Patents Examined by Douglas Theisen
  • Patent number: 8961662
    Abstract: A separator assembly comprises a vertical vessel including a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid including a gas, at least two liquids, and solids, at least two liquid outlets for discharging the liquids, a gas outlet at an upper end thereof for discharging gas, and a solids outlet at a lower end thereof for discharging solids. A baffle plate extends across the vessel, and cooperates with the vessel to define an upper section and a lower section, and has a first conduit extending downwardly so that liquids and solids may flow into the lower section, and a second conduit extending upwardly so that gases may flow from the lower section to the upper section. A backpressure valve is in fluid communication with the gas outlet and is configured to discharge gas while maintaining a selected level of pressure inside the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hughes Specialty Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason L. Hughes, Shannon L. Jackson, James D. Wright
  • Patent number: 8945289
    Abstract: A separator with a helix assembly that includes a plurality of segments disposed end to end and forming an intermediate casing. Each of the segments has a tubular portion with a first circumferential edge and a second circumferential edge and a helical portion extending from the second circumferential edge. The tubular portions of the segments form an intermediate casing, while the helical portions of the segments form a spiral helix. The helix assembly further includes an inner casing concentrically disposed within the intermediate casing and coupled to the spiral helix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: OneSubsea, LLC
    Inventor: Ronald J. Hill
  • Patent number: 8936670
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for treating water of the spray type, such as a deaerator or preheater. According to the invention the connection between the vessel (12) and the sprayer (34) and the supply of water to be treated comprises a pipe section (40) having a first open end in fluid communication with a treatment chamber and a second open end provided with a first flange (60) for connecting to a sprayer (34), the sprayer (34) comprising a sprayer flange (68) connected to said first flange (60), the sprayer flange (68) carrying the sprayer (34), which is in fluid communication with a connecting pipe (72) at one end thereof, the connecting pipe (72) extending through the first flange (60) to a coupling flange (74) for connection to the supply of water to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Stork Thermeq B.V.
    Inventor: Jan Johan Averesch
  • Patent number: 8906142
    Abstract: A device for phase separation of a multiphase mixture with at least one gas and at least two fluid phases may include a vessel including a tangential inlet via which the multiphase mixture is conveyed to the vessel, a tangential gas outlet above the inlet, via which a gas phase of the multiphase mixture separated from the multiphase mixture can be taken out of the vessel, and at least two outlets below the inlet at different vertical heights, via which one of the at least two fluid phases of the multiphase mixture respectively separated from the multiphase mixture can be taken out of the vessel. Further, a method for phase separation of a multiphase mixture using such device may include imparting an upwards-directed eddy flow to the multiphase mixture, during which fluid droplets are separated from the multiphase gas mixture, collecting the fluid droplets, and separately removing all phases formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Urs Peuker
  • Patent number: 8900343
    Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon slug-containing vessel for incorporation into a system integrating a low-pressure separator with a vapor recovery process system, and a method for regulating the temperature of a gas to be compressed by a two stage compressor so as to prevent liquification of the gas and to prevent over-heating of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventors: Rodney T. Heath, Forrest D. Heath, Gary Heath
  • Patent number: 8894750
    Abstract: A system is described herein which provides an ozonated liquid. The system comprises a liquid inlet arranged to continuously accept a liquid into the system at a desired flow rate; a liquid outlet to dispense ozonated liquid out of the system, the ozonated liquid having an oxidation-reduction potential of at least 450 mV due solely to ozone dissolved in the liquid, the liquid outlet being in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and arranged to dispense the ozonated liquid out of the system at the desired flow rate. The system has a tank-less ozonation flow path between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the flow path adapted to ozonate the accepted liquid, producing the ozonated liquid to be dispensed out of the system. The accepted liquid has a fluid residence time in the ozonation flow path of less than 5 minutes prior to being dispensed as the ozonated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventors: Steve L. Hengsperger, Justin L. Namespetra
