Synthetic Resin Patents (Class 210/654)
  • Patent number: 11549876
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining an amount of chemical input, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for determining the amount of a chemical to be added, which is necessary to achieve target water quality, wherein a required chemical concentration can be accurately calculated based on the temperature of the water and the target turbidity of the water includes an information-receiving unit configured to receive at least one of environmental information, chemical information, and water-quality information of the water present in a specific area and a chemical input determination unit configured to derive a multiple regression equation based on the received environmental information, chemical information, and water-quality information and to determine the future input of a chemical that is added to satisfy a target turbidity of the water present in the specific area based on the multiple regression equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seongjoon Kim, Jungwon Park, Youngkyu Lee
  • Patent number: 11198100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite semipermeable membrane including: a supporting membrane including a substrate and a porous supporting layer; and a separation functional layer disposed on the porous supporting layer, in which the separation functional layer includes: a crosslinked polyamide; and a hydrophilic polymer which is a polymer of a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and a surface of the separation functional layer has a ratio of the number of oxygen atoms to the number of nitrogen atoms (O/N ratio), both determined by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, of 1.5-10, and a standard deviation of the O/N ratio of 0.15 or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hamada, Jun Okabe, Takafumi Ogawa, Koji Nakatsuji, Masahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 11130094
    Abstract: The use of an amine of the formula (I) in which the R1 to R5 radicals are each as defined in the description, and an absorbent and a process for removing acidic gases from a fluid stream, especially for selectively removing hydrogen sulfide over carbon dioxide. The invention also relates to particular amines suitable for selective removal of hydrogen sulfide. Absorbents based on amines of the formula (I) have high selectivity, high loading capacity and good regeneration capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Thomas Ingram, Georg Sieder, Torsten Katz, Gerald Vorberg, Ralf Notz
  • Patent number: 10898857
    Abstract: The invention relates to membranes, membrane modules, and applications therefor. In particular, the invention relates to the construction of membranes for use in osmotically driven membrane processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: OASYS WATER LLC
    Inventors: Diego Amado-Torres, John Charest
  • Patent number: 10766005
    Abstract: Nanostructured polyelectrolyte bilayers deposited by Layer-by-Layer deposition on nanoporous membranes can be selectively crosslinked to modify the polyelectrolyte charge density and control ionic selectivity independent of ionic conductivity. For example, the polyelectrolyte bilayer can comprise a cationic polymer layer, such as poly(ethyleneimine), and an anionic polymer layer, such as poly(acrylic acid). Increasing the number of bilayers increases the cation selectivity when the poly(ethyleneimine) layer is crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. Crosslinking the membranes also increases the chemical and mechanical strength of the polyelectrolyte films. This controllable and inexpensive method can be used to create ion-selective and mechanically robust membranes on porous supports for a wide range of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Leo J. Small, Stephen Percival, Erik David Spoerke
  • Patent number: 10696025
    Abstract: A structure, and methods of making the structure are provided in which the structure can include: a membrane having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer comprising polymer chains formed with coordination complexes with metal ions, and the second layer consisting of a porous support layer formed of polymer chains substantially, if not completely, lacking the presence of metal ions. The structure can be an asymmetric polymeric membrane containing a metal-rich layer as the first layer. In various embodiments the first layer can be a metal-rich dense layer. The first layer can include pores. The polymer chains of the first layer can be closely packed. The second layer can include a plurality of macro voids and can have an absence of the metal ions of the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Klaus-Viktor Peinemann, Luis Francisco Villalobos Vazquez de la Parra
  • Patent number: 10525422
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin film composite forward osmosis membrane with a polyethylene porous support, and a thin film composite forward osmosis membrane which is low cost, has excellent durability and chemical resistance, and outstanding performance (water flux and specific salt flux) may be provided in the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Development
    Inventors: Jung-hyun Lee, Sang Hee Park, Soon Jin Kwon
  • Patent number: 10384171
