Patents Examined by Tareq Alosh
  • Patent number: 10655896
    Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device disposed on the substrate, a controller disposed on the substrate, a heating element, and an enclosure. The heating element is configured to generate heat in response to a signal generated by the controller. The enclosure encloses the MEMS sensor device, the controller, and the heating element. The controller is configured to generate the signal responsive to temperature measurements within the enclosure. The signal causes the heating element to generate heat and maintain a predetermined temperature within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Maaz Qazi, Brian H. Kim, Haijun She
  • Patent number: 10591557
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method comprising, an airlock chamber; a cryogenic chamber; an equilibrator positioned between the airlock chamber and the cryogenic chamber that is configured to allow for the passage of a sample along to the cryogenic chamber; and a cooling unit that is thermally coupled to the equilibrator. Collectively, the airlock chamber, equilibrator, and the cryogenic chamber define a travel path. A machine-readable medium, comprising instructions which when executed by a controller causes a sample to be cooled, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Michael Leach, James Richard Trigger, John Arthur Urbahn
  • Patent number: 10570927
    Abstract: A boosting system which boosts a target gas to a pressure which is equal to or greater than a target pressure higher than a critical pressure includes a compression portion which compresses the target gas to an intermediate pressure which is equal to or greater than the critical pressure and is less than the target pressure to generate an intermediate supercritical fluid, a cooling portion which cools the intermediate supercritical fluid generated by the compression portion to a temperature near to a critical temperature to generate an intermediate supercritical pressure liquid, a pump portion which boosts the intermediate supercritical pressure liquid generated by the cooling portion to a pressure which is equal to or greater than the target pressure, and a cooling temperature adjusting portion which adjusts a temperature of the intermediate supercritical pressure liquid generated by the cooling portion in an upstream side of a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Nagao, Natao Yonemura
  • Patent number: 10551119
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C2 (or C3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the tower overhead vapor is directed to an absorbing means and a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly. A portion of the outlet vapor from the processing assembly is compressed to higher pressure, cooled and substantially condensed in a heat exchange means inside the processing assembly, then expanded to lower pressure and supplied to the heat and mass transfer means to provide cooling. Condensed liquid from the absorbing means is fed to the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Products LP
    Inventors: Scott A. Miller, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson, Kyle T. Cuellar, Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis
  • Patent number: 10551118
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C2 (or C3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the tower overhead vapor is directed to an absorbing means and a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly. A portion of the outlet vapor from the processing assembly is compressed to higher pressure, cooled and substantially condensed in a heat exchange means inside the processing assembly, then expanded to lower pressure and supplied to the heat and mass transfer means to provide cooling. Condensed liquid from the absorbing means is fed to the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Products LP
    Inventors: Hank M. Hudson, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Scott A. Miller, Kyle T. Cuellar, Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis
  • Patent number: 10550830
    Abstract: A cryopump includes a second cryopanel unit which is thermally connected to a second cooling stage of a cryocooler, a radiation shield which includes a shield main opening, a shield side opening, and a shield bottom opening, and a cryopump housing having a housing bottom portion which faces the shield bottom opening. A dimension of the shield bottom opening is larger than a distance from the second cryopanel unit to the housing bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kakeru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10544987
    Abstract: In a gas liquefaction plant that produces a liquefied gas by liquefying a raw gas, a pipe rack portion in which an air-cooling heat exchanging system is disposed has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. A first compressor, a precooling heat exchanging portion, an auxiliary heat exchanging portion, and a fourth compressor are arranged in this order along one long side of the pipe rack portion. A second compressor, a primary heat exchanging portion, and a third compressor are arranged in this order along the other long side of the pipe rack portion. A pipe that carries the raw gas cooled at the precooling heat exchanging portion is connected to the primary heat exchanging portion across the pipe rack portion. A pipe that carries a primary refrigerant compressed at the second and third compressors is connected to the auxiliary heat exchanging portion across the pipe rack portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: JGC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Takezawa, Shigeru Akiyama, Yoshihisa Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 10533795
