1. An apparatus for monitoring a portal through an enclosure around a hazard, comprising detector means having a substantially linear field of view and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation, said detector means being so mounted that said field of view comprises a linear portal threshold that extends along a boundary of the portal so as to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object passing through said linear portal threshold, and distinguishing means to compare signals from said detector means representing a passing object with signals pre-identified as corresponding to the profile of the presence of an object intended to pass through said portal, to distinguish signals from said detector means not corresponding to the profile of the presence of an object intended to pass through said portal and to generate an alerting signal in response, wherein the distinguishing means compares a duration of the detected signal with an expected time for the passage of objects intended to pass through the portal and emits an alerting signal should the detected signal indicate passage of an object traveling faster than those intended to pass through the portal.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detector means comprises line-scan camera means.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detector means is sensitive to visible light.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation, optionally visible light, so directed as to illuminate said linear portal threshold.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation is provided with focusing means adapted to produce a narrow elongate illuminated strip extending substantially along said boundary.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alerting signal initiates procedures to eliminate or reduce the hazard within the enclosure.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said alerting signal causes a stopping of operation of hazardous equipment.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said alerting signal causes a deploying of additional barrier means between the portal and the hazard.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said line-scan cameral means is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation outside the human visible spectrum.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is configured to operate at predetermined intervals.
11. An apparatus for monitoring a portal through an enclosure around a hazard, comprising detector means having a substantially linear field of view and adapted to detect electromagnetic radiation, said detector means being so mounted that said field of view comprises a linear portal threshold that extends along a boundary of the portal so as to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object passing through said linear portal threshold, and distinguishing means to compare signals from said detector means representing a passing object with signals pre-identified as corresponding to the profile of the presence of an object intended to pass through said portal, to distinguish signals from said detector means not corresponding to the profile of the presence of an object intended to pass through said portal and to generate an alerting signal in response, wherein the apparatus comprises an adaptive background control arrangement.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said detector means comprises line-scan camera means.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said detector means is sensitive to visible light.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation, optionally visible light, so directed as to illuminate said linear portal threshold.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation is provided with focusing means adapted to produce a narrow elongate illuminated strip extending substantially along said boundary.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said alerting signal initiates procedures to eliminate or reduce the hazard within the enclosure.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said alerting signal causes a stopping of operation of hazardous equipment.
18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said alerting signal causes a deploying of additional barrier means between the portal and the hazard.
19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said line-scan camera means is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation outside the human visible spectrum.
20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is configured to operate at predetermined intervals.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for separating sulfate from saline water to produce nearly sulfate-free saline stream and inorganic materials, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) removing sulfate from said saline water by
(i) mixing calcium chloride rich formation water with said saline water to allow the concentration of the calcium ion to exceed the concentration of the sulfate ion in said saline water to produce intermediate concentrate;
(ii) pressurizing said intermediate concentrate into a precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said intermediate concentrate;
(iii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising gypsum from said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) removing said precipitates from said intermediate concentrate by filter to produce gypsum slurry;
(v) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said intermediate concentrate by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(b) injecting said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into subterranean formation for hydrocarbons recovery; or
(c) feeding said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments; or
(d) producing de-ionized water from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by membrane distillation;
(e) producing gypsum boards or gypsum materials from said gypsum slurry by
(i) separating said gypsum slurry into moist solid gypsum and liquor stream by filter;
(ii) removing at least most of remaining said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said liquor stream by stripper;
(iii) recycling said liquor stream to said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) molding said moist solid gypsum to produce said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials;
(v) allowing said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials to dry; or
(f) producing potassium sulfate and calcium chloride from said gypsum slurry by
(i) adding sylvite or sylvinite to said gypsum slurry to produce intermediate liquor stream;
(ii) adding said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier to said intermediate liquor stream to form precipitates comprising said potassium sulfate;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said intermediate liquor stream by filter;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier by stripper;
(v) recycling said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least dissolved calcium chloride to said intermediate concentrate; or
(vi) recovering said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least calcium chloride brine.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said saline water is seawater, brine streams from seawater desalination plants, sulfate-rich natural brine, flue gas desulphurization water, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said calcium chloride rich formation water is aquifers water, oil-fields produced water, coal-bed produced water, methane-bed produced water or a combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is coaxial nozzle, spray nozzle, vibrating nozzle, premixed nozzle, or a combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said amine solvent is selected from the group consisting of isopropylamine, propylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, methylamine, dimethylamine, or a combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said modifier is nitrogen, nitrous oxide, or a combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said filter is hydrocyclone, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, vacuum filter, press filter, centrifugal filter, electrostatic filter, or a combination thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said stripper is flash tank, distillation column, vacuum distillation, vacuum membrane distillation, pervaporation, or a combination thereof.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments are multi-stage flash, multi-effect distillation, vapor-compression, multi-effect submerged-tube evaporators, reverse osmosis, boilers, heat recovery steam generators, steam turbines, cooling towers, or a combination thereof.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said membrane distillation is vacuum membrane distillation, direct contact membrane distillation, membrane osmotic distillation, or a combination thereof.
