Patents by Inventor Gerald Cowley

Gerald Cowley 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: 7407641
    Abstract: A chlorine dioxide generator comprises a water eductor surrounded by a variable volume plenum. The plenum casing is threaded onto the venturi body, permitting the plenum volume and area to be modified depending on the capacity required. Chlorine and sodium chlorite may be fed tangentially into a conical plenum and reacted therein to form chlorine dioxide, which is discharged into water passing through the eductor at the venturi throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Superior Plus Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, David Andrew Dean
  • Patent number: 6967010
    Abstract: A chlorine dioxide generator comprises a water eductor surrounded by a variable volume plenum. The plenum casing is threaded onto the venturi body, permitting the plenum volume and area to be modified depending on the capacity required. Chlorine and sodium chlorite may be fed tangentially into a conical plenum and reacted therein to form chlorine dioxide, which is discharged into water passing through the eductor at the venturi throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Superior Plus Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, David Andrew Dean
  • Publication number: 20050058591
    Abstract: A chlorine dioxide generator comprises a water eductor surrounded by a variable volume plenum. The plenum casing is threaded onto the venturi body, permitting the plenum volume and area to be modified depending on the capacity required. Chlorine and sodium chlorite may be fed tangentially into a conical plenum and reacted therein to form chlorine dioxide, which is discharged into water passing through the eductor at the venturi throat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, David Dean
  • Publication number: 20040228790
    Abstract: Alkali metal chlorite, particularly sodium chlorite, is produced with a level of purity superior to that expected based on the composition of the chlorine dioxide generator off-gas that is used as a raw chemical feed for chlorite manufacture. The off-gas is preferably drawn before it enters the chlorine dioxide absorption tower and is passed through a conditioning stage to then react in a liquid medium to produce an alkali metal chlorite solution from which the unreacted and produced gases are immediately separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Mario Luis Costa, Gerald Cowley, Chunmin Pu
  • Publication number: 20030143111
    Abstract: The invention provides methods of using chlorine dioxide gas for the fumigation of building spaces, heating ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC, e.g., return supply ducts, heating and cooling coils and the like), vehicles, office spaces, process equipment, files, documents, mail, mail processing equipment, industrial process equipment and consumer related items under safe conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, John Y. Mason, Sameh F. Eltomi, Darrell L. Dechant
  • Publication number: 20020021990
    Abstract: A chlorine dioxide generator comprises a water eductor surrounded by a variable volume plenum. The plenum casing is threaded onto the venturi body, permitting the plenum volume and area to be modified depending on the capacity required. Chlorine and sodium chlorite may be fed tangentially into a conical plenum and reacted therein to form chlorine dioxide, which is discharged into water passing through the eductor at the venturi throat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, David Andrew Dean
  • Patent number: 6251357
    Abstract: Alkali metal chlorite, particularly sodium chlorite, is produced with a low carbonate level by combining a chlorine dioxide generating system operating at subatmospheric pressure with a chlorite formation reactor in which the chlorine dioxide reacts with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of aqueous alkali metal hydroxide, particularly sodium hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Sterling Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter David Dick, Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 6203688
    Abstract: A process for converting in a single pass an aqueous alkaline pH, alkali metal chlorite solution into an aqueous chlorine dioxide-containing solution that involves the combination of (1) using an electrochemical acidification cell to lower the pH value of the aqueous alkali metal chlorite feed before it enters the anode compartment of an electrochemical oxidation cell where the chlorite is converted to chlorine dioxide with (2) using an anolyte flow pattern where the anolyte passes through a porous, high surface area electrode. This process results in a substantially improved conversion efficiency per pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Sterling Pulp Chemicals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Marek Lipsztajn, Gerald Cowley, Jerry J. Kaczur
  • Patent number: 5965004
    Abstract: Chlorine dioxide is generated by electrochemical oxidation of sodium chlorite in an anode compartment of a cation-exchange membrane-divided cell in the presence of significant quantities of sodium chlorate and is recovered in a suitable recipient medium by passing the chlorine dioxide through a hydrophobic microporous membrane. Water balance in a continuous operation is maintained by removing water from the anolyte by transporting the same partly across the hydrophobic microporous membrane in vapor form and partly across the cation-exchange membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Sterling Pulp Chemicals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, Marek Lipsztajn, George Joseph Ranger, Ron K. Schaible, Ty V. Tran, Darren F. Lawless
  • Patent number: 5932085
    Abstract: Chlorine dioxide is generated by electrochemical oxidation of sodium chlorite in an anode compartment of a cation-exchange membrane-divided cell and is recovered in a suitable recipient medium by passing the chlorine dioxide through a hydrophobic microporous membrane. Water balance in a continuous operation is maintained by removing water from the anolyte by transporting the same partly across the hydrophobic microporous membrane in vapor form and partly across the cation-exchange membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Sterling Pulp Chemicals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, Marek Lipsztajn, George Joseph Ranger
  • Patent number: 5851374
    Abstract: Chlorine dioxide is produced by reaction of chlorate ions, usually provided by sodium chlorate, with a persulfate in an aqueous acid reaction medium containing sulfuric acid. By-product sodium sulfate, sulfuric acid feedstock or mixture may be electrolyzed to form the persulfate for the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Sterling Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, Marek Lipsztajn
