With Heater Or Heat Exchanger Patents (Class 210/175)
  • Patent number: 8338808
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultraviolet radiation lamp. The lamp comprises: (i) a substantially sealed cavity comprising a mercury-containing material; and (ii) a heating unit disposed exteriorly with respect to the cavity. The heating unit is disposed in contact with a first portion of the cavity comprising the mercury-containing material. The heating unit has adjustable heat output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Trojan Technologies
    Inventors: Jim Fraser, Michael Sasges
  • Patent number: 8329030
    Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes (i) blood tubing; (ii) a peristaltic blood pump contacting the blood tubing to pump blood through the blood tubing; (iii) a dialyzer in fluid communication with the blood tubing; (iv) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps; (v) a dialysate heater; (vi) a plurality of pinch valves; and (vii) a cassette including a rigid structure, a heating portion, first and second dialysate pumping tubes, and a plurality of incoming tubes, the rigid structure when the cassette is mounted for operation orienting (a) the heating portion adjacent to the dialysate heater so that dialysate can be heated by the dialysate heater, (b) the first and second dialysate pumping tubes adjacent to the first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps, and (c) the plurality of incoming tubes adjacent to the plurality of pinch valves to enable the tubes to be individually closed by the pinch valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Thomas D. Kelly, Rodolfo Roger
  • Patent number: 8323491
    Abstract: A desalination plant, includes a sea water intake, a desalination unit having a reverse osmosis or a thermal desalination unit, a fresh water outlet and a brine outlet. The plant also includes a salinity gradient power unit having a brine inlet, a seawater inlet and a mixed water outlet. The brine outlet is connected to the brine inlet and the salinity gradient power unit is arranged to generate an electrical current. A solar power heater is between the brine outlet and the brine inlet. A method for reducing the power consumption of a desalination plant providing fresh water and brine from sea water, includes a first step of providing a salinity gradient power unit, a next step of feeding the salinity gradient power unit with brine from the desalination plant as high salinity feed and sea water as low salinity feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
    Inventor: Etienne Brauns
  • Patent number: 8318227
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing fat floating on hot soup. A thermally conducting plate 14 having a flat underside is cooled to a temperature below that at which the flat solidifies and lowered onto the floating fat to cause the fat to congeal and adhere to its underside. The plate 14 is then raised to remove the adhering fat from the soup, and the fat adhering to the underside is scraped off by dragging the underside across a straight edge 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Ilan Zadik Samson
  • Patent number: 8313650
    Abstract: A system for regulating a reverse osmosis system to obtain zero wastewater. A reverse osmosis apparatus filters water from the fresh water supply into a concentrate rinse stream and a permeate rinse stream. A concentrate storage tank and a permeate storage tank are downstream of the reverse osmosis apparatus and receive the concentrate rinse stream and the permeate rinse stream, respectively. A concentrate solenoid valve and a permeate solenoid valve control the flow of the concentrate rinse stream and the permeate rinse stream from their respective storage tank. An institutional dishmachine receives the concentrate rinse stream and the permeate rinse stream during a rinse cycle of the institutional dishmachine. A control system is operatively connected to the concentrate solenoid valve and the permeate solenoid valve and control flow of the rinse streams into the institutional dishmachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Lee J. Monsrud, Adrian E. Hartz
  • Patent number: 8313643
    Abstract: A system and method for analyzing a biological substance, the device comprising: a specimen input device; at least one pumping device in flow communication with a chemical reservoir and said specimen input device; and at least one flow cell in flow communication with said at least one pumping device via at least one flow valve, wherein said at least one flow cell is configured to contain said specimen and includes a sensing device configured to sense at least one characteristic of said specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Inventor: David Baltimore
  • Publication number: 20120279927
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided solar water pasteurizers that are portable, efficient, inexpensive and easy to use. In its simplest form, the solar pasteurizer includes a transparent container such as a bag or envelope that contains at least one energy converting structure and has sufficient insulation to enable heating water to a temperature of at least 65° C. (and preferably to a temperature of at least 70° C.) for a time sufficient to achieve pasteurization (at 65-70° C., a period of only about 6 minutes is required for pasteurization). Invention solar pasteurizers are particularly useful for pasteurizing water. In additional embodiments, invention solar pasteurizers include additional features, such as, for example, a water pasteurization indicator, and a receptacle for retaining same within the invention container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventor: Frank D. Husson, JR.
