Patents by Inventor Franklyn Smith

Franklyn Smith 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: 8647497
    Abstract: A system for hydrogen sulfide removal from a sour gas mixture including hydrogen sulfide. The sour gas mixture is reacted with a transition metal compound in a scrubber. Sulfide from the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to form elemental sulfur and the transition metal is reduced to form a reduced state transition metal compound. An electrochemical redox reaction is performed including the reduced state transition metal compound to regenerate the transition metal compound in an electrolyzer including a power source. During the electrochemical redox reaction a voltage from the power source applied to the electrolyzer is controlled to regenerate the transition metal compound at a rate sufficient to match a flow rate of hydrogen sulfide into the scrubber or maintain a predetermined maximum hydrogen sulfide level out from the scrubber. The transition metal compound regenerated is returned to the scrubber for the reacting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Cunping Huang, Franklyn Smith, Clovis A. Linkous, Karthikeyan Ramasamy, Ali T. Raissi, Nazim Muradov
  • Publication number: 20120148465
    Abstract: A system for hydrogen sulfide removal from a sour gas mixture including hydrogen sulfide. The sour gas mixture is reacted with a transition metal compound in a scrubber. Sulfide from the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to form elemental sulfur and the transition metal is reduced to form a reduced state transition metal compound. An electrochemical redox reaction is performed including the reduced state transition metal compound to regenerate the transition metal compound in an electrolyzer including a power source. During the electrochemical redox reaction a voltage from the power source applied to the electrolyzer is controlled to regenerate the transition metal compound at a rate sufficient to match a flow rate of hydrogen sulfide into the scrubber or maintain a predetermined maximum hydrogen sulfide level out from the scrubber. The transition metal compound regenerated is returned to the scrubber for the reacting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC.
    Inventors: CUNPING HUANG, FRANKLYN SMITH, CLOVIS A. LINKOUS, KARTHIKEYAN RAMASAMY, ALI T. RAISSI, NAZIM MURADOV
  • Patent number: 8147765
    Abstract: A novel process and apparatus is disclosed for sustainable, continuous production of hydrogen and carbon by catalytic dissociation or decomposition of hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures using in-situ generated carbon particles. Carbon particles are produced by decomposition of carbonaceous materials in response to an energy input. The energy input can be provided by at least one of a non-oxidative and oxidative means. The non-oxidative means of the energy input includes a high temperature source, or different types of plasma, such as, thermal, non-thermal, microwave, corona discharge, glow discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, or radiation sources, such as, electron beam, gamma, ultraviolet (UV). The oxidative means of the energy input includes oxygen, air, ozone, nitrous oxide (NO2) and other oxidizing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Nazim Z. Muradov, Franklyn Smith, Ali Tabatabaie-Raissi
  • Patent number: 7691182
    Abstract: Hydrogen production is provided via integrated closed-loop processing of landfill gas (LFG) and solid biomass feedstocks such as various agricultural wastes with minimal environmental impact. LFG is purified of harmful contaminants over a bed of activated charcoal (AC) and is catalytically reformed to synthesis gas, which is further processed to pure hydrogen via CO-shift and pressure-swing adsorption stages. Biomass is gasified in the presence of steam with production of a producer gas and AC. The producer gas is mixed with LFG and is processed to hydrogen as described above. High-surface area AC produced in the gasifier is used for the purification of both LFG and producer gas. An integrated processing of LFG and biomass offers a number of advantages such as a high overall energy efficiency, feedstock flexibility, substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and production of value-added product-biocarbon that can be used as a soil enhancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Nazim Z. Muradov, Franklyn Smith, Ali Tabatabaie-Raissi
  • Patent number: 7588746
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for sustainable, continuous production of hydrogen and carbon by catalytic dissociation or decomposition of hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures using in-situ generated carbon particles. Carbon particles are produced by decomposition of carbonaceous materials in response to an energy input. The energy input can be provided by at least one of a non-oxidative and oxidative means. The non-oxidative means of the energy input includes a high temperature source, or different types of plasma, such as, thermal, non-thermal, microwave, corona discharge, glow discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, or radiation sources, such as, electron beam, gamma, ultraviolet (UV). The oxidative means of the energy input includes oxygen, air, ozone, nitrous oxide (NO2) and other oxidizing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Nazim Z. Muradov, Franklyn Smith, Ali Tabatabaieraissi
  • Publication number: 20090188164
    Abstract: A method and system for hydrogen sulfide removal from a sour gas mixture including hydrogen sulfide includes providing an aqueous solution comprising a transition metal oxide, sulfide or carbonate compound, wherein a transition metal of the transition metal oxide is at a first valence and has at least one reduction state from the first valence. The sour gas mixture is reacted with the transition metal compound and the aqueous solution in a reactor, wherein sulfide from the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to form elemental sulfur and the transition metal is reduced to form a reduced state transition metal compound. An electrochemical redox reaction is performed including the reduced state transition metal compound to regenerate the transition metal compound in an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane between the anode and cathode, wherein an oxygen including gas is added to the cathode during the electrochemical redox reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: CUNPING HUANG, FRANKLYN SMITH, CLOVIS A. LINKOUS, KARTHIKEYAN RAMASAMY, ALI T. RAISSI, NAZIM MURADOV
  • Publication number: 20090060805
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for sustainable, continuous production of hydrogen and carbon by catalytic dissociation or decomposition of hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures using in-situ generated carbon particles. Carbon particles are produced by decomposition of carbonaceous materials in response to an energy input. The energy input can be provided by at least one of a non-oxidative and oxidative means. The non-oxidative means of the energy input includes a high temperature source, or different types of plasma, such as, thermal, non-thermal, microwave, corona discharge, glow discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, or radiation sources, such as, electron beam, gamma, ultraviolet (UV). The oxidative means of the energy input includes oxygen, air, ozone, nitrous oxide (NO2) and other oxidizing agents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Nazim Z. Muradov, Franklyn Smith, Ali Tabatabaie-Raissi
  • Publication number: 20050020388
    Abstract: According to the disclosed embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a device and method for setting a golf ball and tee, including a ball and tee receiving member disposed at the bottom end portion of a shaft. A ball engageable member is disposed at the lower end portion of the shaft for pressing the ball against the tee when the ball is received by the receiving member. The receiving member has a lower tee engageable member having a shallow slot opening extending radially in a direction to receive the tee within the slot. A hand engageable lever actuator extends radially from the upper end portion of the shaft in an opposite direction to the opening of the slot for actuating the movable ball engageable member to cause it to move away from the ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Jay Smith, William Dickerman, Franklyn Smith