Patents Examined by Denise L. Ferensic
  • Patent number: 6244200
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-NOx combustion of a pulverized solid fuel in which combustion products from a partial oxidation combustor are mixed with a pulverized solid fuel, thereby preheating the pulverized solid fuel and resulting in devolatilization of at least a portion of the pulverized solid fuel. The preheated pulverized solid fuel and the devolatilization products are then burned in a burner firing directly into a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Institute of Gas Technology
    Inventors: Iosif K. Rabovitser, Richard Knight, Mark J. Khinkis, Hamid A. Abbasi, Stan Wohadlo
  • Patent number: 6244198
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method and an equipment for pyrolytic treatment of organic material comprising a supply storage receiving the organic material to be treated, a number of containers with meshlike walls, each to be charged with a batch of said organic material, a horizontal reactor with a charge gate in one end and a discharge gate in the opposite end, the interior of the reactor being divided by means of internal gates into at least a heating chamber, a pyrolysis chamber, and a cooling chamber, as well as a recovery storage for a solid pyrolytic residue of the organic material, i.e. the pyrolytic coke, the pyrolysis chamber being provided with an outlet pipe for generated pyrolytic gas terminating in a fractionating condenser, said condenser being provided with an outlet for each liquid fraction and an outlet pipe for uncondensed pure pyrolytic gas, which outlet pipe terminates in a gas tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: BCDE Group Waste Management Ltd., Oy
    Inventor: Hannu Lauri Suominen
  • Patent number: 6240859
    Abstract: High-temperature and high-pressure water, preferably at or above supercritical conditions for water, is injected into a high-temperature flame of a fuel combustor such as a coal-fired furnace, or boiler, or a turbine, internal combustion engine, rocket or the like. The process enhances efficiency of the combustion process, and, when used with fuels such as coal, renders ash, particularly fly ash, cementitious, so that it can be used as a substitute for conventional cement, reduces the carbon content of the ash, so that it can be used as a cement additive, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions into the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Four Corners Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger H. Jones, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6241597
    Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining semiconductor is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus includes two parts of a maintaining apparatus and gas-absorbing apparatus The maintaining apparatus mainly comprises a container using for isolating poison gas outside and a inner vessel, both being shaped as a cylinder, having an absorption exit with hose extending. There are an entrance and an exit end for absorption exit of container as well. This absorption exit is formed as for receiving and passing toxic gas. The vessel is as like cylinder shape and which has a hole on the top, also a plurality of holes embodied on the vessel for gas exiting. A disk is provided for covering the vessel container, and also for isolating toxic gas and the natural atmosphere. A plurality of rollers is for providing both functions of loading and rotation of vessel. The gas-absorbing apparatus can provide a source for absorbing gas quickly as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Mosel Vitelic Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Peng Chiang, Wen-Pin Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6241514
    Abstract: A kiln adapted to recycle kiln dust includes a recycle dust pipe in fluid communication with an oxidant stream to increase the concentration of oxygen in the fluidized recycle dust before the recycle dust stream is directed into the kiln flame. Increasing the oxygen concentration in the recycle dust stream improves the efficiency of the recycling process. A supplemental fuel stream may be introduced into the recycle dust stream to provide an additional flame to preheat the recycle dust stream before the recycle dust stream is directed into the kiln flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahendra L. Joshi, Ovidiu Marin, Olivier Charon, Jacques Dugue
  • Patent number: 6237855
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the normal operation of a hydronic heating system, (including AC powered, gas-burning hot water boiler, multi-zone systems) using a DC power source, such as battery power, as the primary continuous source of electricity. Control functions minimize the consumption of electric power during normal operation, and eliminate standby electric consumption in order to extend the life of the batteries and maximize the run-time of the heating system. A DC to DC converter supplies low voltage DC power to the zone thermostats, and also supplies the proper voltage through zone relays to operate DC zone pumps. By allowing the use of DC power for the thermostats and zone pumps, the system eliminates the need for transformers, zone valves, and AC circulators, resulting in a large savings in electrical consumption and the elimination of the standby electric demand (“phantom load”) common in conventional hydronic heating systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Inventors: Bristol L. Stickney, Allan L. Sindelar
  • Patent number: 6234090
