Patents by Inventor Bryan J. Fuhr

Bryan J. Fuhr 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: 4282103
    Abstract: The hot water extraction process for recovering bitumen from tar sand produces a large volume of solids-laden aqueous tailings as a waste product. The solids in the tailings stream may be flocculated by the addition of time and the components of the stream then separated into a water-free solids phase and a clarified water phase. During flocculation, the zeta potential of the stream is monitored. It rises from an initial negative zeta potential, as the lime is added. Flocculation is terminated when the zeta potential is about zero. At this point, the tailings are in optimum condition for separation into the water-free solids phase and the clarified water phase. Separation is preferably effected by vacuum filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1981
    Assignees: Petro-Canada Exploration Inc., Her Majesty the Queen in right of the Province of Alberta, Government of the Province of Alberta, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, Alberta Syncrude Equity, PanCanadian Petroleum Limited, Esso Resources Canada Ltd., Canada-Cities Service, Ltd., Gulf Canada Resources Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan J. Fuhr, Joseph K. Liu