Patents Examined by Peter Kratz
  • Patent number: 4973343
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the functions of two TV cameras in the prior art for monitoring polymer coating concentricity and/or carbon coating thickness are accomplished by a single TV camera (48). Rather than being projected onto an opaque dispersive screen, the forward-scattered mode pattern of each of the orthogonal beams (57,58) is transmitted through a translucent screen (52,53) and reflected to an image combining device (67) which transmits both patterns to the single TV camera (48). The two beams are slightly vertically displaced to establish displaced images (72,73) of the two patterns. This allows the two patterns to be viewed simultaneously and distinguished by the TV camera. Modified electronics (FIG. 10) provide for alternate TV scanning of the two images so that a computer (22) can monitor and correct concentricity and/or carbon coating thickness in real time during fiber production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Ralph E. Frazee, Jr., David H. Smithgall, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4971600
    Abstract: An arrangement for gasification of fuels within the range from fine grain fuel to dust shaped fuels, in a dust cloud with gas comprises a gasification reactor provided with at least two burners, a supply container for accommodating a fuel, a distributor connected to the supply container for receiving the fuel from the supply container, and a plurality of conduits connected with the distributor and supplying the fuel from the latter to the burners, the conduits having a different geometrical parameter including at least one of a length and a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Krupp Koppers GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Richard Baumann, Adolf Linke, Hans-Reiner Schweimanns, Karl-Heinz Dutz
  • Patent number: 4971601
    Abstract: Synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas is produced by the partial oxidation of ash-containing solid carbonaceous and/or liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel at an autogenous temperature in the range of about 20.degree. F. to 200.degree. F. below the softening temperature of the ash in said fuel, and at a pressure in the range of about 17 to 100 atmospheres to produce a raw effluent gas stream containing entrained carbon-rich fly-ash which is separated from the effuent gas stream. A fuel mixture comprising about 20 to 100 wt. % of said carbon-rich fly-ash and about 0 to 80 wt. % of a supplemental fuel is reacted by partial oxidation at an autogenous temperature of about 100.degree. F. above the ash-fusion temperature, and at a reduced pressure e.g. in the range of about 1 to 16 atmospheres and at least 16 atmospheres below the pressure in the partial oxidation reaction used to produce said carbon-rich fly-ash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Mitri S. Najjar, Walter C. Gates, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4969932
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of flyslag from the gasification of coal is described, the process being characterized, in one embodiment, by mixing of the flyslag with a cementitious material and a residual waste stream from a coal gasification process, the waste stream containing particulate flyslag solids. A composition comprising flyslag and a cementitious material, in specified proportions is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Potter, Daniel C. Baker
  • Patent number: 4969930
    Abstract: An apparatus for gasifying solid carbonaceous material in a circulating fluidized bed reactor. Particles are separated from the product gas at least in two stages so that in the first stage mainly coarser, so-called circulating particles are separated and returned to the reactor. In the second stage fine carbonaceous and ash-containing particulates are separated from the gas and are made to agglomerate at a raised temperature. Coarser particles thus received are returned to the reactor through a return duct together with circulating particles. Agglomeration is effected in a chamber where a fluidized bed composed of coarse particles is maintained. Fine particulate material and oxygen containing gas are introduced into the free upper part of the chamber so as to form a hot flame (e.g. 1200.degree. C.). The point of the flame penetrates into the fluidized bed. The ash material contained in the fine particulate material melts, and is conducted to the bubbling fluidized bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: A. Ahlstrom Corporation
    Inventor: Olli E. Arpalahti
  • Patent number: 4969933
    Abstract: A process for the treatment of flyslag from the gasification of coal is described, the process being characterized, in one embodiment, by mixing of the flyslag with a residual waste stream from a coal gasification process, the wast stream containing particulate flyslag solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Edward H. Hsu, Daniel C. Baker, Charles M. Arbore
  • Patent number: 4968520
    Abstract: A method of freezing food products such as meat and poultry as well as vegetables and fruits, including the steps of cooling brine made up of propylene glycol, sodium chloride and water and then contacting the food product with the cooled brine. The food product is maintained in contact with the brine for a time sufficient to freeze the food to a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Swift-Eckrich, Inc.
    Inventor: Pie Y. Wang
  • Patent number: 4968325
    Abstract: There are disclosed a process and a plant for gasifying biomass. The plant has a pressure vessel containing a hot fluidized sand bed. The bio-mass is pre-dried to a moisture content of from 10% to 35% by weight. A steam-free oxygen-containing gas is fed and distributed, through a grid system at the bottom of the hot sand bed, to hold the bed in a fluidized state and to form, in its lower portion, an oxygen-rich heat-forming combustion zone and, in its upper portion, a hydrogen-rich gas-forming pyrolysis zone. The pre-dried biomass is uninterruptedly fed in the pyrolysis zone at essentially the center of the hot fluidized bed, this center being determined when the sand bed stands at rest. The fluidized bed is held at an operating temperature of 750.degree. to 860.degree. C. under an operating pressure of 400 kPa to 1750 kPa by controlling the feeding rate of the fluidized gas as well as the feeding rate of the biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Centre Quebecois de Valorisation de la Biomasse
    Inventors: John W. Black, Guy Gravel, Raynald Hoareau
  • Patent number: 4964882
    Abstract: The invention teaches a method of spacing the elements of a flame arrestor and securing that spacing in a simple and economical manner. A shim is used to space the elements, the elements are welded together and the shim is removed. This leaves a controlled flow path between the elements, but the spacing is such to prevent the propagation of a flame through the arrestor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan R. Gaul
  • Patent number: 4963223
    Abstract: Pairs of rollers which receive and make the reel rotate are mounted on a device rotating about a fixed axis, there being associated with said device means designed to keep the axes of the rollers of each pair on a horizontal plane during rotation of the device itself, gluing and rewinding of the strip, and means for imparting to said pairs of rollers an oscillation for unloading the glued reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Inventor: Guglielmo Biagotti
  • Patent number: 4963513
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the coproduction of a combustible gas stream usable as an energy source, a sulfur-dioxide-containing second gas stream usable as a source of oxidant in the gasification of coal, and a sulfur-dioxide-containing third gas stream usable as a feedstock for the production of sulfuric acid. The process includes heating coal in a coal gasification zone in the presence of an oxygen and sulfur dioxide-containing atmosphere under partial coal gasifying conditions to produce a carbonaceous char and a crude coal gas stream. Sulfur-containing compounds are removed from the coal gas stream and converted to elemental sulfur. The carbonaceous char is combined with gypsum to form a feed mixture. The non-gypsum portion of the feed mixture contains sufficient reducing potential to release substantially all of the sulfur in the gypsum as gaseous compounds of sulfur in a +4 or lower oxidation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Florida Institute of Phosphate Research
    Inventor: Jerome H. Marten
  • Patent number: 4963163
    Abstract: A method for determining blockage of a coal gasification process gasifier outlet or quench zone by observing changes in the sound pressure between the quench zone and the gasifier is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Clomburg, Jr., Otto E. Crenwelge, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4961908
    Abstract: A combustion apparatus is provided, preferably of the thermal heat regeneration type, in which noxious or other gases are passed to an incineration chamber, to be burned at a sufficiently high temperature that they are disposed of. The apparatus is constructed as a compact unit, as essentially a single oven separated into a plurality of heat exchange sections, and with plenums therebeneath, fed by an inlet duct, and able to deliver the products of combustion to an outlet duct, both preferably disposed beneath the plenums, and preferably mounted on a common supporting frame for facilitating sufficient mounting of the apparatus, as well as ready transport of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Regenerative Environmental Equip. Co.
    Inventors: Rodney L. Pennington, James H. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4960440
    Abstract: Process water is formed when pyrolysis gas obtained in the pyrolytic decomposition of a starting material is cooled. Due to its content of chemical compounds, it is very costly to dispose of or eliminate the process water. A process for reducing the quantity of by-products in the generation of pyrolysis gas recycles the process water to a pyrolysis reactor operating with a fluidized bed. As a result, the process water is reduced in quantity and purified in a simple manner, and the yield of pyrolysis gas is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Monika Betz
  • Patent number: 4960439
    Abstract: An arrangement for the gasification of fuels with oxygen or oxygen-containing gases and steam, includes a shaft-like vessel for receiving solid charging stock. A gas discharge duct is provided on the upper end of the vessel and a primary gas chamber is in connection with the shaft-like vessel on its lower end via a passage. In the primary gas chamber a burner is provided, which includes feedings for oxygen or oxygen-containing gases as well as for fuels. A trough for receiving slag is arranged below. the primary gas chamber and a supporting bottoms is provided between the trough and the shaft-like vessel, reaching into the primary gas chamber, for the formation of a dumping material bed of the solid charging stock facing the burner by one dumping surface. In order to be able to gasify low-quality fuels into a high-quality product gas, the primary gas chamber includes a charging opening for charging a charging stock to be gasified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Freimann, Gernot Staudinger
  • Patent number: 4959079
    Abstract: A reformer method for reforming hydrocarbons are described. The feed stream is heated in the presence of reforming catalyst both in a tube convection portion and a radiant section of the reformer furnace. The catalyst tubes may have an extended surface in the tube convection portion to enhance heat transfer within the convection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Santa Fe Braun Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Grotz, Vito Frankini
  • Patent number: 4959078
    Abstract: The hot-gas cooling plant has a gas outlet line releasably connected between the radiant cooler and the convection cooler. The gas outlet line is curved to extend from an upper region of the radiant cooler to the top end of the convection cooler. Flange connections are used to connect the gas outlet line to the pressure vessels of the coolers. Cooling tubes are also provided within the gas outlet line for cooling the flow of gas therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventor: Georg Ziegler
  • Patent number: 4959080
    Abstract: A process and reaction for the gasification of coal disclosed, the invention being characterized by the provision in each of a plurality of layers of slag coalescing materials on the inner liner of the reactor to provide a protective coating on the wall or walls of the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Charles V. Sternling
  • Patent number: 4957526
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the functions of two TV cameras in the prior art for monitoring polymer coating concentricity and/or carbon coating thickness are accomplished by a single TV camera (48). Rather than being projected onto an opaque dispersive screen, the forward-scattered mode pattern of each of the orthogonal beams (57,58) is transmitted through a translucent screen (52,53) and reflected to an image combining device (67) which transmits both patterns to the single TV camera (48). The two beams are slightly vertically displaced to establish displaced images (72,73) of the two patterns. This allows the two patterns to be viewed simultaneously and distinguished by the TV camera. Modified electronics (FIG. 10) provide for alternate TV scanning of the two images so that a computer (22) can monitor and correct concentricity and/or carbon coating thickness in real time during fiber production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Ralph E. Frazee, Jr., David H. Smithgall, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4957754
    Abstract: An edible food container is provided with two different fatty coating layers including a top glaze that is free of sugar. A prima coat has a higher setting temperature than the top glaze. Hydrophobicity increases from the prime coat to the top glaze. Solids can be added to the top glaze and the container can be made from a sugar free baked dough. Other variations are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Suedmilch Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner G. Munk, Manfred Klecker, Franz Haas