Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090152207 | PROCESS FOR THE REDUCTION OF BIOFOULING USING ELECTRIC FIELDS - A process to reduce or prevent biofouling, by destroying or deactivating microbiological content of feedwater, or other liquid, prior to its entrance into membranes or process equipment, such as heat transfer equipment. The process comprises the use of electrical discharge and/or electric fields to destroy microbes that result in the biofouling of surfaces. By destroying the microbiological content of the water the microbiology no longer is able to create a restricting biofilm upon or within said process equipment. | 06-18-2009 |
20090188867 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING WASTE WATER - A method for processing wastewater is provided. The method includes concentrating a flow of the wastewater using a reverse osmosis process membrane, and evaporating the concentrated flow to produce at least distillate and solids. | 07-30-2009 |
20100294719 | PROCESS FOR TREATMENT OF PRODUCED WATER - A process for treating produced water in heavy oil production comprises, providing an oil/water mixture gathered from an oil/water collection well, whereby oil from said oil/water mixture is separated to provide an oil product and a produced water product containing oil, dissolved gases and dissolved solutes. Said produced water product is then deoiled, and the deoiled water subsequently passes though a membrane system, resulting in permeate water and reject. The resulting permeate water is sent on to a boiler system for production of steam, and the reject is introduced into an evaporator to result in distillate water and blow down. Thereafter, the blow down may be charged into zero liquid discharge treatment; and the distillate water added to the membrane permeate. | 11-25-2010 |
20110052656 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MICROBIAL BIOFILM IN AQUEOUS SYSTEMS - A process has been found which increases the efficiency and effectiveness of introducing antimicrobial compounds into complex biofilm matrices through the use of liposome carriers, thereby removing the biofouling in industrial water bearing systems, including piping, heat exchanges, condensers, filtration systems and fluid storage tanks. According to one embodiment of the invention, antimicrobial compound containing liposomes are added to water systems prone to biofouling and biofilm formation. The liposomes, being similar in composition to microbial membranes or cells, are readily incorporated into the existing biofilm. Once the antimicrobial compound containing liposomes become entrained with the biofilm matrix, the decomposition or programmed disintegration of the liposome proceeds. Thereafter, the biocidal aqueous core is released to react directly with the biofilm encased microorganisms. Upon the death of the organisms, the polysaccharide/protein matrix decomposes and thereby results in reduced fouling of the water bearing system, resulting in increased heat transfer, increased flux, less deposit of colloidal and particulate solids and dissolved organics on the surface of the microfiltration membrane, thereby reducing the frequency and duration of the membrane cleaning and ultimate replacement. | 03-03-2011 |
20110147306 | USE OF CATIONIC COAGULANT AND ACRYLAMIDE POLYMER FLOCCULANTS FOR SEPARATING OIL FROM OILY WATER - Methods for treating oily wastewater comprising adding to the wastewater a cationic coagulant and an acrylamide copolymer flocculant. The acrylamide copolymer flocculant may comprise either an anionic acrylamide copolymer flocculant or a cationic acrylamide copolymer flocculant or both. The acrylamide flocculants may be present in an emulsion or mixture along with activated starch or maleamate derivatized starch. The method may be employed, for example, to clarify SAGD and/or frac produce waters. | 06-23-2011 |
20110147316 | DEOILING OF SAGD PRODUCE WATER - Methods of deoiling oily water such as SAGD and frac produce water. The oily water is treated with a natural coagulant selected from tannins and chitosan. A cationic and/or anionic flocculant may also be added to the treated oily water. The thus treated oily water may be subjected to conventional mechanical oil separation techniques such as hydrocyclonic separation, dissolved air flotation, entrapped air flotation, induced gas flotation, gravity filters, reverse osmosis filters, API, or Voraxial® bulk separators and the like. | 06-23-2011 |
20120145633 | ULTRA-SOUND ENHANCED CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION OF OIL FROM OILY SOLIDS IN WATER AND WASTEWATER - Methods are provided for separating solids containing oily/water of the type normally encountered in SAGD and hydraulic fracturing operations. The solids containing oily/water is subjected to ultrasound separation techniques and mechanical separation operations. The mechanical separation operation may, preferably, comprise centrifugal separation such as that in which the treated solids containing oily/water is separated into a solids fraction, an oil fraction, and a water fraction. | 06-14-2012 |
