With Measuring, Testing Or Inspecting Patents (Class 203/1)
  • Patent number: 8470137
    Abstract: An assembly for recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution includes a reservoir module connected to a recycler module. The reservoir module includes a mounted reservoir including an interior volume and a removable lid that reduces the interior volume and includes an access port. The recycler module includes a distillation assembly and an air handler assembly. The distillation assembly includes a distiller and a conduit including a condenser and a sight glass. The air handler assembly includes a duct having an intake port, an exhaust port and a source of air flow. The condenser is disposed within the duct and the sight glass is disposed external to the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Publ, David Kisela, Tim Rothwell, Greg Merz, Gary Myers
  • Patent number: 8470136
    Abstract: An assembly for removing contaminants from objects and recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution includes a parts washer assembly including a container for a contaminated solvent solution and a recycling assembly that includes a reservoir module connected to a recycler module. The reservoir module includes a mounted reservoir including an interior volume and a removable lid that reduces the interior volume and includes an access port. The recycler module includes a distillation assembly and an air handler assembly. The distillation assembly includes a distiller and a conduit including a condenser and a sight glass. The air handler assembly includes a duct having an intake port, an exhaust port and a source of air flow. The condenser is disposed within the duct and the sight glass is disposed external to the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Publ, David Kisela, Tim Rothwell, Greg Merz, Gary Myers
  • Patent number: 8460509
    Abstract: A fluid evaporation system includes a housing bounding a fluid reservoir and an air flow path that is disposed over top of the fluid reservoir. The housing has an inlet opening and a spaced apart outlet opening that both provide communication between the outside environment and the air flow path. A fan is positioned to draw the air out of the air flow path through the outlet opening. A baffle projects into the air flow path at a location between inlet opening and the outlet opening so as to constrict the area of the air flow path thereat. A plurality of spray nozzles are positioned within air flow path between the baffle and the first end of the housing. A pump is configured to draw fluid from the reservoir and deliver it to the plurality of spray nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Total Water Management, LLC
    Inventors: Janos I. Lakatos, Edward Clay Slade, Clayton R. Carter
  • Patent number: 8444830
    Abstract: A desalination process including heating brine in a preheating chamber and transferring the brine to a rotary kiln to be sprayed against the wall structure of the rotary kiln to boil to steam and a residue of salt/impurities, the exiting steam being pressurized in a compressor and passed to an externally powered heater to be heated and then fed to a hollow wall structure of the rotating kiln in which the steam condenses to pure water to be transferred to the preheating chamber to preheat the incoming brine, the rotating kiln being arranged to rotate past a scraper to remove salt/impurities from the wall structure for collection at the base of the kiln.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventor: Garth Davey
  • Patent number: 8440058
    Abstract: Method for concentrating nitrogen isotope to obtain a final product nitrogen, in which the stable nitrogen isotope, 15N, is concentrated, by low-temperature distillation of raw material nitrogen containing trace amounts of oxygen and argon using a plurality of distillation columns in a cascade arrangement. An argon-oxygen mixture is discharged from the bottom of the final column and 15N-concentrated nitrogen is extracted from a lower intermediate point of the final column. The flow rate of the argon-oxygen mixture discharged from the bottom of the final column is controlled based on the reading of a thermometer installed below the point where the final product 15N-concentrated nitrogen is extracted, thereby providing a stable nitrogen product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Kihara
  • Patent number: 8430993
    Abstract: A fluid evaporation system includes a housing bounding a fluid reservoir and an air flow path that is disposed over top of the fluid reservoir. The housing has an inlet opening and a spaced apart outlet opening that both provide communication between the outside environment and the air flow path. A fan is positioned to draw the air out of the air flow path through the outlet opening. A baffle projects into the air flow path at a location between inlet opening and the outlet opening so as to constrict the area of the air flow path thereat. A plurality of spray nozzles are positioned within air flow path between the baffle and the first end of the housing. A pump is configured to draw fluid from the reservoir and deliver it to the plurality of spray nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Total Water Management, LLC
