Patents by Inventor Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr.

Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr. 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: 5690820
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods, systems and apparatus for producing primary treated brine, i.e. <20 ppm calcium, magnesium, strontium and barium ions at the wellhead of underground salt caverns formed by depletion of their salt content by previous solution mining operations. The purified brine produced is maintained in an anerobic state and transported to chlor-alkali plant installations for use in electrolysis cells for the production of chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen. Raw brine produced at an operating brine wellhead is injected into a depleted salt cavern along with the treatment chemicals required to purify the raw brine. A novel installation including a producing well or wells, a depleted well cavern or caverns, and support facilities for producing primary treated brine is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Brine Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr., Thomas M. Ellis
  • Patent number: 5669734
    Abstract: A new method for making large underground storage caverns in bedded or domal salt deposits for the storage of fluid materials in areas where solution mining water temperatures are low by a process which significantly reduces the amount of time required to make equivalent sized underground storage caverns and which is economically feasible and friendly to the environment. The process includes the warm water solution mining of the underground salt deposits in a manner which conserves the heat contained in the supernatant brine from the underground cavity and employs this heat as a significant source for warming the water employed in the solution mining operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Brine Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr., Frank V. Whelply, William H. Barlow
  • Patent number: 5637228
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods, systems and apparatus for producing primary treated brine, i.e. <20 ppm calcium, magnesium, strontium and barium ions at the wellhead of underground salt caverns formed by depletion of their salt content by previous solution mining operations. The purified brine produced is maintained in an anerobic state and transported to chlor-alkali plant installations for use in electrolysis cells for the production of chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen. Raw brine produced at an operating brine wellhead is injected into a depleted salt cavern along with the treatment chemicals required to purify the raw brine. A novel installation including a producing well or wells, a depleted well cavern or caverns, and support facilities for producing primary treated brine is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Texas Brine Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr., Thomas M. Ellis
  • Patent number: 5366514
    Abstract: This invention relates to an evaporative salt plant installation including methods of operation and apparatus which produce high purity salt economically and in high yield comprising the combination of a gas turbine which drives a vapor compressor, whose exhaust gases are used to produce steam to drive a topping steam turbine generator, which in turn generates the electrical energy requirements of the plant, and wherein the discharge vapors from the steam turbine are combined with the discharge vapors from the vapor compressor, which is in turn in combination with a vapor compression evaporator and a purge evaporator, whereby both evaporators produce salt, and where the overhead vapors of the purge evaporator are used in a brine cooled condenser to preheat input cold brine, thereby producing water condensate which is recovered, along with evaporator steam chest condensate streams, and used in solution mining underground salt, thereby allowing for both the productive use and recovery of substantially all the r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Texas Brine Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence F. Becnel, Jr., John E. Currey, Raymond W. Ver Hoeve