Patents by Inventor Steven R. Ciota

Steven R. Ciota 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: 9453798
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the amount of various materials in a liquid sample. Because the apparatus is particularly resilient it can be used repeatedly with very harsh liquid samples such as boot water from an oil refinery. The apparatus uses at least one volume and/or concentration independent optical analysis method to determine at least one of: the pH, amount of chloride, and/or amount of iron in the sample. The optical property can be colorimetric, fluorescent or both and result from adding dyes, complexing agents, turbidity inducing compounds, and other optically effecting reagents to the sample. Because the measurements are concentration and volume independent they can be done continuously, quickly, and avoid the inconvenient start and stop procedures in prior art measurement regimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: NALCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodney H. Banks, Steven R. Ciota, Sascha J. Welz
  • Patent number: 9134238
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the amount of various materials in a liquid sample. Because the apparatus is particularly resilient it can be used repeatedly with very harsh liquid samples such as boot water from an oil refinery. The apparatus uses at least one volume and/or concentration independent optical analysis method to determine at least one of: the pH, amount of chloride, and/or amount of iron in the sample. The optical property can be colorimetric, fluorescent or both and result from adding dyes, complexing agents, turbidity inducing compounds, and other optically effecting reagents to the sample. Because the measurements are concentration and volume independent they can be done continuously, quickly, and avoid the inconvenient start and stop procedures in prior art measurement regimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: NALCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodney H. Banks, Steven R. Ciota, Sascha J. Welz
  • Publication number: 20120142115
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the amount of various materials in a liquid sample. Because the apparatus is particularly resilient it can be used repeatedly with very harsh liquid samples such as boot water from an oil refinery. The apparatus uses at least one volume and/or concentration independent optical analysis method to determine at least one of: the pH, amount of chloride, and/or amount of iron in the sample. The optical property can be colorimetric, fluorescent or both and result from adding dyes, complexing agents, turbidity inducing compounds, and other optically effecting reagents to the sample. Because the measurements are concentration and volume independent they can be done continuously, quickly, and avoid the inconvenient start and stop procedures in prior art measurement regimens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Rodney H. Banks, Steven R. Ciota, Sascha J. Welz
  • Publication number: 20120142113
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the amount of various materials in a liquid sample. Because the apparatus is particularly resilient it can be used repeatedly with very harsh liquid samples such as boot water from an oil refinery. The apparatus uses at least one volume and/or concentration independent optical analysis method to determine at least one of: the pH, amount of chloride, and/or amount of iron in the sample. The optical property can be colorimetric, fluorescent or both and result from adding dyes, complexing agents, turbidity inducing compounds, and other optically effecting reagents to the sample. Because the measurements are concentration and volume independent they can be done continuously, quickly, and avoid the inconvenient start and stop procedures in prior art measurement regimens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Rodney H. Banks, Steven R. Ciota, Sascha J. Welz
  • Patent number: 6214627
    Abstract: A method for measuring the concentration of an anionically charged polymer in an aqueous solution is described and claimed. The method requires a reagent solution that is also described and claimed. The reagent solution comprises water, Nile Blue Dye and chelant, with the chelant being selected from the group consisting of the alkali metal or ammonium salts of phosphonobutane tricarboxylic acid. The method involves using absorbance measurements to determine the amount of anionically charged polymer present in an aqueous sample. The method is very rapid and thus is very useful under field conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Nalco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Steven R. Ciota, John E. Hoots