Patents by Inventor Allen Wattenbarger

Allen Wattenbarger 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: 20240132998
    Abstract: An apparatus for extracting lithium from a lithium-bearing material. A mixer is configured to receive and mix lithium-bearing material with gypsum, a sulfur-containing material, and a calcium-containing material and form a feed mixture having a moisture content of at least 20 wt %. A dryer is configured to dry the feed mixture and form a dried mixture having a moisture content of less than 20 wt %. A roaster is configured to receive and roast the dried mixture and form a roasted mixture including a water-soluble lithium compound. A leach tank is configured to form a lithium-containing leachate from the water-soluble lithium compound using an aqueous solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2024
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger, Daniel Suasnabar
  • Publication number: 20240102130
    Abstract: A method of extracting lithium from a lithium-bearing material including: (i) mixing the lithium-bearing material, gypsum, a sulfur-containing material, and a calcium-containing material and forming a feed mixture having a moisture content of at least 20 wt %; (ii) drying the feed mixture to form a dried mixture having a moisture content of less than 20 wt %; (iii) roasting the dried mixture and forming a roasted mixture including a water-soluble lithium compound; and (iv) leaching lithium from the water-soluble lithium compound and forming a lithium-containing leachate by mixing the aqueous solution and the water-soluble lithium compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger, Daniel Suasnabar
  • Publication number: 20240025755
    Abstract: A method of forming lithium carbonate from a lithium-bearing solution including: evaporating the lithium-bearing solution to precipitate a first group of impurities; removing the first group of impurities to form a first purified solution; and performing a flash crystallisation step within a predetermined temperature range to crystallise a second group of impurities from the first purified solution; removing the second group of impurities from the first solution to form a second purified solution, wherein at least 90 wt % of lithium is recovered from the first purified solution; and reacting the second purified solution with a metal carbonate to form lithium carbonate of at least 90 wt % purity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger
  • Patent number: 11873540
    Abstract: A method of extracting lithium from a lithium-bearing material including: (i) mixing the lithium-bearing material, gypsum, a sulfur-containing material, and a calcium-containing material and forming a feed mixture having a moisture content of at least 20 wt %; (ii) drying the feed mixture to form a dried mixture having a moisture content of less than 20 wt %; (iii) roasting the dried mixture and forming a roasted mixture including a water-soluble lithium compound; and (iv) leaching lithium from the water-soluble lithium compound and forming a lithium-containing leachate by mixing the aqueous solution and the water-soluble lithium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: US Borax Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger, Daniel Suasnabar
  • Publication number: 20220169522
    Abstract: A method of forming lithium carbonate from a lithium-bearing solution including: evaporating the lithium-bearing solution to precipitate a first group of impurities; removing the first group of impurities to form a first purified solution; and performing a flash crystallisation step within a predetermined temperature range to crystallise a second group of impurities from the first purified solution; removing the second group of impurities from the first solution to form a second purified solution, wherein at least 90 wt % of lithium is recovered from the first purified solution; and reacting the second purified solution with a metal carbonate to form lithium carbonate of at least 90 wt % purity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger
  • Publication number: 20220170134
    Abstract: A method of extracting lithium from a lithium-bearing material including: (i) mixing the lithium-bearing material, gypsum, a sulfur-containing material, and a calcium-containing material and forming a feed mixture having a moisture content of at least 20 wt %; (ii) drying the feed mixture to form a dried mixture having a moisture content of less than 20 wt %; (iii)roasting the dried mixture and forming a roasted mixture including a water-soluble lithium compound; and (iv) leaching lithium from the water-soluble lithium compound and forming a lithium-containing leachate by mixing the aqueous solution and the water-soluble lithium compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Amit Patwardhan, Sandip Shinde, Allen Wattenbarger, Daniel Suasnabar