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a complete process for preparation of high flux and salt rejection thin film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane including process for preparation of support membrane for thin film, process for thin film coating of support membrane by in-situ interfacial polymerization between diamines and trimesoyl chloride, machine design, chemistry and details of process (engineering+chemistry+ambient) parameter at 1×100 sqm scale upgradeable to a scale even 10-20 times higher. The produced membrane is characterized by 96% salt rejection and 48 LM-2H 1 flux with 2000 ppm sodium chloride solution at 250 psi pressure and 95% salt rejection and 46 LM2H 1 flux with 35000 ppm sodium chloride solution at 900 psi pressure. The present invention also relates to complete machine design for PSF ultrafiltration membrane casting and coating for TFC membrane production at commercial level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
    Inventors: Alamuru Venkata Rami Reddy, Saha Nirmal Kumar, Jewrajka Suresh Kumar, Jitendra Jaydevprasad Trivedi, Paramita Ray, Nagendra Pathak, Gaurang Shambuprasad Trivedi, Temubha Bhupatsinh Gohil, Rahul Shubhash Patil
  • Patent number: 10258935
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-flux polyamide composite membrane, which includes a composite membrane body, wherein the composite membrane body includes a non-woven fabric, a porous supporting layer and a polyamide layer which are successively arranged; and the polyamide layer is prepared by a polyamine solution and a poly-acyl chloride solution through an interface polymerization reaction, wherein the polyamine solution contains amino acid. The amino acid adopted in the technical solution of the present invention can be used as an end-capping reagent to react with acyl chloride groups, thereby regulating a polyamide layer structure, decreasing a cross-linking degree of the polyamide layer, and opening a channel for the passing of water molecules; and moreover, the hydrophilic performance of a membrane surface can also be improved, and a water flux is increased while a high interception rate is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HUNAN OVAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Peng, Hongwei Lu, Qunhui Hu, Hui Yu, Pan He, Jin Wang, Dan Liu, Chunqing Wang, Pengjun Liu
  • Patent number: 10011692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hollow fiber (HF) module having fibers modified with a thin film composite (TFC) layer comprising aquaporin water channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Aquaporin A/S
    Inventors: Jörg Vogel, Jesper S. Groth, Kent Høier Nielsen, Oliver Geschke
  • Patent number: 10005887
    Abstract: The present invention relates a mobile electronic device comprising at least one part made of a polymer composition comprising for more than 80% by weight (% wt.) relative to the total weight of the composition (C) of an aromatic polysulfone polymer comprising a residual chlorine content in an amount of less than 25 ?eq/g polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC
    Inventors: Atul Bhatnagar, Hong Chen, Theodore Moore
  • Patent number: 9700848
    Abstract: A composite membrane comprising: a) a porous support; b) a gutter layer, a portion of which is present within the support and a portion of which is outside of the support; and c) a discriminating layer on the gutter layer; wherein: (i) the portion of the gutter layer outside of the support has an average thickness (GLe) of 10 nm to 900 nm; and (ii) the portion of the gutter layer present within the support has an average thickness (GLi) of 10% to 350% of GLe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.V.
    Inventors: Takeshi Umehara, Shigehide Itoh, Petrus Van Kessel, Yujiro Itami, Masatoshi Nakanishi, Hiroyuki Noda, Akihiro Kurima, Kimiko Iwahashi
  • Patent number: 9616392
    Abstract: A thin film composite polyamide membrane comprising a porous support and a thin film polyamide layer characterized by possessing: i) an azo (—N?N—) content of from 0.30% to 0.80%, as measured by pyrolysis gas chromatography; and ii) a dissociated carboxylate content of at least 0.18 mol/kg as measured by RBS at pH 9.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ian A. Tomlinson, Robert C. Cieslinski, Bruce B. Gerhart, David D. Hawn, Mou Paul, XiaoHua Qiu, Mark A. Rickard, Steven Rosenberg, Abhishek Roy, Chengli Zu
  • Patent number: 9561474
    Abstract: A thin film composite membrane includes an active layer on a support membrane, wherein the active layer includes at least two chemically distinct first and second crosslinked polyamide film sub-layers. The first film sub-layer includes a polyamide unit; and the second film sub-layer includes a copolyamide with two chemically distinct polyamide units. The first film sub-layer is closer to the support than is the second film sub-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Radwan A. Alrasheed, Blake W. Davis, Jacquana T. Diep, Geraud J. Dubois, Young-Hye Na, Majed S. Nassar, Ankit Vora
  • Patent number: 9527042
    Abstract: A separation membrane for water treatment, comprising a porous layer that is obtained by a phase separation method using a solution containing a resin and at least one of either an N,N-disubstituted isobutylamide or an N-monosubstituted isobutylamide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kentaro Takagi, Masakazu Koiwa, Masahiro Kimura, Yutaro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9314736
    Abstract: A separation composite membrane including: a separating layer for separating fluid components, the separating layer being constituted of a polymer having cross-linked structure, and a porous layer for supporting the separating layer, the porous layer having a maximum pore diameter of 0.05 to 0.5 ?m, the separating layer being partly impregnated into the porous layer in the range of 0.1 to 30% in terms of the impregnation amount ratio (?a) defined by Formula (A): [impregnation amount ratio (?a){%}=impregnation depth (s)/(membrane thickness (t1) of separating layer)×100]??(A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shigehide Itou
  • Patent number: 9254279
    Abstract: Therapeutic compositions capable of removing excess nitric oxide are provided. The therapeutic compositions include nitronyl nitroxide monoradicals, B12 derivatives, flavonoid derivatives, the like and combinations thereof. The therapeutic compositions can be utilized in a number of suitable applications, such as to prevent or treat intradialytic hypotension during dialysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Sujatha Karoor, Ton That Hai, Cong Jiang, Paul Sanders, Cliff Holmes
  • Patent number: 9211507
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a water-treatment separating membrane includes forming an aqueous amine solution layer on a porous support, and forming a polyamide active layer by dropping droplets of an organic solution including an acyl halide compound on the aqueous amine solution layer. A water-treatment separating membrane manufactured by the same also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Hong Kim, Young-Hoon Ko, Chong-Kyu Shin, Phill Lee
  • Patent number: 9205384
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reverse osmosis membrane including a porous support including a polysulfone layer; and a polyamide active layer formed on the porous support, wherein a concentration of sulfur (S) detected on a surface of the polyamide active layer is 1.8×10?3 units or less on average or a concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO2) detected on the surface of the polyamide active layer is 7×10?3 units or less on average, and a method of manufacturing a reverse osmosis membrane, the method including forming a porous support; and forming a polyamide active layer on the porous support by interfacially polymerizing a polyfunctional amine solution including a carbodiimide compound, and a polyfunctional acid halide compound solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Hong Kim, Young-Ju Lee, Chong-Kyu Shin
  • Patent number: 9079139
    Abstract: There is provided a reverse osmosis membrane including a porous support; a polysulfone layer formed on the porous support and having pores formed in a surface thereof, pores having a diameter of 40 nm or greater accounting for less than 0.5% of total pores; and an active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Hye-Jin Kwon, Seung-Yup Lee, Seung-Pyo Jeong, Phill Lee, Chong-Kyu Shin
  • Publication number: 20150060364
    Abstract: Provided are thin film composite membrane structures comprising: a selective membrane layer for ion rejection attached to a support layer, the support layer comprising a multi-zone microfiltration membrane comprising: a porous support material; and at least two microfiltration zones, where a first zone comprises a first membrane and a second zone that is attached to the first zone and that coats at least a portion of the porous support material. Thin film composite membrane structures may be provided in reverse osmosis systems or nanofiltration systems. Also, thin film composite membrane structures may be provided in direct osmotic concentration systems, forward osmosis systems, or pressure retarded osmosis systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. McCutcheon, Thomas J. Hamlin, Mark T. Meyering, Liwei Huang
  • Publication number: 20140353253
    Abstract: A polymeric membrane includes an active layer on a support. The active layer includes at least two chemically distinct crosslinked, polyamide films, and the films are crosslinked with each other at an interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Robert David Allen, Young-Hye Na, Ratnam Sooriyakumaran
  • Publication number: 20140284276
    Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods for treatment of seawater RO system for recovering most of the water (i.e., 85-90%) from the concentrate of a brackish groundwater reverse osmosis treatment system that may use, e.g., a batch method. With proper pH control and antiscalant dosage, the batch-treatment SWRO system of the present invention can be used to recovery water from silica-saturated RO concentrate without fouling the membranes. Silica concentrations of over 1,000 mg/L are attainable with relatively minimal pre-treatment of the silica-saturated feed solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Anthony J. Tarquin
  • Patent number: 8839960
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to polymeric matrices composed of protected amine compound residues and membranes composed from such polymeric matrices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a polymeric matrix comprising amine compound residues, acyl compound residues and protected amine compound residues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Qingshan Jason Niu
  • Patent number: 8778186
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of contacting a membrane having a highly cross-linked polydicyclopentadiene matrix with a feed solution having a) a first component with a molecular weight in the range of from about 100 g mol?1 to about 600 g mol?1 and a cross-sectional area of less than about 0.40 nm2 and b) a second component with a molecular weight in the range of from about 100 to about 600 grams g mol?1 and a cross-sectional area of greater than about 0.50 nm2 so that the feed solution is fractionated into a permeate comprising the first component and a retentate enriched in the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ned B. Bowden, Abhinaba Gupta, Tyler R. Long
