Patents Examined by Webeshet Mengesha
  • Patent number: 12650204
    Abstract: Disclosed are a hydrogen tank and a method of operating the same. The hydrogen tank includes a tank vessel configured with an enclosed interior space for storing an admixture of carbon dioxide and gaseous hydrogen; and a tank port configured to fluidly contact the interior space of the tank vessel and including a semipermeable membrane, which is configured substantially permeable for the gaseous hydrogen and substantially impermeable for the carbon dioxide and is arranged to seal the tank vessel against the outside. The gaseous hydrogen can enter and leave the tank vessel through the tank port via the semipermeable membrane but carbon dioxide is kept in the tank vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Revidat, Carsten Loevenich, Sebastian Martin, Yannick Port, Ulrich Karrer, Andreas Kapp
  • Patent number: 12650249
    Abstract: A low temperature regenerator for a cryocooler includes a hybrid regenerative portion having regenerative materials of helium gas (“regenerative helium”) combined with rare earth materials. Helium is also used as the refrigerant in the cryocooler (“working helium”). Regenerative helium is contained in one or more regenerative networks of connected hollow regenerative channels or hollow tube(s). The one or more regenerative networks have at least one micro-opening to allow gas exchange between working helium and regenerative helium during the cryocooler operation. The regenerative networks include regenerative channels in one or more layers. Flow passages of working helium between the regenerative channels within each layer and between two adjacent layers of the regenerative networks are filled with particles of rare earth materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: Boston Cryogenics LLC
    Inventor: Chao Wang
  • Patent number: 12650260
    Abstract: Cryogenic removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or CryoDAC (Cryogenic Direct Air Capture), uses extremely low temperatures to convert atmospheric CO2 into a frozen solid while other components of air such as oxygen and nitrogen remain as gases. Air from the atmosphere is passed through a recuperative heat exchanger to cool the air to a temperature slightly above the deposition point of CO2. The cooled air is then passed over a deposition surface chilled to a temperature below the deposition point of CO2. Carbon dioxide in the air transitions from gas to solid form upon contact with the deposition surface. The frozen CO2 is collected and stored. The cold air with CO2 removed is passed back through the recuperative heat exchanger to cool incoming air and is then returned to the atmosphere. The deposition surface may be cooled by a cryogenic refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Franklin Cutler, Ruslan Nagimov, Eric Clarence Peterson
  • Patent number: 12644643
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses and systems related to at-shore liquefaction of natural gas. The at-shore water-based apparatuses can include a hull, an air-cooled electrically-driven refrigeration system (“AER System”), and a plurality of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) storage tanks that are on a lower deck of the hull. The AER System can be supported by a plurality of support structures extending through an upper deck of the hull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: STEELHEAD LNG (ASLNG) LTD.
    Inventors: Alex Brigden, Angus Remfry, Glen Cunial, Tom Boguslawski
  • Patent number: 12638237
    Abstract: The disclosure describes processes which include cooling a natural gas product stream to a cryogenic liquid storage temperature by way of refrigeration streams which include a primary refrigeration stream, a secondary refrigeration stream, and a tertiary refrigeration stream in a refrigeration system. After leaving the refrigeration system, the pressure of each refrigeration stream is increased, and upon reaching a sufficient pressure, the refrigeration streams are recycled to flow back into the refrigeration system as a recycle stream. The disclosure further describes systems capable of performing the processes. The processes and systems can include one or more sensors and one or more controls capable of adjusting a flow rate, flow volume, and/or flow ratio among one or more gas streams to maximize cooling efficiency based on monitoring from the one or more sensors. Mobile natural gas liquefaction systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: NuBlu Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Ravi Sudhakar Vemulapalli, Robert Meredith Harman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12618593
    Abstract: A cryogenic cooling system is provided comprising a cryogenic refrigerator assembly and two or more connected modules. The cryogenic refrigerator assembly comprises one or more cryogenic refrigerators. Each said connected module comprises: a housing defining an internal volume for the module, the housing having a plurality of side faces, and a plurality of stages arranged within the internal volume for the module, wherein one or more of the plurality of stages is thermally coupled to the cryogenic refrigerator assembly. The two or more said modules are mutually connected at respective side faces, and a first said stage of a first said module is thermally coupled to a first said stage of a second said module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Oxford Nanoscience Limited
    Inventors: Linshu Jiang, Robin Brzakalik, Chris Wilkinson, Anthony Matthews, Matthew Martin, Timothy Poole, Timothy Foster
  • Patent number: 12607399
    Abstract: A liquid nitrogen energy storage (LNES) system that includes a liquid charging mode and a power generating mode is provided. The disclosed liquid nitrogen energy storage system comprises a nitrogen liquefier designed to cool or liquefy a first portion of the gaseous nitrogen and a cold recovery heat exchanger designed to cool or liquefy a second portion of the gaseous nitrogen during a liquid charging mode and to warm a liquid nitrogen energy stream during a power generating mode. The liquid nitrogen energy storage system also includes a cold store configured to provide refrigeration for liquefaction of the second portion of the gaseous nitrogen in the cold recovery heat exchanger during the liquid charging mode and to warm a portion of the liquid nitrogen taken as a liquid nitrogen energy stream in the cold recovery heat exchanger during the power generating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Neil M. Prosser
