Patents Examined by Brian M King
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Patent number: 11725780Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 26, 2018Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: NEARSHORE NATURAL GAS, LLCInventors: Pedro T. Santos, David I. Scott
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Patent number: 11725879Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 8, 2017Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Fluor Technologies CorporationInventors: John Mak, Sabrina Devone, James Shih, Curt Graham
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Patent number: 11724781Abstract: A BOG reliquefaction system includes: a compressor; a heat exchanger cooling the BOG compressed by the compressor through heat exchange using BOG not compressed by the compressor; a pressure reducer disposed downstream of the heat exchanger and reducing a pressure of fluid cooled by the heat exchanger; and a combination of a first temperature sensor disposed upstream of a cold fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a fourth temperature sensor disposed downstream of a hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger, combination of a second temperature sensor disposed downstream of the cold fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a third temperature sensor disposed upstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger, or combination of a first pressure sensor disposed upstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger and a second pressure sensor disposed downstream of the hot fluid channel of the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING CO., LTD.Inventors: Joon Chae Lee, Dong Kyu Choi, Hyun Jun Shin
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Patent number: 11714148Abstract: A split cylindrical superconducting magnet system including two half magnets, each half magnet comprising superconducting magnet coils retained in an outer vacuum chamber, having a thermal radiation shield located between the magnet coils and the outer vacuum chamber, wherein the thermal radiation shield is shaped such that the axial spacing between thermal radiation shields of respective half magnets is greater at their internal diameter than at their outer diameter.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: Siemens Healthcare LimitedInventor: Adrian Mark Thomas
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Patent number: 11709018Abstract: A cryogenic air separation setup in a cold box, wherein gaseous oxygen under elevated pressure is produced through hydraulic force caused by the geodetic distance between where liquid oxygen is drawn from the distillation column and where liquid oxygen is vaporized to form gaseous oxygen, such as in an auxiliary evaporator. To increase the vertical distance between the above-mentioned two location, the components are arranged directly below one another in the following sequence: the lower-pressure column, the main condenser evaporator, the higher-pressure column, the subcooler, the main heat exchanger and the auxiliary evaporator). In particular, the main heat-exchanger is positioned with the cold-end on the top to optimize piping expenditure.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2017Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Expoitation Des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Alain Briglia, Remy Kurtz, Eric Day, Huali Xie, Baptiste Fara
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Patent number: 11703277Abstract: A system for natural gas cooling using nitrogen. The system can include a nitrogen liquefier and a natural gas cooler. The nitrogen liquefier can provide liquid nitrogen to the natural gas cooler. One or more heat exchangers of the natural gas cooler can include a gaseous nitrogen output that is in fluid communication with the nitrogen liquefier. In response to receiving gaseous nitrogen at the nitrogen liquefier, from the one or more heat exchangers, a production rate of the the nitrogen liquefier is adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: COSMODYNE, LLCInventors: John Jefferson Odell, Irina Dean
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Patent number: 11692772Abstract: A method to recover hydrocarbonfractions from refineries gas streams involves a pre-cooled heat refinery fuel gas stream mixed with a pre-cooled and expanded supply of natural gas stream in an inline mixer to condense and recover at least C3+ fractions upstream of a fractionator. The temperature of the gas stream entering the fractionator may be monitored downstream of the in-line mixer. The pre-cooled stream of high pressure natural gas is sufficiently cooled by flowing through a gas expander that, when mixed with the pre-cooled refinery fuel gas, the resulting temperature causes condensation of heavier hydrocarbon fractions before entering the fractionator. A further cooled, pressure expanded natural gas reflux stream is temperature controlled to maintain fractionator overhead temperature. The fractionator bottoms temperature may be controlled by a circulating reboiler stream.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2019Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignees: 1304338 Alberta Ltd., 1304342 Alberta Ltd.Inventors: Jose Lourenco, Mackenzie Millar
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Patent number: 11686527Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods use cryogenic liquids such as, for example, liquefied natural gas and liquefied air or liquefied air components to store thermal energy. The cryogenic liquids may be produced using electrically powered liquefaction methods, for example, using excess electric power during periods of over-generation on the electric grid.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2022Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Pintail Power LLCInventor: William M Conlon
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Patent number: 11680744Abstract: An artificial intelligence refrigerator includes a communication unit, a camera configured to capture an image of a tray including a plurality of grooves for storing food, and a processor configured to control the communication unit and the camera. The processor extracts a marker hidden by the food of a plurality of markers respectively attached to the plurality of grooves from the captured image of the tray, acquires a position identifier of a groove corresponding to the hidden marker and a reception time indicating that the food is received in the groove, transmits the acquired position identifier and the reception time to a server through the communication unit, receives determined color information from the server based on the reception time, and controls a light emitting element provided in the groove to output a color to be displayed on the groove included in the received color information.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Hyohoun No
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Patent number: 11674749Abstract: A method and system for liquefying a natural gas feed stream and removing nitrogen therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Sylvain Vovard, Justin David Bukowski, Fei Chen, Mark Julian Roberts
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Patent number: 11674748Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 3, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Enflex, Inc.Inventors: James Zhao, Shukui Zhao
