Patents by Inventor Bruce W. Gerhold

Bruce W. Gerhold 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).

  • Publication number: 20140246195
    Abstract: Method and systems relate to generating steam by transitioning water from supercritical conditions and injecting the steam that results into a formation to facilitate recovery of oil. Pressurizing and heating the water forms a supercritical fluid that may solvate impurities in the water and/or oxidize the impurities. Retaining the impurities in solution and/or oxidation of the impurities limits fouling problems associated with generating the steam from water recycled in thermal processes, such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), for recovering the oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott D. LOVE, Bruce W. GERHOLD, Edward G. LATIMER
  • Patent number: 6928821
    Abstract: A dual fuel power generation system employing a steam-mixed fuel and/or a gaseous fuel to power a turbine engine. The steam-mixed fuel is a gaseous mixture of a light hydrocarbon and steam. The steam-mixed fuel and gaseous fuel are delivered to the turbine engine (either individually or mixed) via a common fuel controller, a common fuel distribution system, and a common gas-only fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Conocophililps Company
    Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 6779333
    Abstract: A dual fuel power generation system employing a steam-mixed fuel and/or a gaseous fuel to power a turbine engine. The steam-mixed fuel is a gaseous mixture of a light hydrocarbon and steam. The steam-mixed fuel and gaseous fuel are delivered to the turbine engine (either individually or mixed) via a common fuel controller, a common fuel distribution system, and a common gas-only fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 6745708
    Abstract: A method and/or apparatus for efficiently operating a combustion device including at least one control zone, with each control zone including at least one burner assembly, is disclosed and includes a) individually supplying fuel to each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones, b) individually measuring a separate combustion characteristic of the collective combusted gas from each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones, and c) individually adjusting the flow of air to each of the burner assemblies in response to the value of the combustion characteristic corresponding to each of the control zones to keep the value of each separate combustion characteristic within a predetermined range. In a preferred embodiment, primary air and secondary air are separately supplied and controlled to each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones in response to the value of the combustion characteristic corresponding to each of the control zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Peter N. Slater, Jimmie Joe Straw, Bruce W. Gerhold, Ricky E. Snelling, Steven A. Owen, Kent E. Jeffers
  • Patent number: 6673238
    Abstract: A process for hydrotreating acidic compounds of an acidic petroleum oil is disclosed. The process includes contacting the acidic petroleum oil with a hydrogen donor solvent to thereby produce a treated petroleum oil. The process can further include contacting a fraction or a full-boiling range portion of the treated petroleum oil with a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and under process conditions sufficient to hydrogenate at least a portion of the hydrocarbons of the fraction or full-boiling range portion; and utilizing at least a portion of the hydrogenated fraction or full-boiling range portion as the hydrogen donor solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Joseph E. Bares, Scott D. Love, Jerry G. Feierabend
  • Publication number: 20030217555
    Abstract: A dual fuel power generation system employing a steam-mixed fuel and/or a gaseous fuel to power a turbine engine. The steam-mixed fuel is a gaseous mixture of a light hydrocarbon and steam. The steam-mixed fuel and gaseous fuel are delivered to the turbine engine (either individually or mixed) via a common fuel controller, a common fuel distribution system, and a common gas-only fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Publication number: 20030110993
    Abstract: A method and/or apparatus for efficiently operating a combustion device including at least one control zone, with each control zone including at least one burner assembly, is disclosed and includes a) individually supplying fuel to each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones, b) individually measuring a separate combustion characteristic of the collective combusted gas from each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones, and c) individually adjusting the flow of air to each of the burner assemblies in response to the value of the combustion characteristic corresponding to each of the control zones to keep the value of each separate combustion characteristic within a predetermined range. In a preferred embodiment, primary air and secondary air are separately supplied and controlled to each of the burner assemblies in each of the control zones in response to the value of the combustion characteristic corresponding to each of the control zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Peter N. Slater, Jimmie Joe Straw, Bruce W. Gerhold, Ricky E. Snelling, Steven A. Owen, Kent E. Jeffers
  • Publication number: 20030085157
    Abstract: A process for hydrotreating acidic compounds of an acidic petroleum oil is disclosed. The process includes contacting the acidic petroleum oil with a hydrogen donor solvent to thereby produce a treated petroleum oil. The process can further include contacting a fraction or a full-boiling range portion of the treated petroleum oil with a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen and under process conditions sufficient to hydrogenate at least a portion of the hydrocarbons of the fraction or full-boiling range portion; and utilizing at least a portion of the hydrogenated fraction or full-boiling range portion as the hydrogen donor solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Joseph E. Bares, Scott D. Love, Jerry G. Feierabend
  • Patent number: 5902460
    Abstract: A distillation column suitable for the separation of a three component feed mixture is provided wherein the fractional distillation column utilizes a vertical partition and a baffle to prevent feed mixture from taking a direct flow path from the feed inlet to the sidedraw exit. The use of the vertical partition increases the separation purity of the middle boiling fraction and lower boiling fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5352395
