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).
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Publication number: 20140246195Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANYInventors: Scott D. LOVE, Bruce W. GERHOLD, Edward G. LATIMER
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Patent number: 6928821Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2004Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignee: Conocophililps CompanyInventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 6779333Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 21, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 6745708Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 19, 2001Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Peter N. Slater, Jimmie Joe Straw, Bruce W. Gerhold, Ricky E. Snelling, Steven A. Owen, Kent E. Jeffers
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Patent number: 6673238Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 8, 2001Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Joseph E. Bares, Scott D. Love, Jerry G. Feierabend
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Publication number: 20030217555Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2002Publication date: November 27, 2003Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
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Publication number: 20030110993Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2001Publication date: June 19, 2003Inventors: Peter N. Slater, Jimmie Joe Straw, Bruce W. Gerhold, Ricky E. Snelling, Steven A. Owen, Kent E. Jeffers
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Publication number: 20030085157Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2001Publication date: May 8, 2003Inventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Joseph E. Bares, Scott D. Love, Jerry G. Feierabend
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Patent number: 5902460Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 23, 1996Date of Patent: May 11, 1999Inventor: Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5352395Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 17, 1992Date of Patent: October 4, 1994Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Lyle R. Kallenbach, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5348718Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 4, 1990Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5302366Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 1991Date of Patent: April 12, 1994Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: George F. Schuette, Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5250278Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 1991Date of Patent: October 5, 1993Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: George F. Schuette, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5219537Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 24, 1991Date of Patent: June 15, 1993Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5204071Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 3, 1990Date of Patent: April 20, 1993Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5178844Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 3, 1990Date of Patent: January 12, 1993Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Michael C. Carter, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5176893Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 2, 1989Date of Patent: January 5, 1993Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, George F. Schuette, Kenneth E. Inkrott
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Patent number: 5171801Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 19, 1990Date of Patent: December 15, 1992Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Shirley J. Martin, Elizabeth A. Benham, Max P. McDaniel, Bruce W. Gerhold
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Patent number: 5108729Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 2, 1989Date of Patent: April 28, 1992Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, George F. Schuette, Kenneth E. Inkrott
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Patent number: 4996387Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 20, 1989Date of Patent: February 26, 1991Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Bruce W. Gerhold, Richard L. Anderson