Patents by Inventor George H. Sprenger

George H. Sprenger 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).

  • Method of separating petroleum-containing material into fractions, extraction system, and extraction fluid therefor
    Patent number: 6554995
    Abstract: A method of separating a petroleum-containing material into at least two fractions, an extraction system, and an extraction fluid therefor are provided. Petroleum-containing material as well as a solvent mixture comprising 50%-99% by volume sub-critical carbon dioxide and 1%-50% by volume of at least one co-solvent are introduced into an extraction column. The co-solvent can be propane, ethane, butane, propylene 2 methylpropane, 2,2 dimethylpropane, propadiene, dimethylether, chlorodifluoromethane, difluoromethane and methylfluoride. A fraction containing solvent mixture and solvated petroleum-containing material is removed from the top portion of the extraction column, while a dense fraction of the petroleum-containing material, as well as solvent mixture, is withdrawn from the bottom portion of the extraction column. Solvent mixture is recovered from the solvated petroleum-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: SM Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George H. Sprenger, Teddy J. Martinez
  • Method of separating petroleum-containing material into fractions, extraction system, and extraction fluid therefor
    Publication number: 20010028054
    Abstract: A method of separating a petroleum-containing material into at least two fractions, an extraction system, and an extraction fluid therefor are provided. Petroleum-containing material as well as a solvent mixture comprising 50%-99% by volume sub-critical carbon dioxide and 1%-50% by volume of at least one co-solvent are introduced into an extraction column. The co-solvent can be propane, ethane, butane, propylene 2 methylpropane, 2,2 dimethylpropane, propadiene, dimethylether, chlorodifluoromethane, difluoromethane and methylfluoride. A fraction containing solvent mixture and solvated petroleum-containing material is removed from the top portion of the extraction column, while a dense fraction of the petroleum-containing material, as well as solvent mixture, is withdrawn from the bottom portion of the extraction column. Solvent mixture is recovered from the solvated petroleum-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Applicant: SM Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George H. Sprenger, Teddy J. Martinez