Patents Examined by Stanley Silverman
  • Patent number: 9673465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst in which a reaction initiation temperature at which self-heating function is exhibited is low and which is capable of suppressing carbon accumulation even when a reaction is repeated. The catalyst of the present invention includes a CeZr-based oxide, silicon, and a catalytically active metal, wherein the CeZr-based oxide satisfies CexZryO2 (x+y=1) and the silicon satisfies molar ratios of 0.02?Si/Zr and 0.01<Si/(Ce+Zr+Si)<0.2. When the catalyst is used, a reduction temperature for generating initial oxygen deficiency can be decreased. Depending on the catalytically active metal, a reduction activation treatment can be performed even at about 20° C. without any need for heating. In a repeated hydrogen generating reaction, the deposition of carbon generated on the surface of the catalyst can be suppressed, and a decrease in catalytic activity can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignees: OITA UNIVERSITY, DOWA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Nagaoka, Tatsuro Miyazaki, Takuya Yano, Kazumasa Ikari, Toshihiko Ueyama
  • Patent number: 9669371
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods combine reactant materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. The reactant materials can sodium silicide or sodium silica gel. The hydrogen generation devices are used in fuels cells and other industrial applications. One system combines cooling, pumping, water storage, and other devices to sense and control reactions between reactant materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. Multiple inlets of varied placement geometries deliver aqueous solution to the reaction. The reactant materials and aqueous solution are churned to control the state of the reaction. The aqueous solution can be recycled and returned to the reaction. One system operates over a range of temperatures and pressures and includes a hydrogen separator, a heat removal mechanism, and state of reaction control devices. The systems, devices, and methods of generating hydrogen provide thermally stable solids, near-instant reaction with the aqueous solutions, and a non-toxic liquid by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Andrew P. Wallace, John M. Melack, Michael Lefenfeld
  • Patent number: 9663364
    Abstract: A method is provided for making alkali metal hydrides by mechanochemically reacting alkali metal and hydrogen gas under mild temperature (e.g room temperature) and hydrogen pressure conditions without the need for catalyst, solvent, and intentional heating or cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Vitalij K. Pecharsky, Shalabh Gupta, Marek Pruski, Ihor Hlova, Andra Castle
  • Patent number: 9663360
    Abstract: A process for obtaining a solid form containing heat-stabilized borazane is described. The solid form is capable of generating hydrogen by thermal decomposition or by a self-maintained combustion reaction. Within the solid form containing borazane, the borazane is heat-stabilized. It has thus been heat-stabilized by making an oxidized layer at its surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: HERAKLES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)
    Inventors: Hélène Blanchard, Joël A. Renouard, Ali Darwiche, Raphaël L. Janot
  • Patent number: 9650247
    Abstract: A method for efficiently producing a high-purity metal hydride without contamination of other metals while initiating reaction rapidly is provided. A method for producing a metal hydride from a metal selected from the group consisting of Group 2 metals and Group 3 metals comprising: (A) charging the pressure resistant container with the metal, introducing hydrogen into the container, and heating the container to initiate reaction, wherein a gauge pressure (a) is set to 0.1 to 1.5 MPa, a heating temperature (b) is set to 50 to 250° C., and a product of the gauge pressure and the heating temperature, a×b, is set in the range of 20 to 100; (B) stopping the introduction of hydrogen to allow the reaction to proceed when the temperature in the reaction container is increased to a temperature higher by 10 to 100° C. than the heating temperature; (C) introducing hydrogen of 0.1 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TAIHEIYO CEMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ishimoto, Shoji Suzuki, Katsumi Matsui, Tomoki Hatsumori, Kazuhiko Tokoyoda
  • Patent number: 9650248
    Abstract: Reagent complexes have two or more elements, formally in oxidation state zero, complexed with a hydride molecule. Complexation with the hydride molecule may be evidenced by shifts to lower binding energies, of one or more electrons in each of the two or more elements, as observed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reagents can be useful for the synthesis of multi-element nanoparticles. Preparation of the reagents can be achieved by ball-milling a mixture that includes powders of two or more elements and a hydride molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The University of Manitoba
    Inventors: Michael Paul Rowe, Elizabeth Marie Skoropata, Johan Alexander van Lierop
  • Patent number: 9643896
    Abstract: A method of fertilizing a plant comprises applying to a plant an effective amount of a composition comprising a product of a salicylic acid, a potassium polyphosphite, a potassium phosphite, and a potassium phosphate. The composition may be prepared by reacting salicylic acid, ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and/or potassium carbonate, phosphoric acid, and phosphorous acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Plant Food Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Fabry
