Patents by Inventor Stephan Ruediger

Stephan Ruediger 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: 20220410028
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for heat integration in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a distillation unit bottom stream, a vaporous overhead stream, and a fusel oil stream. Molecular sieve units are regenerated by vacuum or a combination of vacuum and optionally a portion of the product stream to form one or more regenerate streams. A feed tank is configured to receive at least one selected from a condensed portion of the regenerate streams and a portion of a vaporous depressure stream, to form a feed stream. The energy contained in the depressure vapor is recovered by the depressure vapor contacting the feed tank and heating up at least one stream forwarded into the feed tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Whitefox Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Virginia ANDRADE, Jin Ming ZHOU, Stephan Rüdiger BLUM
  • Patent number: 11426675
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for heat integration in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a distillation unit bottom stream, a vaporous overhead stream, and a fusel oil stream. Molecular sieve units are regenerated by vacuum or a combination of vacuum and optionally a portion of the product stream to form one or more regenerate streams. A feed tank is configured to receive at least one selected from a condensed portion of the regenerate streams and a portion of a vaporous depressure stream, to form a feed stream. The energy contained in the depressure vapor is recovered by the depressure vapor contacting the feed tank and heating up at least one stream forwarded into the feed tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Virginia Andrade, Jin Ming Zhou, Stephan Rüdiger Blum
  • Patent number: 11007452
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for dehydrating a byproduct stream in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a first byproduct stream. The first byproduct stream is contacted with a molecular sieve unit, thereby forming a product stream. The molecular sieve unit is cyclically contacted with at least a portion of the product stream to regenerate the molecular sieve unit and form one or more regenerate streams. A second byproduct stream including at least one of (1) the regenerate streams and (2) at least a portion of the fusel oil stream is contacted with a separation system, thereby forming a permeate and a retentate. At least a portion of the retentate is forwarded into the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Virginia Andrade
  • Publication number: 20200360833
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for heat integration in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a distillation unit bottom stream, a vaporous overhead stream, and a fusel oil stream. Molecular sieve units are regenerated by vacuum or a combination of vacuum and optionally a portion of the product stream to form one or more regenerate streams. A feed tank is configured to receive at least one selected from a condensed portion of the regenerate streams and a portion of a vaporous depressure stream, to form a feed stream. The energy contained in the depressure vapor is recovered by the depressure vapor contacting the feed tank and heating up at least one stream forwarded into the feed tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Virginia Andrade, Jin Ming Zhou, Stephan Rüdiger Blum
  • Patent number: 10729987
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for heat integration in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a distillation unit bottom stream, a vaporous overhead stream, and a fusel oil stream. Molecular sieve units are regenerated by vacuum or a combination of vacuum and optionally a portion of the product stream to form one or more regenerate streams. A feed tank is configured to receive at least one selected from a condensed portion of the regenerate streams and a portion of a vaporous depressure stream, to form a feed stream. The energy contained in the depressure vapor is recovered by the depressure vapor contacting the feed tank and heating up at least one stream forwarded into the feed tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Virginia Andrade, Jin Ming Zhou, Stephan Rüdiger Blum
  • Publication number: 20200086227
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for dehydrating a byproduct stream in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a first byproduct stream. The first byproduct stream is contacted with a molecular sieve unit, thereby forming a product stream. The molecular sieve unit is cyclically contacted with at least a portion of the product stream to regenerate the molecular sieve unit and form one or more regenerate streams. A second byproduct stream including at least one of (1) the regenerate streams and (2) at least a portion of the fusel oil stream is contacted with a separation system, thereby forming a permeate and a retentate. At least a portion of the retentate is forwarded into the product stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Virginia Andrade
  • Publication number: 20200071465
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger BLUM, Katharina KLEINE, Wolfgang BREMSER
  • Patent number: 10486079
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides processes and systems for dehydrating a byproduct stream in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a first byproduct stream. The first byproduct stream is contacted with a molecular sieve unit, thereby forming a product stream. The molecular sieve unit is cyclically contacted with at least a portion of the product stream to regenerate the molecular sieve unit and form one or more regenerate streams. A second byproduct stream including at least one of (1) the regenerate streams and (2) at least a portion of the fusel oil stream is contacted with a separation system, thereby forming a permeate and a retentate. At least a portion of the retentate is forwarded into the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Virginia Andrade
