Patents Examined by Paul J Durand
  • Patent number: 8398864
    Abstract: A driven decanter assembly for a wastewater primary treatment system, comprising a longitudinal decanter disposable in the wastewater and having a longitudinal trough and a horizontal entrance weir, a polygonal or arcuate screen attached to the decanter and having at least two screen surfaces disposable below the surface of the wastewater outside of the trough, and a floating baffle pivotably mounted to the decanter and disposable in the wastewater outside of the screen. The driven decanter assembly can directly replace a prior art driven decanter in any waste water primary treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Trans Terra Corporation
    Inventor: Terry Wright
  • Patent number: 8393898
    Abstract: An apparatus for filtering dental solid waste has been developed. The apparatus includes a high volume evacuation (HVE) tip with one end that is connected to a suction line and another end that is inserted in a patient's mouth to remove dental waste. A filtration unit is located within the HVE tip that retains solid dental waste within the HVE tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Inventor: Charles McCary
  • Patent number: 8388837
    Abstract: A circulation system for bodies of water. In one set of embodiments for larger bodies of water, modified horizontal plate designs are provided at the entrance of the draft hose. The plate designs have sections that pivot downwardly as the flotation platform and depending draft hose are rapidly raised in high wave conditions to let the water escape downwardly out of the hose. Adaptations to the floats for the elongated arms of the platform are also made to essentially eliminate the creation of any damaging torques on them from high waves. Another set of embodiments are particularly adapted for smaller systems in municipal water tanks for thorough mixing of the water and treatment to kill undesirable ammonia oxidizing bacteria and prevent or at least inhibit their return.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Medora Environmental, Inc.
    Inventors: Willard R. Tormaschy, Gary A. Kudrna, Corey M. Simnioniw, Joel J. Bleth, Lawrence John Weber, Jonathan L. Zent, Ronald J. Crail
  • Patent number: 8318026
    Abstract: A system for controlling the sedimentation of sand or grit particles suspended in waste water contained in a grit chamber by determining the temperature of water contained in the grit chamber and by operating a turbulence creating means on the basis of the water temperature. A method of controlling the sedimentation of sand and grit particles suspended in waste water contained in a grit chamber, by determining the temperature of water contained in the grit chamber and by operating a turbulence creating means on the basis of the water temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support
    Inventor: Soren Johannes Hojsgaard
  • Patent number: 8313656
    Abstract: A variable wash flow filter assembly includes guide that is operable to guide a wash velocity control cone between a minimal position and a maximum position. The guide defines at least one activation deltaP window downstream of a conical gap between the wash velocity control cone and a frusto-conical wash filter. The fuel flow through the conical gap and the activation deltaP window is operable to position the wash velocity control cone between the minimal position and maximum position to selectively split a fuel flow through an inlet into a burn flow through a thru flow port and a filtered flow thru the frusto-conical wash filter and filtered flow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Gibbons, Francis P. Marocchini, Tomas R. Leutwiler
  • Patent number: 8303826
    Abstract: An automatic strainer assembly for straining a slurry comprises an inlet for receiving the slurry, a horizontally disposed strainer body in fluid communication with the inlet, and a rotatable strainer member received within the body having an inner surface and an outer surface. The strainer member defines a plurality of passageways for strained fluid to pass therethrough. A scraper is positioned substantially adjacent to and contacting the outer surface of the strainer member for removing material from the outer surface of the strainer member. A collection vessel is positioned substantially below the body for receiving material scraped from the outer surface of the strainer member. A helical member is mounted on an internal shaft or auger is located within the strainer member for contacting the slurry to increase mixing and promote flow of the slurry through the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: TM Industrial Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl A. Steiner, Ricky L. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8293117
    Abstract: A system for controlling water quality of a reservoir including one or more covers that at least partially cover a reservoir, one or more water quality sensors that sense physical, chemical, and biological water quality characteristics of water in the reservoir, a mixer for circulating/mixing water layers of the reservoir, and a controller in communication with the water quality sensors that processes input from the sensors to circulate/mix water layers of the reservoir that are exposed to an uncovered surface of the reservoir so as to control water quality characteristics of water in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Aquate Group Ltd.