  • Patent number: 9643254
    Abstract: A novel class of reagents, useful for synthesis of elemental nanoparticles, includes at least one element, formally in oxidation state zero in complex with a hydride molecule. The reagents can optionally include an additional ligand incorporated into the complex. Elemental nanoparticles are synthesized by adding solvent to the reagent, optionally with a free ligand and/or a monoatomic cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. Rowe
  • Patent number: 9624102
    Abstract: A pyrotechnic process for providing very high purity hydrogen, includes the combustion of at least one solid pyrotechnic charge capable of generating hydrogen-containing gas for the production of a pressurized hot hydrogen-containing gas that contains at least 70% by volume of hydrogen; and the purification of at least one portion of the pressurized hydrogen-containing gas, by passing through a metallic hydrogen separation membrane maintained at a temperature above 250° C., in order to obtain, at the outlet of the membrane, a hydrogen-containing gas that contains at least 99.99% by volume of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HERAKLES
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Goudon, Pierre Yvart, Fabrice Mantelet, Frédéric Lesage
  • Patent number: 9610569
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process and catalyst system for the production of synthesis gas (a mixture of CO and H2) from greenhouse gases like methane and carbon di oxide. The process provide a single step selective reforming of methane with carbon dioxide to produce synthesis gas over Ce—Ni—MgAl2O4 catalyst prepared by using combination of two methods evaporation induced self-assembly and organic matrix combustion method. These suitably combined methods generate a unique catalyst system with very fine Ni nano clusters evenly dispersed in high surface area support. The process provides both Methane and carbon di oxide conversion more than 90% without any noticeable deactivation till 100 hours between temperature range of 500-800° C. at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
    Inventors: Ankur Bordoloi, Subhasis Das, Reena Goyal, Rajib Kumar Singha, Chandrasheka R. Pendem, Sivakumar Konathala Laxmi Narayan, Rajaram Bal, Vemulapalli Venkata Durga Nagendra Prasad, Neelam Naidu Botcha, Manoj Kumar
  • Patent number: 9611436
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for feeding a biomass material feed into a fluidized bed gasifier. The system includes a first plurality of screw conveyors disposed circumferentially around and connected to or integral with a gasifier shell of the fluidized bed gasifier, such that each of the first plurality of screw conveyors is in feed communication with a gasifier chamber defined by the gasifier shell. The system also includes a plurality of secondary receptacles, each individually coupled to a respective screw conveyor of the first plurality of screw conveyors, such that each of the plurality of secondary receptacles includes a secondary receptacle shell defining a secondary receptacle chamber in feed communication with the respective screw conveyor. The system further includes a plurality of primary receptacles, each including a primary receptacle shell defining a primary receptacle chamber in feed communication with at least two of the plurality of secondary receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Grupo Guascor S.L. Unipersonal
    Inventor: Ernesto Esperanza Perez
  • Patent number: 9604850
    Abstract: A method of purifying ammonia borane is provided in which crude ammonia borane is dissolved in an organic solvent, such as an ether, and mixed with a basic aqueous solution to form a two-phase system. The pH of the aqueous solution and the temperature are adjusted to increase the solubility of the impurities and decrease the solubility of the ammonia borane in the basic aqueous solution, without causing decomposition of the ammonia borane. The impurities are separated from the crude ammonia borane solution, the mixture is phase-separated and the dissolved ammonia borane is isolated from the organic solvent fraction. High purity ammonia borane is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: WeylChem Sustainable Materials, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Joel Drost
  • Patent number: 9580314
    Abstract: A method for producing hydrogen by reforming hydrocarbons using steam, combined with carbon dioxide capture and steam production, which involves mixing the hydrocarbons to be reformed with steam in order to produce a feedstock for reforming, generating a syngas; the syngas produced is cooled, enriched with H2 and CO2, and then cooled; the condensates of the method are separated from the syngas in order to be used in the method, the saturated syngas being treated by adsorption with pressure modulation so as to produce hydrogen and a gaseous effluent containing CO2 that is captured in a CPU unit. The condensates from the cooling of the syngas at the outlet of the shift reactor are used in the method for producing impure steam supplying the mixing point; the CPU unit also produces CPU condensates that are recycled to be treated jointly with the condensates of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme Pour L'Étude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Arthur Darde, Mathieu Leclerc, Thomas Morel
  • Patent number: 9579639
