Patents Examined by Virginia Manoharan
  • Patent number: 8343316
    Abstract: A vacuum dehydrator for processing an oil containing entrained contaminants such as water, air, and particulates comprises a tower enclosing upper and lower chambers. A random packing is contained in the upper chamber. The oil is preheated to a temperature above the boiling point of water and is introduced into the upper chamber for downward flow through the random packing into the lower chamber. Entrained air and water is retained as water vapor in the upper chamber, and particulates are retained in the random packing. Heated ambient air is introduced into the lower chamber for upward flow through the random packing into the upper chamber, and the upper chamber is cooled to condense the water vapor. Oil and condensed water are pumped respectively from the lower and upper chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Mortimer Daniel Williams, John G. Donnelly, Eric M. Laliberte, J. Rafael Lazo, Juan Alejandro Segrelles Sacristan, Anselmo Garcia Gracia
  • Patent number: 8337672
    Abstract: The invention relates to the oil processing industry and can be used for producing vacuum in a vacuum petroleum distillation column. The inventive method involves pumping out a vapor-gas medium from the column by of a gas-gas ejector in such a way that a vapor-gas mixture is formed at the entry thereof and supplying said mixture to a condenser for producing a gas mixture and a vapor phase condensate. The gas mixture is supplied from the condenser to a liquid-gas jet apparatus and the condensate is delivered to an additional separator. A hydrocarbon-containing condensate is removed from the additional separator for the intended use thereof and a water-containing condensate is fed to a steam generator for producing steam by supplying heat of a hot distillate evacuated from the vacuum column. The thus obtained steam is used in the gas-gas ejector as a high-pressure gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
  • Patent number: 8337671
    Abstract: Process for distillatively purifying polymerizable compounds using a high-boiling, inert, thermally long-term-stable substance as a boiling oil, characterized in that the boiling oil is disposed in the bottom of a rectification column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Evonik Röhm GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Broell, Hermann Siegert
  • Patent number: 8328995
    Abstract: A method and a system to produce a distillate stream from an aqueous stream containing at least one dissolved solid by a thermal distillation process using at least one of a heated aqueous stream from a turbine system intercooler and a stack heater as a heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Black & Veatch Holding Company
    Inventor: Michael J. Eddington
  • Patent number: 8328996
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for desalinating water combined with power generation, wherein a desalination system is used for desalinating coastal seawater and is operationally related to a power generation system, wherein such dual purpose co-generation facility captures the heat vapor exhausted or a steam turbine generator's condenser is replaced by the desalination plant's heat exchanger enabling such captured heat energy to reduce the energy requirements of the desalination plant, and wherein brine solution being utilized by the desalination plant is circulated from and to the substrata sea water table via supply and return wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventors: Girard Charles St. Germain, Richard N. Barnett
  • Patent number: 8328994
    Abstract: Processes for the recovery of ethanol, useful as a fuel, from various cellulosic feedstock materials fermented to produce ethanol-containing beer are disclosed. The present invention provides a method and a system for ethanol recovery from highly viscous fermented citrus waste biomass. The systems overcome various challenges, including effectively stripping the ethanol from biomass beer in an energy efficient and economical manner that may allow for the further dehydration of the ethanol/water mix in a traditional rectifier distillation column. In certain embodiments, a series of flash stages and beer stripping columns are capable of operating with highly viscous slurries and/or feedstocks containing high levels of solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: David A. Stewart
  • Patent number: 8323456
    Abstract: A process and system for removing bound water from bio-oil by azeotropic distillation. The process includes combining a bound-water-containing bio-oil with an azeotrope agent and subjecting the resulting treated bio-oil to azeotropic distillation under reduced pressure. The azeotropic distillation removes a substantial portion of the bound water from the bio-oil, thus producing a water-depleted bio-oil that is less corrosive, more stable, and more readily miscible with hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: KiOR, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronny W. Lin, Robert Bartek
  • Patent number: 8323457
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating a multi-component fluid are provided. The method can include introducing a multi-component fluid to a dividing wall column. The multi-component fluid can be heated to provide a first product, a second product, an intermediate distillate, and a process fluid. At least a portion of the first product can be compressed to provide a compressed first product. Heat can be indirectly transferred from the compressed first product to at least a portion of the intermediate distillate to provide a heated intermediate distillate. The heated intermediate distillate can be recycled to the dividing wall column. The compressed first product can be expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventors: Derek William Townsend, Cyril Collins
  • Patent number: 8317982
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process and apparatus for utilization of waste heat of flue gas liberated from different heat sources to provide high quality water from sea/brackish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Subrahmanyam Kumar
  • Patent number: 8308913
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for recovering an acrylic acid from a mixture containing acrylic acid, acrylic acid dimer and impurities with high boiling point, including: an acrylic acid recovering device that comprises an acrylic acid distillation unit being present within an acrylic acid dimer pyrolysis tank, and is operated under reduced pressure; a separation column for removing impurities with high boiling point from the mixture which is introduced into the acrylic acid recovering device; and a line for introducing the mixture into the acrylic acid recovering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Pil Kang, Seok Kwan Choi, Kyoung Su Ha, Jun Seok Ko, Boo Gon Woo, Young Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 8303766
