Patents by Inventor Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas

Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas 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).

  • Patent number: 11752480
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for housing a chemical looping process comprising of at least one fluidized-bed combustor reactor, at least one entrained riser, at least one particle separator, optionally at least one particle holding reactor, at least one moving-bed reactor, at least one standpipe, at least one L-valve system for solid flow control and interconnecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Donald C. Housley, Robert T. Cunningham, Thomas J. Flynn, Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas, Jinhua Bao, Jeremy L. Remus, Albert J. Bennett
  • Publication number: 20220241745
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for housing a chemical looping process comprising of at least one fluidized-bed combustor reactor, at least one entrained riser, at least one particle separator, optionally at least one particle holding reactor, at least one moving-bed reactor, at least one standpipe, at least one L-valve system for solid flow control and interconnecting sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: DONALD C. HOUSLEY, ROBERT T. CUNNINGHAM, THOMAS J. FLYNN, LUIS G. VELAZQUEZ-VARGAS, JINHUA BAO, JEREMY L. REMUS, ALBERT J. BENNETT
  • Publication number: 20180134553
    Abstract: A chemical-looping system utilizes oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas from carbonaceous fuels. The system provides a circuitous flow path for the oxygen-carrier particles, which are used to partially oxidize the fuel to produce syngas. The circuitous flow path can proceed through a plurality of unit operations, including a reducer, a conversion reactor, an oxidizer, and a combustor. The conversion reactor is designed to partially oxidize carbonaceous fuel in co-current flow with the oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas. In embodiments including an oxidizer, the oxidizer is designed to at partially re-oxidize the carrier particles, yielding hydrogen that can be mixed with partially oxidized products from the conversion reactor to adjust syngas quality. The combustor can be used to fully oxidize the carrier particles traveling in a closed loop. Reactions carried out in the combustor are highly exothermic and yield thermal energy that is absorbed by the carrier particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Tritti Siengchum, Luis G Velazquez-Vargas, Thomas J Flynn, Douglas J DeVault
  • Patent number: 9902615
    Abstract: A chemical-looping system utilizes oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas from carbonaceous fuels. The system provides a circuitous flow path for the oxygen-carrier particles, which are used to partially oxidize the fuel to produce syngas. The circuitous flow path can proceed through a plurality of unit operations, including a reducer, a conversion reactor, an oxidizer, and a combustor. The conversion reactor is designed to partially oxidize carbonaceous fuel in co-current flow with the oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas. In embodiments including an oxidizer, the oxidizer is designed to at partially re-oxidize the carrier particles, yielding hydrogen that can be mixed with partially oxidized products from the conversion reactor to adjust syngas quality. The combustor can be used to fully oxidize the carrier particles traveling in a closed loop. Reactions carried out in the combustor are highly exothermic and yield thermal energy that is absorbed by the carrier particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Tritti Siengchum, Luis G Velazquez-Vargas, Thomas J Flynn, Douglas J DeVault
  • Publication number: 20170015554
    Abstract: A chemical-looping system utilizes oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas from carbonaceous fuels. The system provides a circuitous flow path for the oxygen-carrier particles, which are used to partially oxidize the fuel to produce syngas. The circuitous flow path can proceed through a plurality of unit operations, including a reducer, a conversion reactor, an oxidizer, and a combustor. The conversion reactor is designed to partially oxidize carbonaceous fuel in co-current flow with the oxygen-carrier particles to produce syngas. In embodiments including an oxidizer, the oxidizer is designed to at partially re-oxidize the carrier particles, yielding hydrogen that can be mixed with partially oxidized products from the conversion reactor to adjust syngas quality. The combustor can be used to fully oxidize the carrier particles traveling in a closed loop. Reactions carried out in the combustor are highly exothermic and yield thermal energy that is absorbed by the carrier particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Tritti Siengchum, Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas, Thomas J. Flynn, Douglas J. DeVault
  • Patent number: 9481837
    Abstract: Processes, systems and equipment can be used to convert carbonaceous fuel to an output gas stream that includes CO as a primary C-containing product. In some embodiments, the processes and systems also can produce H2 in a separate reaction, with the H2 advantageously being capable of being combined with the CO from a partial oxidation process to provide syngas which, in turn, can be used to produce fuels and chemicals. The processes and systems can be tuned so as to not produce significant amounts of CO2 and do not require an air separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Luis G Velazquez-Vargas, Thomas J Flynn, Bartev B Sakadjian, Douglas J DeVault, David L Kraft
  • Patent number: 9458838
    Abstract: A power plant includes a solar receiver heating solid particles, a standpipe receiving solid particles from the solar receiver, a pressurized heat exchanger heating working fluid by heat transfer through direct contact with heated solid particles flowing out of the bottom of the standpipe, and a flow path for solid particles from the bottom of the standpipe into the pressurized heat exchanger that is sealed by a pressure P produced at the bottom of the standpipe by a column of heated solid particles of height H. The flow path may include a silo or surge tank comprising a pressure vessel connected to the bottom of the standpipe, and a non-mechanical valve. The power plant may further include a turbine driven by heated working fluid discharged from the pressurized heat exchanger, and a compressor driven by the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Bartev B Sakadjian, Thomas J Flynn, Shengteng Hu, Luis G Velazquez-Vargas, Mikhail Maryamchik
  • Publication number: 20160017869
    Abstract: A power plant includes a solar receiver heating solid particles, a standpipe receiving solid particles from the solar receiver, a pressurized heat exchanger heating working fluid by heat transfer through direct contact with heated solid particles flowing out of the bottom of the standpipe, and a flow path for solid particles from the bottom of the standpipe into the pressurized heat exchanger that is sealed by a pressure P produced at the bottom of the standpipe by a column of heated solid particles of height H. The flow path may include a silo or surge tank comprising a pressure vessel connected to the bottom of the standpipe, and a non-mechanical valve. The power plant may further include a turbine driven by heated working fluid discharged from the pressurized heat exchanger, and a compressor driven by the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Bartev B. Sakadjian, Thomas J. Flynn, Shengteng Hu, Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas, Mikhail Maryamchik
  • Publication number: 20140275297
    Abstract: Processes, systems and equipment can be used to convert carbonaceous fuel to an output gas stream that includes CO as a primary C-containing product. In some embodiments, the processes and systems also can produce H2 in a separate reaction, with the H2 advantageously being capable of being combined with the CO from a partial oxidation process to provide syngas which, in turn, can be used to produce fuels and chemicals. The processes and systems can be tuned so as to not produce significant amounts of CO2 and do not require an air separation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Luis G Velazquez-Vargas, Thomas J. Flynn, Bartev B. Sakadjian, Douglas J. DeVault, David L. Kraft
  • Patent number: 8092766
    Abstract: A method for capturing gaseous elemental mercury in a flue gas wherein a soluble mercury oxidizer is utilized to oxidize gaseous elemental mercury at a gas-liquid interface of a wet scrubber, and oxidized mercury product is removed prior to re-emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Inventors: S. Behrooz Ghorishi, Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas, Hua Song, Lei Ji
  • Publication number: 20110014104
    Abstract: A method for capturing gaseous elemental mercury in a flue gas wherein a soluble mercury oxidizer is utilized to oxidize gaseous elemental mercury at a gas-liquid interface of a wet scrubber, and oxidized mercury product is removed prior to re-emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: S. Behrooz Ghorishi, Luis G. Velazquez-Vargas, Hua Song, Lei Ji