    Abstract: The present invention is directed, at least in part, to a process for improving the efficiency of a photocatalyst (a semiconductor photocatalyst) by tethering (depositing) a metal (e.g., metal ions of a late transition metal, such as nickel) to the semiconductor (photocatalyst) surface through the use of an organic ligand. More specifically, 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) functions as an excellent molecular linker (organic ligand) to attach a transition metal complex (e.g., nickel (Ni2+ ions)) to the semiconductor surface, which can be in the form of a cadmium sulfide surface. The photocatalyst has particular utility in generating hydrogen from H2S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takanabe, Tayirjan Isimjan, Weili Yu, Silvano Del Gobbo, Wei Xu
  • Patent number: 9580316
    Abstract: A method for preparing metal complex hydride nanorods, comprising the steps of: (1) preparing one-dimensional coordination polymers by mixing metal complex hydrides with organic solvents and subsequent drying; (2) preparing coordination polymer nanostructures by mechanical milling the one-dimensional coordination polymers that obtained from step (1), in which the one-dimensional coordination polymers are vaporized and then deposited onto the substrate; (3) preparing metal complex hydride nanorods by removing the organic ligands from the coordination polymer nanostructures that obtained from step (2). This method is simple and feasible, and exhibits excellent generality. Moreover, the purity of the metal complex hydrides nanostructures is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yongfeng Liu, Yuepeng Pang, Hongge Pan, Mingxia Gao
  • Patent number: 9573118
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst suitable for the catalytic oxidative cracking of a H2S-containing gas stream, particularly in the event that the stream also contains methane and/or ammonia. The catalyst comprises iron and molybdenum supported by a carrier comprising aluminum. The carrier preferably is alumina. The iron and molybdenum preferably are in the form of sulphides. Also disclosed is a method for the production of hydrogen from a H2S-containing gas stream, comprising subjecting the gas stream to catalytic oxidative cracking so as to form H2 and S2, using a catalyst in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: STAMICARBON B.V. ACTING UNDER THE NAME OF MT INNOVATION CENTER
    Inventors: Michele Colozzi, Lucia Barbato, Fabio Angelini, Emma Palo, Vincenzo Palma, Vincenzo Vaiano
  • Patent number: 9567538
    Abstract: Improved two-stage entrained-flow gasification systems and processes that reduce the cost and complexity of the design and increase the reliability, while maintaining the efficiency by implementing a first chemical quench followed by a second water quench of the produced syngas. The quenched syngas is maintained above the condensation temperature of at least one condensable component of the syngas, allowing residual particulates to be removed by dry particulate filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Lummus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton G. Keeler, Chancelor L. Williams, Ivan O. Bustamante
  • Patent number: 9561483
    Abstract: For producing synthesis gas by autothermal reformation of gaseous, liquid and/or solid fuels, the fuel is reacted with an oxidizing agent in a reaction space at a pressure of 10 to 120 bar and a reaction space temperature of 800 to 2,000° C. to obtain synthesis gas, wherein the oxidizing agent is introduced centrally in the upper region of the reaction space and wherein a flame is formed in the reaction space. The oxidizing agent is introduced into the reaction space separate from the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: L'AIR LIQUIDE Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude, Lurgi GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mueller-Hagedorn, Katja Bartels, Frederic Judas
  • Patent number: 9556390
    Abstract: A method includes providing a gasifier with a fuel source comprising a heavy oil, a light oil, and recovered soot. The gasifier may gasify the fuel source to generate a syngas and soot. The method also includes recovering the soot in a first separation unit that may receive a portion of the heavy oil and separate the soot from an extraction oil used to recover the soot. The first separation unit generates soot bottoms that include the portion of the heavy oil and the recovered soot. The method also includes flowing a first separation co-fractionate to a second separation unit. The first separation co-fractionate includes the extraction oil and the light oil. The second separation unit may separate the extraction oil and the light oil, and direct the light oil towards the first separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Konda, George Morris Gulko, Ashok Kola, Nithyanandam Mani, Ramesh Mamillapalli, Abhinav Gour
  • Patent number: 9556027
    Abstract: A method and system for producing hydrogen using an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system is disclosed that carries out a primary reforming process within a reforming reactor, and a secondary reforming process within a reactively driven and catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor with or without an auxiliary source of heat to support primary reforming process within the reforming reactor to first form a synthesis gas product. The auxiliary source of heat is disposed within the oxygen transport membrane based reforming system proximate to the reforming reactors and comprises an auxiliary oxygen transport membrane reactor or a ceramic burner. The synthesis gas product is further treated in a separate high temperature water gas shift reactor and optionally in a separate low temperature water gas shift reactor. Hydrogen is produced from the resulting hydrogen-enriched gas using hydrogen PSA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Shrikar Chakravarti, Raymond F. Drnevich, Ines C. Stuckert, Minish M. Shah