Patents by Inventor Adam Michael Hilbrands

Adam Michael Hilbrands has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250145503
    Abstract: Methods and systems of PFAS destruction in water containing nitrate. The methods and systems include filtering water containing PFAS and nitrate through a membrane selective for PFAS to obtain a membrane reject containing PFAS and nitrate and a filtrate containing nitrate, forming a treatment solution using the membrane reject including diluting the membrane reject and combining the membrane reject with a photosensitizer, a sulfite salt, and a sufficient amount of base such that the treatment solution has a pH of about 10 or more, and irradiating the treatment solution with UV light in a photoreactor to destroy a portion of the PFAS. Before dilution, a concentration of PFAS in the membrane reject may be between about 3 times and about 20 times greater than before the filtering step. Dilution of the membrane reject may include between about a 3 and about a 20 times dilution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: Claros Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Zekun Liu, Terrance P. Smith, Adam Michael Hilbrands, Nathan Ernst Kamm, Joseph Reuel Levine Tirado, Sonja Elise Moons, John Wilfrid Brockgreitens, Andrew Thomas Healy
  • Patent number: 12275661
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for removing iodide from an aqueous solution including submerging an iodophilic electrode in an aqueous solution containing iodide, applying a current to the electrode, and electrochemically oxidizing the iodide to iodine within the electrode. The electrode may include an iodophilic material and an electrically conductive material. It may also include a binder. The iodophilic material may be a starch, chitosan, carboxycellulose, cationic polymer, or an anion exchange membrane material, for example. After oxidizing the iodide to iodine within the electrode, the electrode may be submerged in a second solution and a current may be applied to reduce the iodine and release it from the electrode in the form of iodide into the second solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Claros Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Michael Hilbrands, Terrance P. Smith
  • Publication number: 20250019286
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for PFAS destruction including removing nitrate from water containing PFAS, combining the water with a sensitizer and a sufficient quantity of base to create a treatment solution having a pH of about 10 or more, and irradiating the treatment solution with UV light in a photoreactor to destroy a portion of the PFAS. The nitrate may be removed electrolytically such as by electrolytically reducing nitrate to nitrogen gas and/or ammonia. The nitrate may be removed by filtration through a selective membrane, such as by reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, nanofiltration, and/or ultrafiltration. The system may include electrolytic cell system including a first cell with a cathode contacting the water containing PFAS in the first cell, a second cell including an anode in an electrolytic solution, a power source, and a salt brine and/or membrane separating the first and second cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: Claros Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Zekun Liu, Terrance P. Smith, Adam Michael Hilbrands, Nathan Ernst Kamm, Joseph Reuel Levine Tirado, Sonja Elise Moons, John Wilfrid Brockgreitens
  • Publication number: 20250019268
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for photo-electrolyitic PFAS destruction including a photoreactor vessel configured to receive an aqueous solution including PFAS, a UV light source configured to direct UV light onto the aqueous solution in the photoreactor vessel, a cathode within the photoreactor vessel configured to contact the aqueous solution, an anode in an electrolyte solution, an electrical power supply configured to provide a voltage difference between the anode and cathode, and a membrane or ionic bridge between the anode and cathode. The cathode may be a mesh and may have a high surface area construction with an electrochemically active surface area that is greater than the geometric surface area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: Claros Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Michael Hilbrands, Andrew Thomas Healy, Terrance P. Smith, Zekun Liu
  • Publication number: 20250019276
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for removing iodide from an aqueous solution including submerging an iodophilic electrode in an aqueous solution containing iodide, applying a current to the electrode, and electrochemically oxidizing the iodide to iodine within the electrode. The electrode may include an iodophilic material and an electrically conductive material. It may also include a binder. The iodophilic material may be a starch, chitosan, carboxycellulose, cationic polymer, or an anion exchange membrane material, for example. After oxidizing the iodide to iodine within the electrode, the electrode may be submerged in a second solution and a current may be applied to reduce the iodine and release it from the electrode in the form of iodide into the second solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: Claros Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Michael Hilbrands, Terrance P. Smith