Patents Examined by Laert Dounis
  • Patent number: 12140124
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for generating power in the vicinity of a drilling rig are disclosed. During a drilling operation, heat generated by drilling fluid flowing from a borehole, exhaust from an engine, and/or fluid from an engine's water (or other fluid) jacket, for example, may be utilized by corresponding heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer to a working fluid. The heated working fluid may cause an ORC unit to generate electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 12143773
    Abstract: A method for activating a gas, wherein an electrically conductive aeromaterial having a pore space comprising the gas is electrically contacted and at least one electric current, which varies over time, flows through the aeromaterial, wherein the aeromaterial exhales gas from the pore space when the electrical power consumption is increased and inhales gas from the surroundings of the aeromaterial when the power consumption is decreased, and wherein a temporally pulsed current having predefined pulse power levels, pulse durations and pulse spacings is fed through the aeromaterial and the temperature of the aeromaterial is changed by the time-varying current by 100° C. or more within one second or less. The invention also relates to an electrothermal gas actuator and to uses of a gas actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Christian-Albrechts-Universitaet zu Kiel
    Inventors: Fabian Schuett, Armin Reimers, Joerg Bahr, Lena Marie Saure, Florian Rasch, Jannik Rank, Nipon Deka, Rainer Adelung, Soeren Kaps
  • Patent number: 12140069
    Abstract: Provided is a cooling module including a reservoir tank in which cooling water is stored, a screw pump coupled to the reservoir tank and having a cooling water inlet communicating with the reservoir tank to pump cooling water, and a direction control valve coupled to the reservoir tank, having an outlet port communicating with the reservoir tank, and having a plurality of inlet ports to change a direction of flow of cooling water according to an operation, so that efficiency corresponding to the use of a plurality of centrifugal pumps of the related art may be achieved by using a single screw pump, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying a package, while simplifying the configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: COAVIS
    Inventors: Hyun Tae Lee, Woo Keun Lee, Hyuk Jin Lee, Dong Heon Mo, Daeil Hyun
  • Patent number: 12123348
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of modifying an existing gas turbine to create a storage engine is provided. The gas turbine has a combustor, a compressor section, and a turbine section. The method comprises the step of modifying the compressor section of the gas turbine to form the storage engine. Air supplied to the combustor of the storage engine is heated by exhaust of the storage engine and is supplied from a remote source of air. Modifying the compressor section includes removing at least some of a plurality of rotatable airfoils of a compressor of the compressor section and introducing an increased capacity thrust bearing on a shaft line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Powerphase International, LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Kraft, Joshua J. Kraft
  • Patent number: 12123413
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid supply mechanism including: a plurality of liquid supply sections each including a plurality of branch paths whose central axes intersect with each other, and a supply path having a side surface to which the plurality of branch paths of the plurality of liquid supply sections are directly connected, respectively, and supplying liquid, which is supplied from an upstream, to the branch paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Chiba, Masahiko Takano, Shigeyuki Yorikane, Kenji Morita, Yoshitaka Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 12123325
    Abstract: A system for controlled recovery of thermal energy and conversion to mechanical energy. The system collects thermal energy from a reciprocating engine, specifically from engine jacket fluid and/or engine exhaust and uses this thermal energy to generate a secondary power source by evaporating an organic propellant and using the gaseous propellant to drive an expander in production of mechanical energy. A predictive control circuit utilizes ambient and system conditions such as temperature, pressure, and flow of organic propellant at one or more locations. The predictive control module regulates system parameters in advance based on monitored information to optimize secondary power output. A thermal fluid heater may be used to heat propellant. The system may be used to meet on-site power demands using primary, secondary, and tertiary power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventor: Victor Juchymenko
  • Patent number: 12123339
    Abstract: An assembly can include a turbine assembly that includes a wastegate; an actuator assembly that responds to a control signal to transition the wastegate from a closed position to an open position; a linkage assembly that includes a control coupling, a wastegate coupling, and a spring guide, where the wastegate coupling is operatively coupled to the wastegate and the control coupling is operatively coupled to the actuator assembly; and a spring assembly that includes a spring that includes an extension, where the extension forcibly contacts the spring guide at a closed angle of contact for the closed position of the wastegate and at an open angle of contact for the open position of the wastegate, where the open angle of contact is less than the closed angle of contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Taylor
