Patents by Inventor Mark R. Fernald

Mark R. Fernald 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: 12186690
    Abstract: A substrate for use in an aqueous slurry has a polymeric coating to provide a compliant and sticky surface. The polymer coating has a chemical to render the surface hydrophobic so as to attract hydrophobic or hydrophobized mineral particles in the slurry. The substrate can take the form of a conveyor belt, a bead, a mesh, an impeller, a filter or a flat surface. The substrate can also be an open-cell foam. The polymeric coating can be modified with tackifiers; plasticizers; crosslinking agents; chain transfer agents; chain extenders; adhesion promoters; aryl or alky copolymers; fluorinated copolymers and/or additives; hydrophobicizing agents such as hexamethyldisilazane; inorganic particles such as silica, hydrophobic silica, and/or fumed hydrophobic silica; MQ resin; and/or other additives to control and modify the properties of the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Paul Dolan, Michael Ryan, Michael D. Coppola, Kevin Rodney Lassila, Allison K. Greene
  • Patent number: 12123075
    Abstract: A copper/molybdenum separation processor is provide featuring a slurry/media mixture stage configured to receive a conditioned pulp containing hydrophobic molybdenite and hydrophilic copper, iron and other minerals that is conditioned with sodium hydrosulfide together with an engineered polymeric hydrophobic media, and provide a slurry/media mixture; and a slurry/media separation stage configured to receive the slurry/media mixture, and provide a slurry product having a copper concentrate and a polymerized hydrophobic media product having a molybdenum concentrate that are separately directed for further processing. The slurry/media mixture stage include a molybdenum loading stage configured to contact the conditioned pulp with the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media in an agitated reaction chamber, and load the hydrophobic molybdenite on the engineered polymeric hydrophobic media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen
  • Publication number: 20240293842
    Abstract: A substrate for use in an aqueous slurry has a polymeric coating to provide a compliant and sticky surface. The polymer coating has a chemical to render the surface hydrophobic so as to attract hydrophobic or hydrophobized mineral particles in the slurry. The substrate can take the form of a conveyor belt, a bead, a mesh, an impeller, a filter or a flat surface. The substrate can also be an open-cell foam. The polymeric coating can be modified with tackifiers; plasticizers; crosslinking agents; chain transfer agents; chain extenders; adhesion promoters; aryl or alky copolymers; fluorinated copolymers and/or additives; hydrophobizing agents such as hexamethyldisilazane; inorganic particles such as silica, hydrophobic silica, and/or fumed hydrophobic silica; MQ resin; and/or other additives to control and modify the properties of the polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2024
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Paul DOLAN, Michael Stephen RYAN, Timothy J. BAILEY, Kirk JOHNSON, Patrick TUXBURY, Kevin Rodney LASSILA, Michael D. COPPOLA, Allison K. GREENE
  • Patent number: 12048946
    Abstract: A process of coating an open-cell foam substrate includes the steps of arranging two rollers separated by a gap; positioning the substrate above the gap; providing a coating material onto the substrate, feeding the substrate through the gap so as to achieve a layer of the coating material on the substrate, wherein the coating material is selected from the group consisting of a polysiloxane derivative, acrylic polymer, butyl rubber, natural rubber, nitriles, styrene block copolymers with ethylene, styrene block copolymers with propylene, styrene block copolymers with isoprene and polyvinyl ether and modifying the coating with tackifiers; plasticizers; crosslinking agents; chain transfer agents; chain extenders; adhesion promoters; aryl or alky copolymers; fluorinated copolymers; hexamethyldisilazane; and silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignees: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES LLC, BYK-CHEMIE GMBH
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Paul Dolan, Michael Stephen Ryan, Timothy J. Bailey, Kirk Johnson, Patrick Tuxbury, Kevin Rodney Lassila, Michael D. Coppola, Allison K. Greene
  • Patent number: 12005460
    Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a mineral extraction process, e.g., for processing a tailings stream at the end of a flotation separation process. The engineered collection media are added to slurry/tailings containing the mineral particles. The engineered collection media have collection surfaces coated with a chemical selected for attracting the mineral particles to the collection surfaces so the engineered collection media becomes mineral laden media in the slurry/tailings in a loading stage. The apparatus include three stages: removing unwanted material from mineral laden media; using a stripping agent to strip the mineral particles from the mineral laden media; and separating the engineered collection media from the mineral particles and the stripping agent. The stripping agent is reused for stripping, and the engineered collection media are returned to the loading stage. The engineered collection media can have a smooth or foam-like surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 11752506
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Paul Dolan, Kirk Johnson, Patrick Tuxbury, Sandeep Balasubramanyam, Peter A. Amelunxen, Timothy J. Bailey, Adam Jordens, Joseph Nord
  • Publication number: 20230278044
