Patents by Inventor Bert Zauderer

Bert Zauderer 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: 11156187
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interplanetary rocket propulsion to Mars and the Moons of the nearer outer Planets by means of 6000° K temperature, 100 atmosphere pressure, power generation and propulsion systems that utilize a gas cooled nuclear reactor and metal powder combustion, in combination with water wherein dissociation into oxygen to react with certain metals to form on board retained metal oxides, and to heat the hydrogen from dissociated water as well as on-board liquid hydrogen that is seeded with an alkali metal for use in a linear, Faraday magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator that is coaxial with a MHD accelerator for propulsion, wherein water and probable metal sources on planetary bodies would provide rocket fueling by metal oxide reprocessing to metal and for manned permanent life support bases, and for search of high value minerals, gold, silver, aluminum, rare minerals, diamonds, for transport with their lesser gravity back to Earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Patent number: 9249757
    Abstract: A propulsion system is disclosed that uses metal fuel particles heated to a range from 3000° K to 6000° K by reaction with oxygen in air inside a cyclone combustor to form metal oxides that are retained and removed from the combustor for re-conversion to metal, while nitrogen in the air is heated to the temperatures that on supersonic exhaust propels 50,000 ton monohull ships to from 50 to 100 knots. The ship can accelerate by electromagnetic force from a MHD generator-accelerator rendered electrically conducting by alkali metal seed injection into the gas. Also disclosed are 10 MW to 1000 MW Closed Cycle MHD power plants fired by natural gas into a top half of a falling pebble bed heat exchanger that transfers 2000° K to 3000° K heat to a noble or diatomic gas in a bottom half of the exchanger that on exit is seeded with an alkali metal rendering the gas conducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20130259186
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interplanetary rocket propulsion to Mars and the Moons of the nearer outer Planets by means of 6000° K temperature, 100 atmosphere pressure, power generation and propulsion systems that utilize a gas cooled nuclear reactor and metal powder combustion, in combination with water wherein dissociation into oxygen to react with certain metals to form on board retained metal oxides, and to heat the hydrogen from dissociated water as well as on-board liquid hydrogen that is seeded with an alkali metal for use in a linear, Faraday magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator that is coaxial with a MHD accelerator for propulsion, wherein water and probable metal sources on planetary bodies would provide rocket fueling by metal oxide reprocessing to metal and for manned permanent life support bases, and for search of high value minerals, gold, silver, aluminum, rare minerals, diamonds, for transport with their lesser gravity back to Earth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Patent number: 8388918
    Abstract: Methods are provided for physically removing all the carbon dioxide from the combustion products of solid, liquid, and gaseous fossil fuels. The combustors operate without excess air to maximize the carbon dioxide at the exhaust, which is compressed with the nitrogen and mixed with pressurized water to dissolve the carbon dioxide in a chamber from which the nitrogen gas is removed. The solution is drained into a second lower pressure chamber from which the carbon dioxide re-evolves as a gas, which is then pressurized for sequestration in limestone formations as calcium bicarbonate. The water is recycled to repeat the separation process, and depressurization of the two gases recovers most of the compression energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20130042594
    Abstract: A propulsion system is disclosed that uses metal fuel particles heated to a range from 3000° K. to 6000° K. by reaction with oxygen in air inside a cyclone combustor to form metal oxides that are retained and removed from the combustor for re-conversion to metal, while nitrogen in the air is heated to the temperatures that on supersonic exhaust propels 50,000 ton monohull ships to from 50 to 100 knots. The ship can accelerate by electromagnetic force from a MHD generator-accelerator rendered electrically conducting by alkali metal seed injection into the gas. Also disclosed are 10 MW to 1000 MW Closed Cycle MHD power plants fired by natural gas into a top half of a falling pebble bed heat exchanger that transfers 2000° K. to 3000° K. heat to a noble or diatomic gas in a bottom half of the exchanger that on exit is seeded with an alkali metal rendering the gas conducting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Patent number: 8337613
    Abstract: Systems, methods and processes teach by specific examples how the cost of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) can be totally offset and turned into profits during coal powered electricity generation from revenue and co-benefits. The process is provided whereby fly ash-carbon mixtures, or de-volatilized coal char, or anthracite coal culm is co-fired in an air-cooled, slagging combustor with limestone or similar slag fluxing materials converts the ash into cementitious slag with properties similar to ground granulated blast furnace slag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Patent number: 8277543