  • Patent number: 12116896
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine defines a radial direction and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments having a seal segment, the seal segment having a seal face configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprises a pneumatic engagement assembly operable to bias the seal segment along the radial direction during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Grant Robert Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mallikarjun Metri, Ajith Jogi, Pratish Patil, Nageswar Rao Ganji, Rahul Anil Bidkar, Prateek Jalan, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, David Raju Yamarthi, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Chandrashekhar Kandukuri
  • Patent number: 12110880
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thermomechanical actuator and a cleaning system implementing the thermomechanical actuator. The thermomechanical actuator includes a solar heat collector (SHC) housing shape memory alloy springs connected between a piston movably disposed therein and one end of the SHC. A cable extending from the piston through an opposite end of the SHC is connected to a bias load that develops returning force on the springs. In presence of solar radiation, the springs contract and cause linear movement of the piston in a direction of contraction and, in absence of the solar radiation, the springs expand and cause linear movement of the piston in direction of expansion. Useful power and work is extracted in form of the cleaning system from such linear movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
    Inventors: Nasir Ghazi Hariri, Ibrahim Khalil Almadani, Ibrahim Sufian Osman
  • Patent number: 12110812
    Abstract: An energy generation system for converting combustible fluid from a nontraditional combustible fluid source to useable energy. The energy generation system including a fluid storage system including a compressor and at least one storage tank, the compressor configured to pressurize a combustible fluid from a combustible fluid source for storage in the one or more storage tanks; and an energy recovery system configured to receive the combustible fluid from the at least one storage tank, the energy recovery system including: a turboexpander configured to depressurize the combustible fluid received from the at least one storage tank; a motor-generator configured to input the combustible fluid as depressurized by the turboexpander, and generate electrical energy from the combustible fluid; and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system configured to generate electrical energy based on a temperature differential between the combustible fluid input to the motor-generator and a waste heat produced by the motor-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Sean Day
  • Patent number: 12110878
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for generating power in the vicinity of a drilling rig are disclosed. During a drilling operation, heat generated by drilling fluid flowing from a borehole, exhaust from an engine, and/or fluid from an engine's water (or other fluid) jacket, for example, may be utilized by corresponding heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer to a working fluid. The heated working fluid may cause an ORC unit to generate electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland
  • Patent number: 12110876
    Abstract: A system includes a subsea geothermal power system. The subsea geothermal power system includes a well connection configured to couple to a hydrocarbon well. The subsea geothermal power system also includes a geothermal power plant fluidly coupled to the well connection. The geothermal power plant is configured to receive thermal energy from a well fluid received from the hydrocarbon well and convert the thermal energy into at least one of electrical energy and mechanical energy. The system also includes a subsea equipment at least partially powered by at least one of the electrical energy and the mechanical energy produced by the subsea geothermal power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
    Inventor: David Kitchen
  • Patent number: 12104493
    Abstract: A first turboexpander generator defines a portion of a first conduit flow passage. The first turboexpander generator is configured to decrease a temperature or pressure of a process stream flowing through the first turboexpander generator by generating electrical power from the process stream. A second turboexpander generator defines a portion of a second conduit flow passage. The second turboexpander generator is configured to decrease a temperature or pressure of a process stream flowing through the second turboexpander generator by generating electrical power from the process stream. The first and second conduit flow passages are arranged to carry fluid flow in parallel to one another. The first and the second turboexpander generator are substantially identical in critical dimensions and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Sapphire Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Earl, Freddie Sarhan, Jeremy Liu
  • Patent number: 12104599
    Abstract: An oil feed type air compressor includes a compressor main body, a separator that separates the oil from the compressed air delivered from the compressor main body, and an oil feed system that supplies the oil to the working chambers and bearings of the compressor main body. The oil feed system includes an oil cooler that includes a cooling unit and a cooling unit connected on a downstream side of the cooling unit, an oil feed pipe that is connected to an outlet between the cooling unit and the cooling unit and that supplies the oil cooled by the cooling unit to the bearings of the compressor main body, and an oil feed pipe that is connected to an outlet on a downstream side of the cooling unit and that supplies the oil cooled by the cooling units to the working chambers of the compressor main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Morita, Shigeyuki Yorikane, Yuta Kajie
