Patents by Inventor Jay O Keller

Jay O Keller 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: 7162864
    Abstract: A method of controlling NOx emission from combustors. The method involves the controlled addition of a diluent such as nitrogen or water vapor, to a base fuel to reduce the flame temperature, thereby reducing NOx production. At the same time, a gas capable of enhancing flame stability and improving low temperature combustion characteristics, such as hydrogen, is added to the fuel mixture. The base fuel can be natural gas for use in industrial and power generation gas turbines and other burners. However, the method described herein is equally applicable to other common fuels such as coal gas, biomass-derived fuels and other common hydrocarbon fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories
    Inventors: Robert W. Schefer, Jay O Keller
  • Publication number: 20040224268
    Abstract: A method for eliminating or substantially reducing unstable combustion conditions within a combustion chamber. By adding hydrogen to the inlet fuel mixture, the method provides a means for altering the overall combustion (reaction) rate and the resulting characteristic reaction time that, in turn, will eliminate or substantially reduce undesirable pressure oscillations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Jay O. Keller, Robert W. Schefer
  • Patent number: 5540583
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for safely combusting a fuel in such manner that very low levels of NO.sub.x and CO are produced. The apparatus comprises an inlet line (12) containing a fuel and an inlet line (18) containing an oxidant. Coupled to the fuel line (12) and to the oxidant line (18) is a mixing means (11,29,33,40) for thoroughly mixing the fuel and the oxidant without combusting them. Coupled to the mixing means (11,29,33,40) is a means for injecting the mixed fuel and oxidant, in the form of a large-scale fluid dynamic structure (8), into a combustion region (2). Coupled to the combustion region (2) is a means (1,29,33) for producing a periodic flow field within the combustion region (2) to mix the fuel and the oxidant with ambient gases in order to lower the temperature of combustion. The means for producing a periodic flow field can be a pulse combustor (1), a rotating band (29), or a rotating cylinder (33) within an acoustic chamber (32) positioned upstream or downstream of the region (2) of combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventors: Jay O. Keller, T. Tazwell Bramlette, Pamela K. Barr
  • Patent number: 5118281
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling total ignition delay time in a pulse combustor, and thus controlling the mixing characteristics of the combustion reactants and the combustion products in the combustor, the total ignition delay time is controlled by adjusting the inlet geometry of the inlet to the combustion chamber. The inlet geometry may be fixed or variable for controlling the mixing characteristics. A feedback loop may be employed to sense actual combustion characteristics, and, in response to the sensed combustion characteristics, the inlet geometry may be varied to obtain the total ignition delay time necessary to achieve the desired combustion characteristics. Various embodiments relate to the varying of the mass flow rate of reactants while holding the radius/velocity ratio constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: T. Tazwell Bramlette, Jay O. Keller
  • Patent number: 4805318
    Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus includes a first chamber having a first heat transfer gas inlet, a second heat transfer gas inlet, and an outlet. A first heat transfer gas source provides a first gas flow to the first chamber through the first heat transfer gas inlet. A second gas flow through a second chamber connected to the side of the first chamber, generates acoustic waves which bring about acoustical coupling of the first and second gases in the acoustically augmented first chamber. The first chamber may also include a material inlet for receiving material to be dried, in which case the gas outlet serves as a dried material and gas outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: T. Tazwell Bramlette, Jay O. Keller