    Inventors: Janos I. Lakatos, Edward Clay Slade, Clayton R. Carter
  • Patent number: 8425732
    Abstract: A method of operating an assembly for recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution including a source for the contaminated solvent solution at a level and a recycling assembly including a reservoir module and a recycler module. The reservoir module includes a reservoir and the recycler module includes a controller and a distillation assembly including a distiller having a conduit and a pressure relief valve. The pressure relief valve includes a tube. The method includes connecting the conduit to the source below the level; connecting the pressure relief valve tube to the source; pumping solvent into the reservoir, distiller and conduit to an operational level; and selecting a duty cycle of the controller to regulate a rest period after the controller operation of a distillation cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Publ, David Kisela, Gary Myers
  • Patent number: 8419903
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling, manually or automatically, the composition or quality of one or more products removed from the head, the sump or a lateral removal point of the distillation column having a built-in heat-exchanger. The method is characterized in that, by changing the pressure in the column, in the region of the product removal, the new boiling temperature of the product is determined from the vapor pressure curve of the product at said pressure and the temperature of the distillation removal is adjusted to said new boiling temperature by means of the modified coolant flowing through the heat-exchanger, preferably in the counter direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventor: Frank Bahr
  • Patent number: 8404085
    Abstract: Separation and purification of hydroquinone from crude mixtures thereof essentially containing hydroquinone in combination with very small amounts of impurities including resorcinol and pyrogallol, include a topping distillation allowing the resorcinol to be removed as the distillation top product, and allowing a crude mixture essentially containing hydroquinone and the heavy impurities to be recovered at the column bottom, such mixture then being subjected to a bottoming distillation which allows the pyrogallol to be removed at the column bottom and allows hydroquinone in a purified form to be recovered at the column top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rhodia Operations
    Inventors: Hubert Gayet, Bruno Heinisch
  • Patent number: 8394241
    Abstract: A distillation-type drinking fountain includes a liquid providing unit having a liquid entry; a heat-exchanging tube having a liquid-incoming end, a liquid-outgoing end and a heat-exchanging room; a hot water tank having a body and a heating unit. The body has a heating room communicating with the liquid-outgoing end. A steam pipe has a first end and a second end, with the first end communicating with the heating room. A condensing unit has a condenser tube having one end communicating with the second end. A water-collecting container has a water-storing room communicating with another end of the condenser tube. An energy-saving heating unit includes an energy-saving heat-exchanging tube and a heating device. The energy-saving heat-exchanging tube includes a water-incoming end, a water-outgoing end and an energy-saving heat-exchanging room. An outlet valve communicates with the water-outgoing end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Shanghai Ariba Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Long-Ming Wang
  • Patent number: 8366883
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Robert Andrew Charles, Andrew Coll, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, Gustav Heinzmann, Joseph A. Hoell, Jr., James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8361281
    Abstract: There is disclosed a desalinization apparatus, and methods related to desalinization. In an embodiment, a desalinization apparatus includes at least one port for receiving airflow therethrough, at least one port for receiving salt water therethrough, at least one output for providing outflow of pure water vapor, and at least one output for proving outflow of a mixture of water, salt and air; and a plurality of chambers for evaporating the salt water into the airflow, at least one of the chambers forming a plurality of ports arranged in a plurality of rows. In an embodiment, a method includes providing airflow to a desalinization apparatus; providing salt water to the desalinization apparatus; forming a vortex in the airflow to evaporate water vapor from the salt water; and providing the water vapor in the airflow to a condenser so as to obtain pure water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: LyteSyde, LLC
    Inventors: Kelly P. Rock, Bruce E. Nadeau, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8328994
