Patents by Inventor Alex Braun

Alex Braun 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).

  • Water treatment process for thermal heavy oil recovery
    Patent number: 6984292
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for treating produced water from a heavy oil thermal recovery unit to achieve water recovery and recycle levels of greater than 80% and as high as 100% to achieve zero discharge criteria. The method includes the initial steps of capturing the waste heat energy from the high pressure steam separator located downstream of the steam generators. Further, transferring the heat energy into a heated separator and reboiler exchanger to distill oil reservoir produced water and recover distilled water and a concentrated brine or solid product. The heated separator concentrated stream is circulated through the reboiler exchanger to maintain from 1% to about 50% mass vapour in the stream returning to the heated separator and prevent fouling and scaling. The apparatus includes a low pressure waste energy separator, heated separator and vapour compressor in combination with a forced circulation circuit to generate the distilled water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: EnCana Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Kresnyak, Alex Braun
  • Water treatment process for thermal heavy oil recovery
    Publication number: 20030127400
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of recovering energy from water produced during heavy oil recovery, comprising the steps of:
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Steve Kresnyak, Alex Braun
  • Water treatment process for thermal heavy oil recovery
    Patent number: 6536523
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for treating produced water from a heavy oil thermal recovery unit to achieve water recovery and recycle levels of greater than 80% and as high as 100% to achieve zero discharge criteria. The method includes the initial steps of capturing the waste heat energy from the high pressure steam separator located downstream of the steam generators. Further, transferring the heat energy into a heated separator and reboiler exchanger to distill oil reservoir produced water and recover distilled water and a concentrated brine or solid product. The heated separator concentrated stream is circulated through the reboiler exchanger to maintain from 1% to about 50% mass vapour in the stream returning to the heated separator and prevent fouling and scaling. The apparatus includes a low pressure waste energy separator, heated separator and vapour compressor in combination with a forced circulation circuit to generate the distilled water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Aqua Pure Ventures Inc., Alberta Energy Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Steve Kresnyak, Alex Braun