Patents by Inventor Peter K. Kilpatrick

Peter K. Kilpatrick 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: 6217830
    Abstract: A method of separating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor, where the slurry comprises Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbon product is disclosed. The method comprises contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent (e.g., a supercritical hydrocarbon solvent, or liquid hydrocarbon solvent which may be at near supercritical conditions) with the output slurry at a temperature and pressure where the liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in the solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing the catalyst particles, and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product. This contacting step is then followed by the step of separating the concentrated slurry from the enriched solvent. Apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: George W. Roberts, Peter K. Kilpatrick
  • Patent number: 6114399
    Abstract: A method of separating a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst from the output slurry of a Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactor, where the slurry comprises Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbon product is disclosed. The method comprises contacting a compressed hydrocarbon solvent (e.g., a supercritical hydrocarbon solvent, or liquid hydrocarbon solvent which may be at near supercritical conditions) with the output slurry at a temperature and pressure where the liquid hydrocarbon product is soluble in the solvent to form a concentrated slurry phase containing the catalyst particles, and an enriched solvent phase containing liquid hydrocarbon product. This contacting step is then followed by the step of separating the concentrated slurry from the enriched solvent. Apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: George W. Roberts, Peter K. Kilpatrick
  • Patent number: 5494803
    Abstract: Competitive and sandwich-type immunodiagnostic assays can be configured by use of liposomes carrying detectible markers (e.g., fluorophores) or catalysts thereof (e.g., enzymes) on the outer liposome surface. The liposome also contains at least one antigen or antibody allowing it to bind to a complementary, immobilized antibody or antigen on a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Ruben G. Carbonell, Peter K. Kilpatrick, Matthew A. Jones, Anup K. Singh
  • Patent number: 5167925
    Abstract: Surfactants bound to a ligand and dissolved in a single phase aqueous solution form a precipitate when a multivalent antiligand is added to the solution. This invention can be used in an affinity precipitation test procedure (and kit) for detecting the presence or absence of a multivalent antiligand in a sample suspected of containing the multivalent antiligand, in an affinity precipitation inhibition test procedure (and kit) for detecting the presence or absence of a target ligand in a sample suspected of containing the target ligand, and in a process for separating a multivalent antiligand from a crude material containing the multivalent antiligand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Ruben G. Carbonell, Roberto Guzman, Peter K. Kilpatrick
  • Patent number: 5112770
    Abstract: Surfactants bound to a ligand and dissolved in a single phase aqueous solution form a precipitate when a multivalent antiligand is added to the solution. This invention can be used in an affinity precipitation test procedure (and kit) for detecting the presence or absence of a multivalent antiligand in a sample suspected of containing the multivalent antiligand, in an affinity precipitation inhibition test procedure (and kit) for detecting the presence or absence of a target ligand in a sample suspected of containing the target ligand, and in a process for separating a multivalent antiligand from a crude material containing the multivalent antiligand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Ruben G. Carbonell, Roberto Guzman, Peter K. Kilpatrick
  • Patent number: 5045190
    Abstract: A chromatography apparatus incorporating an improved means for connecting the ligand to the solid support is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a chamber containing a solid support. The solid support is a hydrophobic support. The apparatus includes chromatography surfactants bonded to the solid support. The surfactants comprise a polar group, a hydrophobic functional group substituted on the polar group, and a chromatographic functional group substituted on the polar group. The hydrophobic group is hydrophobically adsorbed to the solid support so that the chromatographic functional group is bound to the solid support and available for binding to compounds which selectively bind thereto. Compositions for and methods of making the foregoing are disclosed.The chromatographic functional group is a ligand for affinity chromatography, an ionogenic group for ion exchange chromatography, or a hydrophobic group for hydrophobic chromatography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Inventors: Ruben G. Carbonell, Peter K. Kilpatrick, Juan L. Torres, Roberto Guzman
  • Patent number: 4913902
    Abstract: A method of extracting a compound specifically bound by a ligand from a crude solution containing the compound is disclosed. The method comprises providing a multiplicity of liposomes having the ligand bound to the surface thereof, and mixing the liposomes with the crude solution so that the ligand binds to the compound to be extracted. The liposomes are then separated from the crude solution and the compound to be extracted recovered from the liposomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Peter K. Kilpatrick, Ruben G. Carbonell, Johnny D. Powers