Patents Examined by Mickey H France
  • Patent number: 11274660
    Abstract: A stand-alone long-distance closed-loop heat energy capture, conveyance, and delivery system, comprises three closed-loop modules in serial communication. The first module is in communication with a first closed-loop piping infrastructure interconnected with a source of heat energy, and has a LBP liquid circulating therein whereby the LBP liquid is converted into its gas phase when flowing through the source of heat energy thereby capturing a portion of heat energy therefrom, and is converted into its liquid phase when flowing through a first heat exchanger that transfers the captured-heat energy to a second closed-loop piping infrastructure wherein also is circulating a LBP liquid. The second closed-loop module may extend for long distances. The captured-heat energy in the second module is transferred to a third closed-loop piping infrastructure wherein is also circulating a LBP liquid. The captured-heat energy is transferred from the third module to a delivery site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Lochterra Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald Alvin Radke
  • Patent number: 11274856
    Abstract: A new system for and a method of deploying a heat exchanger pipe. A bore hole is drilled from an access ditch location to a terminal ditch location using a piloted drill head powered via an umbilical attached to the piloted drill head. A casing is attached to the piloted drill head and disposed about the umbilical into the bore hole from the access ditch location to the terminal ditch location. At the terminal ditch location, the piloted drill head is removed from the casing and the umbilical and a heat exchanger pipe is attached to the umbilical. The umbilical is withdrawn from within the casing deployed in the bore hole to pull the heat exchanger pipe into the casing. The casing is then withdrawn from the bore hole leaving the heat exchanger pipe in the bore hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventor: Ari Peter Berman
  • Patent number: 11274792
    Abstract: A thermal storage subsystem may include at least a first storage reservoir disposed at least partially under ground configured to contain a thermal storage liquid at a storage pressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. A liquid passage may have an inlet connectable to a thermal storage liquid source and configured to convey the thermal storage liquid to the liquid reservoir. A first heat exchanger may be provided in the liquid inlet passage and may be in fluid communication between the first compression stage and the accumulator, whereby thermal energy can be transferred from a compressed gas stream exiting a gas compressor/expander subsystem to the thermal storage liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hydrostor Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Stradiotto, Cameron Lewis, Davin Young, Andrew McGillis
  • Patent number: 11268476
    Abstract: An energy conversion apparatus may include an engine assembly, such as a monolithic engine assembly, that includes a first heater body and a first engine body. The first heater body may define a first portion of a first monolithic body or at least a portion of a first monolithic body-segment. The first engine body may define a second portion of the first monolithic body or at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first heater body. The engine assembly may include a second heater body and/or a second engine body. The second heater body may define a portion of a second monolithic body or a third monolithic body-segment. The second engine body may define a portion of the second monolithic body or a fourth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second heater body and/or the first engine body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Tyler Mook, Michael Thomas Gansler, Scott Douglas Waun, Kevin Michael VandeVoorde, Aigbedion Akwara, Michael Robert Notarnicola, Jason Joseph Bellardi, Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun, Mary Kathryn Thompson, Mohamed Osama
  • Patent number: 11268440
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stabilization bearing system for a geared turbofan engine, in particular an aircraft engine, with a stabilization bearing for an input shaft device to an epicyclic gearbox device of the geared turbofan engine, the stabilization bearing being located axially in front of an input shaft device location bearing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & KG
    Inventor: Philip Brian Walker
  • Patent number: 11255273
    Abstract: A turbomachine dual spool differential can include a gear assembly configured to combine a low pressure spool input and a high pressure spool input into a combination output to provide an output speed range smaller than a low pressure spool speed range alone. The gear assembly can include a ring gear, a sun gear, and a plurality of planetary gears disposed between the sun gear and the ring gear and meshed with the sun gear and the ring gear. The planetary gears can be rotationally connected to a carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Finke, Stephen Michael Bortoli, Jonathan C. Dell
  • Patent number: 11255581
