Sonnenfeld
Axel Sonnenfeld, Zurick CH
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20110039036 | REMOTE NON-THERMAL ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA TREATMENT OF TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE PARTICULATE MATERIALS AND APPARATUS THEREFORE - The present invention relates to a novel process for the remote plasma surface treatment of substrate particles at atmospheric pressure. The invention is motivated by the urge to overcome major drawbacks of particle treatment in low pressure plasmas and in-situ particle treatment at atmospheric pressure. The former requires complex and mostly expensive vacuum installations and vacuum locks usually prohibiting continuous processing. Independent of the system pressure, in-situ plasma treatment causes particle charging and therefore undesirable interaction with the electric field of the discharge, which is seen to contribute to the process of reactor clogging. Additionally, the filamentary discharges modes of atmospheric pressure plasmas are inflicted with inhomogeneous surface treatment. Furthermore, short radical lifetimes at elevated pressures complicate a remote plasma treatment approach as widely used in low pressure applications. The key-element of the invention is that by reducing the dimension of the atmospheric discharge arrangement to the micrometer range, transonic flow conditions can be achieved in the discharge zone while maintaining moderate flow rates. The resulting superimposition of high drift velocity in the gas flow and the inherent diffusion movement is to prolong the displacement distance of activated species, thus making a remote plasma treatment of substrate particles feasible and economically interesting. The circumferential arrangement of e.g. micro discharge channels around the treatment zone of variable length allows a remote plasma treatment independently of the discharge mode and benefits additionally from the aerodynamic focusing of a particle-gas stream to the centre, reducing reactor clogging. Furthermore, taking advantage of non-thermal discharges, there is no restriction of the concept of the outlined invention in the material properties of the particulate solids especially not with regard to the treatment of temperature sensitive materials as often encountered in polymer or pharmaceutical industries. In conclusion, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment close to ambient gas temperature as well as continuous processing is a specialty of the invention disclosed here. | 02-17-2011 |
Axel Sonnenfeld, Zurich CH
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20080248306 | Method for Attaching Manoparticles to Substrate Particles - The invention relates to the deposition of nanoparticles from the gas phase of the a thermal plasma of a gas discharge and the subsequent attachment of said nanoparticles to the substrate particles. The invention can be used for increasing the flowability of solid bulk material. Particularly the pharmaceutical industry utilizes numerous intermediate and final products in the form of powders which cause processing problems because of the poor flowability thereof. With fine-grained materials, undesired adhesive effects occur foremost because of Van der Waals'forces. Said effects can be reduced by applying nanoparticles to the surface of the material that is to be treated. The invention is characterized by a combined process in which the nanoparticles are produced and are attached to the substrate surface. Using a non-thermal plasma additionally makes it possible to treat temperature-sensitive materials that are often used in the pharmaceutical industry. | 10-09-2008 |
20130236727 | METHOD FOR ATTACHING NANOPARTICLES TO SUBSTRATE PARTICLES - The invention relates to the deposition of nanoparticles from the gas phase of the a thermal plasma of a gas discharge and the subsequent attachment of said nanoparticles to the substrate particles. The invention can be used for increasing the flowability of solid bulk material. Particularly the pharmaceutical industry utilizes numerous intermediate and final products in the form of powders which cause processing problems because of the poor flowability thereof. With fine-grained materials, undesired adhesive effects occur foremost because of Van der Waals' forces. Said effects can be reduced by applying nanoparticles to the surface of the material that is to be treated. The invention is characterized by a combined process in which the nanoparticles are produced and are attached to the substrate surface. Using a non-thermal plasma additionally makes it possible to treat temperature-sensitive materials that are often used in the pharmaceutical industry. | 09-12-2013 |
Nathan J. Sonnenfeld, New York, NY US
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20140212251 | Methods, Systems and Apparatuses for Loading and Unloading Freight from Railcars - The invention described herein provides methods, systems and apparatuses for loading and unloading freight from railcars and methods for intermodal transportation of freight on railcars. The freight may be a shipping container or a semi-trailer. The system for loading and unloading freight on railcars includes a sled capable of moving laterally between a loading location and a railcar. | 07-31-2014 |
Terese M. Sonnenfeld, Lake Forest, CA US
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20110015775 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING BATCH PRODUCT MANUFACTURING - A system and method for monitoring product through a batch manufacturing plant is provided. The system includes, a parallel flow mode when product flows concurrently from at least two units to a single unit; and a serial flow mode where product flows from one unit to another at a given time, wherein the batch manufacturing plant is modeled based on the parallel and serial flow modes. A lot association is built based on product flow and a parent/child record is created for lot association. The system also includes a data collection system that collects phase information for every unit and a procedure identifier is used to create a batch identifier, where a batch identifier is associated with each lot on each unit through which product is flowing to and/or from at a given time. | 01-20-2011 |
Therese M. Sonnenfeld, Lake Forest, CA US
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20090157213 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING BATCH PRODUCT MANUFACTURING - A system and method for monitoring product through a batch manufacturing plant is provided. The system includes, a parallel flow mode when product flows concurrently from at least two units to a single unit; and a serial flow mode where product flows from one unit to another at a given time, wherein the batch manufacturing plant is modeled based on the parallel and serial flow modes. A lot association is built based on product flow and a parent/child record is created for lot association. The system also includes a data collection system that collects phase information for every unit and a procedure identifier is used to create a batch identifier, where a batch identifier is associated with each lot on each unit through which product is flowing to and/or from at a given time. | 06-18-2009 |
20120123584 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING BATCH PRODUCT MANUFACTURING - A system and method for monitoring product through a batch manufacturing plant is provided. The system includes, a parallel flow mode when product flows concurrently from at least two units to a single unit; and a serial flow mode where product flows from one unit to another at a given time, wherein the batch manufacturing plant is modeled based on the parallel and serial flow modes. A lot association is built based on product flow and a parent/child record is created for lot association. The system also includes a data collection system that collects phase information for every unit and a procedure identifier is used to create a batch identifier, where a batch identifier is associated with each lot on each unit through which product is flowing to and/or from at a given time. | 05-17-2012 |