Patents by Inventor Mark A. Mueller

Mark A. Mueller 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: 20130139806
    Abstract: A system of passively heating water using solar energy and an absorber formed from two identical halves of molded darkened glass that are fused together. The absorber is essentially a plurality of black glass struts that are sandwiched between two black glass surfaces. The struts act as baffle plates and define cells. Water is carried through the system via the thermosiphoning effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventor: Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 8381717
    Abstract: A system of passively heating water using solar energy and an absorber formed from two identical halves of molded darkened glass that are fused together. The absorber is essentially a plurality of black glass struts that are sandwiched between two black glass surfaces. The struts act as baffle plates and define cells. Water is carried through the system via the thermosiphoning effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventor: Mark A. Mueller
  • Publication number: 20100132697
    Abstract: A system of passively heating water using solar energy and an absorber formed from two identical halves of molded darkened glass that are fused together. The absorber is essentially a plurality of black glass struts that are sandwiched between two black glass surfaces. The struts act as baffle plates and define cells. Water is carried through the system via the thermosiphoning effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventor: Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6871501
    Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine including a combustor to be operated. The combustor includes a mixer assembly including an air swirler, a premixer, a dome plate, and a heat shield. The method comprises discharging fluids from the air swirler into the premixer, and directing cooling fluids through a cooling opening defined in at least one of the swirler and the dome plate towards an upstream side of the heat shield for impingement cooling of the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John D. Bibler, Timothy J. Held, Mark A. Mueller
  • Publication number: 20040103668
    Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine including a combustor to be operated. The combustor includes a mixer assembly including an air swirler, a premixer, a dome plate, and a heat shield. The method comprises discharging fluids from the air swirler into the premixer, and directing cooling fluids through a cooling opening defined in at least one of the swirler and the dome plate towards an upstream side of the heat shield for impingement cooling of the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: John D. Bibler, Timothy J. Held, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6518474
    Abstract: A process for producing substantially pure isobutylene containing relatively small amounts of higher oligomer byproducts. The process may employ a Y-zeolite catalyst having a silica to alumina ratio of less than or equal to about ten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Huntsman International LLC
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6258219
    Abstract: A method of deposition for W or TiW on a silicon wafer in a physical vapor deposition chamber equipped with a clamping ring without incurring arcing problem between the wafer and the clamping ring by utilizing a novel two-step high-pressure/low-pressure process in which a first depositing step is carried out at a relatively high pressure above 11 mTorr so as to form an electrical bridge between the wafer and the clamping ring and a second depositing step is carried out at a lower pressure so as to form a high-quality conductive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6023001
    Abstract: Peroxides are prepared from organic compounds and oxygen in a reaction vessel by introducing organic compound and oxygen to the reaction vessel and by simultaneously withdrawing a first liquid product stream from adjacent the top of the reactor and a second liquid product stream from adjacent the bottom of the reaction vessel. Suitable organic compounds include, but are not limited to, alkanes and all aryl compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Huntsman ICI Chemicals LLC
    Inventors: William K. Culbreth, III, Mark E. Taylor, Kyle L. Preston, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5620568
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent of 1-propanol is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead distillate fraction of essentially anhydrous propylene oxide contaminated with reduced quantities of acetone and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the 1-propanol, water and acetone, some of the methanol and heavier by-products of propylene oxide formed in the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Smith, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5607776
    Abstract: A novel method of in-situ cleaning a Ti target in a Ti+TiN anti-reflective coating process when such Ti and TiN deposition process are conducted in the same process chamber by the addition of a simple process step and without the use of a shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Mueller, Xin Guo, John C. Egermeier
  • Patent number: 5464505
    Abstract: Propylene oxide adducts of oxyethylene glycols are used as extractive distillation agents in an extractive distillation column in the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead propylene oxide distillate fraction contaminated with reduced quantities of water, acetone and methanol, and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing substantially all of the extractive distillation agent, and acetone and some of the methanol and water introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Peters, William A. Smith, Mark A. Mueller, William K. Culbreth, III
