Patents Assigned to SulphCo, Inc.
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Patent number: 7559241Abstract: Liquids are treated by ultrasound in a flow-through reaction vessel with an elongate ultrasonic horn mounted to the vessel with one end of the horn extending into the vessel interior. The liquid flow path inside the vessel is such that the entering liquid strikes the end of the horn at a direction normal to the end, then flows across the surface of the end before leaving the vessel. The end surface of the horn is positioned in close proximity to the entry port to provide a relatively high surface-to-volume ratio in the immediate vicinity of the horn end. In a further improvement, the horn is joined to an ultrasonic transducer through a booster block that provides an acoustic gain to the ultrasonic vibrations, and the booster block is plated with a reflective metal to lessen any loss of ultrasonic energy being transmitted to the horn.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2004Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Patent number: 7408290Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high-powered (e.g., >500 W) ultrasonic generator for use especially for delivering high-power ultrasonic energy to a varying load including compressible fluids. The generator includes a variable frequency triangular waveform generator coupled with pulse width modulators. The output from the pulse width modulator is coupled with the gates of an Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), which amplifies the signal and delivers it to a coil that is used to drive a magnetostrictive transducer. In one embodiment, high voltage of 0-600 VDC is delivered across the collector and emitter of the IGBT after the signal is delivered. The output of the IGBT is a square waveform with a voltage of +/?600V. This voltage is sent to a coil wound around the ultrasonic transducer. The voltage creates a magnetic field on the transducer and the magnetorestrictive properties of the transducer cause the transducer to vibrate as a result of the magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Jason May, Charles I. Richman, Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20080067055Abstract: Liquids are treated by ultrasound in a flow-through reaction vessel with an elongate ultrasonic horn mounted to the vessel with one end of the horn extending into the vessel interior. The liquid flow path inside the vessel is such that the entering liquid strikes the end of the horn at a direction normal to the end, then flows across the surface of the end before leaving the vessel. The end surface of the horn is positioned in close proximity to the entry port to provide a relatively high surface-to-volume ratio in the immediate vicinity of the horn end. In a further improvement, the horn is joined to an ultrasonic transducer through a booster block that provides an acoustic gain to the ultrasonic vibrations, and the booster block is plated with a reflective metal to lessen any loss of ultrasonic energy being transmitted to the horn.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2005Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: Sulphco, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf Gunnerman
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Patent number: 7300566Abstract: Petroleum residua are combined with water or an aqueous solution to form an emulsion which is then treated with ultrasound at a sufficient intensity and for a sufficient period of time to cause a conversion of the heavy hydrocarbon components of the residua to lighter components, thereby shifting the entire boiling point curve to lower boiling points. This allows one to draw a greater proportion of usable oil from the residua.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2004Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Sulphco, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Patent number: 7275440Abstract: Ultrasound for use in chemical reactions is generated by an electromagnet formed from an ultrasound transducer whose central feature is a loop of magnetostrictive material wound with coils oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied. The oscillations in the transducer loop are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in a reaction medium where the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted directly to the reaction mixture.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2004Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Sulphco, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf W. Gunnerman, Charles I. Richman
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Publication number: 20060260405Abstract: Ultrasound for use in chemical reactions is generated by an electromagnet formed from an ultrasound transducer whose central feature is a loop of magnetostrictive material wound with coils oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied. The oscillations in the transducer loop are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in a reaction medium where the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted directly to the reaction mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2006Publication date: November 23, 2006Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gunnerman, Charles Richman
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Publication number: 20060238068Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high-powered (e.g., >500 W) ultrasonic generator for use especially for delivering high-power ultrasonic energy to a varying load including compressible fluids. The generator includes a variable frequency triangular waveform generator coupled with pulse width modulators. The output from the pulse width modulator is coupled with the gates of an Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), which amplifies the signal and delivers it to a coil that is used to drive a magnetostrictive transducer. In one embodiment, high voltage of 0-600 VDC is delivered across the collector and emitter of the IGBT after the signal is delivered. The output of the IGBT is a square waveform with a voltage of ±600V. This voltage is sent to a coil wound around the ultrasonic transducer. The voltage creates a magnetic field on the transducer and the magnetorestrictive properties of the transducer cause the transducer to vibrate as a result of the magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2005Publication date: October 26, 2006Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Jason May, Charles Richman, Rudolf Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20060196915Abstract: An ultrasonic horn for use in a chemical reactor is formed as a unitary piece of material whose length is approximately equal to the wavelength of ultrasonic waves through the material at a selected ultrasonic frequency. The horn has a conically shaped distal end and a mounting surface at its proximal end, plus a mounting fixture between the proximal and distal ends for mounting the horn to a flow-through reactor with the distal end protruding into the reactor interior while the proximal end extends outside the reactor. The horn further contains a seal between the proximal and distal ends to seal the horn to the interior of a reaction vessel in a fluid-tight manner. With the unitary construction and the conical distal end, the horn is capable of transmitting high power ultrasonic waves to the reactor interior without damage to the horn or its mounting fixtures.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2005Publication date: September 7, 2006Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20060180500Abstract: The treatment of petroleum and petroleum fractions by ultrasound to reduce or eliminate the sulfur levels and to upgrade the material by lowering the boiling points of its various components is improved by the exposure of the treated emulsion to microwave energy to separate the phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2005Publication date: August 17, 2006Applicant: SulphCo, Inc., a corporation of the state of NevadaInventor: Rudolf Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20060101919Abstract: Ultrasound for use in chemical reactions is generated by an electromagnet formed from an ultrasound transducer whose central feature is a loop of magnetostrictive material wound with coils oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied. The oscillations in the transducer loop are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in a reaction medium where the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted directly to the reaction mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2004Publication date: May 18, 2006Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gunnerman, Charles Richman
