Patents Examined by Peter Keyworth
  • Patent number: 11505478
    Abstract: The disclosure provides automated methods and systems for optimized dosing of chemicals, such as coagulants, acids, and/or bases, in water treatment processes. The methods and systems of the disclosure can provide a coagulant dosing regimen that mitigates turbidity and organic contaminant content while maintaining effective floc precipitation, agglomeration, and settling without significant human intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Marmac Water LLC
    Inventor: Gregg Allan McLeod
  • Patent number: 11498858
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention comprise methods and systems for optimizing coagulant dosing of raw water in a water treatment process. First, the embodiments determine the optimum dosage of pH adjusting chemicals to be added to the raw water based on a measurement of dissolved organic content, alkalinity, and pH of the raw water. Then, the embodiments perform a flocculation test of a mixture of the optimally-pH-dosed raw water and a hydrolyzing metal salt (HMS) wherein the dosage of the HMS salt in the mixture can be calculated based on a measurement of the charge demand of the optimally-pH-dosed raw water. The results of this flocculation test are compared to the results of at least one previous test of a combination of optimally-pH-dosed raw water and HMS to determine if the hydrolyzing metal salt dose is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Clearcorp
    Inventors: Roger Miles Jorden, Bert Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 11490587
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting agricultural manure in a confined animal feeding operation includes a separator which receives heavy manure removing particulate from suspension to produce light manure. Heavy manure is collected to a volume of heavy manure sufficient to substantially fill the first tank. Within the first tank, particulate migrates, due to the influence of gravity to form a layer containing manure comprising a lesser density of particulate than is present in the volume of heavy manure. Additional heavy manure buoys the layer such that the upper surface exceeds a height of a weir. The weir is situated in a channel communicating between the first tank and a second tank configured to receive light manure from the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: David DeWaard
  • Patent number: 11479490
    Abstract: A method of treating a waste liquid: an aluminum dissolution step of dissolving aluminum in an acidic waste liquid and performing separation into a first treated water and a reduced heavy metal precipitate; a gypsum recovery step of adding a calcium compound to the first treated water at a pH of 4 or less, and performing separation into a second treated water and gypsum; a heavy metal coprecipitation step of adding a ferric compound to the second treated water and performing separation into a third treated water and a heavy metal coprecipitate; an aluminum and fluorine removal step of adding an alkali to the third treated water and performing separation into a fourth treated water and a precipitate containing aluminum and fluorine; and a neutralization step of adding an alkali to the fourth treated water and performing separation into an alkali neutralization treated water and a neutralized heavy metal hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Haraguchi, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11465077
    Abstract: A drilling mud treatment unit (100) comprises a primary duct (10) for feeding coagulated drilling mud, an in-line flocculation system (20) for flocculating the coagulated drilling mud flowing in the primary duct (10), and at least one hydrocyclone (30) fed by the primary duct (10) and arranged downstream from the flocculation system (20). The hydrocyclone (30) has an overflow orifice (32) for receiving a liquid product resulting from treatment of the drilling mud and an underflow orifice (34) for receiving a solid product resulting from treatment of the drilling mud. The overflow orifice (32) presents an overflow diameter (Do) and the underflow orifice presents an underflow diameter (Du), and the underflow diameter (Du) is greater than 1.1 times the overflow diameter (Do).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventors: Christophe Justino, Christian Auvray, Brice Janneau
  • Patent number: 11465103
    Abstract: The invention is in the field of methods for preparing polymer films, and of such polymer films. The method involves phase separation and requires only aqueous solution, eliminating the need for organic solvents. The aqueous phase separation involves contacting a polymer solution comprising a trigger-responsive polymer with an aqueous coagulation solution in which the trigger-responsive polymer is not soluble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Universiteit Twente
    Inventor: Wiebe Matthijs de Vos
  • Patent number: 11459259
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for sludge safe disposal and resource recovery through sludge liquefaction and stratification. The method is to completely liquefy the organic matters in the sludge into soluble organic matters through a thermal-alkaline synergistic treatment. After the treatment, the sludge is stratified, and an anaerobic digestion is performed on a high-concentration soluble liquid of an upper layer to convert organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus into biogas, ammonia nitrogen and phosphate, a crude protein recovery is performed on a sludge protein of a middle layer, and a dewatering and a landfill on a sludge inorganic solid of a lower layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shanquan Wang, Jiangjian Shi