  • Patent number: 8771516
    Abstract: Permselective asymmetric membranes suitable e.g. for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, and having improved performance, including improved sieving characteristics, providing enhanced removal of middle molecular weight substances, e.g. inflammatory mediators having a molecular weight between 20 and 40 kDa. The improved sieving characteristics are due to a narrow pore size distribution of the membranes created in the production process. Processes for the preparation of these membranes, devices comprising these membranes, and the use of these membranes in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration of blood, as well as in bioprocessing, plasma fractionation and the preparation of protein solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Bernd Krause, Carina Zweigart, Heinrich Behr
  • Patent number: 8748556
    Abstract: A method of preparation for Self-supporting dynamic polymer membranes (called “dynamer” membranes) of the polyimine type is provided along with their use in separation processes, especially for separating gaseous species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Gihane Nasr, Mihail-Dumitru Barboiu, Christophe Charmette, José Gregorio Sanchez Marcano
  • Publication number: 20140054228
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an additive that may be used in the manufacture of thin-film polyamide composite membranes. Thin-film polyamide composite membranes are used in filtration processes, such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. The additive may be an amino-siloxane compound. The amino-siloxane compound includes repeated groups of silicon bonded to oxygen with at least one amine functional group. Optionally, the amino-siloxane compound may also include a hydrophilic group. The additive reacts with an aqueous phase and an organic phase to form a thin polyamide film on a porous substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Xingpeng ZHANG, Lawrence C. COSTA, Steven John HARROLD, Babu NARAYANSWAMY
  • Patent number: 8616380
    Abstract: Improved methods for reducing boron concentration in seawater or brackish water, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the salt rejection of membrane and flow performance of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes include contacting the water with a composite membrane comprising moieties derived from an aromatic sulfonyl halide, a heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide, a sulfinyl halide; a sulfenyl halide; a sulfuryl halide; a phosphoryl halide; a phosphonyl halide; a phosphinyl halide; a thiophosphoryl halide; a thiophosphonyl halide, an isocyanate, a urea, a cyanate, an aromatic carbonyl halide, an epoxide or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Allen Olson, Jiang Ji, Michael Todd Luttrell, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Lawrence Charles Costa
  • Publication number: 20130341277
    Abstract: A reverse osmosis (RO) membrane can include a porous substrate, a multilayer film arranged on the substrate, which includes a first layer including a polyelectrolyte and a second layer including a plurality of clay particles, where the first layer is arranged adjacent to the second layer. The multilayer film can be prepared by a spray-LbL process. The resulting RO membrane can provide high water permeability combined with high salt rejection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Jason R. Kovacs, Paula T. Hammond
  • Publication number: 20130118983
    Abstract: Improved integrally skinned asymmetric membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration, and their methods of preparation and use are disclosed. Membranes are formed from polybenzimidazoles by phase inversion and are then crosslinked by addition of crosslinking agents. These stabilise the membranes and allow solvent nanofiltration to be maintained even in the solvents from which the membranes were formed by phase inversion, and in strongly acidic and strongly basic solvents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: IMPERIAL INNOVATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Guy Livingston, Yogesh Suresh Bhole
  • Publication number: 20130112618
    Abstract: Filtration membrane comprising polymeric nanofibers and/or microfibers attaching dendrimer component presenting reactive sites selective for chemicals to be filtered, and related nanofibers and microfibers, composite materials, compositions, methods and system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Mamadou S. DIALLO, William A. GODDARD, III, Seong-Jik PARK, Manki CHO
  • Publication number: 20130105395
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to engineered osmosis and related membrane-based separation technologies. Disclosed are semi-permeable nanostructured osmosis membranes comprising a film polymerized on a nanofiber support fabric, methods for osmotically-driven separation, the method comprising creating an osmotic pressure gradient across a semi-permeable nanostructured osmosis membrane comprising a film polymerized on a nanofiber support fabric, and methods of generating power comprising creating an osmotic pressure gradient across a semi-permeable nanostructured osmosis membrane comprising a film polymerized on a nanofiber support fabric. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: McCutcheon Jeffrey R., Hoek Eric M.V., Bui Ngoc, Lind Mary L.
