Patents by Inventor Mark Fitzsimmons

Mark Fitzsimmons 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: 10443841
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for processing of solid materials, particularly fuel material solids such as carbonaceous fuel solids such as of granular form, to provide or result in an even distribution of the solid material. Hoppers are provided with plurality of outlet orifices, each of the outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the solid material to pneumatically convey the solid material to a distribution manifold. The distribution manifold includes a plurality of tubes with each tube having a plurality of exit orifices wherein each exit orifice passes an equal portion of the combination of the gas and the solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Mark Fitzsimmons
  • Publication number: 20190135625
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sorbent enhanced reformation to produce high purity hydrogen. Such systems and methods utilize a reforming unit to process a feed containing methane and steam to produce a reformer product stream containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide, a sorbent unit to absorb at least a portion of the carbon dioxide from the reformer product stream to produce a sorbent unit product stream containing H2 and used sorbent, a first separation unit to separate H2 from the used sorbent, a calciner unit to calcine at least a portion of the used sorbent to form a calciner product stream containing regenerated sorbent material and residual gases, a second separation unit to separate the regenerated sorbent material from the residual gases, and a return line to return regenerated sorbent material to the sorbent unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Mark FITZSIMMONS
  • Patent number: 10113740
    Abstract: Methods and devices for combusting a carbonaceous fuel in an oxy-combustion fluidized bed reactor involving controlling the local oxygen content within the oxy-combustion reactor to specified levels. The carbonaceous fuel and an oxygen-containing gas are introduced into a fluidized bed reactor and eluted through a fluidized bed of an inert material, dolomite or a combination thereof to combust the fuel and oxygen to produce at least CO2 and steam. The oxygen-containing gas is a mixture of oxygen, recycled CO2 and steam and has sufficient oxygen added to the recycled CO2 and steam that the mixture contains 7-20 mole % oxygen. The carbonaceous fuel and the oxygen-containing gas are introduced into the fluidized bed at a location in sufficiently close proximity to each other to avoid producing a reducing atmosphere at the location. At least a portion of the produced CO2 and steam are recycled to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Mark Fitzsimmons
  • Publication number: 20180045405
    Abstract: Methods and devices for combusting a carbonaceous fuel in an oxy-combustion fluidized bed reactor involving controlling the local oxygen content within the oxy-combustion reactor to specified levels. The carbonaceous fuel and an oxygen-containing gas are introduced into a fluidized bed reactor and eluted through a fluidized bed of an inert material, dolomite or a combination thereof to combust the fuel and oxygen to produce at least CO2 and steam. The oxygen-containing gas is a mixture of oxygen, recycled CO2 and steam and has sufficient oxygen added to the recycled CO2 and steam that the mixture contains 7-20 mole % oxygen. The carbonaceous fuel and the oxygen-containing gas are introduced into the fluidized bed at a location in sufficiently close proximity to each other to avoid producing a reducing atmosphere at the location. At least a portion of the produced CO2 and steam are recycled to the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Mark FITZSIMMONS
  • Publication number: 20170356644
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for processing of solid materials, particularly fuel material solids such as carbonaceous fuel solids such as of granular form, to provide or result in an even distribution of the solid material. Hoppers are provided with plurality of outlet orifices, each of the outlet orifices adapted to flow therethrough a combination of gas and the solid material to pneumatically convey the solid material to a distribution manifold. The distribution manifold includes a plurality of tubes with each tube having a plurality of exit orifices wherein each exit orifice passes an equal portion of the combination of the gas and the solid material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Mark FITZSIMMONS
  • Patent number: 8771604
    Abstract: A liner for use within a gasifier vessel includes a plurality of elongated channels and a plurality of ceramic sheaths. The elongated channels pass coolant through the gasifier. The ceramic sheaths surround the elongated channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne of DE, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Fitzsimmons, Stephen Arthur Yows, Steven P. Fusselman
  • Patent number: 6079635
    Abstract: Water display nozzle shields for allowing water display nozzles to be positioned and operated below the surface of the body of water without constant entrainment of water from the body of water affecting the nozzle characteristics. In one embodiment, a rotatable shield assembly is controllably rotatable between first and second positions. In the first position, the shield assembly is positioned over the nozzle of the water display and substantially sealed with respect thereto, the shield extending from adjacent the exit end of the nozzle which is positioned below the water level, to a position above the water level. When rotated to a second position, the nozzle shield, as well as the nozzle, are both disposed below the surface of the water so as to not be visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Wet Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Fuller, Chuck Schmitz, James Doyle, Ray Engelhardt, Mark Fitzsimmons