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an air product in an air separating system in which a liquid fraction is obtained from feed air and used to provide the air product and in which the liquid fraction is temporarily stored in a tank arrangement. A tank arrangement with at least two tanks is used, and the liquid fraction is fed to at least one of the tanks and/or is removed from at least one of the tanks in order to provide the air product. In the process, the liquid fraction is not fed to and removed from any one of the tanks at the same time, and the composition of the liquid fraction in a tank is ascertained prior to each removal of the liquid fraction from the tank. An air separating system is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Stefan Lochner
  • Patent number: 10533794
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to improve the recovery of C2 (or C3) and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The preferred method of separating a hydrocarbon gas stream generally includes producing at least a substantially condensed first stream and a cooled second stream, expanding both streams to lower pressure, and supplying the streams to a fractionation tower. In the process and apparatus disclosed, the tower overhead vapor is directed to an absorbing means and a heat and mass transfer means inside a processing assembly. A portion of the outlet vapor from the processing assembly is compressed to higher pressure, cooled and substantially condensed in a heat exchange means inside the processing assembly, then expanded to lower pressure and supplied, to the heat and mass transfer means to provide cooling. Condensed liquid from the absorbing means is fed to the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Proudcts, LP
    Inventors: Joe T. Lynch, John D. Wilkinson, Hank M. Hudson, Scott A. Miller, Kyle T. Cuellar, Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis
  • Patent number: 10518859
    Abstract: In a BOG treatment system, boil-off gas (BOG) discharged from a storage tank is compressed, most of the BOG is used as the fuel of vessel engines, and a remaining part of the BOG is liquefied by cold energy of BOG newly discharged from the storage tank and is returned to the storage tank, thereby efficiently utilizing the BOG. The BOG treatment system for a vessel includes a compressor compressing the BOG discharged from the storage tank; a medium pressure gas engine receiving at least a part of the BOG compressed by the compressor, as fuel; a heat exchanger exchanging heat between the remaining part of the BOG, which is not supplied to the medium pressure gas engine as fuel, and the BOG, which is discharged from the storage tank and is not compressed; and an expander decompressing the remaining part of the BOG cooled by the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon Chae Lee, Dong Kyu Choi, Young Sik Moon, Seung Kyo Jung, Je Heon Jung
  • Patent number: 10502483
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling and liquefying a gas in a heat exchanger that includes compressing and cooling a mixed refrigerant using first and last compression and cooling cycles so that high pressure liquid and vapor streams are formed. The high pressure liquid and vapor streams are cooled in the heat exchanger and then expanded so that a primary refrigeration stream is provided in the heat exchanger. The mixed refrigerant is cooled and equilibrated between the first and last compression and cooling cycles so that a pre-cool liquid stream is formed and subcooled in the heat exchanger. The stream is then expanded and passed through the heat exchanger as a pre-cool refrigeration stream. A stream of gas is passed through the heat exchanger in countercurrent heat exchange with the primary refrigeration stream and the pre-cool refrigeration stream so that the gas is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy P. Gushanas, Douglas A. Ducote, Jr., James Podolski
  • Patent number: 10495352
    Abstract: An active gas regenerative refrigerator includes a plurality of compressor-expander units, each having a hermetic cylinder with a drive piston configured to be driven reciprocally therein, and a quantity of working fluid in each end of the cylinder. A piston seal in a central portion of the cylinder prevents passage of the working fluid between ends of the cylinder. Movement of the piston to a first extreme results in radial compression of one of the quantities of working fluid in a cylindrical gap formed between one end of the piston and an inner surface of the cylinder, while the other quantity is expanded in the opposite end of the cylinder. The piston includes a plurality of magnets arranged in pairs, with magnets of each pair positioned with like-poles facing each other. A piston drive is configured to couple with transverse magnetic flux regions formed by the magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: EMERALD ENERGY NW, LLC
    Inventors: John A. Barclay, Lucian G. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10480851
    Abstract: Provided are mixed refrigerant systems and methods and, more particularly, to a mixed refrigerant system and methods that provides greater efficiency and reduced power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Ducote, Jr., Timothy P. Gushanas
  • Patent number: 10473391
