And Liquid Flow Modifying Or Mechanical Agitating Patents (Class 95/252)
  • Patent number: 11299974
    Abstract: An apparatus for gas and solids separation from down-hole fluids having an inner tube and an outer tube disposed about the inner tube. The annular region between the tubes contain a plurality of chambers, separated by fluid barriers. The chambers include an intake chamber to receive fluids from outside of the outer tube through an orifice, and processing chambers. Fluid communication between the intake and processing chambers is restricted to fluid flow through sets of tubes. Fluid communication between a lowermost processing chamber below the intake chamber and a lower processing chamber above the intake chamber is restricted to fluid flow through the inner tube. A block restricts fluid communication within the inner tube to other chambers above the intake chamber. Orifices in the inner tube of the processing chambers on either side of the block provide fluid communication across the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MODICUM, LLC
    Inventor: Gary V. Marshall
  • Patent number: 10969055
    Abstract: Described are direct flame impingement shields for fire tubes in heater treaters which reduce corrosion of the fire tubes. The direct flame impingement shield is removable and replaceable. The direct flame impingement shield may be formed from a variety of types of stainless steel or other corrosion resistant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Derek Allen
  • Patent number: 10570720
    Abstract: An apparatus for gas and solids separation from down-hole fluids having an inner tube and an outer tube disposed about the inner tube. The annular region between the tubes contain a plurality of chambers, separated by fluid barriers. The chambers include an intake chamber to receive fluids from outside of the outer tube through an orifice, and processing chambers. Fluid communication between the intake and processing chambers is restricted to fluid flow through sets of tubes. Fluid communication between a lowermost processing chamber below the intake chamber and a lower processing chamber above the intake chamber is restricted to fluid flow through the inner tube. A block restricts fluid communication within the inner tube to other chambers above the intake chamber. Orifices in the inner tube of the processing chambers on either side of the block provide fluid communication across the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventor: Gary Marshall
  • Patent number: 8945281
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus and a method for generating IPA vapor for condensation on a substrate in order to provide a vapor that is substantially free of particulate and molecular contaminants. The apparatus includes an inlet for liquid to enter, and a plurality of heated sloped surfaces to create thin sheets of flowing liquid on the surfaces from which the liquid can vaporize to form vapor. The liquid flows from one surface to another, vaporizing the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: MSP Corporation
    Inventors: Thuc M. Dinh, Yamin Ma, Benjamin Y. H. Liu
  • Patent number: 8657921
    Abstract: A shell-and-tube heat exchanger, for removing volatile substances from a polymer solution by degasification, includes a bundle of tubes arranged vertically and parallel to each other in a shell chamber through which a fluid heat-transfer medium flows. The upper end of each tube is fixed in an upper tube sheet and the lower end of each tube is fixed in a lower tube sheet, and the polymer solution flows through the tubes in the direction of gravity. One feature is that a multilayer woven wire fabric is attached to the top of the upper tube sheet. The finest meshed layer of the fabric has a mesh width of 50 ?m to 1000 ?m. The invention also relates to a method for removing volatile substances from a polymer solution by degasification in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger and use of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Styrolution GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Güntherberg, Rainer Bardon, Hartmut Heinen, Michael Sauer, Ludger Leber, Wolfgang Fischer
  • Publication number: 20120210751
    Abstract: A method for removing gaseous inclusions from a viscous liquid in which a viscous liquid stream having gaseous inclusions is introduced into a refining chamber, resulting in a flowing viscous liquid layer. The viscosity of a bottom portion of the viscous liquid layer is reduced in a first refining zone in the refining chamber so as to produce an upwardly mobile reduced viscosity portion of the viscous liquid layer. Heat is introduced into the viscous liquid layer from above the viscous liquid layer in a second refining zone in the refining chamber downstream of the first refining zone, reducing the gaseous inclusions in said viscous liquid layer. Thereafter, the viscous liquid layer having substantially reduced gaseous inclusions is discharged from the refining chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: David M. Rue, V. Walter Kunc, John Charles Wagner, Chun W. Choi