  • Patent number: 10472468
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Katharina Kleine, Wolfgang Bremser
  • Publication number: 20180155499
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger BLUM, Katharina KLEINE, Wolfgang BREMSER
  • Patent number: 9873768
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Katharina Kleine, Wolfgang Bremser
  • Patent number: 9511328
    Abstract: A method for sealing a membrane module by introducing a seal or a sealing mass between a head plate holding a tube bundle and a mounting ring holding the head plate. Alternatively, a sealing mass containing quartz sand is proposed for sealing cracks in the head plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Stephan Rüdiger Blum
  • Publication number: 20160108177
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger BLUM, Katharina KLEIN, Wolfgang BREMSER
  • Patent number: 9221951
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. In one embodiment, the polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Katharina Klein, Wolfgang Bremser
  • Publication number: 20130237619
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for modifying and cross-linking polybenzimidazoles, PBI. The polybenzimidazole reacts with a compound, which has a halogen and a double bond functionality and which comprises a halogen and an organic group to form modified polymers by means of a nucleophilic substitution of the amine proton of the benzimidazole functionality in a solution, and a functional group is connected via each resulting free double bond and/or the polymers that are thus modified are cross-linked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: WHITEFOX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Katharina Klein, Wolfgang Bremser
  • Publication number: 20110272889
    Abstract: A method for sealing a membrane module by introducing a seal or a sealing mass between a head plate holding a tube bundle and a mounting ring holding the head plate. Alternatively, a sealing mass containing quartz sand is proposed for sealing cracks in the head plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventor: Stephan Rüediger Blum
  • Patent number: 7989114
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising a reaction chamber; a plurality of capillary tubes configured to permit a fuel component to flow there through, the capillary tubes being arranged in bundles in adjacent segments within the reaction chamber; a plurality of electrodes, at least one of the plurality of electrodes passing through each of the plurality of capillary tubes, being against each of the plurality of capillary tubes, or passing through and being against each of the plurality of capillary tubes; and a plurality of counter-electrodes, Each electrode extends beyond ends of its respective capillary tube, and electrodes associated with capillary tubes of a segment are electrically connected to one another at each end at substantially the same electrical potential. Each segment has a wall section to which is attached at least one of the counter-electrodes or wherein the wall section at least partially forms at least one of the counter-electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: White Fox Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Stephan Rüdiger Blum
  • Patent number: 7744727
    Abstract: A method for distilling ethanol from a mash includes feeding a fluid to a first distillation column. The fluid and a distillate of the first distillation column are delivered to a second distillation column. The fed fluid and/or distillate of the second distillation column is/are purified in a first and/or last step of the method by a membrane separation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignees: 2S-Sophisticated Systems Limited, Buss-SMS-Canzler GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Rüdiger Blum, Bernhard Kaiser
  • Patent number: 7592287
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for preparing an amorphous metal fluoride of the formula MX+FX?? comprising the steps of a) providing a precursor, whereby the precursor comprises a structure having a formula of Mx+F(x??)?yBy; and b) reacting the precursor with a fluorinating agent generating the amorphous metal flouride having a formula of Mx+Fx??, whereby M is selected from the group comprising metals of the second, third and fourth main group and any subgroup of the periodic table, B is a coordinately bound group; x is any integer of 2 or 3; y is any integer between 1 and 3; ? is 0 to 0.1; and x??>y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Humboldt-Universitaet Zu Berlin
    Inventors: Erhard Kemnitz, Udo Gross, Stephan Ruediger
  • Publication number: 20080274037
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for preparing an X-ray amorphous or weakly crystalline metal oxide fluoride of a composition represented by the formula Ma+ObFc comprising the steps of b) providing a precursor, whereby the precursor is a fluorinated metal compound having a composition which is represented by the formula Ma+F(a?d)BdLxb) converting the precursor into an metal oxide/hydroxide fluoride; and c) calcinating the metal oxide/hydroxide fluoride having the formula Ma+OcHfFc to generate the X-ray amorphous or weakly crystalline metal oxide fluoride of the formula Ma+ObFc, whereby M is selected from the group comprising metals of the first, second, third and fourth main group and any subgroup of the periodic table; B is a group or an anion which is selected from the group comprising alkoxide, enolates, alkyl, chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, and organic acid anions; B is preferably an alkoxy group; L is a solvent other than water; a is any integer of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, preferably 2 or 3;
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLIN
    Inventors: Udo Gross, Erhard Kemnitz, Stephan Ruediger