  • Patent number: 8303810
    Abstract: A device for concentrating ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from lignocellulose is equipped with a water separation membrane, an ethanol water solution storing unit and a depressurizing container provided so as to sandwich the water separation membrane, a dry gas cylinder for supplying dry gas to an ethanol vapor residing unit above the ethanol water solution storing unit, a pump for sucking in the interior of the ethanol vapor residing unit, and a cold trap for collecting the concentrated ethanol by condensing the ethanol vapor sucked in by the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kagawa, Pu Qian, Akihisa Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120273429
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plant for separating grinding slurry originating from grinding machines into metal chips and grinding oil. According to the invention, a carrier bowl (3) in a frame (1) is filled with a divided volume of the grinding slurry (10). The carrier bowl (3) has a perforated plate (4) having an edge (5) as a floor and a sieve-like intermediate floor (8). By means of a lifting device (2), the carrier bowl (3) is moved to the effective region of an inductor plate (9) serving as a heater. The induction heat heats the ferromagnetic steel or iron particles present in the grinding slurry (10). Said heating effects a reduction in viscosity of the grinding oil in the grinding slurry (10), from which substantial portions flow downward through the openings (6) or (7). In certain cases, the effect can be improved by placing a steel plate on the free surface (16) of the grinding slurry layer (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventor: Erwin Junker
  • Patent number: 8298412
    Abstract: A cross-corrugated structure packing module is provided for use in mass transfer or heat exchange columns and has particular applicability in severe service applications in which fouling, coking, and erosion are of concern. The structured packing module has a plurality of upright, parallel-extending, corrugated plates. Spacer elements are used to maintain the corrugations of adjacent plates in spaced apart relationship to reduce the opportunity for solids to accumulate on the surfaces of the plates. The plates are also free of apertures or surface treatments that would increase the opportunity for solids to accumulate on the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Koch-Glitsch, LP
    Inventors: Izak Nieuwoudt, Michael James Lockett
  • Patent number: 8298424
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an anaerobic digester configured to include input reactors into which livestock wastewater or food waste (hereinafter, ‘inflow’) is introduced; regions of an anaerobic digestion reactor designed for the inflow passing through an input reactor to perform methane fermentation to produce and transfer biogas simultaneously into the next region; an inlet pipe into which sludge liquid is drawn; an inlet pipe into which activated liquid is drawn; a biogas capturing device; a first heat exchange tube to allow the sludge liquid to perform heat exchange with a new inflow; regions of a subsequent treatment reactor to allow the sludge liquid whose heat exchange is completed to be introduced and to treat gas odor components generated from the sludge liquid; and a liquid-composting reactor in which the emitted sludge whose odor components have been removed is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventors: Sang Bum Lee, Ke Ho Lee
  • Publication number: 20120267297
    Abstract: A process for purification of fluids, for example, desalination of seawater or brackish water, using organic solutes in a concentrated water solution for use in a forward osmosis process, to extract fresh water out of salt water through the forward osmosis membrane, and subsequently separating the organic solutes out of the diluted forward osmosis permeate by cloud point extraction, thereby regenerating a concentrated organic solution for recycling to the forward osmosis process, and fresh water for potable water use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: QUANTUMSPHERE, INC.
    Inventor: Subramanian Iyer
  • Patent number: 8293114
    Abstract: A method for exchanging heat between an effluent fluid and a blood fluid and a heat exchanger for heat exchange. The heat exchanger comprises a first and a second fluid circuit extending through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger further comprises a stack of fluid plates and a membrane arranged between each of the fluid plates where one interspace is formed between each fluid plate and membrane. The first and the second fluid circuit is each constituted by a passage extending through the fluid plates and membranes and along the fluid plates and membranes in at least two interspaces According to the method for heat exchanging an effluent fluid is passed through the first fluid circuit and a blood fluid is passed through the second fluid circuit such that the effluent fluid is passed along one side of a membrane and simultaneously the blood fluid is passed along the other side of the membrane. Heat is thus exchanged between the effluent fluid and the blood fluid over the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Lennart Jönsson, Jan Sternby, Eddie Nilsson
  • Patent number: 8293113
    Abstract: A method for exchanging heat between an effluent fluid and a treatment fluid and a heat exchanger for heat exchange as well as an arrangement and a kit comprising a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a first and a second fluid circuit extending through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger further comprises a stack of fluid plates and a membrane arranged between each of the fluid plates where one interspace is formed between each fluid plate and membrane. The first and the second fluid circuit is each constituted by a passage extending through the fluid plates and membranes and along the fluid plates and membranes in at least two interspaces. According to the method for heat exchanging an effluent fluid is passed through the first fluid circuit and a treatment fluid is passed through the second fluid circuit such that the effluent fluid is passed along one side of a membrane and simultaneously the treatment fluid is passed along the other side of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Lennart Jönsson, Jan Sternby, Eddie Nilsson
  • Patent number: 8287735
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for the purification of a liquid by membrane distillation comprising: passing a heated vapourising stream of a liquid (retentate stream) through a retentate channel along a porous hydrophobic membrane (10), whereby vapour of the liquid flows via the pores of the membrane to the other side of said membrane, and condensing said vapour on the other side of said membrane to give a distillate stream in a distillate channel (5) which distillate is created by passing the heat of condensation (latent heat) towards a condenser surface (3), said condenser surface forming a non-porous separation between a feed stream of the liquid to be purified and said distillate stream, which feed stream is passed through a feed channel (2) in counter-current with the retentate stream, in which feed channel a space material (4) is arranged whereby at least part of the latent heat is transferred via the condenser surface to the feed stream, and whereby a positive liquid pressure difference is applied be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Jan Hendrik Hanemaaijer, Albert Edward Jansen, Jolanda Van Medevoort, Hans De Jong, Eric Van Sonsbeek, Engelbert Peter Jurrie Jan Koele, Jan Willem Assink
  • Patent number: 8282837
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method of destruction of volatile organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater, this method includes following stages: stripping the aforementioned volatile compounds in a stripping-chemisorption column; preliminary heating the gaseous medium containing these volatile compounds in a first heat regenerator; thermal, flare or thermo-catalytic oxidation of the volatile compounds in circulating gaseous medium; cooling the gaseous medium in a second heat regenerator; chemisorption of acidic gases from the gaseous medium in the stripping-chemisorption column with stripping at the same time additional amount of the volatile compounds from the wastewater. After specific period, direction of the gaseous medium flow is alternated. The proposed method can be executed at elevated temperature. The invention includes as well systems realizing the proposed method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Elcon Recycling Center (2003) Ltd.
    Inventor: Alexander Levin
  • Patent number: 8282820
    Abstract: A water dispenser in a refrigerator door can include a filter casing in the door opening into the bottom of the dispenser housing. The filter casing can include a top wall positioned in the bottom of the dispenser housing, a head assembly at the bottom of the filter casing connected to the water supply and to a water outlet in the dispenser, and can include a filter casing drain. A filter cartridge in the filter casing can connect to the head assembly. The filter casing can include a filter retainer mounted adjacent the opening into the filter casing and can hold the filter cartridge connected to the head assembly in a first position and can release the filter cartridge in a second position. The filter casing can include a drain line leading from the filter casing drain to a pan outside the refrigerated space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Timothy T. Murphy, Michael A. Kahwaji, Paul B. Allard, Guolian Wu, Claiton E. Amaral, Marcos Heinzle
  • Publication number: 20120248017
    Abstract: A dialysis system including a housing, a dialysate pump disposed in the housing, and a dialysate line configured to be operatively connected to the dialysate pump such that the dialysate pump can pump dialysate through the dialysate line when the dialysate line is in fluid communication with a dialysate source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Beiriger, Robert Dale Parks, Ryan Christopher Kaintz
  • Patent number: 8277662
