Patents by Inventor Abdul Rafi Khwaja
Abdul Rafi Khwaja has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10501353Abstract: In a process and apparatus for treating produced water, the produced water flows through a series of treatment units. A portion of the produced water may by-pass one or more of the treatment units but the by-pass portion may be such that the treated water is still acceptable, for example for discharge or reuse. Concentrations of oil and grease, organic carbon, silica, pH or related parameters in the produced water may be monitored and used to control the process or apparatus. Control of the process may involve one or more of altering a by-pass portion, altering the addition of chemicals, and altering the operation of a unit process. The process may be controlled to respond to upset conditions, or such that the concentration of one or more limiting contaminants is near, but not over, a specified maximum for re-use or discharge.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: BL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Kevin Paul McEvoy, Anthony Yu-Chung Ku, Carl Vess, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
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Patent number: 9731989Abstract: A system for treating produced water, for example from a SAGD bitumen production operation, has a treatment unit using chemical oxidation (CO) or electromagnetic treatment (ET) to destroy or degrade organics in the produced water. The treatment module may use CO or ET in combination with biological treatment or sorption processes or both. When the treatment module is used upstream of a steam generator, it reduces fouling in the steam generator and in any blowdown water treatment device. A brine concentrator or a crystallizer may be used to treat the blowdown water. The treatment module may be used in combination with a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter. Optionally, the produced water may be treated with an ET process such as microwaves directly upstream of a steam generator or upstream of a concentrator or crystallizer in a blowdown water stream.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2010Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David M. Polizzotti, Brian Christopher Moore, Vasile Bogdan Neculaes, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
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Patent number: 8940169Abstract: A spiral wound module is suitable for use with high temperature water that is also very alkaline or has a high pH, for example SAGD produced water. The module uses a polyamide-based membrane with a polysulfone or polyethersulfone backing material. For other components, the module uses primarily one or more of, EPDM; polyamide; polyphenylene oxide; polyphenylene sulfide; polysulfone; polyethersulfone; polysulfonamide; polyvinylidene fluoride; mylar; fiberglass; and, epoxy. Polyester is not used. Polypropylene is not used for the feed spacer. For example, a module may use a PVDF feed spacer, a nylon permeate spacer and a polysulfone center tube. The center tube may be provided with 4 rows of 0.063? diameter holes and be rolled under high tension.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2011Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Phillip Goebel, David Olson, David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
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Patent number: 8858802Abstract: Methods of deoiling oily water such as SAGD and frac produce water. The oily water is treated with a natural coagulant selected from tannins and chitosan. A cationic and/or anionic flocculant may also be added to the treated oily water. The thus treated oily water may be subjected to conventional mechanical oil separation techniques such as hydrocyclonic separation, dissolved air flotation, entrapped air flotation, induced gas flotation, gravity filters, reverse osmosis filters, API, or Voraxial® bulk separators and the like.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
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Publication number: 20130048563Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of reducing fouling of ceramic membranes by adding an effective amount of a tannin polymer to SAGD process water. Additionally, a cationic and/or an anionic flocculant can also be added to treat the process water. Once the process water is treated, the solids are then separated out and the resulting clean process water is then passed through a ceramic membrane. Typically, the tannin polymer used in treating the process water is comprised of a Mannich reaction product of an amine, an aldehyde, and a tannin. The components are reacted at an acidic pH wherein the molar ratio of amine to tannin present is from about 1.5:1-3.0:1. Exemplary tannin/amine/formaldehyde compounds include tannin/melamine/formaldehyde polymers, and tannin/monoethanolamine/formaldehyde polymers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: February 28, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Abdul Rafi Khwaja, David M. Polizzotti, Carl Vess, Anthony Yu-Chung Ku
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Publication number: 20120325744Abstract: In a process and apparatus for treating produced water, for example for re-use in an oil or bitumen extraction operation of for treating frac water, the produced water flows through a series of treatment units. A portion of the produced water may by-pass one or more of the treatment units but the by-pass portion may be such that the treated water is still acceptable, for example for discharge or reuse. Concentrations of oil and grease, organic carbon, silica, pH or related parameters in the produced water may be monitored and used to control the process or apparatus. Control of the process may involve one or more of altering a by-pass portion, altering the addition of chemicals, and altering the operation of a unit process. The process may be controlled to respond to upset conditions, or such that the concentration of one or more limiting contaminants is near, but not over, a specified maximum for re-use or discharge.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2011Publication date: December 27, 2012Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Kevin Paul McEvoy, Anthony Yu-Chung Ku, Carl Vess, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
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Publication number: 20120228219Abstract: A spiral wound module is suitable for use with high temperature water that is also very alkaline or has a high pH, for example SAGD produced water. The module uses a polyamide-based membrane with a polysulfone or polyethersulfone backing material. For other components, the module uses primarily one or more of, EPDM; polyamide; polyphenylene oxide; polyphenylene sulfide; polysulfone; polyethersulfone; polysulfonamide; polyvinylidene fluoride; mylar; fiberglass; and, epoxy. Polyester is not used. Polypropylene is not used for the feed spacer. For example, a module may use a PVDF feed spacer, a nylon permeate spacer and a polysulfone center tube. The center tube may be provided with 4 rows of 0.063? diameter holes and be rolled under high tension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2011Publication date: September 13, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Phillip GOEBEL, David OLSON, David M. POLIZZOTTI, Abdul Rafi KHWAJA