  • Patent number: 12098710
    Abstract: A system includes a subsea geothermal power system. The subsea geothermal power system includes a separator configured to separate a well fluid from a hydrocarbon well into a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow. The subsea geothermal power system also includes a geothermal power plant coupled to the separator. The geothermal power plant is configured to receive thermal energy from the second fluid flow and convert the thermal energy into at least one of electrical energy and mechanical energy. The separator is at least partially powered by the at least one of electrical energy and mechanical energy produced by the subsea geothermal power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventor: David Kitchen
  • Patent number: 12084975
    Abstract: Tapered stator designs are engineered in a positive displacement motor (PDM) power section to relieve stator stress concentrations at the lower (downhole) end of the power section in the presence of rotor tilt. A contoured stress relief is provided in the stator to compensate for rotor tilt, where the taper is preferably more aggressive at the lower end of the stator near the bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Abaco Drilling Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Peter Thomas Cariveau, Timothy Mark Miller, Jing Lu
  • Patent number: 12085004
    Abstract: A swirl structure-based exhaust aftertreatment device for an underground mining diesel vehicle comprises a water tank, a PM collection tank, an inlet tube, a high-speed rotary exhaust separator, an exhaust catalytic converter, a circulating NOx selective catalytic reduction system and an exhaust tube. The high-speed rotary exhaust separator comprises a Laval tube, a throat tube, a swirl tube and a first deposition tube. The concentration of toxic and harmful components in exhaust can be decreased below a concentration threshold, thus avoiding pipeline blockage caused by PM accumulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SHANDONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Wen Nie, Chengyi Liu, Yun Hua, Weimin Cheng, Xiao Yan, Fengning Yu, Zilian Zhu, Jie Lian, Chenwang Jiang, Chuanxing Cheng, Haonan Zhang
  • Patent number: 12077082
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement controls a system for a seat comfort function with at least one air cushion, at least one actuator with at least one adjusting element and at least one SMA element being movable between a first position and a second position. The circuit arrangement includes at least one driver unit with at least one driver to activate the actuator with the at least one SMA element; at least one temperature sensor; and a control unit to control the driver unit, the control unit being configured to generate a control signal to control the driver unit. The control signal is determined from a) at least one actual filling level parameter; b) a temperature signal from the temperature sensor; c) a system parameter; and d) at least one of a target filling level parameter and a target filling level change parameter. A related seat and method of controlling same are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Alfmeier Präzision SE
    Inventors: Erich Dörfler, Matthias Mitzler
  • Patent number: 12071866
    Abstract: A power generation system includes an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) electric generator thermally coupled to a stack of industrial heat pumps (IHPs). The ORC requires heat to generate electricity. The IHPs require electricity to generate heat. The IHPs have an efficiency much greater than 100% because some of the output heat from an IHP is pre-existing heat extracted from available source water, The temperature of the source water can be as low as 70° F. By configuring the IHPs to maximize their efficiency, the electricity required to operate the IHPs can be reduced below the output electricity from the ORC. The surplus electricity produced by the ORC is available for export. This coupled ORC/Heat Pump system is an electric generator that requires no fuel to operate and produces no emissions. The required energy is provided by the heat extracted from the source water by the IHPs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Inventor: Joel M. Levin
  • Patent number: 12060867
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and a controller for controlling generation of geothermal power in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) operation in the vicinity of a wellhead during hydrocarbon production to thereby supply electrical power to one or more of in-field operational equipment, a grid power structure, and an energy storage device. In an embodiment, during hydrocarbon production, a temperature of a flow of wellhead fluid from the wellhead or working fluid may be determined. If the temperature is above a vaporous phase change threshold of the working fluid, heat exchanger valves may be opened to divert flow of wellhead fluid to heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer from the flow of wellhead fluid to working fluid through the heat exchangers, thereby to cause the working fluid to change from a liquid to vapor, the vapor to cause a generator to generate electrical power via rotation of an expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: ICE Thermal Harvesting, LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Benjamin Bodishbaugh, Carrie Jeanne Murtland