Utilizing Removing Solid From Liquid Patents (Class 203/47)
  • Patent number: 11187458
    Abstract: Disclosed is a slurry drying plant (1) comprising a slurry inlet (2) for feeding slurry to the slurry drying plant (1) and two or more meshing screw conveyors (3, 4) arranged to at least partly divide the slurry while conveying the slurry in a transport direction from the slurry inlet (2) to a slurry outlet (5). The slurry drying plant (1) further includes slurry heating means (6) comprising means for passing superheated steam substantially at atmospheric pressure past the slurry and the two or more meshing screw conveyors (3, 4), while they are conveying the slurry. Furthermore, a method for drying slurry and use of a slurry drying plant (1) is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, AquaGreen License ApS
    Inventors: Jesper Ahrenfeldt, Ulrik Birk Henriksen, Claus Thulstrup
  • Patent number: 11028047
    Abstract: A method for recovering dimethyl sulfoxide, including a step of contacting a recovered resist remover containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of glycol ether, glycol and triol, and dimethyl sulfoxide with water and performing distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Mayahara, Koji Tamura, Akinobu Takeda
  • Patent number: 10865370
    Abstract: Energy efficiency is improved in a grain alcohol production plant (60) by capturing heat energy that otherwise would be lost to the environment when stillage evaporator last effect vapors (22) are condensed to recycle their water content. The low temperature/pressure heat energy of these vapors is efficiently recovered and reused by placing the vapors in direct physical contact (301, 402) with a working fluid (38) to form heated working fluid (54, 66), then using the heated working fluid directly in a process of the plant. In an embodiment, cook water used for the plant fermentation process is preheated by direct contact with stillage evaporator overhead vapor via one or more direct contact heat exchangers (301, 401) and/or a thermocompressor (402).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Bioleap, Inc.
    Inventors: James Knight, Jr., Olan Wayne Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10501350
    Abstract: A bio media to remove at least nitrates from collected stormwater is disclosed including natural components to at least facilitate beneficial levels of denitrification and adsorption to remove nitrates and other contaminants passing into the media. Another bio media, systems and a method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ECOSENSE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Randall N. Burden
  • Patent number: 8961744
    Abstract: In a system and method for recycling a high-boiling-point waste photoresist stripper generated in processes of manufacturing LCDs or semiconductor devices, an expensive high-boiling-point stripper solvent can be easily recycled at high yield and high-purity electronic grade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Korex Corporation
    Inventors: Ho Kyung Lee, In Gyoo Lee, Myung Jun Park, Kee-Kahb Koo, Jae-Kyeong Kim
  • Patent number: 8895779
    Abstract: A process for making MAA from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth includes (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MAA, at least some DAA, and at least about 20 wt. % water; (b) cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing liquid portion in contact with a MAA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAA; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: BioAmber Inc.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Leo E. Manzer, Dilum Dunuwila, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Patent number: 8877016
    Abstract: Systems and methods for solar steam generation are described. The systems and methods include moving at least one frame mounted optical focusing lens to track the sun in two axes and disposing a water boiler at a focus of each optical focusing lens. Raw water is pumped through an inlet at a bottom of each boiler and solar energy is concentrated, using each optical focusing lens, on each boiler, heating the raw water in each boiler and evaporating steam from the raw water. The steam exits each boiler, via a steam outlet pipe. Remaining salts and solids in each boiler are ground by rotation of salt grinding-cleaning gears. These ground salts and solids are drained and/or pumped out of each boiler from an exit in the bottom of each boiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: King Saud University
    Inventors: Mazen A. Ba-abbad, Hany A. Al-Ansary, Essam A. Al-Ammar
  • Patent number: 8709257