    Abstract: A free piston Stirling refrigerator of the present invention has a cylinder provided inside a casing; a piston and a displacer that are provided in a way such that they are capable of reciprocating inside the cylinder; a linear motor for reciprocating the piston; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the linear motor. Particularly, the control unit has an inverter circuit for generating an alternating current with a given frequency and then supplying the alternating current to the linear motor; a current detection circuit for detecting the current outputted from the inverter circuit; and a control circuit for controlling the output from the inverter circuit based on a turbulence in the current detected by the current detection circuit. Thus, collisions between the piston and the displacer (i.e. hitting) can be restricted through an inexpensive configuration and a simple control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Twinbird Corporation
    Inventors: Mineyuki Inoue, Kazuya Tsuji, Jun Komada
  • Patent number: 11255262
    Abstract: A hybrid compressed air energy storage system is provided. A heat exchanger 114 extracts thermal energy from a compressed air to generate a cooled compressed air stored in an air storage reservoir 120, e.g., a cavern. A heat exchanger 124 transfers thermal energy generated by a carbon-neutral thermal energy source 130 to cooled compressed air conveyed from reservoir 120 to generate a heated compressed air. An expander 140 is solely responsive to the heated compressed air by heat exchanger 124 to produce power and generate an expanded air. Expander 140 is effective to reduce a temperature of the expanded air by expander 140, and thus a transfer of thermal energy from an expanded exhaust gas received by a recuperator 146 (used to heat the expanded air by the first expander) is effective for reducing waste of thermal energy in exhaust gas cooled by recuperator 146.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventor: Joseph T. Williams
  • Patent number: 11248499
    Abstract: This invention refers to an installation for the generation of mechanical energy using a Combined Power Cycle which comprises, at least; means to implement a closed or semi-closed regenerative constituent Brayton cycle which uses water as thermal fluid, means to implement at least one Rankine cycle, the constituent basic Rankine cycle, interconnected with the regenerative constituent Brayton cycle, and a heat pump (UAX) which makes up a closed circuit that regenerates the regenerative constituent Brayton cycle; as well as the procedure for generating energy through the use of the cited installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventor: Javier Carlos Velloso Mohedano
  • Patent number: 11242785
    Abstract: Provided is a process that may comprise cooling an engine exhaust emissions comprising SOx on a vehicle that may come from an engine. The cooled engine exhaust emissions comprising SOx may be passed to one or more absorption units. The SOx may be extracted from the engine exhaust emissions with a sorbent supported on solid porous media in an absorption unit on the vehicle to form an absorbed SOx. The absorbed SOx may be desorbed, followed by forming one or more SOx product from the desorbed SOx. The one or more SOx product may be unloaded to an off-vehicle facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Maryam M Al-Taher, Esam Zaki Hamad, Remi Mahfouz
  • Patent number: 11236640
    Abstract: A steam power plant includes a first steam power plant, a second steam power plant, and an inter-unit. The first steam power plant includes a boiler, a high-pressure turbine, a first reheat line, a first feed water heater, and a high-pressure extraction steam line. The second steam power plant includes a boiler, a high-pressure turbine, a first reheat line, a first feed water heater, and a high-pressure extraction steam line. The inter-unit connected extraction steam line connects the high-pressure extraction steam line of the first steam power plant with the high-pressure extraction steam line of the second steam power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Tamura
  • Patent number: 11230949
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for converting heat into mechanical energy comprising an expansion device producing mechanical energy from a flow of vapor of a fluid; an evaporator heated by a heat source to a high temperature and configured to supply the expansion device with vapor; a condenser cooled by a heat sink to a low temperature and configured to condense the vapor discharged by the expansion device; a liquid circuit configured to transfer fluid in liquid phase from the condenser to the evaporator; a vapor circuit configured to transfer fluid in vapor phase from the evaporator to the condenser; and valves configured to, in a first, active stroke, close the liquid and vapor circuits, and, in a second, inactive stroke, open the liquid and vapor circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ENTENT
    Inventor: Mathias Fonlupt
  • Patent number: 11225950
