Patents Examined by Nam X. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10953356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a composite filter media. The composite filter media is formed from multiple layers of media material including a nanofiber media layer, where the layers are laminated, bound, or otherwise composited to each other. The composite filter media can comprise at least one nanofiber layer comprising polymeric media material having a geometric mean fiber diameter of about 100 nm to 1 ?m, and fibers configured in a gradient such that ratio of the geometric mean diameter of fibers at the upstream face of the nano fiber layer to the geometric mean diameter of fibers at the downstream face of the nano fiber layer is about 1.1 to 2.8, preferably about 1.2 to 2.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: CUMMINS FILTRATION IP, INC.
    Inventors: William C. Haberkamp, Eric A. Janikowski, Barry Mark Verdegan, Christopher E. Holm, Huanling Liu, Kyle Ellison, Mark T. Wieczorek
  • Patent number: 10934196
    Abstract: In a lagoon-based wastewater treatment process, reduction of total nitrogen in the product water is facilitated by including a denitrification process. In an initial phase of the overall process, raw wastewater is processed in a lagoon to reduce BOD5 and TSS. Nitrification occurs in the lagoon and/or in a distinct or separate nitrification reactor. At least a portion of product water that has been nitrified is mixed with a portion of raw, incoming wastewater, and the mixture is introduced into an anoxic region of the lagoon in a manner that promotes denitrification within the anoxic region of the lagoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Triplepoint Environmental LLC
    Inventors: Patrick D. Hill, Braden J. Galbreath-O'Leary
  • Patent number: 10927008
    Abstract: Method and device for biogas upgrading and hydrogen production from anaerobic fermentation of biological material under production of energy rich gases selected among methane and hydrogen or a combination thereof. The method comprises addition of hydrogen gas to a fermentation step to enhance the methane: CO2 ratio in the raw biogas produced. At least part of the raw biogas is subjected to a step of sorption enhanced reforming without prior separation of CO2, using CaO as an absorbent to capture CO2 from the raw biogas as well as CO2 released in the reforming reaction. CaO is regenerated in an endothermic reaction using heat at least partially provided, directly or indirectly, by the bio-gas to be upgraded, thereby producing substantially pure hydrogen and substantially pure CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: ZEG Power AS
    Inventors: Arne Raaheim, Julien Meyer, Björg Andresen, Nicola Di Giulio, Öystein Ulleberg
  • Patent number: 10907303
    Abstract: A process is provided for preparing a low density, fibrous primary lignocellulose biomass, particularly straw for anaerobic digestion at large scale, i.e. >2 MWth, which comprises a step that greatly increasing the density of the straw through size reduction, moisture adjustment and compression ahead of loading and subsequent agitation of the resultant biomass in a pressure vessel through an atmosphere of saturated steam providing heat for thermal-pressure hydrolysis and recovering treated biomass from the vessel. The primary lignocellulose biomass may be prepared in admixture with secondary biomass which may be manure-based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: THERMO PRESSURE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Cecil Toll, Christian Andrew Ian Toll, Nigel Anthony Bailey, Zhengjian Wang, Andrew Walsh
  • Patent number: 10900187
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for aggregate collection from a water body are provided. The apparatus includes a floatable structure which includes a body having a substantially spherical surface and a storage space within the body. The floatable structure further includes an opening that forms a passage to the storage space. The apparatus further includes a control assembly coupled to the body. The control assembly controls a collection of an aggregate present in the water body, into the storage space through the opening. The collection is controlled when the floatable structure is at least partially immersed in the water body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Varun Mangal Gadh, Robert Rangel, Christopher Yee
  • Patent number: 10894117
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hollow molded article which has an opening portion communicating with a flow channel and which can be manufactured simply. The hollow molded article includes a panel and flow channels. The panel includes a first resin sheet and a second resin sheet partly welded with the first resin sheet. The flow channels are disposed between the first resin sheet and the second resin sheet, and include connection portions for external connection which are disposed on a peripheral edge of the panel. The connection portions are formed by the first resin sheet and the second resin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamazaki, Ryosuke Oki, Tomohiro Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10889517
    Abstract: Provided is a nano-photocatalyst-microorganism composite multilayered light-transmitting combination support, comprising a plurality of wave-shaped plexiglass plates (1), a tandem rod holder (4), hollow elastic spacers (5), and fixing screws (6); each of the wave-shaped plexiglass plates (1) is provided with four fixing holes (7); the tandem rod holder (4) is provided with four tandem rods (8), and the four tandem rods (8) pass through the fixing holes (7); the tandem rods (8) between the two adjacent wave-shaped plexiglass plates (1) pass through the hollow elastic spacers (5); each of the tandem rods (8) is provided with a fixing screw (6) at the top end; each of the wave-shaped plexiglass plates (1) have different loading layers on the upper and lower surfaces, with a nano-photocatalyst-loading layer (2) on one surface and a degrading bacteria-loading layer (3) on the other surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HOHAI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Juan Chen, Peifang Wang, Chao Wang, Yanhui Ao, Han Gao
