Patents by Inventor Rihua Xiong
Rihua Xiong 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).
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Patent number: 10639563Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for gravity separation, which comprises a plurality of gravity separation modules. Each of the gravity separation modules comprises an inlet, a first outlet, a first conduit connecting the inlet and the first outlet, a second outlet located vertically different from the first outlet, a second conduit in communication with the second outlet, and a plurality of third conduits connecting the first conduits and the second conduits. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for gravity separation.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: VETCO GRAY SCANDINAVIA ASInventors: Rihua Xiong, Jiyang Xia, Chenqian Zhang, Ying Zhou, Ming Lei
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MULTISTAGE MEMBRANE DISTILLATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING VOLATILE AND CONDENSABLE SUBSTANCE
Publication number: 20180311620Abstract: A multistage membrane distillation device includes a plurality of membrane distillation cells each having at least one membrane. Each membrane defines a feed space at one surface thereof and a vapor space at an opposite surface thereof, and is configured to allow a part of a feed flowing in the feed space to evaporate and pass through the membrane as a vapor phase into the vapor space where the vapor phase is condensed to a distillate including a volatile and condensable substance, and the non-evaporated feed to exit the feed space as a concentrated fluid. The device further includes a fluid connection for allowing the distillate from an ith cell to flow as a feed into the feed space of an (i+1)th cell to produce a further distillate with a higher concentration of the volatile and condensable substance. The concentrated fluid from each cell is prevented from entering the feed space of other cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2016Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Xianguo YU, Hui LEI, Andrew Philip SHAPIRO, Hai YANG, Rihua XIONG, Markus HANKE, Jens RUETTEN, Bernardo Alves CINELLI, Ana COSTA -
Publication number: 20180250611Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for gravity separation, which comprises a plurality of gravity separation modules. Each of the gravity separation modules comprises an inlet, a first outlet, a first conduit connecting the inlet and the first outlet, a second outlet located vertically different from the first outlet, a second conduit in communication with the second outlet, and a plurality of third conduits connecting the first conduits and the second conduits. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for gravity separation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2016Publication date: September 6, 2018Inventors: Rihua XIONG, Jiyang XIA, Chenqian ZHANG, Ying ZHOU, Ming LEI
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Publication number: 20180207550Abstract: An apparatus for gravity separation, including: an inlet for receiving a separation stream; a separating section in communication with the inlet, for separating the separation stream and providing a first product stream and a second product stream, and including: a first separating junction including a first Input conduit, a first output conduit and a second output conduit, a second separating junction in communication with the first output conduit and including a third output conduit and a fourth output conduit, and a third separating junction in communication with the second output conduit and including a fifth output conduit and a sixth output conduit; a first outlet for outputting the first product stream; and a second outlet for outputting the second product stream. A method for gravity separation, and an oil and gas production system and method including the apparatus and method.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2016Publication date: July 26, 2018Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Rihua XIONG, Chengqian ZHANG
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Patent number: 9828270Abstract: A treatment system is provided and comprises a precipitation unit and a recovery unit. The precipitation unit is configured to treat a solution using one or more miscible organic solvents to produce a mixture of precipitate solids and a liquid. The recovery unit is in fluid communication with the precipitation unit and configured to facilitate separating the liquid at least into an organic phase liquid and an aqueous phase liquid comprising a portion of the one or more miscible organic solvents. The treatment system further comprises a purification unit comprising one or more membrane devices in fluid communication with the recovery unit and configured to separate at least a portion of the one or more miscible organic solvents in the aqueous phase liquid from the aqueous phase liquid. A treatment system and a treatment process are also presented.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2010Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jiyang Xia, Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, Wenqing Peng, Zijun Xia, Yiwen Sun
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Publication number: 20170333845Abstract: An apparatus for recovering acid includes: a cathode; an anode; a plurality of anion exchange membranes disposed between the cathode and the anode; a plurality of proton selective membranes alternately arranged with the plurality of anion exchange membranes; a plurality of first compartments for accommodating an aqueous stream comprising anions and protons; and a plurality of second compartments alternately arranged with the plurality of first compartments for accommodating a recovery stream receiving from the first compartments anions through the anion exchange membranes and mainly protons through the proton selective membranes. An associated method is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2016Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Chengqian ZHANG, Rihua XIONG, Hai YANG, John H. BARBER, Yongdi ZHANG, Wei LU