  • Patent number: 11447405
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for removing EPA regulated chemical species from industrial wastewater using green rust. The apparatus includes a green rust generator having an iron anode and a carbon cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventors: Xin Gao, Kunlei Liu, James R. Landon, Jesse Thompson, Ayokunle O. Omosebi, Keemia Abad, Zilong Ma
  • Patent number: 11427486
    Abstract: A nonpowered mixing and coagulation basin is provided, which generates turbulences of at least two kinds inside the mixing and coagulation basin to which the raw water flows so that foreign matters contained in the raw water come into contact with each other while circulating by a water flow to be coagulated into a predetermined size, and a dissolved air floatation device using the same. The nonpowered mixing and coagulation basin has multiple stages with different packing materials and packing densities to form turbulent flows inside the raw water and control a flow speed, thereby uniformly mixing raw water and coagulant to enhance coagulation efficiency. The nonpowered mixing and coagulation basin simultaneously carries out mixing and coagulation at the front end part of the water treatment system, reduces equipment expenses by having no electric motor and agitator, and reduces power consumption because it does not use any power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Yong Hae Park, Sung Won Park, Byung Sung Park, Sung Woo Woo
  • Patent number: 11420886
    Abstract: A method for purification of water with a water purifier. The water purifier includes an anode and a cathode as electrodes in such a way that a gap remains between the anode and the cathode. In the method, an electric field is generated between the anode and the cathode, water for purification is conveyed to the gap and an additive enhancing floc formation is introduced to water for purification or to purified water in an amount of less than 50 g and at least 1 g, measured as dry matter, per each cubic metre of water for purification. Floc material manufactured with the method, when water for purification is municipal wastewater. The use of the floc material produced in this way as a soil conditioner or for manufacturing a soil conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Martti Klemola
  • Patent number: 11413383
    Abstract: The present technology provides micro fabricated filtration devices, methods of making such devices, and uses for microfabricated filtration devices. The devices may allow diffusion to occur between two fluids with improved transport resistance characteristics as compared to conventional filtration devices. The devices may include a compound structure that includes a porous membrane overlying a support structure. The support structure may define a cavity and a plurality of recesses formed in a way that can allow modified convective flow of a first fluid to provide improved diffusive transport between the first fluid and a second fluid through the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Rishi Kant, Shuvo Roy, Benjamin W. Chui, Kenneth G. Goldman
  • Patent number: 11407668
    Abstract: A method for treating wastewater or sludge includes treating a sludge having a first viscosity of from about 3,000 cP to about 15,000 cP by shearing the sludge to obtain a treated sludge having a second viscosity of less than 3,000 cP, where the second viscosity persists for a period of time. The sludge may be thickened by dewatering. A chemical agent may be added to the thickened sludge during, before, or after shearing. The treated sludge may further be pumped, transported, or otherwise handled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: David B. Mitchell, Petia Todorova Tontcheva
  • Patent number: 11401171
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatus, systems, and methods for improving slop water treatment efficiency. The method generally includes separating contaminated fluid into a clean fluid layer and one or more contaminant layers floating on a surface of the clean fluid layer in a vessel; reporting to a control unit, a location, sensed by level sensor(s), of an interface between the clean fluid layer and the contaminant layer(s); reporting to the control unit, a height, sensed by a first position sensor, of a skimmer relative to the vessel; adjusting, using the control unit and based on the reported location of the interface and/or the reported height of the skimmer, the height of the skimmer so that one or more components of the skimmer are positioned proximate the sensed location of the interface; and skimming, using the skimmer, the contaminant layer(s) off of the clean fluid layer proximate the sensed interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin G. Kleinguetl, Brice Aaron Jackson, Lawrence Joseph Herskovitz, Adam Dotson
  • Patent number: 11401181
    Abstract: A method of treating an aqueous composition includes immersing a galvanic cell in the aqueous composition to form a treated aqueous composition. The galvanic cell includes an anode including Mg, Al, Fe, Zn, or a combination thereof. The galvanic cell includes a cathode having a different composition than the anode, the cathode including Cu, Ni, Fe, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Phosphorus Free Water Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Carlos Borras, Donald A. Luke
