Patents by Inventor Matthew Mihalcin

Matthew Mihalcin 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: 11131572
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring fluid flow includes a housing, a first ultrasonic transducer, and a fluid flow path. The housing defines a smooth bore and a first cavity. The first cavity is separated from a fluid that flows through the smooth bore. The first ultrasonic transducer is disposed within the first cavity and transmits an ultrasonic pulse through the fluid. The fluid flow path extends from an upstream intake through the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SENSIA LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Publication number: 20200182668
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe including a transit time chordal ultrasonic meter that eliminates dependence of meter factor on Reynolds number for measuring the flow through the pipe. The meter having a bore through which the fluid flows and a plurality of cavities with transducers disposed in the cavities which produce ultrasonic pulses that pass through the fluid and define multiple chords. The fluid velocity measured by clocking the pulses' time traveling diagonally upstream and downstream between pairs of the transducers. The transducers in the cavities isolated from the fluid flow in the bore by each cavity of the cavities having a liner which separates each cavity from the bore. A method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: SENSIA LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Patent number: 10539445
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe including a transit time chordal ultrasonic meter that eliminates dependence of meter factor on Reynolds number for measuring the flow through the pipe. The meter having a bore through which the fluid flows and a plurality of cavities with transducers disposed in the cavities which produce ultrasonic pulses that pass through the fluid and define multiple chords. The fluid velocity measured by clocking the pulses' time traveling diagonally upstream and downstream between pairs of the transducers. The transducers in the cavities isolated from the fluid flow in the bore by each cavity of the cavities having a liner which separates each cavity from the bore. A method for determining fluid flow in a pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: SENSIA LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Publication number: 20180003537
    Abstract: A flow element for an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe. The flow element includes a housing having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows and a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it. The flow element includes a liner that covers the openings of the cavities which prevents fluid flowing through the bore from entering the cavities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Patent number: 9840885
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Patent number: 9772207
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe including a transit time chordal ultrasonic meter that eliminates dependence of meter factor on Reynolds number for measuring the flow through the pipe. The meter having a bore through which the fluid flows and a plurality of cavities with transducers disposed in the cavities which produce ultrasonic pulses that pass through the fluid and define multiple chords. The fluid velocity measured by clocking the pulses' time traveling diagonally upstream and downstream between pairs of the transducers. The transducers in the cavities isolated from the fluid flow in the bore by each cavity of the cavities having a liner which separates each cavity from the bore. A method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Publication number: 20160011027
    Abstract: A flow element for an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe. The flow element includes a housing having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows and a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it. The flow element includes a liner that covers the openings of the cavities which prevents fluid flowing through the bore from entering the cavities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Patent number: 9140593
    Abstract: A flow element for an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe. The flow element includes a housing having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows and a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it. The flow element includes a liner that covers the openings of the cavities which prevents fluid flowing through the bore from entering the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Publication number: 20150260003
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Patent number: 9062527
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Publication number: 20140262987
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Patent number: 8763693
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Publication number: 20140165739
    Abstract: A flow element for an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe. The flow element includes a housing having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows and a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it. The flow element includes a liner that covers the openings of the cavities which prevents fluid flowing through the bore from entering the cavities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Patent number: 8438935
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe includes an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers. The apparatus includes a flow element having a completely smooth bore through which the fluid flows, and a plurality of cavities, each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it and which is in communication with the fluid flowing through the bore. An apparatus for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe includes an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers. The apparatus includes a flow element having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows, a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Patent number: 8132463
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes a first ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a second ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a multiplexer, transmitter, receiver, controller and processor in communication with the first transducer and the second transducer which in combination identify a void in the pipe from ultrasonic measurements of properties of the fluid in the pipe. A method for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes the steps of measuring properties of the fluid internal to the pipe with transmissions of ultrasonic energy from transducers externally disposed on the pipe. There is the step of identifying a void in the pipe from the properties of the fluid internal to the pipe using signals processed by processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert Estrada, Ernest Hauser, Matthew Mihalcin, Donald R. Augenstein
  • Publication number: 20110297392
    Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical injection management system. The chemical injection management system may include an interface configured to couple the chemical injection management system to a mineral extraction system. In addition, the chemical injection management system may include an ultrasonic flow meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edmund Peter McHugh, James Eden White, Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Publication number: 20110023621
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe includes an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers. The apparatus includes a flow element having a completely smooth bore through which the fluid flows, and a plurality of cavities, each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it and which is in communication with the fluid flowing through the bore. An apparatus for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe includes an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers. The apparatus includes a flow element having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows, a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Matthew Mihalcin, Herbert Estrada
  • Publication number: 20100154548
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes a first ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a second ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a multiplexer, transmitter, receiver, controller and processor in communication with the first transducer and the second transducer which in combination identify a void in the pipe from ultrasonic measurements of properties of the fluid in the pipe. A method for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes the steps of measuring properties of the fluid internal to the pipe with transmissions of ultrasonic energy from transducers externally disposed on the pipe. There is the step of identifying a void in the pipe from the properties of the fluid internal to the pipe using signals processed by processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Herbert Estrada, Ernest Hauser, Matthew Mihalcin, Donald R. Augenstein
  • Patent number: 7366625
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the accuracy of meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer including a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for correcting errors in a meter factor of the flow instrument measured in a proving run and correcting effects of flow rate changes during proving. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium whose contents causes a processor to increase the accuracy of meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer. A method for increasing the accuracy of the meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Herbert Estrada, Matthew Mihalcin
  • Publication number: 20080083262
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the accuracy of meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer including a computer program for correcting errors in a meter factor measured in a proving run and/or correcting effects of flow rate changes during proving. A computer readable medium whose contents causes a processor to increase the accuracy of meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer, by performing the steps of receiving signals from the upstream and downstream prover detection switches and the flow instrument. There is the step of correcting errors in a meter factor measured in a proving run. A method for increasing the accuracy of the meter factors of a flow instrument in conjunction with a prover having upstream and downstream prover detection switches and a flow computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Donald R. Augenstein, Herbert Estrada, Matthew Mihalcin