Patents by Inventor Alexander Fassbender

Alexander Fassbender 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: 20140166574
    Abstract: A biological filtration system includes a reservoir configured to receive an aqueous liquid, a multiplicity of polymeric container closures in the reservoir, a fluid inlet fluidically coupled with the reservoir, and a fluid outlet fluidically coupled with the reservoir. The fluid inlet is configured such that an aqueous liquid provided to the reservoir via the fluid inlet contacts the multiplicity of polymeric container closures. The polymeric container closures support biofilm growth. Treating the aqueous liquid provided to the biological filtration system includes contacting the polymeric container closures with the aqueous liquid, growing biofilm on the polymeric container closures in contact with the aqueous liquid, thereby removing contaminants from the aqueous liquid to yield a treated aqueous liquid, and removing the treated aqueous liquid from the biological filtration system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Publication number: 20140021131
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Patent number: 8524084
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Publication number: 20130105410
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Patent number: 8361319
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Publication number: 20120241375
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Patent number: 8197689
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic zone to the aerobic zone or vice versa. The wastewater treatment system is configured to accept heat from a heat engine to heat the wastewater. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and to facilitate nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone. In some cases, the wastewater is heated with a three phase fluidized bed heat exchanger having porous particulates in contact with heat exchange tubes, with bacteria coupled to an interior of the porous particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Publication number: 20120000849
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic zone to the aerobic zone or vice versa. The wastewater treatment system is configured to accept heat from a heat engine to heat the wastewater. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and to facilitate nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone. In some cases, the wastewater is heated with a three phase fluidized bed heat exchanger having porous particulates in contact with heat exchange tubes, with bacteria coupled to an interior of the porous particulates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender