Patents by Inventor Mari Lou Balmer-Millar

Mari Lou Balmer-Millar 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: 7481048
    Abstract: A regeneration assembly includes a first portion including a combustion chamber connected to a combustor head. The regeneration assembly also includes a second portion including a housing. The first portion is removably connectable to the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Harmon, Cho Y. Liang, Gregory J. Kaufmann, Mari Lou Balmer-Millar
  • Patent number: 7235221
    Abstract: The activity and durability of a zeolite lean-burn NOx catalyst can be increased by loading metal cations on the outer surface of the zeolite. However, the metal loadings can also oxidize sulfur dioxide to cause sulfate formation in the exhaust. The present invention is a method of suppressing sulfate formation in an exhaust purification system including a NOx catalyst. The NOx catalyst includes a zeolite loaded with at least one metal. The metal is selected from among an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a lanthanide metal, a noble metal, and a transition metal. In order to suppress sulfate formation, at least a portion of the loaded metal is complexed with at least one of sulfate, phosphate, and carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Paul W. Park, Alexander G. Panov
  • Publication number: 20070000242
    Abstract: A regeneration assembly includes a first portion including a combustion chamber connected to a combustor head. The regeneration assembly also includes a second portion including a housing. The first portion is removably connectable to the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Harmon, Cho Liang, Gregory Kaufmann, Mari Lou Balmer-Millar
  • Patent number: 7107764
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment system of a power source includes a filter having a housing with an inlet and an outlet, and a regeneration device disposed outside of the housing of the filter. The regeneration device is fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing. The exhaust treatment system also includes an exhaust line configured to assist in directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from the filter outlet to the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Cornelius N. Opris, John P. Timmons, Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Cho Y. Liang, Anil Raina
  • Patent number: 7094722
    Abstract: The activity and durability of a zeolite lean-bum NOx catalyst can be increased by loading metal cations on the outer surface of the zeolite. However, the metal loadings can also oxidize sulfur dioxide to cause sulfate formation in the exhaust. The present invention is a method of suppressing sulfate formation in an exhaust purification system including a NOx catalyst. The NOx catalyst includes a zeolite loaded with at least one metal. The metal is selected from among an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a lanthanide metal, a noble metal, and a transition metal. In order to suppress sulfate formation, at least a portion of the loaded metal is complexed with at least one of sulfate, phosphate, and carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Paul W. Park, Alexander G. Panov
  • Publication number: 20040121899
    Abstract: The activity and durability of a zeolite lean-bum NOx catalyst can be increased by loading metal cations on the outer surface of the zeolite. However, the metal loadings can also oxidize sulfur dioxide to cause sulfate formation in the exhaust. The present invention is a method of suppressing sulfate formation in an exhaust purification system including a NOx catalyst. The NOx catalyst includes a zeolite loaded with at least one metal. The metal is selected from among an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a lanthanide metal, a noble metal, and a transition metal. In order to suppress sulfate formation, at least a portion of the loaded metal is complexed with at least one of sulfate, phosphate, and carbonate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Paul W. Park, Alexander G. Panov
  • Publication number: 20030118960
    Abstract: A lean NOx aftertreatment system is disclosed. The lean NOx aftertreatment system includes a fuel source having oxygenated hydrocarbons homogeneously dispersed therein, a reductant extraction subsystem adapted for extracting the oxygenated hydrocarbons from the fuel, and a high performance lean NOx catalyst. The disclosed lean NOx catalyst is a metal or metal oxide doped alumina based catalyst (or other oxide material), wherein the metal or metal oxide dopant may be selected from the group consisting of indium, gallium, tin, silver, germanium, gold, nickel, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, cerium, vanadium, oxides thereof, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Carrie L. Boyer, Virgil R. Hester, Paul W. Park, Christie S. Ragle
  • Publication number: 20030007901
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing the amount of NOx in an automotive vehicle combustion exhaust gas are disclosed. Accordingly, the system includes a first converter for forming aldehyde in a tributary fluid that includes fuel from the fuel tank of an automotive vehicle. Once the aldehyde is formed, the tributary fluid is combined with combustion exhaust of the vehicle to form an aldehyde/exhaust admixture. Thereafter, a second converter of the system is used to reduce NOx in the aldehyde/exhaust admixture to N2 gas and O2 gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: John Hoard, Mari Lou Balmer-Millar, Russell G. Tonkyn, Alexandre Malkine, Alexander Panov