  • Patent number: 8894755
    Abstract: A gas-liquid separator includes a housing which encloses a separation chamber, an inlet port for feeding the multi-phase flow into the separation chamber, a liquid outlet port for discharging the liquid dominated flow from the separation chamber and a gas outlet port provided at a position above both the inlet port and the liquid outlet port for discharging the gas dominated flow from the separation chamber. Both the inlet port and the liquid outlet port are positioned adjacent to an elongated lower bottom wall of the housing and define a flow direction into the and out of the separation chamber approximately aligned along the bottom wall. The separation chamber extends above the bottom wall in between the inlet port and the liquid outlet port. The liquid outlet port is provided with a gas seal to prevent entrainment of free gas from the separation chamber into the liquid outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Statoil Petroleum AS
    Inventors: Tor Bruun, Torbjørn Fiveland, Bjørnar Werswick
  • Patent number: 8894749
    Abstract: A microbubble reducer for eliminating and/or removing bubbles of gas from a flow comprising non-Newtonian fluids, wherein the microbubble reducer comprises an inlet at a low point, a curved duct means comprising a gas outlet at a high point, an outlet at a low point, and a lumen that runs through said inlet, said curved duct means, said gas outlet, and said outlet. Additionally, including various methods for removing gas from a flow comprising non-Newtonian fluid(s) using the microbubble reducer, an apparatus comprising the microbubble reducer, and uses of the microbubble reducer pertaining to dialysis or similar treatments, inter alia hemodialysis, plasma exchange, for infusion of blood and other non-Newtonian fluids, and in a heart-lung machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Embody AB
    Inventors: Per Jonsson, Bernd Stegmayr, Ulf Forsberg, Christofer Stegmayr
  • Patent number: 8888898
    Abstract: A two-phase working fluid, having a liquid phase and a gas phase, is purged of non-condensable gas prior to being used to charge a closed thermal management system, improving the heat transfer performance of the thermal management system. The liquid phase of the two-phase working fluid is exposed to conditions that cause non-condensable gas to separate from the two-phase working fluid. The non-condensable gas is vented, and two-phase working fluid that vaporizes under the conditions is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Rice, Jeffrey Spaulding
  • Patent number: 8882885
    Abstract: A system to purge dissolved gases selectively from liquids can include a first contactor having two first contactor inlets and two first contactor outlets. The first contactor can receive liquid from a liquid source at a first inlet of the first contactor and an inert gas source at a second inlet of the first contactor, the inert gas can purge a first portion of gas from the liquid source. The first portion of purged gas exits the first contactor at a first outlet of the first contactor. The second contactor can receive input from the second outlet of the first contactor and the inert gas, the inert gas purges a second portion of the gas from the liquid source. The second portion of purged gas can exit the second contactor at a first outlet of the second contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Ulrich Brammer, Johannes Seiwert, Christiane Gottschalk
  • Patent number: 8882891
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a catch tank for drilling operations. The catch tank is located between a mud-gas separator and a flare. The catch tank has an inlet port with a closed end baffle which allows a drilling fluid-gas mixture to be separated and gas to proceed to the flare without entrained drilling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Inventor: Brent Williams
  • Patent number: 8876955
    Abstract: Method for removing dissolved gases from water to produce boiler feed water in a catalytic steam reforming process where boiler feed water is heated by indirect heat transfer with a reformate stream and/or a combustion product gas stream and the boiler feed water subsequently flash vaporized to form steam and residual liquid water, where the steam formed by flash vaporization strips the dissolved gases from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Charles MacMurray, Gary Stuart Roth, Russell Ira Snyder, III, Gerald Michael Loughney
  • Patent number: 8864881
    Abstract: A slug suppressor apparatus comprising an inlet separator capable of gas-liquid separation of full well stream fluid and expanded inclined liquid pipe for dampening slugs. The inlet separator has an inlet for receiving the full well stream fluid, a separated gas outlet in its upper section, and a separated liquid outlet in its lower section. The separated gas outlet and the separated outlet are operationally connected to a gas bypass line and the expanded inclined liquid pipe respectively. The expanded inclined liquid pipe has means for dampening liquid slugs and is connectable to a 3-Phase separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: NGLTech SDN. BHD.
