Patents by Inventor Peter D. Hicks

Peter D. Hicks 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: 7951298
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in a hot water system undergoing a wet layup sequence to inhibit corrosion in the hot water system. The method includes separating the wet layup sequence into a plurality of phases. Each phase is either short-term or long-term and a subset of the short-term phases is optionally transitional. The method further includes defining one or more zones in the hot water system. At least one of the defined zones is selected for each phase and one or more of the selected zones include at least one ORP probe operable to measure the real-time ORP and communicate with a controller. The ORP probe(s) either intermittently or continuously measure the real-time ORP at operating temperature and pressure at one or more of the selected zones in one or more of the phases and transmit the measured real-time ORP to the controller. The real-time ORP is assessed to determine whether it conforms to an ORP setting for that phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, David A. Grattan
  • Publication number: 20100269996
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and system for detecting contamination of boiler condensate and/or boiler feedwater in a papermaking process. The method includes measuring an oxidation-reduction potential at one or more locations in the boiler condensate and/or the boiler feedwater of the papermaking process with one or more corrosion stress monitoring devices. A controller is operable to assess whether the measured or a calculated oxidation-reduction potential is within an optimum range. The controller is operable to cause transmission of a signal to direct feeding an effective amount of one or more reductants and/or one or more pH-controlling chemicals into the boiler feedwater and/or one or more a satellite feed locations of the papermaking process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: David A. Grattan, Peter D. Hicks, George T. Totura
  • Publication number: 20100109885
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for detecting contamination of a boiler condensate and/or a boiler feedwater in industrial fermentation processes. The method includes measuring an oxidation-reduction potential at one or more locations in the fermentation process with one or more devices capable of measuring oxidation-reduction potential at operating temperature and pressure. If the measured oxidation-reduction potential is not within an optimum range, an alarm is triggered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Peter Blokker, Peter D. Hicks
  • Patent number: 7666312
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of preventing corrosion in industrial water systems. The method includes maintaining a real-time oxidation-reduction potential at a set point, wherein the system is at operating temperature and pressure. A nonlinear equation is derived based upon theoretically derived or empirically collected data. The equation is then used to determine an inflow of active chemical species to the water system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Peter D. Hicks
  • Patent number: 7635449
    Abstract: This invention concerns methods and apparatus for measuring oxidation reduction potentials of water in a hot water system at system temperature and pressure and methods of using the measured oxidation-reduction potential to monitor and control the addition of oxygen scavengers or oxygen to the system in order to maintain effective corrosion inhibiting concentrations of the oxygen scavengers or dissolved oxygen in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Bruce R. Bailey, III, Peter D. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20090274578
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring and monitoring the corrosion potential of engineering alloys used in aqueous systems is disclosed and claimed. The method is applicable for a variety of alloys including, but not limited to, copper-based, iron-based, nickel-based, other metallic-based alloys, and their combinations. The corrosion potential is typically determined by measuring a voltage between a specific material in the described oxidation-reduction potential measuring device and a reference electrode. Corrosion potentials for specific materials of construction may be used for diagnostic or control purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventor: Peter D. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20090065439
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in a hot water system undergoing a wet layup sequence to inhibit corrosion in the hot water system. The method includes separating the wet layup sequence into a plurality of phases. Each phase is either short-term or long-term and a subset of the short-term phases is optionally transitional. The method further includes defining one or more zones in the hot water system. At least one of the defined zones is selected for each phase and one or more of the selected zones include at least one ORP probe operable to measure the real-time ORP and communicate with a controller. The ORP probe(s) either intermittently or continuously measure the real-time ORP at operating temperature and pressure at one or more of the selected zones in one or more of the phases and transmit the measured real-time ORP to the controller. The real-time ORP is assessed to determine whether it conforms to an ORP setting for that phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, David A. Grattan
  • Publication number: 20090065440
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of inhibiting and/or removing deposits from internal surfaces in a hot water system. The method includes controlling a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in a hot water system to alter the dynamic between deposit constituents and the bulk water of the system to inhibit deposition or initiate deposit removal. The method is equally effective for a system undergoing a wet layup sequence or in an online operational system. The invention further includes a multi-component deposit inhibition and/or removal device, including a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter that work in unison to alter the system dynamics to inhibit or remove deposits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, David A. Grattan
  • Publication number: 20090026144
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in a hot water system to inhibit corrosion in the hot water system. The method includes defining one or more operational protective zones in the hot water system. One or more of the operational protective zones includes an oxidation-reduction potential probe that is operable to measure a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in the hot water system at operating temperature and pressure. The probe transmits the measured real-time potential to the controller, which assesses and interprets the transmitted potential to determine whether it conforms to an oxidation-reduction potential setting. If the measured potential does not conform the oxidation-reduction potential setting, the controller is operable to feed one or more active chemical species into the hot water system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, David A. Grattan
  • Publication number: 20090030553
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of creating a real-time oxidation-reduction potential signature in a hot water system to detect REDOX stress and inhibit corrosion in the hot water system. The method includes defining one or more operational protective zones in the hot water system. One or more of the operational protective zones includes an oxidation-reduction potential probe that is operable to measure a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in the hot water system at operating temperature and pressure. The probe transmits the measured real-time potential to the controller, which analyzes and interprets the transmitted potential to create an oxidation-reduction potential signature for the hot water system. If the signature does not conform to an oxidation-reduction potential setting, the controller is operable to feed one or more active chemical species into the hot water system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, David A. Grattan
  • Publication number: 20080237143
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of preventing corrosion in industrial water systems. The method includes maintaining a real-time oxidation-reduction potential at a set point, wherein the system is at operating temperature and pressure. A nonlinear equation is derived based upon theoretically derived or empirically collected data. The equation is then used to determine an inflow of active chemical species to the water system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Peter D. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20080202553
    Abstract: A device for measuring oxidation-reduction potential at operating temperature and pressure in hot water systems is disclosed and claimed. The device includes a flow-through cell, an oxidation-reduction potential probe, a temperature detector, and an external pressure-balanced reference electrode assembly. Each component of the device works in conjunction with the other components and each has electrical connections that transmit signals to a controller. The controller calculates and determines adjustments to feedwater chemistry for the hot water system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, M. Alexander Knoth
  • Publication number: 20080179179
    Abstract: A device for measuring oxidation-reduction potential at operating temperature and pressure in hot water systems is disclosed and claimed. The device includes a flow-through cell, an oxidation-reduction potential probe, a temperature detector, and an external pressure-balanced reference electrode assembly. Each component of the device works in conjunction with the other components and each has electrical connections that transmit signals to a controller. The controller calculates and determines adjustments to feedwater chemistry for the hot water system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Peter D. Hicks, M. Alexandra Knoth
  • Patent number: 5750037
    Abstract: The invention is a method for removing dissolved oxygen from alkaline water which comprises adding to alkaline water containing dissolved oxygen an effective oxygen-scavenging amount of a water-soluble carboxylate at temperatures above 400.degree. F. A preferred material is tartronic acid. At lower temperatures, a catalyst is also required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Paul M. Bizot, Bruce R. Bailey, Peter D. Hicks