Patents by Inventor Michael A. Pikulin

Michael A. Pikulin 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: 7666379
    Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for the purification of binary halide fluid. The process and apparatus purifies the binary halide fluid by selectively removing Bronsted acid impurities and/or volatile oxygen containing impurities present in the binary halide. A regenerable adsorbent polymer is utilized to remove the Bronsted acid impurities from the binary halide fluid and a volatile oxide adsorbent having a specific adsorption capacity for the volatile oxide impurity is utilized to remove the volatile oxide from the binary halide when in gaseous form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Voltaix, Inc.
    Inventors: Leisl Dukhedin-Lalla, German Shekk, John P. de Neufville, Michael Pikulin
  • Publication number: 20060133986
    Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for the purification of binary halide fluid. The process and apparatus purifies the binary halide fluid by selectively removing Bronsted acid impurities and/or volatile oxygen containing impurities present in the binary halide. A regenerable adsorbent polymer is utilized to remove the Bronsted acid impurities from the binary halide fluid and a volatile oxide adsorbent having a specific adsorption capacity for the volatile oxide impurity is utilized to remove the volatile oxide from the binary halide when in gaseous form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Leisl Dukhedin-Lalla, German Shekk, John de Neufville, Michael Pikulin
  • Patent number: 6315861
    Abstract: A method for conditioning an ozone gas recycle stream in an ozone pulp bleaching process. The method includes the steps of providing an oxygen containing feed gas to an ozone generator; generating ozone from said feed gas to produce an ozone rich oxygen gas; bleaching pulp with said ozone rich gas, thereby producing an exhaust gas containing contaminants including carbon dioxide and entrained pulp fibers; removing at least some of said contaminants by at least removing entrained pulp fibers from the exhaust gas to produce a recycle gas; directing said recycle gas into the ozone generator to provide at least a portion of said oxygen containing feed gas; and removing carbon dioxide during said contaminant removal step in an amount sufficient to a level of about 6 wt. wt. % to thus allow operation of the ozone generator at or approaching full capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: James Joseph, Michael A. Pikulin, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 6126781
    Abstract: A process for conditioning an ozone gas recycle stream in an ozone pulp bleaching process, wherein the level of carbon dioxide in the recycle stream is controlled to allow full capacity operation of the ozone generator. Carbon dioxide concentration is identified over the relevant operational ranges and maximum concentration is identified for full capacity/optimum efficiency operation. Specific methods are described for controlling carbon dioxide concentration including purging a portion of the recycle stream, counter-current scrubbing of the recycle stream with an alkaline solution and passing the recycle stream through an adsorbent material. Contaminants entering the system also may be reduced by directing the purged recycle stream, which is relatively oxygen rich, into the dewatering press where pulp consistency is increased. In this manner nitrogen surrounding the pulp is displaced by oxygen and thus, does not enter the bleaching/ozone system with the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: James Joseph, Michael A. Pikulin, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5989388
    Abstract: A two stage ozone-pulp bleaching method and apparatus are disclosed. In the first stage, high consistency pulp particles are turbulently mixed and contacted with a gaseous mixture containing ozone to mix and contact substantially all of the pulp particles with ozone to react at least a portion of the pulp particles with the ozone. Pulp particles and gaseous bleaching mixture are then directed to a second stage including a quiescent pulp bed. Pulp particles may complete their reaction in the bed, which also serves to strip ozone which was not contacted with pulp particles in the first stage from the gaseous bleaching mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Pikulin, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5863389
    Abstract: An apparatus for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine. The bleaching reactor is a horizontal vessel having a central rotatable shaft which preferably contains paddles, cut and folded screw flights or a ribbon flight, to disperse and advance the pulp particles in a plug flow manner while contacting and mixing the pulp particles with a gaseous bleaching agent such as ozone for substantially uniform bleaching thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. White, Michael A. Pikulin, Thomas P. Gandck, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5693184
    Abstract: A method for reducing or eliminating the formation of salt scale upon process equipment caused by precipitation of insoluble salts during the bleaching of pulp. The pulp is subjected to a bleaching sequence which includes a plurality of pulp treatment steps, wherein at least one pulp treatment step is conducted under alkaline conditions and at least one pulp treatment step is conducted under acidic conditions. A filtrate stream which contains dissolved insoluble salts therein is thus generated, and at least a portion of the filtrate stream is combined with an alkaline stream and pulp to cause the salts to associate with the pulp, thus removing the salts from the filtrate stream to reduce or eliminate the formation of salt scale upon process equipment during the bleaching of the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Gandek, James C. Joseph, Michael A. Pikulin, George Pangalos, Philip E. Bowden
  • Patent number: 5554259
    Abstract: A method for reducing or eliminating the formation of salt scale upon process equipment caused by precipitation of salts during the bleaching of pulp. The pulp is subjected to a bleaching sequence which includes a plurality of pulp treatment steps, wherein at least one pulp treatment step is conducted under alkaline conditions and at least one pulp treatment step is conducted under acidic conditions. A filtrate stream which contains dissolved salts therein is thus generated, and at least a portion of the filtrate stream is combined with an alkaline stream and pulp to cause the salts to associate with the pulp, thus removing the salts from the filtrate stream to reduce or eliminate the formation of salt scale upon process equipment during the bleaching of the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Gandek, James C. Joseph, Michael A. Pikulin, George Pangalos, Philip E. Bowden
