From Natural Source Or Chemical Modification Thereof Patents (Class 210/730)
  • Patent number: 11866354
    Abstract: Provided are an extract, which is a fractionated component 1 of a water extract of a plant powder, wherein the fractionated component 1 is a fractionated component having a fractionation molecular weight of 12,000 or greater, wherein an ethanol-undissolved component of the fractionated component 1 exhibits a peak attributable to carboxylic acid in a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) measurement and exhibits a peak attributable to cellulose in a gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) measurement, and wherein an ethanol-dissolved component of the fractionated component 1 exhibits a peak attributable to carboxylic acid in the FT-IR measurement and exhibits a peak attributable to a plant protein in the GC-MS measurement, and a water-purifying agent containing the extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DEXERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori Fujita, Ryu Shimada, Masahiko Ito, Masato Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11440821
    Abstract: Provided is a water-purifying agent formed of a granulated product including a mixture of a plant powder and a polymeric flocculant, wherein a surface of the granulated product includes a coated portion in which the plant powder is coated with the polymeric flocculant and a non-coated portion in which the plant powder is not coated with the polymeric flocculant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Dexerials Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Ito, Ryu Shimada, Takanori Fujita
  • Patent number: 10954142
    Abstract: Provided is a water-purifying agent that is excellent in water purifying performance, can be suitably used in an automated wastewater purification apparatus, and is formed of a granulated product including a mixture of a powder of Corchorus olitorius and a polymeric flocculant, wherein a median diameter of the granulated product is 250 micrometers or greater but 850 micrometers or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: DEXERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Nakamura, Ryu Shimada, Takanori Fujita, Kazuhiro Kimura, Masato Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9994756
    Abstract: A segregating fluid for use in a wellbore includes an aqueous segregating carrier fluid; and a preformed synthetic polymer swellable in the aqueous segregating carrier fluid in an amount effective to segregate a first fluid from a second fluid in a wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Scott Gregory Nelson
  • Patent number: 9650742
    Abstract: A process for making a hydrogel forming material from a kraft or sulfite pulping process cellulosic pulp slurry by extracting hemicellulose heteropolymers from the cellulosic pulp slurry as a hemicaustic extract by treating the cellulosic pulp slurry with a cold caustic solution, then isolating the hemicaustic extract and preparing a mixture of the hemicellulose extract and a derivatizing agent comprised of a monofunctional etherifying agent and/or a polyfunctional organic cross-linking agent, and reacting the mixture to produce the hydrogel forming material. A polyvalent metal cross-linking agent can optionally be reacted with the hydrogel forming material to enhance its gel strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rayonier Performance Fibers, LLC
    Inventors: Othman A. Hamed, Romuald S. Krzywanski
  • Patent number: 9540667
    Abstract: Methods of biosynthesizing bacterial extracellular galactomannan polysaccharides for use in subterranean formation operations such as drilling operations, fracturing operations, or gravel packing operations including providing a feedstock comprising mannose and galactose; providing bacteria effective at fermenting mannose and galactose; introducing the bacteria to the feedstock; and fermenting the bacteria so as to produce an extracellular galactomannan polysaccharide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmie D. Weaver, David Loveless, Nathan Carl Schultheiss, Ali Alwattari
  • Publication number: 20150144574
    Abstract: Polysaccharide agents for removing solids from an aqueous suspension and methods for using the polysaccharide agents to remove solids from an aqueous suspension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
    Inventors: Rajani Srinivasan, Anuradha Mishra, John McKinney
  • Publication number: 20150144573
    Abstract: A method of treating a suspension of particles in a fluid including the steps of promoting flocculation of the particles, and dewatering the flocs to form a cake with a solids content, an improvement including the step of exposing the suspension to chemicals of the protein family. The suspension can include a suspension of biological sludge in water. The suspension can be a suspension of non biological material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Sujit Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20150034563
    Abstract: Dewatering agents and methods of dewatering wastewater slurries are provided. Also disclosed are methods for improving the separation of solids from water. The water may be produced water, raw water, or wastewater, for example. The dewatering agents can be in solutions and the dewatering agent solutions may include flocculants, soy based components, and surfactants. The soy based components can include, for example, soy flour and soy protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: ECOLAB USA INC.
