Patents Examined by Ives Wu
  • Patent number: 8231708
    Abstract: Pellet damaging is prevented at the time of pellet charging into a storage tank. There is provided a method of storing a gas hydrate in which pellets obtained by compression molding of powdery gas hydrate are conveyed into a storage tank by the use of a slurry liquor, which method includes pouring a liquid for impact absorption in advance into the storage tank so that the impact on the pellets charged in the storage tank is absorbed by the liquid for impact absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Yanagisawa, Seiichi Takanashi, Tamehisa Yamaguchi, Takahiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8231713
    Abstract: Novel solvent composition for selective removal of COS from a gas stream containing same, said composition comprising a) at least one polyalkylene glycol alkyl ether of the formula R1O-(Alk-O)n—R2??(I) or 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone or a mixture of N-formylmorpholine and N-acetylmorpholine wherein R1 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; Alk is an alkylene group, branched or unbranched, having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is from 1 to 10; and b) at least one alkanolamine compound of the formula R3NHR4OR6??(II) or at least one piperazine compound of formula wherein R3 is hydrogen, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or the R4OH group; R4 is a branched or unbranched alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R5, independently in each occurrence, is hydrogen or an hydroxyalkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and R6 is hydrogen, an alkyl group having from 1
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Craig N. Schubert, Arnold C. Ashcraft
  • Patent number: 8226842
    Abstract: Novel solvent composition for selective removal of COS from a gas stream containing same, said composition comprising a) at least one polyalkylene glycol alkyl ether of the formula R1O-(Alk-O)n—R2??(I) or 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinone or a mixture of N-formylmorpholine and N-acetylmorpholine wherein R1 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; Alk is an alkylene group, branched or unbranched, having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is from 1 to 10; and b) at least one alkanolamine compound of the formula R3NHR4OR6??(II) or at least one piperazine compound of formula wherein R3 is hydrogen, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or the R4OH group; R4 is a branched or unbranched alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R5, independently in each occurrence, is hydrogen or an hydroxyalkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and R6 is hydrogen, an alkyl group having from 1
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Craig N. Schubert, Arnold C. Ashcraft
  • Patent number: 8226748
    Abstract: A CO2 reducing system (10A) is constituted by a low-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-1) that includes a low-temperature absorber (1006-1) that reduces at least one of CO2 and H2S by bringing flue gas (1002) including at least one of CO2 and H2S into contact with a low-temperature absorbing solution (1005-1), a low-temperature regenerator (1008-1) that regenerates a low-temperature rich solution (1007-1), a low-temperature rich-solution supply line (12-1) that feeds the low-temperature rich solution (1007-1) to the low-temperature regenerator (1008-1), and a low-temperature lean-solution supply line (13-1) that feeds a low-temperature lean solution (1009-1) to the low-temperature absorber (1006-1) from the low-temperature regenerator (1008-1); and a high-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-2) that is arranged on a side at which the flue gas (1002) is discharged, and that has the same configuration as the low-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Inoue, Ryuji Yoshiyama, Tsuyoshi Oishi, Masaki Iijima, Masazumi Tanoura, Tomio Mimura, Kouki Ogura, Yasuyuki Yagi
  • Patent number: 8226754
    Abstract: An FGD system is provided which can be retrofitted on existing utility coal-fired boilers. The design is based on a horizontal co-current scrubber capable of generating a pressure rise across the absorber. Modifications to existing plant equipment are minimized by the co-current horizontal scrubber design. The system includes features, which eliminate much equipment typically associated with other FGD designs, and reduces the use of support equipment such as tanks, agitators, and pumps. It also minimizes or eliminates the need for new buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: URS Corporation
    Inventors: Jonas Klingspor, J. David Colley, Greg N. Brown
  • Patent number: 8226739
    Abstract: A spin-on barrier filter cartridge is provided in which an inverted frustum-shaped filter media defines a clean air chamber. A bottom cap blocks air flow through a bottom of the chamber and a top cap restricts air flow through a top of the chamber into a passage concentric with the chamber. The filter media has a pleated cross-section and an inverted frustum-shaped screen-like core abuts the inner apices of the pleated media. The bottom and top caps are fixed to the bottom and top edges of the media to hold the cartridge together and also to seal the junctions against air flow. A nipple extends upwardly from the top cap and defines the concentric passage. The nipple is threaded for spin-on connection to the vacuum in a direction such that the engagement is tightened in response to vortical air flow in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventors: Glenn R. McNatt, Gary G. McNatt
  • Patent number: 8221528
