Patents by Inventor Theodore T. Tsotsis

Theodore T. Tsotsis 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: 9700747
    Abstract: Systems and methods for removal of gas phase contaminants may utilize catalytic oxidation. For example, a method may include passing a gas that includes a gas phase contaminant through a catalytic membrane reactor at a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., wherein the catalytic membrane reactor includes a bundle of tubular inorganic membranes, wherein each of the tubular inorganic membranes comprise a macroporous tubular substrate with an oxidative catalyst and a microporous layer disposed on a bore side of the macroporous tubular substrate, and wherein at least about 50% of the gas flows through the tubular inorganic membranes in a Knudsen flow regime; and oxidizing at least some of the gas phase contaminant with the oxidative catalyst layer, thereby reducing a concentration of the gas phase contaminant in the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Inventors: Theodore T. Tsotsis, Fokion Egolfopoulos, Nitin Nair, Richard Prosser, Jyh-Yih Ren, Alireza Divsalar, Mirmohammadyousef Motamedhashemi, Majid Monji
  • Publication number: 20140271419
    Abstract: Systems and methods for removal of gas phase contaminants may utilize catalytic oxidation. For example, a method may include passing a gas that includes a gas phase contaminant through a catalytic membrane reactor at a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., wherein the catalytic membrane reactor includes a bundle of tubular inorganic membranes, wherein each of the tubular inorganic membranes comprise a macroporous tubular substrate with an oxidative catalyst and a microporous layer disposed on a bore side of the macroporous tubular substrate, and wherein at least about 50% of the gas flows through the tubular inorganic membranes in a Knudsen flow regime; and oxidizing at least some of the gas phase contaminant with the oxidative catalyst layer, thereby reducing a concentration of the gas phase contaminant in the gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, GC ENVIRONMENTAL, MEDIA AND PROCESS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Theodore T. Tsotsis, Fokion Egolfopoulos, Nitin Nair, Richard Prosser, Jyh-Yih Ren, Paul Liu, Alireza Divsalar, Yousef Motamedhashemi, Majid Monji
  • Patent number: 7897122
    Abstract: A hybrid adsorbent-membrane reactor in which the chemical reaction, membrane separation, and product adsorption are coupled. Also disclosed are a dual-reactor apparatus and a process using the reactor or the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: Media and Process Technology, LG Petrochemical Co., Ltd., University of Southern California
    Inventors: Theodore T. Tsotsis, Muhammad Sahimi, Babak Fayyaz-Najafi, Aadesh Harale, Byoung-Gi Park, Paul K. T. Liu
  • Patent number: 5639436
    Abstract: A process of recovering chlorine from a stream of hydrogen chloride comprising the steps of exothermically reacting a stream of hydrogen chloride and oxygen with a fluidized bed of a carrier catalyst containing cupric oxide and cupric chloride in a reaction zone within a chlorinator reactor at temperatures between 150.degree. and 220.degree. C. to convert part of the cupric oxide to cupric chloride and cupric hydroxychloride, thereby essentially eliminating the hydrogen chloride to produce a product stream including chlorine, residual oxygen, inerts and water, which is removed from the chlorinator reactor; passing the resulting carrier catalyst containing cupric chloride, cupric hydroxychloride, and residual cupric oxide from the chlorinator reactor to the combination oxidation reactor to form a bed which is operated at temperatures between 300.degree. and 400.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Sidney W. Benson, Ronald G. Minet, Max K. Mortensen, Theodore T. Tsotsis
  • Patent number: 5229102
    Abstract: A diffusion process from steam reforming of a hydrocarbon to produce H.sub.2, Co and CO.sub.2, that includes: providing a generally tubular, porous, ceramic membrane, and providing a heated reaction zone in a container into which the membrane is received; the membrane carrying a catalytically active metallic substance; passing a hydrocarbon and steam containing first fluid stream into the zone and into contact with one side of the membrane, to produce CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 ; and passing a second fluid stream adjacent the opposite side of the membrane in such manner as to promote hydrogen diffusion through the membrane from said one side to said opposite side thereof; and removing hydrogen from the opposite side of the membrane. Such a process may be combined with operation of a heat engine or gas turbine, producing heat transferred to the referenced reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Medalert, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald G. Minet, Theodore T. Tsotsis
  • Patent number: 5202517
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for the dehydrogenation of ethane to produce ethylene and hydrogen through the use of a catalytic ceramic membrane having selective permeability, thus permitting separation of hydrogen from the reaction zone which causes further dehydrogenation of ethane, the catalytic ceramic membrane being in a cylindrical form which has been treated to have a metallic catalyst of suitable metal, such as platinum, palladium or chromium, deposited on the surface adjacent to the reaction zone. The catalytic ceramic membrane tube is enclosed within an alloy tube of suitable composition to permit heating to the temperature range of 300.degree. to 650.degree. C. The annulus surrounding the ceramic membrane tube may be filled with a pelleted catalyst, thus causing the dehydrogenation reaction to take place within this annular zone, but which will be accelerated by the permeation of hydrogen out of the zone through the ceramic catalytic membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Medalert Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald G. Minet, Theodore T. Tsotsis, Althea M. Champagnie
  • Patent number: 4994256
    Abstract: A process of recovering chlorine from a stream of hydrocarbon chloride includes providing a first fluidized bed of a carrier catalyst cupric oxide in a first reaction zone within a first reactor; supplying hydrogen chloride in a first stream to that first zone for fluidizing the first bed and for exothermic reaction with cupric oxide in the bed to produce cupric chloride, water and heat, removing cupric chloride from that zone in a second stream, and removing water from that zone and removing heat from that zone; feeding the second stream to a second reaction zone within a second reactor, and providing a second fluidized bed of cupric chloride in the second reaction zone, and; supplying oxygen in a third stream to the second zone for fluidizing the second bed and for endothermic reaction with cupric chloride in the second bed at elevated temperatures between 300.degree. and 360.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Medalert, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald G. Minet, Theodore T. Tsotsis, Sidney W. Benson
  • Patent number: 4981676
    Abstract: A diffusion process for steam reforming of a hydrocarbon to produce H.sub.2, CO and CO.sub.2, that includes: providing a generally tubular, porous, ceramic membrane, and providing a heated reaction zone in a container into which the membrane is received; the membrane carrying a catalytically active metallic substance; passing a hydrocarbon and steam containing first fluid stream into the zone and into contact with one side of the membrane, to produce CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 ; and passing a second fluid stream adjacent the opposite side of the membrane in such manner as to promote hydrogen diffusion through the membrane from said one side to said opposite side thereof; and removing hydrogen from the opposite side of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Inventors: Ronald G. Minet, Theodore T. Tsotsis
  • Patent number: 4959202
    Abstract: A process of recovering Cl.sub.2 from a stream of HCl includes the steps of providing a first fluidized bed of a carrier catalyst CuO in a first reaction zone; supplying HCl in a first stream to that zone for reaction with CuO in the bed to produce CuCl.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat, removing CuCl.sub.2 from the zone in a second stream, removing H.sub.2 O from the zone and removing heat from the zone; feeding the second stream to a second reaction zone, and providing a second fluidized bed of CuCl.sub.2 in the second reaction zone; and supplying O.sub.2 in a third stream to the second zone for reaction with CuCl.sub.2 in the second bed at elevated temperature to produce CuO and Cl.sub.2, removing Cl.sub.2 from the second zone in a fourth stream, and removing CuO from the second bed for re-use as a catalyst to produce CuCl.sub.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Medalert Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald G. Minet, Theodore T. Tsotsis, Sidney W. Benson