And Using Ion Exchange Material (e.g., Suspended Particles, Etc.) Patents (Class 204/524)
  • Patent number: 11027993
    Abstract: Processes of consolidating oil sands tailings which includes fines and process water are disclosed. The processes include mixing the oil sands tailings with a highly water soluble salt or an aqueous solution thereof to destabilize and consolidate solids in the tailings, e.g., to destabilize and consolidate fines in the tailings and separating the consolidated solids from the process water. A water soluble polymer and coarse particles, e.g., sand, can also be used in the treatment of oil sands tailings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: EXTRAKT PROCESS SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Paul C. Painter, Bruce G. Miller, Aron Lupinsky
  • Patent number: 10933184
    Abstract: A device and method are described for the treatment of blood, which device may be used in conjunction with or in place of a failed Kidney. The device includes an ultrafiltration unit to remove proteins, red and white blood cells and other high molecular weight components, a nanofiltration unit to remove glucose, at least one electrodeionization unit to transport ions from the blood stream, and a reverse osmosis unit to modulate the flow of water, to both the blood and urine streams. In one embodiment, a specialized electrodeionization unit is provided having multiple chambers defining multiple dilute fluid channels, each channel filled with an ion specific resin wafer, and electrodes at the extremity of the device and proximate each of the resin filled dilute channels. By selective application of voltages to these electrodes, the ion transport functionality of a given dilute channel can be turned on or off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: US Kidney Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jamie Allen Hestekin, Christa Noel Hestekin, Grace Ann C. Morrison, Sadia Ali Paracha
  • Patent number: 10329174
    Abstract: A device and process are disclosed for the separate removal of oppositely charged ions from electrolyte solutions and recombining them to form new chemical compositions. The invention provides the ability to create multiple ion flow channels and then form new chemical compositions therefrom. The process is accomplished by selectively combining oppositely charged ions of choice from different electrolyte solutions via the capacitive behavior of high electrical capacitance electrodes confined in insulated containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: IONIC SOLUTIONS LTD.
    Inventor: Azaroghly Yazdanbod
  • Patent number: 10252218
    Abstract: An electrodeionization device having an improved boron rejection capability compared with high-performance electrodeionization devices proposed in the related art is provided. An electrodeionization device comprising a cathode; an anode; and a plurality of cation-exchange membranes and a plurality of anion-exchange membranes, the plurality of cation-exchange membranes and the plurality of anion-exchange membranes being arranged between the cathode and the anode so as to form concentrating compartments and desalting compartments, the concentrating compartments and desalting compartments being arranged alternately, the desalting compartments being filled with an ion-exchange resin, wherein the ion-exchange resin has an average particle size of 100 to 300 ?m. Preferably, the ion-exchange resin has a uniformity coefficient of 1.1 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shin Sato, Yoichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10131553
    Abstract: Provided are water treatment systems where acid water from electrochemical devices are provided to waste streams of ion reduction devices. Specifically, electro-chemical cells having strong acid cation resins are operated to produce acid water that is supplied to the waste stream of an aqueous separation unit, for example an ion reduction device that includes, but it not limited to: deionization systems, continuous or batch-wise, and reverse-osmosis systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Robert E. Astle
  • Patent number: 9969628
    Abstract: An electrodialysis unit comprising at least two electrodialysis stacks (ED1 and ED2) connected in series, wherein: (a) stacks ED1 and ED2 comprise anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes; and (b) the anion exchange membranes in stack ED1 have a lower electrical resistance than the anion exchange membranes in stack ED2 and the cation exchange membranes in stack ED1 have a lower electrical resistance than the cation exchange membranes in stack ED2. Also claimed is a process for purifying liquids, e.g. for desalinating sea water or brackish water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.V.
    Inventors: Vinodnarain Bhikhi, Willem Van Baak
  • Patent number: 9932253
    Abstract: Apparatus for purifying a fluid, which comprises an ion absorption cell (2) traversed by a fluid to be treated (F1) containing cationic particles and/or anionic particles, provided with a containment structure (3) defining at its interior two operating chambers (4, 5) traversed by the fluid to be treated (F1), and each delimited by a respective electrode (10, 11) that can be power supplied to opposite polarities. Between the two operating chambers (4, 5), a third evacuation chamber (13) is interposed, containing a porous electrical conductor (18) traversed by a washing fluid (F2) and delimited by two opposite walls (16, 17) which together with the electrodes (10, 11) define the aforesaid operating chambers (4, 5). The aforesaid walls (16, 17) have at least one ion-selective area associated, which is susceptible to being traversed by charged particles with corresponding polarity contained in the two contiguous operating chambers (4, 5) subjected to the action of the electric field generated by the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: IDROPAN DELL'ORTO DEPURATORI S.R.L.