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Publication number: 20120152546Abstract: A system for treating produced water, for example from a SAGD bitumen production operation, has a treatment unit using chemical oxidation (CO) or electromagnetic treatment (ET) to destroy or degrade organics in the produced water. The treatment module may use CO or ET in combination with biological treatment or sorption processes or both. When the treatment module is used upstream of a steam generator, it reduces fouling in the steam generator and in any blowdown water treatment device. A brine concentrator or a crystallizer may be used to treat the blowdown water. The treatment module may be used in combination with a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter. Optionally, the produced water may be treated with an ET process such as microwaves directly upstream of a steam generator or upstream of a concentrator or crystallizer in a blowdown water stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2010Publication date: June 21, 2012Inventors: David M. Polizzotti, Brian Christopher Moore, Vasile Bogdan Neculaes, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Matthew Alan Petersen
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Publication number: 20120145633Abstract: Methods are provided for separating solids containing oily/water of the type normally encountered in SAGD and hydraulic fracturing operations. The solids containing oily/water is subjected to ultrasound separation techniques and mechanical separation operations. The mechanical separation operation may, preferably, comprise centrifugal separation such as that in which the treated solids containing oily/water is separated into a solids fraction, an oil fraction, and a water fraction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2010Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
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Patent number: 7998351Abstract: Composition and method of use for tannin based environmentally benign polymeric coagulants are disclosed. Tannin based coagulants are copolymers of naturally occurring tannins and a cationic monomer. One embodiment of the present invention provides for a composition, of a tannin based polymeric coagulant which is comprised of N,N-(dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate (MADAME) polymerized using t-butylhydroperoxide and sodium metabisulfite. The resulting polyMADAME is converted to hydrochloride and then blended/reacted in an aqueous medium with tannin to obtain a homogenous poly(MADAME)-tannin composition. The method of use comprises adding an amount of the composition effective for the purpose of clarifying oily wastewater from food and beverage, steel, automotive, transportation, refinery, pharmaceutical, metals, paper and pulp, chemical processing and hydrocarbon processing industries.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2006Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Inventors: Vinod Kumar Rai, Ashok Shyadligeri, Baraka Kawawa, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Narain Madhavan
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Publication number: 20110147316Abstract: Methods of deoiling oily water such as SAGD and frac produce water. The oily water is treated with a natural coagulant selected from tannins and chitosan. A cationic and/or anionic flocculant may also be added to the treated oily water. The thus treated oily water may be subjected to conventional mechanical oil separation techniques such as hydrocyclonic separation, dissolved air flotation, entrapped air flotation, induced gas flotation, gravity filters, reverse osmosis filters, API, or Voraxial® bulk separators and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
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Publication number: 20110147306Abstract: Methods for treating oily wastewater comprising adding to the wastewater a cationic coagulant and an acrylamide copolymer flocculant. The acrylamide copolymer flocculant may comprise either an anionic acrylamide copolymer flocculant or a cationic acrylamide copolymer flocculant or both. The acrylamide flocculants may be present in an emulsion or mixture along with activated starch or maleamate derivatized starch. The method may be employed, for example, to clarify SAGD and/or frac produce waters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: David M. Polizzotti, Abdul Rafi Khwaja
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Patent number: 7943048Abstract: A method for recovering tallow from meat processing wastewater includes adding a coagulant composition to the wastewater to agglomerate suspended fat, oil and grease particles in the wastewater, separating solid waste materials from the wastewater and isolating tallow from the solid waste materials. The coagulant composition includes tannin.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2008Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Stephen R. Vasconcellos
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Publication number: 20090266769Abstract: A method for recovering tallow from meat processing wastewater includes adding a coagulant composition to the wastewater to agglomerate suspended fat, oil and grease particles in the wastewater, separating solid waste materials from the wastewater and isolating tallow from the solid waste materials. The coagulant composition includes tannin.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Stephen R. Vasconcellos
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Publication number: 20080149569Abstract: Composition and method of use for tannin based environmentally benign polymeric coagulants are disclosed. Tannin based coagulants are copolymers of naturally occurring tannins and a cationic monomer. One embodiment of the present invention provides for a composition of a tannin based polymeric coagulant which is comprised of N,N-(dimethylaminoethyl)methacrylate (MADAME) polymerized using t-butylhydroperoxide and sodium metabisulfite. The resulting polyMADAME is converted to hydrochloride and then blended/reacted in an aqueous medium with tannin to obtain a homogenous poly(MADAME)-Tannin composition. The method of use comprises adding an amount of the composition effective for the purpose of clarifying oily wastewater from food and beverage, steel, automotive, transportation, refinery, pharmaceutical, metals, paper and pulp, chemical processing and hydrocarbon processing industries.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2006Publication date: June 26, 2008Inventors: Vinod Kumar Rai, Ashok Shyadligeri, Baraka Kawawa, Abdul Rafi Khwaja, Narain Madhavan