Patents by Inventor Victor Alva

Victor Alva 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: 10336951
    Abstract: A petroleum desalting process in which the oil/water emulsion layer which forms in the desalter vessel between the settled water layer and the settled oil layer is separated into the oil and water components by contact with a heated high boiling hydrocarbon to break the emulsion and vaporize water from the emulsion in a flash drum. The vessel has an emulsion outlet for removing an emulsion stream from the emulsion layer and a conduit connecting the emulsion withdrawal port to an inlet of an optional settling drum to effect and initial separation into an oil-enriched phase and a water phase with the oil-enriched phase led to the flash drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Brian D. Albert, Theodore Trent Trier, Jose X. Simonetty, Magaly A. Barroeta, Victor Alva, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Owen P. Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20190048269
    Abstract: A petroleum desalting process in which the oil/water emulsion layer which forms in the desalter vessel between the settled water layer and the settled oil layer is separated into the oil and water components by contact with a heated high boiling hydrocarbon to break the emulsion and vaporize water from the emulsion in a flash drum. The vessel has an emulsion outlet for removing an emulsion stream from the emulsion layer and a conduit connecting the emulsion withdrawal port to an inlet of an optional settling drum to effect and initial separation into an oil-enriched phase and a water phase with the oil-enriched phase led to the flash drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Brian D. Albert, Theodore Trent Trier, Jose X. Simonetty, Magaly A. Barroeta, Victor Alva, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Owen P. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 10119080
    Abstract: A petroleum desalting process in which the oil/water emulsion layer which forms in the desalter vessel between the settled water layer and the settled oil layer is separated into the oil and water components by contact with a heated high boiling hydrocarbon to break the emulsion and vaporize water from the emulsion in a flash drum. The vessel has an emulsion outlet for removing an emulsion stream from the emulsion layer and a conduit connecting the emulsion withdrawal port to an inlet of an optional settling drum to effect and initial separation into an oil-enriched phase and a water phase with the oil-enriched phase led to the flash drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian D. Albert, Theodore Trent Trier, Jose X. Simonetty, Magaly C. Barroeta, Victor Alva, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Owen P. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9611433
    Abstract: An improved separator for desalting petroleum crude oils which may be operated in a continuous manner under automatic control; the improved desalter is therefore well suited to modern refinery operation with minimal downtime. A portion of the emulsion layer is withdrawn from the desalter through external withdrawal ports according to the thickness and position of the emulsion layer with the selected withdrawal header(s) being controlled by sensors monitoring the position and thickness of the emulsion layer. The withdrawn emulsion layer can be routed as such or with the desalter water effluent to a settling tank or directly to another unit for separation and reprocessing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Magaly C. Barroeta, Jose X. Simonetty, Brian D. Albert, Jennifer A. Gillett, Victor Alva, Theodore T. Trier, John R. Faber
  • Publication number: 20170029714
    Abstract: An improved separator for desalting petroleum crude oils which may be operated in a continuous manner under automatic control; the improved desalter is therefore well suited to modern refinery operation with minimal downtime. A portion of the emulsion layer is withdrawn from the desalter through external withdrawal ports according to the thickness and position of the emulsion layer with the selected withdrawal header(s) being controlled by sensors monitoring the position and thickness of the emulsion layer. The withdrawn emulsion layer can be routed as such or with the desalter water effluent to a settling tank or directly to another unit for separation and reprocessing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Magaly C. Barroeta, Jose X. Simonetty, Brian D. Albert, Jennifer A. Gillett, Victor Alva, Theodore T. Trier, John R. Faber
  • Patent number: 9493712
    Abstract: An improved separator for desalting petroleum crude oils which may be operated in a continuous manner under automatic control; the improved desalter is therefore well suited to modern refinery operation with minimal downtime. A portion of the emulsion layer is withdrawn from the desalter through external withdrawal ports according to the thickness and position of the emulsion layer with the selected withdrawal header(s) being controlled by sensors monitoring the position and thickness of the emulsion layer. The withdrawn emulsion layer can be routed as such or with the desalter water effluent to a settling tank or directly to another unit for separation and reprocessing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Magaly C. Barroeta, Jose X. Simonetty, Brian D. Albert, Jennifer A. Gillett, Victor Alva, Theodore T. Trier, John R. Faber
  • Publication number: 20150083644
    Abstract: A petroleum desalting process in which the oil/water emulsion layer which forms in the desalter vessel between the settled water layer and the settled oil layer is separated into the oil and water components by contact with a heated high boiling hydrocarbon to break the emulsion and vaporize water from the emulsion in a flash drum. The vessel has an emulsion outlet for removing an emulsion stream from the emulsion layer and a conduit connecting the emulsion withdrawal port to an inlet of an optional settling drum to effect and initial separation into an oil-enriched phase and a water phase with the oil-enriched phase led to the flash drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Brian D. Albert, Theodore Trent Trier, Jose X. Simonetty, Magaly C. Barroeta, Victor Alva, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Owen P. Jacobs
  • Publication number: 20140251874
    Abstract: An improved separator for desalting petroleum crude oils which may be operated in a continuous manner under automatic control; the improved desalter is therefore well suited to modern refinery operation with minimal downtime. A portion of the emulsion layer is withdrawn from the desalter through external withdrawal ports according to the thickness and position of the emulsion layer with the selected withdrawal header(s) being controlled by sensors monitoring the position and thickness of the emulsion layer. The withdrawn emulsion layer can be routed as such or with the desalter water effluent to a settling tank or directly to another unit for separation and reprocessing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Magaly C. Barroeta, Jose X. Simonetty, Brian D. Albert, Jennifer A. Gillett, Victor Alva, Theodore T. Trier, John R. Faber