Patents by Inventor Douglas Harvey Richardson

Douglas Harvey Richardson 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: 11399425
    Abstract: A method and system for stably generating and accelerating magnetized plasma comprises ionizing an injected gas in a plasma generator and generating a formation magnetic field to form a magnetized plasma with a closed poloidal field, generating a reverse poloidal field behind the magnetized plasma and having a same field direction as a back edge of the closed poloidal field and having an opposite field direction of the formation magnetic field, and generating a pushing toroidal field that pushes the reverse poloidal field against the closed poloidal field, thereby accelerating the magnetized plasma through a plasma accelerator downstream from the plasma generator. The reverse poloidal field serves to prevent the reconnection of the formation magnetic field and closed poloidal field after the magnetized plasma is formed, which would allow the pushing toroidal field to mix with the closed poloidal field and cause instability and reduced plasma confinement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Michel Georges Laberge, Meritt Wayne Reynolds, Aaron Matthew Froese, Kelly Bernard Epp, Martin Clifford Wight, Yakov Gofman
  • Publication number: 20220151054
    Abstract: A method and system for stably generating and accelerating magnetized plasma comprises ionizing an injected gas in plasma generator and generating a formation magnetic field to form a magnetized plasma with a closed poloidal field, generating a reverse poloidal field behind the magnetized plasma and having a same field direction as a back edge of the closed poloidal field and having an opposite field direction of the formation magnetic field, and generating a pushing toroidal field that pushes the reverse poloidal field against the closed poloidal field, thereby accelerating the magnetized plasma through a plasma accelerator downstream from the plasma generator. The reverse poloidal field serves to prevent the reconnection of the formation magnetic field and closed poloidal field after the magnetized plasma is formed, which would allow the pushing toroidal field to mix with the closed poloidal field and cause instability and reduced plasma confinement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Michel Georges Laberge, Merritt Wayne Reynolds, Aaron Matthew Froese, Kelly Bernard Epp, Martin Clifford Wight, Yakov Gofman
  • Patent number: 10092914
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Publication number: 20160361729
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Patent number: 9463478
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Publication number: 20160150627
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
  • Publication number: 20160107176
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Patent number: 9271383
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Fusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
  • Patent number: 9267515
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Fusion Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Publication number: 20150036777
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
  • Publication number: 20150034164
    Abstract: Examples of a jet control device are described. The jet control device can comprise a jet deflecting member that is configured to intercept and/or collide with a high speed jet emerging from a jet formation location. The interaction of the jet deflecting member and the jet can cause the high speed jet to be dispersed into a plurality of jets with a number of flow directions which may be sideways to an initial direction of the high speed jet. In one embodiment the deflecting member can include a liquid guide formed by injecting a fluid out of an outlet nozzle so that the liquid guide extends longitudinally away from the outlet nozzle. In another embodiment the deflecting member can include an array of solid pellets injected through an outlet in a direction of the emerging high speed jet and configured to collide with the emerging jet thereby deflecting its initial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Victoria Suponitsky, Sandra Justine Barsky, J. Michel G. Laberge, Douglas Harvey Richardson, Peter Leszek Kostka
  • Patent number: 8891719
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Fusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson
  • Publication number: 20110243292
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL FUSION, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen James HOWARD, Michel Georges LABERGE, Lon MCILWRAITH, Douglas Harvey RICHARDSON, James GREGSON
  • Publication number: 20110026658
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for compressing plasma are disclosed in which plasma can be compressed by impact of a projectile on a magnetized plasma in a liquid metal cavity. The projectile can melt in the liquid metal cavity, and liquid metal may be recycled to form new projectiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: General Fusion, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen James Howard, Michel Georges Laberge, Lon McIlwraith, Douglas Harvey Richardson, James Gregson