Patents by Inventor Benjamin Stuart Sparrow
Benjamin Stuart Sparrow 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: 9266747Abstract: A multistage thermal desalination system, together with its associated method of use, allows de-scaling of subsystems exposed to saturated saltwater by alternating the saturation stage of the process between two neighboring physical desalination stages. The desalination system is provided with at least one transfer conduit, at least one pump, and valving to permit saltwaters being desalinated by higher and lower stage desalination subsystems to be swapped. By replacing the saturated saltwater in a higher salt concentration desalination subsystem with lower salt concentration saltwater, the scaling in higher salt concentration desalination subsystem is reduced while the saturation load is placed on another of the desalination subsystems.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Saqib Naveed
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Patent number: 9259667Abstract: A modular humidification-dehumidification (HDH) apparatus and system for concentrating a solution including a plurality of internal modules coupled to each other. The plurality of internal modules includes a humidification module and a dehumidification module in gas flow communication with the humidification module. The humidification module includes humidification media facilitating evaporation of liquid from the solution to gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby producing a concentrated solution and a humidified gas. The dehumidification module includes a condensing heat exchanger for condensing vapor from the humidified gas.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2013Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Nicolas C. Roch, Benjamin Stuart Sparrow
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Publication number: 20160039683Abstract: A multistage thermal desalination system, together with its associated method of use, allows de-scaling of subsystems exposed to saturated saltwater by alternating the saturation stage of the process between two neighboring physical desalination stages. The desalination system is provided with at least one transfer conduit, at least one pump, and valving to permit saltwaters being desalinated by higher and lower stage desalination subsystems to be swapped. By replacing the saturated saltwater in a higher salt concentration desalination subsystem with lower salt concentration saltwater, the scaling in higher salt concentration desalination subsystem is reduced while the saturation load is placed on another of the desalination subsystems.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicant: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Saqib Naveed
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Publication number: 20160002082Abstract: A multivalent ion separating desalination system and associated process employs at least one multivalent ion separator subsystem to split sparingly soluble multivalent ion species from saltwater into highly soluble salts comprising multivalent cations and monovalent anions and salts comprising monovalent cations and multivalent anions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Applicant: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Xiangchun Yin, Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Malcolm Man
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Patent number: 9227857Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at an apparatus, method and plant for desalinating saltwater and contaminated saltwater. The apparatus comprises a stack and a manifolding assembly. The stack comprises a product chamber, a first and second concentrate chamber, an anion exchange membrane forming a boundary between the first concentrate chamber and the product chamber and a cation exchange membrane forming a boundary between the second concentrate chamber and the product chamber. The manifolding assembly comprises product and concentrate manifolding fluidly coupled to the product and concentrate chambers respectively, to convey a saltwater being desalinated to and away from the product chamber, and a concentrate to and away from the concentrate chambers. The stack may include a diluent chamber and adjacent anion or cation exchange membranes between the product chamber, diluent chamber and concentrate chamber to respectively convey anions or cations across multiple chambers.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Joshua Zoshi, Malcolm Man
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Patent number: 9169138Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a compression device for compressing a stack to prevent leaks and at an apparatus including the stack and the compression device. The stack includes a pair of rigid end plates located at opposing ends of the stack, a plurality of membrane bounded compartments layered between one of the rigid end plates and the other of the rigid end plates and fluid manifolds extending through the membrane bound compartments. The compression device is fixedly coupled to opposing ends of the pair of rigid end plates and includes compression members movable to compress one of the rigid end plates towards the other of the rigid end plates. The compression members are positioned to apply force to the stack in the vicinity of the fluid manifolds.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang, Kyungbaek Kim
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Patent number: 9162906Abstract: Described herein are a method and system for desalinating saltwater using concentration difference energy. A “five stream” dialytic stack is described that can be used to desalinate saltwater at a relatively high recovery ratio. The dialytic stack may include, for example, one or more drive cells having a paired concentrate and a diluent-c chamber in ionic communication with a product chamber that is adjacent to an anion and a cation discharge chamber each filled with diluent-p. The drive cell applies a drive voltage across the product chamber, and when the drive voltage exceeds a desalination voltage of the product chamber, the saltwater in the product chamber is desalinated. The dialytic stack may accept brine discharged from a first desalination plant as saltwater to be desalinated. Processing the brine in the dialytic stack may decrease its volume, decreasing costs associated with treating or otherwise disposing of the brine.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang
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Publication number: 20150158746Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at an apparatus, method and plant for desalinating saltwater and contaminated saltwater. The apparatus comprises a stack and a manifolding assembly. The stack comprises a product chamber, a first and second concentrate chamber, an anion exchange membrane forming a boundary between the first concentrate chamber and the product chamber and a cation exchange membrane forming a boundary between the second concentrate chamber and the product chamber. The manifolding assembly comprises product and concentrate manifolding fluidly coupled to the product and concentrate chambers respectively, to convey a saltwater being desalinated to and away from the product chamber, and a concentrate to and away from the concentrate chambers. The stack may include a diluent chamber and adjacent anion or cation exchange membranes between the product chamber, diluent chamber and concentrate chamber to respectively convey anions or cations across multiple chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: June 11, 2015Applicant: Saltworks Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Joshua Zoshi, Malcolm Man
