Patents Examined by Mickey France
  • Patent number: 9945321
    Abstract: The engine includes a first and a second cylinder chamber. The first chamber receives gas through a first inlet valve which gas will be compressed by a piston in the cylinder and will leave the first chamber through a first outlet valve. The second chamber receives compressed gas from the first chamber through a second inlet valve. The gas expands in the second chamber while performing a work on the piston before leaving the second chamber through a second outlet valve. The engine is controlled such that gas will flow from the first to the second chamber while the engine performs a working cycle and the engine is thus controlled such that a piston is used for compressing gas which performs a work on the same piston, which is connected by a rod to a cranking mechanism to transfer work from the rod by an essentially only rectilinear movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DULOB AB
    Inventor: Kaare Vatne
  • Patent number: 9945349
    Abstract: A closed-loop hydraulic apparatus 200 for converting wave energy comprises a pump 201 for pumping a fluid through the apparatus 200. The pump 201 includes a body 202 defining a chamber 203, and a piston 207 that partitions the chamber 203 into a working side 208 and a blind side 209. A buoyant actuator is connected to the piston 207. An inlet 64 is connected to the working side 208 of the chamber 203 so that the fluid is able to flow from the inlet 64 and into the working side 208 of the chamber 203. An outlet 63 is connected to the working side 208 of the chamber 203 so that the fluid is able to flow from the working side 208 of the chamber 203 to the outlet 63. A hydraulic controller 102 is operable to control the pump 201 by controlling the pressure of the fluid at the inlet 64 and the outlet 63 so as to optimise the output of the pump 201 in response to tidal variations and/or sea state. The pressure of the fluid at the inlet 64 and the outlet 63 is controlled in accordance with a control algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: CETO IP Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Greg John Allen, Ruud Caljouw, Jonathan Pierre Fievez, David Kessel, Nigel Laxton, Laurence Drew Mann
  • Patent number: 9932970
    Abstract: Rankine Cycle power generation facility having a plurality of thermal inputs and at least one heat sink, where the heat sink includes a thermal chimney or a natural convective cooling tower. In a preferred embodiment, the power facility generates electricity and/or fresh water with a zero carbon footprint, such as by using a combination of solar and geothermal heating to drive a Rankine Cycle heat engine. In one embodiment, a thermal stack is mounted in the base of the thermal chimney, the thermal stack for using waste heat from the plurality of thermal inputs to drive a natural convective flow of air in the thermal chimney, the convective flow having sufficient momentum to drive additional power generation in an air turbine mounted in the chimney and to drive an evaporative cycle for concentratively extracting fresh water from geothermal brines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Donald W Jeter
  • Patent number: 9926905
    Abstract: A system that converts acceleration to rotational energy by using gravity to lower a ballast member and buoyancy to raise it when the ballast member is filled with compressed air. The ballast's initial ascent is controlled by a brake member. This ascent causes a rack assembly to rise that actuates a compressor to refill the intermediary tank with compressed air so the cycle can repeat itself. The initial phase begins with the ballast member containing compressed air so it can ascend up a liquid-filled silo, generating rotational energy along the way using a mounted cable that travels around a wire drum. Upon reaching the top of the silo, valves will open allowing water to enter the ballast thereby sinking it to the bottom, creating additional rotational energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Jorge Pablo Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9909573
    Abstract: A thermal energy harvesting system includes a pair of shape memory sections formed of shape memory alloy (SMA) material that are each disposed within a tube. The shape memory sections are fixed in position at one end and are attached at another end to a rotating shaft that is in mechanical communication with a power generator. Fluid inlet valves are provided in each housing and are each controlled to alternatingly supply hot and cold fluid to the tubes to selectively heat and cool the shape memory sections. This results in the cyclical contraction and expansion of the shape memory sections, which causes oscillating rotation of the shaft that is converted by the power generator into electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: The University of Akron
    Inventors: Erik D. Engeberg, Subramaniya I. Hariharan, Benjamin A. Kent
  • Patent number: 9903618
    Abstract: An integrated renewable energy and asset system is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Laurence Mackler, Brian Cuff, Hikaru Iwasaka, Alexander Keller, David Froelich
  • Patent number: 9903272