  • Patent number: 10889516
    Abstract: A siphon type composite vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland has an uplink pool with a depth ¾ that of a downlink pool. Siphon-type drain tubes are equidistantly distributed at a first outer side of the uplink pool, and a total flow of the drain tubes is slightly greater than a largest total influent flow. Three layers of substrates are paved on each pool. A substrate on a first layer is a biological ceramsite having a relatively small grain size, another substrate on a second layer is zeolite having a relatively large grain size, and a further substrate on a third layer is cobblestone having a large grain size. The third layers of the pools are integrally communicated, and sewage in the downlink pool flows to the uplink pool through a communication port. Sludge on bottom layers of the pools is discharged from a siphon tube with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventors: Cheng Jiang, Jiaqi Fu, Zhaohuan Mai, Jiujiu Wu
  • Patent number: 10888802
    Abstract: A fluid treatment system combines cyclonic separators and gravitational separators for use in onshore and offshore oil and gas operations and elsewhere. The characteristics of apertures that interface between a gravitational separation chamber and a cyclonic separator are configurable in accordance with operational requirements. By selecting aperture characteristics, improved control and separation efficiencies can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Arnoldus Johannes Wilhelmus Henricus Vissers
  • Patent number: 10875802
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a portable wastewater treatment system includes an anaerobic reactor in which organic material within the wastewater can be broken down, a membrane filter that receives wastewater from the anaerobic reactor and filters the water to produce permeate, and a small shipping container in which the reactor and the membrane filter are contained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
    Inventors: Daniel H. Yeh, Robert A. Bair, Onur Y. Ozcan, George H. Dick, Jorge Luis Calabria, Matthew Jeffrey Woodham
  • Patent number: 10851002
    Abstract: A system for determining operating conditions of a rotating biological contactor includes a sensor including a first end coupleable to the gearbox assembly of the rotating biological contactor at a radial distance from a rotation axis of a rotatable shaft. The rotatable shaft rotates a plurality of media elements about the rotation axis to treat water within a basin of the rotating biological contactor. The sensor also includes a second end coupleable to a brace to prevent rotation of the sensor and the gearbox assembly when the rotatable shaft is rotated. The sensor further includes a body extending between the first end and the second end. The sensor is configured to detect a load on the body when the rotatable shaft is rotated. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to determine a torque of the rotatable shaft based on the load detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary Alan Bower, David Silverman, Patrick Drew Cronin
  • Patent number: 10843950
    Abstract: A disclosed piping manifold for providing pulsating flow includes an outer tubular member extending along a longitudinal axis. The outer tubular member includes a plurality of outer radial openings. An inner tubular member is positionable within the outer tubular member and rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The inner tubular member includes a plurality of inner radial openings, an inlet port configured to receive a fluid, and a lumen providing a fluidic pathway between the plurality of inner radial openings and the inlet port. Rotation of the inner tubular member about the longitudinal axis is configured to periodically bring the plurality of inner radial openings in and out of registration with the plurality of outer radial openings to provide a plurality of pulsating flows of the fluid out of the outer radial openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: APTwater, LLC
    Inventor: David D. Friese
  • Patent number: 10829402
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for treating wastewater. In one example a system for treating wastewater treatment is provided. The system comprises a biological reactor having an inlet in fluid communication with a source of wastewater and an outlet, the biological reactor configured to treat wastewater from the source of wastewater and output a biologically treated wastewater from the outlet, a solids-liquid separation system having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the biological reactor and configured to separate the biologically treated wastewater into a solids-lean effluent and a solids-rich waste activated sludge (WAS), a treatment subsystem comprising a digester, an inlet in fluid communication with a WAS outlet of the solids-liquid separation system, and an outlet for providing ballasted and digested WAS, and a ballast feed system configured to deliver ballast to one of the biological reactor and the treatment subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Lindemann, Michael Casey Whittier
  • Patent number: 10815131
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for improving the quality of rainwater/stormwater by removing pollutants therefrom. The device comprises a substantially cylindrical tank having an inlet for entry of liquid and an outlet for discharge of liquid. A coarse filter is provided in the tank for filtering relatively coarse pollutants from inflowing liquid, the coarse filter dividing the tank into an upstream first region/chamber and a downstream second region/chamber. A fine pollutant discharge opening is located between the coarse filter and the outlet. A valve comprising a valve member for opening and closing the fine pollutant discharge opening is configured to automatically open the fine pollutant discharge opening to discharge an initial volume of the liquid passing the coarse filter, the valve member being biased toward a configuration for closure of the opening during an inflow event. The liquid passing through the opening bypasses the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ONE WATER NATURALLY PTY. LTD.
