Patents Examined by Brian M King
  • Patent number: 12292225
    Abstract: A refrigerator including an inner case forming a storage chamber, an intermediate partition partitioning the storage chamber in an upper-lower direction, and an evaporator seating part extending in a left-right direction, an evaporator cover to cover the evaporator seating part and formed with a cold air discharge port through which cold air from inside the evaporator seating part is dischargeable to the storage chamber, a first partition fixed to the intermediate partition and a bottom surface of the inner case and including a partition opening communicating with a space between the inner case and an outer case, a partition fixing opening formed in the inner case or the intermediate partition to allow an insulator to pass through the partition opening and the partition fixing opening, and a second partition coupleable to the first partition to divide the storage chamber in the left-right direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seungwon Byeon, Hyungbum Lee, Inyong Hwang
  • Patent number: 12287144
    Abstract: A system and method for liquefying a hydrogen gas feed stream uses a pre-cooling refrigerant for pre-cooling the feed stream, where the pre-cooling refrigerant is compressed, cooled and then separated to provide high pressure mixed refrigerant vapor and liquid streams. The high pressure vapor stream is cooled and directed to a cold vapor separator where cold separator liquid and vapor streams are formed. The cold separator vapor stream is cooled and expanded to provide a pre-cool refrigeration stream in a heat exchanger system. The high pressure pre-cooling refrigerant liquid and cold separator liquid streams are cooled and expanded and directed to the pre-cool refrigeration stream. A high pressure primary refrigerant steam, after compression and cooling, is further cooled in the heat exchanger system and then expanded using warm and cold expanders, with the resulting expanded primary refrigerant streams used to liquefy the pre-cooled hydrogen feed stream via heat exchange in the heat exchanger system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent A. Heyrman, Timothy P. Gushanas, Ravikumar Vipperla, Mathew R. Watt, Douglas A. Ducote, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12287129
    Abstract: A multi-step method is disclosed for exchanging heat in a vapor compression heat transfer system having a working fluid circulating therethrough. The method includes the step of circulating a working fluid comprising a fluoroolefin to an inlet of a first tube of an internal heat exchanger, through the internal heat exchanger and to an outlet thereof. Also disclosed are vapor compression heat transfer systems for exchanging heat. The systems include an evaporator, a compressor, a dual-row condenser and an intermediate heat exchanger having a first tube and a second tube. A disclosed system involves a dual-row condenser connected to the first and second intermediate heat exchanger tubes. Another disclosed system involves a dual-row evaporator connected to the first and second intermediate heat exchanger tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: THE CHEMOURS COMPANY FC, LLC
    Inventors: Denis Clodic, Youssef Riachi, Mary E Koban
  • Patent number: 12268138
    Abstract: A liquid desiccant system for controlling a temperature inside an enclosure includes an evaporative cooler system configured to cool an air stream AA entering the enclosure during day time; a liquid desiccant night cooler (LDNC) system configured to cool down and dry an inside air stream AE of the enclosure by using a liquid desiccant during the night; and a controller configured to switch on the LDNC system during the night.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ryan Michael Lefers, Mark Alfred Tester, TorOve Leiknes
  • Patent number: 12270592
    Abstract: Heat switches are presented herein for controlling a flow of heat between thermal stages of a cryostat. In one aspect, a heat switch for a cryostat includes a thermal linkage configured to simultaneously contact a first thermal stage and a second thermal stage of the cryostat and define a thermal pathway therebetween. The thermal linkage includes a superconducting element disposed along a portion of the thermal pathway that is capable of transitioning between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state. A thermal conductivity of the superconducting state is lower than a thermal conductivity of the non-superconducting state. Other types of heat switches are presented, including methods for controlling a flow of heat between thermal stages of a cryostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Rigetti & Co, LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Philip Paquette, Damon Stuart Russell
  • Patent number: 12262709
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to scale-down systems for freezing and thawing aqueous liquid mixtures of thermo sensitive substances. In at least one aspect, the system can comprise a first container that has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant average transversal cross-section area in the liquid-space that does not change substantially with height. The first container holds a volume of liquid for a height of liquid, has a lateral active heat transfer area having an insulated lateral area ALIM, and has an equivalent radius sized to reproduce the equivalent radius of a second container. The first container further has a lateral heat transfer area in contact with the liquid-space. The first container is smaller than the second container, and the insulated lateral area is equal to or greater than the lateral active heat transfer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: SMARTFREEZ LDA
