By Stripping With Gas Patents (Class 95/245)
  • Patent number: 10948462
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for automated column sparging of preconcentration columns for analytic testing. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a selection valve fluidically coupled with a gas source and with an eluent source, the selection valve including a mixing portion to mix gas from the gas source and eluent from the eluent source to provide a bubbled eluent stream; and a preconcentration column in fluid communication with the selection valve, the preconcentration column configured to receive the bubbled eluent stream from the selection valve and direct the bubbled eluent stream into an interior of the preconcentration column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: ELEMENTAL SCIENTIFIC, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Toms, Michael P. Field, Nathan Saetveit
  • Patent number: 10119073
    Abstract: A method of storing and transporting quantum dot formulations is provided. The method includes storing and/or transporting the quantum dot formulation under an oxygen-containing atmosphere. A sparged and degassed quantum dot formulation is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karthik Venkataraman, Abhishek Gupta
  • Patent number: 10092026
    Abstract: A natural sweetening composition comprising a crude mixture of at least one plant based natural high intensity sweetening compound, the sweetening composition made by the process comprising (a) the step of steam stripping the crude mixture; and (b) at least one step of filtering the crude mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Heartland Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Catani, Juan L. Navia
  • Patent number: 10085474
    Abstract: A method of making a natural sweetening composition comprising the steps of (a) steam stripping a crude mixture of at least one plant based natural high intensity sweetening compound; and (b) at least one step of filtering the crude mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Heartland Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Catani, Juan L. Navia
  • Publication number: 20140065057
    Abstract: A novel system and method for degassing H2S and H2Sx from liquid sulfur (sulphur) is disclosed. The system includes a degassing vessel with a plurality of cells. The cells include a sparging gas mat with a perforated surface at the bottom of the cell to allow the release of air bubbles (or sparging gas) into the cells. A catalyst may be used during the process. As a result, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfide are efficiently and effectively removed from the liquid sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Casey J. Metheral, Leslie L. Lang, Jamsheed P. Irani, Cody J. Wohlers, Sergio A. De Paoli
  • Patent number: 8444859
    Abstract: A mechanical vessel may effectively and simultaneously displace a first undesired gas from within water with a second desired gas, and remove at least one alkaline species and oily matter from the water. The vessel raises the pH of the water and reduces the lime requirement for subsequent lime softening. The vessel receives the water containing the first gas and passes the water through a series of gasification chambers. Each gasification chamber may have a mechanism that ingests and mixes a second gas into the water thereby physically displacing at least a portion of the first gas into a vapor space at the top of each gasification chamber from which it is subsequently removed. There is an absence of communication between the vapor spaces of adjacent chambers. An acid is added to remove the alkaline species, where the first gas is an optional by-product that is also removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: James C. T. Chen, Shaya Movafaghian
  • Publication number: 20130087041
    Abstract: In a reclaiming apparatus (106) that includes an airtight container (106a) as an absorbent storing unit that stores a part of an absorbent that absorbs CO2 included in an exhaust gas and a heating unit that heats the absorbent stored in the airtight container (106a), a part of the absorbent stored in the airtight container (106a) is distributed, and a gaseous body is brought into counterflow contact with the absorbent that is distributed. As a result, since the gaseous body is brought into counterflow contact with a part of the absorbent stored in the absorbent storing unit, an absorbent component volatilizes and is separated from a degraded material, and the absorbent component can be extracted from the degraded material, whereby a loss of the absorbent can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicants: THE KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER CO., INC., MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Iijima, Masahiko Tatsumi, Yasuyuki Yagi, Kouki Ogura
  • Patent number: 8388740
    Abstract: A process is presented for the removal of dissolved oxygen from hydrocarbon streams. The hydrocarbons streams include kerosene and jet fuels. The process includes mixing the hydrocarbons streams with an oxygen free gas to form a gas-liquid mixture. The mixture is allowed to disengage into a gas stream and a liquid stream, thereby removing dissolved oxygen from the hydrocarbon stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stephen W. Sohn, Steven P. Lankton, Debarshi Majumder, Brian J. Schiavone
  • Publication number: 20120103194
    Abstract: A process is presented for the removal of dissolved oxygen from hydrocarbon streams. The hydrocarbons streams include kerosene and jet fuels. The process includes mixing the hydrocarbons streams with an oxygen free gas to form a gas-liquid mixture. The mixture is allowed to disengage into a gas stream and a liquid stream, thereby removing dissolved oxygen from the hydrocarbon stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stephen W. Sohn, Steven P. Lankton, Debarshi Majumder, Brian J. Schiavone
