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Ceramic crossflow filtration unit
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Patents
Patents This is a list of recently published p a t e n t s covering designs a n d inventions of relevance to synthetic m e m b r a n e technology. Where the same device h a s been patented in several countries, we normally give the British patent number. If there is n o UK patent, we give the n u m b e r of a n English-language patent,if one exists. The p a t e n t s list is compiled from international s o u r c e s by BHR Group's information service. The facility c a n also be u s e d to carry out retrospective p a t e n t searches - - to test the validity, novelty or infringement of existing p a t e n t s or new ideas. BHR Group, Cranfleld, Bedford MK43 OAJ, UK, will provide free estimates on request. Countries c a n be identified b y the code in front of the n u m b e r as follows:
US Patent Office Scientific Library 15th and East Streets, NW Washington, DC 20231, USA The J a p a n e s e Patent Office 4-3 Kaksumigaseki 3-chome Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo I00, J a p a n
Ceramic crossflow filtration unit
The device covered by this p a t e n t is a ceramic shell-and-tube vessel which can be u s e d for heat exchange or m a s s transfer. The porosity of the tube materials c a n be higher t h a n is possible in competing devices. The m a n u f a c t u r i n g process which permits this requires that the t u b e s be formed of fused, interlocked, slngle crystals of a n acicular (whisker-shaped) ceramic material. In the patent, this is mulllte with 76% AI203 AT Austria AU Australia a n d 24% SiO2. BE Belgium BR Brazil This material c a n be u s e d to CH Switzerland DD East G e r m a n y make s t r u c t u r e s having DE West G e r m a n y DK D e n m a r k substantially improved mechanical a n d impact strength, EP E u r o p e a n Patents ES Spain improved resistance a n d less FI Finland FR France sagging when exposed to high GB Britain HU H u n g a r y temperatures, m u c h larger pore IL Israel IR Eire sizes a n d greater porosities. The IT Italy JP Japan finished material h a s properties KP North Korea LI Liechtenstein different from those constituted LU Luxembourg NL Netherlands from irregular particles. NO Norway RO Romania A m e m b r a n e material, SE Sweden US United States whether sintered ceramic, organic SU Soviet Union WO World Patent polymer, molecular sieve or gel (Patent Treaty filtration layer, can be added to Cooperation one or both surfaces of the tubes; publication) good adhesive properties are also possessed by the mullite material. BHR Group does not operate a An extension of this is that d o c u m e n t delivery service for mullite paste can be used to patents, b u t fun copies of the make Joints between the tubes a n d the endplates or other parts original p a t e n t d o c u m e n t s can be of the vessel m a d e of mullite: in obtained from the following fact the whole vessel can be addresses: fabricated from the same material b e c a u s e when sintered the The British Library Patent Express muilite whiskers interlock to give 25 S o u t h a m p t o n Buildings a strong bond: London WC2A lAW, UK The detailed sequence of Fax: 071 323 7230 m a n u f a c t u r e is: a mixture of a l u m i n a and a m o r p h o u s silica (The British Library wlU also powders with a filler s u c h as supply a llst of UK libraries wood flour is made into a paste included in the Patent with water. The paste is extruded Information Network.) a n d formed, a n d the structure of the shell-and-tube vessel is built
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up. The vessel is dried to ensure its stability, then it is heated to 500-950°C in the presence of silicon tetrafluoride (StF4) or other fluorine-contalning g a s e o u s c o m p o u n d s . The alumina, silica a n d SiF4 react to form a c o m p o u n d described as fluorotopaz. The vessel is then further heated to 975--1150°C: the fluorotopaz decomposes to give mullite whiskers. Porosity is 50-85%. W h e n cool, alumina or a n y of the other m e m b r a n e materials c a n be applied to surfaces inside the v e s s e l In the ease of the alumina, the vessel and its coating are heated to 1550°C in order to sinter the alumina.
