Patents by Inventor Kerry L. Wagaman

Kerry L. Wagaman 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: 6849247
    Abstract: A gas generating process, which is for the continuous production of energy and hydrogen for rocket and other propulsion and is also for the continuous production of hydrogen, utilizes the reaction of metallic materials, particularly aluminum, with organic materials, particularly hydrocarbons provided as jet fuel, and with water or an oxidizer which is predominantly water. In comparison with related reactions, the reaction produces hot gases containing more hydrogen and the products have a lower temperature for the same specific impulse. The process incorporates organic liquids with metallic powders to produce desirable, lower molecular weight exhaust gas products; and the increased hydrogen is desirable for use with a fuel cell and in connection with propulsion of a super-cavitating underwater device. The process is advantageous in that a metal, in powdered form, and a hydrocarbon liquid may be provided together as a slurry or gel for effective metering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry L. Wagaman, Douglas J Elstrodt
  • Patent number: 6843868
    Abstract: A non-/low-toxic, non-hypergolic, propellant formulation generally comprising metal nanoparticles, such as boron, aluminum, or carbon, and one or more fluoro-polymers mixed in in particulate form. The present invention takes advantage of the increased surface area provided by nano-sized metallic particles to enhance the metal's combustion efficiency, or ignitability. The inclusion of fluoro-polymers also aids in increasing the combustion efficiency of the metallic nanoparticles due to the presence of halogenic oxidizers. The thermal degradation of a halogenated fluoro-polymer additive in the propellant combustion zone serves to release halogens, thereby improving the combustion of the metallic nanoparticles and increasing the propulsion system's energy output. The present invention's formulation is safe to store and handle, environmentally-friendly, and may be economically manufactured to provide for widespread, cost-effective use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Christopher J. Fawls, Joel P. Fields, Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6652682
    Abstract: The present invention is a propellant composition comprising from about 2 percent to about 46 percent, by weight, boron particles having a diameter of less than about 500 nanometers. Liquid or gel embodiments of the invention may also include adding the boron particles to a liquid fuel in order to form a liquid fuel system. Examples of such liquid fuels include ethyl ammonium nitrate (EAN), triethyl amine nitrate (TEAN), Cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), trinitrotoluene (TNT), jet fuel formula (JP-10), kerosene, RJ-4, or other hydrocarbon based fuels. These liquid fuel systems can be part of bipropellants wherein the liquid fuel system is stored separately from an oxidizing agent and the two are mixed during operation. Examples of oxidizing agents may include nitrogen tetroxide, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl ammonium perchlorate (HAP), hydoxyl ammonium nitrate (HAN), ammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium dinitramide (ADN), or a combination of said chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Christopher J. Fawls, Joel P. Fields, Timothy J. Dunn, Douglas Elstrodt, Michael L. Hudson, Kerry L. Wagaman, Kenneth Kuo
  • Patent number: 6331220
    Abstract: A family of water-based gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: hydrogen peroxide; hydrazinium mononitrate; and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternative uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6328831
    Abstract: A family of water-based, gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternate uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation or use as an oxygen source in welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6299711
    Abstract: A family of water-based gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: a first compound which may be hydrazinium mononitrate or methylhydrazinium mononitrate; ammonium nitrate; and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternative uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6258983
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a process of producing HAN by slowly adding nitric acid to an alcoholic solution of hydroxylamine. This forms a precipitate of solid HAN. However, if more nitric acid is added, the precipitate dissolves before the stoichiometric amount of acid has been added. Therefore, sufficient nitric acid is added to form a maximum amount of solid HAN precipitate. The solid HAN is then isolated by conventional means such as filtration or centrifugation, possibly preceded by chilling this solution. The excess alcoholic solution of unreacted hydroxylamine may be recycled and used as starting material in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6230491
    Abstract: A family of water-based gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: hydrogen peroxide; ammonium nitrate; and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternative uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6165295
    Abstract: A family of water-based gas-generating liquid compositions is described. A composition of the present invention includes: hydrogen peroxide; ammonium nitrate; and water. Compositions of the present invention may be mixed with fuels to make monopropellants or used in bipropellant or hybrid systems. Alternative uses of the present invention include breathable gas generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 6001197
