Patents by Inventor Michael D. Arner

Michael D. Arner 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: 11027223
    Abstract: A fluid control system includes a vortex separator, a fluid pump, an eductor, and an accumulator. The vortex separator has a fluid inlet arranged to receive a fluid, a first fluid outlet arranged output a first phase of the fluid, and a second fluid outlet arranged to output at least one of a non-condensable gas and a second phase of the fluid. The fluid pump has a pump outlet and a pump inlet that is fluidly connected to the first fluid outlet. The eductor has a first eductor inlet fluidly connected to the pump outlet, a second eductor inlet fluidly connected to the second fluid outlet, and an eductor outlet. The accumulator has an accumulator inlet fluidly connected to the eductor outlet and an accumulator outlet fluidly connected to the fluid inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael D. Arner
  • Publication number: 20190381426
    Abstract: A fluid control system includes a vortex separator, a fluid pump, an eductor, and an accumulator. The vortex separator has a fluid inlet arranged to receive a fluid, a first fluid outlet arranged output a first phase of the fluid, and a second fluid outlet arranged to output at least one of a non-condensable gas and a second phase of the fluid. The fluid pump has a pump outlet and a pump inlet that is fluidly connected to the first fluid outlet. The eductor has a first eductor inlet fluidly connected to the pump outlet, a second eductor inlet fluidly connected to the second fluid outlet, and an eductor outlet. The accumulator has an accumulator inlet fluidly connected to the eductor outlet and an accumulator outlet fluidly connected to the fluid inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventor: Michael D. Arner
  • Patent number: 8769952
    Abstract: A method and system for recovering oil is used in an organic rankine cycle (ORC) system to recover oil from an evaporator of the ORC system and return the oil to an oil sump. The ORC system includes an evaporator, a turbine, a condenser and a pump, and is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the ORC system. The oil recovery system includes a recovery line configured to remove a mixture of oil and refrigerant from the evaporator. The mixture of oil and refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger in order to vaporize liquid refrigerant in the mixture and produce a mixture of oil and vaporized refrigerant. A delivery line is configured to deliver the mixture of oil and vaporized refrigerant to the turbine, at which point the oil may be separated from the vaporized refrigerant and recycled back to the oil sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick J. Cogswell, Ulf J. Jonsson, Bruce P. Biederman, Peter S. Matteson, Michael D. Arner
  • Publication number: 20110162398
    Abstract: A vapor expansion system includes a normally closed pneumatic valve between the evaporator and the turbine inlet, with the valve being selectively actuated by the flow of refrigerant vapor from the evaporator so as to enable opening the valve only during periods in which sufficient pressure has built up in the evaporator to properly operate the turbine. A bypass line has a normally open pneumatic valve with an actuator that is similarly caused to operate by pressurized refrigerant vapor from the evaporator. Both actuators are vented to the condenser such that the refrigerant vapor vented from the actuator does not escape to ambient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Peter S. Matteson, Michael D. Arner
  • Publication number: 20110005237
    Abstract: A method and system for removing oil in an organic rankine cycle (ORC) system (10) is used to prevent failures in the ORC system (10), especially during startup. The ORC system (10) includes an evaporator, a turbine (18), a condenser and a pump, and is configured to circulate a refrigerant (22) through the ORC system (10). The oil-removal system is used to remove oil from certain areas of the turbine (18), and includes an eductor line (32) and an eductor system (20). The eductor line (32) is located upstream of the turbine (18) and configured to receive a portion of the refrigerant (22b) exiting the evaporator. The eductor line (32) delivers the refrigerant (22b) to an eductor system (20) configured to remove oil from inside the turbine (18) and deliver the oil to an oil sump (58).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: UTC POWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter S. Matteson, Michael D. Arner
  • Publication number: 20100186410
    Abstract: A method and system for recovering oil is used in an organic rankine cycle (ORC) system to recover oil from an evaporator of the ORC system and return the oil to an oil sump. The ORC system includes an evaporator, a turbine, a condenser and a pump, and is configured to circulate a refrigerant through the ORC system. The oil recovery system includes a recovery line configured to remove a mixture of oil and refrigerant from the evaporator. The mixture of oil and refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger in order to vaporize liquid refrigerant in the mixture and produce a mixture of oil and vaporized refrigerant. A delivery line is configured to deliver the mixture of oil and vaporized refrigerant to the turbine, at which point the oil may be separated from the vaporized refrigerant and recycled back to the oil sump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: UTC POWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick J. Cogswell, Ulf J. Jonsson, Bruce P. Biederman, Peter S. Matteson, Michael D. Arner
  • Publication number: 20020002599
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided which includes a client receiving a global positioning system (GPS) signal, communicating the GPS signal to a universal client program, encoding the GPS signal by the universal client program, transmitting the encoded data to a server, receiving value added data an application program that has a synchronized state with the universal client program from server computer, and enabling viewing of the value added data on the client.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: Marbles, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Arner, Christian Knapp, David Ivan Richards
  • Publication number: 20010047393
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided through which an application is executed on a server, and operated from a client operably coupled to the server. State information of the application is maintained through parallel objects on both the client and the server, thereby minimizing the communications requirements between the client and the server in the operation of the application. More specifically, the communications requirements and updates of attributes of the application is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Applicant: Marbles, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Arner, Christian Knapp, David Ivan Richards