    Abstract: It is intended to effectively suppress corrosion of a feed-water supply pipe in a preheater, by means of recirculation of boiler water to feed-water to be supplied to a steam boiler, even if a concentration of an alkaline component of the feed-water is relatively high. An alkali metal hydroxide is added from an agent-adding unit (14) to feed-water after removing therefrom a water hardness component in a water-softener unit (15) using a cation exchange resin and then removing therefrom dissolved gas in a degasifier unit (16). Then, the feed-water is supplied to a steam boiler 20 via a feed-water supply line 13 while being heated by a preheater (41). A part of boiler water having a pH value increased along with an increase in concentration of the alkali metal hydroxide resulting from enrichment thereof in the steam boiler (20) is mixed with the feed-water via a recirculation line (38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Miura Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20120241388
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide a black water treatment system for a flow of black water. The black water treatment system may include one or more non-vacuum flash drums and a scrub-cooler. The scrub-cooler may include a water pathway with a nitrogen tube and a flow of nitrogen therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Vijayalakshmi Shah
  • Publication number: 20120238777
    Abstract: A method is provided for concentrating a material solution using at least two consecutive membrane separating stages, each stage for separating the material solution into a retentate and a permeate. The cut-off of the membranes used in the separating stages is higher than that of the membrane used in the previous stage. The retentate of each separating stage, with the exception of the last stage, is fed to the following separating stage as a feed, and the permeate from at least one separating stage is fed back to a preceding separating stage and introduced into the feed thereof. The fed-back permeate has a concentration and viscosity that substantially corresponds to the concentration and viscosity of the preceding separating stage into which the permeate is introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT WIEN
    Inventors: Michael Harasek, Saeed Gul
  • Publication number: 20120222999
    Abstract: A water purifier includes a filter part to filter water, a storage part to store the water filtered by the filter part, and a separation unit to partition a space within the storage part into a plurality of spaces. A contact part is disposed between an inner surface of the storage part and the separation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Younghoon Ha, Kobong Choi, Jonghun Park, Ho Seon Choi, Joonho Jang, Sangho Kim, Kang Hyun Lee, KyuSeong Choi, Je Wook Jeon
  • Patent number: 8252120
    Abstract: The invention relates to a washing apparatus, including a First Region (1) to which a wash material (4) is supplied, a Second Region (2), in which the wash material (4) is washed, and a Third Region (3), in which the wash material (4) is melted and a flow resistance (6), which is provided between the Second Region (2) and the Third Region (3), a purification apparatus, a synthesis device, a method for purifying a wash material, and the use of a washing apparatus or a purification apparatus for purifying and then using the target product obtained by the purification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Evonik Stockhausen GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Nordhoff, Torsten Balduf, Joachim Deinken, Joachim Pohlisch, Axel Hengstermann
  • Publication number: 20120211423
    Abstract: A draw solute for forward osmosis may include a copolymer including a first structural unit where a temperature-sensitive side chain is graft polymerized, and a second structural unit including a hydrophilic functional group. The temperature-sensitive side chain may include a structural unit for a side chain including a temperature-sensitive moiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Eun Kim, Bo-Kyung Jung, Jung-Im Han, Hyo Kang, Hyo-Rang Kang, Sung-Soo Han
  • Patent number: 8246789
    Abstract: A treatment system for a watery material that includes: a dewatering tank in which liquefied matter of a material that is gaseous at a normal temperature and a normal pressure is contacted with the watery material and the watery material is separated into the resultant watery material and a liquid phase that contains an aqueous component from the watery material; an evaporator that vaporizes the material that is gaseous at a normal temperature and a normal pressure from the liquid phase; a separator that separates a gas of the material thus vaporized from effluent water; a condenser that condenses the gas into liquefied matter, two or more external heat sources selected from atmosphere, sewage, warm effluent water, and ground water; an external heat temperature detector that detects temperatures of external heats of the external heat sources; and an external heat supply destination controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tsukishima Kikai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kanda, Hisao Makino, Mayumi Morita, Keizo Takegami, Akio Yoshikoshi, Masazumi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120197174
    Abstract: An extracorporeal filtration and detoxification system and method generally comprise separating ultrafiltrate from cellular components of blood, treating the ultrafiltrate independently of the cellular components in a recirculation circuit, recombining treated ultrafiltrate and the cellular components, and returning whole blood to the patient. A recirculation circuit generally comprises an active cartridge including active cells operative to effectuate a selected treatment; in some embodiments, the active cells are the C3A cell line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: John D. Brotherton, Dar He
  • Patent number: 8221633
    Abstract: A fuel system comprising a liquid fuel tank, an engine, and a cyclonic separator having an inlet fluidically connected to the fuel tank, a first outlet fluidically connected to an engine fuel feed system, and a second outlet. The cyclonic separator is adapted to discharge relatively denser material from the first outlet and relatively less dense material from the second outlet. The fuel system may be used to remove water or ice from the fuel tank by separating the liquid fuel in the tank into water rich fuel and purified fuel using the cyclonic separator. The water rich fuel is discharged to the engine where the water is burnt off with the fuel. The cyclonic separator may be retrofit in an existing fuel system. The fuel system may be in an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventor: Joseph K-W Lam
  • Patent number: 8221628