  • Patent number: 8419941
    Abstract: A method for yielding concentrated ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of a water solution of saccharide generated by a saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme is provided. Water is separated from the ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of the water solution of saccharide generated by the saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme with pervaporation method using a water separation membrane. Condensate prepared by condensing ethanol vapor existing in a space above a liquid level of the ethanol water solution is collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kagawa, Pu Qian, Akihisa Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130020262
    Abstract: The invention provides highly cross-linked polydicyclopentadiene matrices and methods for using such matrices to separate components having varying cross-sectional areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Ned B. Bowden, Abhinaba Gupta, Tyler R. Long
  • Publication number: 20130015137
    Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a method of removing contaminants from a process stream or stabilizing a system parameter in the process stream. The method includes providing a filtration system in communication with a controller, wherein the controller is operable to automatically initiate a flow from the process stream into the filtration system when the system parameter of the process stream is within above an upper threshold value and/or below a lower threshold value; and activating the filtration system, wherein the flow comprises a flow rate through the filtration system and the controller is operable to adjust the flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Ana-Mariana Urmenyi, Amit Gupta, Chris D. Davies, Bert Simons
  • Publication number: 20120325744
    Abstract: In a process and apparatus for treating produced water, for example for re-use in an oil or bitumen extraction operation of for treating frac water, the produced water flows through a series of treatment units. A portion of the produced water may by-pass one or more of the treatment units but the by-pass portion may be such that the treated water is still acceptable, for example for discharge or reuse. Concentrations of oil and grease, organic carbon, silica, pH or related parameters in the produced water may be monitored and used to control the process or apparatus. Control of the process may involve one or more of altering a by-pass portion, altering the addition of chemicals, and altering the operation of a unit process. The process may be controlled to respond to upset conditions, or such that the concentration of one or more limiting contaminants is near, but not over, a specified maximum for re-use or discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Kevin Paul McEvoy, Anthony Yu-Chung Ku, Carl Vess, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
  • Patent number: 8313651
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a membrane stack comprising a first and second membrane layers, and a spacer layer disposed between said first and second membrane layers, said membrane stack configured such that fluid passes through said membrane stack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said membrane layers and said spacer layer. The application also discloses a module comprising a membrane as described above, said module having a fluid flow path that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the major surface of the membrane and spacer layers ins aid membrane stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Natrix Separations Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald F. Childs, Elena N. Komkova, Donna Lisa Crossley, Alicja M. Mika
  • Publication number: 20120273421
    Abstract: Solvent and acid stable ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes including a non-cross-linked base polymer having reactive pendant moieties, the base polymer being modified by forming a cross-linked skin onto a surface thereof, the skin being formed by a cross-linking reaction of reactive pendant moieties on the surface with an oligomer or another polymer as well as methods of manufacture and use thereof, including, inter alia separating metal ions from liquid process streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Mordechai Perry, Vera Ginzburg, Boris Ginzburg, Polina Lapido
  • Publication number: 20120273423
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to thin film composite membrane (TFC membrane) comprising a substrate layer (S) based on a sulfonated polymer, e.g. a sulfonated polyarylether, and a polyamide film layer (F) and further to a method for their preparation. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to osmosis processes, in particular to forward osmosis (FO) processes, using said membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: National University of Singapore, BASF SE
    Inventors: Martin Weber, Christian Maletzko, Volker Warzelhan, Natalia Widjojo, Tai-Shung Chung
  • Publication number: 20120261344
    Abstract: Reverse osmosis membranes made by interfacial polymerization of a monomer in a nonpolar (e.g. organic) phase together with a monomer in a polar (e.g. aqueous) phase on a porous support membrane. Interfacial polymerization process is disclosed for preparing a highly permeable RO membrane, comprising: contacting on a porous support membrane, a) a first solution containing 1,3-diaminobenzene, and b) a second solution containing trimesoyl chloride, wherein at least one of solutions a) and b) contains nanoparticles when said solutions are first contacted, and recovering a highly permeable RO membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher James Kurth, Jeffrey Alan Koehler, Meijuan Zhou, Brett Anderson Holmberg, Robert Leon Burk