    Abstract: A method and system for purifying liquid using waste heat is provided. Initially, a liquid is mixed with an anti-sealant agent in a first filtering unit to form a liquid mixture. Thereafter, the liquid mixture is filtered in the first filtering unit to separate foreign objects from the liquid mixture. Subsequently, the liquid mixture is heated in a pipe arrangement connecting the first filtering unit and one or more second filtering units to generate steam. The steam obtained from the heated liquid mixture is then purified in the one or more second filtering units. Thereafter, the purified steam is condensed in the pipe arrangement to obtain the purified liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventors: Mazen Abdullah Ba-Abbad, Hany Abdulrahman Al-Ansary
  • Publication number: 20140061025
    Abstract: A distillation column with external circulation evaporator and a sedimentation zone in the bottom of the column, from which the evaporator circulation is fed, and use of the distillation column according to the invention for the distillation of acrylic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: LURGI GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Bauer, Frank Castillo-Welter, Markus Kreich, Klaus Kirsten, Christoph Steden, Dominic Walter
  • Publication number: 20140042010
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recovering transition metal tetrahalides from a waste stream coming from a catalyst manufacturing process by (a) establishing a mixed stream comprising transition metal tetrahalide and transition metal alkoxyhalides; (b) forming a falling liquid film from the mixed stream of step (a) at a temperature of from 25 to 85° C. and an absolute pressure of from 0.05 to 0.6 bar; and (c) establishing from the film of step (b) a first vapour stream containing from 90 to 100% of recoverable components and a second liquid stream containing about 10 to 80% of titanium haloalkoxides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: BOREALIS AG
    Inventors: Mikko Lylykangas, Jukka Räsänen, Klaus Nyfors, Pekka Malinen
  • Publication number: 20140017728
    Abstract: A method of hydrothermally treating stillage by heating stillage to 200 degrees F. to 350 degrees F., altering physicochemical properties of the stillage, enabling facile separation of the stillage, and creating unique product fractions. A method of performing ethanol fermentation by treating stillage to enable facile separation by heating the stillage to a temperature of 200 degrees F. to 350 degrees F., and separating the treated stillage to recover a high protein solids fraction, a stickwater fraction, and an oil fraction. A method of improving fermentation by heating stillage to a temperature of 200° F. to 350° F. resulting in hydrothermally treated stillage, using all or a portion of the hydrothermally treated stillage as a component of a media, and using the media for a process including fermentation and biomass production. Oil, stickwater, high protein solids fraction, high protein meal, metabolites, biomass, and media obtained from the methods above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Valicor, Inc.
    Inventors: James Robert Bleyer, Thomas J. Czartoski, Puneet Chandra
  • Publication number: 20130277201
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for selectively separating and recovering silicon from waste silicon sludge generated during a semiconductor manufacturing process. With the method for separating and recovering silicon from the silicon sludge, oil components, iron, silicon carbide that are included in the silicon sludge may be removed and silicon may be selectively separated and recovered. In addition, silicon may be efficiently recovered without injection of an additive for precipitating a specific component or without a separate device such as a magnetic separator, or the like, for removing iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Hee Dong Jang, Han Kwon Chang, Dae Sup Kil
  • Patent number: 8523965
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for treating and remediating or abating carbon containing wastes to produce clean water, non-toxic, non-hazardous ash has been taught and described, the method, systems and devices are particularly suited to treating aqueous hydrocarbon containing waste streams generated in the oil and gas drilling and hydrofracking industry including electrocoagulating which removes flocculent, the flocculent is removed and then the aqueous stream is separated into light fractions and heavy fractions. The heavy fraction and flocculent are recombined and then gasified to produce syngas and ash, the syngas can then be used in generating power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Doulos Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Coyte R Jones, Robert C Jones
  • Patent number: 8518219
    Abstract: Organic waste disposal technologies are disclosed herein. A multistage processing of sewage sludge into synthetic fuel and chemical products is carried out by means of a direct thermo-chemical liquefaction process. The process enables the minimization of coke formation by utilizing steam stripping in the processing of sewage sludge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Metal Tech Ltd.
