Patents by Inventor Richard C. Dickerson

Richard C. Dickerson 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: 4818411
    Abstract: A deoxygenation process includes the steps of adding hydrazine to a liquid containing dissolved oxygen, passing the liquid through a bed of activated carbon to catalyze a reaction between the dissolved oxygen and hydrazine whereby carbon contaminants are added to the liquid, and removing the contaminants. In another embodiment, unreacted hydrazine that remains in the liquid following the catalysis is removed by passing the liquid through an ion exchange resin. In still another embodiment, an activated carbon-catalyzed deoxygenation process employing hydrazine is practiced on a mobile platform and the process further includes the steps of transporting the apparatus to a regenerating station for regeneration. The invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Dickerson, William S. Miller
  • Patent number: 4675108
    Abstract: A process for treating wash water from the manufacture of terephthalic acid, wherein the wash water includes terephthalic acid, metal catalyst, and organic acid byproducts. The process includes the steps of passing the wash water through a filter medium to remove undissolved terephthalic acid solids, passing the filtered water through a cation exchange resin in hydrogen ion form to remove the metal catalysts, and passing the water through an anion exchange resin to remove dissolved terephthalic acid and dissolved organic acid byproducts. The treated water and certain components removed from the wash water are recovered and reused in the manufacture of additional terephthalic acid. An apparatus in which the process is practiced is also described and, after a quantity of wash water has been treated, the apparatus is regenerated with regenerants that are also recovered and reused in the manufacture of additional terephthalic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Dickerson, William S. Miller
  • Patent number: 4659460
    Abstract: A mobile fluid purification unit comprises a plurality of treatment tanks mounted on a skid and interconnected by hoses for series flow, parallel flow or a combination of series and parallel flow for carrying out a variety of treatments of the liquid. A plurality of such mobile units can be mounted on a larger vehicle and connected to one another by one or several hoses to provide greater capacity and variety than is possible in a single mobile unit. A cover which may include a heater can be provided for the unit or units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Muller, Richard C. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4556492
    Abstract: A deoxygenation process includes the steps of adding hydrazine to a liquid containing dissolved oxygen, passing the liquid through a bed of activated carbon to catalyze a reaction between the dissolved oxygen and hydrazine whereby carbon contaminants are added to the liquid, and removing the contaminants. In another embodiment, unreacted hydrazine that remains in the liquid following the catalysis is removed by passing the liquid through an ion exchange resin. In still another embodiment, an activated carbon-catalyzed deoxygenation process employing hydrazine is practiced on a mobile platform and the process further includes the steps of transporting the apparatus to a regenerating station for regeneration. The invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1985
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Dickerson, William S. Miller
  • Patent number: 4540493
    Abstract: A process for treating wash water from the manufacture of terephthalic acid, wherein the wash water includes terephthalic acid, metal catalyst, and organic acid byproducts. The process includes the steps of passing the wash water through a filter medium to remove undissolved terephthalic acid solids, passing the filtered water through a cation exchange resin in hydrogen ion form to remove the metal catalysts, and passing the water through an anion exchange resin to remove dissolved terephthalic acid and dissolved organic acid byproducts. The treated water and certain components removed from the wash water are recovered and reused in the manufacture of additional terephthalic acid. An apparatus in which the process is practiced is also described and, after a quantity of wash water has been treated, the apparatus is regenerated with regenerants that are also recovered and reused in the manufacture of additional terephthalic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Dickerson, William S. Miller
  • Patent number: 4526229
    Abstract: An hydraulic packer assembly for sealing an annulus between a well casing and a tubing string inserted within the well casing comprises a packer (10) and a setting tool (12). The packer includes a packer body (22) having an internal bore (23) with a seal (18) and gripping members (20) mounted on its exterior surface for engaging the interior surface of the well casing. Actuating mechanisms are provided within the packer for expanding the seal and gripping members into contact with the casing wall, which mechanisms include a piston and cylinder arrangement operated by fluid pressure conveyed from the tool interior to the cylinder. The setting tool is releasably coupled to the packer body to mount it on a tubing string and for conveying fluid pressure to the actuating mechanisms. Seals on the setting tool provide a fluid tight seal between the setting tool and the axial bore through the packer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Richard C. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4487959
    Abstract: A process for purifying vinyl acetate contaminated with acetic acid, coloration agents, water, and/or cations and anions. A first stage consists of removing acetic acid from a vinyl acetate feed by dehydrating a commercially-available anion exchange resin by means of azeotropic distillation and passing the feed through a bed of the dehydrated resin. A second stage can consist of removing coloration agents by passing the vinyl acetate feed through a bed of activated carbon. A third stage can consist of removing water by passing the vinyl acetate feed through a bed of desiccant. A fourth stage can consist of removing cations and anions by passing the vinyl acetate feed through separate cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin beds or through a mixed resin bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4383920
    Abstract: A mobile system for purifying liquids, such as water, including a truck trailer in which multiple purification treatment tanks are mounted. The system includes an inlet, an outlet, conductivity measuring equipment for monitoring the quality of the purified liquid, and specially designed liquid conduits and valves which permit the treatment tanks to be operated in series, in parallel, or in series/parallel. The treatment tanks can be filled with any desired purification material. The trailer is enclosed and heated to protect the system from cold temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1983
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Muller, Richard C. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4379940
    Abstract: A process for purifying vinyl acetate contaminated with acetic acid, coloration agents, water, and/or sodium chloride. The first stage consists of removing acetic acid by passing the vinyl acetate feed through a dehydrated anion exchange resin bed. The second stage consists of removing coloration agents by passing the vinyl acetate feed through a bed of activated carbon. The third stage consists of removing water by passing the vinyl acetate feed through a bed of desiccant. The fourth stage consists of removing sodium chloride by passing the vinyl acetate feed through separate cation exchange resin and anion exchange resin beds or through a mixed resin bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1983
    Assignee: Ecolochem, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 4049548
    Abstract: For on-site, continuous, bulk water purification, a dual-monitored, two-pass system employs two successive banks of mixed-bed, strong-based resin cylinders. Raw water first flows down through a bank of primary cylinders in parallel. The outlets of the primary cylinders are connected in parallel via an overhead carry-over pipe to a smaller bank of polisher cylinders whose outlets are connected in parallel via a final filter to a discharge outlet. Probes monitoring the concentration of impurities are located in the carry-over pipe and following the final filter. The efficient arrangement of cylinders in a van allows easy replacement of exhausted cylinders without interrupting water treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Inventor: Richard C. Dickerson