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for heating the reboiler of the propane/propylene separation column situated downstream of an FCC unit and fed with the C3 cut from said FCC unit, a process consisting of heating the water in a hot water circuit by means of one or more process fluids originating from units placed upstream and/or downstream of the FCC unit and called hot fluids, one of these fluids being constituted by the overhead vapours from the fractionation column connected to the mild hydrocracking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Romina Digne, Heloise Dreux, Frederic Feugnet, Nicolas Lambert
  • Patent number: 10465982
    Abstract: A method includes directing a refrigerant fluid mixture and a flow of natural gas through a first heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a natural gas flow path and a first refrigerant flow path. The method also includes expanding the flow of natural gas exiting from the first heat exchanger via a first throttle valve. Further, the method also includes directing a generated cold natural gas vapor and a slurry having a liquefied natural gas and solidified carbon dioxide through a filter sub-assembly. Moreover, the method also includes separating the solidified carbon dioxide by the filter sub-assembly to form a purified liquefied natural gas. Finally, the method includes directing a pulse of a cleaning fluid having at least one of methane and carbon dioxide through the filter sub-assembly to remove the solidified carbon dioxide therefrom and storing the purified liquefied natural gas in a storage tank assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Jen Tang, Douglas Carl Hofer, Vitali Victor Lissianski
  • Patent number: 10458702
    Abstract: A method and device used to variably obtain a compressed-gas product by means low-temperature separation of air in a distillation column system. In a first operating mode, a first amount of first compressed-gas product is obtained, and, in a second operating mode, a second, smaller amount is obtained. In the first operating mode, a first amount of air is compressed in the main air compressor, and in the second operating mode, a second, larger amount is compressed in the main air compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: LINDE AKTINGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dimitri Golubev
  • Patent number: 10458701
    Abstract: This method comprises: forming an expanded intermediate recirculation stream (170) from a liquid (112, 128) obtained during an upstream cooling and/or intermediate cooling step, upstream from the downstream cooling step; circulating the intermediate recirculation stream (170) at least in an upstream heat exchanger (42) to cool an upstream stream of cracked gas (102); reintroducing the reheated intermediate recirculation stream (170) in a raw cracked gas (20) upstream from at least one compressor (36, 38) of a cooling and compression stage (24). The upstream, intermediate and downstream cooling steps is carried out without a heat exchanger respectively of an upstream stream of cracked gas (102), an intermediate stream of cracked gas (114) and a downstream stream of cracked gas (140) with an external refrigeration cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventors: Bruno Destour, Yvon Simon, Aurélia Dadou, David Chazallet
  • Patent number: 10450045
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus of a liquefied gas carrier includes: a compressor for compressing gas fuel into a high pressure; a compressed gas storage tank being filled with the compressed high-pressure gas fuel, for storing the gas fuel; and a decompressor for decompressing the high-pressure gas fuel drawn from the compressed gas storage tank into a pressure suitable to be used in a propulsion system, to supply fuel to the propulsion system. The gas fuel is at least one of a natural boiled-off gas which is naturally evaporated in the cargo tank, a forced boiled-off gas which is artificially evaporated, and a gas additionally supplied for the use of fuel. Further, the compressor is a multistage high-pressure compressor and the decompressor is a multistage decompressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Heavy Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-nam Lee, Ki-hun Joh, Ho-byung Yoon, Mun-keun Ha, Kyu-dong Jung
  • Patent number: 10443930
    Abstract: Processes and systems are provided for removing nitrogen from a hydrocarbon-containing gas to thereby recover a liquid natural gas (LNG) stream. In particular, the processes and systems described herein can be used to efficiently separate methane from nitrogen, which is an undesirable byproduct found in many hydrocarbon-containing gases used to produce LNG. The processes and systems described herein can utilize various refrigerant systems to separate and produce the LNG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Black & Veatch Holding Company
    Inventor: Hao Jiang
  • Patent number: 10443926
    Abstract: A system and method for producing liquefied natural gas from a natural gas source is provided. The method may include feeding natural gas provided by the natural gas source to a liquefaction module. The method may also include flowing the natural gas through a product stream of the liquefaction module. The method may further include flowing a process fluid through a liquefaction stream of the liquefaction module to cool at least a portion of the natural gas flowing through the product stream to produce the liquefied natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Ohart, Greg Yonker, Jason M. Kerth