  • Patent number: 8101089
    Abstract: Water decontamination systems including aerator modules are described herein. Such systems are capable of removing contaminants, including volatile organic compounds, from the water. Certain volatile organic contaminants can be removed at high efficiencies. The systems may be automated to remove the contaminants and produce cleaned water on a continuous basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Liquid Separation Technologies and Equipment, LLC
    Inventor: David S. Drewelow
  • Patent number: 7842121
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing aqueous stream purification services. The system includes at least one separation unit. Each separation unit may include a mechanical vapor recompression separator, a steam stripper, and a secondary recovery heat exchanger. The system for wastewater purification may receive water from a waste water storage, purify the water, and return the purified water to a purified water storage. The system may include a controller. The controller may include an operating conditions module configured to interpret at least one operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Capital Corporation
    Inventors: Larry D. Sanderson, James W. Schleiffarth, Leslie D. Merrill, Bradford M. Rohwer
  • Patent number: 7753990
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for reducing entrained and dissolved gasses from a well fluid. The system includes a well fluid, at least one process tank into which the well fluid flows, wherein a first process tank comprises a weir arrangement over which the well fluid spills, a mechanical degasser coupled to the at least one process tank and configured to receive the well fluid, and an aeration device disposed in the at least one process tank that generates bubbles in the well fluid. The present invention also provides a method of reducing entrained and dissolved gases from a well fluid that includes flowing a well fluid into a process tank, exerting a centrifugal force on the well fluid, and generating bubbles in the well fluid in the process tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Freeman, Eric Hand
  • Patent number: 7704299
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating a process fluid that includes assembling a modular system, flowing the process fluid through the modular system, the flowing the process fluid through the modular system including degassing the process fluid, neutralizing the process fluid, reducing an amount of one of the group consisting of entrained gases, oil and solids in the process fluid, monitoring and analyzing the process fluid for at least one of the group consisting of engrained gases, oil, and solids, and flowing the process fluid out of the modular system for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: M-I LLC
    Inventors: Frank Mueller, Michael A. Freeman, Eric Hand
  • Publication number: 20090126568
    Abstract: A method for removing intra-microchannel bubbles, which removes bubbles occurring in a microchannel, is provided; the method including: allowing a liquid that contains bubbles and is introduced into a microchannel to flow in a first direction at a first flow speed at which the bubbles float upward and can remain adhered on an inner wall of the microchannel or less; and then allowing the liquid to flow in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction to move a gas-liquid interface of the liquid, which is a rear end of the liquid in the second direction, in the second direction at a second flow speed at which the bubbles adhered on the inner wall of the microchannel can maintain an adhesion position so as to collect the bubbles on the gas-liquid interface and make the bubbles disappear by exposing the bubbles to a gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Hideyuki Karaki, Goro Takada, Akira Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20080141862
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method for reducing pattern distortions in imprinting layers by reducing gas pockets present in a layer of viscous liquid deposited on a substrate. To that end, the method includes varying a transport of the gases disposed proximate to the viscous liquid. Specifically, the atmosphere proximate to the substrate wherein a pattern is to be recorded is saturated with gases that are either highly soluble, highly diffusive, or both with respect to either the viscous liquid, the substrate, the template, or a combination thereof. Additionally, or in lieu of saturating the atmosphere, the pressure of the atmosphere may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank Y. Xu, Niyaz Khusnatdinov
  • Patent number: 7374602
    Abstract: The present invention generally offers a system and a method that allows a vessel to treat water while providing corrosion inhibition. An oxygen stripping gas source produces oxygen stripping gas that may be pumped directly to, preferably but optionally, a venturi injector, or may first be pumped into an empty tank and then delivered to the injector means. Water being pumped through the injector via a transfer piping means comes into contact with the oxygen stripping gas, and dissolved oxygen in the water transfers to micro-fine stripping gas bubbles generated by the injector. The water and the micro-fine bubbles are pumped from the injector and into the tank, where the micro-fine bubbles float to the surface, and the oxygen is released into the tank's headspace. The deoxygenated water may be re-circulated through the system for additional deoxygenation or released from the tank into the surrounding waterways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: NEI Treatment Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Peter McNulty
  • Publication number: 20080028930
    Abstract: An automated system for processing a liquid test sample is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Brooks Rand LLC
    Inventor: Paul Danilchik
  • Patent number: 7282081