    Abstract: An offshore compressed air energy storage system has a barge comprising with a deck, and at least one pressure vessel configured to store compressed air. A power source powers at least one air compressor configured to pressurize the pressure vessel. A compander set has at least one turboexpander having an input, an output, and a shaft, as well as at least one heat exchanger and at least one turbocompressor. A mass air control valve is configured to control the compressed air flow from the pressure vessel to the turboexpander. A generator is in communication with the shaft of the turboexpander, and a control system. The at least one pressure vessel is buoyant, and wherein the at least one air compressor, the turboexpander, the mass air control valve, and the generator are attached to the barge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Inventors: Ben Enis, Paul Lieberman
  • Patent number: 9903231
    Abstract: A system for warming up a steam turbine includes a gas turbine and a controller operably connected to the gas turbine. The controller is programmed to receive a plurality of measured input signals and control the gas turbine to produce an exhaust having a desired energy. A first measured input signal is reflective of a measured operating parameter of the gas turbine and a second measured input signal is reflective of an operating parameter of the steam turbine. A method for warming up a steam turbine includes sending a plurality of measured input signals to a controller, wherein a first measured input signal reflects a measured operating parameter of a gas turbine and a second measured input signal reflects an operating parameter of the steam turbine. The method further includes controlling the gas turbine based on the plurality of measured input signals and producing an exhaust from the gas turbine, wherein the exhaust has a desired energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr., TsungPo Lin, John Edward Sholes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9896989
    Abstract: A deterioration diagnosis device for an oxidation catalyst includes: a multi-gas sensor disposed in an exhaust passage downstream of an oxidation catalyst, the multi-gas sensor including a NO2 sensor unit and a NOX sensor unit, the NO2 sensor unit directly detecting a NO2 concentration in exhaust gas after passing through the oxidation catalyst, and the NOX sensor unit directly detecting a NOX concentration in the exhaust gas; an NO concentration calculation unit configured to calculate an NO concentration in the exhaust gas after passing through the oxidation catalyst based on the NO2 concentration and the NOX concentration; and a deterioration judgment unit configured to determine a deterioration degree of the oxidation catalyst from an evaluation value based on the NO concentration calculated by the NO concentration calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shiro Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 9896986
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular for commercial vehicles, having a fuel/air feed device and a downstream exhaust system, wherein, to achieve improved efficiency, the exhaust gas enthalpy in the exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine is used to operate a heat engine, in particular a Stirling engine, which produces mechanical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventor: Alexander Schydlo
  • Patent number: 9897103
    Abstract: To improve the exhaust heat recovery efficiency, a compressor includes a heat exchanger for cooling a gas, coolant, water, or oil heated by the compressor during compressor operation by heat exchange with a working fluid, for circulating the working fluid of a Rankine cycle. The Rankine cycle is implemented by the heat exchanger, an expander, a condenser, and a circulating pump to circulate the working fluid through the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Kamiya
  • Patent number: 9896980
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to on-vehicle systems and methods for mixing an NOx reductant solution from a concentrated source of NOx reductant and water. The mixed DEF is then used to treat exhaust from the vehicle to reduce pollutants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Timothy Joseph Gundrum
  • Patent number: 9896068
    Abstract: An energy recovery system may include a compressor, an air tank, and a motor. The compressor may have a swashplate member and one or more piston and cylinder assemblies aligned with a compressor axis. The swashplate member may be able to tilt relative to the compressor axis between a no-compression position and a maximum compression position in which each piston can move within its respective cylinder between a top dead center position and a bottom dead center position. The swashplate member may be arranged to be coupled to a shaft so that the compressor axis is substantially aligned with a shaft axis and so that the swashplate member is able to rotate in tandem with the shaft, and also may be able to tilt relative to the compressor axis between no-, maximum-, and intermediate-compression positions. In the no-compression position, each piston may be located at the top dead center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Eurekagen Limited
    Inventor: Ryan Bowen
  • Patent number: 9890680
    Abstract: A dosing unit for a diesel exhaust treatment system eliminates heat from the exhaust stream using an electrically operated fluid injector inside a cavity, sized and shaped to receive the electrically operated injector therein and surround the fluid injector in the cavity with engine coolant flowing through the cavity. Continuous welds aid heat transfer between the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne McFarland, Keith Aaron Shaw, Randolph W Carnell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9879722