  • Patent number: 12595938
    Abstract: An apparatus for using nitrogen within a closed loop cryogenic system is described. A cryochamber is provided that has a first nitrogen flow line with an inlet for connection to a nitrogen source and an outlet. At least one cryogenic cooling loop is provided that has a nitrogen inlet and a nitrogen outlet. The nitrogen inlet and outlet are in fluid communication with the first nitrogen flow line. The nitrogen inlet is positioned upstream of the nitrogen outlet. A heat exchanger is provided on the at least one cryogenic cooling loops through which the nitrogen passes. The heat exchanger has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A turbo expander is in fluid communication with the outlet of the first nitrogen flow line and the nitrogen source. The turbo expander re-cools the nitrogen that passes through the first flow line and the at least one cryogenic cooling loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Inventor: Geoff Rowe
  • Patent number: 12584686
    Abstract: An integrated industrial unit is provided, which can include: a nitrogen source comprising an air separation unit that is configured to provide pressurized gaseous nitrogen and liquid nitrogen; a hydrogen source; a hydrogen liquefaction unit, wherein the hydrogen liquefaction unit comprises a precooling system, and a liquefaction system; and a liquid hydrogen storage tank, wherein the precooling system is configured to receive the gaseous hydrogen from the hydrogen source and cool the gaseous hydrogen to a temperature between 70K and 100K, wherein the precooling system comprises a primary refrigeration system and a secondary refrigeration system, wherein the liquefaction system is in fluid communication with the precooling system and is configured to liquefy the gaseous hydrogen received from the precooling system to produce liquid hydrogen, wherein the liquid hydrogen storage tank is in fluid communication with the liquefaction system and is configured to store the liquid hydrogen received from the liquefact
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2026
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michael A. Turney, Alain Guillard, Bobby Chan
  • Patent number: 12578059
    Abstract: Systems, plants, and methods are presented that make use of natural gas compression capability and various other components of an existing underground natural gas storage (UGS) facility by co-locating a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and storage facility to increase natural gas storage of the UGS as LNG. Especially contemplated facilities include natural gas storage facilities with gas one or more compressor systems that have excess or redundant compression capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2026
    Assignee: The Lisbon Group, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Barclay, M. Josue Zapata, John A. Barclay
  • Patent number: 12540773
    Abstract: A system for processing liquified natural gas can include: a natural gas feed; a cold box; one or more natural gas cooling components; and a storage tank configured to store a refrigerant, wherein the one or more natural gas cooling components and the storage tank are located within the cold box. The cold box can be a methane cold box and the refrigerant can be propane, ethane, or ethylene. The system can also include a propane refrigerant cycle and/or an ethylene refrigerant cycle. Refrigerant stored in the methane cold box can be used to replenish refrigerant lost in the propane/ethylene cycles. The cold box can be an ethylene cold box of the ethylene refrigerant cycle. Propane can be stored in the ethylene cold box. A second storage tank can be located within a methane cold box and store ethane or ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2026
    Inventor: Brian Frankie
  • Patent number: 12535247
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas handling system (GHS) for a dilution refrigerator, the GHS including a primary pump unit arranged for maintaining a helium output flow including helium vapor from the dilution refrigerator and a helium input flow into the dilution refrigerator for maintaining a cooled operating temperature of the dilution refrigerator. The primary pump unit is arranged for facilitating initiating the helium input flow and the helium output flow for cooling the dilution refrigerator by both capturing the helium vapor from the dilution refrigerator and causing the helium vapor to be condensed for the helium input flow at the dilution refrigerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2025
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2026
    Assignee: BLUEFORS OY
    Inventor: Benjamin Alldritt
  • Patent number: 12503365
    Abstract: System for purifying argon by cryogenic distillation, comprising a single column surmounted by a top-end condenser, a fluid inlet in the lower part of the column, a fluid outlet in the upper part of the column, and N distillation sections where N?4, of which at least the two uppermost sections of the column are equipped respectively with a first liquid distributor and with a second liquid distributor, the second distributor being capable of performing a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the distributor, each of the first and second distributors being positioned above the respective section and of which the two lowermost sections of the column are respectively equipped with a (N?1)th and an Nth liquid distributor capable of performing a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the distributor, and which is arranged above the respective section, the first, second, (N?1)th and Nth distributors each being dimensioned to contain a maximum height of liquid head, that (those) of the first
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Bernard Saulnier, Antonio Trueba
  • Patent number: 12498159