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Patent number: 11674750Abstract: Enhancements to a dual column, nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation unit are provided. Such enhancements include an improved air separation cycle that uses multiple condenser-reboilers and recycles a portion of the vapor from one or more of the condenser-reboilers to the incoming feed stream and or the compressed purified air streams to yield improvements in such dual column, nitrogen producing cryogenic air separation units. The multiple condenser-reboilers preferably include an integrated condenser-reboiler arrangement comprising a heat exchanger having a set of nitrogen condensing passages, a first set and second set of boiling passages, and a phase separator.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Hanfei Tuo, Zhengrong Xu
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Patent number: 11674439Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods store energy by liquefying a gas such as air, for example, and then recover the energy by regasifying the liquid and combusting or otherwise reacting the gas with a fuel to drive a heat engine. The process of liquefying the gas may be powered with electric power from the grid, for example, and the heat engine may be used to generate electricity. Hence, in effect these apparatus, systems, and methods may provide for storing electric power from the grid and then subsequently delivering it back to the grid.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Pintail Power LLCInventor: William M. Conlon
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Patent number: 11668509Abstract: Left and right edge portions of an external casing of a container refrigeration apparatus each include a column member that is continuous from the upper end to the lower end of a casing. Left and right edge portions of an internal casing each include a side plate that is continuous from the upper end to the lower end of the casing. The column members of the external casing and the associated side plates of the internal casing are fixed together, thereby increasing the strength of the casing including the external casing and the internal casing.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2022Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yuuya Hirama, Makoto Ikemiya, Kazuyasu Matsui
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Patent number: 11668523Abstract: One or more specific embodiments disclosed herein includes a method for separating hydrogen from an olefin hydrocarbon rich compressed effluent vapor stream, employing a integrated heat exchanger, multiple gas-liquid separators, external refrigeration systems, and a rectifier attached to a liquid product drum.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Enflex, Inc.Inventors: James Zhao, Shukui Zhao
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Patent number: 11668521Abstract: Provided are a refrigerator and a cloud server that diagnose a cause of an abnormal state. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an abnormal state diagnosis unit included in the refrigerator or the cloud server generates information on the abnormal state of the refrigerator based on similarity between stored first group of information and a normal pattern, and a cause diagnosis unit generates, when the abnormal state diagnosis determines that a state of the refrigerator is an abnormal stte, information on cause of the abnormal state based on similarity between stored second group of information and a defect pattern.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Junsoo Han, Younghun Yang, Junsang Yun, Cholok Han
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Patent number: 11662141Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a solvent is injected into a feed of natural gas at a solvent injection point. A mixed feed is produced from a dispersal of the solvent into the feed of natural gas. The mixed feed contains heavy components. A chilled feed is produced by chilling the mixed feed. The chilled feed includes a vapor and a condensed liquid. The condensed liquid contains a fouling portion of the heavy components condensed by the solvent during chilling. The liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components is separated from the vapor. The vapor is directed into a feed chiller heat exchanger following separation of the liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components from the vapor, such that the vapor being directed into feed chiller heat exchanger is free of freezing components.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Michael J. Calderon, Dale L. Embry, Paul R. Davies, Attilio J. Praderio
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Patent number: 11662062Abstract: A cryogenic energy storage system comprises at least one cryogenic fluid storage tank having an output; a primary conduit through which a stream of cryogenic fluid may flow from the output of the fluid storage tank to an exhaust; a pump within the primary conduit downstream of the output of the tank for pressurising the cryogenic fluid stream; evaporative means within the primary conduit downstream of the pump for vaporising the pressurised cryogenic fluid stream; at least one expansion stage within the primary conduit downstream of the evaporative means for expanding the vaporised cryogenic fluid stream and for extracting work therefrom; a secondary conduit configured to divert at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid stream from the primary conduit and reintroduce it to the fluid storage tank; and pressure control means within the secondary conduit for controlling the flow of the diverted cryogenic fluid stream and thereby controlling the pressure within the tank.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Highview Enterprises LimitedInventors: Richard Riley, Miriam Zubizarreta, Nicola Castellucci, Paul Currie
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Patent number: 11662063Abstract: Method, system, apparatus, and/or device for monitoring a shipment. The vapor plug system includes a vapor plug. The vapor plug fits onto a shipper and partially seals contents within a payload area of a shipper. The vapor plug system includes a sensor that is configured to measure or determine a condition or location of the shipper. The vapor plug system includes an electronic device that has a display. The display is configured to provide the condition or the location to a user. The vapor plug system includes a vapor plug adapter. The vapor plug adapter includes a recessed pocket that is configured to receive the electronic device. The vapor plug adapter includes an opening within the recessed pocket and is configured to receive the sensor and allow the sensor to be inserted into the payload area of the shipper.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Cryoport, Inc.Inventors: Bret Bollinger, Ben Lee
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Patent number: 11656005Abstract: A CO2 cooling system includes a compression stage in which CO2 refrigerant is compressed; a cooling stage in which the CO2 refrigerant releases heat; a CO2 liquid receiver in which the CO2 refrigerant is accumulated in liquid and gaseous states; an evaporation stage in which the CO2 refrigerant, having released heat in the cooling stage, absorbs heat. The evaporation stage has first and second evaporation sectors; a first metering device for feeding CO2 refrigerant into the first evaporation sector at a first pressure; and a second metering device for feeding CO2 refrigerant into the second evaporation sector at a second pressure. The first metering device and the second metering device are operated independently from one another. A plurality of CO2 transfer lines connects the compression stage, the cooling stage, the CO2 liquid receiver and the evaporation stage. The CO2 refrigerant is circulable in a closed-loop circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: GESTION MARC-ANDRÉ LESMERISES INC.Inventor: Marc-André Lesmerises