Dynamotive, LLC

British Columbia Research Council

B.c. Research Council

Energy, Mines & Resources - Canada

Nalco Mobotec, Inc.

Mobotec Usa, Inc.

Provectus Engineered Materiels Ltd.

Rival Technologies Inc.

British Columbia Research Corporation

Sonoash LLC

Magpower Systems, Inc.

Global New Energy Technology Corporation

B.c. Reasearch Council

Constable, George Alexander

Oehr, Klaus H.

Klaus Heinrich Oehr

Brian S Higgins

Richard R Timewell

Ronald Kim

Harvey Donahue

Brenda Hoy

Colin W Oloman

Donald S Scott

Claudio Arato

Elod Lajos Gyenge

Norman Chow

Travis Janke

Reinhold C Roth

Muhammed M Al-Jiboory

Rod McElroy

Roderick O McElroy

Steven Splinter

Jiahua Zhou

Girard A Simons

Remy Stachowiak

Cliff Low Mui

John B Wallace

Stefan Czernik

Felix Z Yao

Joey Chung-Yen Jung

Michael Kiktavy

Gary A Cyr

Claudio I Arato

A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil () by thermally cracking () the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel to convert a portion to volatile components () while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel. Tetrathydrofurfuryl alcohol is optionally added to the heavy crude oil feedstock before or during cracking. The vented volatile components are separated () into condensable volatile components () and non-condensable volatile components (). The condensable components are collected and comprise cracked-distilled oil. The cracking residue () is removed from the cracking vessel and a cracking residue extract is prepared and mixed with the cracked-distilled oil to produce synthetic crude oil.

Method of upgrading heavy crude oil

A method of producing enhanced coal combustion ash for use in pozzolanic applications or cement manufacture, in which the enhanced combustion ash has lower mercury content. A slurry is formed of the combustion ash and water and is subjected to froth flotation to form a mercury-enriched ash slurry and a mercury-depleted ash slurry. The product mercury-depleted ash slurry is isolated and may optionally be dried. The combustion ash may be pulverized prior to being used to form the slurry, reducing its mean particle size. The mercury-depleted combustion ash product has reduced levels of mercury and ammonia, and reduced particle size.

Method for upgrading combustion ash

Described and claimed herein is a method of producing enhanced combustion ash for use in pozzolanic applications or cement clinker manufacture. The method employs a primary process in which wet or dry feedstock is pulverized with sonication using one or more grinding media having a maximum component size of about 2 mm. Alternatively, the media may have a true grinding medium volume to chamber volume ratio of at least 0.29. Also disclosed an claimed is an enhanced combustion ash produced by the method, whereby the enhanced combustion ash has one or more qualities that make it particularly suitable in pozzolanic applications or cement clinker manufacture.

Upgraded combustion ash and its method of production

A combustion system having improved mercury collection. The system includes a combustion chamber for burning a fuel containing mercury, whereby burning produces a flue gas stream containing mercury and a device for removing mercury from the flue gas stream. The device includes a thermopolymer substrate; and a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate. In one embodiment, the system may further include a collector downstream of the device for collecting the mercury attached to the thermopolymer. The inventions further include alternative methods of mercury removal and preparation of the polymer substrate.

System and method for improved mercury control

A method of improving the performance of magnesium containing electrodes used in metal/air batteries (fuel cells), comprising the addition of one or more additives to the electrolyte or electrode surface. The additives are selected from any of the following groups; dithioburet, tin, and tin plus a quaternary ammonium salt.

Methods and products for improving performance of batteries/fuel cells

A method of treating a fossil fuel for combustion, which includes heating the fossil fuel and an additive in a combustion zone. The additive contains a lime flux that lowers the melting point of lime sufficiently so that lime in the combustion zone melts wholly or partially. The additive reacts with the fossil fuel char and its sulphur plus ash components, in the combustion zone to achieve the following results alone or in combination: accelerated combustion, desulphurization, nitrogen oxides emission reduction, pozzolanic or cementitious product production or combustor anti-fouling.

Method and product for improved fossil fuel combustion

To remove films, such as oxides and lubricants, from a metal substrate, mechanical or thermal stress is first applied to the films so as to rupture the film to the substrate. The substrate is then moved through an electrolysis cell having one or more electrode elements of one electrical polarity spaced from the moving substrate defining another electrode element with the opposite polarity. An electrical signal is applied to the electrodes, and the electrical signal flows down to the metal substrate, resulting in an etching or pitting of the surface of the metal substrate. Following the electrolysis cell, the moving substrate is immersed in a cavitation fluid. Energy, either sonic or ultrasonic, is generated and focused onto the moving substrate so that cavitation bubbles are formed in the pitted portions of the metal substrate beneath the film. When the cavitation bubbles expand and collapse, the resulting cavitational shock wave and the microjet action produce a lifting effect on the film relative to the metal substrate.

