Patents Examined by John F Pettitt
  • Patent number: 11402068
    Abstract: A power plant for energy production from a liquid gas product stored in a cryogenic storage tank, and comprises a container housing and an inlet to receive the gas product from the tank via a line. An evaporation unit converts the liquid gas product to a gaseous phase. The plant comprises an aggregate for the combustion of the gaseous phase to provide an electrical current to an external consumer. A circuit brings the liquid and/or gaseous phase to the motor via the evaporation unit. A regulating unit regulates the pressure and/or temperature. The liquid gas product is supplied to the motor in the gaseous phase by passive liquid and gas transport. A cooling circuit transfers heat from the motor to a heat exchanger in the evaporation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: 247 ENERGY BVBA
    Inventors: Peter Himschoot, James Troch, Karl Aerts, Kurt Ahrens
  • Patent number: 11391511
    Abstract: Systems and methods for liquefying a gaseous hydrogen that include a first refrigeration stage and a second refrigeration stage. The first refrigeration stage includes a first heat exchanger configured to flow a first refrigerant to pre-cool the gaseous hydrogen. The second refrigeration stage includes a second heat exchanger configured to flow a second refrigerant to liquefy and sub-cool the hydrogen. The second refrigerant is split into two streams that flow through two compressor-expanders and multiple passes through the second heat exchanger before being recombined to repeat the second refrigeration stage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: JTurbo Engineering & Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Thomas, Nickey Jacob Thomas
  • Patent number: 11382339
    Abstract: A method of preparing and storing a free-flowing frozen supplementary product, including preparing a supplementary composition for freezing, dripping the supplementary composition into a freezing chamber, freezing the dripped supplementary composition into beads, and transporting the frozen beads by conveyor belt out of the freezing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Dippin' Dots, LLC
    Inventor: Stan Jones
  • Patent number: 11376543
    Abstract: Methods and systems of collecting carbon dioxide are disclosed. In one example, a method includes removing water from atmospheric air with a condenser and a desiccant material to produce dry air, adsorbing carbon dioxide to a material from the dry air, releasing the adsorbed carbon dioxide to a vacuum chamber, and transitioning the released carbon dioxide from a gas to a solid in the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anthony M. DiCenzo, Joseph P. Bruschi, James G. Parlett, Douglas Anthony Galasso, Tab Hunter Crooks
  • Patent number: 11359843
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a refrigeration system including detectors, each of which detects a phase indicative of a displacement of a displacer of each of cryogenic refrigerators; a processor that calculates an operation frequency of a motor of each of the cryogenic refrigerators, which is a frequency that suppresses oscillations or noises generated by reciprocating motions of the displacer of each of the cryogenic refrigerators, based on a detection result obtained by each of the detectors; and drivers, each of which drives the motor of each of the cryogenic refrigerators based on a calculation result obtained by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Hayato Nezuka, Shohei Takami, Tomofumi Orikasa
  • Patent number: 11346603
    Abstract: A gas production system that can supply liquefied gas obtained by rectifying source gas as product gas continuously with high heat efficiency without using a machine that has a risk of contamination like a pump. A gas production system includes a single pressure device having a single pressurized container to which liquefied gas extracted from a rectification unit is supplied, a pressure line for extracting and vaporizing a part of the liquefied gas in the pressurized container and returning the part of the liquefied gas to the pressurized container, and a second heat exchange unit that is disposed in the pressure line, and a liquefied gas storage unit that stores liquefied gas which is led out from the pressurized container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Kenji Hirose, Shinji Tomita
  • Patent number: 11326739
    Abstract: A cryostat includes a room temperature vessel, a low temperature vessel, and a refrigeration mechanism. The room temperature vessel includes a room temperature tank, an outer neck tube and a sealing head. The low temperature vessel includes a low temperature tank, an inner neck tube and a liquefaction chamber. The liquefaction chamber corresponds to the first opening and passes through the first opening. The refrigeration mechanism includes a device panel and a refrigeration device. The device panel is disposed on the sealing head. The refrigeration device includes a body and a cold finger. The body is disposed at the device panel. The cold finger is connected with the body and extends into the liquefaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: NUCTECH COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Hongyan Wei, Yulan Li, Jianping Chang, Haijun Yu, Xiuxia Li, Hong Li, Li He