  • Patent number: 5520783
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bleaching high consistency lignocellulosic pulp using ozone supplied in an ozone containing gas. The bleaching reactor apparatus according to the invention is a generally cylindrical vessel itself being rotatable or with a rotatable shaft having radially extending paddles arranged in a configuration to minimize axial dispersion of the pulp and maximize radial dispersion of the pulp to provide a radially dispersed plug flow of pulp through the reactor in the presence of the ozone to provide substantially uniformly bleached pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. White, Michael A. Pikulin, Thomas P. Gandek, William H. Friend, Stuart T. Jones
  • Patent number: 5472572
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bleaching high consistency lignocellulosic pulp using ozone supplied in an ozone containing gas. The bleaching reactor apparatus according to the invention is a generally cylindrical vessel with a rotatable shaft having radially extending paddles arranged in a configuration to minimize axial dispersion of the pulp and maximize radial dispersion of the pulp to provide a radially dispersed plug flow of pulp through the reactor in the presence of the ozone to provide substantially uniformly bleached pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. White, Michael A. Pikulin, Thomas P. Gandek, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5451296
    Abstract: A two stage ozone-pulp bleaching method and apparatus are disclosed. In the first stage, high consistency pulp particles are turbulently mixed and contacted with a gaseous mixture containing ozone to mix and contact substantially all of the pulp particles with ozone to react at least a portion of the pulp particles with the ozone. Pulp particles and gaseous bleaching mixture are then directed to a second stage including a quiescent pulp bed. Pulp particles may complete their reaction in the bed, which also serves to strip ozone which was not contacted with pulp particles in the first stage from the gaseous bleaching mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Pikulin, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5441603
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage (if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen
  • Patent number: 5409570
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine or chlorine-containing compounds by oxygen delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 14 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 10 cps and thereafter further delignifying the partially delignified pulp by lifting, displacing and tossing the pulp in a radial direction while advancing it in an axial direction in a plug flow-like manner with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 6 or less, a viscosity of at least about 7 cps and a GE brightness of at least about 35. The substantially delignified pulp may then be brightened to a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 75, or alternately up to about 83 or more by contacting the ozonated pulp with chlorine dioxide or a peroxide compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen, Stuart T. Terrett, Spencer W. Eachus, David E. White, William H. Friend, Omar F. Ali
  • Patent number: 5296099
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage (if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Union Camp Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen
  • Patent number: 5211811
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage (if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen
  • Patent number: 5188708
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage (if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen
  • Patent number: 5181989
    Abstract: An apparatus for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine. The bleaching reactor is a horizontal vessel having a central rotatable shaft which preferably contains paddles, cut and folded screw flights or a ribbon flight, to disperse and advance the pulp particles in a plug flow manner while contacting and mixing the pulp particles with a gaseous bleaching agent such as ozone for substantially uniform bleaching thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. White, Michael A. Pikulin, Thomas P. Gandek, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5174861
    Abstract: A method for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp with a gaseous bleaching agent in a reactor without the use of elemental chlorine. The bleaching reactor is a horizontal vessel having a central rotatable shaft which preferably contains paddles, cut and folded screw flights or a ribbon flight, to disperse and advance the pulp particles in a plug flow manner while contacting and mixing the pulp particles with a gaseous bleaching agent such as ozone for substantially uniform bleaching thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. White, Michael A. Pikulin, Thomas P. Gandek, William H. Friend
  • Patent number: 5164044
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage ( if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen
  • Patent number: 5164043
    Abstract: A process for delignifying and bleaching a lignocellulosic pulp without the use of elemental chlorine by partially delignifying the pulp to a K No. of about 10 or less and a viscosity of greater than about 13 cps; and further delignifying the partially delignified pulp with an effective amount of ozone for a sufficient time to obtain a substantially delignified pulp having a K No. of about 5 or less, a viscosity of greater than about 10, and a GE brightness of at least about 50%. The substantially delignified pulp may be brightened by the addition of a bleaching agent such as chlorine dioxide or a peroxide to obtain a final product having a GE brightness of at least about 65%, preferably above 70% to as high as 90%. Because of the absence of elemental chlorine in this sequence, filtrate from all stages but the chlorine dioxide stage (if used) can be recovered without sewering. Major environmental improvements are thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Union Camp Patent Holding, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce F. Griggs, Thomas P. Gandek, Michael A. Pikulin, Allen Rosen