    Abstract: A method and device for evaporating a predeterminable volume of fluid includes successive addition of partial volumes of the predeterminable volume to a supply line at different adding rates, at least partially evaporating the partial volumes forming vapor film between them and a supply line wall, conveying the partial volumes through the supply line to an evaporator surface, and applying the partial volumes to an evaporator surface region varying as a function of mass and/or volume adding rate of the partial volume, permitting effective evaporation of fluid, particularly urea/water solution. Utilization of the highest possible proportion of evaporator surfaces is achieved by mass and/or volume addition rate-dependent distribution of impingement surfaces on the evaporator surface. This heating strategy in the supply line region ensures the Leidenfrost effect when individual partial volumes are added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: EMITEC Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Rolf Brück
  • Patent number: 8298378
    Abstract: A method for treating a wastewater containing oxygen-containing compound having a phenolic hydroxyl group or a carbonyl group, including a step of adding an alkali agent to the wastewater containing the oxygen-containing compound having a phenolic hydroxyl group or a carbonyl group to control a pH of the wastewater to 10 or more; and a step of separating a discharge in which the oxygen-containing compound having a phenolic hydroxyl group or a carbonyl group is concentrated through distillation of the wastewater to which the alkali agent has been added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kenji Itoh
  • Patent number: 8293075
    Abstract: Processes for the continuous fractional distillation of a mixture containing morpholine (MO), monoaminodiglycol (ADG), ammonia and water from a reaction of diethylene glycol (DEG) with ammonia, the process including: (i) separating off ammonia from the mixture at a top of a first distillation column K10; (ii) feeding a bottom fraction from K10 to a second distillation column K20, in which water and an organic product are separated off at the top at a temperature at the top in the range from 45 to 198° C. and a pressure in the range from 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Helmut Schmidtke, Oliver Buβmann, Ralph Versch, Udo Rheude, Uwe Leyk, Manfred Julius, Martin Rudloff, Erhard Henkes
  • Patent number: 8287698
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a system for producing alcohol by distillation with energy optimization using split-feed technology. The process of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) splitting a stream of wine to feed two depuration columns , the depuration column generating a stream of phlegma and the depuration column generating a stream of phlegma and a stream of vinasse; b) feeding the stream of phlegma into at least one rectification column generating a top flow and a stream of hydrated alcohol; c) effecting the heat exchange between the top flow from at least one rectification column and the stream of vinasse from the depuration column in at least one heat exchanger; and d) feeding the stream of phlegma into a rectification column generating a stream of hydrated alcohol. The present invention further relates to hydrated alcohol produced by the process described above and to a process for producing anhydrous alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignees: Siemens Ltda., Dedini S/A Industrias de Base
    Inventors: Flávio Martins De Queiroz Guimarães, Carlos Eduardo Fontes Da Costa E Silva, Adler Gomes Moura
  • Patent number: 8282789
    Abstract: Extraction apparatus and method for obtaining essential oils, essence, and pigments from odorous raw materials (e.g., plant materials and Chinese medicinal herbs) by microwave radiation heating have advantages of easy operation, higher extracting temperature and efficiency. The microwave chamber has a power level of 100 W to 1,500 W and its microwave radiation has a frequency at 915 MHz or 2,450 MHz. The extraction process can be performed without any preheating necessary. A condenser is operated at temperatures between ?20° C. and 15° C. for cooling the gas flowing out of the extraction cartridges. Because both volatile fragrant compounds and pigments of the odorous raw materials can be extracted successfully by the top-down extraction fashion, the extracted essence is colorful. Since the extraction process by microwave heating is free from adding any organic solvent and/or any artificial chemical compound, the extraction apparatus and method are environmentally friendly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Bing-Nan Lee
  • Patent number: 8282792
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes and systems for purifying technical grade trichlorosilane and/or technical grade silicon tetrachloride into electronic grade trichlorosilane and/or electronic grade silicon tetrachloride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianfranco Ghetti
  • Patent number: 8282772
    Abstract: A method for processing wastewater includes the steps of introducing air and a liquid into a pump, and subjecting the air and liquid to high heat and pressure; delivering the heated and pressurized air and liquid from the pump to a gas and liquid separator to separate the air from the liquid; expanding the air from the gas and liquid separator through a nozzle to accelerate the air as it expands; injecting at least some portion of the wastewater to be processed into the air from the nozzle in an entrainment section downstream from the nozzle to entrain the wastewater into the air; passing the liquid portion from the gas and liquid separator through a valve to lower the pressure of the liquid to achieve flash evaporation of the liquid to produce water and steam; introducing the water and steam produced from the valve into the air and entrained wastewater in the entrainment section, to enhance entrainment of water into the air; and delivering the air and entrained wastewater from the entrainment section to an i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: W Paul Jepson
  • Patent number: 8282790
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In an embodiment of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product, and an electric motor with motor rotor and magnets hermetically sealed within the fluid pressure boundary of the distillation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jason A. Demers, Scott A. Leonard, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8282791
    Abstract: This invention describes a low temperature, self-sustainable desalination process operated under natural vacuum conditions created and maintained by barometric pressure head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Arrowhead Center, Inc.
    Inventors: Nagamany Nirmalakhandan, Veera Gnaneswar Gude
  • Patent number: 8282788
    Abstract: The invention relates to extraction apparatus and method for obtaining essential oils and essence and pigments from odorous raw materials by microwave radiation heating under sub-critical conditions, which has advantages of easy operation, higher extracting temperature and efficiency. The microwave chamber has a power level of 100 W to 1,500 W and its microwave radiation has a frequency at 915 MHz or 2,450 MHz. The extraction process can be performed without any preheating necessary. A condenser unit is operated at temperatures between ?20° C. and 15° C. for cooling the gas extractive flowing out of the extraction unit. Because both volatile aromatic compounds and pigments of the odorous raw materials can be extracted successfully, the extracted essence is colorful. Since the extraction process by microwave radiation heating is free from adding any organic solvent and/or any artificial chemical compound, the extraction apparatus and method applied are really environmentally friendly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Bing-Nan Lee