    Abstract: A cryogenic cooling manifold and methods incorporating a cryogenic cooling manifold for managing the gas layer(s) above a liquid cryogen to control cooling temperature-time profiles and ice formation for microliter and smaller samples that are plunged through the gas and into the liquid cryogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: MiTeGen, LLC
    Inventors: David Closs, Stephen Hollabaugh, Robert E. Thorne, Robert Newman, Benjamin A. Apker
  • Patent number: 12474115
    Abstract: A set of process equipment for use in an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process comprises first piping, a dehydrator, second piping, and a natural gas liquids recovery column. The first piping is configured to receive a wet carbon dioxide recycle stream from a recovery well. The dehydrator is configured to receive the wet carbon dioxide stream from the first piping and configured to dehydrate the wet carbon dioxide recycle stream using ethylene glycol to produce a dry carbon dioxide recycle stream. The second piping is configured to receive the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream from the dehydrator. The natural gas liquids recovery column is configured to receive the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream from the second piping and configured to separate the dry carbon dioxide recycle stream into a carbon dioxide reinjection stream and a natural gas liquids stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2025
    Assignee: Pilot Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Prim, Mark Mathias
  • Patent number: 12449097
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a hydrogen fuel storage device, comprising: an innermost shell forming a hydrogen storage space; wherein the porous carbon material are filled in the hydrogen storage space; an inner shell forms a shape surrounding the innermost shell; a nitrogen storage space is formed between the outer surface of the innermost shell and the inner surface of the inner shell; an insulation layer surrounding the outer surface of the inner shell; an outer shell surrounding the insulation layer; a vacuum space is formed between the outer surface of the insulation layer and the inner surface of the outer shell; a plurality of heating equipment is arranged inside the nitrogen storage space, a plurality of sensors is arranged inside the hydrogen storage space and the nitrogen storage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Inventor: Quyen Dinh Tran
  • Patent number: 12422186
    Abstract: Provided is a cooling device with which it is possible to cool a fluid to be cooled, even before maintenance work, if a fault such as a blockage or a breakage occurs in a part of a channel. The cooling device (1) is provided with four heat exchangers (1A-1D) and a plurality of heat exchanger connection parts (111-120), each of the heat exchanger connection parts allowing natural gas to flow therethrough. Each of the heat exchangers has: a drum (101, 102, 103, fourth drum 104), a refrigerant reservoir (T), a plurality of heat exchanger core parts (121, 122, 123, 124) immersed in liquid propane in the refrigerant reservoir (T), and a demister (106). A plurality of cooling channels allowing natural gas to flow therethrough are installed, independent of each other, from the first heat exchanger (1A) to the fourth heat exchanger (1D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2025
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Mitsuhashi, Yasuhiro Mitarai, Jong Yoon Cho
  • Patent number: 12405056
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas separation arrangement for separating and containing various types of gas received from a collection chamber. In certain embodiments, the gas separation arrangement is envisioned to assist in mining select gases from the Moon. The arrangement includes plurality of progressively chilled separation tanks that successively separate out different species of gas. The separation tanks are connected to and receive the various gas species from the collection chamber. Each separation tank can have an independent heat exchanger that maintains the respective separation tank at a temperature that selectively liquifies/precipitates out a target species of gas allowing the remaining gas to move to a successive separation tank. Ultimately, He-3 and He-4 are separated from one another to be collected, like the other gas species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2025
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2025
    Assignee: LUNAR HELIUM-3 MINING, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Salvino, Andrew Dummer, Paul A Beatty
  • Patent number: 12398952
    Abstract: The present application discloses a waste argon separation system capable of reducing emission of cryogenic waste argon. The waste argon separation system capable of reducing emission of cryogenic waste argon includes a valve bank, at least two adsorption towers, sewage discharge channels having at least the same number as the adsorption towers, a gas inlet component, and at least one argon reflux component. The valve bank includes a gas inlet valve, an analytic control valve, and at least two sewage discharge valves. The top of each of the adsorption towers is provided with an argon-rich gas outlet, and the argon-rich gas outlet at the top of each of the adsorption towers is connected to each other to form a regeneration channel. The argon-rich gas outlet at the top of each of the adsorption towers is further connected to an argon-rich gas outlet channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: SHANGHAI LIFENGAS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhengxiong Zhang, Andy Hao, Jax Zhu, Qinyou Tang, Mingxing He, Huaqin Liu, Lin Wang
  • Patent number: 12379071
    Abstract: Method, system, apparatus, and/or device for drying a dewar. The dewar drying apparatus includes a heating element. The heating element is configured to produce heat that warms a payload area within the dewar. The dewar drying apparatus includes a controller. The controller is coupled to the heating element and configured to determine or detect a temperature within the payload area of the dewar. The controller is configured to control, using the heating element, the temperature within the payload area of the dewar to evaporate a liquid or a gas within the payload area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Cryoport, Inc.
    Inventors: Eden Sanchez, Bret Bollinger, Ben Lee