Patents by Inventor Lige Sun

Lige Sun 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).

  • Apparatus for partially desalinating produced water to form extraction fluid used for fossil fuel extraction
    Patent number: 10501344
    Abstract: A method reuses produced water resulting from a fossil fuel extraction operation. The method includes providing the produced water as an input to an electrodialysis system. The method also includes running the electrodialysis system to produce a diluate and a concentrate. The diluate is contaminated so as to have a conductivity of no less than 0.1 Siemens/meter. The method also includes reformulating the diluate to produce fossil fuel extraction fluid. The method also includes using the produced fossil fuel extraction fluid in the fossil fuel extraction operation. An electrodialysis system includes first and second stacks. The electrodialysis system also includes first and second voltage sources, coupled to the first and second stacks, so as to apply a first voltage to the first stack lower by at least about 10% than a second voltage to the second stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: John H. Lienhard, Ronan Killian McGovern, Lige Sun, Adam Michael Weiner, Syed M. Zubair
  • Apparatus for Partially Desalinating Produced Water to Form Extraction Fluid Used for Fossil Fuel Extraction
    Publication number: 20190225514
    Abstract: A method reuses produced water resulting from a fossil fuel extraction operation. The method includes providing the produced water as an input to an electrodialysis system. The method also includes running the electrodialysis system to produce a diluate and a concentrate. The diluate is contaminated so as to have a conductivity of no less than 0.1 Siemens/meter. The method also includes reformulating the diluate to produce fossil fuel extraction fluid. The method also includes using the produced fossil fuel extraction fluid in the fossil fuel extraction operation. An electrodialysis system includes first and second stacks. The electrodialysis system also includes first and second voltage sources, coupled to the first and second stacks, so as to apply a first voltage to the first stack lower by at least about 10% than a second voltage to the second stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: John H. Lienhard, Ronan Killian McGovern, Lige Sun, Adam Michael Weiner, Syed M. Zubair
  • Method and apparatus for partially desalinating produced water to form extraction fluid used for fossil fuel extraction
    Patent number: 10273170
    Abstract: A method reuses produced water resulting from a fossil fuel extraction operation. The method includes providing the produced water as an input to an electrodialysis system. The method also includes running the electrodialysis system to produce a diluate and a concentrate. The diluate is contaminated so as to have a conductivity of no less than 0.1 Siemens/meter. The method also includes reformulating the diluate to produce fossil fuel extraction fluid. The method also includes using the produced fossil fuel extraction fluid in the fossil fuel extraction operation. An electrodialysis system includes first and second stacks. The electrodialysis system also includes first and second voltage sources, coupled to the first and second stacks, so as to apply a first voltage to the first stack lower by at least about 10% than a second voltage to the second stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: John H. Lienhard, Ronan Killian McGovern, Lige Sun, Adam Michael Weiner, Syed M. Zubair
  • Method and Apparatus for Partially Desalinating Produced Water to Form Extraction Fluid Used for Fossil Fuel Extraction
    Publication number: 20170044033
    Abstract: A method reuses produced water resulting from a fossil fuel extraction operation. The method includes providing the produced water as an input to an electrodialysis system. The method also includes running the electrodialysis system to produce a diluate and a concentrate. The diluate is contaminated so as to have a conductivity of no less than 0.1 Siemens/meter. The method also includes reformulating the diluate to produce fossil fuel extraction fluid. The method also includes using the produced fossil fuel extraction fluid in the fossil fuel extraction operation. An electrodialysis system includes first and second stacks. The electrodialysis system also includes first and second voltage sources, coupled to the first and second stacks, so as to apply a first voltage to the first stack lower by at least about 10% than a second voltage to the second stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicants: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, King Fahd University of Petroleim and Minerals
    Inventors: John H. Lienhard, Ronan Killian McGovern, Lige Sun, Adam Michael Weiner, Syed M. Zubair