    Inventors: Yefim Plopski, Alexander Rogov
  • Patent number: 8470139
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method for treating fractionated water produced by a hydraulic fracturing process is provided. The method includes decanting a fractionated water stream in at least one decanter. The decanter is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 90° F. to about 120° F. The method also includes flashing the decanted water in at least one first flash tank and at least one second flash tank in fluid communication with one another to provide a residual concentrate stream. The first flash tank is operated at a temperature ranging from about 180° F. to about 200° F. and the second flash tank is operated at a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 160° F. Both the first flash tank and the second flash tank are maintained at a vacuum pressure. The method also includes evaporating the residual concentrate stream in at least one evaporator kettle to produce a concentrated brine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: NGInnovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. Booth
  • Publication number: 20130153401
    Abstract: A process for purifying a brine of organic compounds comprising: (a) supplying a brine that comprises at least one organic compound; (b) feeding at least one stripping zone with the brine from (a) and at least one stripping agent; (c) withdrawing from the stripping zone at least one fraction (I) consisting essentially of brine, the content of the organic compound being lower in fraction (I) than in the brine from step (a), and at least one fraction (II) consisting essentially of the stripping agent; wherein the temperature (T1) of the hotter fraction of the two fractions (I) and (II) and the temperature (T2) of the colder fraction of the two fractions (I) and (II), such temperatures expressed in degrees Celsius being the temperatures measured before any possible thermal conditioning which might be carried out before and/or during their withdrawal from the stripping zone, correspond to the following formula: 6×10?7(T1)3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: SOLVAY SA
    Inventors: Patrick Gilbeau, Philippe Krafft, Jerome Ligot, Valentine Smets, Giancarlo Iavarone
  • Publication number: 20130140169
    Abstract: A process for making a NH4+OOC—R—COOH compound from a clarified NH4+OOC—R—COO?NH4+ compound-containing fermentation broth includes (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes a NH4+OOC˜R˜COOH compound, at least some of a NH4+QOC—R—COO?NH4+ compound, and at least about 20 wt % water; (b) cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a NH4+OOC—R˜C00?NH4+ compound-containing liquid portion in contact with a NH4+OOC—R—COOH compound-containing solid portion that is substantially free of the NH4+OOC—R—COO?NH4+ compound; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: BIOAMBER S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Leo E. Manzer, Dilum Dunuwila, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Patent number: 8454802
    Abstract: A system for the production of ethanol and co-products is provided. The system facilitates an overall reduction in the use of energy, for example, by reducing the mass of wet solids supplied to a distillation system. The system also reduces the amount of energy used to dry the wet solids component of a fermentation product, for example, by increasing the ethanol concentration of the wet solids. The system also facilitates the recovery of co-products including bioproducts and other biochemicals extracted from components of the fermentation product. The solids component of the fermentation product may be dried and constituted into a meal that may be used for animal feed, among other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: POET Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven G. Redford
  • Patent number: 8449728
    Abstract: A system for the production of ethanol and co-products is provided. The system facilitates an overall reduction in the use of energy, for example, by reducing the mass of wet solids supplied to a distillation system. The system also reduces the amount of energy used to dry the wet solids component of a fermentation product, for example, by increasing the ethanol concentration of the wet solids. The system also facilitates the recovery of co-products including bioproducts and other biochemicals extracted from components of the fermentation product. The solids component of the fermentation product may be dried and constituted into a meal that may be used for animal feed, among other uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Poet Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven G. Redford
  • Patent number: 8419904
    Abstract: Systems and methods for solar water purification are described. In one exemplary aspect, the system includes a sun-tracking reflecting mirror unit, and a two-axis Fresnel concentrator mirror unit to collect sunlight reflected from the sun-tracking reflecting mirror unit and focus the sunlight. A central water purification boiler module includes a heating zone upon which the sunlight is focused by the two-axis Fresnel concentrator mirror unit. The focused sunlight heats the water contained therein to create steam which is redirected to heat water coming into the boiler and to condense as purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: King Saud University
    Inventors: Mazen Ba-abbad, Hany Al-Ansary, Essam Al-Bahkali, Essam Al-Ammar, Ibrahime Al-Olayan, Davinder Surah
  • Publication number: 20120241308
    Abstract: A thermal distillation system comprises heating means and cooling means arranged to heat and cool, respectively, treatable liquid in a liquid circuit having a first section between a heating means output and cooling means input, and a second section between an a cooling means output and heating means input, and further comprises distillation stages, each including an evaporator on the first section and a condenser on the second section in heat exchange relationship with liquid in the second section, a carrier gas circuit, on which the evaporator and condenser are arranged, and an output for outputting liquid extracted, wherein the stages are arranged such that their evaporators are disposed along the first section in a direction from the heating means to the cooling means and their condensers are disposed in corresponding order along the second section in a direction from the heating means to the cooling means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Phoenix Water
    Inventors: Peter M. Urwin, Michael John O'Connell, Kathryn Moira Wilson, Glenn Rees
  • Publication number: 20120217162
