Patents by Inventor Geoff Keiser

Geoff Keiser 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: 9880035
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting coking in a wash bed of a vacuum pipe still with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a first temperature profile at a plurality of sensor locations to determine a flow distribution. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element and the optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a second temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect coking by determining one or more properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the second temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin Santiago Umansky
  • Patent number: 9778115
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a deposit in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from a plurality of sensor locations and configured to measure, a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect a deposit by determining one or more properties of the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras
  • Patent number: 9746434
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the flow distribution of a fluid through a component with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the component. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to determine a flow of the fluid by determining one or more properties of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael L. Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin S. Umansky
  • Patent number: 9645002
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh, Geoff Keiser, Zhen Li, Michael G. Starkey
  • Patent number: 9617482
    Abstract: A method for treating an emulsion of a hydrocarbon is disclosed. The method includes providing an emulsion of a crude hydrocarbon, and adding an additive to the emulsion to obtain a treated hydrocarbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh, Man Kit Ng, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Glen Barry Brons, Hong Cheng, Geoff Keiser, Donna J. Crowther, Patrick Brant, David T. Ferrughelli, Clarence Chase, Emmanuel Ulysse, Edward Andrew Lemon
  • Publication number: 20150315487
    Abstract: A method for treating an emulsion of a hydrocarbon is disclosed. The method includes providing an emulsion of a crude hydrocarbon, and adding an additive to the emulsion to obtain a treated hydrocarbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Mohsen Shahmirzadi YEGANEH, Man Kit NG, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Glen Barry Brons, Hong Cheng, Geoff Keiser, Donna J. Crowther, Patrick Brant, David T. Ferrughelli, Clarence Chase, Emmanuel Ulysse, Edward Andrew Lemon
  • Publication number: 20150268078
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting coking in a wash bed of a vacuum pipe still with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a first temperature profile at a plurality of sensor locations to determine a flow distribution. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element and the optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a second temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect coking by determining one or more properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the second temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin Santiago Umansky
  • Publication number: 20140294040
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a deposit in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from a plurality of sensor locations and configured to measure, a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect a deposit by determining one or more properties of the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael Louis Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras
  • Publication number: 20140290357
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Mohsen Shahmirzadi Yeganeh, Geoff Keiser, Zhen Li, Michael G. Starkey
  • Publication number: 20140294041
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the flow distribution of a fluid through a component with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the component. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to determine a flow of the fluid by determining one or more properties of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael L. Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin S. Umansky