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a liquid processing system. In the liquid processing system, a first liquid source transmits feed liquid to a heat exchange unit while a heat generation unit transmits warm coolant to the heat exchange unit. A heat generation unit warms the feed liquid while cooling the warm coolant. The warmed feed liquid is sent to a pump, and cooled feed liquid from a second liquid source is mixed with the warmed feed liquid as necessary until a target temperature is reached. The warmed feed liquid is sent to a reverse osmosis unit for filtering and the resulting permeate is sent to the liquid utilization unit. The cooled coolant is sent from the heat exchange unit to the storage tank and if the cooled coolant is not cool enough, it is sent to a cooling tower for further cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Goodfellow
  • Patent number: 8221626
    Abstract: A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SEaB Energy Holdings Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicolas W. Sassow
  • Patent number: 8216458
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a device for dewatering a hydraulic fluid of a hydraulic system, in particular in the aerospace sector, comprising a container which has a sorbent, a feed which supplies the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system to the container for the hydraulic fluid to be passed through the sorbent such that it can be dewatered in a dewatering mode of the device, and a return which returns the dewatered hydraulic fluid from the container to the hydraulic system in the dewatering mode of the device. The hydraulic fluid can be dewatered continuously and very efficiently by the method and the device according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Scheel, Ralf Pohlmann, Wolfgang Erdmann
  • Patent number: 8211314
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes using the naturally present dissolved chemicals as precipitants from local water sources to form an adsorbent and a process of purifying the water using natural resources. The adsorbent may be processed at the right pH and temperature to purify and remove heavy metals from waste water. Once the heavy metals are removed the concentration of the heavy metals are estimated in the reusable water. The local authority acceptable level heavy metal containing reusable water is reclaimed for non-human consumption. This disclosure enables to conserve water and provide a cheap and an effective method to decontaminate industrial waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology “KACST”
    Inventor: Saad A Al-Jlil
  • Publication number: 20120160753
    Abstract: A desalination plant for treating a sea water or brackish water feed is provided. The desalination plant includes a first treatment section to effectively remove scaling species, the first treatment section including nanofiltration section, the nanofiltration section including at least two stages and at least two passes; and a reverse osmosis section that operates at high recovery to produce a purified permeate stream and a selectively NaCl salt-enriched reject stream as a saline output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Nishith Vora, Irving David Elyanow, Robert Lee Solomon, John Herbert, Lanny D. Weimer
  • Publication number: 20120152546
    Abstract: A system for treating produced water, for example from a SAGD bitumen production operation, has a treatment unit using chemical oxidation (CO) or electromagnetic treatment (ET) to destroy or degrade organics in the produced water. The treatment module may use CO or ET in combination with biological treatment or sorption processes or both. When the treatment module is used upstream of a steam generator, it reduces fouling in the steam generator and in any blowdown water treatment device. A brine concentrator or a crystallizer may be used to treat the blowdown water. The treatment module may be used in combination with a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter. Optionally, the produced water may be treated with an ET process such as microwaves directly upstream of a steam generator or upstream of a concentrator or crystallizer in a blowdown water stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Brian Christopher Moore, Vasile Bogdan Neculaes, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
  • Publication number: 20120152861
    Abstract: A multi-stage method of reducing solids and contaminants from liquid waste and other suitable streams without the use of chemical flocculants or polymers is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Jay Vanier, Rick Simmons, Bryan Thibodeaux
  • Patent number: 8202721
    Abstract: A waste material processing system includes a closed container for holding waste material having a first passage in which the waste material flows in a first direction, the first passage having first and second ends, the first end including an inlet for waste material, a second passage in which the waste material flows in a direction opposite the first direction, the second passage having first and second ends, the second end including an outlet. The first passage is separated from the second passage by a divider, the second end of the first passage being adjacent the first end of the second passage, and the first end of the first passage being adjacent the second end of the second passage. A heating device is positioned in the first passage and/or the second passage to heat the waste material with a gas and to induce the waste material to move in a corkscrew-like fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: DVO, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. Dvorak
  • Patent number: 8197689
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic zone to the aerobic zone or vice versa. The wastewater treatment system is configured to accept heat from a heat engine to heat the wastewater. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and to facilitate nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone. In some cases, the wastewater is heated with a three phase fluidized bed heat exchanger having porous particulates in contact with heat exchange tubes, with bacteria coupled to an interior of the porous particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander Fassbender
  • Patent number: 8197693