Method for removal of films from metal surfaces using electrolysis and

A method of reducing acid emissions and ozone deletion precursors from a flue gas produced by the combustion of sulphur-or nitrogen-containing fuel or acid emissions and ozone deletion precursors from chemical plants. The method comprises introducing into a flue containing the gas, an additive derived from the chemical reaction of pyrolysis liquor with an alkaline earth metal compound in the presence of an oxidant. This reaction produces a hydrophobic/hydrophilic mixture containing a plurality of thermolabile alkaline earth metal compounds. These compounds are able to decompose at flue gas temperature to produce an alkaline compound able to react with sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen to eliminate them from the gas.

Reduction of acid rain and ozone depletion precursors

A manufactured metal member, such as a wire, having a magnetite oxide film thereon, is subjected to mechanical stress to produce cracking of the magnetite film approximately to the surface of the metal member. The metal member is then moved through an electrolysis cell bath in which the metal member forms the anode thereof, and vertically positioned steel bars form the cathode. A pulsating DC current is applied to the anode and the cathode. The current flows to the surface of the metal member via the cracks in the oxide, maintaining the metal member anode in a state of depassivation and loosening the bond between the oxide film and the metal member. The loosened magnetite is then readily cleaned off the metal member. A thermal stressing step may also be used prior to the mechanical stressing.

Method for removal of certain oxide films from metal surfaces

A method of reducing acid emission from a flue gas produced by combustion of a sulphur-containing fuel. A pyrolysis liquor containing a thermolabile alkaline earth metal compound is introduced into a flue containing the flue gas. The alkaline earth metal compound is able to decompose at flue gas temperature to produce an alkaline compound able to react with sulphur dioxide in the flue gas. A liquor additive to inject into a flue gas resulting from a combustion of a sulphur containing fuel to reduce the acid content of the flue gas is also described. The liquor comprises a pyrolysis liquor, initially acidic but at least partially neutralized by basic alkaline earth metal compounds. The resulting liquor contains at least one thermolabile alkaline earth metal compound able to decompose at flue gas temperature to produce an alkaline compound able to react with sulphur dioxide. A method of producing the liquor is also described.

Acid emission reduction

A manufactured metal member, such as a wire, having a magnetite oxide film thereon, is first subjected to stress to produce cracking of the magnetite film approximately to the surface of the metal member. The metal member is then moved through an electrolysis cell bath in which the metal member forms the anode thereof, and vertically positioned steel bars form the cathode. A pulsating DC current is applied to the anode and the cathode. The current flows to the surface of the metal member via the cracks in the oxide, maintaining the metal member anode in a state of depassivation and loosening the bond between the oxide film and the metal member. The loosened magnetite is then readily cleaned off the metal member.

Calcium salts, such as calcium acetate, calcium formate or calcium proprionate, are obtained from aqueous liquors derived from the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass containing cellulose, hemicelluloses or starch. The above biomass is subjected to rapid pyrolysis to obtain a crude product containing an aqueous phase and an organic phase. The product obtained, preferably as the aqueous phase, is then distilled to produce a distillate containing at least one acid selected from acetic acid, formic acid and propionic acid as well as their esters and formaldehyde. An alkaline source of calcium is added to this distillate to adjust the pH to an alkaline level sufficient to hydrolyze the esters, cause at least partial oxidation of the formaldehyde and prevent volatilization of acetate, formate or propionate ions as acetic acid, formic acid or propionic acid respectively. This pH adjusted alkaline liquid is then subjected to a further distillation to remove water and volatile organic components and produce at least one of calcium acetate, calcium formate and calcium propionate as solid residue.

Method of producing calcium salts from biomass

A method of forming a metal oxide crystal structure having a peroxide defect and doped with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. The method involves growing the doped metal oxide crystal by thermally decomposing in an oxidizing atmosphere a liquid mixture of an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt and the metal oxide or a compound that can decompose to form the metal oxide under the thermal decomposition conditions.

Method for producing catalysts

A process for preparing ceric sulphate in solution. A saturated solution of cerous sulphate is electrolyzed at a high anodic current density in the range 100 to 400 mamp/cm.sup.2, high cathode current density in the range 1000 to 4,500 mamp/cm.sup.2 and with vigorous agitation in the presence of dilute sulphuric acid. The process permits the production of concentrated ceric sulphate solutions at commercially viable current densities and efficiencies.

Process for preparing ceric sulphate

Growing community of inventors

Surrey, Canada

Klaus Heinrich Oehr