...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7442348 | Sulfur-bearing residue treatment system A sulfur-bearing residue treatment system is provided for the recovery of valuable organic components and the reduction of capital costs and operating costs. The treatment system involves the use of a stripping vessel in conjunction with a heating apparatus. All ele... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7408074 | Method for producing an alkene oxide Process for preparing an alkene oxide, which comprises at least the steps (i), (ii) and (v): (i) providing a stream S1 comprising compressed, liquid alkene; (ii) depressurizing at least part of the stream S1 with absorption of heat and with... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7378536 | Method for producing propylene oxide Process for preparing propylene oxide, which comprises at least the steps (iii) and (iv) (iii) separating off propylene oxide from a mixture (M1) comprising propylene oxide and at least one solvent by distillation in a distillation column, giving a bott... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7263934 | Methods for generating energy using agricultural biofuel A process comprising, providing an agricultural biofuel to a fluidized bed reactor and combusting the agricultural biofuel to produce heat and/or steam is disclosed. In one embodiment, the agricultural biofuel is selected from the group consisting of agricultural cr... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7226527 | Method for recovering crude 1,3-butadiene by extractive distillation from a Ccut A process for recovering crude 1,3-butadiene from a C4 fraction by extractive distillation using a selective solvent in a dividing wall column (TK) in which a dividing wall (T) is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the column to form a first subreg... | 06/05/2007 |
| 6966974 | Process for evaporating a solution and an evaporator for use in the process The invention relates to a method for evaporating a solution and an evaporator applied to it. The evaporator (1) has parallel plate heat exchanger elements (3) fitted inside a jacket (2), consisting of a flexible plastic film, for example, and a... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6939444 | Sulfur-bearing residue treatment system A sulfur-bearing residue treatment system is provided for the recovery of valuable organic components and the reduction of capital costs and operating costs. The treatment system involves the use of a stripping vessel in conjunction with a heating apparatus. All ele... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6835287 | Apparatus, method for enrichment of the heavy isotope oxygen and production method for heavy oxygen water An apparatus comprising first to third columns, wherein the outlet of a first column reboiler and the inlet of a second column condenser are connected by a first introduction conduit, and the outlet of a second distillation column reboiler and the inlet of a third c... | 12/28/2004 |
| 6689251 | Cycled-concentration distiller A distiller (10) that employs a rotary heat exchanger (32) introduces water to be evaporated into evaporation chambers (56). During most of its operation, it collects the water that has passed through the evaporation chamber (56) without evaporating, and ... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6355145 | Distillation process with reduced fouling A method for removing a contaminant from a fluid feed stream containing the contaminant. The method includes the steps of providing a feed stream and heating it in a first step to at least partially remove some of the contaminants and recover energy from ... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6120651 | Method for removing water from an aqueous fluid mixture A method permits concentration of a water-miscible organic liquid in a mixture of such liquid and water, with recovery of a desired concentrate of the water-miscible organic liquid and water, and a relatively clean water containing only a very low contest... | 09/19/2000 |
| 5968321 | Vapor compression distillation system and method Distillation system having an evaporator/condenser core with heat transfer plates welded together along their edges to form alternate boiling and condensing chambers. Feed liquid is supplied to the boiling chambers through a pair of heat exchangers which ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5925223 | Process for improving thermal efficiency while producing power and desalinating water A process and apparatus for improving the thermal efficiency of a steam turbine power generating plant while simultaneously desalinating seawater or brine and purifying water which contains minerals, salts, and other dissolved solids. Exhaust gases from a... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5882485 | Process for the separation of dimethyl ether and chloromethane in mixtures A process for the separation of dimethyl ether and chloromethane in mixtures A process for the separation of dimethyl ether and chloromethane in mixtures by two distillation steps. In the first step, the mixture is subjected to an extractive distillation ... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5770020 | Distillation apparatus The invention relates to a distillation apparatus (1) which is suitable in particular for the distillation of sea water into fresh water. The apparatus includes a plurality of flat, bag-like elements (3) formed from a thin film material such as plastic fi... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5670027 | Method of drying a gas making use of a distillation of a liquid desiccant agent A method of drying a gas making use of the distillation of a liquid desiccant, the method comprising the introduction of a stream of make-up liquid containing water and of an organic solvent miscible with water, the solvent being a more volatile solvent t... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5645694 | Process and apparatus for vapor compression distillation An improved vapor compression distillation process and apparatus are provided having a container with a substantially horizontal longitudinal center axis, two opposing end plates closing each end of the container, a first and second passage area defined w... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5622605 | Process for desalinating water while producing power A process and apparatus for desalinating seawater or brine and purifying water which contains minerals, salts, and other dissolved solids while simultaneously generating power. The salinous water is heated in a boiler to form steam and a concentrated brin... | 04/22/1997 |
| 5591310 | Distillation An apparatus for distillation of a liquid near or above its critical point wherein the liquid contains a dissolved solid. The apparatus includes a separation section wherein the liquid may be separated into a vapor and a liquid residue separated by a liqu... | 01/07/1997 |
| 5587054 | Vapor compression distillation system A vapor compression distillation system including a boiler/condenser assembly wherein a portion of the condensate is redirected back to the condenser inlet to extract superheat from the compressed vapor and transfer it to the liquid in the boiler. The vap... | 12/24/1996 |
