Patents Examined by Joye L. Woodard
  • Patent number: 9623366
    Abstract: A CO2 recovery system includes an absorption apparatus that brings a CO2 absorption liquid into contact with an exhaust gas treated by a pre-treatment apparatus so that CO2 in the exhaust gas is absorbed into the CO2 absorption liquid; a regeneration apparatus that separates CO2 from the CO2 absorption liquid; an absorption liquid circulation path that circulates the CO2 absorption liquid between the absorption apparatus and the regeneration apparatus; and an impurity removal unit that removes impurities having a high concentration in the absorption liquid circulation path, in the absorption liquid circulation path and/or in the pre-treatment apparatus in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Tsujiuchi, Takahito Yonekawa, Shintaro Honjo, Masayuki Inui, Koji Nakayama, Takashi Kamijo, Hiromitsu Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 9605211
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method, device and installation for devolatizing a solid feedstock, comprising carbon-based waste selected from the group consisting of hazardous material, biomass, animal manure, tires, municipal solid waste and refuse derived fuel. The method comprises treating the solid feedstock to a produce a particle size laying between about 1 cm3 and about 100 cm3. The solid feedstock is passed into a jacketed system which includes a solid feedstock injector, a retort, a side arm for injecting a heated gas, and a process auger. The solid feedstock is contacted with a heated gas, comprising hydrogen, inside the jacketed system at a temperature of about 500° C. to about 1000° C. for a time of about 60 seconds to about 120 seconds, whereby the solid feedstock is converted into a gas stream and a solid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: D4 Energy Group, Inc.
    Inventors: David Earle Hayward, Marvin Ronnie Baker
  • Patent number: 9598641
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the production of charcoal from wood chips or other particulate organic waste material. The quality of charcoal produced is suitable for use in applications such as chemical reagents, fuels, and as absorbents. The reaction vessel defines a flow path extending from the input to the vessel, through to the output from the vessel, in which the thermal decomposition of the organic material progresses as the organic material passes through the reaction vessel. The vessel includes a reaction zone for autogenous reaction of organic material in a reaction bed of the organic material, and a cooling zone having at least one inlet for supplying cooling gas into the reaction bed and an outlet to extract heated gas from the reaction bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION
    Inventor: Alexandre Vladimirovich Deev
  • Patent number: 9580657
    Abstract: A carbonaceous feed pyrolysis apparatus is provided including two or more hot particle fluidized beds, and one or more positive displacement apparatus for the transfer of hot particles between two or more of the beds, wherein one or more of the fluidized beds contains a combustion zone. A bio-oil production process is also provided, including pyrolysis of a carbonaceous bio-mass using two or more fluidized beds, including a first combustion zone carried out in one or more combustion fluidized beds in which a particulate material is fluidized and heated, and a second pyrolysis zone carried out in one or more pyrolysis fluidized beds in which the hot particles heated in the combustion zone are used for pyrolysis of the bio-mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: University of Pretoria, The United States, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Michael David Heydenrych, Stephen David Swart, Akwasi Acheampong Boateng
  • Patent number: 9567543
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing product gas fuel and solid char fuel from a carbon-containing feedstock are described. Feedstock is introduced into and transported through at least one substantially horizontal sublimation reaction chamber. An initial and final sublimation temperature is maintained within less than ±10° C. in an atmosphere free from external oxygen and externally supplied catalyst. The system is configured to not have any product gas leak out of the reaction chamber or oxygen leak into a hot box configured to heat the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tekgar, LLC
    Inventors: Michael L. Catto, Douglas M. Van Thorre
  • Patent number: 9562204
    Abstract: An assembly for processing green biomass materials from two separate feed sources for use as a fuel pellet includes a drying assembly, a torrefaction assembly and a heating assembly. The drying assembly is adapted to convert the green biomass material obtained from a first source to white biomass material. The torrefaction assembly is adapted to convert green biomass material obtained from a second source to torrefied biomass material. The heating assembly provides heat for both the drying assembly and the torrefaction assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Astec, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Donald Brock, Malcolm L. Swanson
  • Patent number: 9561465
    Abstract: An ecosystem operated in a plant having a drying unit is provided. The ecosystem includes: a regenerative thermal oxidization unit for processing a waste gas to produce a hot gas; a first hot gas pipeline connected to the regenerative thermal oxidization unit and the drying unit, wherein the hot gas is transferred from the regenerative thermal oxidization unit to the drying unit via the first hot gas pipeline; a heat recovery unit disposed at the first hot gas pipeline to absorb heat from the first hot gas pipeline; an absorption refrigeration unit connected to a target to be cooled; and a hot liquid pipeline connected to the heat recovery unit and the absorption refrigeration unit, wherein the heat recovery unit transfers heat from the first hot gas pipeline to the absorption refrigeration unit via the hot liquid pipeline to actuate the absorption refrigeration unit to cool the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: TSRC Corporation
    Inventors: Jung Chang Lu, Cheng Hsien Lin, Sheng-Te Yang
  • Patent number: 9546322
