Patents by Inventor Geoff Stevens
Geoff Stevens 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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Publication number: 20140202826Abstract: A process for treating bitumen froth with paraffinic solvent is provided which uses three stages of separation. Froth and a first solvent are directed to a first stage at a solvent/bitumen ratio for precipitating few or substantially no asphaltenes. A first stage underflow is directed to a second stage and a first stage overflow is directed to a third stage. A second stage underflow is directed to waste tailings and the second stage overflow joins the first stage overflow. A third stage underflow is recovered as an asphaltene by-product and a third stage overflow is recovered as a diluted bitumen product. At least a second solvent is added to one or both of the second or third stages for controlling a fraction of asphaltenes in the third stage underflow. Asphaltene loss to waste tailings is minimized and asphaltenes are now recovered as asphaltene by-product.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: TOTAL E&P CANADA LTD.Inventors: Geoff STEVENS, Ray REIPAS
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Patent number: 8709237Abstract: A process for treating bitumen froth with paraffinic solvent is provided which uses three stages of separation. Froth and a first solvent are directed to a first stage at a solvent/bitumen ratio for precipitating few or substantially no asphaltenes. A first stage underflow is directed to a second stage and a first stage overflow is directed to a third stage. A second stage underflow is directed to waste tailings and the second stage overflow joins the first stage overflow. A third stage underflow is recovered as an asphaltene by-product and a third stage overflow is recovered as a diluted bitumen product. At least a second solvent is added to one or both of the second or third stages for controlling a fraction of asphaltenes in the third stage underflow. Asphaltene loss to waste tailings is minimized and asphaltenes are now recovered as asphaltene by-product.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2009Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Total E&P Canada LtdInventors: Geoff Stevens, Ray Reipas
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Patent number: 8641805Abstract: The present invention relates to reactor vessels such as absorbing or stripping columns that are suitable for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas streams of fossil fuel fired powered stations such as coal fired power stations generating 100 to 500 MW. The side walls of the reactors are made of concrete or structural ceramics that are preferrably steel reinforced. The reactors are on a sufficiently large scale such that a flue gas stream in the order of at least 1,000 t/hr and normally greater than 2,000 or 3,000 t/hr can be scrubbed of carbon dioxide in a single absorption column and then recovered in a stripping column. The absorbing and stripping columns may be free standing structures or, alternatively, the absorbing column may be located at least partially within the stripping column.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2008Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: CO2CRC Technologies PTY Ltd.Inventors: Geoff Stevens, Barry Hooper, Craig Dugan, Paul Anthony Webley
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Patent number: 8388919Abstract: The present invention is based on the realization that the carbon dioxide component of industrial gas streams also containing steam can be processed so to utilize either as latent and/or sensible heat the heat available from the steam component to assist in separating carbon dioxide from the remainder of the gas stream. For example, flue gases produced by power stations burning brown coal, black coal or natural gas inherently contain a useful amount of energy that can be harnessed according to the present invention. According to particular preferred forms of the invention, nitrogen and sulphur constituent such as SOx and NOx, H2S and other nitrogen containing compounds may also be removed from the gas stream through direct contact with the absorbing medium and used to produce by-products such as fertilizer material.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2011Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: CO2CRC Technologies Pty LtdInventors: Barry Hooper, Geoff Stevens, Sandra Kentish
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Publication number: 20110296994Abstract: The present invention relates to reactor vessels such as absorbing or stripping columns that are suitable for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas streams of fossil fuel fired powered stations such as coal fired power stations generating 100 to 500 MW. The side walls of the reactors are made of concrete or structural ceramics that are preferrably steel reinforced. The reactors are on a sufficiently large scale such that a flue gas stream in the order of at least 1,000 t/hr and normally greater than 2,000 or 3,000 t/hr can be scrubbed of carbon dioxide in a single absorption column and then recovered in a stripping column. The absorbing and stripping columns may be free standing structures or, alternatively, the absorbing column may be located at least partially within the stripping column.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2008Publication date: December 8, 2011Inventors: Geoff Stevens, Barry Hooper, Craig Dugan, Paul Anthony Webley
