What is claimed is:
1. A method of liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion; and
(b) treating the hydrocarbon mixture with cavitational energy, wherein the cavitational energy induces cavitation in the hydrocarbon mixture insufficient to cause substantial cracking of hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon mixture yet sufficient to disrupt the emulsion to produce a treated hydrocarbon mixture.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cavitational energy is provided using a cavitational energy source selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, electromagnetic, propeller, impeller, venturi and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cavitational energy source is an ultrasonic source.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ultrasonic source comprises one or more ultrasonic horns.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the cavitational energy has a frequency of about 5 kHz to about 500 kHz.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cavitational energy has a frequency of about 18 kHz to about 22 kHz.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the cavitational energy is less than about 375 Wcm2.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises an aqueous hydrophilic phase.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture is selected from the group consisting of crude oil, atmospheric tower refining bottoms, used motor oil, vacuum gas oils, refining residuums, cat cracker bottoms, fuel oil, vacuum tower bottoms, residual fuel oils and mixtures thereof.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture further comprises organic components containing heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, oxygen and mixtures thereof.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture is treated at a temperature less than about 300 F.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture having a predetermined pour point is treated at a temperature less than about 20 F. over the pour point of the hydrocarbon mixture.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of separating the second component from the hydrocarbon fraction after the treatment step.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the treated hydrocarbon mixture to step (b) multiple times until the treated hydrocarbon mixture exhibits a predetermined fractionation value.
15. A treated hydrocarbon mixture produced by the method of claim 1, wherein the treated hydrocarbon mixture has a higher distillable hydrocarbon content than the original hydrocarbon mixture.
16. A method of liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion;
(b) treating the hydrocarbon mixture with ultrasonic energy, wherein the ultrasonic energy induces cavitation in the hydrocarbon mixture insufficient to cause substantial cracking of hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon mixture yet sufficient to disrupt the emulsion to produce a treated hydrocarbon mixture; and
(c) separating the second component from the hydrocarbon fraction.
18. A method of liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion;
(b) treating the hydrocarbon mixture with ultrasonic energy, wherein the ultrasonic energy induces cavitation in the hydrocarbon mixture insufficient to cause substantial cracking of hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon mixture yet sufficient to disrupt the emulsion to produce a treated hydrocarbon mixture and wherein the hydrocarbon mixture further has a predetermined pour point and is treated at a temperature from the pour point of the hydrocarbon mixture to about 20 F. over the pour point; and
(c) separating the second component from the hydrocarbon fraction.
19. A method of liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion;
(b) providing a means for delivering the hydrocarbon mixture to a source of ultrasonic energy using a cup-shaped flow tube;
(c) treating the hydrocarbon mixture with ultrasonic energy, wherein the ultrasonic energy induces cavitation in the hydrocarbon mixture insufficient to cause substantial cracking of hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon mixture yet sufficient to disrupt the emulsion to produce a treated hydrocarbon mixture.
20. A continuous self-contained ultrasonic treatment system for liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from hydrocarbon mixtures comprising:
(a) a containment space for containing the hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion;
(b) an inlet line operatively connected to the containment space;
(c) at least one ultrasonic energy source for emitting ultrasonic energy positioned such that the ultrasonic energy passes through the containment space;
(d) an outlet line operatively connected to the containment space to allow for withdrawal of the hydrocarbon mixture; and
(e) a cup-shaped flow tube operatively connected to the containment space and oriented to direct flow of the hydrocarbon mixture toward the ultrasonic energy source.
21. A method of liberating various existing hydrocarbon fractions from a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a hydrocarbon mixture wherein the hydrocarbon mixture is at a temperature less than 20 F. over the pour point of the hydrocarbon mixture and wherein the hydrocarbon mixture comprises a hydrocarbon fraction and a second component in emulsion;
(c) directing the hydrocarbon mixture toward an ultrasonic energy source using a cup-shaped flow tube;
(b) treating the hydrocarbon mixture with ultrasonic energy emitted from the ultrasonic energy source, wherein the ultrasonic energy has sufficient energy to disrupt the emulsion but insufficient energy to cause substantial cracking of hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon mixture to produce a treated hydrocarbon mixture; and
(c) recovering the hydrocarbon fraction from the second component.
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 treating a condition of a patient’s airway wherein said condition is attributed at least in part to a spacing of a base of a tongue of the patient from opposing tissue of a pharyngeal wall of the patient; said method comprising:
selecting an implant sized to be implanted within said tongue, said implant a tissue-engaging member sized to be implanted within said tongue near said base and oppose relative movement between said tissue-engaging member and surrounding tissue of said tongue, said implant further having an elongated tether member with a first end secured to said tissue-engaging member;
placing said implant within said tongue with said tissue-engaging member implanted within tissue of said tongue near said base and with said tether member extending from said first end to a second end near a jaw bone of said patient; and
securing said second end of said tether to said jaw bone.
2. A method according to claim 1 comprising drawing on said tether member to place said tether member under tension before securing said second end to said jaw bone.
3. A method according to claim 1 comprising drawing on said tether member to narrow a natural spacing between said jaw bone and said base of said tongue.
4. A method according to claim 1 comprising accessing said secured second end at a time following initial implantation and adjusting a spacing between said jaw bone and said tissue-engaging end.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said condition is snoring.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said condition is sleep apnea.