Patents Examined by Jonathan Miller
  • Patent number: 11780745
    Abstract: A solar distillation system includes at least one solar panel configured to reflect sunlight, and a distillation tube adjacent the at least one solar panel that is to receive a liquid to be processed into fresh water. The liquid flows through the distillation tube and is heated by the reflected sunlight. At least one supplemental distillation unit is connected to the distillation tube and has at least one curved surface to receive the reflected sunlight. The least one supplemental distillation unit includes a plurality of sprayers configured to spray the liquid onto the at least one curved surface to be further processed into fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: D & D MANUFACTURING LLC
    Inventors: Dale E. Polk, Jr., Karl Leslie Polk
  • Patent number: 11773500
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for efficient metal distillation, and for related primary product process. Vertically stacked and gravity-driven evaporators and condensers are employed to distill metals, such metals having different volatilities. A multiple-effect thermal system of magnesium and other volatile metals is used to efficiently distill and separate metals from multiple metal alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Adam Clayton Powell, IV, David Dussault, Matthew Earlam, Aaron Tajima, Connor Raymes
  • Patent number: 11772018
    Abstract: The aerosol particulate matter collecting device includes a shell, a first electric field component, a second electric field component and the collection unit. The first electric field component is connected to the shell and forms a first electric field area, the second electric field component is connected to the shell and forms a second electric field area, the second electric field component includes a first plate and a second plate, and the electric property of the first plate is opposite to that of the first electric charges; a bottom plate of the collection unit is located between the first plate and the second plate, protrusions are arranged on the bottom plate, a flow channel for accommodating collecting liquid is formed in the bottom plate, the protrusions are configured to enable the flow channel to extend along a curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Rui Chen, Yuqing Chang, Shichuan Tang
  • Patent number: 11772009
    Abstract: An assembly for rehabilitating alcohol, including a pressure controllable chamber, a cooler in thermal communication with the pressure controllable chamber, a liquid inlet port in fluidic communication with the pressure controllable chamber, a liquid outlet port in fluidic communication with the pressure controllable chamber, and a gas outlet port in fluidic communication with the pressure controllable chamber. The assembly further includes a partial vacuum source in fluidic communication with the gas outlet port for establishing a partial vacuum in the pressure controllable chamber, and a liquid collection vessel in fluidic communication with the liquid outlet port. The residence time from when a liquid is flowed into the pressure controllable chamber until the liquid exits the chamber is no more than sixty seconds. The partial vacuum is insufficient to evaporate an ethanol solution during residence time in the pressure controllable chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Trade Secret Chocolates
    Inventors: Matthew J. Rubin, Adam Daniel Ambrecht, Jessica Clare Halstead
  • Patent number: 11772006
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a vaporizer that vaporizes, at normal temperature and pressure, a source material in a liquid state, and supplies the vaporized source material to a reactor through a supply pipe, includes a cleaning step of passing the source material to the vaporizer while maintaining the source material in a liquid state to clean the vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Otani, Mitsuhiro Kawasaki, Toshiyuki Asai
  • Patent number: 11767233
    Abstract: A groundwater remediation system includes a capillary media supported and positioned such that it is partially submerged into a groundwater source to be remediated. Groundwater is drawn into the submerged portion of the capillary media and further into the non-submerged portion of the capillary material via natural capillary action. As the water evaporates from the non-submerged portion of the capillary media, the dissolved solids within the water precipitate onto the media leaving the precipitated solids for reclamation or disposal and allowing the cleaned water vapor to disperse into the ambient air. In some embodiments, heat may be added to the media, water, or air to accelerate the evaporative process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: HDR, Inc.