    Inventor: Tullio Servida
  • Patent number: 9896357
    Abstract: Provided is an electrodeionization apparatus for producing deionized water, capable of removing or reducing a biased flow of electric current in a deionization chamber. In the electrodeionization apparatus for producing deionized water, at least one deionization treatment unit including the deionization chamber and a pair of concentration chambers adjacent to both sides of the deionization chamber is disposed between a cathode and an anode. In the deionization chamber, anion exchanger layers and cation exchanger layers are stacked in an order in which a last ion exchanger layer through which water to be treated passes is an anion exchanger layer. A bipolar membrane is formed on the cathode side of the anion exchanger layer in the deionization chamber. The anion exchange membrane of the bipolar membrane is in contact with the anion exchanger layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ORGANO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naho Ikeda, Yuji Asakawa, Keisuke Sasaki, Kazuya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9878927
    Abstract: Apparatus for purifying a fluid, which comprises at least one ion absorption cell (2) with an operating chamber (4, 5) at its interior through which a first operative fluid (F1) flows and an evacuation chamber (13, 13?) through which a second operative fluid (F2, F2?) flows and which is separated from the operating chamber (4,5) by a filtering membrane (100). A porous electrical conductor (18) is housed in the evacuation chamber (13, 13?) and is traversed by the second operative fluid (F2, F2?). Two electrodes (A, B) have the aforesaid operating chamber (4, 5) and evacuation chamber (13, 13?) interposed, and are supplied with opposite polarities in order to generate an operative electric field in the operating chamber (4, 5) and a limited electric field in the evacuation chamber (13, 13?), the latter with value lower than the operative electric field, due to the shielding effect of the porous electrical conductor (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: IDROPAN DELL'ORTO DEPURATORI S.R.L
    Inventor: Tullio Servida
  • Patent number: 9834458
    Abstract: The methods and systems disclosed here relate to treating water. In certain embodiments, a treatment system comprises an electrochemical water treatment device, a recirculating concentrate stream in fluid communication with the electrochemical water treatment device, a flow control device in fluid communication with a first flow path comprising acidic water and configured to be in fluid communication with the recirculating concentrate stream, and a second flow path comprising feed water and configured to be in fluid communication with the recirculating concentrate stream, and a control system in communication with the flow control device. The treatment system may further comprise a recirculating dilution stream in fluid communication with a second inlet and a second outlet of the electrochemical water treatment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: HydroNovation, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil D. Jha, Ramandeep Mehmi
  • Patent number: 9664645
    Abstract: A method of detecting and quantifying perchlorate contamination in samples, especially samples with complex background matrices such as food and produce with trace levels of perchlorate. A simple microwave assisted-electromembrane extraction provides simultaneous reduced extraction time, sample clean-up, high recovery and enrichment of perchlorate ions for detection and quantification by ion chromatography. Three parallel EME experiments connected to a single DC power supply improves the precision of the analyses. It also couples well with the multiple microwave digested samples and this reduces the sample preparation time and is hence suitable for routine environmental applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Basheer Chanbasha, Hakimu Nsubuga
  • Patent number: 9643863
    Abstract: An electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) generates electrolyzed products by supplying a raw material solution into an electrolytic cell (4) to perform electrolysis, and generates electrolyzed water by diluting the electrolyzed products. The electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) includes a casing (20) configured to accommodate the electrolytic cell (4), and a bracket (30) fixed to the casing (20) in a freely detachable manner, and the bracket (30) includes a pair of rigid walls to which one end and the other end of the electrolytic cell (4) are attached. The pair of rigid walls have a dimension therebetween that can be adjusted according to the linear dimension of the electrolytic cell (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki Matsuyama, Tatsuya Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 9637802
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. Systems, methods and equipment are described for upgrading process streams using electrodialysis or electrodialysis reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Maia Stapleton Mukherjee, Christopher Cooper
  • Patent number: 9586842
    Abstract: An electrochemical treating device having low scale potential is disclosed. The device has a variety of configurations directed to the layering of the anionic exchange and cationic exchange. The treatment device can also comprise unevenly sized ion exchange resin beads and/or have at least one compartment that provides a dominating resistance that results in a uniform current distribution throughout the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventors: Joseph D. Gifford, John W. Arba, Evgeniya Freydina, Anil Jha, Li-Shiang Liang, Lu Wang
  • Patent number: 9463988