    Abstract: A multirotor wind turbine (1) comprising a vertical tower and at least two energy generating units (5), a load carrying structure (9, 10) extending transverse to the vertical direction and carrying the at least two energy generating units (5); and at least one escape route extending between a start and an exit. To provide a safe escape route, the load carrying structure forms at least a first section of the escape route from the start to an intermediate location, and the wind turbine comprises an escape opening in the nacelle, the escape opening leading from an interior space of a nacelle of the energy generating unit to a passage structure and the passage structure extending from the escape opening to the start of the escape route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Torben Ladegaard Baun, Brian Jørgensen, Per Holten-Møller, Jonas Lerche Schomacker
  • Patent number: 11225951
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for extracting heat energy from geothermal briny fluid. A briny fluid can be extracted from a geothermal production well and delivered to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can receive the briny fluid and transfer heat energy from the briny fluid to a molten salt. The molten salt can be pumped to a molten salt storage tank that can serve as energy storage. The briny fluid can be returned to a geothermal source via the production well. The briny fluid can remain in a closed-loop system, apart from the molten salt, from extraction through return to the geothermal production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventor: David Alan McBay
  • Patent number: 11220945
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating an internal combustion engine which comprises a primary air system for providing fresh air and a secondary air system. The secondary air system is configured to branch off secondary air from the primary air system and blow it into an exhaust gas duct. The secondary air system has a compressor for feeding the secondary air and a secondary air valve for shutting off or enabling the blowing in of secondary air. The method includes (i) activating the compressor while the secondary air valve is kept closed, (ii) determining whether compressor surging is occurring or is directly imminent, (iii) sensing at least one sensor signal if compressor surging is occurring or is directly imminent, and (iv) determining whether there is a leak in the secondary air system, on the basis of the sensed sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Jessen, Michael Baeuerle
  • Patent number: 11208938
    Abstract: An exhaust tail trim for a vehicle capable of being manufactured in various colors and having advantages of improving aesthetic sense, improving sense of integrated design and improving merchantability of a vehicle may include a heat pipe assembly disposed at an outside of an exhaust pipe through which exhaust gas is discharged; and a trim cover disposed at an end portion of the exhaust pipe and located at an outside of the heat pipe assembly, where the trim cover is made of synthetic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dae Gil Hwang
  • Patent number: 11208942
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for clamping an exhaust manifold to a cylinder head with at least one clamp that is configured to allow thermal expansion and movement of the exhaust manifold while preventing exhaust leaks through the exhaust manifold and cylinder head connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Cook, Simon Anthony Burge, Milind Subhash Deulkar, Thomas James Anthony Bennett, Kieran J. Richards, Timothy S. T. King, Daniel C. Sopp
  • Patent number: 11209192
    Abstract: A split Stirling cryogenic refrigerator device may include a resonant pneumatic expander comprising a resonant displacer assembly supported by a spring and configured to slide back and forth along a longitudinal axis within a housing of the resonant pneumatic expander, the resonant displacer assembly comprising a tubular displacer containing a regenerator and coupled to a sealing piston, and a driving piston coupled to the sealing piston by an elongated radially compliant and axially rigid connecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Cryo Tech Ltd.
    Inventor: Alexander Veprik
  • Patent number: 11193431
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods in interoperating with multiple clean energy sources, such as pneumatic energy, electrical energy, hydrogen energy and steam energy, with engine configurations employing theses clean energy sources dynamically and synchronously. Further embodiments including fossil fuel energies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Marvin W. Ward
  • Patent number: 11187185
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery system comprising a thermal circuit. The thermal circuit includes a boiler and an expander fluidly coupled to the boiler. The thermal circuit further includes a power transfer system integrated to the expander. The power transfer system is configured to receive mechanical energy from the expander. The thermal circuit further includes an ejector fluidly coupled to the boiler and to the power transfer system. The ejector is configured to receive a motive flow of working fluid from the boiler. The ejector is further configured to receive a suction flow of working fluid from the power transfer system. The ejector is further configured to combine the motive flow of working fluid and the suction flow of working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Jared Carpenter Delahanty, Nathan Thomas Honican