Patents by Inventor Dennis L. Howe

Dennis L. Howe 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).

  • Patent number: 11430997
    Abstract: A variety of systems, methods and compositions are disclosed, including, in one method for recycling a spent alkaline battery comprising: dissolving insoluble metal ions in aqueous solution thereby producing pregnant leach solution; extracting zinc sulfate from aqueous solution thereby producing zinc sulfate product and raffinate solution comprising manganese sulfate and potassium sulfate; separating manganese hydroxide from raffinate solution thereby producing manganese sulfate product and aqueous potassium sulfate solution; crystallizing aqueous potassium sulfate solution to produce solid potassium sulfate product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Battery Reclamation Research Associates LLC
    Inventor: Dennis L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20220105466
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Terralithium LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Harrison, Dennis L. Howe, Brian J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 11235282
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Terralithium LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Harrison, Dennis L. Howe, Brian J. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20210135250
    Abstract: A variety of systems, methods and compositions are disclosed, including, in one method for recycling a spent alkaline battery comprising: dissolving insoluble metal ions in aqueous solution thereby producing pregnant leach solution; extracting zinc sulfate from aqueous solution thereby producing zinc sulfate product and raffinate solution comprising manganese sulfate and potassium sulfate; separating manganese hydroxide from raffinate solution thereby producing manganese sulfate product and aqueous potassium sulfate solution; crystallizing aqueous potassium sulfate solution to produce solid potassium sulfate product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventor: Dennis L. HOWE
  • Publication number: 20200086271
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: All American Lithium LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Harrison, Dennis L. Howe, Brian J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 4548794
    Abstract: According to the present invention, processes are provided for recovery of nickel, cobalt and like metal values from laterite ores wherein the ores are separated into high and low magnesium containing fractions, the low magnesium fraction is leached with sulfuric acid at elevated temperatures and pressure to solubilize the metal values. The pregnant liquor resulting from the high pressure which also contains solubilized Fe, Al and acid is then contacted with a low magnesium fraction of the ore in a low pressure leach under conditions such that at least some of the acid is neutralized and substantially all of the solubilized Fe and Al is removed as hematite and alunite precipitate.In one embodiment, the pregnant liquor from the high pressure leach and the high magnesium fraction are contacted at atmospheric pressure and a temperature of about 80.degree. C. prior to low pressure leaching. In other embodiments, various process streams are separated by size and otherwise, and recycled to within the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: California Nickel Corporation
    Inventors: E. Harris Lowenhaupt, John E. Litz, Dennis L. Howe
  • Patent number: 4541994
    Abstract: According to the present invention, Ni- and Co-rich, low Mg fines may be advantageously separated from the coarse fractions of lateritic ores by atmospheric or low pressure leaching. In particular, the process of the present invention comprises contacting a lateritic ore or ore fraction at temperatures from about 20.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. and pressures from about atmospheric to about 200 psig with an aqueous acid solution to form a leach liquor, a leach residue and a fines fraction. The fines fraction which can be separated from the residue with the leach liquor by conventional means such as cycloning is found to be richer in Ni and Co and lower than the remainder of the residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: California Nickel Corporation
    Inventors: E. Harris Lowenhaupt, John E. Litz, Dennis L. Howe
  • Patent number: 4273745
    Abstract: Molybdenum is recovered from an ammonium molybdate solution containing phosphate anions by digesting in an ammonium molybdate solution at least one water-soluble compound of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, calcium, iron and magnesium in small but effective amounts to precipitate at least about 50% of the phosphate anions for a time sufficient to precipitate the phosphate anion, separating the phosphate precipitate from the ammonium molybdate solution, then acidifying the ammonium molybdate solution with at least one mineral acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid and nitric acid to lower the pH value of the solution to between about 2.5 and about 4.5 to precipitate ammonium polymolybdate, and calcining the ammonium polymolybdate at a temperature below about 750.degree. C. to produce a molybdenum trioxide product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: AMAX Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Laferty, Dennis L. Howe, Roger F. Sebenik