William Scot Appel

US Patent:

6691702, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Apr 29, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/134868

Inventors:

William Scot Appel - San Diego CA
David Phillip Winter - Encinitas CA
Brian Kenneth Sward - San Diego CA
Masato Sugano - Tokyo, JP
Edmund Salter - Oceanside CA
James A. Bixby - La Jolla CA

Assignee:

SeQual Technologies, Inc. - San Diego CA
Teijin Limited - Osaka

International Classification:

A61M 1500

US Classification:

12820226, 12820125, 12820511, 12820422

Abstract:

A portable oxygen concentrator system adapted to be readily transported by a user includes a rechargeable energy source and a concentrator powered by the energy source. The concentrator converts ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for the user and includes a plurality of adsorption beds and a rotary valve assembly. The rotary valve assembly is relatively rotatable with respect to the plurality of adsorption beds to provide valving action for selectively transferring fluids through the plurality of adsorption beds for converting ambient air into concentrated oxygen gas for the user. The ratio of adiabatic power to oxygen flow for the concentrator is in the range of 6. 2 W/LPM to 23. 0 W/LPM.

US Patent:

20050098034, May 12, 2005

Filed:

Nov 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/706320

Inventors:

Craig Gittleman - Rochester NY, US
William Appel - San Diego CA, US
David Winter - Encinitas CA, US
Brian Sward - San Diego CA, US

International Classification:

B01D053/02

US Classification:

095096000, 096121000

Abstract:

A PSA system that purifies a feed gas, such as a reformate gas in fuel cell system. The PSA system includes a series of vessels housing an adsorbent or combination of adsorbents that adsorb carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water and methane in the reformate gas. The adsorbent vessels are connected to each other and a feed manifold, a product manifold and an exhaust manifold through suitable conduits, where the gas flows are controlled by a product rotating valve and feed rotating valve or a series of open/shut valves. A specialized PSA cycle controls the valves so that the vessels cycle through various stages of equalization, blow-down, purge, pressurization and production to purify the feed gas.

US Patent:

20060113248, Jun 1, 2006

Filed:

Nov 30, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/001701

Inventors:

Donald Koenig - San Diego CA, US
Santosh Limaye - El Cajon CA, US
William Appel - Earlysville VA, US

International Classification:

B01F 5/06
C02F 1/38

US Classification:

210640000, 210512100, 210787000, 366336000, 366340000

Abstract:

The present invention provides systems and methods for facilitating contact between a liquid and a fluid. Such systems and methods may allow efficient removal of components from the liquid without using undesirable reducing agents. In this regard, the disclosed embodiments provide for the purification of a liquid by passing the liquid and a fluid through a porous medium. The porous medium facilitates mixing of the liquid and the fluid. A partial pressure differential of the component between the liquid and the fluid facilitates the transfer of the component from the liquid to the fluid in the mixed liquid and fluid. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method of purifying a liquid. The method includes passing a liquid, such as a fuel, and a fluid, such as a non-reactive gas, through a porous medium, the liquid containing a component, such as oxygen gas, therein. The passing causes mixing of the liquid and the fluid and transfer of at least some of the component from the liquid to the fluid. The method also includes separating the liquid and the fluid, the separated fluid including at least some of the component.