Patents by Inventor Alfred Little

Alfred Little has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150267689
    Abstract: A heating system for heating a fluid pipe in an industrial process system includes at least one gas tank fluidically connected to a first catalyst via a gas supply pipe. A first pipe heating zone is fluidically connected to the first catalyst via a first hot gas pipe. The first pipe heating zone has at least one passage extending along a first portion of the fluid pipe, in thermal contact with the fluid pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zillmer, Alfred Little
  • Patent number: 8925543
    Abstract: A heating system for heating a fluid pipe in an industrial process system includes at least one gas tank fluidically connected to a first catalyst via a gas supply pipe. A first pipe heating zone is fluidically connected to the first catalyst via a first hot gas pipe. The first pipe heating zone has at least one passage extending along a first portion of the fluid pipe, in thermal contact with the fluid pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne of DE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zillmer, Alfred Little
  • Patent number: 8839761
    Abstract: A rotary engine includes a first rotary unit operable to provides a first phase of compression to a fresh air charge drawn in through an inlet port to the first rotary unit. A second rotary unit in communication with the first rotary unit through a first passage, the second rotary unit operable to provide a second phase of compression to the first phase of compression, a combustion phase and a first phase of expansion, the second rotary unit in communication with the first rotary unit through a second passage such that the first rotary unit provides a second phase of expansion to the first phase of expansion and an exhaust phase that exhausts the first rotary unit via an exhaust port. A first fuel injector is in communication with the second rotary unit operable to initiate the combustion phase and a second fuel injector is in communication with the first rotary unit operable to selectively initiate augmented operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne of DE, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Minick, Alfred Little
  • Patent number: 8727283
    Abstract: A spacecraft includes a first engine configured to provide primary launch abort thrust and a second engine disposed radially from a center of gravity, the second engine configured to provide a secondary launch abort thrust, a primary orbital maneuvering thrust, and a primary control thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne of DE, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis E. Morris, Alfred Little
  • Publication number: 20120312927
    Abstract: A spacecraft includes a first engine configured to provide primary launch abort thrust and a second engine disposed radially from a center of gravity, the second engine configured to provide a secondary launch abort thrust, a primary orbital maneuvering thrust, and a primary control thrust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Dennis E. Morris, Alfred Little
  • Publication number: 20110195368
    Abstract: A compressed gaseous oxidizer energy storage (COES) system includes a catalyst system in communication with a compressed gaseous oxidizer storage system and a compressed gas fuel storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventor: Alfred Little
  • Patent number: 7987844
    Abstract: A solar power generation system includes a fluid housing, a solar collector, and a heating system. The fluid housing contains a heat transfer medium. The solar collector concentrates solar energy onto the heat transfer medium. The heating system includes at least one gas tank containing a gas and fluidically connected to a first catalyst. The first catalyst is configured to catalyze gas from the gas tank to create hot gas. The heating system also includes a first hot gas pipe fluidically connected to the first catalyst and positioned with respect to the fluid housing such that hot gas flowing through the first hot gas pipe comes into thermal contact with the heat transfer medium within the fluid housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zillmer, Alfred Little
  • Publication number: 20100269782
    Abstract: A rotary engine has a first rotary unit and a second rotary unit. The first rotary unit has a chamber containing a remaining compressed air charge. After combustion in the second rotary unit, the resulting second unit exhaust is in fluid communication with said remaining compressed air charge via a second passageway. An injector is in fluid communication with said remaining compressed air charge in the first rotary unit. The injector injects fuel into the mixture containing the remaining compressed air charge in the first rotary engine and the second unit exhaust from the second rotary engine. This mixture is combusted either with a spark or via auto (diesel) ignition. In this way, the engine produces additional useful work by combusting the remaining compressed air charge and additional fuel. Alternatively, the injector described in the first rotary unit may be located in the second passageway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan B. Minick, Alfred Little
  • Publication number: 20100175689
    Abstract: A heating system for heating a fluid pipe in an industrial process system includes at least one gas tank fluidically connected to a first catalyst via a gas supply pipe. A first pipe heating zone is fluidically connected to the first catalyst via a first hot gas pipe. The first pipe heating zone has at least one passage extending along a first portion of the fluid pipe, in thermal contact with the fluid pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zillmer, Alfred Little
  • Publication number: 20100175687
    Abstract: A solar power generation system includes a fluid housing, a solar collector, and a heating system. The fluid housing contains a heat transfer medium. The solar collector concentrates solar energy onto the heat transfer medium. The heating system includes at least one gas tank containing a gas and fluidically connected to a first catalyst. The first catalyst is configured to catalyze gas from the gas tank to create hot gas. The heating system also includes a first hot gas pipe fluidically connected to the first catalyst and positioned with respect to the fluid housing such that hot gas flowing through the first hot gas pipe comes into thermal contact with the heat transfer medium within the fluid housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew J. Zillmer, Alfred Little