  • Patent number: 5457243
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for removing organic acids and derivatives thereof from a crude methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) stream of the type found in the feed to, or effluent from, a reactor for a one-step process for producing MTBE which comprises:contacting said crude MTBE stream in a treating zone over one or more beds of a solid base for a period of time sufficient to neutralize said organic acids and derivatives thereof; andwithdrawing a substantially organic acid-free crude MTBE product from said treating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Knifton, Mark A. Mueller, Michael W. Peters
  • Patent number: 5453160
    Abstract: An extractive distillation agent comprising a mixture of polyoxypropylene glycols is fed to an extractive distillation column used for the distillation of propylene oxide contaminated with water, acetone and methanol to obtain an overhead distillate anhydrous propylene oxide fraction contaminated with reduced quantities of methanol and a heavier bottoms distillation fraction containing the polyoxypropylene glycols, water and acetone and some of the methanol introduced into the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Peters, William K. Culbreth, III, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5436376
    Abstract: A plural stage process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol from isobutane wherein isobutane is reacted with oxygen in a first reactor to prepare a primary liquid reaction mixture comprising unreacted isobutane, tertiary butyl alcohol, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and small amounts of oxygen-containing by-products, distilling the primary reaction product to provide a first lighter isobutane recycle distillation fraction and a first heavier liquid distillation fraction comprising the debutanized mixture of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide with tertiary butyl alcohol, diluting the first heavier liquid distillation fraction with an amount of tertiary butyl alcohol sufficient to provide a feed mixture comprising about 15 to 25 wt. % of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, about 75 to 85 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, John R. Sanderson, Mark A. Mueller, William A. Smith
  • Patent number: 5427666
    Abstract: A novel method of in-situ cleaning a Ti target in a Ti+TiN anti-reflective coating process when such Ti and TiN deposition process are conducted in the same process chamber by the addition of a simple process step and without the use of a shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Mueller, Xin Guo, John C. Egermeier
  • Patent number: 5414145
    Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) is prepared by non-catalytically reacting isobutane with oxygen to provide a reaction product comprising isobutane, peroxides including tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and impurities, charging the de-isobutanized reaction product and a soluble hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst to a first hydroperoxide decomposition reactor fitted with a fractionating column to provide a liquid reaction product comprising TBA, catalyst, hydroperoxides, and contaminants, and a vaporized decomposition product, cooling said vaporized reaction product to provide a condensate, and recovering a portion as a TBA reaction product, charging the liquid reaction product to a second hydroperoxide decomposition reactor to substantially completely decompose the peroxides therein and to form a second hydroperoxide decomposition product, which is charged to a second distillation column and separated therein into a third lighter overhead fraction comprising TBA, and a third heavier liquid fraction comprising normal
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Hwa E. Sheu, John R. Sanderson, Mark A. Mueller, William A. Smith
  • Patent number: 5410077
    Abstract: In a regulated process wherein propylene is reacted with tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol to produce propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol in a reactor system comprising a first isothermal segment comprising a plurality of at least four sequentially interconnected internally cooled reactors, and a second adiabatic segment,an initial feed mixture is continuously charged to the first reactor, comprising propylene and a recycle stream composed of about 25 to about 75 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Company
    Inventors: Chung-Nan T. Wu, Mark E. Taylor, Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5401889
    Abstract: A method for preparing tertiary butyl alcohol wherein a feedstock comprising a solution of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in a cosolvent mixture of tertiary butyl alcohol with isobutane is charged to a hydroperoxide decomposition reaction zone containing a catalytically effective amount of a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst and is brought into contact with the catalyst in liquid phase with agitation under hydroperoxide decomposition reaction conditions to convert the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to decomposition products, principally tertiary butyl alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Sanderson, Mark A. Mueller, Yu-Hwa E. Sheu
  • Patent number: 5399777
    Abstract: In the non-catalytic liquid phase oxidation of isobutane, it has been found that the reaction is initiated with 0.05 wt % to 0.08 wt % tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5395980
    Abstract: In the non-catalytic liquid phase oxidation of isobutane, it has been found that the reaction is initiated with 0.05 wt % to 0.08 wt % ditertiary butyl peroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Texaco Chemical Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Mueller, John R. Sanderson