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaseous fossil fuel fired, indirectly heated, Brayton closed cycle comprising an alkali metal seeded noble gases that is rendered non-equilibrium, electrically conducting in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electric power generator with zero emissions from the combustion products, including physical separation and sequestration of the carbon dioxide (CO2) what is emitted from the fossil fuel, with said cycle combined with a Rankine steam turbine bottoming cycle to compress the noble gas, while another optional new or existing Rankine steam cycle is placed in parallel and separate from the MHD cycle, and it is fired by the solid char remaining if the MHD cycle is fired with the devolatilized coal, and/or with solid coal culm, and/or unburned carbon in coal power plant waste ash, in order to achieve high efficiency at low capital, low operating, and low fuel costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20120137877
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gaseous fossil fuel fired, indirectly heated, Brayton closed cycle comprising an alkali metal seeded noble gases that is rendered non-equilibrium, electrically conducting in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electric power generator with zero emissions from the combustion products, including physical separation and sequestration of the carbon dioxide (CO2) what is emitted from the fossil fuel, with said cycle combined with a Rankine steam turbine bottoming cycle to compress the noble gas, while another optional new or existing Rankine steam cycle is placed in parallel and separate from the MHD cycle, and it is fired by the solid char remaining if the MHD cycle is fired with the devolatilized coal, and/or with solid coal culm, and/or unburned carbon in coal power plant waste ash, in order to achieve high efficiency at low capital, low operating, and low fuel costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Publication number: 20120058042
    Abstract: Methods are provided for physically removing all the carbon dioxide from the combustion products of solid, liquid, and gaseous fossil fuels. The combustors operate without excess air to maximize the carbon dioxide at the exhaust, which is compressed with the nitrogen and mixed with pressurized water to dissolve the carbon dioxide in a chamber from which the nitrogen gas is removed. The solution is drained into a second lower pressure chamber from which the carbon dioxide re-evolves as a gas, which is then pressurized for sequestration in limestone formations as calcium bicarbonate. The water is recycled to repeat the separation process, and depressurization of the two gases recovers most of the compression energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Publication number: 20110173139
    Abstract: Systems, methods and processes teach by specific examples how the cost of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) can be totally offset and turned into profits during coal powered electricity generation from revenue and co-benefits. The process is provided whereby fly ash-carbon mixtures, or de-volatilized coal char, or anthracite coal culm is co-fired in an air-cooled, slagging combustor with limestone or similar slag fluxing materials converts the ash into cementitious slag with properties similar to ground granulated blast furnace slag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Patent number: 7553463
    Abstract: Methods by which new or used boilers or furnaces ranging from small industrial to the largest utility units that are designed for coal or oil or natural gas or shredded waste or shredded biomass firing can substantially improve their technical operation and sharply reduce their capital and operating costs by implementing component modifications and process steps that (a) minimize the adverse impacts of coal ash and slag on boiler surfaces and particulate emissions thereby also facilitating the use of oil or gas designed boilers for coal firing, (b) drastically reduce the loss of water used to transport coal in slurry form to power plants, (c) essentially eliminate the combined total nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), mercury (Hg), trace metals, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, (d) separate and permanently sequester carbon dioxide released during combustion and (e) improve the coal and solid fuel combustion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Patent number: 7435400
    Abstract: A method for increasing the nitrogen oxide emissions by either removing or modifying fuel rich nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction processes thereby improving combustion efficiencies especially with low volatile low sulfur coals, and remove unburned carbon, reduce sulfur dioxide and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, while using post-primary combustion urea or ammonia injection with or without a reburn fuel NOx reducing process to restore NOx to regulated emission levels. Furthermore, adding lime or limestone to the urea or ammonia solution to further reduce SO2 and to increase the concentration of the carbon free fly ash to cementitious concentrations. Furthermore, by proper number and disposition of the injectors in the post combustion zone and by further water diluting the mixture, this NOx reduction process is effective at substantially higher gas temperatures than conventional Selective Non-Catalytic NOx Reduction and with no ammonia slip. This method significantly increases the profitability of power plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20080213146
    Abstract: Improvements in methods by which new or used coal fired boilers whether designed for coal or oil or natural gas firing can substantially improve their technical operation and reduce their capital and operating costs by implementing process steps that (a) minimize the adverse impacts of coal ash and slag on boiler surfaces and particulate emissions, which will improve coal combustion efficiency and facilitate the use of oil or gas designed boilers for coal firing, (b) drastically reduce the loss of water used to transport coal in slurry form to power plants, (c) minimize the combined total nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), mercury (Hg), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, (d) separate and permanently sequester carbon dioxide and (e) improve the coal and solid fuel combustion efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Patent number: 7282189