    Inventor: Shane D. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11766629
    Abstract: An apparatus for extracting essential oils and oleoresins from a plant material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a circulation pump, a discharging pump, an extraction module, a reservoir, a first evaporator, and a first condenser. The discharge pump is fluidly connected to the circulation pump. The extraction module includes at least one extraction vessel. The reservoir is configured to store a solvent containing a C1 to C4 fluorinated hydrocarbon. In a short loop circulation mode the discharge pump pumps a solution comprising the solvent and one or more active components of the plant material dissolved therein from the bottom of the at least one extraction vessel, passing through the circulation pump, and then back to the top of the at least one extraction vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: George Stantchev
  • Patent number: 11767232
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for continuous treatment of high-concentration organic wastewater and a device for continuous treatment of high-concentration organic wastewater. The process of the present application is that: high-concentration organic wastewater is continuously separated through the synergistic interaction of a multilayer evaporator and a heat pump, and the generated wastewater steam containing light components is continuously subjected to desulfurization and catalytic combustion after being mixed with air in a gaseous form, the treated wastewater can meet discharge standards, and heavy components of the generated wastewater can be recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yong Nie, Shangzhi Yu, Xiaojiang Liang, Qinglong Xie, Zhenyu Wu, Jianfeng Bai
  • Patent number: 11766625
    Abstract: Processes and systems that control operation of a commercial refinery distillation column and/or splitter operable to separate hydrocarbons. An automated process controller (APC) receives signal from at least one analyzer that provides information about the concentration of at least a first chemical in a first fraction and a second chemical in a second fraction obtained from the distillation column. The APC comprises programming in the form of an algorithm that calculates real-time monetary values for the first chemical and the second chemical and alters the operation of the distillation column to change either the percentage of the first chemical in the second fraction or the percentage of the second chemical in the first fraction, thereby maximizing overall operational profit for the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: Yangdong Pan
  • Patent number: 11767234
    Abstract: A method for obtaining pure drinking water from dewatered biological products is described. The process is carried out in a hermetic dewatering chamber isolated from the ambient atmosphere and in parallel with a process during which dried products are placed on drying trays. All the process parameters, such as temperature, humidity, and appropriate pressure inside the chamber, are controlled. The vapor generated during the product dewatering process, released from the products, is continuously removed from the dewatering chamber through the upper opening, exits through the outflow channel, and enters through the condenser. The process of obtaining clean drinking water is carried out outside the chamber and is conducted in several stages: vapor passes through disinfectant grids, vapor flows to a condenser cooled with ice water, and the vapor condenses on densely arranged lamellas. The condensate is then pumped to a discharge tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: Jan Wicherski
  • Patent number: 11760667
    Abstract: A system is provided for treating and distributing water. The system includes a first container and an input conduit that supplies water (e.g., purified, unpurified, etc.) to the first container. The system also has a treatment delivery system that delivers a mineral composition into the first container. Further, the system uses a controller to selectively deliver the mineral composition in to the first container so that the mineral composition mixes with, and dissolves in the water delivered to the first container. This produces treated water having a programmed profile, which can be distributed to a destination (e.g., a coffee shop) via an output conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Third Wave Water
    Inventors: Taylor Minor, Charles R. Nick
  • Patent number: 11759725
    Abstract: A multistage flash (MSF) desalination system is described. The MSF desalination system comprises a feed tank, a brine heater (BH), an MSF tower with n number of stages, n?1 number of condensers each with an inlet and an outlet, and a desalinated water tank. Herein, the feed tank is connected to a first pump, which is connected to the BH; the MSF tower comprises a stepped pyramid shape with n number of connected chambers. The n number of stages each contains at least one flash spray nozzle and a demister. The flash spray nozzles are fluidly connected to drainage of the previous stage, with the flash spray nozzle in the first stage connected to the BH. Further, the condensers are connected to the demisters in n?1 stages and to the next condenser, with the last condenser connected to a second pump, which is connected to the desalinated water tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Hassan El-Banna Fath, Mohamed Abdelkarim Antar
  • Patent number: 11759728
    Abstract: A multi-function tank tool including a body, an internal passageway, an upper end and a lower end. The lower end is configured to connect a hose so that a fluid travels in the internal passageway. The upper end includes at least one opening communicating with an interior of the tank. A first hose can be connected to a lower end of the body. The tank may have oil, vapor and an oil/vapor interface. The tank tool can perform at least one of the following: grounding an interior of the tank using at least the tank tool and the first hose; agitating one or more fluids traveling through the internal passageway to mix the one or more fluids traveling through the internal passageway; directing a hot oil adjacent the oil/vapor interface using at least the tank tool and the first hose; and, attaching the tool to a floating tank roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Gibbs
  • Patent number: 11753591
