt with said solution or suspension; and adding to said material a complexing agent selected from the group consisting of divalent copper salts, divalent iron salts, divalent cobalt salts, activated carbon and mixtures of the foregoing are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada
    Inventors: Manoranjan Misra, Gautam Priyadarshan, Birendra Kumar Jena
  • Patent number: 6537455
    Abstract: A combination hand held shower head and water filter assembly for removing chlorine and other substances from hot shower water. This assembly includes an elongated filter housing with an elongated shower head pivotably secured thereto by an extended swivel and ball arrangement. The elongated, filter housing holds filter media therein and the combination device may be alternatively held in a holding bracket by shaped ends of either the elongated filter housing or the elongated shower head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: David K. Farley
  • Patent number: 6531063
    Abstract: A septic system and method for the removal of nitrogen contaminants, such as nitrates and ammonia, from a wastewater effluent. The system comprises one or more zeolite tanks which contain a regenerable, granulated zeolite material to receive wastewater effluent from a septic tank and to capture the nitrogen contaminants to provide a treated, decontaminated effluent to flow out of the tank into a leach field. The system includes a secondary treatment.tank to reduce suspended solids and the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the wastewater effluent prior to introduction into the zeolite tank. The system also includes an ion sensor to monitor the ammonium ion concentration in the system and to signal the need to regenerate the zeolite tank with saline water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: Jane Anne Rose
  • Patent number: 6531064
    Abstract: A system for remediating groundwater contaminated with radionuclides, consisting of an underground bed of crushed zeolites. Distribution pipes convey contaminated groundwater to the zeolite bed by means of a pump, which draws the contaminated water through wells from an underground plume of released waste mixed with groundwater. The radionuclides in the water undergo capture with the zeolite minerals and lock into the zeolite crystal lattice. After the contaminated water passes through the zeolite bed, it is collected by a series of collection pipes and conveyed to a sampling station, where it can be determined whether the water has been decontaminated sufficiently to discharge it by piping to a river outfall or back to the ground. When functioning, the system contains the released contaminants on the waste site and prevents further spread and migration of the contaminated water by means of the cone of depression created by the pumping well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: Jane Anne Rose
  • Patent number: 6527958
    Abstract: A water softener for reducing water hardness, suitable for use in a household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, has a container within which ionic exchange resins are housed, which reduce the degree of hardness of water contacting them, and apparatus for regenerating the softening efficiency of the resins. Mounted in the container are a sensor for checking a physical characteristic of the resins and, in response thereto, detecting the degree of exhaustion of said resins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: T & P S.p.A.
    Inventors: Carlo Carli, Emilio Cazzini
  • Patent number: 6521126
    Abstract: A pipe gallery includes an exterior peripheral wall containing a gallery upper chamber, a backwash waste chamber, and a gallery lower chamber. A gallery influent line and filter influent pipes are connected to the gallery upper chamber. A backwash drain line and secondary pipes are connected to the backwash waste chamber. Filter effluent pipes and a gallery effluent line are connected to the gallery lower chamber. The lower chamber may also include a separate supply chamber, to which a gallery backwash supply line and filter backwash pipes are connected. The filter influent pipes and secondary pipes may be connected to the top chambers of filter cells in a filtration system, while the filter effluent pipes are connected to bottom chambers of the cells. Valves are used to create separate filtering and backwash pathways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: David K. Wyness
  • Patent number: 6521131
    Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a method of disposing of mercury-containing wastewater containing mercury-complexing materials, comprising the steps of treating wastewater containing mercury ions with a strong oxidizing agent in a reaction chamber to produce pretreated wastewater by removing an effluent stream of pretreated wastewater from the reaction chamber; and passing the effluent stream of pretreated wastewater through a column packed with a mercury-selective adsorbent material to produce an effluent stream of wastewater having a reduced mercury content. The adsorbent material is a porous resin having immobilized mercury-selective chelating groups bound thereto. A particularly preferred adsorbent material is a crosslinked styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer having immobilized dithiocarbamate groups bound thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: SolmeteX, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Hamilton, Scott P. Fulton, Ted M. Shields
  • Patent number: 6517708
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for treating the heavy hydrogen isotope content of the contaminated water by contacting the contaminated water with a molecular separation material including a support medium carrying a plurality of hydration sites having associated waters of hydration, whereby a portion of the waters of hydration are replaced with heavy hydrogen isotope water molecules from the contaminated water. The hydrogen isotope water molecule content of the contaminated water is thus decreased. The molecular separation material is preferably a polymer, such as a polystyrene/divinyl benzene cross-linked polymer, having hydration sites with associated waters of hydration. Preferred hydration sites are obtained by reacting the polymer, which has been sulfonated or phosphonated to create reactive sites, with a salt of, for example, aluminum, sodium, magnesium, copper, zinc, cobalt, iron, nickel, manganese, potassium and chromium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventors: James A. Patterson, Louis E. Furlong, Martin J. Gruber
  • Patent number: 6514414
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the separation and removal of iron ions from a basic zinc solution. The process involves: treating an aqueous basic zinc solution with a solid ion exchange resin containing an insoluble cross-linked polymer which contains at least one pendant phosphonate group, at a pH of from about 8 to about 12, and a temperature of from about 10° C. to about 90° C., for a time period sufficient to form solid phase-bound iron ions and a liquid phase containing the aqueous basic zinc solution having an iron ion concentration that is substantially reduced; separating the solid phase-bound iron ions and the liquid phase; and treating the solid phase-bound iron ions with an aqueous acidic solution under conditions sufficient to regenerate the solid ion exchange resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Limited
    Inventor: Vincent Wise Martin
  • Patent number: 6514413
    Abstract: A method for disinfecting and purifying tap water and untreated water using a composite, bactericidal adsorption material as a filter. The method provides efficient and reliable disinfection, with simultaneous purification of water from heavy metal ions and organic matter and improvement of taste and odor. Water is filtered through a composite material containing granules of iodinated anion-exchange resin, granulated activated carbon and silver containing adsorbent, all uniformly distributed between amphoteric fibers. The exterior surface area of the iodine containing anion-exchange resin granules is not more than 1% of the exterior surface area of the amphoteric fibers, and the equivalent content of silver exceeds the equivalent content of iodine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Electrophor, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander V. Pimenov, Alexander G. Mitilineos, Joseph L. Shmidt
  • Patent number: 6500237
    Abstract: A process for removing hydrogen sulfide from a gas stream wherein the filtering media consists essentially of calcined diatomite and between 5% and 30% by weight of ferric ions bonded to the calcined diatomite. This process is particularly efficient due to the fact that the removal of hydrogen sulfide from the gas stream is effected with a single pass adsorption performance of up to 45 mg of H2S per gram of filtering media. Other advantages include the fact that the process has the ability to remove H2S form a gaseous mixture, from a concentration of 30,000 ppm down to non-detectable levels in a single pass. Repeated in-situ regeneration of the filtering media has been proven to be a simple matter of blowing ambient air through the filtering media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: ADI International Inc.
