Patents Examined by Natasha E Young
  • Patent number: 11931715
    Abstract: In an apparatus producing hydrogen gas by the decomposition reaction of water using photocatalyst, its miniaturization is achieved while suppressing the decrease of production efficiency of hydrogen gas as low as possible or improving the efficiency. The apparatus 1 comprises a container portion 2 receiving water W; a photocatalyst member 3 immersed in the water, having photocatalyst which generates excited electrons and positive holes when irradiated with light, causes a decomposition reaction of the water and generates hydrogen gas; a light source 4 emitting the light irradiated to the photocatalyst member; and a heat exchange device 7 conducting waste heat of the light source to the water in the container portion; wherein the water to be decomposed on the photocatalyst member in the container portion is warmed by the waste heat of the light source by the heat exchange device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taizo Masuda, Kenichi Okumura, Ryota Tomizawa, Atsuki Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11925930
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a gas containing CH4 and CO2 is supplied from a first supply unit to a synthetic gas production unit which generates a synthetic gas containing CO and H2 while heating a first catalytic structure; the synthetic gas is supplied to a gas production unit which generates a lower olefin-containing gas including propylene while heating a second catalytic structure; and a detection unit detects propylene discharged from the gas production unit. The first catalytic structure includes first supports having a porous structure and a first metal fine particle that is present in first channels of the first supports. The second catalyst structure includes second supports having a porous structure and a second metal fine particle in the second supports. The second supports have a second channels, a portion of which have an average inner diameter of 0.95 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Banba, Kaori Sekine, Yukako Nakai, Mai Nishii, Masayuki Fukushima, Sadahiro Kato, Takao Masuda, Yuta Nakasaka, Takuya Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11926608
    Abstract: The invention discloses a synthesis method and device for rapidly producing lactide at high yield. The method comprises: adding a single component of lactic acid or two components of lactic acid and catalyst, passing the mixture through a mixer to enter an oligomer preparation system, increasing a residence time through bottom circulation, synthesizing oligomeric lactic acid, and passing a gas-phase component through a rectification system. With the adoption of the device, the lactide is capable of being efficiently synthesized, crude lactide with a yield of 94% to 98% is capable of being obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: NANJING UNIVERSITY, NANJING QUANKAI RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF BIOMATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Jiang, Yunbiao Qi, Ping Sun, Wei Huang, Aimin Li, Quanxing Zhang
  • Patent number: 11925719
    Abstract: The self-sanitizing door knob system is configured for use with a door. The door further comprises a door knob. The door knob is a manually operated mechanism that latches the door in a closed position. The door knob is a rotating structure that releases the latch to allow the door to rotate to an open position. The self-sanitizing door knob system is incorporated into the door knob. The self-sanitizing door knob system comprises a housing, a spray structure, and a control circuit. The housing contains the spray structure and the control circuit. The spray structure disinfects the door knob by discharging a spray disinfecting solution onto the door knob. The control circuit controls the operation of the spray structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventor: Raheem Martin
  • Patent number: 11918967
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a thermochemical process includes injecting one or more feed streams into a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is maintained at a reaction temperature using heat obtained directly from a subterranean heat source. The method includes maintaining the one or more feed streams in the reaction chamber for a residence time to form one or more product streams from the one or more feed streams. The one or more product streams are removed from the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Greg Lindberg, Kimberly C. Conner
  • Patent number: 11919771
    Abstract: High quality, catalyst-free boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that are long, flexible, have few wall molecules and few defects in the crystalline structure, can be efficiently produced by a process driven primarily by Direct Induction. Secondary Direct Induction coils, Direct Current heaters, lasers, and electric arcs can provide additional heating to tailor the processes and enhance the quality of the BNNTs while reducing impurities. Heating the initial boron feed stock to temperatures causing it to act as an electrical conductor can be achieved by including refractory metals in the initial boron feed stock, and providing additional heat via lasers or electric arcs. Direct Induction processes may be energy efficient and sustainable for indefinite period of time. Careful heat and gas flow profile management may be used to enhance production of high quality BNNT at significant production rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: BNNT, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Kevin C. Jordan, Jonathan C. Stevens, R. Roy Whitney