  • Publication number: 20120255909
    Abstract: Improved methods for reducing boron concentration in seawater or brackish water, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the salt rejection of membrane and flow performance of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes include contacting the water with a composite membrane comprising moieties derived from an aromatic sulfonyl halide, a heteroaromatic sulfonyl halide, a sulfinyl halide; a sulfenyl halide; a sulfuryl halide; a phosphoryl halide; a phosphonyl halide; a phosphinyl halide; a thiophosphoryl halide; a thiophosphonyl halide, an isocyanate, a urea, a cyanate, an aromatic carbonyl halide, an epoxide or a mixture thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Allen Olson, Jiang Ji, Michael Todd Luttrell, Gary William Yeager, Joseph Anthony Suriano, Lawrence Charles Costa
  • Publication number: 20120234761
    Abstract: This invention relates to heterogenous pore polymer nanotube membranes useful in filtration, such as reverse osmosis desalination, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and gas separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NanOasis Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy V. Ratto, Jason K. Holt, Alan W. Szmodis
  • Publication number: 20120211424
    Abstract: The invention comprises a cross-linkable lyotropic (i.e., surfactant) liquid crystal (LLC) monomer platform that forms type I bicontinuous cubic (QI) polymer networks containing 3-D interconnected nanopores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher Gabriel, Douglas Gin, Evan Hatakeyama, Brian Wiesenauer
  • Publication number: 20120193291
    Abstract: A group of mutant PTP ? genes in malignant tumor are provided, which are ?PTP?245, ?PTP?652 and ?PTP?445 respectively. The mutation includes insertion of 95 new nucleotides after nucleotide at position 711, deletion of nucleotides at position 1015-1437, and deletion of nucleotides at position 1015-1437 accompanied by insertion of 340 nucleotides after coding exon at position 1681 and fusion of 26 new amino acids at C-terminal. The group of mutant PTP ? genes in different types of malignant tumor disclosed in the present application have not been reported all over the world so far. The detection method of using PTP ? mutant genes is useful in exactly diagnosing malignant tumor, developing new anti-tumor drugs, and targeted treatment at molecular pathologic level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventor: Zhiwei Pan
  • Publication number: 20120160771
    Abstract: A separating material formed by a solid substrate having a substrate surface, primary or secondary amines coupled to the substrate surface, and a graft polymer formed on the substrate by covalently coupling the primary or secondary amines with a thermally labile radical initiator and subsequently contacting the substrate surface with a solution of one or more polymerizable monomers. Methods for the extracorporeal treatment of blood, blood plasma or blood serum employing the separating material, for affinity adsorption, ion-exchange adsorption, hydrophobic adsorption, or hydrophilic adsorption employing the separating material, and a separating column employing the separating material are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Markus Storr, Egbert Müller, Wolfgang Freudemann
  • Patent number: 8196754
    Abstract: Water permeable membranes and methods of forming water permeable membranes are provided. The water permeable membranes are comprised of a cross-linked polyamide containing at least one bifunctional additive that is hydrophilic and reactive. Additionally, in accordance with other embodiments of this invention, methods of forming water permeable membranes comprised of a cross-linked polyamide containing at least one bifunctional additive that is hydrophilic and reactive are provided. Specifically, the water permeable membranes may comprise a membrane formed from a cross-linked aromatic or aromatic/aliphatic polyamide interfacially polymerized on a porous support. The presence of the at least one hydrophilic and reactive additive improves the flux and salt retention properties of the membrane in comparison to a membrane formed without the at least one hydrophilic and reactive additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: The Ohio States University Research Foundation
    Inventor: W. S. Winston Ho
  • 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: 8182694
    Abstract: The present application discloses a membrane stack comprising a first and second membrane layers, and a spacer layer disposed between said first and second membrane layers, said membrane stack configured such that fluid passes through said membrane stack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said membrane layers and said spacer layer. The application also discloses a module comprising a membrane as described above, said module having a fluid flow path that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the major surface of the membrane and spacer layers in said membrane stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Natrix Separations Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald F. Childs, Elena N. Komkova, Alicja M. Mika, Donna Lisa Crossley
  • Patent number: 8182695
    Abstract: This invention is related to the fields of organic chemistry and nanotechnology. In particular, it relates to materials and methods for the preparation of organic synthons and bridged macrocyclic module compounds. The bridged macrocyclic module compounds may be used to prepare macrocyclic compositions such as nanofilms, which may be useful for filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Whiteford, William Freeman, Joshua W. Kriesel