    Inventors: Eric L. Winchester, Michael J. McMullin, Jeffrey K. Hum
  • Patent number: 6497817
    Abstract: A modular filtering system is provided including modular filter cartridges which can be arranged into filter assemblies of various configurations by interconnecting the filter cartridges in a desired configuration. In one embodiment of the invention, the modular filtering system includes a first filter cartridge, a second filter cartridge and a connector clip that mechanically secures the first filter cartridge to the second filter cartridge. The first filter cartridge includes an outlet port which is hydraulically connected to an input port on the second filter cartridge. Each filter cartridge includes a filter tube, a first end cap attached to one end of the filter tube and a second end cap that is attached to an opposite end of the filter tube. The connector clip can be connected between the first end caps of the filter cartridges, the second end caps of the filter cartridges, or both the first and second end caps of the filter cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: United States Filter Corporation
    Inventor: Li-Shiang Liang
  • Patent number: 6491824
    Abstract: A method for resolving sludge/emulsion formed as a result of adding introduced fluids to oil and gas wells. The method comprises adding a water-dispersible emulsion breaker and/or adjunct additives that may include iron-control chemicals, scale-control chemicals, or paraffin-control chemicals or combinations thereof in amounts sufficient to separate the sludge/emulsion into an oil phase and a water phase and to control iron, scale, or paraffin in the oil phase. Further treatment of water phase includes treatment with water clarifiers, allowing the water phase to remain in settling vessels, and passing the water phase through a macroreticular resin resulting in water that is environmentally acceptable for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: BJ Services Company
    Inventors: Huei-Nan (Leo) Lin, Rodney Davis Martin, James M. Brown, Gene F. Brock, Randall J. Perkins
  • Patent number: 6478970
    Abstract: The liquid effluent from solvent extraction contains radioactive thorium Th-231 and Th-234. This invention uses an ion exchange process to remove and concentrate the thorium. The process is designed so that the thorium remains on the ion exchange column until it decays to uranium and protactinium. These decay products are subsequently replaced by additional thorium. Therefore, the thorium never reaches break-through and the column can be used continuously without regeneration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Framatome ANP Inc.
    Inventor: Sydney Koegler
  • Patent number: 6478973
    Abstract: A process for killing microorganisms and controlling biofouling in high chlorine demand waters comprises mixing two components, one of which is an oxidant and the other an ammonium salt, and adding the mixture immediately to the aqueous system to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Dead Sea Bromine Group
    Inventor: Ayala Barak
  • Patent number: 6475386
    Abstract: An improved filter is provided for lowering levels of contaminants in domestic drinking water. The filter contains an oxidized activated carbon and at least one other type of adsorbent to remove cationic species and at least one other contaminant. The filter further achieves an efficient use of the adsorbents by including an envelope containing part or all of the adsorbents, which envelope minimizes the potential for flow by-pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Calgon Carbon Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Joseph Carr, Richard William Farmer
  • Patent number: 6471857
    Abstract: A filter apparatus removes foreign substances contained in raw water by passing the raw water through a filter layer (8) made up of a particulate filter medium disposed in a filter tank (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Koyo Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Kaibara
  • Patent number: 6471870
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the operation of a simulated moving bed (LMS) type (closed or open) separation loop consisting of the interconnection in series of beds containing an adsorbent solid phase, divided into several zones, four for example, delimited by fluid injection and draw-off points (F, El, Ex, R). The optimization sought is obtained by selecting initial values to be imposed on operating variables (internal liquid and solid flows, permutation period, etc.) of a simulated moving bed (LMS) from internal flow rates of a true moving bed (LMV), knowing the flow rate of the feedstock (F) injected in the loop and the concentrations of the various constituents of this feedstock. The invention has an application for optimizing aromatic hydrocarbon or optical isomer separation loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignees: Novasep, Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Roger-Marc Nicoud, Michel Bailly
  • Patent number: 6471861
    Abstract: A low profile pipe connection improves process performance or substantially reduces reload time for partitioned beds of particulate material separated by distribution/collection grids. This invention is a multi-sectored grid arrangement that connects piping from an intermediate point on each grid sector with a central or peripheral fluid distribution point through the use of a low profile connection. The reduction in diameter of the low profile connection over the usual flanged connection is substantial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Burgard, Gary A. Schulz