    Inventors: Aruljothy Suppiah, Boon Lee Ooi
  • Patent number: 8864880
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus useful for mechanically delaying formation of or breaking a pocket and a method of delaying formation of or breaking a gas pocket employing the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kishore K. Kar, Madan Somasi, Richard F. Cope, James J. Pressler, David J. Adrian
  • Patent number: 8840703
    Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon slug-containing vessel for incorporation into a system integrating a low-pressure separator with a vapor recovery process system, and a method for regulating the temperature of a gas to be compressed by a two stage compressor so as to prevent liquification of the gas and to prevent over-heating of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventors: Rodney T. Heath, Forrest D. Heath, Gary Heath
  • Patent number: 8808431
    Abstract: A compact inertial gas-liquid separator including: a stratification mechanism including a first horizontal pipe and a second pipe having a larger diameter possibly slightly tilted with respect to the horizontal, for example of ?10°, connected to each other by a suitable connection gate; a cylindrical body with a vertical development, on which the stratification mechanism is tangentially inserted, wherein the inertial gas-liquid separation is performed, in whose upper part an arrangement of finishing elements can be optionally inserted for further separation of drops of liquid entrapped in the gaseous stream; two outlets for the liquid stream and for the gaseous stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Eni S.p.A.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Di Berardo, Paolo Andreussi, Alberto Ansiati
  • Patent number: 8801837
    Abstract: A de-aerator dampener separator includes a separator with a vortex chamber having at least one vortex chamber entry port. The de-aerator dampener separator further includes a column assembly with a column entry port in fluid communication with the vortex chamber exit port. The de-aerator dampener separator further includes a baffle within the column assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Neil Schexnaider
  • Patent number: 8801842
    Abstract: Phase separator comprising a housing with a main inlet and a main outlet and one or more secondary outlets, the main inlet arranged for allowing the multiphase mixture to enter the phase separator and the main outlet arranged for allowing the treated multi-phase mixture to leave the phase separator, i.e. after separation of phase entities from the multi-phase mixture, the one or more secondary outlets arranged for allowing the separated phase entities to leave the phase separator, characterized in that the phase separator further comprises compartmentalization means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignees: Universiteit Antwerpen, Karel de Grote-Hogeschool, Katholieke Hogeschool Antwerpen VZW
    Inventor: Roel Vandenbulcke
  • Patent number: 8790446
    Abstract: A removal device for removing gas bubbles and/or dirt particles from a liquid in a conduit system includes a housing (12) with an entry (14) and an exit (16) and a inter space (18) which is defined by the housing (12), wherein in the inter space a number of plates (20) are provided which extend substantially transversally to a main flow direction (58), wherein the plates (20) define a main ongoing flow channel (22), and wherein the plate define branch flow channels (21) which end in at least one quiet zone (44;48), and wherein at least one plate (50) defines a merge flow channel for a merge flow which merges with the main flow (22) at a merge point which is located downstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Flamco B.V.
    Inventors: Abraham Zaanen, Jan Henk Cnossen
  • Patent number: 8784545
    Abstract: This invention relates to the separation of shale, gas and fluid at a shale-gas well. The shale debris and water from a shale-gas well is tangentially communicated to a vessel where the cyclonic effect within the vessel facilitates the separation of the gas from the shale debris. The separated shale debris and fluid falls to a jet assembly whereby it encounters a jet communicating a fluid therethrough. A venturi provides a motive force to the shale debris and fluid sufficient to propel it into a collection bin. The shale-gas separator incorporates a fluid bypass overflow line to prevent a buildup of fluid within the vessel. The shale-gas separator also incorporates an internal aerated cushion system (IACS) pipe for further motivating the shale debris and into the jet assembly, to ensure the walls of the vessel are clean, and to provide an air cushion restricting gas migration to the jet assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mathena, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold Dean Mathena