Patents by Inventor Maoqi FENG

Maoqi FENG 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: 10246347
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the treatment of water using biochar. More specifically, the treatment of flowback water from drilling operations such as hydraulic fracturing or the treatment of tailing water from tar sands production. Such treatment results in the reduction of various constituents such as metal ions, organic compounds and various metals to provide recycled water suitable for reuse or discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Maoqi Feng
  • Publication number: 20160096746
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the treatment of water using biochar. More specifically, the treatment of flowback water from drilling operations such as hydraulic fracturing or the treatment of tailing water from tar sands production. Such treatment results in the reduction of various constituents such as metal ions, organic compounds and various metals to provide recycled water suitable for reuse or discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventor: Maoqi FENG
  • Patent number: 9303320
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for accelerated hydriding of metallic substrates to evaluate the effects of hydrogen adsorption on substrate performance. The method includes applying to the substrate a metal that has an activation energy for hydrogen adsorption that is lower than the substrate activation energy for hydrogen adsorption. This is then followed by hydriding and evaluation of the effects of hydriding on substrate mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Xihua He, Maoqi Feng
  • Patent number: 9217119
    Abstract: A process for the extraction of lipids from living cells utilizing liquid carbon dioxide optionally in the presence of a porous inorganic matrix or polymer coating as well as additional solvents to improve extraction efficiency. The cells may also optionally be treated a photosensitive material to promote cellular photosynthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Darius D. Daruwalla, Jimell Erwin, W. Kennedy Gauger
  • Publication number: 20150211103
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for accelerated hydriding of metallic substrates to evaluate the effects of hydrogen adsorption on substrate performance. The method includes applying to the substrate a metal that has an activation energy for hydrogen adsorption that is lower than the substrate activation energy for hydrogen adsorption. This is then followed by hydriding and evaluation of the effects of hydriding on substrate mechanical properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Xihua HE, Maoqi FENG
  • Patent number: 8986400
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of converting glycerol into organic reaction products. The method may include mixing glycerol with a monohydric alcohol. The mixture of glycerol and monohydric alcohol is then reacted in the presence of a heterogeneous nano-structured catalyst, wherein the monohydric alcohol is present at subcritical/supercritical temperatures and pressures. This converts the glycerol into one or more reaction products, wherein the reaction products include an oxygenated organic reaction product. Ninety percent or greater of the glycerol is converted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Chee-Kai Tan
  • Patent number: 8815193
    Abstract: A selective non-catalytic reduction apparatus for exhaust gases comprising a reactor for elevated temperature reduction of NOx comprising an injection zone, internal structure zone and rear zone. The internal structure zone includes packing materials and provides a surface area of 5.0 m2/g to 20 m2/g where the packing material is present in the reactor at a level of 10% to 50% of the reactor volume. The reactor provides one or more of the following: (1) a residence time for exhaust gas of 0.1 seconds to 5.0 seconds; (2) a pressure drop of less than or equal to 1400 Pa/m at an exhaust gas velocity of 1.0 meter/second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Rijing Zhan, Jeffrey N. Harris
  • Publication number: 20140101988
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of converting glycerol into organic reaction products. The method may include mixing glycerol with a monohydric alcohol. The mixture of glycerol and monohydric alcohol is then reacted in the presence of a heterogeneous nano-structured catalyst, wherein the monohydric alcohol is present at subcritical/supercritical temperatures and pressures. This converts the glycerol into one or more reaction products, wherein the reaction products include an oxygenated organic reaction product. Ninety percent or greater of the glycerol is converted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Maoqi FENG, Chee-Kai TAN
  • Patent number: 8535627
    Abstract: The present invention is directed at ketone/water mixtures for treating gas mixtures containing nitric oxides (NOx). The chemical reduction of NOx by the ketone/water mixture affords a relatively less objectionable combustion waste product for discharge into the atmosphere. The gas mixture for treatment of the ketone/water mixture may be preferably regulated to have a level of oxygen of at or below 5.0 vol. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Rijing Zhan
  • Patent number: 8507702
    Abstract: A method for the continuous production of ester based organic compounds from renewable natural products via supercritical solvent processing in the presence of heterogeneous nano-structured catalysts. Fatty acid triglycerides may therefore be transesterified using heterogeneous nano-structured catalysts in the presence of supercritical alcohols to provide alkyl ester compounds and glycerine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Chee-Kai Tan
  • Publication number: 20130137886
    Abstract: A process for the extraction of lipids from living cells utilizing liquid carbon dioxide optionally in the presence of a porous inorganic matrix or polymer coating as well as additional solvents to improve extraction efficiency. The cells may also optionally be treated a photosensitive material to promote cellular photosynthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Maoqi FENG, Darius D. DARUWALLA, Jimell ERWIN, W. Kennedy GAUGER
  • Patent number: 8435478
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for enhancement of syngas production (CO and H2) of a carbon based feedstock with CO2 conversion, which utilized CO2 as an oxygen resource and converts CO2 to CO through chemical reactions. The process includes a thermal plasma reactor and optionally a nonthermal plasma reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Maoqi Feng, Francis Yu Chang Huang, Richard L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20120253057
    Abstract: A method for the continuous production of ester based organic compounds from renewable natural products via supercritical solvent processing in the presence of heterogeneous nano-structured catalysts. Fatty acid triglycerides may therefore be transesterified using heterogeneous nano-structured catalysts in the presence of supercritical alcohols to provide alkyl ester compounds and glycerine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Maoqi FENG, Chee-Kai TAN
  • Publication number: 20120193580
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for enhancement of syngas production (CO and H2) of a carbon based feedstock with CO2 conversion, which utilized CO2 as an oxygen resource and converts CO2 to CO through chemical reactions. The process includes a thermal plasma reactor and optionally a nonthermal plasma reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Maoqi FENG, Francis Yu Chang HUANG, Richard L. JOHNSON