    Abstract: An electrical purification apparatus and methods of making same are disclosed. The electrical purification apparatus may provide for increases in operation efficiencies, for example, with respect to current efficiencies and membrane utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies Pte. Ltd
    Inventors: Li-Shiang Liang, Joseph D. Gifford, Lawrence J. Salvo, John K. Chan
  • Patent number: 9440867
    Abstract: An electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) generates electrolyzed products by supplying a raw material solution into an electrolytic cell (4) to perform electrolysis, and generates electrolyzed water by diluting the electrolyzed products. The electrolysis water-making apparatus (1) includes a casing (20) configured to accommodate the electrolytic cell (4), and a bracket (30) fixed to the casing (20) in a freely detachable manner, and the bracket (30) includes a pair of rigid walls to which one end and the other end of the electrolytic cell (4) are attached. The pair of rigid walls have a dimension therebetween that can be adjusted according to the linear dimension of the electrolytic cell (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki Matsuyama, Tatsuya Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 9227857
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at an apparatus, method and plant for desalinating saltwater and contaminated saltwater. The apparatus comprises a stack and a manifolding assembly. The stack comprises a product chamber, a first and second concentrate chamber, an anion exchange membrane forming a boundary between the first concentrate chamber and the product chamber and a cation exchange membrane forming a boundary between the second concentrate chamber and the product chamber. The manifolding assembly comprises product and concentrate manifolding fluidly coupled to the product and concentrate chambers respectively, to convey a saltwater being desalinated to and away from the product chamber, and a concentrate to and away from the concentrate chambers. The stack may include a diluent chamber and adjacent anion or cation exchange membranes between the product chamber, diluent chamber and concentrate chamber to respectively convey anions or cations across multiple chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Joshua Zoshi, Malcolm Man
  • Patent number: 9145318
    Abstract: Systems and methods for removing hydrogen peroxide from water purification systems are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a water purification system including a water treatment unit, an electrodeionization unit and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst in fluid connection with the electrodeionization unit. The water purification system can be fluidly connected to a renal treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventor: Justin B. Rohde
  • Patent number: 9139919
    Abstract: An electrolysis water-making apparatus (1A) includes a casing (20), an electrolytic cell (4) installed in the casing (20) and configured to perform electrolysis on a raw material solution, a raw material solution feed pump (10) configured to pump the raw material solution to the electrolytic cell (4), and a diluting unit (26) configured to dilute electrolyzed products extracted from the electrolytic cell (4) with dilution water; and provided with a bracket (30) configured to integrally attach the electrolytic cell (4) and the raw material solution feed pump (10), and detachably fixed to the inside of the casing (20) in a state in which the electrolytic cell (4) and the raw material solution feed pump (10) are attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki Matsuyama, Tatsuya Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 9126150
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resin-wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) apparatus including cathode and anode electrodes separated by a plurality of porous solid ion exchange resin wafers, which when in use are filled with an aqueous fluid. The apparatus includes one or more wafers comprising a basic ion exchange medium, and preferably includes one or more wafers comprising an acidic ion exchange medium. The wafers are separated from one another by ion exchange membranes. The fluid within the acidic and/or basic ion exchange wafers preferably includes, or is in contact with, a carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme to facilitate conversion of bicarbonate ion to carbon dioxide within the acidic medium. A pH suitable for exchange of CO2 is electrochemically maintained within the basic and acidic ion exchange wafers by applying an electric potential across the cathode and anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: YuPo J. Lin, Seth W. Snyder, Michael S. Trachtenberg, Robert M. Cowan, Saurav Datta
  • Patent number: 8980095
    Abstract: A process for producing ultrapure water, in which a stream of water is purified in a reverse osmosis device, wherein the water stream is subject to pretreatment including splitting the water stream into at least two partial streams, partial exchange of cations present in at least one of the partial streams for H+ ions by a cation exchanger operated in the H+ mode, and complete exchange of the anions present in at least one further of the partial streams for OH? ions by a softener operative in parallel to the cation exchanger, and treating the partial streams treated by the cation exchanger and the softener by at least one anion exchanger operating in the OH? mode, and wherein the water stream obtained from the pretreatment is fed into the reverse osmosis device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: BWT Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: JĂĽrgen Johann
  • Patent number: 8926818