  • Patent number: 11911739
    Abstract: A support grid for filling material packing and to a component set for producing such a support grid, including support strips and top strips which are inclined relative to one another in opposite directions. The support strips and top strips intersect one another, the inclination of each top strip is defined by at least one top strip receiving groove which is made in at least one support strip and in which the top strip is received, and the orientation of each support strip is stabilised by at least one support strip receiving groove in which the support strip is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SGL CARBON SE
    Inventor: Ralph Spuller
  • Patent number: 11904300
    Abstract: A silicon carbide porous body contains ?-SiC particles, Si particles, and metal silicide particles. The maximum particle diameter of the ?-SIC particles is not smaller than 15 ?m. The content of the Si particles is not lower than 10 mass %. The maximum particle diameter of the Si particles is not larger than 40 ?m. Further, an oxide coating film having a thickness not smaller than 0.01 ?m and not larger than 5 ?m is provided on surfaces of the Si particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Suzuki, Kyohei Atsuji, Takahiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 11905173
    Abstract: A reactor system for carrying out steam reforming of a feed gas comprising hydrocarbons, including: a structured catalyst arranged for catalyzing steam reforming of a feed gas including hydrocarbons, the structured catalyst including a macroscopic structure of electrically conductive material, the macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, wherein the ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material; a pressure shell housing the structured catalyst; heat insulation layer between the structured catalyst and the pressure shell; at least two conductors electrically connected to the macroscopic structure and to an electrical power supply placed outside the pressure shell, wherein the electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of the structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 500° C. by passing an electrical current through the macroscopic structure. Also, a process for steam reforming of a feed gas comprising hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventors: Peter Mølgaard Mortensen, Robert Klein, Kim Aasberg-Petersen
  • Patent number: 11898221
    Abstract: A method of improving metal leach kinetics and recovery during atmospheric or substantially atmospheric leaching of a metal sulfide is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may comprise the step of processing a metal sulfide concentrate in a reductive activation circuit 220 that operates at a first redox potential, to produce a reductively-activated metal sulfide concentrate. The method may further comprise the step of subsequently processing the activated metal sulfide concentrate in an oxidative leach circuit 240 to extract metal values. In some disclosed embodiments, reductive activation steps and/or oxidative dissolution steps may employ mechano-chemical and/or physico-chemical processing of particles or agglomerates thereof. Reductive activation may be made prior to heap leaching or bio-leaching operations to improve metal extraction. Systems for practicing the aforementioned methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: David J. Chaiko, Frank Baczek, Sara (Sally) Rocks, Carlos Eyzaguirre
  • Patent number: 11897768
    Abstract: Systems for producing hydrogen gas for local distribution, consumption, and/or storage, and related devices and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a pyrolysis reactor that can be coupled to a supply of reaction material that includes a hydrocarbon. The reactor includes one or more flow channels positioned to transfer heat to the reaction material to convert the hydrocarbon into an output that includes hydrogen gas and carbon particulates. The system also includes a carbon separation system operably coupled to the pyrolysis reactor to separate the hydrogen gas the carbon particulates in the output. In various embodiments, the system also includes components to locally consume the filtered hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Modern Hydrogen, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin B. Ashton, Roelof E. Groenewald, Kevin J. Hughes, Arvind Kannan, William Kokonaski, Max N. Mankin, Tony S. Pan, Lowell L Wood, John J. Lorr, Amit Goyal, Guido Radaelli, Vikram Seshadri
  • Patent number: 11891302
    Abstract: A water gas shift (WGS) reactor system includes a housing; a reaction tube disposed in the housing, wherein a reaction channel is defined within the reaction tube and a cooling fluid channel is defined between the housing and the reaction tube; a catalyst disposed in the reaction channel, the catalyst configured to catalyze a hydrogen generation reaction; and a heat transfer material disposed in the reaction channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BAYOTECH, INC.
