Patents by Inventor Patrick G. Hatcher

Patrick G. Hatcher 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).

  • Publication number: 20140302569
    Abstract: Use of an algal for biodiesel fuel selected for growing strain of production, the genus Desmodesmus wherein said strain was under high nutrient conditions and is characterized as having a determined fatty by acid nuclear methyl ester content of 2.6% magnetic resonance analysis, nitrogen content of 11.3% and a carbon content of 46.3%. Given the growth and elemental composition of this strain t the instant algal strain is of particular use as a biomass source for biofuel lipids and/or biodiesel fuel production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Andrew S. Gordon, Patrick G. Hatcher
  • Publication number: 20140223981
    Abstract: Described herein are fertilizers for enhancing the carbon sequestration properties of soil. The fertilizers described herein include algae comprising algaenan. In one aspect, the fertilizer includes (a) one or more organic nitrogen sources, (b) one or more synthetic nitrogen sources, and (c) algae comprising algaenan. The fertilizers and fertilizer compositions release nitrogen at a predictable rate over time, which can enhance growth of plants that are fertile with the composition described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicants: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, John Joseph Moriarty
  • Patent number: 8778035
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is the production of hydrocarbon based fuel from micro-organisms and algae that comprise algaenan without requiring prior removal of water, as well as the production of hydrocarbon based fuel directly from the algaenan itself. Also disclosed herein are feed material for the processes disclosed herein comprising modified algae and algaenan that selectively produce hydrocarbon of desired chain lengths, along with the process of modifying the algae and algaenan. Also disclosed herein is the production of both hydrocarbon and organic fertilizer from algae without the need to remove the water from the algae prior to processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Elodie Salmon
  • Patent number: 8586807
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is the use of terrestrial plant materials (e.g., leaves and bark) that contain biopolymer materials to produce hydrocarbon-rich crude oils that can be refined further into hydrocarbon-based biofuels, via the hydrous pyrolysis method, which involves heating to subcritical temperatures and pressures in an aqueous medium. One can also isolate the aliphatic biopolymers and utilize them as feedstocks for production of the hydrocarbon-rich crude via hydrous pyrolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Inventor: Patrick G. Hatcher
  • Patent number: 8455699
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol-related products. One process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing glycerol and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment. Another process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing a glycerol and tetramethylammonium hydroxide to a substantially oxygen free environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu, Elodie Salmon
  • Patent number: 8450370
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol related products. One process comprises introducing a biomass and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment, hydrolyzing at a temperature at or above 200° C. one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass, methylating one or more fatty acids in the biomass with methyl groups from the alkylation reagent, wherein the hydrolyzing and methylating occur contemporaneously and separating resulting biodiesel and methylated glycerol-related products from a residue of the biomass by condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu, Elodie Salmon
  • Publication number: 20120323044
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol-related products. One process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing glycerol and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment. Another process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing a glycerol and tetramethylammonium hydroxide to a substantially oxygen free environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu, Elodie Salmon
  • Publication number: 20120302806
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is the use of terrestrial plant materials (e.g., leaves and bark) that contain biopolymer materials to produce hydrocarbon-rich crude oils that can be refined further into hydrocarbon-based biofuels, via the hydrous pyrolysis method, which involves heating to subcritical temperatures and pressures in an aqueous medium. One can also isolate the aliphatic biopolymers and utilize them as feedstocks for production of the hydrocarbon-rich crude via hydrous pyrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Patrick G. Hatcher
  • Publication number: 20120011620
    Abstract: The present invention is a Desmodesmus strain of use in biodiesel production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: Old Dominion University
    Inventors: Andrew S. Gordon, Patrick G. Hatcher
  • Publication number: 20110314881
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is the production of hydrocarbon based fuel from micro-organisms and algae that comprise algaenan without requiring prior removal of water, as well as the production of hydrocarbon based fuel directly from the algaenan itself. Also disclosed herein are feed material for the processes disclosed herein comprising modified algae and algaenan that selectively produce hydrocarbon of desired chain lengths, along with the process of modifying the algae and algaenan. Also disclosed herein is the production of both hydrocarbon and organic fertilizer from algae without the need to remove the water from the algae prior to processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Elodie Salmon
  • Patent number: 8080679
    Abstract: Disclosed is the direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass comprises reacting a feed stock comprising a biomass and an alkylation reagent in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass and alkylated one or more fatty acids in the reaction. The process may comprise reacting a feed stock comprising an algal biomass and tetramethylammonium hydroxide in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature between 250° C. and 500° C. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel may further comprise reacting oil containing lipid glycerides with an alkylation reagent at a sufficient temperature to esterify the oil. The fatty acid alkyl esters produced from the reacted feed stock are recovered. The recovered fatty acid alkyl esters, as an essential component of biodiesel, may be formulated into biodiesel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu
  • Publication number: 20110289830
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol related products. One process comprises introducing a biomass and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment, hydrolyzing at a temperature at or above 200° C. one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass, methylating one or more fatty acids in the biomass with methyl groups from the alkylation reagent, wherein the hydrolyzing and methylating occur contemporaneously and separating resulting biodiesel and methylated glycerol-related products from a residue of the biomass by condensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu, Elodie Salmon
  • Publication number: 20100031561
    Abstract: A raceway for cultivating algae in a liquid medium, comprising one or more precipitators positioned along the raceway, and at which precipitators the algal biomass produced in the raceway is precipitated from the liquid medium and concentrated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Aron Stubbins, Elodie Salmon
  • Publication number: 20090158638
    Abstract: Disclosed is the direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass comprises reacting a feed stock comprising a biomass and an alkylation reagent in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass and alkylated one or more fatty acids in the reaction. The process may comprise reacting a feed stock comprising an algal biomass and tetramethylammonium hydroxide in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature between 250° C. and 500° C. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel may further comprise reacting oil containing lipid glycerides with an alkylation reagent at a sufficient temperature to esterify the oil. The fatty acid alkyl esters produced from the reacted feed stock are recovered. The recovered fatty acid alkyl esters, as an essential component of biodiesel, may be formulated into biodiesel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicants: OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY, OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Patrick G. Hatcher, Zhanfei Liu