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the deionization of liquids through the use of electrodeionization methods and apparatuses. The apparatuses are configured to produce purified liquids having an ion content at a level of parts-per-trillion or less, and to provide continuous regeneration of the ion exchange materials. The apparatuses may be configured according to the desired levels of deionization for anions, cations, or both. Finally, methods are presented for various uses of the claimed apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Trovion Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: John M. Riviello
  • Patent number: 8864971
    Abstract: A treatment system provides treated or softened water to a point of use by removing at least a portion of any undesirable species contained in water from a water source. The treatment system can be operated to reduce the likelihood of formation of any scale that can be generated during normal operation of an electrochemical device. The formation of scale in the treatment system, including its wetted components, may be inhibited by reversing or substituting the flowing liquid having hardness-causing species with another liquid having a low tendency to produce scale, such as a low LSI water. Various arrangements of components in the treatment system can be flushed by directing the valves and the pumps of the system to displace liquid having hardness-causing species with a liquid that has little or no tendency to form scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Anil D. Jha, Frederick C. Wilkins, Evgeniya Freydina, Aytac Sezgi, Reshma Madhusudan
  • Patent number: 8834663
    Abstract: A method for assembling an electrodeionization device comprising providing in a sequential arrangement: an anode, membrane cell assembly, cathode; wherein the membrane cell assembly comprises at least one sequential arrangement of: a cation exchange membrane, concentrating chamber, anion exchange membrane, diluting chamber, cation exchange membrane, concentrating chamber and anion exchange membrane. The method includes locating an ion exchange spacer in at least one chamber of the membrane cell assembly wherein an ion exchange spacer comprises an ion exchange resin and a dissolvable binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Steven D. Jons, Joseph Dooley, David J. Moll, Gregg L. Poppe, Mark A. Spalding
  • Publication number: 20140209462
    Abstract: A desalination system is provided. The desalination system comprises a desalination apparatus. The desalination apparatus comprises first and second electrodes, and a first group of paired ion exchange membranes disposed between the first and second electrodes to form a first group of alternating first and second channels. The first channels are configured to receive a first stream for desalination and the second channels are configured to receive a second stream to carry away ions removed from the first stream, respectively. The desalination apparatus further comprises a plurality of spacers disposed between each pair of the adjacent ion exchange membranes and between the first and second electrodes and the respective ion exchange membranes. Wherein each of the ion exchange membranes in the first group is a cation exchange membrane. A desalination system and a method for removing ions from an aqueous stream area also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rihua Xiong, Linglu Yang
  • Patent number: 8741121
    Abstract: An electrochemical separation system may be modular and may include at least a first modular unit and a second modular unit. Each modular unit may include a cell stack and a frame. The frame may include a manifold system. A flow distribution system in the frame may enhance current efficiency. Spacers positioned between modular units may also enhance current efficiency of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Li-Shiang Liang, Keng Hoo Yeo, Lawrence J. Salvo
  • Patent number: 8679314
    Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient method for creating natural gas including the anaerobic digestion of biomass to form biogas, and the electrodeionization of biogas to form natural gas and carbon dioxide using a resin-wafer deionization (RW-EDI) system. The method may be further modified to include a wastewater treatment system and can include a chemical conditioning/dewatering system after the anaerobic digestion system. The RW-EDI system, which includes a cathode and an anode, can either comprise at least one pair of wafers, each a basic and acidic wafer, or at least one wafer comprising of a basic portion and an acidic portion. A final embodiment of the RW-EDI system can include only one basic wafer for creating natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Seth W. Snyder, YuPo Lin, Meltem Urgun-Demirtas
  • Patent number: 8652315
    Abstract: Method for the removal of ions and ionizable substances from a polar liquid (10) comprising at least one process wherein said polar liquid (10) is split into a first stream (F1) and a second stream (F2), Said first stream (F1) passing through an electrochemically regenerable ion-exchange material (2) located where an electric field between two electrodes (4, 5) is applied, said first stream (F1) flowing from one electrode (4) to the other electrode (5) so that the ions to be removed are migrating in the direction reverse to the first stream flow through said ion-exchange material (2), Said second stream (F2) rinsing said one electrode (4), and said material is regenerated by the ions which are formed at the other electrode (5). Device in particular for the implementation of said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Andrej Grabowski
  • Patent number: 8628653
