Patents Examined by Mickey H France
  • Patent number: 11692507
    Abstract: A device is disclosed herein which provides a domed cover of a combustion chamber enclosure applicable for use in Stirling Cycle engines, Ericsson Cycle engines, Rankine Cycle engines or other external combustion heat engine types which allows for the free flow of combustion air from the outer margins of the device toward the combustion air inlet in a vortexual fluid flow to achieve a more balanced stoichiometric ratio of the fuel/air mixture before ignition. This may be achieved by the employment of vanes to direct combustion air in a swirling vortexual flow as the combustion air enters the combustion chamber. Thermal barrier coatings and insulative materials may also be employed to minimize parasitic heat loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Quantum Industrial Development Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph Shae McDowell, M. K. Balsubramanya, Kevin M. Chandler, J. Harold Idell, Victoria Watson
  • Patent number: 11686534
    Abstract: Electric power is accumulated in another form without using a storage battery so as to more effectively utilize electric power generated by solar power generation. A cold heat source storage system includes a freezer operated by directly utilizing the output power of a solar power generation device, a cold heat source storage chamber cooled by the freezer, a number of water tanks installed in the cold heat source storage chamber, and a heat exchange device installed in the cold heat source storage chamber. The system can be included in heat source storage system, which includes a heater operated by directly utilizing the output power of the solar power generation device, a heat source storage tank which stores water heated by the heater, and a heat exchange device installed in the hot heat source storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Tsuchiya Dairy Equipment Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Noriaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11686244
    Abstract: A variable-capacity turbocharger includes a nozzle flow passage in which a gas is capable of flowing therethrough from a scroll flow passage toward a turbine impeller, a connecting pin connecting flow passage wall surfaces forming the nozzle flow passage, and nozzle vanes arranged in a rotation direction of the turbine impeller. At least one of the flow passage wall surfaces includes an inner peripheral side wall surface extending radially inward of a first reference line extending in the rotation direction, an outer peripheral side wall surface which is a plane extending radially outward from a second reference line extending in the rotation direction and parallel to a plane orthogonal to rotation axes of the nozzle vanes, and an intermediate wall surface which is a plane extending from the first reference line to the second reference line and parallel to the plane extending orthogonal to the rotation axes of the nozzle vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Kenichi Segawa, Kouichi Handa, Ryota Sakisaka
  • Patent number: 11680503
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a position of an exhaust valve that regulates engine exhaust noise. In one example, the position of the exhaust valve is adjusted according to a distance between a first vehicle and a second vehicle. The exhaust valve may be adjusted to reduce an exhaust noise level when the distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle is less than a threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sumanth Reddy Dadam, Vinod Ravi, Di Zhu, Vivek Kumar
  • Patent number: 11680851
    Abstract: A device for measuring surface temperature of a turbine blade based on a rotatable prism includes a probe, a prism rotating apparatus and an optical focusing apparatus. The prism rotating apparatus and the optical focusing apparatus are located inside the probe. The probe includes a probe outer casing, a probe inner casing, a water-cooled casing pipe, a sapphire window piece, a quartz prism, a light pipe, a collimating lens, a focusing lens and an infrared array detector. The prism rotating apparatus includes a rotary motor, a worm, a gear and a prism rotary table, the rotary motor rotates to drive the prism rotary table to rotate. The optical focusing apparatus includes a telescopic motor, a coupler, a lead screw and a drive rod, the telescopic motor rotates to drive the lead screw, so as to further drive the drive rod to move along the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    Inventors: Chao Wang, Jing Jiang, Anmei Qiu, Yekui Zhong, Yi Niu, Peifeng Yu, Zezhan Zhang, Ying Duan, Xueke Gou, Guiyun Tian
  • Patent number: 11674718
    Abstract: A well completion to convert a hydrocarbon production well into a geothermal well includes flow tubes to transport a working fluid through the well and a heat exchanger at a downhole location coupled to the flow tubes to exchange heat of the formation at the downhole location with the working fluid. A heat exchange fluid surrounds the heat exchanger at the downhole location to be heated by the formation at the downhole location. The heat exchanger heats the working fluid to a state in which the working fluid rises to the surface. At the surface, a power plant uses the heated working fluid to generate work. The working fluid is then cooled and returned to the downhole location to repeat the work generation cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Atallah N. Alharbi, Mashari Al-Otaibi
  • Patent number: 11668209
    Abstract: Systems and generating power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation to supply electrical power. In embodiments, an inlet temperature of a flow of gas from a source to an ORC unit may be determined. The source may connect to a main pipeline. The main pipeline may connect to a supply pipeline. The supply pipeline may connect to the ORC unit thereby to allow gas to flow from the source to the ORC unit. Heat from the flow of gas may cause the ORC unit to generate electrical power. The outlet temperature of the flow of the gas from the ORC unit to a return pipe may be determined. A flow of working fluid may be adjusted to a percentage sufficient to maintain temperature of the flow of compressed gas within the selected operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 11661866
    Abstract: A combined-cycle power plant comprises a gas turbine engine for generating exhaust gas, an electric generator driven by the gas turbine engine, a steam generator receiving the exhaust gas to heat water and generate steam, and a duct burner system configured to heat exhaust gas in the steam generator before generating the steam and that comprises a source of hydrogen fuel, a fuel distribution manifold to distribute the hydrogen fuel in a duct of the steam generator, and an igniter to initiate combustion of the hydrogen fuel in the exhaust gas. A method for heating exhaust gas in a steam generator for a combined-cycle power plant comprises directing combustion gas of a gas turbine engine into a duct, introducing hydrogen fuel into the duct, combusting the hydrogen fuel and the combustion gas to generate heated gas, and heating water in the duct with the heated gas to generate steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Satoshi Brooker, Song Wu, Michael McManus
  • Patent number: 11661926