  • Patent number: 11320196
    Abstract: This specification relates to operating industrial facilities, for example, crude oil refining facilities or other industrial facilities that include operating plants that process natural gas or recover natural gas liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Akram Hamed Mohamed Kamel, Abdulaziz A. AlNajjar
  • Patent number: 11313515
    Abstract: A process for collection, storage and transport of boil off-gas from a liquefied natural gas storage tank. An ultra-low temperature, composite gas tank is provided to accept the boil-off gas and saturated vapor at ultra-low-temperatures in a range of about ?80° C. to ?45° C. (about ?112° F. to ?229° F.) and at high pressure of about 150 bar (about 2,175.5 psi). Boil off gas collected from liquefied natural gas storage at a pressure in a range of about 15 to 18 bar (217.5 psi to 261 psi) and at a temperature in of about ?150° C. (about ?238° F.). The ultra-low temperature, composite gas tank can hold the gas as it warms to ambient temperature. The process includes a liner step; a filament step; a wrap step; and a filling step. Optional steps include an insulation step; a fiber step; a layering step; a nozzle step; and a gas step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Vinjamuri Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Gopala Krishna Vinjamuri
  • Patent number: 11262124
    Abstract: A system for preparing subcooled liquid oxygen based on mixing of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen and then vacuum-pumping, including atmospheric-pressure saturated liquid nitrogen and oxygen tanks. An inlet of the liquid nitrogen tank communicates with pressurized gas, and an outlet is connected to an inlet a of a secondary subcooler. An inlet of the liquid oxygen tank communicates with the pressurized gas, and a first outlet is connected to an inlet b of the secondary subcooler. An outlet c of the secondary subcooler is connected to an inlet d of a primary subcooler. An outlet e of the primary subcooler is connected to a pumping-out device through a rewarming device. A second outlet of the liquid oxygen tank is connected to an inlet n of the primary subcooler. An outlet o of the primary subcooler is connected to an inlet r of the secondary subcooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Xi'an Jiaotong University
    Inventors: Fushou Xie, Yanzhong Li, Jianhua Ren, Hongwei Mao
  • Patent number: 11262125
    Abstract: A system and method for flexible production of argon from a cryogenic air separation unit is provided. The cryogenic air separation unit is capable of operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode when argon demand is low or non-existent and then switching to operating in a ‘high-argon’ mode when argon is needed. The recovery of the argon products from the air separation unit is adjusted by varying the percentages of dirty shelf nitrogen and clean shelf nitrogen in the reflux stream directed to the lower pressure column. The cryogenic air separation unit and associated method also provides an efficient argon production/rejection process that minimizes the power consumption when the cryogenic air separation unit is operating in a ‘no-argon’ or ‘low-argon’ mode yet maintains the capability to produce higher volumes of argon products at full design capacity to meet argon product demands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Neil M. Prosser, Yang Luo, Richard D. Lenz, Kevin J. Saboda
  • Patent number: 11255603
    Abstract: A method of designing, constructing, and operating a hydrocarbon gas treatment plant is disclosed. A target hydrocarbon production range for a hydrocarbon gas meeting a required product specification is established. A cryogenic distillation column is designed and constructed with a vapor capacity to meet the target hydrocarbon production range. A variable feed refrigeration system is incorporated to cool an inlet feed of the hydrocarbon gas. The variable feed refrigeration system is designed to handle the target hydrocarbon production range and a wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms heating system is incorporated to handle heating duties associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms pumping system is incorporated to handle liquid flows associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Jaime A. Valencia, Robert D. Denton, David W. Maher
  • Patent number: 11248747
    Abstract: A cryogenic fluid delivery system includes a main tank system with a main tank adapted to contain a first supply of cryogenic liquid, and reserve tank system with reserve tank adapted to contain a second supply of cryogenic liquid. A pressure building circuit is adapted to delivery vapor to the head space of the main tank to build pressure in the main tank and a fuel delivery line supplies cryogenic fuel from either the main tank or the reserve tank to a use device. The reserve tank stores saturated cryogenic fuel that is delivered to the use device via the fuel delivery line while the cryogenic liquid in the main tank is being saturated. The fluid delivery system automatically switches to delivering cryogenic fuel from the main tank to the use device via the fuel delivery line upon saturation of the cryogenic liquid in the main tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Chart Inc.