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Patent number: 9527757Abstract: A supercapacitor desalination cell comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a spacer disposed between the first and second electrodes, and a monovalent ion selective layer disposed on at least one of the first and second electrodes. A supercapacitor desalination device and a method for desalination of a liquid are further presented.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2012Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, John Harold Barber, Chengqian Zhang, Russell James MacDonald, Keith James Sims
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Patent number: 9481586Abstract: A desalination system is provided. The desalination system comprises a desalination apparatus. The desalination apparatus comprises first and second electrodes, and a first group of paired ion exchange membranes disposed between the first and second electrodes to form a first group of alternating first and second channels. The first channels are configured to receive a first stream for desalination and the second channels are configured to receive a second stream to carry away ions removed from the first stream, respectively. The desalination apparatus further comprises a plurality of spacers disposed between each pair of the adjacent ion exchange membranes and between the first and second electrodes and the respective ion exchange membranes. Wherein each of the ion exchange membranes in the first group is a cation exchange membrane. A desalination system and a method for removing ions from an aqueous stream area also presented.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Rihua Xiong, Linglu Yang
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Patent number: 9475711Abstract: A desalination system comprises a silica removal unit. The silica removal unit comprises first and second electrodes, a plurality of ion exchange membranes disposed between the first and second electrodes and a plurality of spacers disposed between adjacent ion exchange membranes and between the first and second electrodes and the respective ion exchange membranes. The plurality of the ion exchange membranes comprises a pair of cation exchange membranes and a pair of anion exchange membranes disposed between the pair of cation exchange membranes. A first channel is defined between the anion exchange membranes and second and third channels are defined between each anion exchange membrane and an adjacent cation exchange membrane. A silica removal apparatus and a desalination method are also presented.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Chengqian Zhang, Hai Yang, Rihua Xiong
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Patent number: 9434630Abstract: A water treatment device including an electro-coagulation (EC) unit for treating a stream of feed water to produce a stream of EC treated water of lower salinity than the stream of feed water, an electrical separation unit for treating the stream of EC treated water to obtain a stream of product water of lower salinity than the EC treated water, and a precipitation unit for providing a stream of wash water to wash the electrical separation unit and become a stream of reject water flowing back to the precipitation unit, wherein precipitation in the precipitation unit produces the stream of wash water of lower salinity than the stream of reject water.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2012Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Zijun Xia, Wei Cai, Rihua Xiong, Chengqian Zhang, Jiyang Xia, Andrew Jon Zaske
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Publication number: 20150041322Abstract: A desalination system comprises a silica removal unit. The silica removal unit comprises first and second electrodes, a plurality of ion exchange membranes disposed between the first and second electrodes and a plurality of spacers disposed between adjacent ion exchange membranes and between the first and second electrodes and the respective ion exchange membranes. The plurality of the ion exchange membranes comprises a pair of cation exchange membranes and a pair of anion exchange membranes disposed between the pair of cation exchange membranes. A first channel is defined between the anion exchange membranes and second and third channels are defined between each anion exchange membrane and an adjacent cation exchange membrane. A silica removal apparatus and a desalination method are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: Chengqian Zhang, Hai Yang, Rihua Xiong
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Patent number: 8904626Abstract: Methods for preparing an electrode comprise: providing a mixture of carbon particles and a solvent and shearing the mixture to form a dispersion of the carbon particles in the solvent; adding non-fibrillated POLY(TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE) to the dispersion to provide a resultant mixture and shearing the resultant mixture until at least a portion of the poly(tetrafluoroethylene) has been fibrillated; processing the resultant mixture into a sheet; and attaching the sheet onto a current collector. Methods for preparing sheet for the electrode and composition for the sheet are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2009Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jianyun Liu, Wei Cai, Hai Yang, Liping Zheng, Rihua Xiong
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Publication number: 20140339087Abstract: A supercapacitor desalination cell comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a spacer disposed between the first and second electrodes, and a monovalent ion selective layer disposed on at least one of the first and second electrodes. A supercapacitor desalination device and a method for desalination of a liquid are further presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventors: Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, John Harold Barber, Chengqian Zhang, Russell James MacDonald, Keith James Sims
