Patents Examined by Wilbur Bascomb, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5230806
    Abstract: A process of treating aqueous solutions to remove organic solute contaminants by contacting an aqueous solution containing polar organic solute contaminants with a functionalized polystyrene-divinyl benzene adsorbent resin, with the functionalization of said resin being accomplished by organic hydrophilic groups such as hydroxymethyl, acetyl and cyanomethyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Fritz, Jeffrey J. Sun
  • Patent number: 5230773
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of heat and chemicals from a mixture of ashes and spent liquor by carrying out the final concentrating (2) of the liquor, and its feeding (8) into the soda recovery unit (5), under pressure and at a temperature higher than the atmospheric boiling point of the liquor. According to the invention, the ashes (1) are not mixed with the waste liquor (7) until after the final concentrating (2) of the liquor, and the mixture is further expansion evaporated (4) before the thus concentrated pressurized liquor is fed into the soda recovery unit (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Oy Tampella AB
    Inventor: Pertti Petanen
  • Patent number: 5228956
    Abstract: 3-Pentanone cannot be completely removed from 3-pentanone and formic acid mixtures by distillation because of the presence of the maximum azeotrope. 3-Pentanone can be readily removed from 3-pentanone-formic acid mixtures by extractive distillation in which the extractive agent is cyclopentanone, either alone or admixed with certain high boiling organic compounds. Examples of effective agents are cyclopentanone; cyclopentanone and 2-methoxyethyl ether; cyclopentanone, adiponitrile and octanoic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Lloyd Berg
    Inventors: Lloyd Berg, Rudolph J. Szabados
  • Patent number: 5228957
    Abstract: The separation by conventional distillation or rectification of methyl t-butyl ether from close boiling hydrocarbons is difficult because of the closeness of their vapor pressures. Methyl t-butyl ether can be readily separated from these by extractive distillation. Examples of effective agents are: from 1-pentene, dimethylsulfoxide; from cyclopentane, sulfolane and from n-pentane - cyclopentane mixtures, diethyl malonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Lloyd Berg
    Inventor: Lloyd Berg
  • Patent number: 5227053
    Abstract: A point of use water purification system including a housing supporting an untreated water container, a removable and disposable filter means and a treated water receiving container all of which are self contained in relation to the housing to enable the housing to be supported from a countertop or other suitable surface at the point of use. The filter means includes multiple compartments with purification media therein with two of the compartments including plate means coated with a photoactivated catalyst, preferrably titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2). An ultraviolet lamp and reflector directs ultraviolet light energy onto the catalyst. Flow control means is provided in the filter means to provide a slow rate of flow thereby providing long time contact between the water being treated and the purification media in the filter means to provide maximum purification efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Conventure Corporation
    Inventor: Stanley J. Brym
  • Patent number: 5227067
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for improving the aerobic and nutrient quality of a body of water in a reservoir which contains undesirable dissolved salts and harmful microorganisms, by incorporating into the water effective amounts of oxygen-generating microorganisms, microorganisms with an affinity for dissolved salts, and enzymes and nutrients for the microorganisms, and maintaining effective concentrations of the microorganisms, enzymes and nutrients in the water while the microorganisms convert the dissolved salts into insoluble salts which precipitate and to remove or deactivate the harmful microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Eco-Soil Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry Runyon
  • Patent number: 5227029
    Abstract: Formic acid cannot be easily removed from formic acid-acetic acid mixtures by distillation because of the closeness of their boiling points. Formic acid can be readily removed from mixtures containing it and acetic acid by extractive distillation. Typical effective agents are 2-nitrotoluene, 1-nitropropane and m-nitrobenzoic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Lloyd Berg
    Inventors: Lloyd Berg, Randi W. Wytcherley
  • Patent number: 5227028
    Abstract: A process of treating a ketoxime or aldoxime-containing amide mixture resulting from a Beckmann rearrangement of the corresponding ketoxime or aldoxime. The process involves hydrolysis of the mixture to remove the remaining ketoxime or aldoxime which are converted to the corresponding ketone or aldehyde and then separated off from the mixture. Any amino acid resulting from the hydrolysis can be reconverted to the corresponding amide by raising the temperature of the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: DSM N.V.
    Inventors: Hubertus J. M. Bosman, Paul C. Van Geem, Petrus J. H. Thomissen
  • Patent number: 5225050
    Abstract: Hexane cannot be removed from hexane - vinyl acetate mixtures by distillation because of the minimum boiling azeotrope. Hexane can be readily removed from vinyl acetate by extractive distillation. Typical effective agents are phenol, 1-nitropropane and benzyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Lloyd Berg
    Inventors: Lloyd Berg, Randi W. Wytcherley
  • Patent number: 5225048
    Abstract: The invention relates to a distillation method and an apparatus for the concentration and purification of water-containing liquid chemicals. The distillation is performed using constant, predetermined distillation parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Athens Corp.
