Patents by Inventor Kurt E. Kraus

Kurt E. Kraus 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).

  • Publication number: 20260036297
    Abstract: A burner and methods of using the burner. The burner produces a flame from combustion air and fuel gas. Flue gas, also produced, can be withdrawn and recycled to the burner. A cooling or condition gas, such as ambient air, may be mixed with the flue gas to reduce its temperature. The burner may also utilize a stage injection so that a portion of the produced flue gas is recycled internally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2025
    Publication date: February 5, 2026
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Dusty Ray Richmond, Mohammad Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Zhili Qin
  • Publication number: 20250383081
    Abstract: A burner configured to produce a flame in a combustion zone is provided where the burner includes a combustion air conduit that provides combustion air to the combustion zone, a primary targeted gas conduit surrounded by the combustion air conduit that provides a targeted gas to the combustion zone, a secondary targeted gas conduit that provides additional targeted gas to the combustion zone, a primary fuel gas conduit surrounded by the targeted gas conduit that provides fuel gas to the combustion zone and a secondary fuel gas conduit that provides additional fuel gas to the combustion zone, where a portion of the fuel gas from at least one of the primary fuel gas conduit and the secondary fuel gas conduit is mixed with a portion of the targeted gas prior to mixing with the combustion air in the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2025
    Publication date: December 18, 2025
    Inventors: Dusty Ray Richmond, Kurt E. Kraus, Zhili Qin, James W. Harris, Velmurugan Venkatachalam, Alexander Green
  • Publication number: 20250383088
    Abstract: A liquid fuel or hybrid fuel burner and method of operating the burner are described. The combustion air and/or NOx reducing medium are introduced at more than one location in the burner. A portion of the combustion air and the NOx reducing medium can be injected into the primary combustion zone through the NOx reducing medium conduit which surrounds the fuel injector which injects atomized liquid fuel or fuel gas into the primary combustion zone. Another portion of the combustion air and the NOx reducing medium can be introduced into the primary combustion zone through a passage in the burner tile surrounding the NOx reducing medium conduit. A third portion of NOx reducing medium can be injected outside the burner tile. NOx reducing medium can be introduced into any combination of the three locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2025
    Publication date: December 18, 2025
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Dusty Ray Richmond, Zhili Qin
  • Patent number: 12460814
    Abstract: A burner and methods of using the burner. The burner produces a flame from combustion air and fuel gas. Flue gas, also produced, can be withdrawn and recycled to the burner. A cooling or condition gas, such as ambient air, may be mixed with the flue gas to reduce its temperature. The burner may also utilize a stage injection so that a portion of the produced flue gas is recycled internally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Dusty Ray Richmond, Mohammad Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Zhili Qin
  • Patent number: 12398879
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for heating process fluid in a furnace. Fuel to the furnace is either hydrocarbons or hydrogen. The fuels may be sent to different furnaces or be sent at different times to the same furnace. Furnaces that are configured to receive both types of fuels may have different exhaust paths. An exhaust path for hydrocarbon fuel flue gas includes a carbon capture process zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Carl J. Stevens, Jeffrey J. Guenther
  • Publication number: 20240167678
    Abstract: A burner configured to produce a flame in a combustion zone is provided where the burner includes a combustion air conduit that provides combustion air to the combustion zone, a targeted gas conduit surrounded by the combustion air conduit, the targeted gas provides a targeted gas, such as a NOx reducing medium, to the combustion zone and a fuel gas conduit surrounded by the targeted gas conduit, the fuel gas conduit provides fuel gas to the combustion zone, wherein a portion of the fuel gas is mixed with a portion of the targeted gas prior to mixing with the combustion air in the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Dusty Ray Richmond, Kurt E. Kraus, Zhili Qin, James W. Harris, Velmurugan Venkatachalam, Alexander Green
  • Publication number: 20230288057
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for heating process fluid in a furnace. Fuel to the furnace is either hydrocarbons or hydrogen. The fuels may be sent to different furnaces or be sent at different times to the same furnace. Furnaces that are configured to receive both types of fuels may have different exhaust paths. An exhaust path for hydrocarbon fuel flue gas includes a carbon capture process zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Carl J. Stevens, Jeffrey J. Guenther
