IP Library Granted Patent US 10,828,610
Granted Patent B2
US 10,828,610 · App. 16/011,161 · Granted Nov 10, 2020

Mixing assembly

Inventors: Yi Liu (Houston, TX); Gregory N. Gilbert (Sugar Land, TX); Jonathan Carter Boul (Hockley, TX); Merlin Thomas Collins, Jr. (Dayton, TX)
Assignee: FORUM US, INC.
B01F5/069B01F3/0861B01F3/0865B01F5/0451B01F5/0463F16K5/0605F16K47/045B01F2215/0081
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,828,610
App. No.
16/011,161
Granted
Nov 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mixing assembly comprises a tubular member and a spherical body disposed within a portion of the tubular member. The spherical body has a central volume, and a wall defined by an outside diameter and an inside diameter. The spherical body includes an inlet side and an outlet side, and a plurality of channels formed in each of inlet side and outlet side. The channels are oriented toward a center of the central volume.

Claims (40)

1. A mixing assembly, comprising:

a tubular member; and

a spherical body disposed within a portion of the tubular member, the spherical body having:

an outer surface that includes an outside diameter,

an inner surface that includes an inside diameter defining a spherical central volume, and a wall between the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein the spherical body includes an inlet side and an outlet side,

a plurality of channels formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface in each of the inlet side and the outlet side, wherein each of the plurality of channels are disposed outwardly of the spherical central volume and oriented toward a geometric center of the spherical central volume; and

a pair of arc-shaped flush windows formed in areas of the spherical body not occupied with the plurality of channels.

2. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inside diameter of the spherical body is greater than an inside diameter of the tubular member.

3. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped flush windows are 180 degrees apart.

4. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an injection nozzle coupled to the tubular member.

5. The mixing assembly of claim 4 , wherein the injection nozzle is in the form of a Y-shaped body or a cylindrical tube.

6. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of channels in the inlet side are smaller than each of the plurality of channels in the outlet side.

7. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet side is 180 degrees from the outlet side.

8. The mixing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mixing assembly is located upstream of a desalter system.

9. A mixing assembly, comprising:

a tubular member comprising an upstream flow opening and a downstream flow opening; and

a spherical body disposed within a portion of the tubular member and between the upstream flow opening and the downstream flow opening, the spherical body having

an outer surface that includes an outside diameter,

an inner surface that includes an inside diameter defining a spherical central volume,

a wall between the inner surface and the outer surface,

a plurality of channels formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface in an inlet side and an outlet side of the spherical body, and

a pair of flush windows formed in areas of the spherical body not occupied with the plurality of channels, wherein the spherical body is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the plurality of channels formed in the inlet side and the outlet side are positioned between the respective upstream and downstream flow paths of the tubular member and the spherical central volume, and in the first position the pair of flush windows are positioned between one or more sidewalls of the tubular member and the spherical central volume, wherein in the second position the pair of flush windows are positioned between the respective upstream and downstream flow paths of the tubular member and the spherical central volume, and in the second position the plurality of channels formed in the inlet side and the outlet side are positioned between one or more walls of the tubular member and the spherical central volume.

10. The mixing assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of channels are oriented toward a geometric center of the spherical central volume.

11. The mixing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the inside diameter of the spherical body is greater than an inside diameter of the tubular member.

12. The mixing assembly of claim 9 , wherein the flush windows are 180 degrees apart.

13. The mixing assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the flush windows are arc-shaped.

14. The mixing assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an injection nozzle coupled to the tubular member.

15. The mixing assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of channels in the inlet side are smaller than each of the plurality of channels in the outlet side.

16. A mixing assembly, comprising:

a tubular member comprising an upstream flow opening and a downstream flow opening;

a spherical body disposed within a portion of the tubular member and between the upstream flow opening and the downstream flow opening, the spherical body having:

an outer surface that includes an outside diameter,

an inner surface that includes an inside diameter defining a spherical central volume, and a wall between the inner surface and the outer surface,

an inlet side and an outlet side, and

a plurality of channels formed through the wall and extending between the inner surface and the outer surface in each of the inlet side and outlet side, wherein each of the plurality of channels are disposed outwardly of the spherical central volume and oriented toward a geometric center of the spherical central volume; and

an injection nozzle coupled to the tubular member and extending at least partially into the upstream flow opening of the tubular member.

17. The mixing assembly of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of channels are oriented toward a geometric center of the spherical central volume, and wherein the inside diameter of the spherical body is greater than an inside diameter of the tubular member.

18. The mixing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inlet side is 180 degrees from the outlet side.

19. The mixing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the spherical body includes a pair of flush windows formed in areas of the spherical body not occupied with the plurality of channels.

20. The mixing assembly of claim 16 , wherein the injection nozzle is in the form of a Y-shaped body or a cylindrical tube.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2024
From: FORUM US, INC.
To: NORDIC TRUSTEE AS
Reel/Frame 069338/0347 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 066565/FRAME 0968 Recorded Nov 12, 2024
From: GLAS USA LLC
To: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC; VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES INC.
Reel/Frame 069338/0131 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL 053399/FRAME 0930 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC
Reel/Frame 069318/0330 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECOND LIEN TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Sep 27, 2024
From: VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES PARTNERSHIP, AS RESIGNING COLLATERAL AGENT AND ASSIGNOR
To: GLAS USA LLC, AS SUCESSOR AGENT AND ASSIGNEE
Reel/Frame 069067/0317 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2024
From: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC; VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES INC.
To: VARIPERM ENERGY SERVICES PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 066565/0968 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL HEAT TRANSFER ULC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK
Reel/Frame 058290/0868 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; FORUM US, INC.; GLOBAL TUBING, LLC
To: US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053399/0930 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2018
From: LIU, YI; GILBERT, GREGORY N.; BOUL, JONATHAN CARTER; COLLINS, MERLIN THOMAS, JR.
To: FORUM US, INC.
Reel/Frame 046813/0055 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62527226 · Jun 30, 2017
Related Publication 20190134576A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,338,905