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Publication number: 20050274600Abstract: Liquids are treated by ultrasound in a flow-through reaction vessel with an elongate ultrasonic horn mounted to the vessel with one end of the horn extending into the vessel interior. The liquid flow path inside the vessel is such that the entering liquid strikes the end of the horn at a direction normal to the end, then flows across the surface of the end before leaving the vessel. The end surface of the horn is positioned in close proximity to the entry port to provide a relatively high surface-to-volume ratio in the immediate vicinity of the horn end. In a further improvement, the horn is joined to an ultrasonic transducer through a booster block that provides an acoustic gain to the ultrasonic vibrations, and the booster block is plated with a reflective metal to lessen any loss of ultrasonic energy being transmitted to the horn.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2004Publication date: December 15, 2005Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20050205463Abstract: Petroleum residua are combined with water or an aqueous solution to form an emulsion which is then treated with ultrasound at a sufficient intensity and for a sufficient period of time to cause a conversion of the heavy hydrocarbon components of the residua to lighter components, thereby shifting the entire boiling point curve to lower boiling points. This allows one to draw a greater proportion of usable oil from the residua.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2004Publication date: September 22, 2005Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf Gunnerman
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Patent number: 6897628Abstract: Ultrasound for use in promoting a chemical reaction is generated by an electromagnet formed from a pair of magnetostrictive prongs wound with coils that are oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied, in conjunction with a sensing electromagnet of magnetostrictive material that is arranged to receive the vibrations generated by the driving electromagnet and produce internal magnetic field changes due to the reverse magnetostrictive effect. These field changes generate voltages that are representative of the amplitude of the oscillating magnetostrictive force. The generated voltage is compared to a target value in a control circuit that adjusts the applied oscillating voltage accordingly. The oscillations in the prongs of the electromagnet are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in the reaction medium to provide direct contact with the reaction mixture.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2003Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf W. Gunnerman, Charles I. Richman
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Patent number: 6827844Abstract: Fossil fuels are combined with an aqueous liquid and a dialkyl ether to form an aqueous-organic reaction medium which is passed through an ultrasound chamber on a continuous flow-through basis. The emerging mixture separates spontaneously into aqueous and organic phases, from which the organic phase is readily isolated as the desulfurized fossil fuel.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2002Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20040227414Abstract: Ultrasound for use in promoting a chemical reaction is generated by an electromagnet formed from a pair of magnetostrictive prongs wound with coils that are oriented to produce an oscillating magnetostrictive force when an oscillating voltage is applied, in conjunction with a sensing electromagnet of magnetostrictive material that is arranged to receive the vibrations generated by the driving electromagnet and produce internal magnetic field changes due to the reverse magnetostrictive effect. These field changes generate voltages that are representative of the amplitude of the oscillating magnetostrictive force. The generated voltage is compared to a target value in a control circuit that adjusts the applied oscillating voltage accordingly. The oscillations in the prongs of the electromagnet are transmitted to an ultrasonic horn that is immersed in the reaction medium to provide direct contact with the reaction mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2003Publication date: November 18, 2004Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf W. Gunnerman, Charles I. Richman
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Publication number: 20040079680Abstract: Fossil fuels are combined with an aqueous liquid and a dialkyl ether to form an aqueous-organic reaction medium which is passed through an ultrasound chamber on a continuous flow-through basis. The emerging mixture separates spontaneously into aqueous and organic phases, from which the organic phase is readily isolated as the desulfurized fossil fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2002Publication date: April 29, 2004Applicant: SulphCo., Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Patent number: 6652992Abstract: Ultrasonic horns of titanium are made corrosion resistant in aqueous media by the providing the horns with a silver end surface, either as a portion of the end surface or as the entire end surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Publication number: 20030014911Abstract: Fossil fuels are combined with a hydroperoxide, a surface active agent, and an aqueous liquid to form an aqueous-organic reaction medium which is passed through an ultrasound chamber on a continuous flow-through basis. The emerging mixture separates spontaneously into aqueous and organic phases, from which the organic phase is readily isolated as the desulfurized fossil fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2001Publication date: January 23, 2003Applicant: SulphCo, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Patent number: 6500219Abstract: Fossil fuels are combined with a hydroperoxide, a surface active agent, and an aqueous liquid to form an aqueous-organic reaction medium which is passed through an ultrasound chamber on a continuous flow-through basis. The emerging mixture separates spontaneously into aqueous and organic phases, from which the organic phase is readily isolated as the desulfurized fossil fuel.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Sulphco, Inc.Inventor: Rudolf W. Gunnerman
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Patent number: 6402939Abstract: Fossil fuels are combined with a hydroperoxide in an aqueous-organic medium and subjected to ultrasound, with the effect of oxidizing the sulfur compounds in the fuels to sulfones. Due to their high polarity, the sulfones thus formed are readily removed from the fuels by polar extraction. The process is thus highly effective in removing sulfur compounds from the fuels.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Sulphco, Inc.Inventors: Teh Fu Yen, Hai Mei, Steve Hung-Mou Lu