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improve aeration system. The aeration system of the present invention more efficiently removes contaminates, such as hydrogen sulfide, from water. The increased efficiency is achieved by adjusting the pH level of the water in between sequential mass transfer media stages within the aerator. The present invention also relates to an aeration system wherein the forced or induced air is used to strip contaminants from the processed water is reutilized by one or more aeration towers connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Inventor: John A. Verscharen
  • Patent number: 7255728
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for degassing liquids particularly cationic monomers. Fluid comprising liquid to be degassed together with sweep gas is admitted tangentially into a column (10) and forced down the column by a tubular baffle (16) which defines, with the inner wall of the column, an annulus (18) that is closed at its top (20). After passing to the bottom of the annulus the fluid forms an even film over the inner surface of the column and gas disengaging from the liquid can rise up the column while liquid accumulates at the bottom of the column. To assist the disengagement of the gas from the liquid the column is preferably of increasing cross section towards the bottom so that the thickness of the film is also reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Ciba Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Heath Veal, Martin David Powell, Simon Broughton, Gareth Ian Naylor
  • Patent number: 6974546
    Abstract: A method of treatment of water in an aquatic environment. Water is first pumped from a reservoir to a first mixing station. An inert gas is introduced into the pumped water at the first mixing station to provide inert gas saturated water, which inert gas saturated water will displace undesired gasses in the water in the reservoir. The inert gas saturated water is then pumped to a sparging column such that the inert gas and undesired gasses will be released from the inert gas saturated water to provide depleted water. The depleted water is then pumped to a second mixing station, wherein oxygen is introduced into the depleted water to provide oxygen enriched water. The oxygen enriched water is then returned to reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Microdiffusion, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony B. Wood
  • Patent number: 6878188
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing volatile contaminants, such as methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE), from water or other supplies of liquid. In one embodiment of the invention, a gas is sparged through a helical flow of liquid to strip away contaminants. The flowrate of the helical flow of liquid and the flowrate of the gas are held at an optimum ratio to maintain flow stability and maximize stripping efficiency. In another embodiment of the invention, the liquid is processed through a series of stripping stages until volatile contaminants are stripped to a desired level. A portion of the liquid is recycled within each stage, while a system flow of liquid passed from one stage to the next. The flowrate of the recycled flow and the flowrate of the system flow have a ratio that provides improved system capacity while ensuring proper volatile removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Ye Yi
  • Publication number: 20040107836
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing volatile contaminants, such as methyl tertbutyl ether (MTBE), from water or other supplies of liquid. In one embodiment of the invention, a gas is sparged through a helical flow of liquid to strip away contaminants. The flowrate of the helical flow of liquid and the flowrate of the gas are held at an optimum ratio to maintain flow stability and maximize stripping efficiency. In another embodiment of the invention, the liquid is processed through a series of stripping stages until volatile contaminants are stripped to a desired level. A portion of the liquid is recycled within each stage, while a system flow of liquid passed from one stage to the next. The flowrate of the recycled flow and the flowrate of the system flow have a ratio that provides improved system capacity while ensuring proper volatile removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventor: Ye Yi
  • Patent number: 6712882
    Abstract: A process for treating waste water from an industrial process for producing propylene oxide, which process involves the steps of: (a) subjecting the waste water to a multi-effect evaporation treatment resulting in a vaporous top fraction and a liquid bottom fraction containing the non-volatile contaminants; and (b) condensing at least part of the vaporous top fraction into a liquid stream which is subject to a stripping treatment resulting in an overhead stream containing volatile waste organic material and purified water as the liquid bottom stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Johan Hendrik De Bie, Robert Frank Dee, Raymond Lawrence June, Marinus Van Zwienen
  • Patent number: 6666967
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to efficiently remove foam produced in water by the aeration. Further, another object of the present invention is to improve water and air. Said objects can be attained by providing a foam removing apparatus consisting of a core having a spiral groove on its surface and a cylinder in which said core is inserted, and an air-water treating apparatus consisting of an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder inserted in said outer cylinder, a block having gas permeability inserted in said inner cylinder, and a core inserted in said inner cylinder and disposed above said permeable block, to which block an air introducing pipe connecting from the outside, and on the surface of said core a spiral groove being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: I.B.E. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiharu Oyabu
