Patents by Inventor Alex M. Van der Spek
Alex M. Van der Spek 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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Patent number: 11022990Abstract: The present invention provides a new method and apparatus for receiving signals containing information about a plurality of velocity profiles of a flow in a pipe and about a pressure gradient of the flow over a length of the pipe; and determining information about an injection of a chemical into the flow in the pipe based at least partly on the information contained in the signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignees: CiDRA Corporate Services LLC, SUNCOR Energy Inc.Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Adrian Revington
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Patent number: 10677624Abstract: The present invention provides a new and unique apparatus featuring a signal processor or processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about a fluid flow passing through a pipe that is channelized causing flow variations in the fluid flow; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a fluid flow characteristic of the fluid flow that depends on the flow variations caused in the fluid flow channelized, based upon the signaling received. The signal processor or processing module may be configured to provide the corresponding signaling, including where the corresponding signaling contains information about the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid flow channelized.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.Inventors: Alan D. Kersey, Douglas H. Loose, Alex M. Van Der Spek
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Patent number: 10394207Abstract: Apparatus is provided including a signal processor or signal processing module configured at least to: respond to signaling containing information about particle sizes of solids forming part of a slurry stream being fed with a common feed flow into a battery of cyclones; and determine which combinations of cyclones in the battery produce overflow that has undesirable particle size characteristics using a statistical algorithm or technique, based upon the signaling received. The signal processor or signal processing module provides corresponding signaling containing about which combinations of cyclones in the battery produce overflow that has undesirable particle size characteristics, including control signaling to control the operation of the battery, including information about certain combinations of cyclones to avoid, or preferentially to use, to minimize the total amount of coarse material having the undesirable particle size characteristics produced by the battery.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2014Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Service Inc.Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Americo J. Zuzunaga, Jerin J. Russell, Robert J. Maron
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Publication number: 20190163218Abstract: The present invention provides a new method and apparatus for receiving signals containing information about a plurality of velocity profiles of a flow in a pipe and about a pressure gradient of the flow over a length of the pipe; and determining information about an injection of a chemical into the flow in the pipe based at least partly on the information contained in the signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2019Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Alex M. VAN DER SPEK, Adrian REVINGTON
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Patent number: 10071352Abstract: Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processor or processing module configured at least to: a signal processor configured to: receive signaling containing information about at least one rheological parameter related to a fluid containing Mature Fine Tailings (MFTs) flowing through a process pipe; and determine a dosing of a polymer to the fluid so as to cause a polymer induced agglomeration of the MFTs in the fluid, based at least partly on the signaling received. The signal processor may be configured to provide corresponding signaling to control the dosing of the polymer to cause the polymer induced fine agglomeration of the MFTs in the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignees: CiDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC., SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Douglas H. Loose, Adrian Revington
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Publication number: 20180245959Abstract: The present invention provides a new and unique apparatus featuring a signal processor or processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about a fluid flow passing through a pipe that is channelized causing flow variations in the fluid flow; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a fluid flow characteristic of the fluid flow that depends on the flow variations caused in the fluid flow channelized, based upon the signaling received. The signal processor or processing module may be configured to provide the corresponding signaling, including where the corresponding signaling contains information about the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid flow channelized.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2016Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Alan D. KERSEY, Douglas H. LOOSE, Alex M. VAN DER SPEK
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Patent number: 9645001Abstract: Apparatus features a signal processor module that responds to signals containing information about sensed sound propagating through a slurry flowing in part, including overflow pipes, of cyclones operating in parallel on a cyclone battery, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about the performance of individual cyclones based upon the signals received. The signal processor forms part of a non-invasive acoustic-based passive monitoring system having cyclones and sensors attached thereto. The signal processor module provides the corresponding signaling as output or control signaling, e.g., for controlling the cyclone battery.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2010Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services, Inc.Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Robert J. Maron, Paul Joseph Rothman, Christian V. O'Keefe, Douglas H. Loose