    Abstract: A nitrogen compound-containing acidic liquid such as a monoethanolamine-containing dilute hydrochloric acid waste liquid discharged during the regeneration of condensate demineralizers in nuclear power plants or thermal power plants is efficiently and economically treated. A neutralization dialysis device 2 is provided in which a raw water chamber 22 and an alkaline solution chamber 23 are partitioned from each other with an anion exchange membrane 21. The nitrogen compound-containing acidic liquid is passed through the raw water chamber 22, while an alkaline solution is passed through the alkaline solution chamber 23, thereby neutralizing and demineralizing the acidic liquid. Thereafter, the nitrogen compound contained in the neutralized demineralized liquid is concentrated with an electrodeionizer 4. The neutralization dialysis treatment using the anion exchange membrane 21 and the alkaline solution can neutralize and demineralize the nitrogen compound-containing acidic liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Komori, Nobuhiro Orita
  • Patent number: 8246792
    Abstract: Processes for making SA from either a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAS-containing fermentation broth that include distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; and separating the solid portion from the liquid portion. A method also reduces the broth distillation temperature and pressure by adding an ammonia separating and/or water azeotroping solvent to the broth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: BioAmber S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Dilum Dunuwila, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Publication number: 20120178976
    Abstract: When lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysate is included in fermentation medium, the broth resulting from biocatalyst production is complex with low filterability. A heat treatment was found to increase filterability, allowing efficient separation of a liquid fraction from a solid fraction, which is further processed for water recycle and syrup production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Susan Marie Hennessey, Annemarie Mitchell, Mathias E. Stolarski, James Gregory Wood
  • Patent number: 8207291
    Abstract: Process for devolatilization of a polymer of an aromatic alkylene, such as styrene and, in particular, an improved process using water as a stripping agent (i) in which the total amount of water to be disposed of can be reduced, (ii) which allows at least a portion of the water to be recycled as stripping agent, reducing make-up requirements for the stripping agent, and (iii) which allows at least a portion of the aromatic alkylene monomer in the water to be recycled to the polymerization process (via the devolatilization steps) rather than being disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ineos Europe Limited
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Galewski
  • Publication number: 20120125762
    Abstract: The invention is related to a process to obtain tetracosanol from a complex mixture derived from tall oil pitch that comprises terpenoids, rosin alcohols, rosin aldehydes, aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbons and stilbene derivatives. The process comprises a mixture crystallization step from hexane and a fractional distillation of the crystallized solids, which yields tetracosanol with more than 90% purity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicants: HARTING S.A., PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE VALPARAISO
    Inventors: Miguel Angel Fuenzalida Diaz, Alejandro Markovitis Rojas, Miriam Berrios Cornejo, Mabel Keller Mena, Jose Vergara Salinas, Glenda Cea Barcia, Andres Illanes Frontaura, Rolando Chamy Maggi, Andres Markovitis Schersl, Araceli Olivares Miralles
  • Publication number: 20120102823
    Abstract: Lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysate fermentation broth may be processed to produce a high solids syrup having relatively low viscosity that has a high energy content and may be burned in a fermentation production process. The high solids syrup was achieved through liquid/solid separation of broth or depleted broth producing a thin stillage with low suspended solids allowing evaporation to high solids while maintaining low viscosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Susan Marie Hennessey, Rahul B. Kasat
  • Publication number: 20120067714
    Abstract: A method for producing of ultra-clean and high-purity electronic acetic acid is disclosed. The method including following steps: Step 1, industrial acetic acid is fast distilled; Step 2, filtering the fraction by membrane of 0.05˜0.3 ?m aperture; Step 3, rectification; Step 4, membrane filtration again. Due to the adoption of the technical scheme above, the ultra-clean and high-purity electronic grade acetic acid which purity is 99.8% is produced. The content of single metal ion is lower than 1 ppb and the content of particulates which is ?0.5 ?m is lower than 5 pcs/ml. The method of the invention will help to reduce energy consumption, to simplify the operation, and to achieve the high security.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Jiarong ZHAN, Li Zhou
  • Patent number: 8080166
    Abstract: A multiphase separation system utilized to remove contaminants from fluids includes a pre-filtering module for filtering a contaminated fluid to provide a filtered contaminated fluid. A condenser module receives the filtered contaminated fluid and a contaminated gas phase for condensing the contaminated gas phase to a contaminated liquid. A phase reaction chamber converts the filtered contaminated fluid to a contaminated mist wherein the mist is subjected to a low energy, high vacuum environment for providing a first change of phase by separating into a contaminated gas phase and a liquid mist phase. The contaminated gas phase is carried out of the phase reaction chamber by a carrier air. A vacuum pump provides the low energy, high vacuum environment in the phase reaction chamber and delivers the contaminated gas phase to the condenser module for condensation providing a second change of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Liquid Separation Technologies and Equipment, LLC
    Inventor: Wayne W. Spani
  • Publication number: 20110297527
    Abstract: Processes for making SA from either a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAS-containing fermentation broth that include distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; and separating the solid portion from the liquid portion. A method also reduces the broth distillation temperature and pressure by adding an ammonia separating and/or water azeotroping solvent to the broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: BioAmber S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Dilum Dunuwila, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Publication number: 20110272269