  • Patent number: 11383997
    Abstract: A method for ecologic configuration of an oil production wastewater artificial wetland to realize up-to-standard operation in winter. When artificial wetland is utilized to treat oil production high-salt wastewater, ecologic configuration of subsurface and surface flow artificial wetland is modified to realize up-to-standard operation in winter. Subsurface flow artificial wetland is composed of soil matrix, water distribution pipe disposed on bottom of soil matrix, wrapped with water-permeable nonwoven cloth and configured to deliver wastewater, and reeds with root systems growing on an inner side of wall of water distribution pipe, stems growing on outer side of wall of water distribution pipe and length being greater than thickness of soil matrix; and surface flow artificial wetland is composed of soil matrix, reeds growing on matrix, water, winter aquatic salt-resistant cold-liking plants, block-stocked fishes, shrimps, crabs, mussels, Mytilus edulis, oysters or clams and artificial sand dam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: GUDONG PETROLEUM PRODUCTION FACTORY SHENGLI OILFIELD OF SINOPEC, DONGYING ZHENGZE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., SHANDONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chunbo Liu, Wei Hu, Wanguo Hou, Xian Zhao, Zhaohui Shang, Jianbo Ma, Yongtao Gu, Haifeng He, Jingen Yan, Zhimin Peng, Guodong Meng, Xiaohui Xie
  • Patent number: 11383996
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an oil-contained wastewater treatment apparatus applying the integrative physical methods. The wastewater treatment system of the invention may include a main tank, where the upper part is a rectangular body and the lower part is designed to a multi-bucket bottom structure. Two oil collection boxes are arranged to both outside ends of tank. A mud discharging outlet is attached to the bottom of the tank. Meanwhile, both of a water outlet and an electric polarizer are localized at the end face of the effluent on the tank. A power supply for the electro-adsorber is fixed to the inlet end on the top face of the tank. Divided by upper and lower deflectors, the inside of the tank is divided to three processing units, i.e., sludge-water separation unit, degradation-coalescence treatment unit, and sedimentation-electric polarization unit. Vortex centripetal gas flotation is applied to remove oil. Electro-adsorption induces the micelle clustering to achieve the decolorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Shandong HYGIYA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Liping Wei, Hongyu Xu, Huisheng Han, Dongdong Zhang, Rui Sun, Hua Zhang, Lingli Ren, Liqing Wang, Bao Liu, Liqin Han
  • Patent number: 11370675
    Abstract: A method of treating a landfill leachate containing ammoniacal nitrogen and phosphate by mixing with seawater to precipitate magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) also known as struvite. Effects of pH, temperature, stirring speed, and magnesium to ammonia molar ratio on leachate properties such as COD, ammoniacal nitrogen, phosphate content, color, turbidity, amount of magnesium, iron and zinc are disclosed. The method provides high removal efficiency for removal of ammoniacal nitrogen, phosphate, COD, color and turbidity. The method provides a cost-effective system for treatment of landfill leachate and recovery of MAP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz University
    Inventors: Ibrahim Mustafa Mehedi, Shahrul bin Ismail, Mohamed Shahrir Mohamed Zahari, Ubaid M. Al-Saggaf, Md Mottahir Alam, Ahmed Ubaid Al-Saggaf
  • Patent number: 11370676
    Abstract: Methods for removing polymers from treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a polymer comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone or a derivative thereof; and adding a precipitant to the treatment fluid to form a precipitate with at least a portion of the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Preston Andrew May, Hui Zhou, William Walter Shumway
  • Patent number: 11365506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a program-controlled apparatus (1) for washing items that is equipped with a water purification system (8) for purifying the wash liquor by removing detergent and suspended soil, which purification system (8) utilizes addition of flocculant, wherein the amount of flocculant that is added is controlled to minimize the total amount of flocculant used without compromising the efficacy of the purification treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: CONOPCO, INC.
    Inventors: Sarmistha Biswas, Debosree Chatterjee, Dhanalakshmi Thirumeni
  • Patent number: 11344896
    Abstract: A sparger for injection of bubbles into a flotation system comprises a housing, a movable rod assembly, and a sensor system that comprises a sensor and a target that move relative to each other. One of the sensor and the target is located in the housing and the other is located on or attached to the movable rod assembly. The sensor for measuring motion, including position and vibration, relative to the target based on the movement of the movable rod assembly. The sensor system for determining operating parameters of the sparger based on the analysis of the measurement of the motion of the sensor relative to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Eriez Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Michael J. Mankosa, Ronald P. Krahe, James Jukkola