    Abstract: Processes for the recovery of ethanol, useful as a fuel, from various cellulosic feedstock materials fermented to produce ethanol-containing beer are disclosed. The present invention provides a method and a system for ethanol recovery from highly viscous fermented citrus waste biomass. The systems overcome various challenges, including effectively stripping the ethanol from biomass beer in an energy efficient and economical manner that may allow for the further dehydration of the ethanol/water mix in a traditional rectifier distillation column. In certain embodiments, a series of flash stages and beer stripping columns are capable of operating with highly viscous slurries and/or feedstocks containing high levels of solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: David A. Stewart
  • Patent number: 8282790
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In an embodiment of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product, and an electric motor with motor rotor and magnets hermetically sealed within the fluid pressure boundary of the distillation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jason A. Demers, Scott A. Leonard, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 8252148
    Abstract: A mobile waste processing system and method is disclosed for processing materials in a tank, typically an underground storage tank. A mobile fluid processing module is disposed adjacent to or over the tank, and sealingly connected to the tank through a tank riser. Support equipment, which may include an electric power module, a chiller module, a heating module, and a control and monitor module, are disposed a distance from the processing module, and connected thereto. A pump and optionally a dispersal nozzle are deployed from the processing module into the tank, and effluent is extracted for processing. The processing trailer includes effluent processing equipment such as an evaporator and demister, condenser, vacuum pump, and interim storage tank. The effluent is processed, and at least a portion is removed. Some of the processed effluent may be returned to the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Columbia Energy & Environmental Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Wolfe, Brian Brendel
  • Patent number: 8206557
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing that has at least an inlet and an outlet. The housing is configured to receive a volume of fluid via the inlet. The volume of fluid is in a substantially liquid state and at least a portion of the volume of fluid includes a dissolved impurity. The apparatus also includes a heat-transfer element coupled to an interior volume of the housing. The heat-transfer element includes a surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The volume of fluid includes a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. The apparatus further includes a compression component configured to compress at least a portion of fluid boiled from the volume of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hydrologic Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis P. Burke, Kenneth J. Horne, David B. Taylor, Stephen R. Topaz
  • Patent number: 8202401
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes moving a first volume of fluid from a region above a heat-transfer element to a region below the heat-transfer element after the first volume of fluid is boiled from a second volume of fluid within the region above the heat-transfer element. The first volume of fluid including an impurity concentration lower than an impurity concentration of the second volume of fluid. The region below the heat-transfer element has a temperature higher than a temperature of the region above the heat-transfer element. The method also includes transferring latent heat from the first volume of fluid to a third volume of fluid on a top surface of the heat transfer element. The latent heat is released when the first volume of fluid condenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hydrologic Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Taylor, Stephen R. Topaz
  • Patent number: 8202402
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and related methods of water purification by distillation that will operate in a self-contained mode using a passive heat source, such as, without limitation, solar heat, air conditioning waste heat, or waste heat from the exhaust or cooling systems of an internal combustion engine, which may be used to desalinate sea water, saline water, or saline water containing contaminants. The present invention may also be used to distil sewage water, creek water, swamp water or water containing contaminants or used to cleanse or purify water contaminated with mud, chemicals, minerals, or bacteria in a local environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hse Hittt Solar Enerji Anonim Sirkerti
    Inventor: Rahmi Oguz Capan
  • Patent number: 8192588
    Abstract: Water is removed from oily water produced during operation of a separation column by withdrawing the oily water from the column during separation into an external separator where the oily water is separated into a water phase and an oily phase. The oily phase is then heated to a temperature effective to produce a density differential that drives the oily phase back into the operating column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 8092655
