Patents by Inventor Leonardo SPANU

Leonardo SPANU 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: 11873219
    Abstract: A method of operating a mass spectrometer vacuum interface, the vacuum interface comprising an evacuated expansion chamber downstream of a plasma ion source at atmospheric or relatively high pressure, the expansion chamber having a first aperture that interfaces with the plasma ion source to form an expanding plasma downstream of the first aperture and a second aperture downstream of the first aperture from the plasma for skimming the expanding plasma to form a skimmed expanding plasma; wherein the expansion chamber is pumped by an interface vacuum pump to provide an interface pressure in the chamber; the method comprising using a controller to automatically, or according to user input, control the throughput of the interface vacuum pump to control the interface pressure dependent on one or more operating modes of the spectrometer. A pressure gauge can be located in the expansion chamber and a feedback loop provided between the pressure gauge and controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SHELL USA, INC.
    Inventors: Leonardo Spanu, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria Mesters
  • Publication number: 20230348265
    Abstract: A reactor system, which is active in pyrolyzing methane at effective conditions, comprising a molten salt medium and a reaction vessel, the molten salt being contained within the reaction vessel using various methods of catalyst distribution within the vessel such that when methane passes through the vessel, it comes into contact with said catalyst causing a pyrolysis reaction thereby producing molecular hydrogen with reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The catalyst may be placed within the reaction vessel either as suspended particles or in a structured packed form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Leonardo SPANU, Guoqiang YANG, Joseph Broun POWELL, Carl MESTERS
  • Publication number: 20210363013
    Abstract: A catalyst system, which is active in pyrolyzing methane at reaction temperatures above 700° C., comprising a molten salt selected from the group consisting of the halides of alkali metals; the halides of alkaline earth metals; the halides of zinc, copper, manganese, cadmium, tin and iron; and mixtures thereof, the molten salt having dispersed therein one or more catalytically active forms of iron, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, cobalt, zinc, titanium, and copper in the form of finely divided elemental metals, metal oxides, metal carbides or mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Leonardo SPANU, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria MESTERS
  • Publication number: 20210147228
    Abstract: A process comprising passing methane through a reaction zone comprising a molten salt/metal bed under reaction conditions to produce a gas stream comprising hydrogen and a solid carbon product wherein the reaction zone comprises a hydrogen acceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Jacobus Johannes Cornelis GEERLINGS, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria MESTERS, Leonardo SPANU
  • Publication number: 20210032101
    Abstract: A method of operating a mass spectrometer vacuum interface, the vacuum interface comprising an evacuated expansion chamber downstream of a plasma ion source at atmospheric or relatively high pressure, the expansion chamber having a first aperture that interfaces with the plasma ion source to form an expanding plasma downstream of the first aperture and a second aperture downstream of the first aperture from the plasma for skimming the expanding plasma to form a skimmed expanding plasma; wherein the expansion chamber is pumped by an interface vacuum pump to provide an interface pressure in the chamber; the method comprising using a controller to automatically, or according to user input, control the throughput of the interface vacuum pump to control the interface pressure dependent on one or more operating modes of the spectrometer. A pressure gauge can be located in the expansion chamber and a feedback loop provided between the pressure gauge and controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Leonardo SPANU, Carolus Matthias Anna Maria MESTERS