    Abstract: An electrodeionization apparatus has a cathode and an anode, and has alternately formed therebetween concentrating chambers and desalination chambers by alternately arranging a plurality of anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes, each of the concentrating chambers being provided with a bipolar membrane to partition the interior of the concentrating chamber into a cathode side and an anode side, and each of the desalination chambers being divided into at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, from an upstream side in a direction of flow of water to be treated, and being filled with an ion exchanger comprising an anion exchanger and a cation exchanger. The ion exchanger filling the first layer contains no less than 50 vol % of the cation exchanger, while the ion exchanger filling the second layer contains over 50 vol % to 80 vol % of the anion exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kaku, Masanobu Osawa
  • Patent number: 8580096
    Abstract: A method for producing succinic acid is provided, which comprises circulating a fermentation broth containing succinate ion through an electrodeionization apparatus. The apparatus comprises an anode; a cathode; a stacked ion-exchange assembly comprising a one or more oriented ion-exchange units between the anode and the cathode. Each ion-exchange unit comprises a porous ion-exchange resin wafer including an inlet and an outlet together are adapted to circulate a liquid reaction stream containing a carboxylate anion from a fermentor through the resin wafer; a flow-distributing gasket for circulating a product stream through a product reservoir; an anion exchange membrane for transporting at least a portion of the carboxylate anion to the product stream; and a bipolar ion-exchange membrane to direct protons toward the cathode and into the product stream and to direct hydroxyl ions toward the anode and into the reaction stream in the resin wafer of an adjacent ion-exchange unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Uchicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. St. Martin, YuPo J. Lin
  • Patent number: 8529759
    Abstract: An electric deionized water production apparatus in which a direct current field is applied to a deionizing chamber packed with an ion-exchange material such that ions to be discharged are allowed to migrate in the direction identical or opposite to the direction of the water flow in the ion-exchange material, whereby ionic impurities adsorbed in the ion-exchange material are discharged from the system, the ion-exchange material being a mixture of a monolith-shaped organic porous ion-exchange material and ion-exchange resin particles. The electric deionized water production apparatus has a simple structure that can reduce material cost, process cost, and assembly cost, capable of accelerating migration of the adsorbed ionic impurities to facilitate discharge of the adsorbed ions and free from a deflected flow due to swelling or shrinkage accompanying an ion-exchanging reaction, and from poor contact with an ion-exchange membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Organo Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tajima, Koji Yamanaka, Hiroshi Inoue, Akira Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8524059
    Abstract: A pH adjusting apparatus includes an electrolytic chip receiving a solution, an electrolytic chip loading station receiving the electrolytic chip, an input unit inputting electrolysis conditions, a control unit receiving the electrolysis conditions and controlling electrolysis performed in the electrolytic chip, and a display unit displaying the electrolysis conditions and a progress of the electrolysis. Thus, the pH of a solution can be adjusted easily and accurately, by precisely controlling a constant current, a constant voltage, and current and voltage application times, thereby enabling useful application in various biological assays such as cell lysis. Furthermore, the pH adjusting apparatus has small size and weight and can be operated for a long time after charging once due to low power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun joo Lee, Jin tae Kim, Sung-young Jeong, Joon-ho Kim, Hee-kyun Lim
  • Patent number: 8507229
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated method and system for the simultaneous production of biodiesel from free fatty acids (via esterification) and from triglycerides (via transesterification) within the same reaction chamber. More specifically, one preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a method and system for the production of biodiesel using an electrodeionization stack, wherein an ion exchange resin matrix acts as a heterogeneous catalyst for simultaneous esterification and transesterification reactions between a feedstock and a lower alcohol to produce biodiesel, wherein the feedstock contains significant levels of free fatty acid. In addition, because of the use of a heterogeneous catalyst, the glycerol and biodiesel have much lower salt concentrations than raw biodiesel produced by conventional transesterification processes. The present invention makes it much easier to purify glycerol and biodiesel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: YuPo J. Lin, Edward J. St. Martin
  • Patent number: 8496797
    Abstract: Electrodeionization methods and apparatus wherein ion exchange membranes are not utilized. Instead, ion exchange materials such as beads, fibers, etc., are disposed in alternating layers of anion exchange (AIX) materials and cation exchange (CIX) materials between opposite polarity electrodes. In a regeneration stage, a current is applied across the electrodes with water splitting occurring along at least one of the interfacial areas between neighboring AIX and CIX materials. The H+ and OH? ions formed via water splitting migrate in response to the electrical current and displace the salt ions in the respective AIX and CIX. The stack is flushed during the regeneration stage to remove the concentrated salt solution. During a deionization phase, the electrical current is terminated with influent fed to the stack for deionization. The salt ions in the influent are depleted via ion exchange as the influent contacts the AIX and CIX.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John H. Barber