    Abstract: Processes for making SA from either a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAS-containing fermentation broth that include distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; and separating the solid portion from the liquid portion. A method also reduces the broth distillation temperature and pressure by adding an ammonia separating and/or water azeotroping solvent to the broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: BIOAMBER S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Dilum Dunuwila, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Publication number: 20110266133
    Abstract: A process for making MAA from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth includes (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MAA, at least some DAA, and at least about 20 wt % water; (b) cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing liquid portion in contact with a MAA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAA; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: BIOAMBER S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Leo E. Manzer, Dilum Dunuwila, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Publication number: 20110237831
    Abstract: Processes for making monoammonium succinate (MAS) and/or succinic acid (SA) from either a clarified diammonium succinate (DAS)-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAS-containing fermentation broth include (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and optionally ammonia and a liquid bottoms that includes MAS or SA; (b) cooling and/or evaporating the bottoms and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to produce a solid portion that contains MAS or SA in contact with a liquid portion; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: BioAmber S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olan S. Fruchey, Brian T. Keen, Brooke A. Albin, Nye A. Clinton, Dilum Dunuwila, Bernard D. Dombek
  • Publication number: 20110139603
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method for treating fractionated water produced by a hydraulic fracturing process is provided. The method includes decanting a fractionated water stream in at least one decanter. The decanter is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 90° F. to about 120° F. The method also includes flashing the decanted water in at least one first flash tank and at least one second flash tank in fluid communication with one another to provide a residual concentrate stream. The first flash tank is operated at a temperature ranging from about 180° F. to about 200° F. and the second flash tank is operated at a temperature ranging from about 140° F. to about 160° F. Both the first flash tank and the second flash tank are maintained at a vacuum pressure. The method also includes evaporating the residual concentrate stream in at least one evaporator kettle to produce a concentrated brine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: NG INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Donald W. Booth
  • Patent number: 7935229
    Abstract: A process for extractively removing homogeneously dissolved catalysts from a reaction effluent of a hydrocyanation of unsaturated mononitriles to dinitriles with a hydrocarbon H, including performing the steps of a) concentrating the reaction effluent before step b) by distillation at pressures of from 0.1 to 5000 mbar and temperatures of from 10 to 150° C., b) adding a hydrocarbon H to the concentrated reaction effluent to obtain a stream I, and c) feeding stream I, without prior separation of the liquid phases, into an extraction apparatus and extracting it at a temperature T with the hydrocarbon H to obtain a stream II comprising the hydrocarbon H enriched with the catalyst and a stream III having a low catalyst content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Petra Deckert, Peter Bassler, Michael Bartsch, Gerd Haderlein, Hermann Luyken, Jens Scheidel, Peter Pfab, Tobias Aechtner, Wolfgang Siegel
  • Patent number: 7931809
    Abstract: Desalination methods that include carbonate compound precipitation are provided. In certain embodiments, feed water is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions prior to desalination. In certain embodiments, desalination waste brine is subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. In yet other embodiments, both feed water and waste brine are subjected to carbonate compound precipitation conditions. Aspects of embodiments of the invention include carbone dioxide sequestration. Embodiments of the invention further employ a precipitate product of the carbonate compound precipitation conditions as a building material, e.g., a cement. Also provided are systems configured for use in methods of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Calera Corporation
    Inventors: Brent R. Constantz, Kasra Farsad, Miguel Fernandez
  • Patent number: 7833409
    Abstract: A method for treating fuel containing vanadium including extracting vanadium from the fuel with an adsorption material and fractionating the fuel into a light oil fraction and a heavy fuel fraction. The light fuel fraction has a reduced amount of vanadium. Systems for fuel preparation are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Parag Prakash Kulkarni, Gregg Anthony Deluga, Arnaldo Frydman, Gregory Ronald Gillette, Narendra Joshi, Ke Liu, Vladimir Zamansky
  • Patent number: 7517435
    Abstract: Mercury is removed from solutions contaminated with mercury, the solution contaminated with mercury being introduced into a distillation column above the column bottom, solvent being distilled off and solution depleted in mercury being stripped off at the column bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Josef Guth, Holger Friedrich, Hans-Jürgen Bender, Dieter Schlafer
  • Publication number: 20090008235
    Abstract: A system and process that are a hybrid of distillation and membrane separations offers a highly efficient means of separating a fluid feed mixture into organic, solid, and aqueous components. The distillation section is followed by two membrane separation sections operated in parallel, with the distillation section separating the feed mixture into an organics-rich fraction and an organics-depleted and solids-rich fraction. One membrane section operates on the organics-rich fraction and separates it into a more organics-rich sub-fraction and a water-rich, organics-depleted sub-fraction, while the other membrane section operates on the organics-depleted, solids-rich fraction from the distillation section and separates it into a solids-rich sub-fraction and a solids-depleted, water-rich sub-fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: I3 Nanotec LLC.