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Publication number: 20150047963Abstract: The present disclosure describes a modular humidification-dehumidification (HDH) apparatus and system for concentrating a solution including a plurality of internal modules coupled to each other. The plurality of internal modules includes a humidification module and a dehumidification module in gas flow communication with the humidification module. The humidification module includes humidification media facilitating evaporation of liquid from the solution to gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby producing a concentrated solution and a humidified gas. The dehumidification module includes a condensing heat exchanger for condensing vapour from the humidified gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2013Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Nicholas C. Roch, Benjamin Stuart Sparrow
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Publication number: 20140305149Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Patent number: 8857798Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Publication number: 20140284002Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: September 25, 2014Applicant: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Patent number: 8820723Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Saltworks Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Patent number: 8727325Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Publication number: 20140061958Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a system, apparatus and method for concentrating a solution. The system includes a humidification device and a solution flow path for flow of a solution to be concentrated to the humidification device. The humidification device includes humidification media to facilitate evaporation of liquid from the solution to be concentrated to gas as the solution to be concentrated passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution. The method includes flowing a solution to be concentrated along a flow path to a humidification device including humidification media, flowing a gas through the humidification media, and flowing the solution to be concentrated through the humidification media. There is evaporation of liquid from the solution to the gas as the solution passes through the humidification media thereby concentrating the solution and producing a humidified gas. The solution to be concentrated may be salt water and the gas may be air.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: SALTWORKS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Henry Tsin, Hojung Kim, Ross Coleman
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Patent number: 8317992Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a modular apparatus for a saltwater desalinating system, and a method for using same. The apparatus includes multiple internal modules that are compressively coupled to each other. Each of the internal modules includes a pair of rigid end plates located at opposing ends of the internal module, and a stack of membrane bounded compartments that are layered from one of the end plates to the other. The modular apparatus can be used in a membrane based desalination system, which includes concentration difference energy systems, electrodialysis reversal systems, and membrane distillation systems. The modular apparatus helps to mitigate problems such as leakage and buckling in such systems, and can be used to increase membrane packing density and, accordingly, desalination efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2011Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang, Kyungbaek Kim
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Publication number: 20120279861Abstract: Described herein are a method and system for desalinating saltwater using concentration difference energy. A “five stream” dialytic stack is described that can be used to desalinate saltwater at a relatively high recovery ratio. The dialytic stack may include, for example, one or more drive cells having a paired concentrate and a diluent-c chamber in ionic communication with a product chamber that is adjacent to an anion and a cation discharge chamber each filled with diluent-p. The drive cell applies a drive voltage across the product chamber, and when the drive voltage exceeds a desalination voltage of the product chamber, the saltwater in the product chamber is desalinated. The dialytic stack may accept brine discharged from a first desalination plant as saltwater to be desalinated. Processing the brine in the dialytic stack may decrease its volume, decreasing costs associated with treating or otherwise disposing of the brine.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang
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Patent number: 8236158Abstract: Described herein are a method and system for desalinating saltwater using concentration difference energy. A “five stream” dialytic stack is described that can be used to desalinate saltwater at a relatively high recovery ratio. The dialytic stack may include, for example, one or more drive cells having a paired concentrate and a diluent-c chamber in ionic communication with a product chamber that is adjacent to an anion and a cation discharge chamber each filled with diluent-p. The drive cell applies a drive voltage across the product chamber, and when the drive voltage exceeds a desalination voltage of the product chamber, the saltwater in the product chamber is desalinated. The diluent-p may be at a lower ionic concentration than the diluent-c, which may be at a lower concentration than the concentrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang
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Patent number: 8137522Abstract: A method and apparatus for desalinating saltwater using concentration difference energy is disclosed. In order to desalinate saltwater that is contained within a product chamber, a drive cell is used to generate a drive voltage. The product chamber has a desalination voltage such that when a sufficient voltage is applied to the product chamber, anions and cations migrate out of the product chamber, thereby desalinating the water. The sufficient voltage, which includes the drive voltage and which is equal to or greater than the desalination voltage, is applied to the product chamber, consequently effecting desalination. Beneficially, concentration difference energy can be generated using a concentrated solution, which can be generated using, for example, solar energy.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2009Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Zoshi, James Tang
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Publication number: 20120024704Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a modular apparatus for a saltwater desalinating system, and a method for using same. The apparatus includes multiple internal modules that are compressively coupled to each other. Each of the internal modules includes a pair of rigid end plates located at opposing ends of the internal module, and a stack of membrane bounded compartments that are layered from one of the end plates to the other. The modular apparatus can be used in a membrane based desalination system, which includes concentration difference energy systems, electrodialysis reversal systems, and membrane distillation systems. The modular apparatus helps to mitigate problems such as leakage and buckling in such systems, and can be used to increase membrane packing density and, accordingly, desalination efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: Saltworks Technologies Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Stuart Sparrow, Joshua Aniket Zoshi, James Hing Bong Tang, Kyungbaek Kim