    Abstract: A dividing wall column is described which includes the following segments: a) an upper column region (1), b) an enrichment section (2) of the feed section, c) a stripping section (4) of the feed section, d) an upper part (3) of the offtake section, e) a lower part (5) of the offtake section, f) an intermediate region (9) of the feed section, g) an intermediate region (10) of the offtake section and h) a lower column region (6). The dividing wall column has a dividing wall (7) is located vertically between the segments b) (2) and d) (3) and between the segments c) (4) and e) (5). The segments b) (2), d) (3), c) (4) and e) (5) have separation-active internals, Segment b (2) has a cross-sectional area Ab which is at least 10% smaller than the cross-sectional area Ad of segment d) (3), and segment c) has a cross-sectional area Ac which is at least 10% greater than the cross-sectional area Ae of segment e) (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfram Burst, Horst Hartmann, Gerd Kaibel, Guido Harms
  • Patent number: 8092646
    Abstract: A vaporization apparatus and related vaporization method is provided that relies on thermocapillary convection. The apparatus of a thermocapillary evaporator has three sections: an evaporation section, a displacement section, and a storage system for storing the liquid to be evaporated. The evaporation section is operable to distribute thermal energy substantially along the entire liquid-gas interface. The method of the present invention includes providing a thermocapillary evaporator. Advantageously, the present invention provides substantial evaporation from relatively low temperature heat sources, compared to conventional evaporators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Inventor: Ward Charles Albert
  • Patent number: 8062482
    Abstract: A method for removing acetaldehyde from a mixture of methyl acetate, methanol and acetaldehyde includes: (a) feeding the mixture of methyl acetate, methanol and acetaldehyde to a distillation column; (b) distilling the feed mixture of methyl acetate methanol and acetaldehyde at a pressure of 10 psig or more to generate an overhead vapor stream enriched in acetaldehyde as compared with the feed mixture and a residue stream depleted in acetaldehyde as compared with the feed mixture; and (c) withdrawing the residue stream depleted in acetaldehyde from the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventor: R. Jay Warner
  • Patent number: 8052845
    Abstract: The reflux divider for a separation column has portions for the transfer of material arranged in parallel which are mutually bounded by a vertical dividing wall and which include members for the controlled dividing of a liquid to be treated. A reflux divider feeds part flows to the respective portions employing connection lines that are feed from a common container. A restrictor valve is used in one connection line to control the flow based on signals from a pair of flow meters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sulzer Chemtech AG
    Inventors: Laurent Zuber, Christian Gottlieb Bachmann, Ilja Ausner
  • Patent number: 8052846
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid cleaning device that is intended for purifying liquid from pollutants, which liquid cleaning device includes a vessel, having a lower chamber and an upper chamber, which lower chamber is connected to a heating member arranged to heat the liquid in said lower chamber, as well as further including a riser and liquid-distributor member, which riser is arranged to transport heated liquid from said lower chamber up to the upper part of said upper chamber, where the liquid-distributor member is arranged to impart the heated liquid an increased area of exposure to surrounding air, the liquid then, by means of the gravity, running back downward outside the riser and being collected in the lower part of the upper chamber of the vessel, said upper chamber and lower chamber being in at least conditioned communication with each other in order to allow transfer of the liquid from the upper chamber to the lower chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Purity AB
    Inventor: Peter Holmberg
  • Patent number: 8016977
    Abstract: Dry pond water evaporation systems and methods are used to evaporate large quantities of water from industrial waste water sources, such as water produced by oil and gas wells. Dry pond systems include a water evaporation system that emits waste water into the air as a fine spray or mist to promote evaporation. Water that falls to the ground and any initially dissolved solids are captured in a water capture depression. Water and solids are transferred from the water capture depression to a water collection pool. Water from the water collection pool is recirculated through the water evaporation system to further concentrate the total dissolved solids (TDS). When the TDS are sufficiently concentrated, they may be harvested, such as by evaporating off the water and recovering salts or minerals as a solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Reform Water, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney Rasmussen, Paul C. Cox