    Inventors: Manish Goel, Chetan Prakash Mittal
  • Patent number: 7374686
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing an electrocoat coating composition, comprising forming an aqueous emulsion comprising a film-forming component and water and removing at least a portion of the water from the aqueous emulsion by ultrafiltration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Charles L. Tazzia, Robert D. Schiller, Frankie L. Dock, Robert Doty
  • Patent number: 7357849
    Abstract: A method and system for treating feedwater includes evaporating a portion of the feedwater in a first evaporation chamber so as to separate water vapor from the remaining feedwater. Droplets of the remaining feedwater are dispersed into a stream of hot air produced in a second evaporation chamber. The droplets evaporate and solids in the feedwater precipitate. The precipitated solids are collected in the lower section of the second evaporation chamber. Water vapor discharged from both evaporation chambers can be treated in a cyclone separator to remove residual solids therefrom. The cleansed water vapor output from the cyclone separator can be condensed to recover clean water. Dry solids can be discharged from the second evaporation chamber and the cyclone separator for recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Watervap, LLC
    Inventor: Robert R. Wright
  • Patent number: 7267775
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a plant for processing a gas by means of a glycol solution wherein a feed comprising a gas, a glycol, water and salts is subjected to a first stage (5) of separating the gas from a liquid effluent and said liquid effluent is subjected to a dehydration stage (14) to recover a dehydrated liquid effluent, characterized in that the salts contained in the liquid effluent, dehydrated or not, are eliminated in a membrane separation stage (10) by means of a driving force generated by mechanical pressure difference on either side of a membrane of pore size ranging between 5 and 100 Angstrom. The invention also relates to the use of the method and of the plant for regeneration of a liquid compound of the glycol family used for hydrate formation prevention when using a natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Arnaud Baudot, Nathalie Dupassieux, Sophie Montes
  • Patent number: 7232505
    Abstract: Method of regenerating a glycol solution containing water, hydrocarbons and salts. The glycol solution is expanded in drum (2), then distilled in column (7). The concentrated glycol collected at the level of reboiler (8) is placed under vacuum to vaporize the water and to precipitate the salts. The salts are separated from the glycol in separation device (13). The concentrated glycol freed of the salts is stored in capacity (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignees: Institut Francais du Petrole, Prosernat
    Inventors: Géraldine Laborie, Fabrice Lecomte, Chantal Rigaill, Lionel Waintraub
  • Patent number: 7163636
    Abstract: A multi-phase separation system utilized to remove contaminants from fluids includes a pre-filtering module for filtering a contaminated fluid to provide a filtered contaminated fluid. A condenser module receives the filtered contaminated fluid and a contaminated gas phase for condensing the contaminated gas phase to a contaminated liquid. A phase reaction chamber converts the filtered contaminated fluid to a contaminated mist wherein the mist is subjected to a low energy, high vacuum environment for providing a first change of phase by separating into a contaminated gas phase and a liquid mist phase. The contaminated gas phase is carried out of the phase reaction chamber by a carrier air. A vacuum pump provides the low energy, high vacuum environment in the phase reaction chamber and delivers the contaminated gas phase to the condenser module for condensation providing a second change of phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Phase Separation, LLC
    Inventor: Wayne W. Spani
  • Patent number: 6964728