    Abstract: A substrate for use in an aqueous slurry has a polymeric coating to provide a compliant and sticky surface. The polymer coating has a chemical to render the surface hydrophobic so as to attract hydrophobic or hydrophobized mineral particles in the slurry. The surface has a surface roughness structure in the nano-scale to micro-scale range. The substrate can take the form of a conveyor belt, a bead, a mesh, an impeller, a filter or a flat surface. The substrate can also be an open-cell foam. The polymeric coating can be modified with tackifiers; plasticizers; crosslinking agents; chain transfer agents; chain extenders; adhesion promoters; aryl or alky copolymers; fluorinated copolymers and/or additives; hydrophobicizing agents such as hexamethyldisilazane; inorganic particles such as silica, hydrophobic silica, and/or fumed hydrophobic silica; MQ resin; and/or other additives to control and modify the properties of the polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Paul DOLAN, Michael Stephen RYAN, Michael D. COPPOLA, Kevin Rodney LASSILA, Allison K. GREENE
  • Patent number: 11731143
    Abstract: A machine or apparatus featuring a first processor and a second processor. The first processor is configured to receive a mixture of fluid, valuable material and unwanted material and a functionalized polymer coated member configured to attach to the valuable material in an attachment rich environment, and provide an enriched functionalized polymer coated member having the valuable material attached thereto. The second processor is configured to receive a fluid and the enriched functionalized polymer coated member in a release rich environment to release the valuable material, and provide the valuable material released from the enriched functionalized polymer coated member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: CiDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Francis K. Didden, Christian V. O'Keefe, Douglas H. Adamson
  • Publication number: 20230020934
    Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a mineral extraction process, e.g., for processing a tailings stream at the end of a flotation separation process. The engineered collection media are added to slurry/tailings containing the mineral particles. The engineered collection media have collection surfaces coated with a chemical selected for attracting the mineral particles to the collection surfaces so the engineered collection media becomes mineral laden media in the slurry/tailings in a loading stage. The apparatus include three stages: removing unwanted material from mineral laden media; using a stripping agent to strip the mineral particles from the mineral laden media; and separating the engineered collection media from the mineral particles and the stripping agent. The stripping agent is reused for stripping, and the engineered collection media are returned to the loading stage. The engineered collection media can have a smooth or foam-like surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: PAUL J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Paul DOLAN, Timothy BAILEY, Michael RYAN
  • Publication number: 20220410175
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing mineral particles from loaded engineered collection media includes one or more solvents with sufficiently low surface tension. The engineered collection media are made of a synthetic material and have a surface coated with a hydrophobic material to provide a chemical bond between the mineral particles and the surface. The solvents together with a releasing mechanism are arranged to disrupt the chemical bond. Preferably, a surfactant or a nonionic surfactant is also added to the solvents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Guillaume JAUNKY, Wolfgang GRIESEL, Allison GREENE, Michael D. COPPOLA, Kevin LASSILA, Michael RYAN, Paul DOLAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Paul J. ROTHMAN
  • Patent number: 11517918
    Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a mineral extraction process, e.g., for processing a tailings stream at the end of a flotation separation process. The engineered collection media are added to slurry/tailings containing the mineral particles. The engineered collection media have collection surfaces coated with a chemical selected for attracting the mineral particles to the collection surfaces so the engineered collection media becomes mineral laden media in the slurry/tailings in a loading stage. The apparatus include three stages: removing unwanted material from mineral laden media; using a stripping agent to strip the mineral particles from the mineral laden media; and separating the engineered collection media from the mineral particles and the stripping agent. The stripping agent is reused for stripping, and the engineered collection media are returned to the loading stage. The engineered collection media can have a smooth or foam-like surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 11440026
    Abstract: Apparatus uses engineered collection media to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The apparatus has a tumbler cell and a rotation device to rotate the tumbler cell. The tumbler cell has a container to hold a mixture of the engineered media and the slurry containing the mineral particles. The container is turned such that at least part of the mixture in the upper part of the container is caused to interact with at least part of the mixture in the lower part of the container. As such, the contact between the engineered media and the mineral particles is enhanced. The surfaces of the engineered media are functionalized with a chemical having molecules to attract the mineral particles to the surfaces so as to form mineral laden media. After the mineral laden media are discharged from the tumbler cell, the mineral particles can be separated from the engineered media by stripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Peter A. Amelunxen, Paul Dolan, Timothy J. Bailey, Michael Ryan
  • Patent number: 11247212
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Paul Dolan, Kirk Johnson, Patrick Tuxbury, Sandeep Balasubramanyam, Peter A. Amelunxen, Timothy J. Bailey, Adam Jordens, Joseph Nord
  • Patent number: 11241700
    Abstract: Apparatus uses hydrophobic synthetic beads to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The synthetic beads and the slurry are mixed into a mixture for processing. The apparatus has an interaction vessel installed in a section of pipeline. The interaction vessel is made from a pipeline folded or coiled into a compact struction having a continuous flow path. The interaction vessel has an input to receive the mixture of slurry and synthetic beads. The folded or coiled structure is used to increase the residence time of the mixture in the flow path, allowing more time for the mineral particles in the slurry to attach to the surface of the synthetic bead, while maintaining a small footprint. The interaction vessel may be formed from a number of loops of pipe section. The interaction vessel may be formed from one or more folded structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Paul J. Rothman, Alan D. Kersey
  • Publication number: 20220023876
    Abstract: A reactor system has a number of stations arranged to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The system includes a hopper to receive the slurry and barren media having hydrophobic coating to attract the mineral particles. The hopper provides a mixture of barren media and slurry to a tumbler arranged to stir the mixture in order to increase the contact between the slurry and the barren media so as to allow the mineral particles to attach to the barren media to form mineral laden media. The mineral laden media are conveyed to a rinsing station where water jets are used to wash the gangue materials off the mineral laden media. The rinsed mineral laden media are mixed with a surfactant so that the mineral particles are released from the mineral laden media. High-pressure water and air jets are then used to remove remaining surfactant from the released media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Mark R. FERNALD, Paul J. ROTHMAN, Paul DOLAN, Kirk JOHNSON, Patrick TUXBURY, Sandeep BALASUBRAMANYAM, Peter A. AMELUNXEN, Timothy J. BAILEY, Adam JORDENS, Joseph NORD
  • Publication number: 20220016645
    Abstract: Apparatus uses hydrophobic synthetic beads to recover mineral particles in a slurry. The synthetic beads and the slurry are mixed into a mixture for processing. The apparatus has an interaction vessel installed in a section of pipeline. The interaction vessel is made from a pipeline folded or coiled into a compact struction having a continuous flow path. The interaction vessel has an input to receive the mixture of slurry and synthetic beads. The folded or coiled structure is used to increase the residence time of the mixture in the flow path, allowing more time for the mineral particles in the slurry to attach to the surface of the synthetic bead, while maintaining a small footprint. The interaction vessel may be formed from a number of loops of pipe section. The interaction vessel may be formed from one or more folded structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Mark R. FERNALD, Paul J. ROTHMAN, Alan D. KERSEY
  • Publication number: 20210379603
    Abstract: An engineered collection medium for use in mineral separation is described. The engineered collection medium has a solid phase body configured with a three-dimensional open-cell structure like foam or sponge to provide collection surfaces. The three-dimensional surface structure is made of a hydrophobic material which is a reaction product of isocyanate and polyol promotes the attraction of mineral particles to the collection surfaces as a hydrophobic foam. The hydrophobic foam can be in the form of a cube, sphere, or sheet and can be used in a filter or conveyor belt in a processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Paul J. ROTHMAN, Mark R. FERNALD, Francis DIDDEN, Christian V. O'KEEFE, Douglas H. ADAMSON, Paul DOLAN, Timothy J. BAILEY, Michael Stephen RYAN, Weiguo HUANG, Kevin Rodney LASSILA, Michael D. COPPOLA, Allison K. GREENE
  • Patent number: 11135597
    Abstract: A synthetic bead for use in mineral separation is described. The synthetic bead has a surface made of a synthetic material such as polymer and the synthetic material is functionalized with molecules having a functional group for attaching mineral particles to the surface in a separation process. The synthetic beads can be placed in flotation cell containing a mixture of water, valuable material and unwanted material or in a pipeline where the mixture is transported from one location to another. The enriched synthetic beads carrying the mineral particles are separated from the unwanted materials in the mixture. The mineral particles are then released from the synthetic beads by means of low pH treatment, ultrasonic agitation, thermal or electromagnetic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Francis K. Didden, Christian V. O'Keefe, Douglas H. Adamson
  • Patent number: 11117141
    Abstract: Apparatus for use in, or forming part of, a separation process to be implemented in separation processor technology, the apparatus comprising synthetic bubbles or beads configured with a polymer or polymer-based material functionalized to attach to a valuable material in a mixture so as to form an enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto, and also configured to be separated from the mixture based at least partly on a difference in a physical property between the enriched synthetic bubbles or beads having the valuable material attached thereto and the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Francis K. Didden, Christian V. O'Keefe, Alan D. Kersey, Douglas H. Adamson
  • Patent number: 11035826
    Abstract: The invention provides a signal processor that receives a signal containing information about an acoustic signal that is generated by at least one acoustic transmitter, that travels through an aerated fluid in a container, and that is received by at least one acoustic receiver arranged in relation to the container, including inside the container; and determines the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid based at least partly on the speed of sound measurement of the acoustic signal that travels through the aerated fluid in the container. The signal processor also sends an output signal containing information about the gas volume fraction of the aerated fluid. The signal processor may be configured together with at least one acoustic transmitter, the at least one acoustic receiver, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Douglas H. Loose, James M. Sullivan, John Biesak, Alan D. Kersey, Michael A. Davis