11. A method for separating sulfate and brucite from saline water to produce nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream and inorganic materials, said method comprising the steps of
(a) removing sulfate from said saline water by
(i) mixing calcium chloride rich formation water with said saline water to allow the concentration of the calcium ion to exceed the concentration of the sulfate ion in said saline water to produce intermediate concentrate;
(ii) pressurizing said intermediate concentrate into a precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said intermediate concentrate;
(iii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising gypsum from said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) removing said precipitates from said intermediate concentrate by filter to produce gypsum slurry;
(v) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said intermediate concentrate by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(b) removing brucite from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by
(i) pressurizing said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into a second precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(ii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said second precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising said brucite from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by filter to produce brucite slurry;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream;
(c) injecting said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream into subterranean formation for hydrocarbons recovery; or
(d) feeding said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream into conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments; or
(e) producing de-ionized water from said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream by membrane distillation;
(f) producing gypsum boards or gypsum materials from said gypsum slurry by
(i) separating said gypsum slurry into moist solid gypsum and liquor stream by filter;
(ii) removing at least most of remaining said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said liquor stream by stripper;
(iii) recycling said liquor stream to said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) molding said moist solid gypsum to produce said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials;
(v) allowing said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials to dry; or
(g) producing potassium sulfate and calcium chloride from said gypsum slurry by
(i) adding sylvite or sylvinite to said gypsum slurry to produce intermediate liquor stream;
(ii) adding said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier to said intermediate liquor stream to form precipitates comprising said potassium sulfate;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said intermediate liquor stream by filter;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier by stripper;
(v) recycling said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least dissolved calcium chloride to said intermediate concentrate; or
(vi) recovering said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least calcium chloride brine.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said saline water is seawater, brine streams from seawater desalination plants, sulfate-rich natural brine, flue gas desulphurization water, or a combination thereof.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said calcium chloride rich formation water is aquifers water, oil-fields produced water, coal-bed produced water, methane-bed produced water or a combination thereof.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein said nozzle is coaxial nozzle, spray nozzle, vibrating nozzle, premixed nozzle, or a combination thereof.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein said amine solvent is selected from the group consisting of isopropylamine, propylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, methylamine, dimethylamine, or a combination thereof.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein said modifier is nitrogen, nitrous oxide, or a combination thereof.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein said filter is hydrocyclone, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, vacuum filter, press filter, centrifugal filter, electrostatic filter, or a combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 11 wherein said stripper is flash tank, distillation column, vacuum distillation, vacuum membrane distillation, pervaporation, or a combination thereof.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein said conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments are multi-stage flash, multi-effect distillation, vapor-compression, multi-effect submerged-tube evaporators, reverse osmosis, boilers, heat recovery steam generators, steam turbines, cooling towers, or a combination thereof.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein said membrane distillation is vacuum membrane distillation, direct contact membrane distillation, membrane osmotic distillation, or a combination thereof.
21. A method for separating sulfate from saline water to produce nearly sulfate-free saline stream and inorganic materials, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) separating calcium chloride rich produced water from wet oil by hydrophobic membranes;
(b) removing sulfate from said saline water by
(i) mixing said calcium chloride rich produced water with said saline water to allow the concentration of the calcium ion to exceed the concentration of the sulfate ion in said saline water to produce intermediate concentrate;
(ii) pressurizing said intermediate concentrate into a precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said intermediate concentrate;
(iii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising gypsum from said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) removing said precipitates from said intermediate concentrate by filter to produce gypsum slurry;
(v) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said intermediate concentrate by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(c) injecting said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into subterranean formation for hydrocarbons recovery; or
(d) feeding said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments; or
(e) producing de-ionized water from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by membrane distillation;
(f) producing gypsum boards or gypsum materials from said gypsum slurry by
(i) separating said gypsum slurry into moist solid gypsum and liquor stream by filter;
(ii) removing at least most of remaining said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said liquor stream by stripper;
(iii) recycling said liquor stream to said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) molding said moist solid gypsum to produce said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials;
(v) allowing said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials to dry; or
(g) producing potassium sulfate and calcium chloride from said gypsum slurry by
(i) adding sylvite or sylvinite to said gypsum slurry to produce intermediate liquor stream;
(ii) adding said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier to said intermediate liquor stream to form precipitates comprising said potassium sulfate;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said intermediate liquor stream by filter;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier by stripper;
(v) recycling said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least dissolved calcium chloride to said intermediate concentrate; or
(vi) recovering said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least calcium chloride brine.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said saline water is seawater, brine streams from seawater desalination plants, sulfate-rich natural brine, flue gas desulphurization water, or a combination thereof.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein said nozzle is coaxial nozzle, spray nozzle, vibrating nozzle, premixed nozzle, or a combination thereof.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein said amine solvent is selected from the group consisting of isopropylamine, propylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, methylamine, dimethylamine, or a combination thereof.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein said modifier is nitrogen, nitrous oxide, or a combination thereof.