    Abstract: Bisphenol-A-bis(neopentylglycolphosphate) products of enhanced properties and processes for preparing them are described. One of the processes includes (a) mixing and reacting neopentyl glycol and bisphenol-A-bis(dichlorophosphate) in an inert polar organic solvent which (1) if mixed by itself with an equal volume of water at 25° C., will form a separate phase, (2) the solvent by itself will dissolve at least about 10 wt % of bisphenol-A-bis(neopentylglycolphosphate) at a temperature in the range of 25 to 50° C., and optionally but preferably (3) the solvent by itself can be completely vaporized at a temperature below about 180° C.; (b) washing bisphenol-A-bis(neopentylglycolphosphate) product formed in a) while dissolved in inert organic solvent having such characteristics at least once with an aqueous alkaline washing solution; and (c) optionally but preferably, recovering bisphenol-A-bis(neopentylglycolphosphate) product from organic solvent having such characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Inventors: Bonnie G. McKinnie, Robert E. Williams, Gary L. Sharp, Alireza M. Dadgar
  • Patent number: 6417128
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of replacing water and cyclohexanone with acetic acid in an aqueous solution of catalyst, preferably a cobalt compound. Such an aqueous solution is produced by extracting catalyst with water from a cyclohexanone/water solution of reaction products made by the direct oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid. The replacement of both water and cyclohexanone are conducted in a solvent exchange column, wherein acetic acid dissolves the catalyst, while water vapors force the cyclohexanone into a condenser, followed by a decanter wherein two liquid phases may be formed and separated; an upper liquid phase containing a majority of cyclohexanone and a lower liquid phase containing a majority of water. The cyclohexanone may be removed in a pretreatment zone, wherein also part of the water may be removed, before the concentrated catalyst extract enters the solvent exchange column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: RPC, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. DeCoster, Mark W. Dassel, Eustathios Vassiliou, Ader M. Rostami, Douglas J. Dudgeon
  • Patent number: 6387222
    Abstract: A method of distillation for separating a material which is solid at ambient temperature from a lower boiling and lower melting point material, and the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Tragut, Gerd Kaibel
  • Patent number: 6375803
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing a contaminant from a fluid feed stream containing the contaminant. The method includes the steps of providing a feed stream (10) and heating it in a first step (18) to at least partially remove some of the contaminants and recover energy from a concentrate and distillate generated. Further heating the feed stream in a second heating step (20) in a heated separator generates a saturated vapor fraction (30) and a concentrated liquid contaminant fraction. The vapor fraction (30) may be compressed (32) to generate a temperature differential in the reboiler exchanger (34) with the vapor fraction being passed into contact with a reboiler exchanger (34) to provide a stream of condensed vapor from the reboiler. The stream may be circulated through the reboiler exchanger (34) and the heated separator to maintain from about 1% to about 50% by mass vapor in the stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Aqua-Pure Ventures Inc.
    Inventors: Minoo Razzaghi, Robert Spiering
  • Patent number: 6344361
    Abstract: A film-type vaporizer in a vaporization enclosure, for example the upper column of a double air-distillation column, is associated with a measurement and analysis box where a polished surface and a spillway reconstruct the flow of liquid in the vaporizer in order to check for the absence of the deposition of impurities in the liquid that is to be evaporated. If deposition occurs, the impurities involved are quantified and analyzed and appropriate action taken on the settings of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Jean-Yves Lehman
  • Patent number: 5958233
    Abstract: A new process and apparatus efficiently dewater aqueous solids residual after fermentation and distillation, such as corn stillage. The feed stream of aqueous solids slurry is fractionated into two or more substreams in such a way that one of the substreams contains predominately heavy particulate solids and has substantially improved free-draining characteristics. A second substream contains lighter particles, entrained fines of the heavy particles, and a major portion of the liquid from the feed stream. The free-draining substream is dewatered using a device such as a screen centrifuge or a screw press, both of which produce a cake of relatively high solids content. The remaining liquid from the feed stream is concentrated in an evaporator, before being mixed with the dewatered solids which may be dried to produce an animal feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Ralph H. Willgohs