    Abstract: The device for pyrolysis of carbonaceous materials comprises a working chamber comprising a non-magnetic wall comprising an inner graphite lining; one or more electrodes adapted to be inserted within a carbon-based bedding; a solenoid coiled around the device exterior, the solenoid adapted to create a magnetic field within the working chamber such that when the solenoid is energized, the carbon-based bedding is caused to move; a lower solids outlet comprising an airlock, the solids outlet adapted to permit solids to exit the device; and a lower gas outlet adapted to permit gaseous substances to exit after having traveled through the carbon-based bedding. The method comprises the steps of loading carbon-containing materials into the working chamber; using the first and second electrodes to heat the carbon-containing materials by passing electric current through the carbon-containing materials without air access; collecting, cleaning and releasing gaseous pyrolysis products produced by the heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Extiel AP, LLC
    Inventor: Yury Kalashnikov
  • Patent number: 11752448
    Abstract: A system for vacuum distilling terpenes from plant material, such as from cannabis, may include an extractor having an extractor body with a lower discharge manway, a top loading manway, an interior chamber with an agitator rotatable mounted within the interior chamber, and a dimple jacket encircling at least a portion of an exterior of the extractor body; a cold trap operatively attached to the extractor body, such that volatilized terpenes travel from the extraction body to the cold trap to condense/freeze; a circulating fluid chiller operatively attached to the cold trap; a heated fluid circulator operatively attached to the dimple jacket; a vacuum operatively attached to the extractor body, such that the vacuum is capable of reducing pressure within the extractor body; and a heat exchanger operatively attached to the heated and chilled fluid circulators and the extractor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventor: Ken Jahn White
  • Patent number: 11753314
    Abstract: Equipment and procedure for extraction of solids from contaminated fluids whose basic purpose is to obtain the crystallised solids from the contaminated fluids, without any type of rejection in order to valorize them and to obtain purified water in a single stage, all in a continuous adiabatic/sonic process with evaporation/crystallisation and with low energy consumption and where the procedure is characterised by being constituted basically by at least three circuits fully interconnected as a single piece of equipment where the first circuit, the principal circuit, is constituted by an inlet duct of the contaminated fluid to be treated (1) followed by a pre-filter (2) followed by a filter for fine particles (3), a heat exchanger of preheated contaminated fluid (5) in the heat exchanger (4), followed by a fluid feedback pump (6) to a nozzle formed by an injector (7) and an ejector (8), which introduce the fluid to an evaporation chamber (9), where the steam that exits is introduced into a closed-loop electrom
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: WATER CHALLENGE, S.L.
    Inventor: Sebastian Vera Alarcon
  • Patent number: 11745116
    Abstract: An apparatus for a dividing wall column in an isomerization unit is disclosed. The apparatus includes a at least one primary vertical wall located at a first set of predetermined plurality of trays and configured to separate a feed from a first side cut; one or more walls placed at a second set of predetermined plurality of trays and configured to enable a second side cut wherein each of the one or more walls includes at least one predetermined shape, wherein the dividing wall column produces four cuts wherein one is hexane cut, wherein there are two walls in different sections of the column. The at least one primary vertical wall includes one of a straight wall, an ā€˜Lā€™ shaped wall, an ā€˜?ā€™ shaped wall, or a zig-zag wall. The one or more walls are mechanically coupled to form a second vertical wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Manish Bhargava
  • Patent number: 11745118
    Abstract: A distillation apparatus for removing a solvent from a feed solution and producing a concentrated solute with mechanical recompression of vapor. A pre-heating heat exchanger receives and heats the feed solution from a previously produced intermediate instance of the vapor. A heat exchanger receives the feed solution from the pre-heating heat exchanger, to further heat the feed solution from heat in the vapor, and there from produce the vapor and the concentrated solute. A separator separates the vapor and the concentrated solute. And a compressor receives and compresses the vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Ace Machine Design LLC
    Inventor: Agustus Berman Shelandaer
  • Patent number: 11745136
    Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously removing water and acid gases from methane in a single process without requiring dehydration prior to acid gas removal. A feed stream comprising these components and little or no hydrocarbons heavier than methane is separated in a series of separators, including an absorber column using methanol as an absorber. A treated methane stream comprising at least 90%, more preferably at least 95%, most preferably at least 99%, of the methane from the feed stream and an acid gas waste stream comprising less than 10%, more preferably less than 5%, most preferably less than 1%, of the methane from the feed stream are produced. Using methanol as a physical solvent allows removal of water and acids gases in a single step using substantially less energy than conventional separation methods. The system and method are particularly useful in treating landfill gas feed streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: BCCK Holding Company
    Inventor: Rayburn C. Butts
  • Patent number: 11739506
    Abstract: A water recovery system including a first fluid stream inlet providing for the flow of a first fluid stream, such as a humidified inlet gas, into the system and a second fluid stream inlet providing for the flow of a second fluid stream, such as a gas having a temperature greater than the humidified inlet gas, into the system. At least one contactor is in fluid communication with the first fluid stream inlet and the second fluid stream inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Roger Moore, Vitali Victor Lissianski, Albert Santo Stella, Daniel Jason Erno