  • Patent number: 6644334
    Abstract: A method and system for treating crude oil to improve its flowability includes operating an internal combustion engine to produce exhaust gas, reducing the temperature of the exhaust gas, injecting cooled exhaust gas into a separator in which water is extracted to provide dry exhaust gas, pumping crude oil at an elevated pressure into a treatment vessel, compressing the dry exhaust gas to provide pressurized exhaust gas that is introduced into the treatment vessel and intimately mixing the crude oil and the pressurized exhaust gas in the treatment vessel to provide treated crude oil having a substantial portion of the exhaust gas absorbed therein to thereby provide crude oil having improved flowability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Inventor: William H. Briggeman
  • Patent number: 6558452
    Abstract: Ammonia is recovered from waste water containing NH3, at least one acid gas (CO2, H2S) and inert gases. Firstly, the waste water is passed through a pretreatment column and then, at least in part, into a total stripping column. The top product from the total stripping column is cooled in a condenser, and an aqueous NH3-containing condensate coming from the condenser is fed to an NH3 stripping column. The top product from the NH3 stripping column is brought into direct contact with circulating aqueous NH3-containing condensate in a wash column, and NH3 is recovered from the top product from the wash column. Some of the bottom product from the wash column is fed back into the NH3 stripping column. The temperature in the bottom region of the pretreatment column is set to from less than 30 to 200° C., a sub-stream of the waste water is introduced into the upper region of the pretreatment column, and a second sub-stream of the waste water is fed into the pretreatment column below the first sub-stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: MG Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Martin Stönner, Gert Ungar, Matthias Linicus
  • Patent number: 6547855
    Abstract: A mass transfer machine removes dissolved gases or volatile organic compounds from air or a liquid. The mass transfer machine includes a vessel capable of containing a liquid and having a liquid inlet and an air inlet at a near end. It further includes a liquid outlet at a far end. Two or more baffles are located transversely inside of the vessel. The baffle located nearest to the far end of the vessel has a window. Two or more diffusers are located near a bottom surface of the vessel. The diffusers are in communication with the air inlet and have two or more orifices through a wall. An adjustable plate is releasably mounted over the window of the baffle located closest to the far end of the vessel. The plate is adjustable in a vertical direction. In one embodiment, an air source supplies air to the air inlet located on the near end of the vessel. In another embodiment, an air source is connected to the an air exit located on the far side of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Aeromix Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy D. Schmidtke
  • Patent number: 6491828
    Abstract: A contaminated aqueous composition is withdrawn from a groundwater extraction well and the groundwater is treated in a pump and treat system to remove a contaminant. The treating of the aqueous composition is monitored from a location remote from the groundwater extraction well and the treating is adjusted to remove a contaminant in accordance with the monitoring. A system to treat a contaminated aqueous composition comprises a capture zone to intercept a contaminated aqueous composition and a surface pump and treat system to receive and treat the contaminated aqueous composition from the capture zone. The system also includes a sensor that senses a contaminant in the contaminated aqueous composition and a monitor to receive information concerning the contaminant from the sensor and to consequently control the pump and treat system to treat the contaminated aqueous composition. The monitor is situated at a location remote from the pump and treat system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Mark Sivavec, Patricia Denise Mackenzie, Sunita Singh Baghel, Joseph James Salvo
  • Patent number: 6451210
    Abstract: In a method for treating a contaminated fluid stream, a characteristic of a flow of the composition to a carbon adsorption zone is sensed. The sensing is remotely monitored to determine a treatment for the contaminated fluid stream. The contaminated fluid stream is then treated according to the monitoring. A system for treating a contaminated fluid stream comprises a sensor that senses a characteristic of a flow of a contaminated fluid stream prior to treatment and a monitor to receive information concerning the characteristic from the sensor and to consequently control the carbon adsorption zone to treat the contaminated fluid stream. The monitor is situated at a location remote from the carbon adsorption zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Mark Sivavec, Patricia Denise Mackenzie, Joseph James Salvo, Sunita Singh Baghel
  • Patent number: 6277175
    Abstract: A method for removing THMs and dissolved oxygen from water, including supplying the water into an upper portion of an air stripping container, passing the water generally downward toward a lower portion and through a first packing material, introducing air into the lower portion for flow generally upward toward the upper portion and generally against the flow of the water whereby at least some THMs undergo a phase change from liquid to gas and are carried generally upward with the air, supplying the water to an upper region of a vacuum degassing container, passing the water generally downward toward a lower region and through a second packing material, and dispensing the water from the lower region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Sterling Berkefeld Inc.
