Patents by Inventor Maximus G. St. John
Maximus G. St. John 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: 20200147554Abstract: Provided herein are osmotic desalination methods and associated systems. According to certain embodiments, multiple osmotic membranes may be used to perform a series of osmosis steps, such that an output stream having a relatively high water purity—compared to a water purity of an aqueous feed stream—is produced. In some embodiments, multiple draw streams can be used to produce aqueous product streams having sequentially higher purities of water. Certain embodiments are related to osmotic desalination systems and methods in which forward osmosis is used to produce a first product stream having a relatively high water purity relative to an aqueous feed stream, and reverse osmosis is used to perform a second step (and/or additional steps) on the first product stream. In some embodiments, multiple reverse osmosis steps can be used in series to perform a net desalination process.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Looh Tchuin Choong, Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam, Jonn-Ross Andrews, Karim M. Chehayeb
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Publication number: 20200109065Abstract: Systems and methods related to desalination systems are described herein. According to some embodiments, the desalination systems are transiently operated and/or configured to facilitate transient operation. In some embodiments, a liquid stream comprising water and at least one dissolved salt is circulated through a fluidic circuit comprising a desalination system. In some embodiments, a portion of the desalination system (e.g., a humidifier) is configured to remove at least a portion of the water from the liquid stream to produce a concentrated brine stream enriched in the dissolved salt. In certain cases, the concentrated brine stream is recirculated through the fluidic circuit until the concentrated brine stream reaches a relatively high density (e.g., at least about 10 pounds per gallon) and/or a relatively high salinity (e.g., a total dissolved salt concentration of at least about 25 wt %).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam, Mark Zaloudek, Karim M. Chehayeb, Samar Shah
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Patent number: 10518221Abstract: Provided herein are osmotic desalination methods and associated systems. According to certain embodiments, multiple osmotic membranes may be used to perform a series of osmosis steps, such that an output stream having a relatively high water purity—compared to a water purity of an aqueous feed stream—is produced. In some embodiments, multiple draw streams can be used to produce aqueous product streams having sequentially higher purities of water. Certain embodiments are related to osmotic desalination systems and methods in which forward osmosis is used to produce a first product stream having a relatively high water purity relative to an aqueous feed stream, and reverse osmosis is used to perform a second step (and/or additional steps) on the first product stream. In some embodiments, multiple reverse osmosis steps can be used in series to perform a net desalination process.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Looh Tchuin Choong, Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam, Jonn-Ross Andrews, Karim M. Chehayeb
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Patent number: 10513445Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to humidification-dehumidification desalination systems, including apparatuses that include a vessel comprising a humidification region (e.g., a bubble column humidification region) and a dehumidification region (e.g., a bubble column dehumidification region), mobile humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems (e.g., systems having a relatively low height and/or a relatively small footprint), and associated systems and methods. Certain embodiments generally relate to methods of operating, controlling, and/or cleaning desalination systems comprising a plurality of desalination units (e.g., HDH desalination units).Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2017Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam
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Patent number: 10479701Abstract: Systems and methods related to desalination systems are described herein. According to some embodiments, the desalination systems are transiently operated and/or configured to facilitate transient operation. In some embodiments, a liquid stream comprising water and at least one dissolved salt is circulated through a fluidic circuit comprising a desalination system. In some embodiments, a portion of the desalination system (e.g., a humidifier) is configured to remove at least a portion of the water from the liquid stream to produce a concentrated brine stream enriched in the dissolved salt. In certain cases, the concentrated brine stream is recirculated through the fluidic circuit until the concentrated brine stream reaches a relatively high density (e.g., at least about 10 pounds per gallon) and/or a relatively high salinity (e.g., a total dissolved salt concentration of at least about 25 wt %).Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam, Mark Zaloudek, Karim M. Chehayeb, Samar Shah
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Patent number: 10463985Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to humidification-dehumidification desalination systems, including apparatuses that include a vessel comprising a humidification region (e.g., a bubble column humidification region) and a dehumidification region (e.g., a bubble column dehumidification region), mobile humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems (e.g., systems having a relatively low height and/or a relatively small footprint), and associated systems and methods. Certain embodiments generally relate to methods of operating, controlling, and/or cleaning desalination systems comprising a plurality of desalination units (e.g., HDH desalination units).Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam
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Publication number: 20190329152Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to humidification-dehumidification desalination systems, including apparatuses that include a vessel comprising a humidification region (e.g., a bubble column humidification region) and a dehumidification region (e.g., a bubble column dehumidification region), mobile humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems (e.g., systems having a relatively low height and/or a relatively small footprint), and associated systems and methods. Certain embodiments generally relate to methods of operating, controlling, and/or cleaning desalination systems comprising a plurality of desalination units (e.g., HDH desalination units).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam
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Publication number: 20190300386Abstract: Embodiments described generally relate to systems comprising a humidifier (e.g., a bubble column humidifier) and a heating device (e.g. a heat exchanger), and associated methods. In certain embodiments, the heating device heats a first liquid stream comprising a condensable fluid in liquid phase (e.g., water) and a dissolved salt (e.g., NaCl) to a relatively low temperature (e.g., about 90° C. or less) prior to the first liquid stream entering the humidifier through a main humidifier liquid inlet. In some cases, the system comprising the humidifier and the heating device requires only low-grade heat to operate, which may be advantageous due to the low cost and high availability of such heat.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Steven Lam, Conor Thomas Wilson, Maximus G. St. John, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Publication number: 20190282921Abstract: Condensing apparatuses and their use in various heat and mass exchange systems are generally described. The condensing apparatuses, such as bubble column condensers, may employ a heat exchanger positioned external to the condensing vessel to remove heat from a bubble column condenser outlet stream to produce a heat exchanger outlet stream. In certain cases, the condensing apparatus may also include a cooling device positioned external to the vessel configured and positioned to remove heat from the heat exchanger outlet stream to produce a cooling device outlet stream. The condensing apparatus may be configured to include various internal features, such as a vapor distribution region and/or a plurality of liquid flow control weirs and/or chambers within the apparatus having an aspect ratio of at least 1.5. A condensing apparatus may be coupled with a humidifier to form part of a desalination system, in certain cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Steven Lam, Maximus G. St. John
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Publication number: 20190209947Abstract: A counter-flow simultaneous heat and mass exchange device is operated by directing flows of two fluids into a heat and mass exchange device at initial mass flow rates where ideal changes in total enthalpy rates of the two fluids are unequal. At least one of the following state variables in the fluids is measured: temperature, pressure and concentration, which together define the thermodynamic state of the two fluid streams at the points of entry to and exit from the device. The flow rates of the fluids at the points of entry and/or exit to/from the device are measured; and the mass flow rate of at least one of the two fluids is changed such that the ideal change in total enthalpy rates of the two fluids through the device are brought closer to being equal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Karim M. Chehayeb, Steven Lam
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Patent number: 10345058Abstract: Systems and methods for the removal of scale in humidification-dehumidification desalination apparatuses are generally described.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Maximus G. St. John, Jonn-Ross Andrews, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Patent number: 10322357Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to humidification-dehumidification desalination systems, including apparatuses that include a vessel comprising a humidification region (e.g., a bubble column humidification region) and a dehumidification region (e.g., a bubble column dehumidification region), mobile humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems (e.g., systems having a relatively low height and/or a relatively small footprint), and associated systems and methods. Certain embodiments generally relate to methods of operating, controlling, and/or cleaning desalination systems comprising a plurality of desalination units (e.g., HDH desalination units).Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam
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Patent number: 10308537Abstract: Systems and methods related to the desalination of aqueous solutions containing one or more dissolved salts are generally described.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2014Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Steven Lam, Maximus G. St. John, Mark Zaloudek, Anurag Bajpayee
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Patent number: 10308526Abstract: Water treatment systems and associated methods are generally described. Certain embodiments of the water treatment systems and methods described herein may be used to treat water comprising one or more contaminants (e.g., oil, grease, suspended solids, scale-forming ions, volatile organic material) to remove at least a portion of the one or more contaminants. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the treated water may be used directly in certain applications (e.g., oil and/or gas extraction processes). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the treated water may undergo desalination to produce substantially pure water and/or concentrated brine.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2015Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Maximus G. St. John, Steven Lam, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Patent number: 10301198Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods in which multivalent ions are selectively retained in an aqueous stream. According to certain embodiments, multiple separations may be used to process an aqueous feed stream containing solubilized monovalent ions and solubilized multivalent ions to produce a stream enriched in the solubilized multivalent ions. The separations may be arranged, according to certain embodiments, to enhance the overall separation process such that the product stream contains—relative to the initial aqueous feed stream—a high amount of solubilized multivalent ions, a high amount of water from the aqueous feed stream, and/or a high ratio of solubilized multivalent ions to solubilized monovalent ions.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2016Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Maximus G. St. John, Looh Tchuin Choong, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Patent number: 10294123Abstract: Embodiments described generally relate to systems comprising a humidifier (e.g., a bubble column humidifier) and a heating device (e.g. a heat exchanger), and associated methods. In certain embodiments, the heating device heats a first liquid stream comprising a condensable fluid in liquid phase (e.g., water) and a dissolved salt (e.g., NaCl) to a relatively low temperature (e.g., about 90° C. or less) prior to the first liquid stream entering the humidifier through a main humidifier liquid inlet. In some cases, the system comprising the humidifier and the heating device requires only low-grade heat to operate, which may be advantageous due to the low cost and high availability of such heat.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Steven Lam, Conor Thomas Wilson, Maximus G. St. John, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Patent number: 10286335Abstract: Condensing apparatuses and their use in various heat and mass exchange systems are generally described. The condensing apparatuses, such as bubble column condensers, may employ a heat exchanger positioned external to the condensing vessel to remove heat from a bubble column condenser outlet stream to produce a heat exchanger outlet stream. In certain cases, the condensing apparatus may also include a cooling device positioned external to the vessel configured and positioned to remove heat from the heat exchanger outlet stream to produce a cooling device outlet stream. The condensing apparatus may be configured to include various internal features, such as a vapor distribution region and/or a plurality of liquid flow control weirs and/or chambers within the apparatus having an aspect ratio of at least 1.5. A condensing apparatus may be coupled with a humidifier to form part of a desalination system, in certain cases.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2014Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Steven Lam, Maximus G. St. John
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Publication number: 20190106334Abstract: Selective scaling in water treatment systems in which desalination is performed is generally described. According to certain embodiments, the location of the formation of solid scale within a water treatment system is controlled by adjusting one or more system parameters, such as the temperature and/or flow velocity of a saline stream within the water treatment system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Applicant: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Steven Lam, Maximus G. St. John, Jonn-Ross Andrews
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Patent number: 10245555Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods in which ion-selective separation and multi-stage osmotic separation is used to produce multivalent-ion-rich process streams. According to certain embodiments, multiple separations may be used to process an aqueous feed stream containing solubilized monovalent ions and solubilized multivalent ions to produce a stream enriched in the multivalent ions. The separations may be arranged, according to certain embodiments, to enhance the overall separation process such that the product stream contains—relative to the initial aqueous feed stream—a high amount of multivalent ions, a high amount of water from the aqueous feed stream, and/or a high ratio of multivalent ions to monovalent ions.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Maximus G. St. John, Looh Tchuin Choong, Prakash Narayan Govindan
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Patent number: 10239765Abstract: A counter-flow simultaneous heat and mass exchange device is operated by directing flows of two fluids into a heat and mass exchange device at initial mass flow rates where ideal changes in total enthalpy rates of the two fluids are unequal. At least one of the following state variables in the fluids is measured: temperature, pressure and concentration, which together define the thermodynamic state of the two fluid streams at the points of entry to and exit from the device. The flow rates of the fluids at the points of entry and/or exit to/from the device are measured; and the mass flow rate of at least one of the two fluids is changed such that the ideal change in total enthalpy rates of the two fluids through the device are brought closer to being equal.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Gradiant CorporationInventors: Prakash Narayan Govindan, Maximus G. St. John, Karim M. Chehayeb, Steven Lam