    Abstract: A bearing assembly comprises a bearing, a shim disposed within the bearing, and a component disposed within the shim. The shim comprises a first material, the component comprises a second material, and the first material has an elastic modulus value that is lower than an elastic modulus value of the second material. An apparatus comprises an elastomeric bearing, a fiberglass shim, and a steel spindle that is connected to the elastomeric bearing through the shim. A method for reducing strain in an adhesive layer that connects a bearing to a component comprises selecting a shim material having an elastic modulus value that is less than an elastic modulus value of the component and providing instructions to connect the component to the shim by placing the adhesive layer between an outer surface of the component and an inner surface of the shim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Chad Lewis Jarrett, Frank Bradley Stamps, Daniel P. Sottiaux
  • Patent number: 9869272
    Abstract: A Rankine Expander System that converts low quality heat (heat usually at temperatures below 400 degrees Celsius) to electricity by using the properties of trans-critical CO2. The system is comprised of a compressor, an expander, three heat exchangers, and a permanent magnet alternator (PMA). It operates at pressures and temperatures that hold the CO2 above its critical point for the full cycle, and as such, attains high efficiencies even at low power. Under some conditions the efficiency can exceed 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventors: Martin A. Stuart, Stephen Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9863283
    Abstract: A steam turbine power plant includes a life consumption amount calculator configured to calculate life consumption amounts of a turbine rotor based on a value measured by a measurer, a thermal stress limit update timing determining device configured to determine a time when thermal stress limits are updated, an accumulated life consumption amount calculator configured to calculate accumulated life consumption amounts of the turbine rotor when the thermal stress limits are updated, a planned life consumption amount setting device configured to set planned life consumption amounts of the turbine rotor based on the accumulated life consumption amounts of the turbine rotor, a thermal stress limit calculator configured to calculate and update the thermal stress limits based on the planned life consumption amounts of the turbine rotor, and a plant command value calculator configured to calculate a plant command value based on the thermal stress limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Yashiki, Yukinori Katagiri, Takuya Yoshida, Miyuki Kawata, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Eunkyeong Kim, Kenichiro Nomura, Kazunori Yamanaka, Fumiyuki Suzuki, Norihiro Iyanaga
  • Patent number: 9856754
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a cascaded recompression closed Brayton cycle (CRCBC) system and method of operation thereof, where the CRCBC system includes a compressor for compressing the system fluid, a separator for generating fluid feed streams for each of the system's turbines, and separate segments of a heater that heat the fluid feed streams to different feed temperatures for the system's turbines. Fluid exiting each turbine is used to preheat the fluid to the turbine. In an embodiment, the amount of heat extracted is determined by operational costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: James J. Pasch
  • Patent number: 9850775
    Abstract: An integrated shroud structure surrounds a circumferential array of stator vanes and a circumferential array of rotor blades of a gas turbine engine. The shroud structure includes a plurality of vane shroud segments and a plurality of blade shroud segments. The blade shroud segments integrally extend downstream from the vane shroud segments and each pair of circumferentially adjacent blade shroud segments defines an inter-segment gap. At least one slot extends axially from a location downstream of the vane shroud segments to an aft end of the blade shroud segment. The inter-segment gaps and slots are sealed by a sealing band mounted around the full circumference of the integrated shroud structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: John Pietrobon, Remy Synnott
  • Patent number: 9845710
    Abstract: A start-up method of a steam turbine plant includes a first step and a second step. The first step is performed at an aeration start time. In the first step, a reheat steam pressure of an aeration boiler is set to be a reheat steam pressure required by a steam turbine or less. Besides, a reheat steam pressure of a standby boiler is set to be a reheat steam pressure required for the standby boiler or more. The second step is performed when a load of the steam turbine becomes a predetermined value. In the second step, the reheat steam pressure of the aeration boiler is increased to the same degree as the reheat steam pressure of the standby boiler. After that, steam from the aeration boiler and steam from the standby boiler are merged to be supplied to the steam turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Mai Ichinose, Hiroyuki Tao, Atsuo Kinoshita