  • Patent number: 8133300
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a chamber may be configured to separate oil and gas. For example, the oil and gas may be separated as they exit a compressor, an oil storage tank, etc. In some embodiments, the gas may be a heavy gas and the oil may be compressor oil. One or more heated baffles may interact with the oil and gas to increase the velocity of the gas flow to inhibit the gas from absorbing into the oil. In some embodiments, when the compressor feeding the chamber is operating at a decreased compression rate, the chamber may continue to heat the oil to vaporize impurities out of the oil. The impurities may then be vented out of the chamber through the bleed valve to a gas inlet scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: S&R Compression, LLC
    Inventors: Louis C. Gonsalves, III, George Alan Sweetman
  • Patent number: 8080091
    Abstract: A dialysis fluid system includes an instrument including a pump actuator and a fluid heater, and a dialysis fluid cassette. The dialysis fluid cassette includes a rigid portion defining a pumping section for operation with the pump actuator and a heating section for operation with the fluid heater. The heating section includes a dialysis fluid inlet, a dialysis fluid outlet, and a dialysis fluid heating area located between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the heating section further includes an air separation chamber for collecting air separated from the dialysis fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Donald D. Busby, Michael E. Hogard, Michael R. Prisco, Atif M. Yardimci, James C. Laird
  • Patent number: 7972423
    Abstract: An apparatus for stripping and strengthening and subsequent condensing and final strengthening of an easily vaporizable component of a preferably aqueous mixture permits the heat necessary for stripping and strengthening to be transferred through a common heat transmission body (3), where the heat is derived from condensing the vapor generated by stripping and strengthening, which vapor via compression using a heat pump (26) has obtained the increase in boiling point necessary for condensation. The apparatus is comprised of two sections, namely a stripping and strengthening section or first section (1) and a condensing and final strengthening section or second section (2), said sections being joined around a common heat transmission body (3) forming a dividing wall, each section being further defined by a horizontal partially cylindrical housing (13) and an end wall at each end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Holm Christensen Biosystemer APS
    Inventor: Erik Jensen
  • Patent number: 7874179
    Abstract: A method for removal of gaseous inclusions from a viscous liquid in which a layer of filter particles is positioned in the viscous liquid and the viscous liquid is passed through the layer of filter particles, whereby the gaseous inclusions combine or coalesce within the layer of filter particles, forming larger gaseous inclusions which rise to the top of the viscous liquid and escape therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: David M. Rue, Chun Choi
  • Publication number: 20090249834
    Abstract: A method for removal of gaseous inclusions from a viscous liquid in which a layer of filter particles is positioned in the viscous liquid and the viscous liquid is passed through the layer of filter particles, whereby the gaseous inclusions combine or coalesce within the layer of filter particles, forming larger gaseous inclusions which rise to the top of the viscous liquid and escape therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: David M. Rue, Chun Choi
  • Patent number: 7056371
    Abstract: A liquid cleaning device comprises a vessel (1), a bottom plate (3), a heating device and a tubular riser (12) arranged in the vessel for heated liquid ascending through the riser, the heated liquid from the upper, open end of the riser running back through force of gravity down and outside of the riser to be reheated and ascend agains through the riser, and so on. The vessel—61) is cylindrical and substantially its entire base (17) can be heated by means of the heating device (171). A plurality of discs (51–54) of equal size are arranged in the upper part of the vessel (1), said discs having a central aperture (510) for the riser (12) and a plurality of small holes (511) distributed uniformly across the entire surface of the discs and provided with drip edges (5110). A distributor (14) is arranged at the upper, open end of the riser (12) to distribute the hot liquid coming out of the ruser uniformly over the uppermost disc (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: HVR Water Purification AB
    Inventors: Lars Mossberg, Aapo Saask