  • Patent number: 8002953
    Abstract: An energy-efficient extractive distillation process for producing anhydrous ethanol from aqueous/ethanol feeds containing any range of ethanol employs an extractive distillation column (EDC) that operates under no or greatly reduced liquid reflux conditions. The EDC can be incorporated into an integrated process for producing anhydrous ethanol used for gasoline blending from fermentation broth. By using a high-boiling extractive distillation solvent, no solvent is entrained by the vapor phase to the EDC overhead stream, even under no liquid reflux conditions. The energy requirement and severity of the EDC can be further improved by limiting ethanol recovery in the EDC. In this partial ethanol recovery design, ethanol which remains in the aqueous stream from the EDC is recovered in a post-distillation column or the aqueous stream is recycled to a front-end pre-distillation column where the ethanol is readily recovered since the VLE curve for ethanol/water is extremely favorable for distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: AMT International Inc., CPC Corporation, Taiwan
    Inventors: Fu-Ming Lee, Kuang-Yeu Wu, Lindsey Vuong, Fong-Cheng Su, Tzong-Bin Lin, Jyh-Haur Hwang, Hung-Chung Shen, Po-Sung Cheng, Tai-Ping Chang
  • Patent number: 7954254
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for drying a product using a regenerative adsorbent, more in particular to such a method which can be carried out in an energy-saving manner. According to the invention, the product is dried by bringing it into contact with an adsorbent, water being taken up form the product by the adsorbent. Subsequently, the adsorbent is regenerated with superheated steam, steam being obtained, which steam comprises at least a part of the mentioned water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Paulus Josephus Theodorus Bussmann, Rudy Matthias Henricus Heijmans
  • Patent number: 7857945
    Abstract: A solar still includes a relatively shallow chamber with a pyramid shaped transparent cover and a transparent base. The still also includes a pair of rollers and an endless heat absorbing belt rotatable about the rollers. The still is positioned to receive solar energy passing through the transparent cover and impinging on an upper surface of the heat absorbing belt in order to vaporize seawater within the chamber. The efficiency of the still is increased by one or more mirrors disposed below the still for reflecting sun light up through the transparent base to impinge on a lower outer surface of the belt to enhance the vaporization of the seawater. One or more fans are also provided for cooling the cover to enhance the condensation of water that will then run down the cover and into a pure water receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Ahmed Al-Garni, Ayman Kassem, Farooq Saeed
  • Publication number: 20100264011
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for preparing liquid from solid materials such as medicinal materials. It includes liquid and materials for preparing the liquid at the beginning and the end of the process. The device uses a steam generator, an intermediate switch valve and a material chamber, which are connected sequentially with pipes, and further includes an outlet pipe, which is at the bottom of the material chamber. The method involves the steps of: distillation and absorption; immersion; and repetition. The device and method for preparing liquid alternates the distillation and immersion steps, which reduces harmful substance in the prepared liquid that would otherwise occur by conventional methods. The method not only extracts soluble effective matter, but also reduces loss of volatile effective matter. Ultimately, the method makes the steps for preparing liquid simple and clear, and it can prepare liquid quantitatively, effectively and without pasty and shrinkable characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: SHENZHEN ZOFU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: LINLIN YAO
  • Patent number: 7811420
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus is disclosed for water desalination including steps of transferring water vapor from salt-water in a vaporization zone 7, via a water vapor transfer zone 12, to a condensation zone 11, and condensing the water vapor into fresh-water. The water vapor transfer zone 12 is maintained substantially free of any gas other than water vapor. Heat is supplied to the vaporization zone 7 and extracted from the condensation zone 11, at relative rates such that there is a net transfer of water from the vaporization zone to the condensation zone. Also disclosed is a method of and apparatus for degassing salt water using at least two degassing chambers 17A, 17B each provided with a valved vent 47 and a valved inlet 21,29,90,91, with a valved pipe circuit 17a, 72-82,85-87, having a pump 71.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Inventor: Sven Olof Sonander
