Patents by Inventor Charles R. Buhler

Charles R. Buhler 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: 11793130
    Abstract: The subject invention is an electrostatic plant watering system for the delivery of water and nutrients to the roots of plants. The system provides water or another fluid from a fluid source or container using a pump. The pump provides a pressurized fluid at a constant flow rate through a nozzle at a low pressure, which sprays a fine mist of particles through a conductive metallic ring that is electrically charged by a voltage source. As the fluid particles pass through the center of the electrically charged ring, the particles themselves become charged, allowing them to attach to the roots of a target plant positioned at a selected distance away from the electrostatic plant watering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Charles R. Buhler, Jerry J. Wang
  • Patent number: 11208513
    Abstract: A process for producing polyethylene polymers including contacting ethylene and at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin comonomer with a polymerization catalyst on a particulate support in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor under conditions effective to polymerize at least part of the ethylene and comonomer and produce the polyethylene polymers, wherein the support has a d10 particle size as measured by laser diffraction of at least 18 microns, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Corrine L. Brandl, William A. Lamberti, Charles R. Buhler, Judson S. Clements, Harry W. Deckman, Joseph Moebus, Marc L. DeChellis
  • Publication number: 20200291149
    Abstract: A process for producing polyethylene polymers including contacting ethylene and at least one C3 to C8 alpha-olefin comonomer with a polymerization catalyst on a particulate support in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor under conditions effective to polymerize at least part of the ethylene and comonomer and produce the polyethylene polymers, wherein the support has a d10 particle size as measured by laser diffraction of at least 18 microns, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Corrine L. Brandl, William A. Lamberti, Charles R. Buhler, Judson S. Clements, Harry W. Deckman, Joseph Moebus, Marc L. DeChellis
  • Publication number: 20160168278
    Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor. The method has the steps of (a) receiving a signal from a probe in contact with the interior of the reactor or a process component in communication with the reactor, wherein the signal is derived from a physical property or condition within the reactor or the process component; (b) modifying the signal to create a modified signal; and (c) adjusting one or more operating parameters of the reactor in response to the modified signal if the physical property or condition is different than a desired value. There is also a method for reducing fouling in a distributor plate of a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor with a recycle line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Joseph Andres Moebus, William Anthony Lamberti, Harry William Deckman, Charles R. Buhler, Judson Sidney Clements
  • Patent number: 9360453
    Abstract: Probes for monitoring electrostatic phenomena in challenging environments, such as fluidized bed reactors. These probes include a coated or uncoated static probe for measuring electric field and or particle charge state, an oscillatory electric field probe for measuring electric field, a chopped electric field probe for measuring electric field, and a radio-frequency antenna probe for detecting electrostatic discharges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William Anthony Lamberti, Joseph Andres Moebus, Harry William Deckman, Charles R. Buhler, Judson S. Clements, William C. Horn
  • Patent number: 9328177
    Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor. The method has the steps of (a) receiving a signal from a probe in contact with the interior of the reactor or a process component in communication with the reactor, wherein the signal is derived from a physical property or condition within the reactor or the process component; (b) modifying the signal to create a modified signal; and (c) adjusting one or more operating parameters of the reactor in response to the modified signal if the physical property or condition is different than a desired value. There is also a method for reducing fouling in a distributor plate of a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor with a recycle line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Andres Moebus, William Anthony Lamberti, Harry William Deckman, Charles R. Buhler, Judson Sidney Clements
  • Publication number: 20140261536
    Abstract: The invention includes a dust mitigation device that utilizes electromagnetic waves to protect devices from dust deposition. The device includes a nonconducting (dielectric) material separating at least one electrode, and in some embodiments a plurality of electrodes, from a grounded layer. The electrodes are connected to a single phase AC signal or a transient voltage signal. In some embodiments the grounded layer is created using a continuous conductor or a conductive grid. In some embodiments, the dielectric, the electrodes, and/or the grounded layer are transparent. The electromagnetic fields produced by the electrodes lift dust particles away from the shield and repel charged particles. Deposited dust particles are removed from the dust mitigation device when the electrodes are activated, regardless of the resistivity of the dust. The invention further includes a method of mitigating dust using such components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Charles R. Buhler, Carlos I. Calle, Judson Sidney Clements
  • Publication number: 20140193924
    Abstract: Probes for monitoring electrostatic phenomena in challenging environments, such as fluidized bed reactors. These probes include a coated or uncoated static probe for measuring electric field and or particle charge state, an oscillatory electric field probe for measuring electric field, a chopped electric field probe for measuring electric field, and a radio-frequency antenna probe for detecting electrostatic discharges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Anthony Lamberti, Joseph Andres Moebus, Harry William Deckman, Charles R. Buhler, Judson S. Clements
  • Publication number: 20140194582
    Abstract: Provided is a method for operating a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor. The method has the steps of (a) receiving a signal from a probe in contact with the interior of the reactor or a process component in communication with the reactor, wherein the signal is derived from a physical property or condition within the reactor or the process component; (b) modifying the signal to create a modified signal; and (c) adjusting one or more operating parameters of the reactor in response to the modified signal if the physical property or condition is different than a desired value. There is also a method for reducing fouling in a distributor plate of a gas-phase, fluidized-bed reactor with a recycle line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Andres Moebus, William Anthony Lamberti, Harry William Deckman, Charles R. Buhler, Judson S. Clements