    Abstract: A geothermal power plant related maintenance support system comprises: a thermodynamic calculation module for determining performance of specified geothermal power plant components; a plurality of. embedded sensors, each of which is embedded in a different geothermal power plant location and adapted to sense a corresponding real-time geothermal power plant parameter; a plurality of environmental sensors adapted to sense ambient conditions in the vicinity of the geothermal power plant; and a processor in data communication with each of said embedded sensors and environmental sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Rachel Huberman, Evgeni Bulgakov, Hilel Legmann
  • Patent number: 11662157
    Abstract: An enclosed storage tank for the simultaneous addition and removal, and storage, of two liquid layers of different density has a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall, a roof, and a central column extending from the bottom wall to the roof. An upper perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the upper portion of the tank, and a low-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank into communication with the upper portion of the tank above the upper diaphragm. A lower perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the lower part of the tank, and a high-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank shell into communication with the lower portion of the tank below the lower liquid diaphragm. The diaphragms minimize internal mixing through thermoclines as liquid is introduced into and/or discharged from the tank, and reduce overall costs of tank installations and operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventor: Joseph R. Kucic
  • Patent number: 11661925
    Abstract: This disclosure includes various embodiments of apparatuses for encapsulating and stopping a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) to extract the kinetic energy from the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of systems comprising a plurality of the present apparatuses coupled together and/or one or more of the present apparatuses in combination with one or more flow resistance modifiers (FRMs). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of methods of extracting kinetic energy from a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) by stopping the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes embodiments of mechanical energy-storage or accumulation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventor: Gregory A. M. Brown
  • Patent number: 11656002
    Abstract: A method for recompleting a well is applied to a well such that the recompleted well can thermally transfer geothermal energy to surface. The recompleting method can comprise steps to hydraulically isolate a wellbore using a hydraulic isolation means, and enhance the thermal conductivity of a reservoir in which the wellbore is located by inserting a thermal material into the reservoir that displaces a reservoir fluid having a lower thermal conductivity than the thermal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Element Coil Services Inc.
    Inventors: Grant Nevison, Josh Thompson
  • Patent number: 11655753
    Abstract: An intake system of an engine of a vehicle includes a turbocharger having an elbow configured to be connected to a compressor of the turbocharger. The elbow for the turbocharger includes: an inlet through which a first fluid is introduced; an outlet through which the first fluid is discharged; a passageway part extending between the inlet and the outlet; and a fusion part provided between the inlet and the outlet and configured to communicate with an inside of the passageway part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: JeongEui Kong, Hee Yong Choi, Jun Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11655770
    Abstract: An engine is provided, which includes an engine body including a cylinder provided with intake and exhaust ports and intake and exhaust valves, intake and exhaust passages, a turbocharger including a turbine provided to the exhaust passage and a compressor provided to the intake passage, and a variable phase mechanism configured to change open/close timings of the intake valve while maintaining an open period of the intake valve at a 270° C.A or larger. A geometric compression ratio of the cylinder is 11:1 or higher. In a high-load range, the variable phase mechanism sets the intake valve close timing to be after an intake BDC and to make a ratio of a retarded amount of the intake closing to the geometric compression ratio be 4.58 or above and 6.67 or below, and sets the intake valve open timing to be before a close timing of the exhaust valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiro Yamaguchi, Mitsunori Wasada, Satoshi Imamura, Toshimasa Kotani
  • Patent number: 11649801
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed which provides for power generation from oceanic wave motion which utilize: a double concave sided buoy flotation device, a recoil mechanism, an alternating-to-direct motion converter with gears having gravitational unidirectional collapsible teeth thereon and an underwater ramp to direct waves toward the buoy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventor: Narayan R Iyer
  • Patent number: 11649800
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus that floats at the surface of a body of water over that waves pass. Passing waves, and/or the motions they impart to the apparatus as they pass, result in a net and/or effective propulsion of the apparatus in at least a first direction relative to the geometry and/or structure of the apparatus, and typically, at least in part, toward a direction from that waves approach the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Ivar Lee Thorson
  • Patent number: 11649030
    Abstract: A method and modular desulfurization-decarbonization apparatus for removing contaminants from exhaust gas is described. The apparatus comprises discrete modular units with distinct functions. The modular units may be housed in standard shipping containers and installed on cargo ships. The modules can be removed and replaced while docking with minimal disruption to ship and port operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventor: Uday Singh
  • Patent number: 11643984
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods in interoperating with multiple clean energy sources, such as pneumatic energy, electrical energy, hydrogen energy and steam energy, with engine configurations employing theses clean energy sources dynamically and synchronously. Further embodiments including fossil fuel energies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventor: Marvin W. Ward
  • Patent number: 11644150
    Abstract: A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Stradiotto, Cameron Lewis, Davin Young, Andrew McGillis
  • Patent number: 11639814
    Abstract: A new system for and a method of deploying a heat exchanger pipe. A bore hole is drilled from an access ditch location to a terminal ditch location using a piloted drill head powered via an umbilical attached to the piloted drill head. A casing is attached to the piloted drill head and disposed about the umbilical into the bore hole from the access ditch location to the terminal ditch location. At the terminal ditch location, the piloted drill head is removed from the casing and the umbilical and a heat exchanger pipe is attached to the umbilical. The umbilical is withdrawn from within the casing deployed in the bore hole to pull the heat exchanger pipe into the casing. The casing is then withdrawn from the bore hole leaving the heat exchanger pipe in the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Inventor: Ari Peter Berman