Patents by Inventor Joan E. Tiernan

Joan E. Tiernan 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).

  • Treatment of concentrated industrial wastewaters originating from oil shale and the like by electrolysis polyurethane foam interaction
    Patent number: 5004531
    Abstract: Highly concentrated and toxic petroleum-based and synthetic fuels wastewaters such as oil shale retort water are treated in a unit treatment process by electrolysis in a reactor containing oleophilic, ionized, open-celled polyurethane foams and subjected to mixing and lBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention described herein arose in the course of, or under, Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of California.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Inventor: Joan E. Tiernan
  • Treatment of concentrated industrial wastewaters originating from oil shale and the like by electrolysis polyurethane foam interaction
    Patent number: 4929359
    Abstract: Highly concentrated and toxic petroleum-based and synthetic fuels wastewaters such as oil shale retort water are treated in a unit treatment process by electrolysis in a reactor containing oleophilic, ionized, open-celled polyurethane foams and subjected to mixing and laminar flow conditions at an average detention time of six hours. Both the polyurethane foams and the foam regenerate solution are re-used. The treatment is a cost-effective process for waste-waters which are not treatable, or are not cost-effectively treatable, by conventional process series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Joan E. Tiernan