    Inventors: Prasad Duggirala, Weiguo Cheng, Darlington Mlambo
  • Publication number: 20150027950
    Abstract: A method is described to treat atherosclerosis by extracorporeally treating a patient's blood. A patient's blood is treated extracorporeally using a moiety that targets an antigen in the blood. The moiety facilitates removal of the blood antigen. The cleansed blood is then returned to the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Mitchell S. Felder
  • Patent number: 8858802
    Abstract: Methods of deoiling oily water such as SAGD and frac produce water. The oily water is treated with a natural coagulant selected from tannins and chitosan. A cationic and/or anionic flocculant may also be added to the treated oily water. The thus treated oily water may be subjected to conventional mechanical oil separation techniques such as hydrocyclonic separation, dissolved air flotation, entrapped air flotation, induced gas flotation, gravity filters, reverse osmosis filters, API, or Voraxial® bulk separators and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
  • Publication number: 20140284519
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the purification of water and/or dewatering of sludges and/or sediments, to the use of a surface-treated calcium carbonate for water purification and/or dewatering of sludges and/or sediments, as well as to the use of a surface-treated calcium carbonate for reducing the amount of polymeric flocculation aids in water and/or sludges and/or sediments and to a composite material comprising a surface-treated calcium carbonate and impurities originated from different sources obtainable by said process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel E. Gerard, Hans-Georg Hartan, Joachim Schoelkopf, Michael Skovby, Patrick A.C. Gane
  • Publication number: 20140076823
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of fatty acids, finely dispersed in water, as detackifying agents in the industrial elimination of dispersed solids, in particular of paint particles dispersed in recirculating water in the context of wet scrubbing of paint overspray in paint booths, from an aqueous carrier medium that represents, in particular, recirculating water of a paint booth with wet scrubbing. The fatty-acid-based detackifying agent can be used in a manner entirely free of corrosive anions, so that energy recovery from the paint coagulate that is removed from the recirculating water can be operated cost-effectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Marcus Senner, Steffen Ruebe
  • Patent number: 8663496
    Abstract: The invention relates to a double-layered compacted solid water-purification product, comprising at least one first layer and at least one second layer, characterized in that the first layer comprises at least one flocculating system and at least one dispersion system, the second layer comprises at least one disinfectant which liberates free chlorine on contact with water and at least one excipient for the disinfectant, whereby said excipient releases the disinfectant into the water at a controlled rate such that the combination of excipient and disinfectant releases 0.1 to 100 mg/l of free chlorine per hour. The invention further relates to the method for production of such a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Eurotab
    Inventors: Paul Branlard, Philippe Desmarescaux, Murielle Moneron
  • Publication number: 20130299433
    Abstract: Disclosed are a plant-derived flocculant and a flocculant mixture having a higher flocculation capacity. The plant-derived flocculant comprises at least one of a dried matter of Corchorus olitorius, a dried matter of Begonia fimbristipula, a dried matter of bananas, and a dried matter of Corchorus capsularis; the plant-derived flocculant has a colloid equivalent of ?1.5 mEq/g to ?0.20 mEq/g, and the 2 weight % aqueous solution of the plant-derived flocculant has a viscosity of at least 6.0×10?3 Pa·s (6.0 cP). The flocculant mixture of the invention comprises the plant-derived flocculant described above and a synthetic polymer flocculant having a colloid equivalent of ?4.5 mEq/g to ?1.2 mEq/g, whose 0.2 weight % aqueous solution has a viscosity of 1.3×10?1Pa·s to 4×10?1 Pa·s (130 cP to 400 cP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Inagaki, Kohei Shimizu, Masato Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8518267
    Abstract: Clarification of surfactant laden wastewaters of the type commonly encountered in the laundry, dishwashing, textile manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing processes is provided by use of a chitosan/(meth)acrylyloxy alkyl quaternary ammonium salt graft polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Vasconcellos, Matthew D. Mersch, James Quentin Pollett
  • Publication number: 20130174734
    Abstract: The invention is directed to decreasing the amount of particulate material suspended in air or water, in any situation in which it is desired to decrease the amount of particulate material in suspension, and especially in industrial processes that generate particulate material suspended in air or water. In particular, the invention is directed to decreasing the particulate material in suspension by means of agglomeration with negatively charged ExoPolySaccharides (EPS). To decrease the amount of particulate material suspended in air, this can be sprayed with a negatively charged EPS solution according to the invention, or the EPS can be immobilized on a filter which the air with particulate material passes through. To decrease the amount of particulate material in water, a suspension with a negatively charged EPS solution according to the invention is added to said water, which agglomerates and settles the particulate material by means of the charge attraction principle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Cultivos Hidrobiologicos y Biotecnologia Aguamarina S.A.