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Publication number: 20160207050Abstract: Apparatus is provided including a signal processor or signal processing module configured at least to: respond to signaling containing information about particle sizes of solids forming part of a slurry stream being fed with a common feed flow into a battery of cyclones; and determine which combinations of cyclones in the battery produce overflow that has undesirable particle size characteristics using a statistical algorithm or technique, based upon the signaling received. The signal processor or signal processing module provides corresponding signaling containing about which combinations of cyclones in the battery produce overflow that has undesirable particle size characteristics, including control signaling to control the operation of the battery, including information about certain combinations of cyclones to avoid, or preferentially to use, to minimize the total amount of coarse material having the undesirable particle size characteristics produced by the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2014Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Alex M. VAN DER SPEK, Americo J. ZUZUNAGA, Jerin J. RUSSELL, Robert J. MARON
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Patent number: 9366653Abstract: Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band, and the provides corresponding signaling containing information about the profile of the thickness of the wall of the pipe; and another module configured to receive the corresponding signaling and provide a visual indication of either data or a graph of the thickness of the wall of the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2013Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.Inventors: Christian Victor O'Keefe, Robert J. Maron, Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Alex M. Van der Spek, Michael A. Davis, John V. Viega
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Patent number: 9335298Abstract: Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; and determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band; and one or more orientation or rotation sensors, each responding to its orientation in relation to its displacement on the pipe and to provide an orientation signal containing information about the same.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.Inventors: Christian Victor O'Keefe, Robert J. Maron, Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Alex M. Van der Spek, Michael A. Davis, John V. Viega
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Publication number: 20150290608Abstract: Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processor or processing module configured at least to: a signal processor configured to: receive signaling containing information about at least one rheological parameter related to a fluid containing Mature Fine Tailings (MFTs) flowing through a process pipe; and determine a dosing of a polymer to the fluid so as to cause a polymer induced agglomeration of the MFTs in the fluid, based at least partly on the signaling received. The signal processor may be configured to provide corresponding signaling to control the dosing of the polymer to cause the polymer induced fine agglomeration of the MFTs in the fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: October 15, 2015Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Douglas H. Loose, Adrian Revington
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Publication number: 20140026666Abstract: Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; and determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band; and one or more orientation or rotation sensors, each responding to its orientation in relation to its displacement on the pipe and to provide an orientation signal containing information about the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.Inventors: Christian Victor O'KEEFE, Robert J. MARON, Mark R. FERNALD, Timothy J. BAILEY, Alex M. Van der Spek, Michael A. DAVIS, John V. VIEGA
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Publication number: 20140026667Abstract: Apparatus for determining a thickness of a wall of a pipe, featuring a signal processing module configured to respond to signaling containing information about traveling stress waves transmitted to and reflected back from a wall of a pipe by a sensor band that includes a series, ring or array having multiple transducers circumferentially arranged and mounted around, and attached to or clamped onto, an outside wall of the pipe; determine a profile of a thickness of the wall of the pipe corresponding to circumferential locations of the multiple transducers based on the signaling received from the sensor band, and the provides corresponding signaling containing information about the profile of the thickness of the wall of the pipe; and another module configured to receive the corresponding signaling and provide a visual indication of either data or a graph of the thickness of the wall of the pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.Inventors: Christian Victor O'KEEFE, Robert J. MARON, Mark R. FERNALD, Timothy J. BAILEY, Alex M. Van der Spek, Michael A. DAVIS, John V. VIEGA
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Publication number: 20120209550Abstract: Apparatus, including a signal processor, featuring at least one module configured to respond to signals containing information about sound propagating through a slurry flowing in part, including overflow pipes, of cyclones operating in parallel on a cyclone battery, and determine the performance of individual cyclones based at least partly on the information contained in the signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.Inventors: Alex M. Van Der Spek, Robert J. Maron, Paul Joseph Rothman, Christian V. O'Keefe, Douglas H. Loose
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Publication number: 20110056298Abstract: The present invention provides new techniques for non-invasive and real-time measurement of the velocity profile of slurry flow in horizontal pipes, as well as the measurement and trending of pipe wear on slurry lines. In the first case, this information can be used to determine the approach and onset of solid deposition on the bottom of the pipe. Having this information in real time can enable operation at lower velocities or higher solids concentration or both while avoiding solids deposition or plugging and their associated operational costs. In the second case, the present invention uses a permanently or semi-permanently installed ring of conformable ultrasonic transducers clamped onto the outside of the pipe. These transducers are used to measure the thickness of the pipe under their respective locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.Inventors: Christian Victor O'keefe, Robert J. Maron, Mark R. Fernald, Timothy J. Bailey, Alex M. Van der Spek, Michael A. Davis, John V. Viega