26. The method of claim 21 wherein said filter is hydrocyclone, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, vacuum filter, press filter, centrifugal filter, electrostatic filter, or a combination thereof.
27. The method of claim 21 wherein said stripper is flash tank, distillation column, vacuum distillation, vacuum membrane distillation, pervaporation, or a combination thereof.
28. The method of claim 21 wherein said conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments are multi-stage flash, multi-effect distillation, vapor-compression, multi-effect submerged-tube evaporators, reverse osmosis, boilers, heat recovery steam generators, steam turbines, cooling towers, or a combination thereof.
29. The method of claim 21 wherein said membrane distillation is vacuum membrane distillation, direct contact membrane distillation, membrane osmotic distillation, or a combination thereof.
30. A method for separating sulfate and brucite from saline water to produce nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream and inorganic materials, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) separating calcium chloride rich produced water from wet oil by hydrophobic membranes;
(b) removing sulfate from said saline water by
(i) mixing calcium chloride rich produced water with said saline water to allow the concentration of the calcium ion to exceed the concentration of the sulfate ion in said saline water to produce intermediate concentrate;
(ii) pressurizing said intermediate concentrate into a precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said intermediate concentrate;
(iii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising gypsum from said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) removing said precipitates from said intermediate concentrate by filter to produce gypsum slurry;
(v) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said intermediate concentrate by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(c) removing brucite from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by
(i) pressurizing said nearly sulfate-free saline stream into a second precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and 1,200 psi through at least one nozzle to produce a jet stream of said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(ii) pressurizing amine solvent or amine solvent with modifier into said second precipitator at pressure between 50 psi and the critical pressure of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier through at least one nozzle to form precipitates comprising said brucite from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by filter to produce brucite slurry;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said nearly sulfate-free saline stream by stripper to produce said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream;
(d) injecting said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream into subterranean formation for hydrocarbons recovery; or
(e) feeding said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream into conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments; or
(f) producing de-ionized water from said nearly sulfate-brucite free saline stream by membrane distillation;
(g) producing gypsum boards or gypsum materials from said gypsum slurry by
(i) separating said gypsum slurry into moist solid gypsum and liquor stream by filter;
(ii) removing at least most of remaining said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier from said liquor stream by stripper;
(iii) recycling said liquor stream to said intermediate concentrate;
(iv) molding said moist solid gypsum to produce said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials;
(v) allowing said gypsum boards or said gypsum materials to dry; or
(h) producing potassium sulfate and calcium chloride from said gypsum slurry by
(i) adding sylvite or sylvinite to said gypsum slurry to produce intermediate liquor stream;
(ii) adding said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier to said intermediate liquor stream to form precipitates comprising said potassium sulfate;
(iii) removing said precipitates from said intermediate liquor stream by filter;
(iv) removing at least most of said amine solvent or said amine solvent with modifier by stripper;
(v) recycling said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least dissolved calcium chloride to said intermediate concentrate; or
(vi) recovering said intermediate liquor stream comprising at least calcium chloride brine.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein said saline water is seawater, brine streams from seawater desalination plants, sulfate-rich natural brine, flue gas desulphurization water, or a combination thereof.
32. The method of claim 30 wherein said nozzle is coaxial nozzle, spray nozzle, vibrating nozzle, premixed nozzle, or a combination thereof.
33. The method of claim 30 wherein said amine solvent is selected from the group consisting of isopropylamine, propylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropylamine, ethylamine, diethylamine, methylamine, dimethylamine, or a combination thereof.
34. The method of claim 30 wherein said modifier is nitrogen, nitrous oxide, or a combination thereof.
35. The method of claim 30 wherein said filter is hydrocyclone, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, vacuum filter, press filter, centrifugal filter, electrostatic filter, or a combination thereof.
36. The method of claim 30 wherein said stripper is flash tank, distillation column, vacuum distillation, vacuum membrane distillation, pervaporation, or a combination thereof.
37. The method of claim 30 wherein said conventional seawater desalinations plants and auxiliary equipments are multi-stage flash, multi-effect distillation, vapor-compression, multi-effect submerged-tube evaporators, reverse osmosis, boilers, heat recovery steam generators, steam turbines, cooling towers, or a combination thereof.
38. The method of claim 30 wherein said membrane distillation is vacuum membrane distillation, direct contact membrane distillation, membrane osmotic distillation, or a combination thereof.