    Inventor: Cultivos Hidrobiologicos y Biotecnologia Aguamarina S.A.
  • Publication number: 20130105402
    Abstract: A method for clarifying a wine sediment. The method steps include providing a solid-wall worm centrifuge, clarifying the wine sediment in the centrifuge by forming a solid phase and a liquid phase, and fining the sediment by adding a fining agent at one or both of before and during the centrifugal clarification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Schauz, Stefan Pecoroni
  • Patent number: 8425781
    Abstract: Use of a Maillard reaction product as an adjuvant in a variety of applications including solid-liquid separations, corrosion inhibition, emulsification, dust suppression, slow release fertilization, viscosity modification and others and especially as a depressant or collector in separation processes, including the selective separation of solids and/or ionic species from aqueous media, such as in the process of froth flotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC
    Inventors: John B. Hines, Brian L. Swift, Pablo G. Dopico
  • Patent number: 8361342
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a compacted solid product for water purification comprising:—at least a first layer comprising at least a coagulant/flocculant system comprising at least one polyvalent inorganic salt, at least one water-soluble cationic polymer and at least one high-molecular-weight anionic polymer,—at least a second layer comprising at least one disinfectant that releases active chlorine on contact with water, characterized in that said coagulant/flocculant system moreover comprises a sodium alginate. The invention also relates to the method for preparing such a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Eurotab
    Inventors: Paul Branlard, Gilles Rubinstenn
  • Patent number: 8353641
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems for removing particulate matter from a fluid, comprising a particle functionalized by attachment of at least one activating group or amine functional group, wherein the modified particle complexes with the particulate matter within the fluid to form a removable complex therein. The particulate matter has preferably been contacted, complexed or reacted with a tethering agent. The system is particularly advantageous to removing particulate matter from a tailing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Soane Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Michael C. Berg, John H. Dise, Kevin T. Petersen, David Soane, Kristoffer K. Stokes, William Ware, Jr., Atul C. Thakrar
  • Patent number: 8349188
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems for removing particulate matter from a fluid, comprising a particle functionalized by attachment of at least one activating group or amine functional group, wherein the modified particle complexes with the particulate matter within the fluid to form a removable complex therein. The particulate matter has preferably been contacted, complexed or reacted with a tethering agent. The system is particularly advantageous to removing particulate matter from a fluid waste stream following mining or ore processing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Soane Mining, LLC
    Inventors: David Soane, William Ware, Jr., Robert P. Mahoney, Nathan Ashcraft
  • Publication number: 20120325740
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to methods, apparatuses, and cellular compositions and cellular products for purifying environmental liquids, such as wastewater and brine, using halophilic bacteria that produce, or can be made to produce, siderophore metal chelators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventor: Ezekiel Kruglick
  • Patent number: 8313654
    Abstract: Methods for aggregating suspended solid particles in an aqueous medium involving mixing the aqueous medium with an effective amount of a flocculant to aggregate the solid particles to form aggregated solid particles, and optionally separating the aggregated solid particles from the aqueous medium. The flocculant is obtained from animal blood. The pH of the aqueous medium may be adjusted to a pH of about 4.5 to about 5.7 by the addition of at least one acid or acidic buffer. The temperature of the aqueous medium may be adjusted to a temperature range of about 10° to about 50° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: George Piazza, Rafael Garcia
  • Patent number: 8252266