  • Patent number: 7758730
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving the color stability by postpurifying piperazine, the steps comprising preparing an aqueous piperazine solution by introducing solid or liquid piperazine having a degree of purity of at least 90% by weight in water; removing the water by distillation; isolating the piperazine with a predefined maximum residual content of water. The invention further provides a rapid test of aging for checking the improvement in the color stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Evers, Michael Jödecke, Johann-Peter Melder, Gunther Van Cauwenberge, Jan Nouwen
  • Patent number: 7731822
    Abstract: A column for distillation or fluid-fluid separation is oriented at an angle to the horizontal other than vertical to provide increased transfer plate surface area within the interior of a column of determined diameter and to reduce overall height of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Inventor: Strom W. Smith
  • Patent number: 7718033
    Abstract: A one step method and system for producing nanofluids by a particle-source evaporation and deposition of the evaporant into a base fluid. The base fluid such (i.e. ethylene glycol) is placed in a rotating cylindrical drum having an adjustable heater-boat-evaporator and heat exchanger-cooler apparatus. As the drum rotates, a thin liquid layer is formed on the inside surface of the drum. A heater-boat-evaporator having an evaporant material (particle-source) placed within its boat evaporator is adjustably positioned near a portion of the rotating thin liquid layer, the evaporant material being heated thereby evaporating a portion of the evaporant material, the evaporated material absorbed by the liquid film to form nanofluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Milivoje Kostic, Mihajlo Golubovic, John R. Hull, Stephen U. S. Choi
  • Patent number: 7692053
    Abstract: 1,3-butadiene is obtained by extractive distillation with a selective solvent from a C4 cut comprising C4 acetylenes as secondary components in a dividing wall column having a bottom evaporator, in which a dividing wall is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the column to form a first subregion, a second subregion and a lower combined column region. The column is disposed upstream of an extractive wash column. The energy input into the dividing wall column via the bottom evaporator is controlled in such a way that a bottom stream containing solvent, C4 acetylenes and 1,3-butadiene restricted such that the loss of 1,3-butadiene is economically acceptable, is drawn off and fed to an acetylenes outgasser where the C4 acetylenes are stripped out overhead and purified solvent is obtained as the bottom stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7641771
    Abstract: A system for generating purified water from polluted water which includes an entry chamber communicating with a source of polluted water, a pump for delivering water vapor from the entry chamber to the vapor chamber, and a passageway for delivering condensed water from the vapor chamber to a reservoir of purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventors: Joel Vance Miller, Robert Samuel Smith
  • Publication number: 20090313996
    Abstract: A system and method for decontaminating water and generating water vapor includes introducing contaminated water in to a vessel. The water is moved through a series of rotating trays alternately separated by stationary baffles so as to swirl and heat the water to effect the vaporization thereof to produce a vapor having at least some of the contaminants separated therefrom. The vapor is removed from the vessel for condensing apart from the separated contaminants and the remaining water. The vapor may be passed through a turbine connected to an electric generator. Sensors in a controller may be employed to adjust the speed of rotation of the trays or water input into the vessel in response to the sensed conditions. The treated water may be recirculated and reprocessed through the vessel to increase the purification thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: VERNO HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Riley, Dana L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7619126
    Abstract: A process for recovering crude 1,3-butadiene from a C4 fraction by extractive distillation using a selective solvent in a dividing wall column (TK) in which a dividing wall (T) is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the column to form a first subregion (A), a second subregion (B) and a lower common column region (C) and which is preceded by an extractive scrubbing column (K), wherein the operation of the dividing wall column (TK) is set by regulation of the energy input into the dividing wall column (TK) via a bottom vaporizer (V) and setting of the number of the theoretical plates in the lower common column region (C) so that a bottom stream (17) consisting of purified solvent is obtained from the dividing wall column (TK), is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7597784
