# US 10,864,482 B2 · Apparatus system and method to separate brine from water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,482 B2 - Document ID: US10864482B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/112,537 - Filed: 2018-08-24 - Published: 2019-02-28 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-24 - Assignees: Katz Water Tech, LLC - Applicants: Gary P Katz - Inventors: Gary P Katz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864482B2 ## CPC - B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration} - B01D 1/0058: {Use of waste energy from other processes or sources, e.g. combustion gas (for water treatment C02F1/16)} - B01D 3/065: {Multiple-effect flash distillation (more than two traps)} - B01D 3/145: {One step being separation by permeation} - B01D 61/06: Energy recovery - B01D 61/08: Apparatus therefor - B01D 61/10: Accessories; Auxiliary operations - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage - E21B 43/35: {specially adapted for separating solids (down-hole drilling fluid separation systems E21B21/002; separating solids from drilling fluids E21B21/065)} - B01D 61/04: Feed pretreatment - B01D 2311/2642: Aggregation, sedimentation, flocculation, precipitation or coagulation - B01D 2311/2649: Filtration - B01D 2311/2669: Distillation - B01D 2313/221: Heat exchangers - B01D 2313/246: Energy recovery means - C02F 1/001: {Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00)} - C02F 1/004: {using large scale industrial sized filters} - C02F 1/16: using waste heat from other processes - C02F 1/442: {by nanofiltration} - C02F 1/444: {by ultrafiltration or microfiltration} - C02F 1/463: by electrocoagulation - C02F 1/68: by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K) - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - C02F 2209/005: Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC] - C02F 2209/01: Density - C02F 2303/10: Energy recovery - E21B 43/2406: {Steam assisted gravity drainage [SAGD]} - E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations} - Y02A 20/124: Water desalination - Y02A 20/131: Reverse-osmosis - Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working - Y02W 10/30: Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract An apparatus, system and method to purify produced water from a wellbore using energy. The apparatus comprises a wellbore with a wellhead attached to the wellbore; at least one energy recapture device connected to the wellhead of the wellbore with produced water, wherein the at least one energy recapture device captures fluid pressure of the production fluids including produced water; and at least one reverse osmosis membrane connected to the pressure recapture device wherein the at least one reverse osmosis membrane uses at least a portion of the fluid pressure from the energy recapture device to move a volume of the produced water through the reverse osmosis membrane to remove contaminates from the produced water to create purified water. The method comprises steps to use the apparatus and the system comprises a control panel that operates the at least one energy recapture device and the at least one reverse osmosis membrane in a coordinated manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A produced water purification apparatus comprising: a. a wellbore with a wellhead attached to the wellbore; b. at least one energy recapture device connected to the wellhead of the wellbore with produced water, wherein the at least one energy recapture device captures fluid pressure of the produced water; c. at least one reverse osmosis membrane connected to the pressure recapture device wherein the at least one reverse osmosis membrane uses at least a component of the fluid pressure from the energy recapture device to move a volume of the produced water through the reverse osmosis membrane to remove contaminates from the produced water to create purified water; and d. at least one filter between the wellbore and the reverse osmosis membrane to remove solid particulate matter before the produced waters enters the at least one reverse osmosis membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one heat exchanger connected to the wellhead, wherein the heat exchanger comprises an inlet wherein contaminated fluid flows in the apparatus through the inlet; at least two outlets wherein a first outlet exits purified vapor and a second outlet wherein contaminated fluid with a portion removed as purified vapor exits the apparatus; an energy source that causes the contaminated fluid to heat to a temperature wherein a portion of the contaminated fluid is converted to purified vapor; and at least two different flow paths, a first flow path connecting at least one inlet to the first outlet and a second flow path connecting the inlet to the second outlet, the first flow path and the second flow path flow through at least a portion of the apparatus wherein gravity differences causes the lighter purified vapor to take a different path than the heavier contaminated fluid with the purified vapor exiting the first outlet and the contaminated fluid exiting the second outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the energy source is selected from the group consisting of heat gasses, heated liquids, radiation energy, directed energy, solar energy and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the energy source is flare gas energy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 where a flare gas burner is connected to the heat exchanger to provide at least a portion of the heat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the different flow paths are selected from the group consisting of, baffles, membranes, openings, valves, screens and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purified vapor outlet is connected to a steam turbine that uses the energy from the vapor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one filter is a gravity media filter between the energy recapture device and the reverse osmosis device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least once chemical post treatment device wherein a plurality of chemicals are added to the purified water after reverse osmosis purification. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one additional flow is created by baffles and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of holes in the baffles and at least one screen in the plurality of holes to help separate the purified vapor from the contaminated fluid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one screen and at least one perforated pipe inside the heat exchanger thereby creating multiple flow zones inside the apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one additional flow path wherein the at least one additional flow path is selected from the group consisting of conical shaped plating with a plurality of aligned holes, baffles, membranes, valves, tubes, baffles with holes, screens, perforated pipes, condensation plates, aligned openings and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control panel to operate the at least one energy recapture device and the at least one reverse osmosis membrane in a coordinated manner and a density sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a. pumps connected to the first and second outlets; b. coatings inside the apparatus that are resistant to scaling; c. multiple flow paths for the contaminated fluid; and d. at least one additional opening on the contaminated fluid path suitable to remove heavier contaminated fluid before the contaminated fluid outlet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control panel operates the pumps attached to the first and second outlets to control the flow of the water in a coordinated manner using at least one sensor. ### Claim 16 A method to purify produced water from a wellhead comprising; a. connecting an energy recapture device to the wellhead of a wellbore; b. capturing at least a portion of the pressure energy from the produced fluid exiting the wellbore using the energy recapture device; c. transferring a component of the at least a portion of the pressure energy to a reverse osmosis membrane device connected to the energy recapture device; d. filtering the produced water to remove solid particulate matter; e. using the component of the at least a portion of the pressure energy to flow produced water through the reverse osmosis membrane device; and f. purifying the produced water as the water flows through the reverse osmosis membrane device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of: a. connecting an apparatus for separating purified vapor from contaminated fluid, to the wellhead, the apparatus comprising: at least one inlet and at least two outlets connected to an energy source that can concentrate energy on a contaminated fluid; flowing the contaminated fluid through the inlet into the apparatus to transfer heat to the apparatus; b. using the energy source on the contaminated fluid inside the apparatus to cause at least a portion of the contaminated fluid to change into a purified vapor state inside the apparatus; c. using at least two flow paths inside the apparatus wherein gravity separates at least a portion of the heavier contaminated fluid from the lighter purified vapor state d. using a density sensor to control the process achieve a specific density contaminated fluid; and d. flowing the purified vapor state through the first outlet and flowing the contaminated fluid as a brine through the second outlet to the reverse osmosis membrane. ### Claim 18 A system comprising: a. a wellbore with a wellhead attached to the wellbore; b. at least one energy recapture device connected to the wellhead of the wellbore with produced water, wherein the at least one energy recapture device captures fluid pressure of the produced water; and c. at least one reverse osmosis membrane connected to the pressure recapture device wherein the at least one reverse osmosis membrane uses at least a portion of the fluid pressure from the energy recapture device to move a volume of the produced water through the reverse osmosis membrane to remove contaminates from the produced water to create purified water; d. at least one filter between the wellbore and the reverse osmosis unit to remove solid particulate matter; and e. at least one control panel that operates the at least one energy recapture device and the at least one reverse osmosis membrane in a coordinated manner. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, further comprising: at least one heat exchanger connected to the wellhead, wherein the heat exchanger comprises an inlet wherein contaminated fluid flows in the apparatus through the inlet; at least two outlets wherein a first outlet exits purified vapor and a second outlet wherein contaminated fluid with a portion removed as purified vapor exits the apparatus; an energy source that causes the contaminated fluid to heat to a temperature wherein a portion of the contaminated fluid is converted to purified vapor; and at least two different flow paths, a first flow path connecting at least one inlet to the first outlet and a second flow path connecting the inlet to the second outlet, the first flow path and the second flow path flow through at least a portion of the apparatus wherein gravity differences causes the lighter purified vapor to take a different path than the heavier contaminated fluid with the purified vapor exiting the first outlet and the contaminated fluid exiting the second outlet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising: a. pumps attached to the first and second outlets; b. coatings inside the heat exchanger that are resistant to scaling; c. density sensors; d. multiple flow paths for the contaminated fluid; and e. at least one additional opening on the contaminated fluid path suitable to remove heavier contaminated fluid before the contaminated fluid outlet.