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the production of alumina. The invention involves adding a product containing one or more polysaccharides to liquor within the fluid circuit of the production process, where one of the polysaccharides is scieroglucan. The use of scleroglucan can impart a number of advantages including at least some of: greater flocculation effectiveness, increasing the maximum effective dosage, faster settling rate. The production process can be a Bayer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Ryan Chester, John D. Kildea, Jing Wang, Heinrich E Bode, Xiaojin Harry Li
  • Patent number: 8147651
    Abstract: Methods to control and suppress odor in papermaking sludge are described. One method involves admixing sludge from a papermaking process and cyclodextrin to provide treated sludge with the cyclodextrin present in an effective amount to control odors in the treated sludge. The deodorized sludge may be used as a component of resin-wood composite products, such as composite decking materials, walls, flooring, casting forms, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald M. Dykstra, James N. Graham, Scott D. Branum
  • Patent number: 7998351
    Abstract: Composition and method of use for tannin based environmentally benign polymeric coagulants are disclosed. Tannin based coagulants are copolymers of naturally occurring tannins and a cationic monomer. One embodiment of the present invention provides for a composition, of a tannin based polymeric coagulant which is comprised of N,N-(dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate (MADAME) polymerized using t-butylhydroperoxide and sodium metabisulfite. The resulting polyMADAME is converted to hydrochloride and then blended/reacted in an aqueous medium with tannin to obtain a homogenous poly(MADAME)-tannin composition. The method of use comprises adding an amount of the composition effective for the purpose of clarifying oily wastewater from food and beverage, steel, automotive, transportation, refinery, pharmaceutical, metals, paper and pulp, chemical processing and hydrocarbon processing industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Inventors: Vinod Kumar Rai, Ashok Shyadligeri, Baraka Kawawa, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Narain Madhavan
  • Patent number: 7943048
    Abstract: A method for recovering tallow from meat processing wastewater includes adding a coagulant composition to the wastewater to agglomerate suspended fat, oil and grease particles in the wastewater, separating solid waste materials from the wastewater and isolating tallow from the solid waste materials. The coagulant composition includes tannin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Stephen R. Vasconcellos
  • Patent number: 7943049
    Abstract: Arsenic is a poisonous metalloid which, because of its hydroscopic nature, is primarily transported through water. Most plant species, including the nopal cactus, produce a sticky substance called mucilage. Mucilage swells in water but is insoluble and can precipitate ions, bacteria and particles from aqueous solutions. The invention includes a method of separating particulates and heavy metals such as arsenic (As) from drinking water using natural flocculants obtained from cactus mucilage. The extraction techniques and the methodology for using the cactus mucilage obtain higher As removal than conventional methods, like aluminum sulfate precipitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Norma A. Alcantar, Babu Joseph, Kevin Young
  • Publication number: 20110084029
    Abstract: A system and method for removing water from sludge is disclosed. The method (100) includes: de-watering (102) the sludge comprising an output from a wastewater treatment system to form a semi-solid sludge cake; dispensing (104) the semi-solid sludge cake in a hopper and dispensing a dewatering agent in a recipient dewatering agent hopper; depositing (10) the semi-solid sludge cake and the dewatering agent in a mixing device; mixing (108) the semi-solid sludge cake and the dewatering agent having a porous structure in a weight ratio of the semi-solid sludge cake to the dewatering agent of about from 1:1 to about 10:1; and compressing (110) the semi-solid sludge cake and the dewatering agent to release moisture. The system (100) provides an improved method of de-watering sludge, for more efficient processing, transporting and recycling, depending on the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventor: Dominick O' Reilly
  • Publication number: 20110042321