20120152546 | CHEMICAL OXIDATION OR ELECTROMAGNETIC TREATMENT IN SAGD OPERATIONS - A system for treating produced water, for example from a SAGD bitumen production operation, has a treatment unit using chemical oxidation (CO) or electromagnetic treatment (ET) to destroy or degrade organics in the produced water. The treatment module may use CO or ET in combination with biological treatment or sorption processes or both. When the treatment module is used upstream of a steam generator, it reduces fouling in the steam generator and in any blowdown water treatment device. A brine concentrator or a crystallizer may be used to treat the blowdown water. The treatment module may be used in combination with a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter. Optionally, the produced water may be treated with an ET process such as microwaves directly upstream of a steam generator or upstream of a concentrator or crystallizer in a blowdown water stream. | 06-21-2012 |
20120228219 | SPIRAL WOUND MEMBRANE ELEMENT AND TREATMENT OF SAGD PRODUCED WATER OR OTHER HIGH TEMPERATURE ALKALINE FLUIDS - A spiral wound module is suitable for use with high temperature water that is also very alkaline or has a high pH, for example SAGD produced water. The module uses a polyamide-based membrane with a polysulfone or polyethersulfone backing material. For other components, the module uses primarily one or more of, EPDM; polyamide; polyphenylene oxide; polyphenylene sulfide; polysulfone; polyethersulfone; polysulfonamide; polyvinylidene fluoride; mylar; fiberglass; and, epoxy. Polyester is not used. Polypropylene is not used for the feed spacer. For example, a module may use a PVDF feed spacer, a nylon permeate spacer and a polysulfone center tube. The center tube may be provided with 4 rows of 0.063″ diameter holes and be rolled under high tension. | 09-13-2012 |
20130118354 | PLUME RECOVERY METHOD - Methods for recovering water from the plume of a heat removal or exhaust device are provided. The methods utilize a condensation apparatus ( | 05-16-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120267310 | E-BEAM TECHNOLOGY FOR WATER TREATMENT - The present invention concerns a method of using Electron-beam technology to remove recalcitrant organic matter and/or volatile organic compounds from a target water sample or other fluid samples. A fluid is directed into a first vessel; and a beam of electrons from an electron beam generator is used to irradiate the fluid. Specifically, once the water is loaded into a first vessel and the organic contaminants are absorbed to saturation levels, a control sensor initiates influent water to be directed to a second vessel while the first vessel is isolated and desorbed using an energy means such as heat or microwave. The desorbed materials are directed through a common manifold containing an E-beam. The E-beam is then used to destroy organic matter desorbed from the first vessel. VOCs may be treated in this way as well, or they may be treated directly without first sorbing and desorbing prior to irradiation. | 10-25-2012 |
20120325744 | MONITORING AND CONTROL OF UNIT OPERATIONS FOR GENERATING STEAM FROM PRODUCED WATER - In a process and apparatus for treating produced water, for example for re-use in an oil or bitumen extraction operation of for treating frac water, the produced water flows through a series of treatment units. A portion of the produced water may by-pass one or more of the treatment units but the by-pass portion may be such that the treated water is still acceptable, for example for discharge or reuse. Concentrations of oil and grease, organic carbon, silica, pH or related parameters in the produced water may be monitored and used to control the process or apparatus. Control of the process may involve one or more of altering a by-pass portion, altering the addition of chemicals, and altering the operation of a unit process. The process may be controlled to respond to upset conditions, or such that the concentration of one or more limiting contaminants is near, but not over, a specified maximum for re-use or discharge. | 12-27-2012 |
20130126442 | METHODS FOR REMOVING CONTAMINANTS FROM WATER - A method for reducing inorganic contaminant levels during supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is provided. The method utilizes a fluidized bed reactor wherein inorganic contaminants in the water precipitate out onto the catalyst. The clean water is reclaimed after oxidation of organic contaminants and reduction of inorganic contaminant levels. | 05-23-2013 |
20140151296 | PRODUCED WATER TREATMENT TO REMOVE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS - Systems and methods for removing organic contaminants from water may be used, for example, to treat produced water from a steam assisted heavy oil recovery operation. The treated produced water may be re-used to create steam. Alternatively, the produced water may be a blowdown stream treated to facilitate further treatment in a thermal crystallizer. The treatments may include pH adjustment or separating de-solubilized organics or both. Other treatments may include one or more of oxidation, sorption and biological treatments. The treatments may be used alone or in various combinations. One exemplary combination includes reducing the pH of produced water, separating de-solubilized organics from the produced water, and oxidizing the produced water or contacting the produced water with activated carbon. | 06-05-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090084604 | COMPRESSIBLE OBJECTS HAVING PARTIAL FOAM INTERIORS COMBINED WITH A DRILLING FLUID TO FORM A VARIABLE DENSITY DRILLING MUD - A compressible object is described that may be utilized in drilling mud and with a drilling system to manage the density of the drilling mud. The compressible object includes a shell that encloses an interior region. The interior region of the shell is at least partially filled with a foam. The internal pressure of the compressible object may be greater than about 200 psi (pounds per square inch) at atmospheric pressure, greater than 500 psi at atmospheric pressure, greater than 1500 psi at atmospheric pressure or more preferably greater than 2000 psi at atmospheric pressure. | 04-02-2009 |