    Abstract: Sea water is not suitable for human consumption. Naturally present dissolved chemicals in sea water make it inconsumable. The precipitants and dissolved chemicals need to be separated from water to make it consumable. A combination of aeration system, filtration system, crystallizer, hydrophobic membrane carrying filter and pressure retarded osmosis system are used in various combination to desalinate the sea water. Pressure retarded osmosis process is also used to produce pressurized diluted brine which is further decompressed to by the turbine and used by the generators to produce electricity. Various heat exchange apparatus are used for energy conservation and efficient processing of water in a feasible way. The disclosure enables to purify water and provide an economical means for producing electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: King Abdulazia City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventor: Saad A Al-Jlil
  • 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: 8192618
    Abstract: In the present invention, dialysis tubing is placed in a chamber, where an ultrasonic or a other mist producer is present. The ultrasonic mist producer will produce mist and small water droplets will be attached to the surface of dialysis membrane (sheet or tubing) and will condense and the water drops will fall back in the solution tank, where the ultrasonic probe produces the mist. When the droplet is attached to the membrane surface, the dialysis will take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Shuklla, Mukta Misra Shukla, Kavita M. Shukla
  • Publication number: 20120132576
    Abstract: A device for separating fuel components comprising a separating membrane for separating high-octane fuel components from un-separated fuel and a heat exchanger between first liquid passing through the heat exchanger and second liquid passing through the heat exchanger, is provided. The first liquid is un-separated fuel passing through the heat exchanger before being supplied to the separating membrane. The second liquid is low-octane fuel remaining when the high-octane fuel components are separated from the un-separated fuel, passing through the heat exchanger after changing to an almost liquid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Randall D. Partridge, George Walchuk, Kouseki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8187464
    Abstract: Water from underground and other sources is brackish and not suitable for human consumption. Naturally present dissolved chemicals in water make it brackish. The precipitants and dissolved chemicals need to be separated from water to make it consumable. A combination of aeration systems, filtration systems, crystallizers and hydrophobic membrane carrying filter are used to desalinate the brackish water. Pressure retarded osmosis process using an apparatus is also used to further purify water. Various heat exchange apparatus are used for energy conservation and efficient processing of water in a feasible way. The disclosure enables to purify water and provide a useful technology to eradicate water scarcity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology “KACST”
    Inventor: Saad A Al-Jlil
  • Patent number: 8182688
    Abstract: A biogas generator employs an anaerobic digestion process to convert organic waste material within a sealed reservoir to a biogas. A solar thermal panel connected to the reservoir heats a fluid traveling through a conduit, which is connected to a heat exchanger within the reservoir. The heated fluid travels through the heat exchanger and heats the waste material to facilitate the anaerobic digestion process. Solar cells produce electricity to operate one or more pumps that pump the heated fluid through the conduit, and pump the waste material and the generated biogas, into and out of the reservoir. A rotating lid structure has elongated agitators which extend into the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventor: Robert E. Simmons
  • Publication number: 20120118803
    Abstract: The present invention of manually operated continuous flow type concentrated solar drinking water disinfector improves the effectiveness and productivity of disinfection of drinking water for individual families or small communities, without using conventional fossil fuel derived heat or electricity or solar photovoltaic electricity, by clarifying the feed water with alum, aerating it manually, preheating it in solar water preheater and then while flowing as a thin stream exposing it directly to solar radiation without an intervening glass or plastic container material, with solar radiation incident on top side of pre-heater section and on top side of solar UV section intensified with mirrors and while the disinfector unit which is mounted on a trolley, is manually oriented towards the sun intermittently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESERARCH
    Inventors: Rajan Thimmannabhat Sodankur, Pushpito Kumar Ghosh, Sanatkumar Natvarlal Patel, Jitendrabhai Narsinbhai Bharadia
  • Patent number: 8163098
    Abstract: The disclosure features a method of performing a boil-out cleaning process in connection with a fryer. The fryer includes a vat, a vessel for receiving oil drained from the vat, the vessel movable from an under-unit position, an oil drain path leading from an outlet opening of the vat to the pan, and an oil return path from the vessel back to the vat. The oil return path includes a pump. A drain valve is located along the oil drain path. The drain valve is opened to drain oil from the vat into the vessel is opened. The drain valve is closed after draining the oil from the vat. A boil-out cleaning fluid is delivered to the vat and the boil-out cleaning fluid is heated. A boil-out drain path is provided with an inlet positioned for receiving boil-out fluid from the drain valve and an outlet positioned forward of a front of the fryer unit. A container is placed below the outlet of the boil-out drain path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred E. Mullaney, Jr., Paul Forrest, Charles Amoss
  • Publication number: 20120090467
    Abstract: The invention relates to a separation system comprising a flow inlet (16). The separation system comprises a swirl valve (100), arranged to receive and control the flux of a fluid flow via the flow inlet (16) and to generate a swirling flow, swirling about a central axis (11). The separation system further comprises a separation chamber (40) positioned downstream with respect of the swirl valve (100) to receive the swirling flow from the swirl valve (100), wherein the separation chamber (40) comprises a first and second flow outlet (41, 42). The first flow outlet (41) is positioned to receive an inner portion of the swirling flow and the second outlet (42) is positioned to receive an outer portion of the swirling flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: TWISTER B.V.
