Patents by Inventor Ahmed F. Ghoniem

Ahmed F. Ghoniem has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10774724
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system includes a first stage catalytic converter, a second stage catalytic converter, and a conduit extending from the first stage catalytic converter to the second stage catalytic converter. The conduit passes through an exhaust gas intercooler, between the first and second stage catalytic converts, that reduces the temperature of the exhaust to about 300° F. to about 500° F. Air is ejected into the exhaust conduit to increase the oxygen concentration in the exhaust before it passes through the second stage catalytic converter. The air can be ejected from an air ejection conduit that extends to an engine charger compressor or a compressed air conduit that extends from the engine charger compressor, such as a turbo charger and/or a supercharger, to the engine. A gas particulate filter can be disposed in the exhaust conduit or it can be integrated with the second stage catalytic converter, for example as a catalyzed gas particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Tecogen, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Robert Panora, Jean Roy, Joseph Gehret
  • Patent number: 10774720
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system includes a first catalytic converter, an oxidation catalyst including a storage catalyst, an air injector, and a cooling unit. The exhaust aftertreatment system is fluidly coupled to an output of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine that operates in the rich regime during acceleration and the lean regime during deceleration. In one aspect, the storage catalyst stores ammonia produced while the engine operates in the rich regime. The stored ammonia reacts with nitrogen oxide compounds produced when the engine operates in the lean regime. In another aspect, the nitrogen oxide compounds react with ammonia produced while the engine operates in the rich regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Tecogen, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Jean Roy
  • Publication number: 20190234284
    Abstract: Exhaust generated from an internal combustion engine includes particulates and gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables. The exhaust is cooled in an exhaust gas cooler from a first temperature to a second temperature such that a first portion of the gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables in the exhaust condense to the liquid phase and a second portion of the gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables in the exhaust condense on black carbon particles to form semivolatile brown carbon particulates. Some or all of the liquid-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables and the semivolatile brown carbon particulates are trapped in a gasoline particulate filter or a catalyzed gasoline particulate filter located downstream of the exhaust gas cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Jean Roy, Joseph Gehret
  • Publication number: 20180230886
    Abstract: Exhaust generated from an internal combustion engine includes particulates and gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables. The exhaust is cooled in an exhaust gas cooler from a first temperature to a second temperature such that a first portion of the gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables in the exhaust condense to the liquid phase and a second portion of the gas-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables in the exhaust condense on black carbon particles to form semivolatile brown carbon particulates. Some or all of the liquid-phase volatile hydrocarbon condensables and the semivolatile brown carbon particulates are trapped in a gasoline particulate filter or a catalyzed gasoline particulate filter located downstream of the exhaust gas cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Jean Roy, Joseph Gehret
  • Publication number: 20180230882
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system includes a first catalytic converter, an oxidation catalyst including a storage catalyst, an air injector, and a cooling unit. The exhaust aftertreatment system is fluidly coupled to an output of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine that operates in the rich regime during acceleration and the lean regime during deceleration. In one aspect, the storage catalyst stores ammonia produced while the engine operates in the rich regime. The stored ammonia reacts with nitrogen oxide compounds produced when the engine operates in the lean regime. In another aspect, the nitrogen oxide compounds react with ammonia produced while the engine operates in the rich regime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Jean Roy
  • Publication number: 20180230883
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system includes a first stage catalytic converter, a second stage catalytic converter, and a conduit extending from the first stage catalytic converter to the second stage catalytic converter. The conduit passes through an exhaust gas intercooler, between the first and second stage catalytic converts, that reduces the temperature of the exhaust to about 300° F. to about 500° F. Air is ejected into the exhaust conduit to increase the oxygen concentration in the exhaust before it passes through the second stage catalytic converter. The air can be ejected from an air ejection conduit that extends to an engine charger compressor or a compressed air conduit that extends from the engine charger compressor, such as a turbo charger and/or a supercharger, to the engine. A gas particulate filter can be disposed in the exhaust conduit or it can be integrated with the second stage catalytic converter, for example as a catalyzed gas particulate filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Robert Panora, Jean Roy, Joseph Gehret
  • Publication number: 20180230874