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Publication number: 20110195005Abstract: The present invention is based on the realization that the carbon dioxide component of industrial gas streams also containing steam can be processed so to utilize either as latent and/or sensible heat the heat available from the steam component to assist in separating carbon dioxide from the remainder of the gas stream. For example, flue gases produced by power stations burning brown coal, black coal or natural gas inherently contain a useful amount of energy that can be harnessed according to the present invention. According to particular preferred forms of the invention, nitrogen and sulphur constituent such as SOx and NOx, H2S and other nitrogen containing compounds may also be removed from the gas stream through direct contact with the absorbing medium and used to produce by-products such as fertiliser material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2011Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: CO2CRC TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD.Inventors: Barry Hooper, Geoff Stevens, Sandra Kentish
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Patent number: 7976803Abstract: The present invention is based on the realization that the carbon dioxide component of industrial gas streams also containing steam can be processed so to utilize either as latent and/or sensible heat the heat available from the steam component to assist in separating carbon dioxide from the remainder of the gas stream. For example, flue gases produced by power stations burning brown coal, black coal or natural gas inherently contain a useful amount of energy that can be harnessed according to the present invention. According to particular preferred forms of the invention, nitrogen and sulphur constituent such as SOx and NOx, H2S and other nitrogen containing compounds may also be removed from the gas stream through direct contact with the absorbing medium and used to produce by-products such as fertilizer material.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2006Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: CO2CRC Technologies Pty Ltd.Inventors: Barry Hooper, Geoff Stevens, Sandra Kentish
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Publication number: 20100313758Abstract: A membrane is used for separating carbon dioxide from a gas phase. The membrane includes a substrate having micro-pores that extend through the substrate and a thin hydrophobic coating on one side of the substrate in which the pores of the substrate are substantially unobstructed by the coating so that the gas phase can penetrate the pores. The coating opposes or substantially resists a liquid solvent for absorbing carbon dioxide from penetrating the pores of the membrane from the side having the coating. The membrane may also be used for separating carbon dioxide in a flue gas of a coal fired power station. Further, the coating may be relatively inert to the liquid solvent compared to the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2009Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: CO2CRC TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD.Inventors: Geoff Stevens, Jilska Perera, Julianna Franco, Sandra Kentish
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Publication number: 20100096297Abstract: A process for treating bitumen froth with paraffinic solvent is provided which uses three stages of separation. Froth and a first solvent are directed to a first stage at a solvent/bitumen ratio for precipitating few or substantially no asphaltenes. A first stage underflow is directed to a second stage and a first stage overflow is directed to a third stage. A second stage underflow is directed to waste tailings and the second stage overflow joins the first stage overflow. A third stage underflow is recovered as an asphaltene by-product and a third stage overflow is recovered as a diluted bitumen product. At least a second solvent is added to one or both of the second or third stages for controlling a fraction of asphaltenes in the third stage underflow. Asphaltene loss to waste tailings is minimized and asphaltenes are now recovered as asphaltene by-product.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: TOTAL E&P CANADA LTD.Inventors: Geoff STEVENS, Ray REIPAS
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Publication number: 20080317651Abstract: The present invention is based on the realization that the carbon dioxide component of industrial gas streams also containing steam can be processed so to utilize either as latent and/or sensible heat the heat available from the steam component to assist in separating carbon dioxide from the remainder of the gas stream. For example, flue gases produced by power stations burning brown coal, black coal or natural gas inherently contain a useful amount of energy that can be harnessed according to the present invention. According to particular preferred forms of the invention, nitrogen and sulphur constituent such as SOx and NOx, H2S and other nitrogen containing compounds may also be removed from the gas stream through direct contact with the absorbing medium and used to produce by-products such as fertiliser material.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2006Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: CO2CRC TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD.Inventors: Barry Hooper, Geoff Stevens, Sandra Kentish