    Abstract: In a delivery pipe for pulverized coal fines from a coal mill to a combustion chamber, a device for diffusing unevenly distributed coal flow evenly across the pipe. In a first form, the invention comprises a plurality of static, lateral, linear diffuser elements comprising rows of protrusions or teeth spaced laterally across the coal flow path in the pipe, preferably in a staggered and overlapping relationship. In a second form, the diffuser elements are rotatably mounted across the coal flow path in the pipe, and may be rotated at different speeds and in different directions. The diffuser elements spaced across the coal flow path in the pipe may be supplemented by peripherally-mounted diffuser elements at the inlet of that portion of the pipe or housing to provide an angled pre-diffusion of the coal flow from the sides of the pipe toward the lateral elements extending across the interior of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Sure Alloy Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Rickey E. Wark, John Anthony Nardi
  • Patent number: 6234893
    Abstract: A vent device (10) for communicating air from the duct of an air supply system into an environment, such as a room of a building, includes a body (12) having a passageway (18) therethrough for receiving air from the air supply system, with the body (12) defining a first opening (20) for placing the passageway in fluid communication with the air supply system. Also included is a filter housing defining a filter slot (46), the filter housing having an inner wall (50) provided with a plurality of first vent openings (54) for being selectively placed in communication with the passageway of the body. Further, the filter housing has an outer wall provided with a plurality of second vent openings communicating with the filter slot and the room in the building so as to communicate air from the filter slot into the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Inventor: Jerry R. Meredith
  • Patent number: 6234092
    Abstract: A process for the thermal treatment of incombustible liquids in a combustion space of a combustion apparatus by contacting the incombustible liquid with a supplementary fuel in the combustion space in the presence of at least one reactive gas. The process of the invention comprises feeding the incombustible liquid and the supplementary fuel into the combustion space (1) at different points, mixing the incombustible liquid with at least one reactive gas and the supplementary fuel with at least one inert gas prior to the contacting, and vaporizing the incombustible liquid and supplementary fuel prior to the contacting in the combustion space. The advantage of this invention is that environmentally harmful waste waters in particular are disposed of by burning these using a supplementary fuel. The required amounts of supplementary fuel are minimal in the process and only small amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and soot are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Domschke, Andreas Joa, Klaus Steinebrunner
  • Patent number: 6230634
    Abstract: A method of blowing a synthetic resin material into a furnace comprising preparing a synthetic resin material having an average specific surface area of at least 50 m2/kg; and blowing the synthetic resin material from tuyeres of a shaft furnace for ironmaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Iwao Okochi, Mitsuhiro Fujii, Minoru Asanuma, Tatsuro Ariyama, Michitaka Sato, Ryota Murai, Yukihiko Asakawa, Koichi Tomioka, Hiroki Ishiguro, Yutuka Yamada, Kazumasa Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 6220189
    Abstract: A rotatable fluidised bed incinerator comprises a rotatable combustion chamber, a means for rotating the combustion chamber, a means for introducing combustible material into the combustion chamber, and a means for introducing a gas into the combustion chamber to create a fluidised bed within the chamber. A flow area of the combustion chamber remains substantially constant or increases with decreasing chamber radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The University of Sheffield
    Inventor: Joshua Swithenbank
  • Patent number: 6220188
    Abstract: The windbox burner has a register casing (2) with ports (3) for inflow of combustion air, secondary air pipe (35) enclosed by the register casing and having inlet ports (36) for secondary air, a ring damper (20) coaxial with the register casing and axially displaceable and having at each end an annular sealing means (21; 26) which in the closed position of the ring damper sealingly abuts a corresponding sealing arrangement (23; 22) at each axial end of the ports (3), thus preventing the combustion air from flowing through the ports (3) to the burner tip. Each of the sealing arrangements (21, 23; 22, 26) is made of a stainless and heat-resistant material, and each pair of the sealing arrangements is constituted by a plane leaf spring (23; 26) the plane of which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ring damper (20), and a ring (21, 22) with a convex surface on which the leaf spring abuts tangentially in the closed position of the ring damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Burmeister & Wain Energi A/S
    Inventor: Bruno Boutrup
  • Patent number: 6217318
    Abstract: “AN IMPROVEMENT IN A GRATE BAR FOR PELLETIZING AND SINTERING FURNACES” comprised of a single body (10) provided with a higher horizontal girder (1) of rectangular cross-section supported in its ends by I-shaped legs (2) which are provided in their higher and lower edges, respectively, with an inverted V-shaped rim (3) and a square shoe (4); under the horizontal girder (1) a sub-girder (5) of an isosceles triangle cross-section is defined, the sides of which smoothly match with the sides of the girder (1) and make out a lower apex that defines a sharp edge pointing downwards referred to escape edge 7; wherein two transverse spacers (6) of rectangular cross-section also having escape edges (11) are provided adjacent to the girder (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Companhia Vale Do Rio Doce
    Inventors: Marcelo De Giovanni Pache De Faria, José Fernando Leite Marques
  • Patent number: 6216610