    Abstract: Methods for aggregating suspended solid particles in an aqueous medium involving mixing the aqueous medium with an effective amount of a flocculant to aggregate the solid particles to form aggregated solid particles, and optionally separating the aggregated solid particles from the aqueous medium. The flocculant is obtained from animal blood. The pH of the aqueous medium may be adjusted to a pH of about 4.5 to about 5.7 by the addition of at least one acid or acidic buffer. The temperature of the aqueous medium may be adjusted to a temperature range of about 10° to about 50° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: George Piazza, Rafael Garcia
  • Patent number: 7875188
    Abstract: A process in which a suspension comprising dispersed particulate material in an aqueous medium is transferred as a fluid to a deposition area, then allowed to stand and rigidify, and in which rigidification is improved whilst retaining the fluidity of the suspension during transfer, by combining with the suspension during transfer a rigidifying amount of a treatment system which comprises i) a water-soluble synthetic polymer and ii) a water-soluble natural or seminatural polymer. Improved rigidification can be achieved, including dose efficiency especially in regard to the amount of synthetic polymer required. In addition improvements in the clarity of liquor released from the suspension can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Brian Dymond, John Lamperd, Angela Beveridge
  • Patent number: 7867400
    Abstract: A process of separating suspended solids from a fermentation liquor by subjecting the liquor to a solids-liquid separation stage, wherein the fermentation liquor is produced in a fermentation process for the production of a fermentation product, and which liquor comprises lignin, wherein the solids-liquid separation stage is assisted by a treatment system, characterised in that the treatment system comprises an anionic polymer, with the proviso that the treatment system and does not include a cationic polymer having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) of at least 4 dl/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ciba Speacialty Chemicals Water treaments Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Hughes, Rajesh Mistry, Kenneth Charles Symes
  • Publication number: 20110000854
    Abstract: A method uses anionic and cationic polymers added in, any order or simultaneously, to aqueous media for the removal of substances. The sequential addition of the two biopolymers, anionic xanthan, followed by cationic chitosan, causes the rapid formation of very large and cohesive fibrillar aggregates that may exhibit high solids to liquid ratios and that quickly settle out from the aqueous media. The aqueous media can be easily separated from the large fibrillar aggregates by settling under gravity or by filtration through a porous containment device, such as a synthetic or non-synthetic woven or non-woven fabric including a geotextile fabric or a solid containment device containing a solid mesh screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: HaloSource, Inc.
    Inventors: Everett J. Nichols, James R. Scott, Jeffrey F. Williams, Yongjun Chen
  • Patent number: 7811459
    Abstract: A novel series of compositions with aqueous chemicals decontamination activity and their uses is described. The preparation of esters of fatty acids with polyols that contain lactic acid is also described. These novel compositions release hydroxy acid and fatty acids slowly into water providing activity over long periods of time with the compounds exhibiting biodegradable characteristics and aiding in the biodegradation of contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Regenesis Bioremediation Products
    Inventors: William A. Farone, Tracy Palmer
  • Patent number: 7794602
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a purification method characterized by adding a chitosan powder or a chitosan-coated substance, and optionally further adding a silica sol to liquor and filtering the mixture by a filter machine to remove unsaturated fatty acids, compounds of unsaturated fatty acids with metal ions, or fusel oil from the liquor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Otsuka Foods Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Kadowaki, Takao Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7790042
    Abstract: A method for removing submicron colloidal particulates, such as hydrocarbons, from water. The method includes first adding a soluble, cationic polymer, such as chitosan, a salt, or solution of chitosan to water containing the submicron particulates and a halogenating agent, followed by adding a soluble, anionic polymer or anionic salt to the water. The resulting flocs are filtered to remove the submicron particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: HaloSource, Inc.