  • Patent number: 7033420
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for thermally degassing a condensate or feedwater by heating the condensate or feedwater in a feedwater vessel/degassing means, to which preheated condensate is fed and from which feedwater for heating surfaces heated in a heat recovery steam generator is removed. Structurally simple degassing, advantageous in thermal terms, is achieved by virtue of the fact that the condensate is preheated in a first condensate preheater, and that a partial stream of the preheated condensate, which is preheated further in a second condensate preheater, is used to heat the condensate or feedwater in the feedwater vessel/degassing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Erhard Liebig
  • Patent number: 6843832
    Abstract: The compound/curvilinear immiscible liquid separator has a separator section with an outer, elongated, cylindrical shell aligned vertically opening into an upper transition section and vapor dome at the top and a lower transition section and solid/heavy crude containment section at the bottom. A center column is disposed in the axial center of the separator section and a plurality of serially connected curved plates are disposed between the outer shell and center column to define an elongated curvilinear flow path having reverse flow pathways. An oil-water-gas mixture is introduced into the separator section under pressure past heating coils and through the curvilinear path, the lighter density oil entering and being removed from the top of the center column, and heavier sludge and brine collecting in the containment section. Gases bubble up through the center column and are removed from the vapor dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Inventors: Boyd B. Greene, Helen C. Greene
  • Patent number: 6398850
    Abstract: A thermally-activated gas extraction device that comprises a bubble capture chamber, an exhaust manifold, a tapered extraction chamber and an extraction heater associated with the tapered extraction chamber. The tapered extraction chamber extends from the bubble capture chamber towards the exhaust manifold and has a cross-sectional area that increases towards the exhaust manifold. A gas removal method in which the gas extraction device is provided, a bubble of gas is accumulated in the bubble capture chamber, a portion of the liquid in the tapered extraction chamber heated to nucleate a bubble of vapor, and the bubble of vapor is heated to explosively expand the bubble of vapor into contact with the walls of the tapered extraction chamber and into contact with the bubble of gas to form a composite bubble. Contact with the walls of the tapered extraction moves the composite bubble towards the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Leslie A. Field, David K. Donald, Phillip W. Barth, Jonathan Servaites, Storrs T. Hoen
  • Patent number: 6299673
    Abstract: A thermally-activated gas extraction device that comprises a bubble capture chamber, an exhaust manifold, a tapered extraction chamber and an extraction heater associated with the tapered extraction chamber. The tapered extraction chamber extends from the bubble capture chamber towards the exhaust manifold and has a cross-sectional area that increases towards the exhaust manifold. A gas removal method in which the gas extraction device is provided, a bubble of gas is accumulated in the bubble capture chamber, a portion of the liquid in the tapered extraction chamber heated to nucleate a bubble of vapor, and the bubble of vapor is heated to explosively expand the bubble of vapor into contact with the walls of the tapered extraction chamber and into contact with the bubble of gas to form a composite bubble. Contact with the walls of the tapered extraction moves the composite bubble towards the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Leslie A. Field, David K. Donald, Phillip W. Barth, Jonathan Servaites, Storrs T. Hoen, Jonah A. Harley
  • Patent number: 5746808
    Abstract: A thermal processing system for processing a hot-fill liquid product and filling containers with the hot-fill liquid product is set forth that includes: 1) a thermal processing unit for thermally processing the hot-fill liquid product; 2) a packaging machine for filling individual containers with the hot-fill liquid product; and 3) an intermediate degassing tank. The intermediate degassing tank includes a tank body having an inlet receiving the thermally processed hot-fill liquid product from the thermal processing unit, an interior chamber holding the thermally processed hot-fill liquid, and an outlet facilitating fluid communication of the thermally processed hot-fill liquid product from the interior chamber of the degassing tank to the packaging machine, and a vent. A degasser is disposed in the interior chamber of the tank body and receives the hot-fill liquid product from the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
    Inventor: Stephen P. Hellenschmidt