Patents by Inventor Daniel R. Cohn

Daniel R. Cohn 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: 20190048811
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Haywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 10138826
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20180238245
    Abstract: The present invention describes a fuel-management system for minimizing particulate emissions in turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines. The system optimizes the use of port fuel injection (PFI) in combination with direct injection (DI), particularly in cold start and other transient conditions. In the present invention, the use of these control systems together with other control systems for increasing the effectiveness of port fuel injector use and for reducing particulate emissions from turbocharged direct injection engines is described. Particular attention is given to reducing particulate emissions that occur during cold start and transient conditions since a substantial fraction of the particulate emissions during a drive cycle occur at these times. Further optimization of the fuel management system for these conditions is important for reducing drive cycle emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20180202375
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Patent number: 9976496
    Abstract: The present invention describes a fuel-management system for minimizing particulate emissions in turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines. The system optimizes the use of port fuel injection (PFI) in combination with direct injection (DI), particularly in cold start and other transient conditions. In the present invention, the use of these control systems together with other control systems for increasing the effectiveness of port fuel injector use and for reducing particulate emissions from turbocharged direct injection engines is described. Particular attention is given to reducing particulate emissions that occur during cold start and transient conditions since a substantial fraction of the particulate emissions during a drive cycle occur at these times. Further optimization of the fuel management system for these conditions is important for reducing drive cycle emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20180087466
    Abstract: An optimized port plus direct injection (PFI+DI) fueling system for reducing DI-generated particulates from a spark ignition gasoline engine is disclosed. It uses information from a computational model that includes piston wetting. Means for DI particulate reduction include control of DI timing and duration as a function of various parameters. Illustrative computational results for decreasing particulates in various drive cycles are presented. These calculations illustrate large potential particulate reductions (e.g. 95%) that can be obtained relative to DI operation alone. The optimized PFI+DI system could provide DI generated particulate reduction, efficiency and cost advantages relative to operation of a DI alone engine with a gasoline particulate filter (GPF). Alternatively, it could be used in combination with a GPF to ease GPF operation requirements and provide additional particulate reduction. Techniques for reducing piston wetting generation of particles from use of DI alone are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn
  • Patent number: 9909491
    Abstract: A reformer-liquid fuel manufacturing system that utilizes an engine to generate hydrogen-rich gas is disclosed. The engine operates at very rich conditions, such as 2.5<?<4.0. In doing so, it creates an exothermic reaction, which results in the production of syngas. In addition, the system utilizes the energy from the exothermic reaction to rotate a shaft and also utilizes the heat in the syngas to heat the reactants. A mechanical power plant is in communication with the rotating shaft and can be used to produce oxygen, provide electricity or operate a compressor, as require. The hydrogen-rich gas is supplied to a chemical reactor, which converts the gas into a liquid fuel, such as methanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, William H. Green, Alexander Sappok, Daniel R. Cohn, Amrit Jalan
  • Publication number: 20180016998
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Haywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20170363035
    Abstract: Additional approaches for the reduction of particulate emissions in gasoline engines using optimized port+direct injection are described. These embodiments include control of the amount of directly injected fuel so as to avoid a threshold increase in particulates due to piston wetting and reduction of cold start emissions by use of air preheating using variable valve timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9840980
    Abstract: Additional approaches for the reduction of particulate emissions in gasoline engines using optimized port+direct injection are described. These embodiments include control of the amount of directly injected fuel so as to avoid a threshold increase in particulates due to piston wetting and reduction of cold start emissions by use of air preheating using variable valve timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9810166
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9708965
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Publication number: 20170191430
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Publication number: 20170191431
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9695784
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency or the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20170009162
    Abstract: A rotating heat regenerator is used to recover heat from the syngas at it exits the reactor vessel of a waste or biomass gasifier. In some embodiments, three or more streams are passed through the heat exchanger. One stream is the dirty syngas, which heats the rotating material. A second stream is a cold stream that is heated as it passes through the material. A third stream is a cleaning stream, which serves to remove particulates that are collected on the rotating material as the dirty syngas passes through it. This apparatus can also be used as an auto-heat exchanger, or it can exchange heat between separate flows in the gasifier process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: INENTEC INC.
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, Jeffrey E. Surma, James A. Batdorf, David A. Lamar
  • Publication number: 20170002271
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for converting renewable energy source electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: INENTEC INC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Jeffrey E. Surma, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20160326971
    Abstract: The present invention describes a fuel-management system for minimizing particulate emissions in turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines. The system optimizes the use of port fuel injection (PFI) in combination with direct injection (DI), particularly in cold start and other transient conditions. In the present invention, the use of these control systems together with other control systems for increasing the effectiveness of port fuel injector use and for reducing particulate emissions from turbocharged direct injection engines is described. Particular attention is given to reducing particulate emissions that occur during cold start and transient conditions since a substantial fraction of the particulate emissions during a drive cycle occur at these times. Further optimization of the fuel management system for these conditions is important for reducing drive cycle emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Publication number: 20160319764
    Abstract: Additional approaches for the reduction of particulate emissions in gasoline engines using optimized port+direct injection are described. These embodiments include control of the amount of directly injected fuel so as to avoid a threshold increase in particulates due to piston wetting and reduction of cold start emissions by use of air preheating using variable valve timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9469533
    Abstract: A method for converting renewable energy source-electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable-electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation-unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the-synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas-generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: INENTEC INC.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Jeffrey E. Surma, Leslie Bromberg