    Inventors: Everett J. Nichols, Jeffrey F. Williams, James R. Scott, Christine M. Palczewski
  • Patent number: 7771681
    Abstract: The present invention relates ways to increase the output of a high quality product from the aluminum hydroxide recovery processes such as the Bayer process. The invention is a method of increasing the size of precipitated aluminum hydroxide while not reducing the total production amounts. The invention relates to the use of a crystal growth modifier compositions added to the precipitation liquor to increase the particle size distribution of the precipitated alumina trihydrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventors: Dmitri L. Kouznetsov, Jianjun Liu, David H. Slinkman
  • Patent number: 7758758
    Abstract: A method for removing metals from metal-containing acidic mine wastewater uses a basic sludge produced by the method for treating the wastewater. The wastewater is mixed with a lime slurry and with the basic sludge. This mixture is allowed to separate into an aqueous effluent and an acidic sludge. The effluent is mixed with the lime slurry and with a composition containing an iron compound, to produce a mixture. This mixture is allowed to separate into an aqueous effluent and the basic sludge. Lignin derivatives, such as calcium lignosulfonate, may be included in the treatment mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Noram Engineering and Constructors Ltd.
    Inventors: J. Ming Zhuang, Anthony S. Walsh
  • Patent number: 7749391
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for pre-treating water to remove substantial amounts of particulates prior to filtration. A coagulant, such as chitosan is mixed with turbid water and adheres to particulate matter to form large clumps. The water/coagulant mixture is placed in a first reservoir elevated above a second reservoir having a strip of porous material, such as polyester felt, positioned with one end in the first reservoir and another end above the second reservoir and preferably below the waterline in the first reservoir. A middle portion of the porous material is elevated above the first and second ends, but at a height relative to the waterline of the first reservoir that is equal or less than the height water will rise in the porous material due to capillary action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Natural Site Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: John W. Macpherson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7736515
    Abstract: There is provided a method for highly treating distillation waste generated in the process of separating a distilled alcoholic material after alcoholic fermentation of starchy materials. The method includes the steps of adding sodium polyacrylate to the distillation waste from the starchy materials, then adding chitosan to treat the distillation waste, and further adding sodium polyacrylate to the waste. Furthermore, solid-liquid separation is then carried out. A liquid material thus separated is brought into contact with a reverse osmosis membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc., Dia Aqua Solutions Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamiya, Shoichiro Kajiwara, Koji Hirukawa, Kimihisa Iwashiro
  • Patent number: 7727404
    Abstract: A method for removal of dissolved materials and/or particles from a liquid stream comprising flocculation by vigorously mixing polysaccharides or hydrocolloids into the liquid stream and subsequent gelation of the polysaccharides or hydrocolloids with cations capable of gelling same. Large, strong gelled agglomerates of pollutant and polysaccharide or hydrocolloid are formed with the help of suitable cations. The gelled agglomerates are well suited to separation from a liquid stream by flotation, in a sieve, in a centrifuge, in a cyclone or via other conventional separation processes. Also described is a method for mixing of un-dissolved polysaccharide or hydrocolloid with a polluted aqueous stream by shearing the polysaccharide or hydrocolloid into the aqueous stream to improve logistics and provide economic savings in treatment of large volumes of water. Also described is the use of dilute solutions of polysaccharides for treatment of a variety of effluent streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sorbwater Technology AS
    Inventors: Atle Mundheim Ylikangas, Christian Klein Larsen
  • Patent number: 7718075
    Abstract: Methods are provided for treating suspensions of particles to improve the drainage rate and/or the solids content of flocs of the particles. The method includes the steps of (i) providing a suspension which comprises particles in a fluid; (ii) adding a cyclodextrin compound to the suspension; and (iii) dewatering the suspension by removing at least a portion of the fluid to form a cake comprising the particles. The cyclodextrin compound desirably is added in an amount effective to increase the dewatering rate of the flocs, to increase the solids content, or both, over that rate, solids content, or both, that would be obtained without the addition of the cyclodextrin compound. The suspension may be, for example, a biological or non-biological sludge, or a suspension of pulp fibers, such as in a pulping or papermaking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventor: Sujit Banerjee