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Publication number: 20140339163Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for improving the performance of a membrane for use in a membrane distillation process, and a membrane produced by the method. The method includes subjecting the membrane to a pressure difference across the membrane in order to open closed pores in the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2011Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Xianguo Yu, Andrew Philip Shapiro, Rihua Xiong, Hai Yang, Hui Liu
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Patent number: 8882981Abstract: A super-capacitor desalination device is described and includes a pair of terminal electrodes and at least one bipolar electrode located between the terminal electrodes. The at least one bipolar electrode has an ion exchange material disposed on opposing surfaces thereof The ion exchange material is a cation exchange material or an anion exchange material. A method for super-capacitor desalination is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Inventors: Rihua Xiong, Hai Yang, Wei Cai
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Publication number: 20140311960Abstract: A water treatment device including an electro-coagulation (EC) unit for treating a stream of feed water to produce a stream of EC treated water of lower salinity than the stream of feed water, an electrical separation unit for treating the stream of EC treated water to obtain a stream of product water of lower salinity than the EC treated water, and a precipitation unit for providing a stream of wash water to wash the electrical separation unit and become a stream of reject water flowing back to the precipitation unit, wherein precipitation in the precipitation unit produces the stream of wash water of lower salinity than the stream of reject water.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2012Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Zijun Xia, Wei Cai, Rihua Xiong, Chengqian Zhang, Jiyang Xia, Andrew Jon Zaske
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Patent number: 8864911Abstract: A method for removing ionic species from a desalination unit, comprises: (a) circulating a wash stream in a closed loop comprising a desalination unit and a precipitation unit, the wash stream flowing at a linear velocity of at least 5 cm/second through the desalination unit, the wash stream becoming more saline after passage through the desalination unit; and (b) removing a portion of calcium sulfate from the wash stream by precipitation in the precipitation unit to obtain a supersaturation degree of calcium sulfate in the wash stream entering the desalination unit in a range of from about 1.0 to about 3.0.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, Andrew Philip Shapiro, Chengqian Zhang, James Manio Silva, Zijun Xia, Weiming Zhang
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Publication number: 20140299551Abstract: A desalination system comprises an electrodialysis reversal apparatus configured to receive a first stream for desalination and a second stream to carry away ions removed from the first stream, and a precipitation unit in fluid communication with the electrodialysis reversal apparatus and configured to circulate the second stream therebetween. At least one backwashable filter is disposed between and in fluid communication with the electrodialysis reversal apparatus and the precipitation and configured to filter the second stream in a normal operation mode. A desalination method is also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2011Publication date: October 9, 2014Inventors: Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, John Harold Barber, Irving David Elyanow, George Randall Jones, Juan Alfredo Zepeda
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Publication number: 20140209462Abstract: A desalination system is provided. The desalination system comprises a desalination apparatus. The desalination apparatus comprises first and second electrodes, and a first group of paired ion exchange membranes disposed between the first and second electrodes to form a first group of alternating first and second channels. The first channels are configured to receive a first stream for desalination and the second channels are configured to receive a second stream to carry away ions removed from the first stream, respectively. The desalination apparatus further comprises a plurality of spacers disposed between each pair of the adjacent ion exchange membranes and between the first and second electrodes and the respective ion exchange membranes. Wherein each of the ion exchange membranes in the first group is a cation exchange membrane. A desalination system and a method for removing ions from an aqueous stream area also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Rihua Xiong, Linglu Yang
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Patent number: 8663445Abstract: An electrochemical desalination system includes a first and a second electrochemical device and a controller. The first and second electrochemical devices each comprises a electrochemical desalination module comprising at least one pair of electrodes and a compartment between each pair of electrodes for receiving an electrolyte solution. Each of the first and second electrochemical desalination devices comprises a plurality of successive operation cycles. Each cycle comprises a charging mode of operation for charging each pair of electrodes and for adsorbing ions in the electrolyte solution on the electrodes, and a discharging mode of operation for discharging the pair of electrodes and for desorbing ions from the pair of electrodes. The controller is configured to control the system that the first and second electrochemical desalination devices have interleaved charging and discharging modes of operation.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ran Niu, Hai Yang, John H. Barber, Min Hu, Rihua Xiong, Wei Cai, Xin Gao, Yufeng Liu