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, Kingston Owens
  • Patent number: 7594979
    Abstract: A process of separating a purified propylene oxide from a crude epoxidation product produced, preferably, in an epoxidation reaction of propylene with hydrogen peroxide. The process involves removing bulk water, bulk methanol, and unreacted propylene from the crude epoxidation product and thereafter subjecting the resulting propylene oxide product to extractive distillation with water as an extraction solvent. Under distillation conditions, including a bottoms temperature of greater than about 55° C. and less than about 75° C., an overhead or side-cut distillate stream containing a purified propylene oxide is obtained with low yield loss of propylene oxide to propylene glycols and other glycol heavies. The purified propylene oxide can be further purified in a finishing distillation to obtain propylene oxide meeting commercial grade purity requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Renate Patrascu, Sabrina Astori, Meinolf M. Weidenbach
  • Patent number: 7588666
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact rectifying unit for separation of mixed fluids using for heat transfer purpose a fluid heat carrier and its vapours on one of the sides of heat and mass exchanging walls. In order to increase the efficiency of the heat and mass exchange process, the heat and mass exchange tubes of the rectifying part and/or of the evaporator part have means to provide irregular/varying amounts of heat transfer between the inside and the outside of tube wall along the height of the heat and mass exchange tubes. This allows for a reduction in the rectification column height by 3-10 times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Inventors: Albert Faritovich Saifutdinov, Oleg Yegorovich Beketov, Viktor Seliverstovich Ladoshkin, Guennadi Anatolievich Nesterov, Anatoly Semenovich Tlousty, Guennady Ivanovich Ivanov
  • Publication number: 20090197093
    Abstract: A method of recovering and recycling solvents, comprising, during printing or coating of solvent-recoverable and recyclable printing ink composition comprising solvents, a step of recovering the solvents vaporized in a solvent recovery apparatus, a step of separating the solvents obtained into one or more single solvents and/or one or more azeotropic compositions of two or more solvents by multi-stage distillation, and a step of recycling them as a printing ink raw material and/or dilution solvent raw material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: TOYO INK MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihisa Kofuji, Masumi Takano, Hideki Yasuda, Yoshiaki Nakagami, Shinichiro Watanabe, Hiroyuki Kawashima, Yoshimitsu Ishizuka, Toshiyuki Irie
  • Patent number: 7556716
    Abstract: Described is a method for recording the boiling curve of liquids, in particular petroleum products and/or solvents, in which a sample amount of the liquid to be analyzed is evaporated and subsequently condensed, wherein the vapor temperature and the respectively evaporated amount of liquid are monitored, the sample amount is dosed by a a pump, for example, wherein the pump and the condensate collection chamber are brought to a defined, and preferably identical, temperature level. The condensed volume is determined volumetrically and the distillation residue of the sample amount is determined by weighing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Grabner Instruments Messtechnik NFG. Gesellschaft m.b.H. & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Burian, Roland Aschauer
  • Patent number: 7531065
    Abstract: A fluid distillation apparatus includes at least one each of a fluid inlet port Through which the fluid to be distilled is transferred from a container containing the fluid to be distilled to distillation chamber, a fluid outlet port through which the distilled fluid is transferred to a container to hold the distilled fluid, an air supply port to which compressed air supply is to be connected, a power cord through which the electric power is supplied, preferably an outlet through which air pressure for fluid agitation is supplied to said container containing the fluid to be distilled, and preferably art outlet through which air pressure is supplied to a pump means for transferring the distilled fluid from the receiving container to the duty fluid container. The apparatus includes a debris draining system for automatically draining debris from said distillation tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Uni-Ram Corporation
    Inventor: Soichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7501045
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture and separation of dinitrile compounds. It relates more particularly to a process for the manufacture and separation of dinitrile compounds from a medium originating from the hydrocyanation of unsaturated mononitriles. The invention consists in feeding the medium comprising the dinitriles to a distillation column and then recovering the purified dinitriles as intermediate fraction, the heavy products being removed as column tail fraction and the light products, including the unsaturated mononitriles, being recovered as top fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Rhodia Polyamide Intermediates