    Abstract: A process for the incineration of particulate solids, especially biological waste matter with low caloric value, feeds the solids into a combustion chamber of a furnace together with a sub-stoichiometric amount of fresh air to control the rate of combustion and to inhibit the formation of sintered ash. The furnace for implementing the process can be a cyclone furnace having a primary combustion chamber with a first feed inlet for the solids and air and a second air inlet positioned between the first inlet and an exhaust gas outlet. A supply tube extends through the exhaust gas outlet of the primary combustion chamber to supply a source of fresh air at ambient temperature to maintain the primary combustion chamber at a desired temperature. The fresh air maintains the furnace temperature at least at about 850° C. and generally at about 850° C. to less than about 1100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Andritz-Patentverwaltungs-Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Erwin Brunnmair, Gerhard Moosmann
  • Patent number: 6216612
    Abstract: A system for collecting ultra fine fly ash from a dry fly ash removal system includes providing a bagfilter transport conduit for each bagfilter of the system. A vacuum shutoff valve is positioned in each bagfilter transport conduit. The bagfilter transport conduit is selectively connected to an educator that is, in turn, selectively connected to a blower. The blower creates a vacuum flow in the transport conduit that draws the ultra fine fly ash from the bagfilter and deposits the ultra fine fly ash in a collection bin. This system allows a dry fly ash removal system to segregate fly ash by size and separately collect the ultra fine fly ash from the larger fly ash particles. The ultra fine fly ash has been found to be commercially valuable as a concrete admixture filler in various applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: American Electric Power Service Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Hume, R. F. Ridgeway, J. F. Mainieri
  • Patent number: 6217319
    Abstract: A hot plate unit includes a cover. The cover includes an inner wall and an outlet. There is provided immediately under the outlet a plate having a ventilation hole. The distance between the plate and a main surface is identical to the distance between the main surface and the internal wall face. The hot plate unit has an displacement control valve for restricting displacement at a level in the range from at least 0.1 L/min to at most 1 L/min.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Miyagi, Yoshiaki Yamada, Takayuki Saito
  • Patent number: 6216644
    Abstract: In heat generators and burners, it is frequently necessary to realize discontinuous cross-sectional expansions of a flow duct. When the flow (U) passes over the step (10) formed in the wall (8) of the flow duct, coherent lateral separation vortices form which are propagated almost undamped downstream of the step and frequently represent the cause of thermo-acoustic vibrations of high amplitude. In accordance with the invention, vortex-generating elements (20) with a lateral pitch dimension (t) are arranged on a line transverse to the main flow (U) a distance (s) upstream of the step (10). Given an expedient selection of the pitch dimension (t), the lateral coherence of the separation vortex is enduringly destroyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Alstrom Power (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Franz Joos, Bettina Paikert, Cristian Oliver Paschereit, Jakob J. Keller
  • Patent number: 6213031
    Abstract: To cool a grate having alternately fixed and movable rows (1, 1′) of grate bars (2), cooling liquid is sprayed into cavities (7), open at the bottom, of the grate bars (2) from spray tubes (10) situated in the underblast region (8) and in the process vaporizes essentially completely, so that the heat of vaporization is extracted from the grate bars (2). The angle sector (12) into which the cooling liquid is sprayed may be set in such a way that in each case only those sections of the grate bars (2) whose top sides form the free surface of the grate are sprayed. The cavities may also be closed except for a discharge opening leading into the underblast region and may be connected to a supply reservoir, in which the liquid is kept at a constant level, which is just below the discharge openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Max Künzli, John Millard, Peter Serck-Hanssen
  • Patent number: 6213030
    Abstract: Apparatus for the treatment of volatile material(s) in contaminated material(s) including a retort assembly which includes a rotatable retort disposed at least partially within a combustion chamber with a heater to indirectly heat the contents of the rotatable retort. A feeder feeds the contaminated material(s) to the retort. The apparatus further includes a pathway for passing contaminated material(s) to the retort and a conduit for passing the combustion gases from an afterburner to the retort assembly to provide additional heat for heating the contaminated material in the retort. The apparatus may also include a high temperature filter which can filter the volatiles before entering the afterburner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Tox Free Systems
    Inventors: Struan Glen Robertson, Edward Elliott Finsten
  • Patent number: RE37192
    Abstract: A deformable and replaceable energy absorbing structure mounted between the furnace floor tubes and floor tube support truss to absorb impact from falling slag and prevent tube damage. A beam, such as an I-beam extends from the supporting structure and is adapted to hold a deformable structure. A tie bar attached to the floor tube panel extends across the panel and rests upon the deformable structure. This arrangement is provided at as many contact points between the floor tube panel and support structure as necessary to support the dead weight of the tubes while still providing suitable energy absorption characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: McDermott Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Alan Detzel, George Henry Harth, III, Dennis Robert Shiffer, Robert Wayne Wewer