  • Publication number: 20100108616
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dispersing agent composition and to a process for treating liquid slurries of bentonite particles, optionally comprising contaminating solids, in order to remove any contaminating solids and/or the bentonite particles, wherein said dispersing agent composition is added to said slurry causing contaminating solids and/or the bentonite particles to settle without flocculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: GEO Grounding Engineering Operations
    Inventors: Arnaud R. W. Bostyn, Jorge Capitao-Mor Da Costa E Silva
  • Patent number: 7645389
    Abstract: Process for water purification and for the separation of beneficial materials that are obtained from an aqueous solution, comprising determining a turbidity index and adding to the water or to said solution a composition comprising one or more natural or mixtures of natural substances, chosen from the group consisting of substances having a cationic molecular charge and substances having an anionic molecular charge, in an amount determined as a function of said turbidity index, thereby, allowing water purification and the aggregation of said beneficial materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Dead Sea Medica Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Raziel Ronen
  • Publication number: 20090266769
    Abstract: A method for recovering tallow from meat processing wastewater includes adding a coagulant composition to the wastewater to agglomerate suspended fat, oil and grease particles in the wastewater, separating solid waste materials from the wastewater and isolating tallow from the solid waste materials. The coagulant composition includes tannin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Stephen R. Vasconcellos
  • Patent number: 7595002
    Abstract: Water-soluble amino acid copolymers, modified polysaccharides, acrylamide polymers, and combinations thereof are described for use in flocculation of solids, particularly flocculation of soil, preferably in agricultural settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignees: Aquero Company, Valugen, LLC
    Inventors: C. Steven Sikes, Mark A. Hochwalt, T. Daniel Sikes
  • Patent number: 7595007
    Abstract: Water-soluble amino acid copolymers, modified polysaccharides, acrylamide polymers, and combinations thereof, are described, for uses including flocculation of solids, particularly flocculation of soil, such as in an agricultural setting. Also described are methods of preparing selected amino acid copolymers and modified polysaccharides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignees: Aquero Company, ValuGen LLC
    Inventors: C. Steven Sikes, Mark A. Hochwalt, T. Daniel Sikes
  • Patent number: 7582215
    Abstract: A process of separating suspended solids from a fermentation liquor by subjecting the liquor to a solids-liquid separation stage, wherein the fermentation liquor is produced in a fermentation process for the production of a fermentation product, which liquor comprises water, lignin and BOD, wherein the solids liquid separation stage is assisted by a treatment system, characterised in that the treatment system comprises either, (i) a cationic polymer having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) of at least 4 dl/g at a dose of above 2 kg/tonne based on dry weight of suspension, or (ii) a cationic polymer having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) of at least 4 dl/g and, (iii) an anionic polymer, and/or (iv) a cationic polymer of intrinsic viscosity of below 4 dl/g and a cationic charge density of at least 3 meq/g and/or (v) inorganic coagulants and/or (vi) charged microparticulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Ciba Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Hughes, Kenneth Charles Symes
  • Patent number: 7576034
    Abstract: The invention concerns a crosslinked optically active three-dimensional polymer network, consisting of homochiral units of a first selector and of homochiral units of at least a second selector of different structure from the first selector, the homochiral units of the first selector comprising at least three polymerisable or crosslinkable functional groups and the homochiral units of the second selector comprising at least two polymerisable or crosslinkable functional groups, the homochiral groups being chemically mutually bound. The invention also concerns a method for making such a polymer network and its uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Eka Chemicals AB
    Inventors: Raphaël Duval, Hubert Leveque