20090090558 | Compressible Objects Having A Predetermined Internal Pressure Combined With A Drilling Fluid To Form A Variable Density Drilling Mud - A compressible object is described that may be utilized in drilling mud and with a drilling system to manage the density of the drilling mud. The compressible object includes a shell that encloses an interior region. Also, the compressible object has an internal pressure (i) greater than about 200 pounds per square inch at atmospheric pressure and (ii) selected for a predetermined external pressure, wherein external pressures that exceed the internal pressure reduce the volume of the compressible object and wherein the shell being designed to reduce localized strains of the compressible object during expansion and compression of the compressible object. | 04-09-2009 |
20090090559 | COMPRESSIBLE OBJECTS COMBINED WITH A DRILLING FLUID TO FORM A VARIABLE DENSITY DRILLING MUD - A compressible object is described that may be utilized in drilling mud and with a drilling system to manage the density of the drilling mud. The compressible object includes a shell that encloses an interior region. The shell experiences less strain when the external pressure is about equal to the internal pressure than when the external pressure is above or below a predetermined compression interval of the compressible object includes a shell that encloses an interior region. | 04-09-2009 |
20090091053 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING COMPRESSIBLE OBJECTS FOR A VARIABLE DENSITY DRILLING MUD - Methods for fabricating compressible object are described. These compressible objects may be utilized in drilling mud and with a drilling system to manage the density of the drilling mud. The method includes selecting an architecture for a compressible object; selecting a wall material for the compressible object; and fabricating the compressible object, wherein the compressible object has a shell that encloses an interior region, and has an internal pressure (i) greater than about 200 pounds per square inch at atmospheric pressure and (ii) selected for a predetermined external pressure, wherein external pressures that exceed the internal pressure reduce the volume of the compressible object. | 04-09-2009 |
20120223450 | Systems and Methods For Forming High Performance Compressible Objects - The present systems and methods utilize a polyamic acid solution as a precursor to form a polyimide bead having desired properties. The polyamic acid solution may be formed into a polyamic acid droplet. The polyamic acid droplet is then processed to form a polyamic acid bead, such as by extraction of solvent to concentrate the polyamic acid or by partial chemical imidization of the polyamic acid. The polyamic acid bead is then better able to retain its shape during subsequent processing steps, such as drying and pressurizing, before final thermal imidization. | 09-06-2012 |
20120225799 | Systems and Methods For Forming High Performance Compressible Objects - The present systems and methods utilize a polyamic acid solution as a precursor to form a polyimide bead having desired properties. The polyamic acid solution may be formed into a polyamic acid droplet. The polyamic acid droplet is then processed to form a polyamic acid bead, such as by extraction of solvent to concentrate the polyamic acid or by partial chemical imidization of the polyamic acid. The polyamic acid bead is then better able to retain its shape during subsequent processing steps, such as drying and pressurizing, before final thermal imidization. | 09-06-2012 |
20120231979 | Systems and Methods For Forming High Performance Compressible Objects - The present systems and methods utilize a polyamic acid solution as a precursor to form a polyimide bead having desired properties. The polyamic acid solution may be formed into a polyamic acid droplet. The polyamic acid droplet is then processed to form a polyamic acid bead, such as by extraction of solvent to concentrate the polyamic acid or by partial chemical imidization of the polyamic acid. The polyamic acid bead is then better able to retain its shape during subsequent processing steps, such as drying and pressurizing, before final thermal imidization. | 09-13-2012 |
20130068469 | Pressurized Polymer Beads As Proppants - A pressurized polymer bead such as may be useful as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing is described, including a shell that is substantially impermeable, wherein the shell includes a polyimide polymer. The pressurized polymer bead includes a core region that is at a pressure that is greater than 5 MPa. | 03-21-2013 |