Patents Examined by Joseph Drodge
  • Patent number: 9932532
    Abstract: A method for transforming selected renewable oils and fats, and optionally polyester waste plastic materials, into a plurality of reaction products via supercritical water is disclosed. The method comprises: conveying the selected oils and fats material through an extruder, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected oils and fats material to a supercritical fluid reaction zone; injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone, while the extruder is conveying the selected oil and fats material into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture; retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Xtrudx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Allan, Thomas E. Loop, James D. Flynn
  • Patent number: 9925320
    Abstract: A renal therapy machine includes a blood filter including a plurality of porous fibers; a blood circuit in communication with the blood filter; and a dialysate circuit in communication with the blood filter and operable with at least one pump, wherein the renal therapy machine is configured to perform a priming sequence in which a physiologically compatible solution, other than dialysate, primes the blood circuit and is flowed within the fibers and through pores in the fibers of the blood filter, and the pump of the dialysate circuit vents air from the blood filter into the dialysate circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Thomas D. Kelly, Rodolfo Roger
  • Patent number: 9919260
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of recovering an absorption solvent in a butadiene production process through oxidative dehydrogenation, the method including: a) transferring a light gas discharged from an upper portion of an absorption tower to a wash column; and b) recovering the absorption solvent included in the light gas by a solvent circulating in the wash column. Since an absorption solvent may be prevented from being introduced into a reactor, or being discharged to an outside of a system, economic efficiency of a butadiene production process is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Hyeon Kim, Jeong Seok Lee, Mi Kyung Kim, Jae IK Lee, Jong Ku Lee
  • Patent number: 9908062
    Abstract: A fractional extraction apparatus comprises one or more extraction vessel configured to receive a process fluid, allow the process fluid to come into contact with a source material within the extraction vessel under either of a selectively configured first predetermined pressure and a first predetermined temperature to remove a first predetermined extracted material from the source material to form a first mixture or a second predetermined pressure and a second predetermined temperature to remove a second predetermined extracted material from the source material to form a second mixture. The apparatus further comprises one or more separation chamber and a circulation conduit, the conduit including a separation portion configured to receive the first or second mixture and permit a portion of the first or second predetermined extracted material to separate from the mixture within the separation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Andrew Paul Joseph
  • Patent number: 9908063
    Abstract: An extraction apparatus comprises an extraction vessel configured to remove an extracted material from a source material in contact with a process fluid to form a mixture. The apparatus further comprises a separation chamber and a process fluid circulation conduit, the conduit comprising a separation portion configured to receive the mixture and permit a portion of the extracted material to separate from the mixture within the separation chamber. The apparatus further comprises a temperature regulator configured to permit re-circulation of a temperature regulation fluid and regulate the temperature of the process fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Andrew Paul Joseph
  • Patent number: 9902633
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe components to be utilized on the design, management and implementation of a wastewater treatment system. Said wastewater treatment system may include containers that, for example, may be consistent with ISO specifications for intermodal containers. In some embodiments, these containers act in concert to perform the same wastewater management function (e.g., the containers may function together as equalization basins). In other embodiments, said containers may each perform a separate function (e.g., some containers may function as an aeration tank while others container may function as a membrane basin), or may each perform a plurality of functions. Furthermore, said containers may form an independent wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), or may be utilized to augment a pre-existing WWTP (e.g., a WWTP according to the prior art).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Liberty Evans, LLC
    Inventors: James Philip Reilly, Victoria Ann Jelderks
  • Patent number: 9895478
    Abstract: Extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus and methods as described herein involve on-line port leak detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Marco Zanini, Marius Dinu