    Inventors: Herbert Lee Nigg, Robert Charles Moore, Millicent Capstaff, Ranko P. Bontchev, Viswanath Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 11891937
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for an exhaust system can include an outer body, a front plate, a back plate, a middle member, and an inner member. The outer body defines an interior volume and has a center axis. The front plate defines an upstream portion of the interior volume and the back plate defines a downstream portion of the interior volume. The middle member is positioned transverse to the center axis and defines a volume. The inner member is positioned coaxially with the middle member inside the middle member. The front plate includes inlets configured to direct exhaust to (i) a first flow path into an interior of the inner member, (ii) a second flow path into the volume of the middle member between a sidewall of the middle member and a sidewall of the inner member, and (iii) a third flow path into the interior volume of the outer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew K. Volmerding, Ryan M. Johnson, Jim L Alonzo, Samuel Johnson, Apoorv Kalyankar, Pranjal Naik, Kartiki Jagtap, Mahendra Mittapalli
  • Patent number: 11865646
    Abstract: Reduced tube pitch within a shell-and-tube heat exchange reactor such as, for example, an EO reactor, is provided by utilizing a welding material that has a high tensile (i.e., a tensile strength of greater than 600 MPa). Reduced tube pitch allows for more elongated tubes (the tubes are filled with a catalyst) to be present in a reactor, and thus a smaller reactor can be manufactured. Notably, the use of a high tensile strength welding material allows the implementation of a small welding groove located between a beveled sidewall of a beveled upper portion of an opening provided in a tube sheet overlay material (that is located atop a tube sheet) and an outermost sidewall of the elongated tube passing through the opening in the tube sheet overlay material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Scientific Design Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Mohammad Ganjvar
  • Patent number: 11866560
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a microfluidic flow process for making monomers, monomers made by such processes, and methods of using such monomers. In such process, microfluidic reaction technology is used to synthesize cyanation reaction products orders of magnitude faster than is possible in batch and continuous syntheses. The aforementioned process does require strictly regulated, highly toxic cyanogen chloride. Thus the aforementioned process is more economically efficient and reduces the environmental impact of thermosetting resin monomer production, and produces thermosetting resin monomers in greater purity than obtained through typical processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Kamran B Ghiassi, Neil D Redeker, Alexander T Lonnecker, Jayden N. Glover
  • Patent number: 11857941
    Abstract: A microreactor system includes: a microreactor that has two inflow ports into which fluids are introduced and a flow path configured to merge the fluids, and that is configured to mix a first fluid introduced from one of the inflow ports and a second fluid introduced from the other of the inflow ports in the flow path; a first container in which the first fluid is prepared; a second container in which the second fluid is prepared; a first pump configured to feed the first fluid toward the inflow port; a second pump configured to feed the second fluid toward the inflow port; first and second measurement units configured to measure amounts of the first fluid and the second fluid, respectively; and switching units configured to switch at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid to be fed to the microreactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI PLANT SERVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukako Asano, Masashi Tagami, Hiroaki Kato
  • Patent number: 11856177
    Abstract: Apparatuses and a method for plate-based oligonucleotide synthesis are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus used in oligonucleotide synthesis includes a machined block to receive a commercially-available synthesis plate. A keeper is used to apply pressure to the commercially-available synthesis plate, and a sealing element is used to seal the commercially-available synthesis plate to the machined block. Other methods and apparatuses are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Bruce Erickson, Marshall Henry
  • Patent number: 11850564
    Abstract: A flow reactor includes a flow reactor module having a heat exchange fluid enclosure with an inner surface sealed against a surface of a process fluid module, the inner surface having two or more raised ridges crosswise to a heat exchange flow direction from an inflow port or location to an outflow port or location and having a gap of greater than 0.1 mm between the two or more raised ridges and the surface of the process module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sylvain Maxime F Gremetz, Elena Daniela Lavric
  • Patent number: 11851403
    Abstract: Provided are industrial processes for producing an organic acid alky ester from a feedstock containing organic acids and/or saponifiables, comprising: countercurrently contacting a feedstock with an organic alkylating reagent over two or more vessels or stages at temperature between 100° C. and 400° C. and pressure between 0.1 barg and 355 barg while simultaneously removing water and/or glycerin with unreacted alkylating reagent from the final vessel or stage to result in a first reaction method product containing organic acid alkyl esters, followed by a choice of using the alkyl esters as-is, purifying the organic acid alkyl esters from the first reaction product mixture or subjecting the first reaction product mixture to an additional transesterification reaction to convert saponifiables into additional organic acid alkyl esters, then purifying the organic acid alkyl esters from this second reaction method product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: INVENTURE RENEWABLES, INC.
    Inventors: Cory O'Neil Blanchard, Ryan Alexander Long, William Rusty Sutterlin, Timothy Nelson Brown, Endre Mihaly
  • Patent number: 11845055
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for conducting chemical reactions and for conducting a multi-step chemical reactions using swellable organically modified silica (SOMS) as nanoreactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Appalachian State University
    Inventor: Nicholas N. Shaw