    Inventors: Raghunath Halder, Jonathan Lister
  • Patent number: 6245129
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing solvents, utilizing a solvent removal unit equipped with an upper liquid supporting member provided with a bottom portion which supports the solvent suspension and which is provided with an opened hole, and a lower liquid supporting member provided at a lower side and at a distance from said upper liquid supporting member, such that the solvent suspension is dropped from the upper liquid supporting member to the lower liquid supporting member, and that the solvent suspension is brought into contact with a gaseous phase while it is being dropped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6152989
    Abstract: A solute and a solvent with close boiling points or close polarities are separated and concentrated by vaporizing at least one of the solvent and solute, and selectively adsorbing the vaporized component in an apparatus having a vessel, and an absorbent with an opening into the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Tadao Ogawa, Masayuki Matsui, Takanori Mizuno, Masae Inoue
  • Patent number: 6123750
    Abstract: An aeration system for removing radon and other volatile compounds from a water or other liquid source. Water supplied from a well and/or water pressure/storage tank enters an aeration tank and is sprayed through a clog resistant nozzle. The nozzle creates a cone shaped spray of very fine water droplets or particles. Such spraying exposes the maximum amount of water surface area to the air stream and hence removes about 50% of the existing radon and other volatile compounds contained within the water. The sprayed water is then collected and fills the aeration tank and the collected water is then exposed to a source of high pressure, filtered air which is blown through a conventional sparger to vigorously agitate and aerate the sprayed and collected water in the aeration tank thereby removing any remaining radon and other volatile compounds from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: New England Radon, Ltd
    Inventor: Daniel Espinal
  • Patent number: 5788843
    Abstract: A structure for treating water used in public water supplies for removing dissolved gases. The installation includes a closed outer tank for storage of water and a vented inner tank for water aeration contained at least partially within the outer tank. The inner tank includes a column of packing media for aerating the water which is delivered from the ground water source to a point above the column. A flow of air is delivered into the outer tank above the water level, and an air inlet causes air to flow into the inner tank and through the column in counter-current flow to the water. The air is then vented to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Inventors: Carl Richard Larrabee, Jr., David Alan King, Everett John Wegerif, William Powell Nairn, Hershel Williamson, Gary Lynn Heller, Glynn Alan Leffler
  • Patent number: 5768329
    Abstract: Improved efficiency process for preparing or breeding tritium gas from dense molten lithium alloy by bombardment of the alloy as a target material using a linear accelerator emitting a high energy proton beam to generate a neutron flux. The invention involves using a dense eutectic molten lead lithium alloy as the target material, directing the impact area within the body of molten target material, such as to a depth of about 2 meters of the target material, and continuously circulating the molten alloy past the impact area to dissipate the heat of reaction to provide a substantial lead source for maximum neutron production and to provide an effective lithium source to absorb the neutrons, to produce the highest possible amount of tritium per proton applied by the high energy proton beam. The formed tritium gas is insoluble in and separates from the molten alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: David Berwald
  • Patent number: 5634963
    Abstract: An apparatus suitable in particular for degassing fluoropolymers which have been subjected to thermal degradation contains--in the direction of flow of the product--a product intake, a coolable conveyor section, a comminution apparatus, a heated conveyor section and a product discharge, the entire apparatus being designed to be gastight and advantageously being designed to be resistant to pressure surges and having a gas outlet in the area of the coolable conveyor section and/or in the area of the comminution apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Herbert Strasser, Bernd Felix, Ulrich Reiff, Hans-Bodo Richter, Tilman Zipplies
  • Patent number: 5614086
    Abstract: A bubble aeration system and method for removing radon and other contaminants from domestic or commercial water supplies in a single tank having a baffle arrangement or channels creating a sinuous water path for a more effective separation of radon from the water supply and incorporating a storage chamber for cleaned water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Inventors: David D. Hill, Timothy Kane