  • Publication number: 20230288058
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for heating process fluid in a furnace. Fuel to the furnace is either hydrocarbons or hydrogen. The fuels may be sent to different furnaces or be sent at different times to the same furnace. Furnaces that are configured to receive both types of fuels may have different exhaust paths. An exhaust path for hydrocarbon fuel flue gas includes a carbon capture process zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Carl J. Stevens, Jeffrey J. Guenther
  • Publication number: 20230213182
    Abstract: A burner and methods of using the burner. The burner produces a flame from combustion air and fuel gas. Flue gas, also produced, can be withdrawn and recycled to the burner. A cooling or condition gas, such as ambient air, may be mixed with the flue gas to reduce its temperature. The burner may also utilize a stage injection so that a portion of the produced flue gas is recycled internally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Dusty Ray Richmond, Mohammad Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Zhili Qin
  • Publication number: 20230213181
    Abstract: A burner and methods of using the burner. The burner produces a flame from combustion air and fuel gas. Flue gas, also produced, can be withdrawn and recycled to the burner. A cooling or condition gas, such as ambient air, may be mixed with the flue gas to reduce its temperature. The burner may also utilize a stage injection so that a portion of the produced flue gas is recycled internally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Dusty Ray Richmond, Mohammad Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Zhili Qin
  • Patent number: 11105508
    Abstract: A flare burner for burning combustible waste gases with a manifold, at least two arms, and a plurality of outlets disposed on the plurality of arms. The arms may be perpendicular to the manifold. The arms may also extend outwardly from the manifold. The arms may extend into annuli, to produce oppositely flowing exit gas. A curved dispersing surface may be disposed above the manifold. The arms may comprise a curvilinear shape or include both a linear and a curvilinear portion. The arms are unequal in length and may curve in an opposite direction from each other. The outlets are configured and spaced such that flame is short relative to size of the flare burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Martin, Kurt E. Kraus, Christopher Ferguson, Stefano Bietto
  • Publication number: 20200240631
    Abstract: A flare burner for burning combustible waste gases with a manifold, at least two arms, and a plurality of outlets disposed on the plurality of arms. The arms may be perpendicular to the manifold. The arms may also extend outwardly from the manifold. The arms may extend into annuli, to produce oppositely flowing exit gas. A curved dispersing surface may be disposed above the manifold. The arms may comprise a curvilinear shape or include both a linear and a curvilinear portion. The arms are unequal in length and may curve in an opposite direction from each other. The outlets are configured and spaced such that flame is short relative to size of the flare burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew Martin, Kurt E. Kraus, Christopher Ferguson, Stefano Bietto
  • Patent number: 10619107
    Abstract: A heater coil for heating a feedstock comprises an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold having longitudinal extensions that are parallel. A plurality of process tubes are suspended from and in fluid communication with the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold. Each process tube comprises an inlet leg coupled to the inlet manifold, an outlet leg coupled to the outlet manifold, and a U-shaped portion disposed between the inlet leg and the outlet leg for passage of the feedstock therethrough. The inlet manifold and the outlet manifold are elevated with respect to the plurality of process tubes. Each of the plurality of process tubes is aligned such that a width of the plurality of process tubes extends along a direction that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of the inlet and outlet manifolds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Matthew A. Martin
  • Patent number: 10598375
    Abstract: A flare burner for burning combustible waste gases with a manifold, at least two arms, and a plurality of outlets disposed on the plurality of arms. The arms may be perpendicular to the manifold. The arms may also extend outwardly from the manifold. The arms may extend into annuli, to produce oppositely flowing exit gas. A curved dispersing surface may be disposed above the manifold. The arms may comprise a curvilinear shape, or include both a linear and a curvilinear portion. The arms are unequal in length and may curve in an opposite direction from each other. The outlets are configured and spaced such that flame is short relative to size of the flare burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Martin, Kurt E. Kraus, Christopher Ferguson, Stefano Bietto
  • Publication number: 20190360688