    Abstract: Methods for reducing and eliminating carbon dioxide from the emissions of solid fuel fired power plants, particularly coal fired power plants, and to sequester the carbon dioxide, typically by using existing equipment. In some embodiments, the methods involve pyrolyzing the solid fuel to remove volatile matter and using the volatile matter to produce hydrogen. Additionally, the methods may involve burning the solid fuel or pyrolized solid fuel at very fuel rich stoichiometric conditions. Sequestration may include the production of a carbon dioxide-containing solution and the pumping of the solution into the ground, particularly in areas high in limestone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20070180835
    Abstract: A method for increasing the nitrogen oxide emissions by either removing or modifying fuel rich nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction processes thereby improving combustion efficiencies especially with low volatile low sulfur coals, and remove unburned carbon, reduce sulfur dioxide and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, while using post-primary combustion urea or ammonia injection with or without a reburn fuel NOx reducing process to restore NOx to regulated emission levels. Furthermore, adding lime or limestone to the urea or ammonia solution to further reduce SO2 and to increase the concentration of the carbon free fly ash to cementitious concentrations. Furthermore, by proper number and disposition of the injectors in the post combustion zone and by further water diluting the mixture, this NOx reduction process is effective at substantially higher gas temperatures than conventional Selective Non-Catalytic NOx Reduction and with no ammonia slip. This method significantly increases the profitability of power plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventor: Bert ZAUDERER
  • Patent number: 7247285
    Abstract: A method for reducing the cost of emission control by utilizing a combination of low cost, combustion and post-combustion processes to eliminate emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and trace metals, including mercury, and trace dioxins and furans. These processes are applied sequentially to the combustion flow train of an air-cooled, slagging combustor-boiler, and include two groups of process steps. One group is implemented in the combustor and the other in post combustion zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Patent number: 7047748
    Abstract: A process having three steps utilized individually or in combination to reduce nitrogen oxides, NOx, emissions from gas turbines. One or more injectors disperse very fine fuel droplets to achieve rapid and complete combustion in zone one immediately downstream of the fuel injectors. The second step uses one or more injectors inserted into the combustor to disperse water droplets throughout zone two, immediately downstream of zone one, to lower the gas temperature and suppress formation of thermal NOx,. The third step uses one or more injectors to disperse aqueous droplets containing a dissolved NOx reducing agent throughout zone three, immediately downstream of zone two, and whose gas temperature favors the reduction of NOx. Alternatively, the dissolved NOx reducing agent can be mixed with a liquid fuel to convert zone three into slightly fuel rich conditions, enabling nitrogen oxide reduction at higher gas temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20050000220
    Abstract: A process having three steps utilized individually or in combination to reduce nitrogen oxides, NOx, emissions from gas turbines. One or more injectors disperse very fine fuel droplets to achieve rapid and complete combustion in zone one immediately downstream of the fuel injectors. The second step uses one or more injectors inserted into the combustor to disperse water droplets throughout zone two, immediately downstream of zone one, to lower the gas temperature and suppress formation of thermal NOx,. The third step uses one or more injectors to disperse aqueous droplets containing a dissolved NOx reducing agent throughout zone three, immediately downstream of zone two, and whose gas temperature favors the reduction of NOx. Alternatively, the dissolved NOx reducing agent can be mixed with a liquid fuel to convert zone three into slightly fuel rich conditions, enabling nitrogen oxide reduction at higher gas temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20040200393
    Abstract: Methods for reducing and eliminating carbon dioxide from the emissions of solid fuel fired power plants, particularly coal fired power plants, and to sequester the carbon dioxide, typically by using existing equipment. In some embodiments, the methods involve pyrolyzing the solid fuel to remove volatile matter and using the volatile matter to produce hydrogen. Additionally, the methods may involve burning the solid fuel or pyrolized solid fuel at very fuel rich stoichiometric conditions. Sequestration may include the production of a carbon dioxide-containing solution and the pumping of the solution into the ground, particularly in areas high in limestone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer
  • Publication number: 20040120874
    Abstract: A method for reducing the cost of emission control by utilizing a combination of low cost, combustion and post-combustion processes to eliminate emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and trace metals, including mercury, and trace dioxins and furans. These processes are applied sequentially to the combustion flow train of an air-cooled, slagging combustor-boiler, and include two groups of process steps. One group is implemented in the combustor and the other in post combustion zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventor: Bert Zauderer