    Abstract: Sintering of an article molded from a first particulate material comprising silicon nitride employs carbon and ceramic-containing layers. At least one outer layer comprising a second particulate material is positioned with respect to the article so as to be closely adjacent to but not contacting the article, and at least one inner layer comprising a third particulate material is intermediate to the outer layer and the article so as to at least partially surround the article. The second particulate material comprises at least about 90 weight percent carbon, and the third particulate material comprises a ceramic compound selected from a nitride, a carbide, and mixtures thereof. The article is heated while positioned with respect to the outer and inner layers as described above so as to result in a sintered article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Lyle R. Kallenbach, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5348718
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to form raw product comprising the carbide compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5302366
    Abstract: A ceramic product comprising both carbon and nitrogen and a method for its production are provided. The product is formed in a reactor having a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone to produce hot combustion products. At least one reactant containing carbon, nitrogen and an additional component (i.e. silicon) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber so as to flow with the hot combustion products into the reaction zone and react to form the ceramic product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: George F. Schuette, Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5250278
    Abstract: A method of producing a composite ceramic powder is provided herein. A precursor product powder is first produced in a reactor from at least one carbide-forming reactant by heating the reactant(s) by means of combustion of a fuel, and the precursor product powder as collected from the reactor is heated in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere to produce a final product comprising a carbide compound as well as a nitride compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: George F. Schuette, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5219537
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a nitride compound, such as for example silicon nitride. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to form raw product comprising the nitride compound. According to another aspect, a raw product powder as produced by the reactor comprises silicon nitride as the nitride compound and further comprises elemental silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5204071
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to form raw product containing the carbide compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5178844
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a nitride compound, such as for example silicon nitride. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to from raw product comprising the nitride compound. According to another aspect, a raw product powder as produced by the reactor comprises silicon nitride as the nitride compound and further comprises elemental silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5176893
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a nitride compound, such as for example silicon nitride. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone and accordingly combusted to form hot combustion products. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones so as to be carried into the reaction zone by the combustion products and react to form raw product comprising the nitride compound. The raw product can be purified by subsequent processing to remove oxygen and convert by-products to the desired nitride compound. The product of the invention has a low level of impurities and is made up of primarily submicron, highly uniform particles. This makes the product particularly useful for fabrication of sintered ceramic parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, George F. Schuette, Kenneth E. Inkrott
  • Patent number: 5171801
    Abstract: Olefins are polymerized with a catalyst composition which forms on mixing a supported chromium oxide catalyst system and a silane compound. This composition allows the production of one or more comonomers in-situ. The resultant polymer has a lower density, a higher melt index, and a higher high load melt index than polymers produced with a similar catalyst system in the absence of a silane compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Shirley J. Martin, Elizabeth A. Benham, Max P. McDaniel, Bruce W. Gerhold
  • Patent number: 5108729
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone and accordingly combusted to form hot combustion products. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones so as to be carried into the reaction zone by the combustion products and react to form raw product comprising the carbide compound. The raw product can be purified by subsequent processing to remove oxygen and convert by-products to the desired carbide compound. The product of the invention has a low level of impurities and is made up of submicron, highly uniform particles. This makes the product particularly useful for fabrication of sintered ceramic parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, George F. Schuette, Kenneth E. Inkrott
  • Patent number: 4996387
    Abstract: A process for producing a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon product stream by catalytically dehydrogenating a feed stream is disclosed. The process utilizes a plurality of dehydrogenation catalyst-filled tubes in a furnace with all of the tubes connected in parallel to a common product outlet conduit, so that the effluent of all of the tubes is contained in a common product stream. Essentially continuous regeneration of the dehydrogenation catalyst, is achieved by cyclically contacting a portion of the catalyst with an admixture of oxygen-containing regeneration gas and diluent while contacting the remaining portion of the catalyst with an admixture of hydrocarbon feed material and diluent, and wherein free hydrogen is added to react with the oxygen-containing regeneration effluent gas before the oxygen-containing effluent gas enters the product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Richard L. Anderson