    Abstract: A closed system for gaining sellable petroleum coke pieces out of solidified petroleum coke in a coke drum unit, comprises a coke drum unit containing solidified petroleum coke; a coke crushing unit for crushing petroleum coke into sellable petroleum coke pieces; a closed slurry pipe leading petroleum coke slurry to a closed slurry pit; a dewatering bin unit for receiving petroleum coke slurry from the slurry pit, for collecting the sellable petroleum coke pieces and for leading filtered water and petroleum coke fines out of it; a closed drain water pit, separate from the slurry pit, for receiving the filtered water and the petroleum coke fines from the dewatering bin unit; a water settling tank receiving the filtered water and the petroleum coke from the drain water pit and for separating the petroleum coke fines from the water such that the petroleum coke fines collect in the bottom part of the water settling tank, and for leading the petroleum coke fines into the slurry pit where they mix with the petroleu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Tri-Plan AG
    Inventor: Ralf Gast
  • Patent number: 9534174
    Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in the fast pyrolysis of biomass. In this invention, a portion of the products from a pyrolysis reactor are condensed in the liquid phase and at least a portion of the recovered liquid is recycled to the pyrolysis reactor for further conversion to valuable, useful products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Anellotech, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Mazanec, Jeff Whiting
  • Patent number: 9512364
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for thermochemically transforming biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks into high quality liquid hydrocarbon fuels. In particular, a catalytic hydropyrolysis reactor, containing a deep bed of fluidized catalyst particles is utilized to accept particles of biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks that are significantly smaller than the particles of catalyst in the fluidized bed. The reactor features an insert or other structure disposed within the reactor vessel that inhibits slugging of the bed and thereby minimizes attrition of the catalyst. Within the bed, the biomass feedstock is converted into a vapor-phase product, containing hydrocarbon molecules and other process vapors, and an entrained solid char product, which is separated from the vapor stream after the vapor stream has been exhausted from the top of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Terry L. Marker, Larry G. Felix, Martin B. Linck, Michael J. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9504958
    Abstract: A catalytic filter module for gaseous fluids is disclosed comprising a block-shaped filter element, a catalytic element and a clean gas collecting and discharge arrangement. The catalytic element is substantially coextensive with the filter element, said filter element has a feed face and on its opposite side a discharge face from which filtrate exits to be received by the upstream face of the catalytic element. The gaseous fluid exits the catalytic element as clean gas at a clean gas face thereof opposite to the upstream face. The clean gas collecting and discharge arrangement comprises one or more channels extending across the whole clean gas face of the catalytic element deflecting and directing the clean gas flow transverse to the vertical of the clean gas face of the catalytic element to a clean gas discharge opening of the filter module at a side face thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventor: Steffen Heidenreich
  • Patent number: 9505984
    Abstract: The invention provides scalable, modular, mobile systems and methods for the continuous on-site production of carbonaceous pyrolysis by-products having physical properties which may be tailored for specific market requirements. The system includes at least on scalable modular unit having a primary reaction chamber, an input aperture for introducing biomass feedstock and atmosphere into the reaction chamber, an external heat source for initiating an exothermic pyrolysis reaction therein, an internal mechanism for controllably agitating the feedstock, atmosphere and pyrolysis by-products to sustain the reaction at a preselected operating temperature range, and an apparatus for removing the by-products from the systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Carbon Research & Development, Co.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Mulqueen, James L. Fournier, Thomas B. Reed
  • Patent number: 9505983
    Abstract: An adjustable chargehole closure for adjusting the closure cover of a charging hole in a coking oven chamber. The adjustable chargehole closure has as an inner frame for a closure cover, and the frame can be rotated both with respect to the closure cover and with respect to an outer frame, designed asymmetrically with respect to a vertical plane, so that the closure cover is displaced along a longitudinal axis when the inner frame is rotated in the horizontal plane. The position of the charging hole opening and the closure cover present therein on the ceiling of a coking oven chamber can thereby be changed without requiring construction measures on the ceiling of a coking oven chamber. The capability is in particular advantageous in order to match the position of the charging hole cover to the precise charging position of the charging machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP UHDE GMBH
    Inventors: Manfred Friedrichs, Helmut Dohle
  • Patent number: 9492628
    Abstract: A system for collecting an anaesthetic agent, having at least one anaesthetic gas scavenging system (AGSS) for receiving exhaust gas from a plurality of sources, the exhaust gas including the anaesthetic agent to be collected, each AGSS comprising at least one power source for providing suction of the exhaust gas from the plurality of sources under negative pressure, and a central collection system for receiving the exhaust gas. The central collection system comprises a disinfection module for disinfecting the exhaust gases and outputting a disinfected exhaust gas and at least one collector for receiving the disinfected exhaust gas, wherein the at least one collector is configured to adsorb the anaesthetic agent from the exhaust gas. The central collection system may be configured to received the exhaust gases from the at least one AGSS, with the central collection system being located downstream of the at least one AGSS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Class 1 Inc.
