Patents by Inventor Frederick W. Leavitt

Frederick W. Leavitt 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).

  • Process for producing mixed-cation zeolites
    Patent number: 5604169
    Abstract: Zeolites containing mixed cations are conveniently prepared by saturating the zeolites with the less strongly held cation, and then injecting the more strongly held cations in a pulse in a recirculating brine solution containing the less strongly held cation. The more strongly held cation is thus exchanged with the less readily held cation on the surface of the zeolite, after which the particles are allowed to equilibrate, with the distribution of the cations within the particles approaching an equilibrium value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Pressure swing adsorption heat recovery
    Patent number: 5453112
    Abstract: Waste heat generated within a pressure swing adsorption system is effectively captured and utilized to preheat the feed gas passing to a feed gas blower for compression to the desired adsorption pressure level. The energy efficiency of the system, and overall system performance, are thereby enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Sinicropi, Timothy M. Aaron, Frederick W. Leavitt, Herbert R. Schaub, James Smolarek
  • Lithium recovery
    Patent number: 5451383
    Abstract: In the production of lithium-exchange adsorbents, lithium recovery from spent ion-exchange solutions is achieved with advantageous secondary recovery of lithium from zeolite wash liquor and precipitate salts by ion-exchange means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Vacuum pressure swing adsorption process
    Patent number: 5415683
    Abstract: A trans-atmospheric pressure swing adsorption process is carried out using product gas for purge and partial repressurization in the production of oxygen from air. No transfer of gas is made directly from one bed to another, as for pressure equalization purposes, but the power requirements are reduced under controlled pressure swing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Tuning of vacuum pressure swing adsorption systems
    Patent number: 5407465
    Abstract: Vacuum and other pressure swing adsorption vessels are monitored, and corrective adjustments are made in the pressure equalization and/or repressurization steps in response to imbalances in the temperature profiles of the vessels in order to tune the system. The PSA process is also desirably purge tuned to avoid over purging or under purging of each vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert R. Schaub, James Smolarek, Frederick W. Leavitt, Lee J. Toussaint, Kimberly A. LaSala
  • Low temperature pressure swing adsorption with refrigeration
    Patent number: 5169413
    Abstract: Pressure swing adsorption gas separation operations are enhanced by the retention and use of internal refrigeration effects, without the need for externally supplied refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Praxair Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Dual product pressure swing adsorption process and system
    Patent number: 5163978
    Abstract: By capturing the portion found to contain a high concentration of either oxygen or nitrogen in the non-primary waste stream from a PSA-air separation operation, a high purity second product stream can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick W. Leavitt, James Smolarek, Dale A. Lagree
  • Duplex adsorption process
    Patent number: 5085674
    Abstract: A duplex adsorption process is carried out in one or more stages, each having a normal bed portion and an inverted bed portion that enables the less selectively adsorbable light component of a fluid mixture to be displaced from the normal bed portion and the more selectively adsorbable heavy component to be displaced from the inverted bed portion. Pressure swing adsorption and thermal swing adsorption processes can be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Air separation pressure swing adsorption process
    Patent number: 5074892
    Abstract: PSA air separation processes are carried out using low adsorption/desorption pressure ratios, together with special adsorbents capable of desirably adsorbing nitrogen at the upper adsorption pressure level and of readily releasing nitrogen for discharge at the lower desorption pressure level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick W. Leavitt
  • Pressure swing adsorption process for gas separation
    Patent number: 4810265
    Abstract: An improved pressure swing adsorption process enables the more readily adsorbable component of a feed gas to be economically recovered, e.g. nitrogen from air. The more readily absorbable component is used as copurge at upper adsorption pressure, and less readily adsorbable component is used for countercurrent purge at subatmospheric desorption pressure and for initial repressurization in a countercurrent backfilling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Union Carbide Corporation
    Inventors: Dale A. Lagree, Frederick W. Leavitt