Patents by Inventor Timothy C Merkel
Timothy C Merkel 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).
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Publication number: 20220134284Abstract: The present invention relates to a crossflow membrane module configured to separate a feed fluid into a permeate fluid and a residue fluid across one or more membrane sheet(s). The crossflow module comprises a second end offset from a first end along the first direction where an inlet is provided at the first end and an outlet is provided at the second end. The one or more membrane sheet(s) each have a first portion and a second portion. A conduit is adjacent to the first side of each membrane sheet and is configured to receive and output the permeate fluid separated from the feed fluid. The second portion of the membrane sheet has a greater permeance for a major component than the first portion such that the second part of the permeate fluid, which is generated by separation across the second portion of the membrane sheet, has a higher concentration of the major component than the first part of the permeate fluid, which is generated by separation across the first portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.Inventors: Richard W. BAKER, Johannes G. WIJMANS, Timothy C. MERKEL, Karl D. AMO
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Publication number: 20220134276Abstract: The present invention relates to a counterflow membrane module configured to separate a feed fluid into a permeate fluid and a residue fluid across one or more membrane sheet(s). The counterflow module comprises a second end offset from a first end along the first direction where an inlet is provided at the first end and an outlet is provided at the second end. The one or more membrane sheet(s) each have a first portion, a second portion and a permeate section. A conduit is adjacent to the permeate section of the membrane and is configured to receive and output the permeate fluid separated from the feed fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.Inventors: Richard W. BAKER, Johannes G. WIJMANS, Timothy C. MERKEL, Karl D. AMO
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Publication number: 20200078729Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for concurrently removing CO2 and SO2 from flue gas produced by a combustion process, comprising: (a) performing a combustion process by combusting a fuel and air in a combustion apparatus, thereby creating an exhaust stream comprising CO2 and SO2; (b) compressing the exhaust stream in a first compression step, thereby producing a first compressed gas stream; (c) providing a first membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, and being selectively permeable to CO2 and SO2 over nitrogen and to CO2 and SO2 over oxygen; (d) passing at least a portion of the first compressed gas stream across the feed side; (e) withdrawing from the feed side a CO2- and SO2-depleted residue stream; (f) withdrawing from the permeate side at a lower pressure than the first compressed gas stream, a first permeate stream enriched in CO2 and SO2; (g) passing the first permeate stream to a separation process that produces a stream enriched in CO2 and a stream enriched in SO2.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2017Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.Inventors: Yu Huang, Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel, Brice C. Freeman
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Patent number: 10464014Abstract: Sweep-based gas separation processes for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants. The invention involves at least two compression steps, a combustion step, a carbon dioxide capture step, a power generate step, and a sweep-based membrane separation step. One of the compression steps is used to produce a low-pressure, low-temperature compressed stream that is sent for treatment in the carbon dioxide capture step, thereby avoiding the need to expend large amounts of energy to cool an otherwise hot compressed stream from a typical compressor that produces a high-pressure stream, usually at 20-30 bar or more.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel
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Patent number: 10245551Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power generation process in which a portion of the carbon dioxide generated by gaseous fuel combustion is recycled back to the power generation process, either pre-combustion, post-combustion, or both. The power generation process of the invention may be a combined cycle process or a traditional power generation process. The process utilizes sweep-based membrane separation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel, Johannes G Wijmans
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Patent number: 10022677Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of perfluorodioxolane monomers. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Zhenjie He, Timothy C. Merkel, Yoshiyuki Okamoto, Yasuhiro Koike
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Patent number: 9975084Abstract: A process for separating components or a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous per fluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for certain fluid components of interest while maintaining fast permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., New York UniversityInventors: Timothy C Merkel, Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Johannes G Wijmans, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Publication number: 20180133642Abstract: Sweep-based gas separation processes for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants. The invention involves at least two compression steps, a combustion step, a carbon dioxide capture step, a power generate step, and a sweep-based membrane separation step. One of the compression steps is used to produce a low-pressure, low-temperature compressed stream that is sent for treatment in the carbon dioxide capture step, thereby avoiding the need to expend large amounts of energy to cool an otherwise hot compressed stream from a typical compressor that produces a high-pressure stream, usually at 20-30 bar or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2017Publication date: May 17, 2018Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel
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Patent number: 9856769Abstract: A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from combustion processes. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, inc.Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel, Johannes G Wijmans
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Publication number: 20170368498Abstract: A process for separating components of a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of perfluorinated dioxolanes. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for fluid pairs of interest while maintaining fast fluid permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyfion® AD, and Cytop®.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Zhenjie He, Timothy C. Merkel, Johannes G. Wijmans, Yoshiyuki Okamoto, Yasuhiro Koike
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Patent number: 9782718Abstract: Sweep-based gas separation processes for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants. The invention involves at least two compression steps, a combustion step, a carbon dioxide capture step, a power generate step, and a sweep-based membrane separation step. One of the compression steps is used to produce a low-pressure, low-temperature compressed stream that is sent for treatment in the carbon dioxide capture step, thereby avoiding the need to expend large amounts of energy to cool an otherwise hot compressed stream from a typical compressor that produces a high-pressure stream, usually at 20-30 bar or more.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel
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Publication number: 20170259204Abstract: A process for separating components or a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous per fluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for certain fluid components of interest while maintaining fast permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Applicants: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., New York UniversityInventors: Timothy C Merkel, Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Johannes G Wijmans, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Publication number: 20170203251Abstract: A process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous perfluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicants: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., New York UniversityInventors: Timothy C. Merkel, Zhenjie He, Hao Zhang, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Publication number: 20170183996Abstract: A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from combustion processes. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2017Publication date: June 29, 2017Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel, Johannes G. Wijmans
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Patent number: 9643124Abstract: A process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of partially fluorinated or perfluorinated dioxolane monomers and a second monomer, such as dioxane or a partially fluorinated dioxolane. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2015Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Timothy C Merkel, Yoshiyuki Okamoto, Yasuhiro Koike
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Patent number: 9636632Abstract: A process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous perfluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers such as Teflon® AF, Hlyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2016Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignees: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc, New York UniversityInventors: Timothy C Merkel, Hao Zhang, Zhenjie He, Yoshiyuki Okamoto
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Patent number: 9546785Abstract: A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from multiple combustion sources. The invention involves directing an exhaust gas stream from one combustion step to a carbon capture step. An off-gas stream depleted in carbon dioxide from the carbon capture step is mixed with a second exhaust stream from a second combustion step to form a mixed gas stream. The mixed gas stream is passed as a feed stream across the feed side of a membrane that is selectively permeable to carbon dioxide over nitrogen and carbon dioxide over oxygen. A sweep gas stream, usually air, flows across the permeate side, and picks up the preferentially permeating carbon dioxide. The permeate stream withdrawn from the permeate side of the membrane is then recycled back to the combustor.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2016Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C. Merkel
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Patent number: 9457313Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power generation process in which a portion of the carbon dioxide generated by gaseous fuel combustion is recycled back to the power generation process, either pre-combustion, post-combustion, or both. The power generation process of the invention may be a combined cycle process or a traditional power generation process. The process utilizes sweep-based membrane separation.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2012Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel, Johannes G. Wijmans
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Publication number: 20160256835Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of perfluorodioxolane monomers. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.Inventors: Zhenjie He, Timothy C. Merkel, Yoshiyuki Okamoto, Yasuhiro Koike
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Patent number: 9433887Abstract: The invention is a process involving membrane-based gas separation for separating and recovering carbon dioxide emissions from combustion processes in partially concentrated form, and then transporting the carbon dioxide and using or storing it in a confined manner without concentrating it to high purity. The process of the invention involves building up the concentration of carbon dioxide in a gas flow loop between the combustion step and a membrane separation step. A portion of the carbon dioxide-enriched gas can then be withdrawn from this loop and transported, without the need to liquefy the gas or otherwise create a high-purity stream, to a destination where it is used or confined, preferably in an environmentally benign manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.Inventors: Johannes G Wijmans, Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel