Patents by Inventor Z. Frank Zheng

Z. Frank Zheng 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).

  • Patent number: 11731061
    Abstract: A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara
  • Patent number: 11524927
    Abstract: Monoethylene glycol (MEG) may be reclaimed by a process that includes contacting a MEG-water-salt stream with a heat transfer fluid and then flash separating the MEG and water in the flash separator vessel where the pressure is higher than 0.3 barA (0.03 MPa), the temperature is in the range of above 120° C. to about 250° C., and the residence time of the MEG and water ranges from about 1 second to about 10 minutes, and then removing the MEG and water in an overhead of the flash separator vessel and removing the salt from the flash separator vessel. In some embodiments it is expected that the temperature of the process may range from above 165° C. to about 250° C. and/or that the pressure may be atmospheric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Stephen King, Brian Edward Messenger, Harihara V. Nemmara, Z. Frank Zheng, Shihui Zhou
  • Patent number: 11414328
    Abstract: A vessel for treating an oil-in-water inlet stream houses an inlet flow distributor arranged to direct an inlet flow toward a perforated baffle of a coalescing section, the coalescing section housing a packing and being arranged upstream of a second baffle; a flotation section arranged to receive a flow exiting the coalescing section and being divided by one or more perforated baffles; and an outlet water collecting pipe arranged to receive a flow exiting the flotation section, the outlet water collecting pipe having one or more openings located along its length. The coalescing section may be divided into two sections, with one section preferably housing a different pre-selected sized packing than the other section. The flotation section may include one or more gas-inducing devices. A solid baffle may be arranged downstream of the second baffle and ahead of the flotation section to provide single or dual flow through that section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph Min-Hsiun Lee, Gary W. Sams, Z. Frank Zheng
  • Publication number: 20210268398
    Abstract: A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara
  • Patent number: 11083974
    Abstract: A system and method to reboil a process or feed water stream in a distillation system does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream is removed from a distillation column and comes into contact with a heating medium that is immiscible with and less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized stream is returned to the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Matthew S. Henley
  • Patent number: 10918966
    Abstract: A system and method to vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is vaporized, any solids present in the process stream come out of the process stream and move into the heating medium. These solids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or used in the pump around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Brian Edward Messenger
  • Patent number: 10864456
    Abstract: A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara
  • Patent number: 10794167
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods of operating a linear contactor for absorbing contaminants from a gas stream. The gas stream flows from a first end to a second end of the linear contactor. Fresh absorbent is provided at the first end of the linear contactor based on the theoretical minimum amount of absorbent needed to remove the contaminants. Absorbent is recycled from the second end to the first end of the linear contactor. Fresh absorbent is provided at the second end based on chemical condition of the recycled absorbent. Apparatus for practicing the method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Dahai Tang, Sandrine Hoebler, Matthew J. Hull, Gary W. Sams, Ankur D. Jariwala
  • Publication number: 20200239335
    Abstract: A vessel for treating an oil-in-water inlet stream houses an inlet flow distributor arranged to direct an inlet flow toward a perforated baffle of a coalescing section, the coalescing section housing a packing and being arranged upstream of a second baffle; a flotation section arranged to receive a flow exiting the coalescing section and being divided by one or more perforated baffles; and an outlet water collecting pipe arranged to receive a flow exiting the flotation section, the outlet water collecting pipe having one or more openings located along its length. The coalescing section may be divided into two sections, with one section preferably housing a different pre-selected sized packing than the other section. The flotation section may include one or more gas-inducing devices. A solid baffle may be arranged downstream of the second baffle and ahead of the flotation section to provide single or dual flow through that section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph Min-Hsiun Lee, Gary W. Sams, Z. Frank Zheng
  • Publication number: 20200179866
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods of removing contaminants from a gas, the methods including providing a feed gas to a vertical contactor; flowing the feed gas in a gas flow direction through the vertical contactor; mixing a fresh absorbent makeup with a recycled absorbent to form an absorbent mixture; providing a fresh absorbent feed to the feed gas; flowing the absorbent mixture through the vertical contactor in a liquid flow direction counter to the gas flow direction; recovering a clean gas stream from the vertical contactor; and recovering the recycled absorbent from the vertical contactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Dahai Tang, Sandrine Hoebler, Matthew J. Hull, Gary W. Sams, Ankur D. Jariwala
  • Publication number: 20200173266
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods of operating a linear contactor for absorbing contaminants from a gas stream. The gas stream flows from a first end to a second end of the linear contactor. Fresh absorbent is provided at the first end of the linear contactor based on the theoretical minimum amount of absorbent needed to remove the contaminants. Absorbent is recycled from the second end to the first end of the linear contactor. Fresh absorbent is provided at the second end based on chemical condition of the recycled absorbent. Apparatus for practicing the method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Dahai Tang, Sandrine Hoebler, Matthew J. Hull, Gary W. Sams, Ankur D. Jariwala
  • Patent number: 10618825
    Abstract: A vessel for treating an oil-in-water inlet stream houses an inlet flow distributor arranged to direct an inlet flow toward a perforated baffle of a coalescing section, the coalescing section housing a packing and being arranged upstream of a second baffle; a flotation section arranged to receive a flow exiting the coalescing section and being divided by one or more perforated baffles; and an outlet water collecting pipe arranged to receive a flow exiting the flotation section, the outlet water collecting pipe having one or more openings located along its length. The coalescing section may be divided into two sections, with one section preferably housing a different pre-selected sized packing than the other section. The flotation section may include one or more gas-inducing devices. A solid baffle may be arranged downstream of the second baffle and ahead of the flotation section to provide single or dual flow through that section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Min-Hsiun Lee, Gary W. Sams, Z. Frank Zheng
  • Publication number: 20200079713
    Abstract: Monoethylene glycol (MEG) may be reclaimed by a process that includes contacting a MEG-water-salt stream with a heat transfer fluid and then flash separating the MEG and water in the flash separator vessel where the pressure is higher than 0.3 barA (0.03 MPa), the temperature is in the range of above 120° C. to about 250° C., and the residence time of the MEG and water ranges from about 1 second to about 10 minutes, and then removing the MEG and water in an overhead of the flash separator vessel and removing the salt from the flash separator vessel. In some embodiments it is expected that the temperature of the process may range from above 165° C. to about 250° C. and/or that the pressure may be atmospheric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Stephen King, Brian Edward Messenger, Harihara V. Nemmara, Z. Frank Zheng, Shihui Zhou
  • Publication number: 20200039843
    Abstract: A system and method to reboil a process or feed water stream in a distillation system does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream is removed from a distillation column and comes into contact with a heating medium that is immiscible with and less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized stream is returned to the distillation column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Matthew S. Henley
  • Patent number: 10478745
    Abstract: A system and method to vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is vaporized, any solids present in the process stream come out of the process stream and move into the heating medium. These solids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or used in the pump around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Brian Edward Messenger
  • Patent number: 10471366
    Abstract: A system and method to reboil a process or feed water stream in a distillation system does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream is removed from a distillation column and comes into contact with a heating medium that is immiscible with and less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized stream is returned to the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: CAMERON SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Matthew S. Henley
  • Publication number: 20190270030
    Abstract: A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara
  • Publication number: 20190262740
    Abstract: A system and method to vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is vaporized, any solids present in the process stream come out of the process stream and move into the heating medium. These solids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or used in the pump around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara, Brian Edward Messenger
  • Patent number: 10370264
    Abstract: A system and method to desalinate a feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the feed water stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the feed water stream is vaporized or partially vaporized, any solids and unvaporized water present in the feed water stream come out of the stream and move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized water may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The heat exchange surface does not contact the feed water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Cameron Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara
  • Patent number: 10335708
    Abstract: A system and method to generate steam from a feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the feed water stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the feed water stream is vaporized or partially vaporized, any solids or unvaporized water present in the feed water stream come out of the stream and move into the heating medium. These solids and the unvaporized water may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The heat exchange surface does not contact the feed water to generate steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Cameron Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Z. Frank Zheng, Christopher Stephen King, Harihara V. Nemmara