Patents by Inventor Iain William Elder

Iain William Elder 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).

  • System and process for concentrating hydrocarbons in a bitumen feed
    Patent number: 7736501
    Abstract: A system and process for concentrating hydrocarbons in a bitumen feed comprising bitumen, water and solids. The system comprises an inclined plate separator, a hydrocarbon cyclone and a centrifuge. The inclined plate separator separates the bitumen feed into a first overflow stream and a first underflow stream, the first overflow stream having a first bitumen concentration greater than that of the first underflow stream. The hydrocarbon cyclone separates the first underflow stream into a second overflow stream and a second underflow stream. The centrifuge separates the second overflow stream into a third overflow stream and a third underflow stream, the third overflow stream having a third bitumen concentration that is greater than that of the third underflow stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.
    Inventors: William Nicholas Garner, Kim Jonathan Wiwchar, Ian Mackay Noble, Iain William Elder, Michael Fong-Yin Lam