  • Publication number: 20130081946
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the deionization of liquids through the use of electrodeionization methods and apparatuses. The apparatuses may be configured to minimize the fouling of the electrode chambers and to provide continuous regeneration of the ion exchange materials. The apparatuses may be configured according to the desired levels of deionization for anions, cations, or both. Finally, methods are presented for various uses of the apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: John M. Riviello
  • Patent number: 8377279
    Abstract: A treatment system provides treated or softened water to a point of use by removing at least a portion of any undesirable species contained in water from a water source. The treatment system can be operated to reduce the likelihood of formation of any scale that can be generated during normal operation of an electrochemical device. The formation of scale in the treatment system, including its wetted components, may be inhibited by reversing or substituting the flowing liquid having hardness-causing species with another liquid having a low tendency to produce scale, such as a low LSI water. Various arrangements of components in the treatment system can be flushed by directing the valves and the pumps of the system to displace liquid having hardness-causing species with a liquid that has little or no tendency to form scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil D. Jha, Frederick Wilkins, Evgeniya Freydina, Aytac Sezgi, Reshma Madhusudan
  • Patent number: 8349523
    Abstract: To provide an electrolyte membrane having excellent dimensional stability even upon absorption of water, a high proton conductance and high power generation performance; and a process for producing the electrolyte membrane with a high productivity. An electrolyte membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is made mainly of an ion exchange resin and reinforced with a nonwoven fabric made of fiber of a fluororesin wherein at least some of intersecting points of the fiber are fixed, and which has, as the outermost layer on one side or each side, a layer not reinforced, made of an ion exchange resin which may be the same as or different from the above ion exchange resin, wherein the fluororesin is an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer having a melting point of at most 240° C., and the above fixing is fixing by fusion of the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Seigo Kotera, Hiroyuki Watabe, Shigeru Aida
  • Patent number: 8142633
    Abstract: A treatment system and method for continuous deionization of a biologically derived feed stream includes a plurality of electrodialysis units (3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) arranged in stages along a treatment line, and stages are controlled such that the feed stream attains a certain quality before entering the next stage. The feed and concentrate streams move in generally opposite sense along the line, matching fluid characteristics of dilute and concentrate cells. The treatment line has two or more stages. Systems may have phased staging operations, and cell constructions may adapt the electrodialysis units for enhanced processing of difficult process fluids. A controller sets operating potentials in different electrical stages, and simple control parameters optimize ion removal and current efficiency without polarization of the fluid. The invention also includes phased staging of reversal operation, and cell constructions or fillings that adapt the treatment cells for enhanced processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: GE Ionics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Batchelder, Li Zhang, William W. Carson
  • Patent number: 8114260
    Abstract: A water treatment system provides treated or softened water to a point of use by removing a portion of any hardness-causing species contained in water from a point-of-entry coming from a water source, such as municipal water, well water, brackish water and water containing foulants. The water treatment system typically treats the water containing at least some undesirable species before delivering the treated water to a point of use. The water treatment system has a controller for adjusting or regulating at least one operating parameter of the treatment system or a component of the water treatment system to optimize the operation and performance of the system or components of the system. A flow regulator regulates a waste stream flow to drain and can be operated to recirculate fluid through electrode or concentrating compartments of an electrochemical device and can opened and closed intermittently according to a predetermined schedule or based on an operating parameter of the water treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick C. Wilkins, Evgeniya Freydina, Aytac Sezgi, Reshma Madhusudan, Anil Jha
  • Patent number: 7977395
    Abstract: An electrically and ionically conductive porous material including a thermoplastic binder and one or more of anion exchange moieties or cation exchange moieties or mixtures thereof and/or one or more of a protein capture resin and an electrically conductive material. The thermoplastic binder immobilizes the moieties with respect to each other but does not substantially coat the moieties and forms the electrically conductive porous material. A wafer of the material and a method of making the material and wafer are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: YuPo J. Lin, Michael P. Henry, Seth W. Snyder
  • Patent number: 7927478
    Abstract: A spiral wound module for the electrochemical desalination of aqueous salt-containing solutions, whose feeds for solution to be desalinated and whose discharge for desalinated water are mounted on side walls of the dilution chamber of the module, permits an axial instead of tangential flow in the dilution chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: P & LS Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Menzel, Swen Beusshausen, Denis Stöcklin
