Patents by Inventor ROBERT SKWAROK

ROBERT SKWAROK 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 method for image-based analysis of a slurry and control of a slurry process
    Patent number: 9471971
    Abstract: A system for characterizing a slurry in a slurry process includes a flow tube, a camera, and a computer. The system is suitable for use with an oil sands extraction slurry processed or treated by an oil sands extraction slurry process. The slurry is diverted from the slurry process into the flow tube. The camera images the slurry as it flows through a transparent portion of the flow tube to produce a digital image of the slurry. The computer analyzes the digital image to determine a slurry characteristic. Based on the determined slurry characteristic, the computer may predict a performance metric of the slurry process and adjust an operating parameter of the slurry process to optimize the slurry process towards a target performance metric. Multiple systems may be used to continuously monitor slurry characteristics at upstream and downstream steps of the slurry process, and determine correlations between those characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: SYNCRUDE CANADA LTD.
    Inventors: Darcy Daugela, Barry Bara, Robert Skwarok, Rodney Ridley, Pat Dougan, Mark Polak
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE-BASED ANALYSIS OF A SLURRY AND CONTROL OF A SLURRY PROCESS
    Publication number: 20160086321
    Abstract: A system for characterizing a slurry in a slurry process includes a flow tube, a camera, and a computer. The system is suitable for use with an oil sands extraction slurry processed or treated by an oil sands extraction slurry process. The slurry is diverted from the slurry process into the flow tube. The camera images the slurry as it flows through a transparent portion of the flow tube to produce a digital image of the slurry. The computer analyzes the digital image to determine a slurry characteristic. Based on the determined slurry characteristic, the computer may predict a performance metric of the slurry process and adjust an operating parameter of the slurry process to optimize the slurry process towards a target performance metric. Multiple systems may be used to continuously monitor slurry characteristics at upstream and downstream steps of the slurry process, and determine correlations between those characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: DARCY DAUGELA, BARRY BARA, ROBERT SKWAROK, RODNEY RIDLEY, PAT DOUGAN, MARK POLAK