    Abstract: A steam flare is provided that injects steam, unmixed with air into a waste gas stream at locations where the resulting accelerated steam and waste gas mixture upon exposure to the surrounding air induces a mixture of steam, waste gas and air with improved combustion and effectively complete destruction of the waste gas, and where under low-flow conditions, reduced steam and/or assist gas are required to maintain smokeless operation. The steam is injected via multiple tubes each controlled independently so that steam can normally be flowed via a first tube, and then, when operation loads require, flowed via a second tube. The first and second tubes may be concentric and may be in communication with steam supplies that have different pressures of steam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Christopher Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20190086079
    Abstract: A steam flare is provided that injects steam, unmixed with air into a waste gas stream at locations where the resulting accelerated steam and waste gas mixture upon exposure to the surrounding air induces a mixture of steam, waste gas and air with improved combustion and effectively complete destruction of the waste gas, and where under low-flow conditions, reduced steam and/or assist gas are required to maintain smokeless operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew A. Martin, Richard R. Martin, Kurt E. Kraus, Jay D. Jennings
  • Publication number: 20180371330
    Abstract: A heater coil for heating a feedstock comprises an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold having longitudinal extensions that are parallel. A plurality of process tubes are suspended from and in fluid communication with the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold. Each process tube comprises an inlet leg coupled to the inlet manifold, an outlet leg coupled to the outlet manifold, and a U-shaped portion disposed between the inlet leg and the outlet leg for passage of the feedstock therethrough. The inlet manifold and the outlet manifold are elevated with respect to the plurality of process tubes. Each of the plurality of process tubes is aligned such that a width of the plurality of process tubes extends along a direction that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of the inlet and outlet manifolds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Matthew A. Martin
  • Publication number: 20180119950
    Abstract: A flare burner for burning combustible waste gases with a manifold, at least two arms, and a plurality of outlets disposed on the plurality of arms. The arms may be perpendicular to the manifold. The arms may also extend outwardly from the manifold. The arms may extend into annuli, to produce oppositely flowing exit gas. A curved dispersing surface may be disposed above the manifold. The arms may comprise a curvilinear shape, or include both a linear and a curvilinear portion. The arms are unequal in length and may curve in an opposite direction from each other. The outlets are configured and spaced such that flame is short relative to size of the flare burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew A. Martin, Kurt E. Kraus, Christopher Ferguson, Stefano Bietto
  • Publication number: 20130323658
    Abstract: A burner flame detection and monitoring system for a pilot burner for combustion of wastes gases and waste materials. The system includes a pilot burner assembly. A gas premix burner assembly includes a fuel gas delivery conduit, a fuel metering orifice, a fuel and air mixing device, a pilot tube and a pilot burner tip assembly. A primary sensor is in communication with the pilot burner assembly downstream of the fuel metering orifice. A secondary sensor is in communication with pilot burner assembly at or upstream of the fuel metering orifice. A processor receives input from both the primary sensor and the secondary sensor. A mechanism integrates the input from the primary sensor and the input from the secondary sensor in order to deduce the presence, absence or quality of a pilot flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Matthew Martin, Donnie McClain, Aravind Padmanabhan, Ganesh Shiva Shankar
  • Patent number: 8251089
    Abstract: A relief system for process fluids under pressure. The system includes a normally open isolation valve in fluid communication with a process system under pressure through an upstream conduit. A buckling pin actuator is in fluid communication with the upstream conduit through a sensing line. A spring activated actuator is engaged with the isolation relief valve in order to retain the isolation valve in a closed position. A buckling actuator bypass valve is supplied with non process fluid pressure to an input port and the buckling actuator bypass valve also includes a first output port to the spring activated actuator and a second output port to a vent whereby pressure in the process system above a predetermined level will actuate the buckling pin actuator, moving said buckling actuator bypass valve to said second outlet port to vent and thereby moving the spring activated actuator in order to open the isolation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt E. Kraus, Bryan L. Beck, Dusty R. Richmond