| 5457277 | Multiple reboiler system To heat the circulating reboiler streams of multiple distillation columns a fired reboiler is provided for a first column requiring the most heat. A portion of the bottoms from the first column is passed through the tubes of the heater in the fired reboil... | 10/10/1995 |
| 5453165 | System and method for reducing hydrocarbons in wastewater A system and method for reducing hydrocarbons in wastewater includes an oil separator and a stripper tower. The tower has a housing that includes a stripper section and a condensation section. The stripper section includes a plurality of trays and steam i... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5399244 | Process to recover benzene from mixed hydrocarbons by extractive distillation Benzene and other aromatics are separated from a stream of mixed hydrocarbons containing both aromatics and non-aromatics by extractive distillation with a solvent system containing dimethyl sulfoxide and optionally a co-solvent, preferably water, followe... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5340443 | Distillation apparatus with paired membrane units The invention relates to a distillation apparatus including a housing (1) a blower (2), preheat exchangers (7) and (8) and an evaporative condenser (25) comprising pairs (13) of membranes. One pair (13) of membranes at a time can be detached from the evap... | 08/23/1994 |
| 5312524 | Distillation system for recovery of industrial process liquids A distillation system for recovery of volatile components of contaminated liquids used in an industrial process includes a tube assembly including outer tubes to which hot bottoms liquids are supplied and inner tubes to which process liquids are supplied ... | 05/17/1994 |
| 5232557 | Heat transfer plates evaporation and condensation apparatus In a plate heat exchanger for evaporation of a liquid by means of a heat emitting vapor every second plate interspace forms an evaporation passage (28) and the rest of the plate interspaces form condensation passages (30). Aligned openings (16) in the pla... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5232085 | Distillation system with a hydrophobic porous membrane A distillation system has a degassing tank, a distiller for generating vapor of raw water taken from the degassing tank, a heater for heating the vapor from the distiller to convert the vapor into a high temperature and pressure vapor, a hydrophobic porou... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5227027 | High efficiency water distillation apparatus using a heat pump system and process for use thereof A water distillation system and process capable of high efficiency operation used in combination with a heat pump system wherein the water distillation apparatus includes a water pre-heating device positioned within the feed water to heat the feed water t... | 07/13/1993 |
| 5176798 | System for removal and disposal of minor amounts of organics from contaminated water A system is disclosed for recovering and disposing of volatile organic contaminants, from water contaminated with organics, which system includes a pump to feed water from the body of contaminated water to the system, with indirect heat exchange and direc... | 01/05/1993 |
| 5116485 | Apparatus and method for recovering diesel-quality fuel from produced crude oil An apparatus and process for recovering a diesel-quality fuel from produced crude oil is described. The diesel-quality fuel is produced by flashing the crude feedstock at high temperatures and recovering the diesel quality fuel as a liquid from a refluxin... | 05/26/1992 |
| 5045155 | Centrifugal distillation apparatus The disclosed invention is an apparatus and process for the distillation of liquids. The apparatus is comprised of a plurality of vertically stacked parallel disks which are rotated in a horizontal plane. The liquid to be distilled is introduced into the ... | 09/03/1991 |
| 5035776 | Low energy extractive distillation process for producing anhydrous ethanol A thermally-integrated extractive distillation process for recovering anhydrous ethanol from fermentation or synthetic feedstocks has a distillation train of four columns. Two columns are preconcentrators operated in parallel. The remaining columns are an... | 07/30/1991 |
| 4846934 | Soil and groundwater remediation system The invention is a system for removing volatile hydrocarbon contaminates from both water and moisture-ladened air. In detail the invention comprises a steam stripping system for mixing the contaminated water with steam, at below atmospheric pressure, prov... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4810330 | Process for deodorizing and/or physical refining relatively small, varying charges of high-boiling liquids Deodorizing and/or physical refining of relatively small, varying charges of high-boiling liquids, viz. fatty acids, edible oils, fats, glycerides and other high-boilding esters, is conducted continuously in a single-stage or multi-stage falling-film colu... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4778567 | Method for purification of ethylene oxide and recovery of heat thereof In the purification of ethylene oxide from an ethylene oxide-containing reaction formation gas produced by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of ethylene with a molecular oxygen containing gas, external thermal energy required for heating an ethylene oxide ref... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4767502 | Steam generator in a multi-stage distilling apparatus A steam generator, especially a pure steam generator, having a feed line for conducting feed water to the same, an electrode system for heating the feed water, a steam outlet for removing generated steam, and a separating space in a lower part of the gene... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4763488 | Plate heat exchanger for separating vapor and liquid phases A heat exchange device which is employed for separating components of different volatility from a solution containing the components and which has particular application as a heat exchanger/rectifier/generator in an absorption cycle refrigeration system. ... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4710300 | Method for processing of organic materials containing nitrogen compounds The invention pertains to a method for processing of organic materials containing nitrogen compounds, where the organic material undergoes an anaerobic digestion with simultaneous liberation of biogas which contains methane and carbon dioxide. The liquid ... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4671856 | Method for recyclying energy in counterflow heat exchange and distillation This document describes an improved method and apparatus for recycling energy in counterflow heat exchange and distillation. The basis of the invention is transferring heat with thin sheets of material having extensive surface area relative to the flow ra... | 06/09/1987 |
| 4636284 | Process for the separation of water from a water-containing mixture or azeotrope with an extractant, and for the separation of water from said extractant A process for the separation of water from a water-containing mixture of azeotrope, with an extractant which removes water from the mixture or azeotrope, recovery of the non aqueous portion of the mixture or azeotrope as a product, and regeneration of the... | 01/13/1987 |