    Inventor: Barak Yekutiely
  • Patent number: 8281937
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a compact fluid purification device includes a housing having an inlet for receiving unfiltered liquid and an open end and a first valve disposed within the inlet and being configured to only permit unfiltered liquid to flow into a hollow interior of the housing. The device has a plunger received within the open end such that it slides within the interior of the housing. The plunger is movable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position, wherein the plunger has an elongated housing that includes a filter element, such as, a plurality of hollow filter elements that are open at a distal end of the plunger housing and are in communication with an outlet that is associated with the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Collins, James Summerton
  • Patent number: 8257595
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a liquid dispense system having at least one liquid outlet and at least one flow control device for controlling the dispense of liquid from said outlet(s) during a dispense operation, said control apparatus including an operating device for controlling the operation of at least one flow control device to permit dispense of a desired volume of liquid from the outlet(s) during a dispense operation; a recording device for recording one or more parameters of the liquid dispense system and/or the operating device during the dispense operation to create a dispense profile for the dispense operation, at least one of the recorded parameters being indicative of the flow rate of liquid at the outlet(s); and a control device for controlling the operation of the operating device during a subsequent dispense operation based upon the recorded dispense profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: VWS (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Lee Underwood
  • Patent number: 8252188
    Abstract: A separator for separating F.O.G. from an effluent that contains F.O.G. includes a tank, an inlet to the tank for receiving effluent that contains F.O.G., and an outlet to allow grey water to leave the tank. The tank has a size to enable stratification of a layer of F.O.G. present in the tank on water in the tank, and first and second thermocouples are positioned at differing levels in the tank. Conductors couple the thermocouples to sensors, and differing voltages in the thermocouples can be sensed to determine if the thermocouples are surrounded by F.O.G. or water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Thermaco, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Batten, Bruce W. Kyles
  • Patent number: 8246820
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for removing volatiles from fluid systems. The apparatuses and methods include evaporator sections. The apparatuses and methods may furthermore include a heater disposed at least in part in the evaporator section, which may have a ridge on its surface. The apparatuses and methods may furthermore include an evaporation tube positioned around the heater, which may have a conically shaped outer surface. The apparatuses and methods may also include an air inlet and an air outlet in the evaporator section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Next Generation Filtration Systems, LP
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Geiger
  • Patent number: 8225942
    Abstract: An influent feed system for directing the influent liquid via hydraulic energy to scour the surface of primary treatment tank walls and base to move the scoured solids to a sludge trough. Scouring action takes place during periods of low liquid levels in the tank. The system comprises two identical, adjacent tanks sharing a common distribution box. Either or both of the tanks are in use at any given time. The tank in use will be empty occasionally each day. Influent feed troughs disposed transversely in each tank directs solids towards a sludge hopper in the tank bottom. The IFTs extend over the width of the tank to provide scouring of the entire end wall and floor surface. Each IFT has a sump with a valved discharge piped directly to the sludge trough, and the floor of each IFT is sloped towards the sump to facilitates draining of solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Trans Terra Corporation
    Inventor: Terry Wright
  • Patent number: 8221617
    Abstract: An apparatus for reclaiming hot process water from a animal processing facility includes a screen portion, a filtration portion and optionally a UV sterilization portion. The screen portion receives dirty hot process water and removes macroscopic debris to produce raw tank water. Raw tank water is pumped through the filtration portion at relatively high pressure in order to remove substantially all solids to produce a permeate side stream. The permeate is optionally passed through a very intense ultra-violet field in order to produce uncontaminated reclaimed hot process water which may be safely reintroduced as hot scald water for the poultry cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: American Water Purification, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny E. Gates, James E. Loewen, Aron T. Wilde
  • Patent number: 8216460
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for filtering particulates and volatiles from fluid systems. The apparatuses and methods include a particulate filter section, an evaporator section positioned adjacent the particulate filter section, and a manifold coupled to at least one of the particulate filter section and the evaporator section to direct flow through the apparatuses as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Next Generation Filtration Systems, LP
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Geiger
  • Patent number: 8211315
    Abstract: A microsystem for separating fluids not miscible with each other and contained in a mixture. The microsystem comprises at least one detection means intended to inspect at least one area of the mixture and to detect the presence of at least one of the fluids in this area. The microsystem further comprises at least one controlled means for opening or closing a passage. The microsystem further comprises at least one control means for the opening or the closing of a passage as a function of the nature of the fluid detected in the area inspected by the detection means, in such a way that the fluid whose presence has been detected flows or not through the passage. The detection means comprise a plurality of sensors arranged substantially around the controlled means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Prulhiere, Virginie Saavedra
  • Patent number: 8206599
    Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods relating to washboxes are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventors: Remembrance L. Newcombe, David G. Volkenand, Mark S. Lopp
  • Patent number: 8206588
    Abstract: A condensate filtering device of the present invention comprises a simulation unit which is able to simulate operating conditions being the same as operating conditions of a main body of an actual condensate filtering device and sample a hollow fiber membrane easily. The condensate filtering device comprises a unit evaluating properties of a hollow fiber membrane provided with a main body of the condensate filtering device containing a first hollow fiber membrane module in which filtration of condensate and air scrubbing washing are repeated, and equipped with a column containing a second hollow fiber membrane module having a hollow fiber membrane which is the same kind as the hollow fiber membrane of the first hollow fiber membrane module; and a line introducing the condensate for unit which is a branched line from a line introducing the condensate directing to the main body of the condensate filtering device and introduces the condensate into the unit evaluating the properties of the hollow fiber membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Organo Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kasahara, Mitsuru Yoden
  • Patent number: 8186396
    Abstract: A time and labor saving device used in the aviation refueling process for holding an aviation style fuel nozzle in place over a open vessel with a support base so that the filter screen may be easily inspected while additionally providing for the collection and recycling of fuel that is lost while inspection is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Bruce Piland
  • Patent number: 8177977
    Abstract: The invention concerns a water purification system (100) comprising a closed water recirculation loop (106) supplied at one point by a water inlet (101) with water to be purified, (and having) at least one outlet point of use of the purified water (102) and (further comprising) pumping means (103) and water purification means (150) on the loop respectively downstream of the inlet point and upstream of the at least one outlet point (102), in the water flow direction which system is characterized in that it includes two independent valves: a first valve (130) on the loop upstream of the pumping means (103), and a second valve (120) upstream of the at least one point of use outlet point (102). The invention also relates to a water purification method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Yves Gaignet
  • Patent number: 8146752
    Abstract: A polishing cartridge in a water purification system for final purification of water for distribution to a point of use. The system includes a closed water recirculation loop supplied at one point by a water inlet with water to be purified, and having at least one outlet point of use of the purified water, a pump and a water purifier on the loop respectively downstream of the inlet point and upstream of the at least one outlet point, in the water flow direction, and two independent valves on the loop. The system further including a hydraulic connector including four ports that forms a distributor or manifold for the system. The cartridge contains a combination of an ultra filter having a cut-off below 13000 daltons for reducing the level of pyrogens and nucleases contained in the water, and C18 grafted media effective for reducing the level of contaminants in the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Yves Gaignet, Ichiro Kano, Cecilia Regnault, Daniel Darbouret