    Abstract: Methods of using microchannel separation systems including absorbents to improve thermal efficiency and reduce parasitic power loss. Energy is typically added to desorb a solute and then energy or heat is removed to absorb a solute using a working solution. The working solution or absorbent may comprise an ionic liquid, or other fluids that demonstrate a difference in affinity between a solute and other gases in a solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Velocys, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Robert D. Litt, Ravi Arora, Qiu Dongming, Micheal Jay Lamont, Maddalena Fanelli, Wayne W. Simmons, Laura J. Silva, Steven Perry
  • Patent number: 8216351
    Abstract: An Apparatus for purifying a feed stream containing carbon dioxide in which the feed stream, after having been compressed and dried, is partly cooled and then used to reboil a stripping column. Thereafter, the feed stream is further cooled and expanded to a lower operational temperature of the stripping column. A carbon dioxide product stream composed of the liquid column bottoms of the stripping column is expanded at one or more pressures to generate refrigeration, then fully vaporized within the main heat exchanger and compressed by a compressor to produce a compressed carbon dioxide product. Refrigeration is recovered in the main heat exchanger from a column overhead stream extracted from the stripping column within the main heat exchanger either directly or indirectly by auxiliary processing in which carbon dioxide is further separated and optionally recycled back to the main compressor used in compressing the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Praxair Technology
    Inventors: Minish Mahendra Shah, Henry Edward Howard
  • Patent number: 8216345
    Abstract: A gasification system is disclosed having a combustion or reaction vessel, a scrubber housing, and a filter housing. A carbonaceous fuel is partially combusted in the reaction vessel to generate a combustible gas. An improved ash support and removal system reduces clogging and other problems in the reaction vessel. The combustible gas passes through the scrubber housing to remove matter such as tar and oil, and the scrubbed gas passes through a hybrid blower to the filter housing. Wood chips are used in the filter housing to provide a relatively clean, dry gas. Wastewater and other waste products from the scrubber housing and filter housing are captured and returned to the reaction vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Verde Reformation, Inc.
    Inventors: Jackie W. Rogers, Michael W. Rogers
  • Patent number: 8211213
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for maintaining a low level of carbon monoxide in a carbon dioxide product stream and also for keeping the carbon monoxide out of the fully shifted synthesis gas. The overall process is a process for treating both fully shifted and partially shifted or unshifted synthesis gas. The carbon monoxide is separately removed by a carbon monoxide stripping column and returned to the partially shifted or unshifted synthesis gas which can then undergo a shift reaction to convert the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: William J. Lechnick, Leonid Bresler, Nagaraju Palla
  • Patent number: 8206488
    Abstract: A fluoride ion cleaning method includes generating hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas in-situ in a cleaning retort; contacting a part in need of cleaning with the generated HF gas; scrubbing an initial effluent stream in-situ to substantially remove residual HF gas therefrom; and passing the scrubbed effluent gas stream out of the cleaning retort. In an exemplary method, a liquid or gaseous halogenated feedstock is introduced into a cleaning retort; hydrogen gas is introduced into the cleaning retort, HF gas is generated by a reaction of the feedstock with hydrogen gas at a sufficient temperature. In an exemplary method, only HF gas generated in-situ or reconstituted in-situ is utilized in the cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas E. Mantkowski
  • Patent number: 8206490
    Abstract: A separator scrubber (58) and isolation loop (78) decontaminates a fuel reactant stream of a fuel cell (12). Water passes over surfaces of an ammonia dissolving means (61) within the scrubber (58) while the fuel reactant stream simultaneously passes over the surfaces to remove contaminants from the fuel reactant into the water. An accumulator (68) collects the separated contaminants and water, and an isolation loop pump (84) directs flow of the separated contaminant stream through the isolation loop (78). A heat exchanger (86) and an ion exchange bed (88) modify the heat of, and remove contaminants from, the separated contaminant stream, and the isolation loop (78) directs the decontaminated stream back onto the packed bed (62)-. Separating contaminants from the fuel reactant stream and then isolating and concentrating the separated contaminants within the ion exchange bed (88) minimizes cost and maintenance requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Albert P. Grasso, John L. Preston, Jr., Francis Kocum, Richard J. Assarabowski, Derek Hildreth
  • Patent number: 8206489
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of deacidizing a gaseous effluent, wherein the following stages are carried out: a) contacting the gaseous effluent with an absorbent solution so as to obtain a gaseous effluent depleted in acid compounds and an absorbent solution laden with acid compounds, the absorbent solution being selected for its property to form two separable phases when it absorbs an amount of acid compounds, b) separating the absorbent solution laden with acid compounds into two fractions: a first absorbent solution fraction depleted in acid compounds and a second absorbent solution fraction enriched in acid compounds, c) regenerating the second fraction so as to release part of the acid compounds, d) mixing a predetermined amount of water with the first absorbent solution fraction obtained in stage b) or with the regenerated absorbent solution fraction obtained in stage c), then e) recycling the first absorbent solution fraction and the regenerated absorbent solution as the absorbent solu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Renaud Cadours, Pierre-Louis Carrette, Pierre Boucot