    Inventors: Jérôme Gerber, Philippe Leconte, Daniel Amoros
  • Patent number: 7497931
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trim-ethylcyclohexylamine (isophoronediamine, IPDA) having a fractionally distilled cis/trans isomer ratio of at least 73/27. The process includes the following steps: a) providing IPDA in a cis/trans isomer ratio of <73/27; b) feeding IPDA into the middle region of a distillation column having internals and distilling the IPDA in this distillation column at a temperature of from 5 to 300.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frank Funke, Thomas Hill, Jobst Rüdiger Von Watzdorf, Wolfgang Mattmann, Wolfgang Harder, Erhard Henkes, Gerd Littmann, Manfred Julius
  • Patent number: 7473338
    Abstract: A distillation apparatus for subjecting a crude readily polymerizable compound to distillation under vacuum conditions to purify it, the distillation apparatus having a distillation column and a vacuum generator and an exhaust gas conduit of the vacuum generator connected to a connecting conduit therebetween through a pressure control valve. A method provides purifying of a readily polymerizable compound by subjecting a crude readily polymerizable compound to distillation under vacuum conditions to purify it, the method including using a distillation apparatus having a distillation column and a vacuum generator and an exhaust gas conduit of the vacuum generator connected to a connecting conduit therebetween through a pressure control valve and controlling the action of the pressure control valve based on a pressure of the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Yada, Yasushi Ogawa, Yoshiro Suzuki, Kenji Takasaki, Kiyoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7468119
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of separation by distillation of 6-aminocapronitrile (ACN) and hexamethylenediamine (HMD) from a mixture containing ACN, HMD, tetrahydrozaepine (THA), adiponitrile (ADN) and low boilers (LB). A method for producing a distillate stream comprising HMD is disclosed, which is suitable for the production of Nylon-6,6. The tails stream from the distillation of the mixture can be further distilled to produce a distillate containing ACN and THA, which is particularly suitable for use in the production of caprolactam and Nylon-6 from the caprolactam. Process conditions of the method of the invention disfavor the production of 2-cyanocyclopentylideneirnine (CPI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Invista North America S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: John Joseph Ostermaier
  • Patent number: 7465376
    Abstract: The invention provides for the removal of impurities from treatment fluid including a base liquid and a variety of impurities contained in the base liquid by conveying the treatment fluid to at least one preheating separating device, including a preheating heat exchanger and a separator unit, before the admixture of a carrier gas to the treatment fluid. The treatment fluid is preheated by the preheating heat exchanger to a temperature below the boiling temperature of a base liquid so that the liquid impurities with lower boiling temperatures than the base liquid are evaporated and expelled thermally, whereby the evaporated and expelled impurities are separated in the separator unit of the preheating separator device. The treatment fluid is then evaporated and separated from impurities having a higher boiling point than the base liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventors: Joachim Neubert, Karl-Ferdinand Staab
  • Patent number: 7431804
    Abstract: A process is proposed for the distillation or reactive distillation of a mixture that includes at least one toxic component, the process being carried out in a column containing a structured packing, having at least one packing layer (1) having a lower end (2) and an upper end (3), the packing layer having an internal geometry varying over its height, in such a manner that in the distillation or reactive distillation, in a first, lower region (6) of the packing layer (1) a bubbling layer having a predominantly disperse gas phase can be established and simultaneously in a second, upper region (7) of the packing layer (1) a film flow having a predominantly continuous gas phase can be established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Eckhard Ströfer, Gerd Kaibel, Achim Stammer, Carsten Oost, Martin Sohn, Manfred Stroezel, Walter Dobler
  • Patent number: 7393436
    Abstract: A thermal separating process for removing a stream containing enriched (meth)acrylic monomers from a mixture containing (meth)acrylic monomers, in which the liquid phases retained in the separating space at high temperature and high (meth)acrylic monomer content are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernd Eck, Ulrich Hammon, Klaus Joachim Mueller-Engel, Juergen Schroeder, Joachim Thiel, Hans Martan