    Abstract: A liquid monopropellant having(1) from about 10 to about 80 weight percent of an substituted ammonium nate which is methylammonium nitrate, dimethylammonium nitrate, trimethylammonium nitrate, ethylammonium nitrate, diethylammonium nitrate, n-propylammonium nitrate, isopropylammonium nitrate, ethanolammonium nitrate, diethanolammonium nitrate, triethanolammonium nitrate, or mixtures thereof,(2) from about 5 to about 60 weight percent of ammonium nitrate, and(3) from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of water.A second embodiment of this invention is a monopropellant in which ammonium nitrate is omitted and from about 60 to about 95 weight percent of the substituted ammonium nitrate and from about 5 to about 40 weight percent of water is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 5972136
    Abstract: A liquid oxidizer for propellants or explosives comprising nitric acid (Hsub.3), ammonium nitrate (NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3), and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 5041661
    Abstract: A process for preparing triaminoguanidine nitrate from relatively impure -99 percent)/commercial guanidine nitrate and commercial grade aqueous hydrazine (50-64 weight percent) in alcohol by: (1) adding enough hydrazine to form monoaminoguanidine nitrate, diaminoguanidine nitrate, or mixtures thereof, (2) physically removing the alcohol insoluble, solid impurities from the solution, (3) adding the remainder of the hydrazine needed to form triaminoguanidine nitrate, (4) adding nitric acid to adjust the pH to from 4.5 to 5.5, and (6) isolating the product triaminoguanidine nitrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry L. Wagaman, Chester F. Clark, Larry D. Henderson
  • Patent number: 4956168
    Abstract: Hydroxylamine perchlorate or nitrate is prepared by forming an alcohol-hyxylamine solution from reacting a slurry of hydroxylamine sulfate in alcohol with ammonia, reacting perchloric acid or nitric acid therewith to form the desired salt, and separating the salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 4954328
    Abstract: Hydroxylamine perchlorate or nitrate is prepared by forming an alcohol-hyxylamine solution from reacting a slurry of hydroxylamine sulfate in alcohol with sodium alkoxide, reacting perchloric acid or nitric and therewith to form the desired salt, and separating the salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: 4419155
    Abstract: An explosive ternary nitrate mixture of ethylenediamine dinitrate, ammonium itrate, and potassium is prepared by mixing together approximately stoichiometric amounts of aqueous nitric acid, ethylenediamine, ammonia, and potassium hydroxide at a temperature of less than about 130.degree. C. The additions can be made simultaneously or sequentially in any order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry L. Wagaman, Chester F. Clark, Larry D. Henderson, W. Steven Jones
  • Patent number: 4400562
    Abstract: 3-Buten-1-ol is synthesized from 1,3-butanediol by heating a polyol in the resence of a trivalent metal sulfate to a temperature from about 70.degree. C. below to about 100.degree. C. above the boiling point of 1,3-butanediol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry L. Wagaman, Larry D. Henderson
  • Patent number: H861
    Abstract: A process for preparing 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one by nitrating 1,2,4-trol-5-one in 70% nitric acid at a temperature of from 60.degree. C. to 75.degree. C. and then crystallizing out the product 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one at a temperature of from 0.degree. C. to 10.degree. C. The nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one is useful as an explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Steven L. Collignon, Robert E. Farncomb, Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: H1510
    Abstract: A continuous process for forming spheroidal high bulk density nitroguanid crystals from an aqueous solution of nitroguanidine which contains methylcellulose and partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) as crystal habit modifiers. A saturated aqueous solution of nitroguanidine is formed at a temperature T.sub.1 where 70.degree. C..ltoreq.T.sub.1 .ltoreq.100.degree. C. and crystallization occurs at a lower temperature T.sub.2 where 20.degree. C..ltoreq.T.sub.1 -T.sub.2 .ltoreq.50.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Steven L. Collignon, Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: H1768
    Abstract: Liquid oxidizer comprising an aqueous solution of hydroxyl ammonium nitrate nd a nitrate salt that is ammonium nitrate or hydrazine mononitrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kurt F. Mueller, Kerry L. Wagaman
  • Patent number: H1778
    Abstract: A process for producing high bulk density spheroidal nitroguanidine by fong a solution of from 2 to 9 weight percent of nitroguanidine, 0.5 to 2.0 weight percent of methylcellulose, and 0.5 to 2.0 weight percent of partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) in water at a temperature of from 50.degree. C. to 100.degree. C., and then cooling the solution at a rate of from I to 20.degree. C./minute until the solution temperature is less than 40.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry L. Wagaman, Chester F. Clark, William S. Jones, Steven L. Collignon, Christopher C. Wilmot