    Inventors: Barry W. Hunt, Todd Eric Jarrett, Damian Ross Thorne, Katrina Marie Ahchong, Dean Paul Carr, Cesar Laurentino Martinez Vazquez
  • Patent number: 9494065
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for processing exhaust fluid in which a fluid generated in a process chamber of an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor, a display panel, or a solar cell is ejected to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: LOT VACUUM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-Yun Lee, Myung Keun Noh, Heaungshig Oh
  • Patent number: 9486774
    Abstract: The present document describes a system and a process for the thermochemical treatment a matter containing organic compounds such as biomass, for the production of useful energetic products such as biochar, bio-oil and gases from non-condensed vapors. The system comprises a reactor comprising a feedstock reservoir having entry and exit, a thermochemical reaction chamber having an entrance disposed under and coupled to the reservoir exit, an exit, and a first heating means for thermal treatment of the matter to produce a solid and a vapor. The system also comprises a feeder having at least one substantially vertical auger operatively coupled to the feedstock reservoir and the thermochemical reaction chamber exit to drive the matter downwardly from the feedstock reservoir exit through the thermochemical reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignees: Institut de recherche et de developpement en agroenvironnement Inc. (IRDA), Centre de recherche industrielle du Quebec (CRIQ)
    Inventors: Mausam Verma, Stéphane Godbout, Olga Solomatnikova, Dan Zegan, Jean-Pierre Larouche, Frédéric Pelletier
  • Patent number: 9487709
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of reducing emissions of byproduct gas when charging oven chambers of a battery of coking ovens, on the proviso that the oven chamber (1) to be charged is opened on the machine side (MS) of the battery of coking ovens, and a block of compressed coal (10) is introduced into the opened oven chamber (1). Byproduct gases released during introduction of the block of compressed coal (10) into the hot oven chamber (1), are discharged through a byproduct-gas manifold (11) attached to the oven chamber (1) and are then preferably freed of dust and incinerated. Crude gases formed in the closed oven chambers during coking are discharged through a crude-gas manifold (3) attached to the oven chambers (1) and are passed on for treatment by at least one gas scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP UHDE GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Reinke, Holger Thielert, Rainer Worberg
  • Patent number: 9469812
    Abstract: A process and system for the controlled thermal conversion of a carbonaceous feedstock, including: exposing the feedstock to one or more predetermined temperatures and one or more predetermined pressures for one or more predetermined amounts of time in one or more chambers to produce a gas product and a solid product, wherein the gas product includes one or more of methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and one or more noxious chemicals and the solid product includes Carbon; sequestration enabling at least a portion of the Carbon by creating associated Lewis Acid Sites; sequestering at least one of the one or more noxious chemicals in the one or more chambers using the sequestration enabled Carbon; and controlling the constituents of the gas product using feedback, thereby providing a predictable and stable gas product from an unknown and/or variable feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Tucker Engineering Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard D. Tucker
  • Patent number: 9458383
    Abstract: A method and a device for breaking up a fresh and hot coke charge in a receiving trough having mobile plate segments, the coke charge being conveyed to a quenching tower in the receiving trough of a flatbed transport car in which the coke charge is cooled down to ambient temperatures by mobile plate segments so that the coke structure is broken up and crevice-type cavities are formed in the compacted coke charge. These crevice-type cavities then allow an increased amount of water to flow into the interior of the coke charge during the subsequent quenching step, resulting in a high profitability of the method, a higher coke quality and a reduced burden on the environment due to reduced quenching times and lower water consumption. A device for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP UHDE GMBH
    Inventors: Ronald Kim, Franz-Josef Schuecker
  • Patent number: 9433915
    Abstract: A rectifier mounted at a bottom of a reactor includes a central layer (1), at least one interlayer (2) and an external layer (3), which are made of bird nest honeycomb ceramic, wherein porosities of the central layer, the interlayer and the external layer increase in turn. The central layer, the interlayer and the external layer are respectively provided in a central-layer cone shaped body, an interlayer cone shaped body and an external-layer cone shaped body which are installed concentrically, so as to form meshed honeycomb pores with different porosities at the bottom of the rectifier. The rectifier is made of bird nest ceramic with high density honeycomb pores, and a minimum density thereof is over 200 meshes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Inventor: Guangchun Yao