    Inventor: Erik Gustafson
  • Patent number: 11243026
    Abstract: Method of liquefaction of methane and filling a tank (2) with liquefied methane, said method comprising: a step of liquefaction of the methane comprising an operation of cooling the methane to its saturation temperature, a step of filling the tank with the liquefied methane, a step of reinjection of the vaporized methane into the liquefaction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: CRYO PUR
    Inventors: Denis Clodic, Joseph Toubassy
  • Patent number: 11215385
    Abstract: A hybrid expander for producing refrigeration at a cryogenic temperature includes a Brayton expander producing refrigeration at a first temperature; a GM expander producing refrigeration at a second temperature, the first temperature being colder than the second temperature, the second temperature being 200K or less. A high pressure line receives a gas from a compressor at a first pressure and supplies it at the first pressure to the Brayton expander and the GM expander simultaneously. A low pressure line returns the gas to the compressor at a second pressure from the Brayton expander and the GM expander, the first pressure being greater than the second pressure. The Brayton expander piston is attached to the cold end of the GM expander displacer and the Brayton expander piston and the GM expander displacer reciprocating together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO (SHI) CRYOGENIC OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Ralph C. Longsworth
  • Patent number: 11209125
    Abstract: A transport container for helium, with an inner container for receiving the helium, a coolant container for receiving a cryogenic liquid (N2), an outer container, in which the inner container and the coolant container are contained, a thermal shield, in which the inner container is contained and which can be actively cooled with the aid of a liquid phase of the cryogenic liquid (LN2), the thermal shield having at least one first cooling line, in which the liquid phase of the cryogenic liquid can be received for actively cooling the thermal shield, and an insulating element, which is arranged between the outer container and the thermal shield and which can be actively cooled with the aid of a gaseous phase of the cryogenic liquid (GN2), the insulating element having at least one second cooling line, in which the gaseous phase of the cryogenic liquid can be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Linde GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Posselt
  • Patent number: 11204196
    Abstract: A liquefier device which may be a retrofit to an air separation plant or utilized as part of a new design. The flow needed for the liquefier comes from an air separation plant running in a maxim oxygen state, in a stable mode. The three gas flows are low pressure oxygen, low pressure nitrogen, and higher pressure nitrogen. All of the flows are found on the side of the main heat exchanger with a temperature of about 37 degrees Fahrenheit. All of the gasses put into the liquefier come out as a subcooled liquid, for storage or return to the air separation plant. This new liquefier does not include a front end electrical compressor, and will take a self produced liquid nitrogen, pump it up to a runnable 420 psig pressure, and with the use of turbines, condensers, flash pots, and multi pass heat exchangers. The liquefier will make liquid from a planned amount of any pure gas oxygen or nitrogen an air separation plant can produce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Terrence J. Ebert
  • Patent number: 11193710
    Abstract: A method and the apparatus for the cryogenic separation of air in an air separation plant which has a main air compressor, a main heat exchanger and a distillation column system with a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in the main air compressor to a first air pressure which is at least 3 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first part of the compressed total air flow, as first air flow at the first air pressure, is cooled and liquefied or pseudo-liquefied in the main heat exchanger, then expanded and introduced into the distillation column system. A second part of the compressed total air flow, as second air flow, is post-compressed in an air post-compressor to a second air pressure and at least part is further compressed in a first turbine-driven post-compressor to a third air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dimitri Goloubev
  • Patent number: 11175091
    Abstract: A method and apparatus serve for the cryogenic separation of air in an air separation plant which has a main air compressor, a main heat exchanger and a distillation column system with a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in the main air compressor to a first air pressure which is at least 3 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first part of the compressed total air flow, as first air flow at the first air pressure, is cooled and liquefied or pseudo-liquefied in the main heat exchanger, then expanded and introduced into the distillation column system. A second part of the compressed total air flow, as second air flow, is post-compressed in a turbine-driven post-compressor to a second air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dimitri Goloubev
  • Patent number: 11162639
    Abstract: A pressure vessel includes curved sidewalls configured as a frame having a polygonal outline, a planar top side and a planar bottom side attached to the curved sidewalls forming a sealed pressure chamber therebetween. Each planar side includes a contoured surface having shaped pressure resistant features formed thereon. A preferred method for forming the pressure resistant features includes hydraulic pressurization to induce plastic strain. The pressure vessel also includes an array of internal support posts within the sealed pressure chamber attached to the planar sides in a geometrical pattern, such as a hexagonal array. The support posts can be solid metal cylinders, hollow tubes or tubes through which reinforcing materials, such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, or fiber/epoxy tape have been passed. A composite pressure vessel includes tubular internal support posts reinforced with reinforcing materials, as well as contoured surfaces and curved sidewalls reinforced with these same reinforcing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HYDROGEN COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Franklin Earl Lynch, Gary Everett Eastridge