Patents by Inventor Carlos Somoza

Carlos Somoza 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).

  • Process for reducing sensitivity in explosives
    Patent number: 5279492
    Abstract: A process for reducing the particle size of particulate crystalline energetic material such as HMX or RDX by slurrying the particulate energetic particles in an inert liquid wherein the liquid coats the surfaces of the particles and introducing the slurried energetic particles at a predetermined pressure into a Microfluidizer.RTM. high-pressure grinding chamber wherein high-pressure interparticle collision reduces the mean particle size of the energetic particles, thereby reducing the sensitivity of the energetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Thiokol Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Somoza, James A. Blackwell
  • Wet grinding of crystalline energetic materials
    Patent number: 5197677
    Abstract: The particle size of a particulate energetic material such as HMX or RDX is reduced by introducing the energetic material as a water-containing slurry at less than 40 percent solids into a high velocity fluid stream in a fluid energy mill and controlling the fluid temperature, fluid velocity, and energetic material feed rate to achieve a particle size of about 10 microns or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Thiokol Corporation
    Inventors: Lee C. Estabrook, Carlos Somoza
  • Ultrasonic grinding of explosives
    Patent number: 5035363
    Abstract: The particle size of energetic explosive materials is reduced by slurrying the particulate explosive materials in an inert liquid such as water or an aqueous solution, and subjecting the slurry to intense acoustic cavitation from an ultrasonic generator for a short time. The particulate explosive materials are rapidly ground to a small particle size while minimizing the danger of detonation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Thiokol Corporation
    Inventor: Carlos Somoza
  • Process for reducing acidity of unrecrystallized explosives by wet grinding
    Patent number: 5020731
    Abstract: Occluded acidity in particulate explosives is removed by slurrying the particles in an inert liquid and subjecting the slurry to wet-grinding. The inert liquid may include an alkaline salt at or near saturation. Separation of the ground explosive particles from the liquid phase results in a ground explosive material with much reduced acidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Thiokol Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Somoza, Lee C. Estabrook