    Inventors: Andreia Filipa Silvestre Duarte, Pedro Gil Sena Rego, Rui De Brito Estrela
  • Patent number: 12253214
    Abstract: A system for storing and transporting compressed natural gas includes source and destination facilities and a vehicle, each of which includes pressure vessels. The pressure vessels and gas therein may be maintained in a cold state by a carbon-dioxide-based refrigeration unit. Hydraulic fluid (and/or nitrogen) ballast may be used to fill the pressure vessels as the pressure vessels are emptied so as to maintain the pressure vessels in a substantially isobaric state that reduces vessel fatigue and lengthens vessel life. The pressure vessels may be hybrid vessels with carbon fiber and fiber glass wrappings. Dip tubes may extend into the pressure vessels to selectively expel/inject gas from/into the top of the vessels or hydraulic fluid from/into the bottom of the vessels. Impingement deflectors are disposed adjacent to the dip tubes inside the vessels to discourage fluid-induced erosion of vessel walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: NEARSHORE NATURAL GAS, LLC
    Inventors: Pedro T. Santos, David I. Scott
  • Patent number: 12241673
    Abstract: Proposed is a refrigerator in which the internal air of a first storage compartment of two storage compartments whose temperatures are controlled by an evaporator is reintroduced into the evaporator by a circulating air path guide to be circulated, whereby even if an evaporator having small capacity is applied, freezing or refrigeration temperature may be freely embodied, and the circulation of cold air can be efficiently performed without interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Dongwoo Park
  • Patent number: 12228325
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes an ice tray, a motor, an ejector including a rotary shaft and a protrusion pin, and a heater for selectively supplying heat to the ice tray. A control method of the refrigerator includes a first step of sensing whether the ejector is rotated to reach a first setup position; a second step of driving the heater and stopping driving of an ice making compartment fan if the first step is satisfied; a third step of determining whether the ejector is rotated to reach a second setup position; and a fourth step of stopping driving of the heater if the third step is satisfied, and wherein the ejector continues to be rotated while the second to fourth steps are implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Donghoon Lee, Seungseob Yeom, Donghoon Lee, Wookyong Lee
  • Patent number: 12228337
    Abstract: A fuel gas conditioning unit includes a brazed aluminum heat exchanger including a plurality of parting sheets defining a plurality of separate flow channels positioned between the plurality of parting sheets, a plurality of fin sheets positioned in the plurality of flow channels, a feed inlet configured to receive a raw feed stream, a cooled feed outlet configured to discharge a cooled feed stream formed from the raw feed stream, a fuel outlet configured to discharge a finished fuel gas stream, and a liquids outlet configured to discharge a finished liquids stream, an expansion device coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to receive a cooled fuel stream from the heat exchanger and discharge an expanded fuel stream formed from the cooled fuel stream, and a feed separator where the heat exchanger is configured to form the finished fuel gas stream and the finished liquids stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: EOG Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Curtis Larson
  • Patent number: 12222158
    Abstract: A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Mak, Sabrina Devone, James Shih, Curt Graham
  • Patent number: 12215922
    Abstract: A method for removing heavy hydrocarbons from a feed gas by: feeding, into an absorber, a top reflux stream and a second reflux stream below the top reflux stream, wherein the absorber produces an absorber bottom product stream and an absorber overhead product stream; depressurizing and feeding the absorber bottom product stream to a stripper to produce a stripper bottom product stream and a stripper overhead product stream; cooling and feeding a portion of the absorber overhead product stream back to the absorber as the top reflux stream; and pressurizing and feeding the stripper overhead product stream back to the absorber as the second reflux stream. Systems for carrying out the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John Mak, Jacob Thomas, Dhirav Patel, Curt Graham, Irene Zhang
  • Patent number: 12215923
    Abstract: One or more specific embodiments disclosed herein includes a method for separating hydrogen from an olefin hydrocarbon rich compressed effluent vapor stream, employing an integrated heat exchanger, multiple gas-liquid separators, external refrigeration systems, and a rectifier attached to a liquid product drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Enflex, Inc.
