Patents by Inventor K. Scott Rawlinson
K. Scott Rawlinson 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).
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Patent number: 7124507Abstract: Heat pipe wick structure wherein a stout sheet of perforated material overlays a high performance wick material such as stainless steel felt affixed to a substrate. The inventive structure provides a good flow path for working fluid while maintaining durability and structural stability independent of the structure (or lack of structure) associated with the wick material. In one described embodiment, a wick of randomly laid ˜8 micron thickness stainless steel fibers is sintered to a metal substrate and a perforated metal overlay.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2003Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Charles E. Andraka, Douglas R. Adkins, James B. Moreno, K. Scott Rawlinson, Steven K. Showalter, Timothy A. Moss
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Patent number: 6739136Abstract: A combustion system for a hybrid solar receiver comprises a pre-mixer which combines air and fuel to form an air-fuel mixture. The mixture is introduced tangentially into a cooling jacket. A burner plenum is fluidically connected to the cooling jacket such that the burner plenum and the cooling jacket are arranged in thermal contact with one another. The air-fuel mixture flows through the cooling jacket cooling the burner plenum to reduce pre-ignition of the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum. A combustion chamber is operatively associated with and open to the burner plenum to receive the air-fuel mixture from the burner plenum. An igniter is operatively positioned in the combustion chamber to combust the air-fuel mixture, releasing heat. A recuperator is operatively associated with the burner plenum and the combustion chamber and pre-heats the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum with heat from the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2002Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Mark S. Mehos, Kenneth M. Anselmo, James B. Moreno, Charles E. Andraka, K. Scott Rawlinson, John Corey, Mark S. Bohn
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Patent number: 6648063Abstract: Heat pipe wick structure wherein a stout sheet of perforated material overlays a high performance wick material such as stainless steel felt affixed to a substrate. The inventive structure provides a good flow path for working fluid while maintaining durability and structural stability independent of the structure (or lack of structure) associated with the wick material. In one described embodiment, a wick of randomly laid ˜8 micron thickness stainless steel fibers is sintered to a metal substrate and a perforated metal overlay.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2000Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Charles E. Andraka, Douglas R. Adkins, James B. Moreno, K. Scott Rawlinson, Steven K. Showalter, Timothy A. Moss
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Publication number: 20030136398Abstract: A combustion system for a hybrid solar receiver comprises a pre-mixer which combines air and fuel to form an air-fuel mixture. The mixture is introduced tangentially into a cooling jacket. A burner plenum is fluidically connected to the cooling jacket such that the burner plenum and the cooling jacket are arranged in thermal contact with one another. The air-fuel mixture flows through the cooling jacket cooling the burner plenum to reduce pre-ignition of the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum. A combustion chamber is operatively associated with and open to the burner plenum to receive the air-fuel mixture from the burner plenum. An igniter is operatively positioned in the combustion chamber to combust the air-fuel mixture, releasing heat. A recuperator is operatively associated with the burner plenum and the combustion chamber and pre-heats the air-fuel mixture in the burner plenum with heat from the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2002Publication date: July 24, 2003Inventors: Mark S. Mehos, Kenneth M. Anselmo, James B. Moreno, Charles E. Andraka, K. Scott Rawlinson, John Corey, Mark S. Bohn
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Patent number: 6487859Abstract: A hybrid high-temperature solar receiver is provided which comprises a solar heat-pipe-receiver including a front dome having a solar absorber surface for receiving concentrated solar energy, a heat pipe wick, a rear dome, a sidewall joining the front and the rear dome, and a vapor and a return liquid tube connecting to an engine, and a fossil fuel fired combustion system in radial integration with the sidewall for simultaneous operation with the solar heat pipe receiver, the combustion system comprising an air and fuel pre-mixer, an outer cooling jacket for tangentially introducing and cooling the mixture, a recuperator for preheating the mixture, a burner plenum having an inner and an outer wall, a porous cylindrical metal matrix burner firing radially inward facing a sodium vapor sink, the mixture ignited downstream of the matrix forming combustion products, an exhaust plenum, a fossil-fuel heat-input surface having an outer surface covered with a pin-fin array, the combustion products flowing through theType: GrantFiled: July 31, 2001Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: Midwest Research InstituteInventors: Mark S. Mehos, Kenneth M. Anselmo, James B. Moreno, Charles E. Andraka, K. Scott Rawlinson, John Corey, Mark S. Bohn
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Publication number: 20020059798Abstract: A hybrid high-temperature solar receiver is provided which comprises a solar heat-pipe-receiver including a front dome having a solar absorber surface for receiving concentrated solar energy, a heat pipe wick, a rear dome, a sidewall joining the front and the rear dome, and a vapor and a return liquid tube connecting to an engine, and a fossil fuel fired combustion system in radial integration with the sidewall for simultaneous operation with the solar heat pipe receiver, the combustion system comprising an air and fuel pre-mixer, an outer cooling jacket for tangentially introducing and cooling the mixture, a recuperator for preheating the mixture, a burner plenum having an inner and an outer wall, a porous cylindrical metal matrix burner firing radially inward facing a sodium vapor sink, the mixture ignited downstream of the matrix forming combustion products, an exhaust plenum, a fossil-fuel heat-input surface having an outer surface covered with a pin-fin array, the combustion products flowing through theType: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2001Publication date: May 23, 2002Inventors: Mark S. Mehos, Kenneth M. Anselmo, James B. Moreno, Charles E. Andraka, K. Scott Rawlinson, John Corey, Mark S. Bohn
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Patent number: 5275232Abstract: An improved evaporator section for a dual manifold heat pipe. Both the upper and lower manifolds can have surfaces exposed to the heat source which evaporate the working fluid. The tubes in the tube bank between the manifolds have openings in their lower extensions into the lower manifold to provide for the transport of evaporated working fluid from the lower manifold into the tubes and from there on into the upper manifold and on to the condenser portion of the heat pipe. A wick structure lining the inner walls of the evaporator tubes extends into both the upper and lower manifolds. At least some of the tubes also have overflow tubes contained within them to carry condensed working fluid from the upper manifold to pass to the lower without spilling down the inside walls of the tubes.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1993Date of Patent: January 4, 1994Assignee: Sandia National LaboratoriesInventors: Douglas R. Adkins, K. Scott Rawlinson