  • Patent number: 8202353
    Abstract: A separation, purification and recovery method of SF6, HFCs or PFCs is disclosed, which comprises a step for forming a gas hydrate including components in addition to SF6, HFCs or PFCs. It is possible to separate and recover fluoro-gas at a much lower cost as compared to a conventional method for thereby obtaining an economical effect and preventing an emission of SF6, HFCs or PFCs which corresponds to Non-CO2 having a higher earth warming index, which leads to preventing an earth warming phenomenon. So, the present invention might be widely applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Yoosung Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gang Woo Lee, Jae Jeong Lee, Dong Hyun Moon, Min Choul Kim, Min Gwang Seok, Ju Hyun Ko, Hyung Joon Shin, Young Seog Kim, Ju Dong Lee, Man Sig Lee
  • Patent number: 8182585
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling dust and/or odors comprises a blower unit and baffle member deployed downstream of the blower unit. The blower unit comprises a fan propelled mister with a discharge tube and a fan disposed in the discharge tube adapted for drawing air into the discharge tube and creating a high velocity air flow exiting therefrom. The discharge tube has a plurality of nozzles and a fluid source is placed in communication with the nozzles such that the nozzles discharge fluid particles that are entrained in a high velocity air flow exiting from the discharge tube distal end. A baffle member is deployed downstream of the blower unit at an elevation above the blower unit so as to alter a flow path of ambient air flowing through a discharge path of the blower unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Dust Control Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Edwin Peterson
  • Patent number: 8182589
    Abstract: Methods and systems of purifying an acetylene process gas are described. The methods may include the steps of providing an acetylene vessel containing source acetylene mixed with a solvent impurity, and flowing the source acetylene through a purification container that holds a cooled purifying medium, where at least a portion of the solvent impurity in the source acetylene separates as a liquid impurity on the purifying medium. The method may also include removing the liquid from the purification container and flowing a purified acetylene gas from the purification container. The purified acetylene gas has a concentration of the solvent impurity of about 5 vol. % or less, and the separated liquid impurity is removed without interrupting the flow of the acetylene while the purified acetylene gas flows from the purification container to keep the concentration of the solvent impurity substantially constant in the purified acetylene gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.
    Inventors: Praveen Jha, Joseph V. Vininski
  • Patent number: 8172931
    Abstract: An absorbing tower is provided in its side wall with a gas entrance for introducing a combustion exhaust gas into the absorbing tower, and an absorbing liquid is sprayed from the nozzles of a spray header into the exhaust gas introduced to rise from the gas entrance. A trough is arranged in the side wall of the absorbing tower and above the gas entrance, and a nose having a horseshoe shape in a top plan view and extending into tower is disposed in the tower side wall portion of the gas entrance other than the portion arranging the trough and at the same or at substantially the same height as the portion of the trough. The absorbing liquid, which is sprayed from the nozzle and drops along the absorbing tower wall portion, is rescattered to the center portion of the absorbing tower excepting the entrance of the absorbing tower, so that the gas-liquid contact efficiency is improved while suppressing an increase in pressure loss, thereby to prevent the drift of the gas at the tower wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Babcock-Hitachi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuro Ueda, Takanori Nakamoto, Atsushi Katagawa, Hajime Okura, Hiroshi Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 8172926
    Abstract: An aerosol separator is arranged before a CO2 compressor to prevent wear and damage in CO2 recovery systems for the recovery of CO2 arising during fermentation using a compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Harald Bender
  • Patent number: 8167979
    Abstract: Scrubbing systems and methods for removing carbon dioxide from a gas are provided. The scrubbing system can include a scrubber defining a vertically oriented tubing assembly, a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The tubing assembly has a tank section, a reduced diameter section, and an expansion section such that the expansion section is positioned above the reduced diameter section and the reduced diameter section is positioned above the tank section. An aqueous liquid-phase scrubbing media is contained within the tank section. The scrubbing system can further include a water bath configured to receive the CO2-free gas exiting the scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventor: Christopher J. Hintz
  • Patent number: 8168149
    Abstract: A method and system for CO2 capture from flue gas uses an absorber vessel in which a flue gas stream containing CO2 is contacted with an ammoniated solution to remove CO2 from the flue gas, and a regenerator vessel in which CO2 is released from the ammoniated solution. Parasitic energy consumption of the system can be reduced by adding to the ammoniated solution a promoter effective to enhance the formation of ammonium bicarbonate within the ammoniated solution. The amount of ammoniated solution recycled from the regenerator vessel to the absorber vessel is less than that which would be required using the ammoniated solution without the promoter for removal of the same amount of CO2 from the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Eli Gal, Otto Morten Bade, Indira Jayaweera, Gopala Krishnan