    Inventor: Wallace I. Yuan
  • Patent number: 5223088
    Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for producing concentrated kaolin slurries and spray dried kaolin particulates through the use of an arrangement where a system for producing concentrated slurries is coupled with a spray dryer such that off gases from the spray dryer are used to supply heat energy to the spray dryer and to the slurry concentrating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: NIRO A/S
    Inventor: Ove E. Hansen
  • Patent number: 5221470
    Abstract: A waste water treatment plant is disclosed that uses aerobic bacteria to digest solid particles in the waste water. The plant includes a filter located just upstream of the outlet through which the water leaves the plant. The filter comprises an elongated sheet of plastic material that is wound upon itself with adjacent layers narrowly spaced to form an elongated narrow passageway. Aerobic bacteria grows on the walls of the passageway and across the top of the filter to digest the last solid particles from the water as the water slowly rises through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventor: Jerry L. McKinney
  • Patent number: 5221439
    Abstract: An orbital evaporator has a vertical heat transfer tube or tubes mounted in a container driven in an orbital motion. A stiff whip rod is freely movable within the tube. Its lower end rests on a horizontal plate. The orbital motion causes the rod to roll over the interior surface of the tube to distribute the liquid in a thin film and to control fouling. A set of fins is mounted on the exterior of the tube to collect and channel the condensate to improve heat transfer through the tube. The fins are preferably longitudinal and the whip rod is preferably hydrophobic. Operating the evaporator with boiling temperatures substantially below 100.degree. C. in combination with the fins and a rolling whip rod allows operation as a desalinization unit for an indefinite period of time with a high total heat transfer coefficient. The evaporator preferably also includes a degasser to control the formation of a gas barrier at the exterior surface of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Y. T. Li Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Yao-Tzu Li, Henry Huang, I-Chieng Ho, Albert P. Yundt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5221441
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting a catalytic distillation process is provided which allows for maintaining a liquid level in selected portions of the catalyst bed. Three particular processes disclosed are the production of methyl tertiary butyl ether, tertiary butyl alcohol and cumene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Chemical Research & Licensing Company
    Inventor: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5217572
    Abstract: The centrifugal evaporator-concentrator includes a central tubular pivot (18) surmounted by a nozzle (35) and constituting the pivot axis of a rotor (9) rotating in a vessel (8) closed by a cover (11). With the rotor rotating in the partial vacuum created by a vacuum pump (33), a small quantity of gas or air is temporarily and periodically admitted into the vessel, this gas being heated by a heating resistor (38) inside the vessel for the purpose of heating by conduction the specimens to be concentrated and of accelerating the rate of evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Jouan
    Inventors: Jean L. Guy, Michel Serveau
  • Patent number: 5217582
    Abstract: A process is provided for separating high purity alkyl glycolate from a gaseous reaction mixture resulting from the catalyzed gas phase oxidation of alkyl glycolate. A hot solvent which is immiscible with water but selectively dissolves alkyl glycolate and alkyl glyoxylate is brought in contact with the gaseous reaction mixture, and water and alcohol vapors are removed from the hot solvent. The alkyl glyoxylate is removed from the solution by a first distillation and the alkyl glycolate and solvent are then separated in a second distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: George E. Heinsohn, John F. Kook, John R. Kosak, Rudolf E. Svadlenak
  • Patent number: 5217614
    Abstract: Open frame, inverted-T-shaped trusses are provided between self-supporting clarifier units to support the units in liquid having solids therein flowing in a clarifier basin. In a first embodiment, each truss has three pipes which form part of a longitudinally extending base. A longitudinal spine extends up from the base to a fourth pipe which directly supports an outlet trough. Spaced supports extend transversely to form three-sided corners which receive an end of a clarifier unit. A bar extends between the spaced supports to hold the units in the corners. In a second embodiment, the truss is provided with a closed spine which serves as a head barrier at an inlet end of the basin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Inventor: Charles L. Meurer
  • Patent number: 5215630
    Abstract: The present invention provides a continuous method of purifying eicosapentaenoic acid and esters of eicosapentanoic acid, comprising (a) fractionally distilling a starting mixture containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid using a system of at least three distillation columns connected in flow arrangement to separate a fraction containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid and other C.sub.20 fatty acids from a fraction containing lower-number carbon fatty acids and from a fraction containing higher-number carbon fatty acids, and (b) continuously collecting the fraction containing eicosapentaenoic acid or esters of eicosapentaenoic acid, wherein the pressure in the distillation columns is maintained at 10 Torr or below and wherein the bottom temperature of the distillation columns is maintained at 210.degree. C. or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignees: Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd., Kansai Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Hata, Hideo Noda, Masahiro Makuta
  • Patent number: 5215790
    Abstract: A microporous structure with layered interstitial surface treatments, and method and apparatus for preparation thereof. The structure is prepared by sequentially subjecting a uniformly surface-treated structure (10a) to atomic oxygen treatment to remove an outer layer (16) of surface treatment to a generally uniform depth, and then surface treating the so exposed layer with another surface treating agent. The atomic oxygen/surface treatment steps may optionally be repeated, each successive time to a lesser depth, to produce a microporous structure having multilayered surface treatments. The apparatus (200) employs at least one side arm (228) from a main atomic oxygen-containing chamber (202). The side arm (228) has characteristic relaxation times such that a uniform atomic oxygen dose rate is delivered to a specimen (239) positioned transversely in the side arm (228) spaced from the main gas chamber (202).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Steven L. Koontz
  • Patent number: 5211812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the recovery of a processed liquid in the form of a condensate from a liquid to be processed by evaporation and condensation, having at least one first flow region which is provided in a working space for the development of a first sheetlike flow of the liquid to be processed and at least one condensing surface, adjacent to the first flow region and cooler in temperature than the first flow, for liquid evaporated at the first flow region.The invention is characterized in that a second flow region is adjacent to the at least one first flow region in the common working space for the development of a sheetlike second flow, and in that the condensing surface is formed of the surface of the liquid of the at least one second flow region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Institut fur Entwicklung und Forschung Dr. Vielberth KG
    Inventors: Johann Vielberth, Eberhard Willach