    Inventors: James Zhao, Shukui Zhao
  • Patent number: 12209803
    Abstract: Method and system for removing high freeze point components from natural gas. Feed gas is cooled in a heat exchanger and separated into a first vapor portion and a first liquid portion. The first liquid portion is reheated using the heat exchanger and separated into a high freeze point components stream and a non-freezing components stream. A portion of the non-freezing components stream may be at least partially liquefied and received by an absorber tower. The first vapor portion may be cooled and received by the absorber tower. An overhead vapor product which is substantially free of high freeze point freeze components and a bottoms product liquid stream including freeze components and non-freeze components are produced using the absorber tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Lummus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K. Gaskin, Fereidoun Yamin, Galip H. Guvelioglu, Vanessa M. Palacios
  • Patent number: 12203700
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cooling and/or liquefying a user fluid flow, the method using a cooling and/or liquefying system comprising a low-temperature refrigeration device, the refrigeration device comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the refrigeration device comprising a cooling exchanger intended to extract heat from the user fluid flow by heat exchange with the working fluid circulating in the working circuit, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, in a series: a compression mechanism a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism, and a reheating mechanism, the system comprising a pipe for circulation of the user fluid flow to be cooled in heat exchange with the cooling exchanger of the refrigeration device, the method comprising a step of cooling a user fluid flow in the cooling exchanger and after this cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities solidified in the cooling exchanger, the cleaning step comprising stopping of the refrigeration device
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Fabien Durand, Remi Nicolas, Cecile Gondrand, Jean-Marc Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 12196485
    Abstract: The distillation column system has a high-pressure column, a low-pressure column, a main condenser and a low-pressure-column top condenser. Feed air is cooled in a main heat exchanger and introduced into the high-pressure column. An oxygen-enriched liquid stream is withdrawn from the high-pressure column and introduced into the low-pressure column. A gaseous nitrogen stream is withdrawn from the high-pressure column, warmed in the main heat exchanger and withdrawn as gaseous pressurized nitrogen product. The high-pressure column has a barrier-plate section arranged immediately above the point at which the feed air is introduced. The oxygen-enriched liquid stream is withdrawn from the high-pressure column above the barrier-plate section. A purge stream is withdrawn below the barrier-plate section. The gaseous nitrogen stream, before being warmed in the main heat exchanger, is warmed in a counter-current subcooler in indirect heat exchange with the oxygen-enriched liquid stream from the high-pressure column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dimitri Golubev
  • Patent number: 12179206
    Abstract: A cryostat with improved accessibility for experiments includes a cooling device, a vacuum chamber and multiple cooling levels, heat shields and experimentation places. The cooling device is thermally coupled to cooling levels that have different temperatures. The experimentation places are at the temperatures of the cooling levels and are arranged side by side when viewed from above such that each experimentation place is accessible from above and from the side. Each cooling level has an associated heat shield that also encloses an experimentation place. The vacuum chamber encloses the cooling levels. The cold plate of a second cooling level is arranged above the cold plate of a first cooling level such that a portion of the first cold plate protrudes laterally from under the second cold plate. An experimentation place is disposed above the protruding portion of the first cold plate and is accessible from above and from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Pressure Wave Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Hoehne
  • Patent number: 12181214
    Abstract: Systems and methods for pre-cooling a natural gas stream to a liquefaction plant. A system may include a compressor configured to receive a first natural gas stream at a first pressure and produce a second natural gas stream at a second pressure; an exchanger to cool the second natural gas stream; and an expander to receive the cooled natural gas stream and expand the cooled natural gas stream to produce a chilled natural gas stream. The refrigeration content of the refrigerant is used to liquefy and sub-cool the natural gas stream to produce liquefied natural gas in a cold box or cryogenic exchanger. The refrigerant may be an external gas or an internal refrigerant working fluid expanded and compressed in a twin compander arrangement and compressed by a refrigerant compressor, or an external single mixed refrigerant working fluid compressed by a refrigerant compressor and expanded thru a JT valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: JTurbo Engineering & Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Thomas, Nickey Jacob Thomas
  • Patent number: 12163735
    Abstract: Described herein are systems related to at-shore liquefaction of natural gas. In some cases, the system for liquefaction of natural gas can include a land-based source of electricity; a land-based source of feed gas; an at-shore water-based apparatus moored to an at-shore location, and a transit bridge extending between the water-based apparatus and land upon which the land-based source of electricity and the land-based source of feed gas are located. The at-shore water-based apparatuses can include a hull, an air-cooled electrically-driven refrigeration system (“AER System”), and a plurality of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) storage tanks that are on a lower deck of the hull. The transit bridge can support at least one of a first line for transmitting electricity from the land-based source of electricity to the water-based apparatus and a second line for carrying feed gas from the land-based source of feed gas to the water-based apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: STEELHEAD LNG (ASLNG) LTD.
    Inventors: Alex Brigden, Angus Remfry, Glen Cunial, Tom Boguslawski
  • Patent number: 12158302
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses and systems related to at-shore liquefaction of natural gas. The at-shore water-based apparatuses can include a hull, an air-cooled electrically-driven refrigeration system (“AER System”), a plurality of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) storage tanks that are on a lower deck of the hull, and a closed loop ballast system. The closed loop ballast system can include a ballast fluid to assist in stabilizing the water-based apparatus moored to an at-shore location without discharging the ballast fluid to water proximate the at-shore location. Systems including an at-shore water-based apparatus can also include a land-based source of electricity and a land-based source of feed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: STEELHEAD LNG (ASLNG) LTD.
    Inventors: Alex Brigden, Angus Remfry, Glen Cunial, Tom Boguslawski