The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 2016
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2014
Wei Ren, Missouri City, TX (US);
Paul L. Tanaka, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Aaron Ortiz Gomez, Sarnia, CA;
Babak A. Jajuee, Calgary, CA;
Chien-chiang Chen, Spring, TX (US);
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
Wei Ren, Missouri City, TX (US);
Paul L. Tanaka, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Aaron Ortiz Gomez, Sarnia, CA;
Babak A. Jajuee, Calgary, CA;
Chien-Chiang Chen, Spring, TX (US);
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Spring, TX (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for separating mine tailings from water-absorbing polymers and regenerating the separated water-absorbing polymers. The systems and methods include a separation assembly that is configured to receive an augmented mine tailings slurry that includes mine tailings, water, and a swollen water-absorbing polymer. The separation assembly separates the swollen water-absorbing polymer from the augmented mine tailings slurry to produce a dewatered mine tailings slurry. The systems and methods further include a water-absorbing polymer regeneration unit that is configured to receive the swollen water-absorbing polymer. The water-absorbing polymer regeneration unit at least partially releases water from the swollen water-absorbing polymer to produce a regenerated water-absorbing polymer, and as a separate output or product, the released water.