Patents by Inventor Michael R. Thorson
Michael R. Thorson 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: 20250066678Abstract: A method can include: in a heat exchanger, cooling a biocrude oil emulsion stream received from a biocrude oil emulsion source, wherein the emulsion can include a biocrude oil phase, an aqueous phase, and solids; in a first mixing vessel, mixing the emulsion with a solvent to dissolve the biocrude oil phase and form a biocrude-solvent solution; in a first separator assembly, separating the biocrude-solvent solution from the aqueous phase and the solids; in a solvent recovery apparatus, recovering solvent from the biocrude-solvent solution; in a second mixing vessel, mixing the solvent with the aqueous phase and the solids received from the first separator assembly to dissolve biocrude oil remaining in the aqueous phase and the solids; and supplying the solvent and biocrude oil to the first mixing vessel as the solvent. In some examples, such a method can more effectively separate biocrude oil from the emulsion than conventional techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2023Publication date: February 27, 2025Applicant: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: David B. Spry, Emily N. Diaz, Uriah J. Kilgore, Michael R. Thorson
-
Publication number: 20240287390Abstract: A process where a liquid or supercritical CO2 co-solvent is used in a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process. The process improves yield of the HTL process.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2024Publication date: August 29, 2024Inventors: Alan H. Zacher, Lisa A. Smith-Middleton, Todd R. Hart, Andrew J. Schmidt, Michael R. Thorson, Samuel P. Fox, Dylan J. Cronin
-
Publication number: 20240263319Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system and method that combine carbon dioxide reduction and methanol oxidation to provide an efficient path to formaldehyde production. The system and method embodiments are designed to rely on methanol oxidation to formaldehyde to provide the electrons needed to drive carbon dioxide reduction to carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide obtained by carbon dioxide reduction is converted to the methanol used in the system/method via hydrogenation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2022Publication date: August 8, 2024Applicant: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Michael R. Thorson, Uriah Kilgore, Udishnu Sanyal, Karthikeyan Kallupalayam Ramasamy
-
Patent number: 11661552Abstract: A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Michael R. Thorson, Lesley J. Snowden-Swan, Andrew J. Schmidt, Todd R. Hart, Justin M. Billing, Daniel B. Anderson, Richard T. Hallen
-
Publication number: 20220195308Abstract: A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2022Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Michael R. Thorson, Lesley J. Snowden-Swan, Andrew J. Schmidt, Todd R. Hart, Justin M. Billing, Daniel B. Anderson, Richard T. Hallen
-
Patent number: 11279882Abstract: A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Michael R. Thorson, Lesley J. Snowden-Swan, Andrew J. Schmidt, Todd R. Hart, Justin M. Billing, Daniel B. Anderson, Richard T. Hallen
-
Publication number: 20210214633Abstract: A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2020Publication date: July 15, 2021Applicant: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Michael R. Thorson, Lesley J. Snowden-Swan, Andrew J. Schmidt, Todd R. Hart, Justin M. Billing, Daniel B. Anderson, Richard T. Hallen
-
Publication number: 20040073434Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for estimating automobile damage susceptible of paintless dent repair (P.D.R.). The method includes characterizing damage susceptible of P.D.R. by inspection of the vehicle; communicating those characterizations to a central computer, processing the characterizations based on predetermined rules stored in the central computer, and generating a report including a estimation of repair costs for the vehicle. The communication can be over a global computer network, a WAN, a LAN, or other ways to communicate between remote and central devices. A template can be used to assist in the characterization of damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2001Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Jerry A. Volquardsen, Keith L. Volquardsen, Michael R. Thorson