    Abstract: An engine radiator cooling fluid circuit and an exhaust gas intercooler (EGI) radiator cooling fluid circuit are fluidically in parallel with one another. The engine radiator cooling fluid circuit extends from the radiator to an engine associated with a vehicle or a stationary system such as a CHP system. The EGI radiator cooling fluid circuit extends from a radiator to an EGI that cools exhaust gas as it flows through an exhaust conduit that extends from a first catalytic converter to a second catalytic converter. The radiator cooling fluid circuits can share a common radiator coil or each radiator cooling fluid circuit can be associated with a respective radiator coil in the radiator. A gas particulate filter can be coupled to the exhaust conduit or the second catalytic converter. An air-driven exhaust gas ejector (EGE) such as an engine charger compressor injects air into an inlet port in the exhaust conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Ahmed F. Ghoniem
  • Publication number: 20150209750
    Abstract: Method for making a slurry of a pulverized solid in liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide. The method includes making a water-pulverized solid slurry at ambient pressure and pressurizing the water-pulverized solid slurry to a high pressure. The pressurized water-pulverized solid slurry is mixed in a pressurized chamber with liquid or supercritical CO2 to form a CO2-pulverized solid slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Cristina Botero, Randall Perkins Field, Howard J. Herzog, Ahmed F. Ghoniem
  • Patent number: 9004909
    Abstract: Integrated polymeric-ceramic membrane-based oxy-fuel combustor. The combustor includes a polymer membrane structure for receiving air at an input and for delivering oxygen-enriched air at an outlet. An oxygen transport reactor including a ceramic ion transport membrane receives the oxygen-enriched air from the polymer membrane structure to generate oxygen for combustion with a fuel introduced into the oxygen transport reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Alexander Mitsos, Yang Shao-Horn, Mohamed A. Habib, Khaled Mezghani, Rached Ben-Mansour
  • Publication number: 20140134553
    Abstract: Reactor for chemical looping combustion. The reactor includes a rotary wheel having a plurality of channels extending therethrough, each channel having a wall with a porous oxygen carrier layer disposed on a bulk layer having high thermal inertia and conductivity. A stationary feeding chamber is located proximate to a bottom portion of the rotary wheel, the feeding chamber partitioned into a plurality of sectors for delivery of a selected pressurized feed gas into the channels of the rotary wheel as it rotates through the sectors. A stationary exit chamber is located proximate a top portion of the rotary wheel, the exit chamber partitioned into at least two sectors through which separate gas streams emerge. A motor is provided for rotating the rotary wheel. In a preferred embodiment, the sectors In the feeding chamber are fuel, air, fuel purging and air purging sectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Zhenlong Zhao, Tianjiao Chen
  • Publication number: 20140134551
    Abstract: Combustor. The combustor includes a duct through which an air/fuel mixture flows, including a flame-anchoring region. An insulating material is located proximate the flame-anchoring anchoring region whereby combustion instability is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Santosh Janardhan Shanbhogue, Seunghyuck Hong
  • Patent number: 8708696
    Abstract: Combustor. The combustor includes an axially symmetric tube along with means for introducing fuel and air into the tube. A swirler is disposed within the tube to impart rotation in a first direction to the air/fuel mixture. A plurality of holes downstream of the swirler are disposed around the tube and offset at an angle relative to an inward normal to the tube wall. Air is injected through the offset holes to impart rotation to the air/fuel mixture in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A combustion chamber having a diameter larger than that of the tube receives and burns the air/fuel mixture from the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Zachary A. LaBry, Santosh J. Shanbhogue, Raymond L. Speth
  • Publication number: 20140101986
    Abstract: Method for making a slurry of a pulverized solid in liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide. The method includes making a water-pulverized solid slurry at ambient pressure and pressurizing the water-pulverized solid slurry to a high pressure. The pressurized water-pulverized solid slurry is mixed in a pressurized chamber with liquid or supercritical CO2 to form a CO2˜pulverized solid slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
    Inventors: Cristina Botero, Randall Perkins Field, Howard J. Herzog, Ahmed F. Ghoniem
  • Publication number: 20130199425
    Abstract: Integrated polymeric-ceramic membrane-based oxy-fuel combustor. The combustor includes a polymer membrane structure for receiving air at an input and for delivering oxygen-enriched air at an outlet. An oxygen transport reactor including a ceramic ion transport membrane receives the oxygen-enriched air from the polymer membrane structure to generate oxygen for combustion with a fuel introduced into the oxygen transport reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Alexander Mitsos, Yang Shao-Horn, Mohamed A. Habib, Khaled Mezghani, Rached Ben-Mansour
  • Publication number: 20110165530
    Abstract: Combustor. The combustor includes an axially symmetric tube along with means for introducing fuel and air into the tube. A swirler is disposed within the tube to impart rotation in a first direction to the air/fuel mixture. A plurality of holes downstream of the swirler are disposed around the tube and offset at an angle relative to an inward normal to the tube wall. Air is injected through the offset holes to impart rotation to the air/fuel mixture in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A combustion chamber having a diameter larger than that of the tube receives and burns the air/fuel mixture from the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Zachary A. LaBry, Santosh J. Shanbhogue, Raymond L. Speth