  • Patent number: 5480516
    Abstract: A salt solution, particularly aqueous sodium chlorate, is acidified electrolytically at a higher current efficiency than has previously been the case by employing a plurality of multiple compartment cells, in which the effluent from intermediate compartments is passed through more anodic compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sterling Pulp Chemicals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Marek Lipsztajn, Gerald Cowley, Dana Gourley
  • Patent number: 5198080
    Abstract: The formation of sodium sulfate by-product in sulfuric acid-based chlorine dioxide generating processes is decreased and preferably eliminated entirely, by effecting electrochemical treatment of sodium ion-containing feed materials for the generator to remove sodium ions and to add hydrogen ions. Sodium hydroxide may be produced as a by-product. The process is generally applicable to the electrochemical treatment of alkali metal chlorates, alkali metal sulfates and mixtures thereof to produce acidified solutions useful in providing chlorate ion-containing feeds to such chlorine dioxide generating processes or for other purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Tenneco Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, Marek Lipsztajn, Zbigniew Twardowski, Richard Swindells, Edward J. Bechberger
  • Patent number: 5122240
    Abstract: The formation of sodium sulfate by-product in sulfuric acid-based chlorine dioxide generating processes is decreased and preferably eliminated entirely, by effecting electrochemical treatment of sodium ion-containing feed materials for the generator to remove sodium ions and add hydrogen ions. Sodium hydroxide is produced as a by-product. The process is generally applicable to the electrochemical treatment of alkali metal chlorates, alkali metal sulfates and mixtures thereof to produce acidified solutions useful in providing chlorate ion-containing feeds to such chlorine dioxide generating processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Tenneco Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Cowley, Marek Lipsztajn, Zbigniew Twardowski
  • Patent number: 4915927
    Abstract: Chloric acid is produced in an electrolytic-electrodialytic process in which chlorate ions from a sodium chlorate solution are transferred through an anion-exchange membrane to combine with electrolytically-produced hydrogen ions in a compartment of a cell, from which the resulting chloric acid is recovered. The sodium ions are transferred through a cation-exchange membrane to combine with electrolytically-produced hydroxyl ions in another compartment of the cell, from which the resulting sodium hydroxide is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Tenneco Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Marek Lipsztajn, Zbigniew Twardowski, Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 4414193
    Abstract: Chlorine dioxide for waste water treatment is formed by reaction of sodium chlorate, sodium chloride and sulphuric acid at high acidity while the reaction zone is subjected to subatmospheric pressure and spent reaction medium overflows from the reaction zone. The subatmospheric pressure preferably is applied using a water eductor to which the water to be treated is fed, so that direct contact between the produced gases and the water to be treated is effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: ERCO Industries Limited
    Inventors: Maurice C. J. Fredette, Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 4366120
    Abstract: Chlorine dioxide solution for use in waste water treatment is produced in an automated small scale plant wherein sodium chlorate solution is reacted with sulphur dioxide at subatmospheric pressure by countercurrent flow in a reaction tower. Water ejectors are used to withdraw gaseous chlorine dioxide from the upper end of the tower and form therefrom chlorine dioxide solution and also to withdraw liquid effluent from the bottom of the tower for discharge. The plant is fully automated to form chlorine dioxide solution in response to inventory requirements. The chlorine dioxide-producing reaction is only permitted to operate if each of a plurality of sensed parameters is within predetermined ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: Erco Industries Limited
    Inventor: Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 4336228
    Abstract: The entrainment of reaction medium in the vapor phase and the entrainment of gaseous phase in liquid phase are decreased in a chlorine dioxide generator (12) producing a gaseous mixture of chlorine dioxide, chlorine and steam from a boiling reaction medium (14) and wherein generator liquor is recycled with make up chemicals. These results are achieved by generator modifications, which include tangential entry (30) of recycled liquor to the generator (12) in the vapor space (16) above the liquid level in the generator (12), and the provision of a baffle (34, 50) projecting inwardly from the generator wall in the vapor space (16) and arranged to be above the trajectory of the recycled liquor as it enters the generator (12). These modifications enable the generator volume to be decreased substantially, with consequentially decreased capital costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: ERCO Industries Limited
    Inventor: Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 4290998
    Abstract: Washing apparatus for the washing of by-product salts from chlorine dioxide generating processes comprising a multi-stage decantation washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Erco Industries Limited
    Inventors: Peter D. Dick, Gerald Cowley
  • Patent number: 4276262
    Abstract: The entrainment of reaction medium in the vapor phase is decreased in a chlorine dioxide generator producing a gaseous mixture of chlorine dioxide, chlorine and steam from a boiling reaction medium and wherein generator liquor is recycled with make up chemicals by providing a tangential entry of recycled liquor to the generator in the vapor space above the liquid level in the generator and a helically-arranged baffle projecting inwardly from the generator wall at least in the height of the generator corresponding to the tangential entry opening into the vapor space. The baffle is arranged to be above the trajectory of the recycled liquor as it enters the generator. Decreased liquor entrainment enables the generator diameter to be decreased, with consequentially decreased capital costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: ERCO Industries Limited
    Inventor: Gerald Cowley