Patent number: US 5 1 9 4 1 5 4 Date: 16 March 1993 Inventors: J.R. Moyer, N.N. Hughes Appllcan~ Dow Chemical Co
Soil c l e a n - u p by electroosmosis Techniques already exist for removing ions, especially those of heavy metals, from watercourses. There are also m e a n s by which soft c o n t a m i n a t e d by heavy metals c a n be treated. If m e r c u r y is the target ion then s u l p h u r c o m p o u n d s can be used to form insoluble c o m p o u n d s which will not elute from the soil. Soft can be heated until it is vitrified in order to immobilize previously leachable elements. Neither of these strategies r e t u r n s the soil to its pre-contaminated state. A combination of electro-osmosis, ion-exchange resins a n d permeable m e m b r a n e s is used in this process. Tubular assemblies are s u n k into the g r o u n d a b o u t 3 m apart. Each of the assemblies consists of a central metal electrode s u r r o u n d e d b y ion exchange resin enclosed in a cylindrical membrane. An electric potential difference of a b o u t 60 volts is created between nelghbouring m e m b r a n e s . This c a u s e s ions to migrate towards the electrodes. They pass t h r o u g h the m e m b r a n e s a n d are exchanged
Membrane Technology No. 45
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Patents
Patents This is a list of recently published p a t e n t s covering designs a n d inventions of relevance to synthetic m e m b r a n e technology. Where the same device h a s been patented in several countries, we normally give the British patent number. If there is n o UK patent, we give the n u m b e r of a n English-language patent,if one exists. The p a t e n t s list is compiled from international s o u r c e s by BHR Group's information service. The facility c a n also be u s e d to carry out retrospective p a t e n t searches - - to test the validity, novelty or infringement of existing p a t e n t s or new ideas. BHR Group, Cranfleld, Bedford MK43 OAJ, UK, will provide free estimates on request. Countries c a n be identified b y the code in front of the n u m b e r as follows:
US Patent Office Scientific Library 15th and East Streets, NW Washington, DC 20231, USA The J a p a n e s e Patent Office 4-3 Kaksumigaseki 3-chome Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo I00, J a p a n
Ceramic crossflow filtration unit
The device covered by this p a t e n t is a ceramic shell-and-tube vessel which can be u s e d for heat exchange or m a s s transfer. The porosity of the tube materials c a n be higher t h a n is possible in competing devices. The m a n u f a c t u r i n g process which permits this requires that the t u b e s be formed of fused, interlocked, slngle crystals of a n acicular (whisker-shaped) ceramic material. In the patent, this is mulllte with 76% AI203 AT Austria AU Australia a n d 24% SiO2. BE Belgium BR Brazil This material c a n be u s e d to CH Switzerland DD East G e r m a n y make s t r u c t u r e s having DE West G e r m a n y DK D e n m a r k substantially improved mechanical a n d impact strength, EP E u r o p e a n Patents ES Spain improved resistance a n d less FI Finland FR France sagging when exposed to high GB Britain HU H u n g a r y temperatures, m u c h larger pore IL Israel IR Eire sizes a n d greater porosities. The IT Italy JP Japan finished material h a s properties KP North Korea LI Liechtenstein different from those constituted LU Luxembourg NL Netherlands from irregular particles. NO Norway RO Romania A m e m b r a n e material, SE Sweden US United States whether sintered ceramic, organic SU Soviet Union WO World Patent polymer, molecular sieve or gel (Patent Treaty filtration layer, can be added to Cooperation one or both surfaces of the tubes; publication) good adhesive properties are also possessed by the mullite material. BHR Group does not operate a An extension of this is that d o c u m e n t delivery service for mullite paste can be used to patents, b u t fun copies of the make Joints between the tubes a n d the endplates or other parts original p a t e n t d o c u m e n t s can be of the vessel m a d e of mullite: in obtained from the following fact the whole vessel can be addresses: fabricated from the same material b e c a u s e when sintered the The British Library Patent Express muilite whiskers interlock to give 25 S o u t h a m p t o n Buildings a strong bond: London WC2A lAW, UK The detailed sequence of Fax: 071 323 7230 m a n u f a c t u r e is: a mixture of a l u m i n a and a m o r p h o u s silica (The British Library wlU also powders with a filler s u c h as supply a llst of UK libraries wood flour is made into a paste included in the Patent with water. The paste is extruded Information Network.) a n d formed, a n d the structure of the shell-and-tube vessel is built
10
up. The vessel is dried to ensure its stability, then it is heated to 500-950°C in the presence of silicon tetrafluoride (StF4) or other fluorine-contalning g a s e o u s c o m p o u n d s . The alumina, silica a n d SiF4 react to form a c o m p o u n d described as fluorotopaz. The vessel is then further heated to 975--1150°C: the fluorotopaz decomposes to give mullite whiskers. Porosity is 50-85%. W h e n cool, alumina or a n y of the other m e m b r a n e materials c a n be applied to surfaces inside the v e s s e l In the ease of the alumina, the vessel and its coating are heated to 1550°C in order to sinter the alumina.
Patent number: US 5 1 9 4 1 5 4 Date: 16 March 1993 Inventors: J.R. Moyer, N.N. Hughes Appllcan~ Dow Chemical Co
Soil c l e a n - u p by electroosmosis Techniques already exist for removing ions, especially those of heavy metals, from watercourses. There are also m e a n s by which soft c o n t a m i n a t e d by heavy metals c a n be treated. If m e r c u r y is the target ion then s u l p h u r c o m p o u n d s can be used to form insoluble c o m p o u n d s which will not elute from the soil. Soft can be heated until it is vitrified in order to immobilize previously leachable elements. Neither of these strategies r e t u r n s the soil to its pre-contaminated state. A combination of electro-osmosis, ion-exchange resins a n d permeable m e m b r a n e s is used in this process. Tubular assemblies are s u n k into the g r o u n d a b o u t 3 m apart. Each of the assemblies consists of a central metal electrode s u r r o u n d e d b y ion exchange resin enclosed in a cylindrical membrane. An electric potential difference of a b o u t 60 volts is created between nelghbouring m e m b r a n e s . This c a u s e s ions to migrate towards the electrodes. They pass t h r o u g h the m e m b r a n e s a n d are exchanged
Membrane Technology No. 45