  • Patent number: 9889390
    Abstract: A liquid-liquid extraction system (1) adapted for the flow of two or more liquids therein is disclosed. The system comprises a mixer settler sub-system (100) and a counter-current liquid-liquid extraction column (200). The sub-system (100) comprises one or more mixer settlers (110) connected in series, and the column (200) comprises either a mixing section (260) comprising an agitation means (261) and/or a static section (280) comprising an internal (281). The first outlet (131) of the mixer settler sub-system (100) is in fluid communication with the first inlet (221) of the column (200) and the second inlet (112) of the mixer settler sub-system (100) is in fluid communication with the second inlet (222) of the counter-current liquid-liquid extraction column (200). The invention further relates to a counter-current liquid-liquid extraction process for using said system 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Sulzer Chemtech AG
    Inventors: Jörg Koch, Juan Ramon Herguijuela
  • Patent number: 9890310
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to a mixing system for mixing a dry material with a liquid. The mixing system includes a supply of dry material and a supply of liquid. An infinitely variable metering device meters the dry material into the liquid. A sensor senses the ratio of dry material to liquid. The sensor is operatively connected to the metering device to control the metering device to obtain a desired ratio of dry material to liquid. The dry material is dispensed volumetrically by volume of liquid to form the desired ratio of dry material to liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Douglas Dynamics, LLC
    Inventors: Everett Hughes, Greg Neilson, Paul Yagiela
  • Patent number: 9884146
    Abstract: The invention relates to extracorporeal blood circuits, and components thereof (e.g., hollow fiber membranes, potted bundles, and blood tubing), including 0.005% to 10% (w/w) surface modifying macromolecule. The extracorporeal blood circuits have an antithrombogenic surface and can be used in hemofiltration, hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, hemoconcentration, blood oxygenation, and related uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Interface Biologics Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjoy Mullick, Weilun Chang, Hanje Chen, Mark A. Steedman, Roseita Esfand
  • Patent number: 9879310
    Abstract: Techniques, systems, devices and materials are disclosed for capturing, isolating and transporting target biomolecules and living organisms. In one aspect, a device includes a tube structured to include a large opening and a small opening that are on opposite ends of the tube, and a tube body connecting the openings and having a cross section spatially reducing in size from the large opening to the small opening, in which the tube includes a layered wall including an inner layer having a catalyst material that is reactive with a fuel fluid to produce bubbles exiting the tube from the large opening to propel the tube to move in the fuel fluid and an external layer formed of a material capable of being functionalized, and a molecular layer functionalized onto the external layer of the tube and structured to attach to a targeted molecule in the fuel fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Joseph Wang, Shankar Balasubramanian, Daniel Kagan, Susana Campuzano-Ruiz
  • Patent number: 9878269
    Abstract: A fresh water generation method by which product water satisfying target water quality can be stably and efficiently obtained even when raw water quality fluctuates, is provided by branching at least a part of a water flow line through which raw water 1 flows into a plurality of branch lines including a branch line A1 and a branch line A2 and differentiating retention times from branching to joining together between the branch line A1 and the branch line A2, in a fresh water generation method for obtaining product water by treating raw water 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 9868660
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing biofouling of microfiltration membranes that are biofouled with biological substances are disclosed. The methods include providing impound water containing biomolecule-based exopolymeric substances, reacting with calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, encapsulating the exopolymeric substance into filterable non-tacky particles by reacting with an inorganic coagulant and a low molecular weight polymer, and microfiltering to remove the filterable non-tacky particles encapsulating the exopolymeric substances. The filterable non-tacky particles encapsulate the exopolymeric substances and prevent the exopolymeric substances from biofouling the microfiltration membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Water Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Allen, Edward Lewis
  • Patent number: 9862007
    Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate liquid processing apparatus and method for performing a liquid processing on a substrate using a processing liquid, and a computer-readable recording medium with a substrate liquid processing program recorded therein. In the method, a first chemical liquid supply step is performed to supply a first chemical liquid from a first chemical liquid supply unit to a processing liquid storage unit, a first chemical liquid purifying step is performed to purify the first chemical liquid in a chemical liquid purifying unit, a second chemical liquid supply step is performed to supply a second chemical liquid from a second chemical liquid supply unit to the processing liquid storage unit, and a processing liquid supply step is performed to supply the processing liquid obtained by mixing the first and second chemical liquids from the processing liquid supply unit to substrate liquid processing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Daisuke Saiki, Shogo Mizota, Takashi Yabuta, Jun Nonaka, Tatsuya Nagamatsu, Koji Tanaka, Tomiyasu Maezono
  • Patent number: 9862665
    Abstract: Membranes are provided for energy efficient purification of alcohol by pervaporation. Such membranes include a nanofibrous scaffold in combination with a barrier layer. The membranes also include zeolites in the barrier layer. The membranes may, in embodiments, also include a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for the State University of New York
    Inventors: Benjamin Chu, Benjamin S. Hsiao, Devinder Mahajan, Tsung-Ming Yeh
  • Patent number: 9855513
    Abstract: After an aqueous solution containing, at a concentration of less than 40% by mass, an organic compound having two or more hydrophilic groups in a molecule is adjusted to contain the organic compound at a concentration of equal to or greater than 40% by mass, the aqueous solution whose organic compound concentration is adjusted to equal to or greater than 40% by mass is irradiated with an ultrasonic wave to atomize water, and is dehydrated and concentrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Namba, Junnosuke Saito
  • Patent number: 9855377
    Abstract: A dialysis system includes a dialysis instrument including a blood pump actuator, a dialyzer, a heparin pump, and a disposable cassette including a blood pumping portion operable with the blood pump actuator of the dialysis instrument, the blood pumping portion including an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the blood pumping portion of the disposable cassette positioned and arranged to receive blood from an arterial line of an extracorporeal circuit, the outlet of the blood pumping portion of the disposable cassette positioned and arranged to deliver the blood to the dialyzer and to receive heparin from the heparin pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Thomas D. Kelly, Rodolfo Roger
  • Patent number: 9840903
    Abstract: A process for recovering oil is provided. The process entails recovering an oil-water mixture from an oil-bearing formation. Next, the process entails separating oil from the oil-water mixture and producing produced water having hardness and other scale-forming compounds, suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil. A pre-treatment process is undertaken to remove hardness and other scale-forming compounds. This entails precipitating hardness and other scale-forming compounds. After the precipitation of hardness and other scale-forming compounds, the produced water is directed to a membrane separation unit for filtering the produced water and producing a retentate having suspended solids, hardness and other scale-forming compounds, free oil and emulsified oil. The membrane separation unit also produces a permeate stream substantially free of hardness and other scale-forming compounds, suspended solids, free oil and emulsified oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Veolia Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanton R. Smith
  • Patent number: 9840895
    Abstract: An automated process and accompanying apparatus simultaneously separates and measures the flow rate of any multiphase mixture of immiscible fluids. Such separation and measurement can occur in a single vessel, or multiple vessels. Liquid levels, together with a material balance analysis, are utilized to determine constituent liquid flow rates. The vessel(s) can be remotely operated and monitored in real time, while also allowing for automated or manual calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Inventor: Leroy Thomas Kuhn
  • Patent number: 9834452
    Abstract: A secure automated water treatment trailer and method of inserting chemical in a pipeline, the trailer having a frame with at least one axle and a tongue, a base, a plurality of connected walls, a weather proof top engaging each of the plurality of connected walls opposite the base forming an enclosure, a pair of locking doors, a plurality of discharge ports, a plurality of suction ports, a charging port, a skid, a plurality of a controller in communication with each of the pumps and a network, a plurality of pressure gauges, a generator, a plurality of valves, and a plurality of back pressure valves. The secure automated water treatment trailer automatically processes multiple fluids simultaneously into the pipeline. Each fluid has fluid characteristics and a specific gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Performance Chemical Company
    Inventors: Burl Fuller, Jerry Fuller, Mark Clifton, Jose Luna, Jose Marquez, Edy Redmon