  • Patent number: 7862700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing purified water. Treated water may be provided for domestic use wherein the water may be treated by removing selected dissolved species while retaining properties that may improve the properties or aesthetics of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Water Technologies Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Frederick Wilkins, Evgeniya Freydina, Aytac Sezgi, Reshma Madhusudan, Anil D. Jha
  • Patent number: 7820024
    Abstract: The disclosed techniques involve electrical separation systems that allow recovery of species from feedstreams, typically aqueous solutions. The disclosed techniques can also provide electrical separation systems having reduced tendency to form scale especially when water is being purified to reduce the concentration of hardness-causing species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Water Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Evgeniya Freydina
  • Patent number: 7807032
    Abstract: A process is provided for separating, concentrating and recovery of boron compound from aqueous solution containing boron, strongly dissociated anions and some cations. The process specifically integrates electrodialysis with ion exchange to selectively separate boron from aqueous solution that contains a wide concentration range of boron, strongly ionised anions such as chloride, nitrate and sulfate, and cations like lithium. The process is adapted for controlling boron concentration in an industrial process, for the recovery or purification of boron and some cations like lithium form aqueous solutions, and for wastewater treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Vattenfall AB
    Inventors: Jinying Yan, Anna Velin, Bernt Bengtsson
  • Patent number: 7744760
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying water are provided. A feed water such as seawater can be fed to a filter such as a nanofiltration membrane to produce a permeate that can, in turn, be fed to an electrodeionization system to produce fresh water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Water Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Frederick C. Wilkins, Anil D. Jha, Gary C. Ganzi
  • Patent number: 7705061
    Abstract: This invention presents an ion exchange media including a plurality of cation exchange zones and anion exchange zones in flow paths that are contained in a substantially nonporous resin transport framework. During electrodeionization and other potential applications the ion exchange media of the invention prevents unfavorable water splitting at resin-membrane interfaces and encourages water splitting at resin-resin interfaces where the water splitting may be constructively used to regenerate the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Aquatech International Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Chidambaran, Pavan Raina, Devesh Sharma, Narendra Singh Bisht
  • Patent number: 7704749
    Abstract: An electrolytic method is provided for purifying an aqueous stream, including at least one contaminant ion. In one embodiment, the eluent stream flows through a purifying flow channel, including ion exchange bed, an electric field is applied through the flowing eluent stream in the purifying flow channel, and the contaminant ion is removed from the eluent stream. In another embodiment, no electric field is applied and the ion exchange bed is periodically regenerated. Two beds may be used with one bed on line while the other bed is regenerated followed by a reversal of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Dionex Corporation
    Inventors: Kannan Srinivasan, Nebojsa Avdalovic
  • Publication number: 20100089756
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying water are provided. A feed water such as seawater can be fed to a filter such as a microporous or nanofiltration membrane to produce a permeate that can, in turn, be fed to an electrodeionization system to produce fresh water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS WATER TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Frederick C. Wilkins, Anil Jha, Gary C. Ganzi
  • Patent number: 7691246
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system comprises a filter and at least one electrodeionization (EDI) unit for chemical recovery. The filter is adapted to receive a fluid and to remove a selected chemical element or contaminant from the fluid. The EDI unit is coupled to the filter and adapted to recover a chemical element from the fluid and to separate the recovered chemical element from the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Exergy Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Fred P. Reinhard
  • Patent number: 7658828
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods, systems, and devices for electrically purifying liquids containing species such as minerals, salts, ions, organics, and the like. One aspect of the invention provides methods of regenerating media within an electrical purification device, for example, exposing the media to one or more eluting solutions, and/or selectively desorbing ions, organics, and/or other species from the media by exposing the media to certain eluting conditions. In yet another aspect, methods of selectively removing one or more ions, organics, and/or other species from a liquid to be purified are provided, e.g., by selective removal of one or more ions, or organics, and the like from solution that can easily precipitate, and/or cause scaling or fouling to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Water Technologies Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Evgeniya Freydina, Aytac Sezgi