    Inventors: Marco Betting, Cornelis Antonie Tjeenk Willink
  • Publication number: 20120085094
    Abstract: A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and a method of cooling photovoltaic (PV) cells in the system is described herein. Energy from an excitation source such as the sun hits the PV cells in the PV-T system causing heating that reduces PV efficiency. The PV cells are cooled by fluid in an intact heat-transfer system making a heated water byproduct while the PV cells release a form of energy. In addition, the PV-T system can be implemented in a desalination plant to harvest energy and heat for desalination processes. The present invention also includes methods for transferring heat from PV cells to the earth to improve PV performance and reduce thermal shock to the PV cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Thomas A. Davis, Malynda A. Cappelle
  • Patent number: 8152995
    Abstract: Hot water pipes, in areas with hard water, tend to fill with scale until they no longer pass enough water. De-scaling water pipes with acid is dangerous, expensive and damages the pipes. Ion exchange and reverse osmosis water softeners eliminate scale buildup in pipes, but are expensive. Embodiments of this invention provide a means of keeping an amount of the scale precipitate, created when water is heated, inside a housing by passing the hot water through a removal medium where the scale sticks to the surface. The removal medium can be placed inside the water heater or in a separate housing connected to the water heater; both configurations remove the precipitate from hot water; both save hot water pipes from scale accumulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Steven Clay Moore
  • Patent number: 8147697
    Abstract: Water from underground and other sources of water are brackish and not suitable for human consumption. Naturally present dissolved chemicals in water make it brackish. The precipitants and dissolved chemicals need to be separated from water to make it consumable. A combination of aeration systems, filtration systems, crystallizers and hydrophobic membrane carrying filter are used to desalinate the brackish water. Solar energy and ceramic filters are used as add on to existing technology. Various heat exchange apparatus are used for energy conservation and efficient processing of water in a feasible way. The disclosure enables to purify water and provide a useful technology to eradicate water scarcity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventor: Saad A Al-Jlil
  • Patent number: 8147702
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes using the naturally present dissolved chemicals as precipitants from local water sources to form an adsorbent. The adsorbent may be collected and used at the right pH and temperature to purify and remove heavy metals from waste water. Once the heavy metals are removed the concentration of the heavy metals are estimated in the reusable water. The local authority acceptable level heavy metal containing reusable water is reclaimed for non-human consumption. This disclosure enables to conserve water and provide a cheap and an effective method to decontaminate industrial waste water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventor: Saad A Al-Jlil
  • Patent number: 8142650
    Abstract: A water treatment system comprises: an oil removal apparatus including a fixed-bed reactor configured to hold an adsorption particles by use of a magnetic unit, the adsorption particles each including a base material containing magnetite, the adsorption particles configured to adsorb oil included in to-be-treated water; a pretreatment apparatus configured to recover the oil from the adsorption particles sent from the oil removal apparatus; and a thermal energy generating apparatus configured to obtain thermal energy from the oil recovered by the pretreatment apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinobu Moniwa, Hidetake Shiire, Satomi Ebihara, Nobuyuki Ashikaga, Tomoaki Kiuchi