    Inventor: David Sparke
  • Patent number: 10807894
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of wastewater is disclosed, which comprises (a) contacting the wastewater with fast settling sludge from step (c) in an anaerobic zone, obtaining a mixture of wastewater and sludge; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a) and slow settling sludge from step (c) to an aerobic zone, obtaining a water and sludge mixture; (c) subjecting a first part of the mixture from step (b) to a sludge selection step, wherein sludge is selected based on settling velocity and a first portion containing slow settling sludge and a second portion containing fast settling sludge are collected, wherein average settling velocity of the fast settling sludge is greater than that of the slow settling sludge, and wherein the first portion is returned to step (b) and the second portion is returned to step (a); and (d) separating sludge from a second part of the mixture from step (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: HASKONINGDHV NEDERLAND B.V.
    Inventor: Frans Wierd Horjus
  • Patent number: 10807892
    Abstract: A device for the housing and stimulation of underwater microbial activity has a lower inlet end and an upper discharge end, the lower inlet end defining an inlet opening therein, the housing defining multiple channels therein extending to the upper discharge end of the housing, the inlet opening communicating with interconnected channels, following an indirect non linear path between the inlet end opening to a discharge opening defined in the discharge end, so as to disrupt the path of fluid as it travels from the inlet opening to the discharge opening. The device has at least one leg extending from the lower inlet end to keep the device off the bottom of a waterbody floor to limit its susceptibility to clogging from the sediment bottom or growing organics. The leg has sufficient weight to sink to the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: BLUE PLANET ENVIRONMENTAL INC.
    Inventors: David Burns, Richard Lonetto, Jason Yeo
  • Patent number: 10800686
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for removing nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage by using sponge iron and activated sludge are disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a raw tank, a pH adjusting tank, a primary SBR reactor, a secondary SBR reactor, an intermediate tank, and a discharge tank; by modification of sponge iron, preparation of composite filler, sludge inoculation and domestication, and sewage treatment, an effect of simultaneous denitrification and dephosphorization is achieved in one reactor using the combined action of sponge iron and activated sludge with high nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Inventors: Dongyang Wei, Yonggang Wu, Xiang Wei, Wenting Jiang, Tao He, Xiaowen Liu, Xi Chen, Wen Zhou, Jialiang Zhu
  • Patent number: 10800670
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes a first sub-system having a biological treatment unit and a second sub-system having a dissolved air flotation unit. A method of treating wastewater includes directing a first stream of wastewater to a biological treatment unit and directing an overflow stream of wastewater to a dissolved air flotation unit. A method of facilitating treatment of overflow wastewater in a biological treatment system includes connecting an overflow treatment system in a parallel configuration with the biological treatment system, the overflow treatment system having a dissolved air flotation unit, and directing a fraction of activated sludge from the biological treatment system to the overflow treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Nathan Antonneau
  • Patent number: 10793456
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bio-assisted treatment of wastewater containing sulphide, phenols and hydrocarbons. Further, the present invention relates to a process for eliminating sulphide and other sulphur compounds including, but not limited to, mercaptans, disulfides, PAHs, phenols and hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Indian Oil Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Manoj Kumar, Amardeep Singh, Saket Ranjan, Suresh Kumar Puri, Sankara Sri Venkata Ramakumar
  • Patent number: 10773984
    Abstract: Media beds containing worms living in an oxygenated aqueous environment are provided for the remediation of water containing excreted and other oxidizable organic or chemical waste. The media beds may include cultivated plant life in addition to the cultivated worm population for the uptake of nitrates, as well as other nutrients rendered soluble through digestion of the worms to remediate water to levels sufficient to be safely returned to the environment; alternatively the water may be remediated to higher nitrate levels in the absence of plants so that the water can be used in subsequent fertilization operations outside the waste treatment system. The system further includes cultivated microbial populations that may be present in the media beds and/or in separate bioreactors within the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul W. Nickerson, David K. Foster