Patents by Inventor Neil George Simpson
Neil George Simpson 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).
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Patent number: 11312648Abstract: There is provided a control system for a furnace. The control system comprises a thermal imaging camera and a control unit. The thermal imaging camera is configured to receive thermal radiation from a plurality of positions in a furnace and to generate an image which includes temperature information for the plurality of positions in the furnace. The control unit is configured to receive the image from the thermal imaging camera and to generate control signals for the furnace using the image.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2017Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: LAND INSTRUMENTS INTERNATIONAL LIMITEDInventors: Susan Fiona Turner, Neil George Simpson, Mark Ashton Bennett, Peter Drögmöller
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Publication number: 20190322562Abstract: There is provided a control system for a furnace. The control system comprises a thermal imaging camera and a control unit. The thermal imaging camera is configured to receive thermal radiation from a plurality of positions in a furnace and to generate an image which includes temperature information for the plurality of positions in the furnace. The control unit is configured to receive the image from the thermal imaging camera and to generate control signals for the furnace using the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2017Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: Susan Fiona Turner, Neil George Simpson, Mark Ashton Bennett, Peter Drögmöller
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Patent number: 7669439Abstract: A glass melting furnace has a gas inlet positioned proximate to a charging section oxy-fuel combustion region to introduce gas into the region and to at least partially displace gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region, and optionally a gas outlet is adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere. A method for reducing alkali vapor corrosion of glass furnace refractory structures includes providing a gas inlet proximate to the oxy-fuel combustion region; introducing a volume of gas from the inlet into the region, displacing a volume of gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region; and, optionally providing a gas outlet adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Linde LLCInventors: Neil George Simpson, John R. LeBlanc, Gregory Floyd Prusia
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Patent number: 7168269Abstract: A glass melting furnace has a gas inlet positioned proximate to a charging section oxy-fuel combustion region to introduce gas into the region and to at least partially displace gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region, and optionally a gas outlet is adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere. A method for reducing alkali vapor corrosion of glass furnace refractory structures includes providing a gas inlet proximate to the oxy-fuel combustion region; introducing a volume of gas from the inlet into the region, displacing a volume of gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region; and, optionally providing a gas outlet adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2002Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, John R. LeBlanc, Gregory Floyd Prusia
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Method of heating a glass melting furnace using a roof mounted, staged combustion oxygen-fuel burner
Patent number: 6705117Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace, which optionally contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material, at least one staged combustion oxy-fuel burner is mounted in the roof of the furnace to provide heat to melt the glass batch material by providing a flow of fuel to the oxy-fuel burner; providing a flow of gaseous oxidant in association with said the oxy-fuel burner; injecting the fuel and the oxidant into the furnace; and, combusting the fuel such that at least a portion of combustion is effected in the vicinity of said glass forming material to enhance convective and radiative transfer of heat to said glass forming material without substantially disturbing the glass forming material. In one embodiment, the oxy-fuel burner is adapted for injecting liquid fuels.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2001Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, Greg Floyd Prusia, Thomas G. Clayton, Andrew Peter Richardson, John R. LeBlanc -
Patent number: 6705118Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace which contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the roof of the furnace provides additional heat to melt the batch material. A method of mounting and using such a roof-mounted oxy-fuel burner including the operating parameters to maximize heat transfer while minimizing the disturbance of the batch material is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, Greg Floyd Prusia, Stephen McDonald Carney, Thomas G. Clayton, Andrew Peter Richardson, John R. LeBlanc
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Patent number: 6540508Abstract: A process for installing a refractory burner block in a glass furnace crown, wherein the glass furnace crown comprises a second refractory material different than the burner block refractory, includes installing a refractory crown block in the furnace crown, wherein the crown block refractory is compatible with the burner block refractory and the second refractory material, wherein the crown block is provided with a hole for accepting the burner block; and disposing the burner block into the crown block hole in sealing engagement therewith.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2000Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, John R. LeBlanc, Thomas G. Clayton, Greg Floyd Prusia
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Publication number: 20030024271Abstract: A glass melting furnace has a gas inlet positioned proximate to a charging section oxy-fuel combustion region to introduce gas into the region and to at least partially displace gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region, and optionally a gas outlet is adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere. A method for reducing alkali vapor corrosion of glass furnace refractory structures includes providing a gas inlet proximate to the oxy-fuel combustion region; introducing a volume of gas from the inlet into the region, displacing a volume of gas having a partial pressure of alkali vapor from the region; and, optionally providing a gas outlet adapted to provide an exit for a volume of furnace atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Neil George Simpson, John R. LeBlanc, Gregory Floyd Prusia
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Patent number: 6474982Abstract: A method of heating a surface provides for a central fuel rich jet having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and one or more fuel lean jets each having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products. The fuel lean jets are placed around the periphery of the central fuel rich jet. The fuel lean jet or jets each having shrouds of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and a careful choice of relative velocities for each results in minimizing the mixing of the fuel rich and fuel lean jets until they are at or near the surface of the material to be melted. The placement of the fuel lean jet and fuel rich jets may be reversed in applications where an oxidizing atmosphere is required at the surface to be heated.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Donald Prentice Satchell, Jr., Neil George Simpson, Andrew Peter Richardson
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Publication number: 20020144518Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace which contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the roof of the furnace provides additional heat to melt the batch material. A method of mounting and using such a roof-mounted oxy-fuel burner including the operating parameters to maximize heat transfer while minimizing the disturbance of the batch material is disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2002Publication date: October 10, 2002Applicant: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, Greg Floyd Prusia, Stephen McDonald Carney, Thomas G. Clayton, Andrew Peter Richardson, John R. LeBlanc
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Patent number: 6422041Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace which contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the roof of the furnace provides additional heat to melt the batch material. A method of mounting and using such a roof-mounted oxy-fuel burner including the operating parameters to maximize heat transfer while minimizing the disturbance of the batch material is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1999Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Neil George Simpson, Greg Floyd Prusia, Stephen McDonald Carney, Thomas G. Clayton, Andrew Peter Richardson, John R. LeBlanc
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Method of heating a glass melting furnace using a roof mounted, staged combustion oxygen-fuel burner
Publication number: 20010039813Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace, which optionally contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material, at least one staged combustion oxy-fuel burner is mounted in the roof of the furnace to provide heat to melt the glass batch material by providing a flow of fuel to the oxy-fuel burner; providing a flow of gaseous oxidant in association with said the oxy-fuel burner; injecting the fuel and the oxidant into the furnace; and, combusting the fuel such that at least a portion of combustion is effected in the vicinity of said glass forming material to enhance convective and radiative transfer of heat to said glass forming material without substantially disturbing the glass forming material. In one embodiment, the oxy-fuel burner is adapted for injecting liquid fuels.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2001Publication date: November 15, 2001Inventors: Neil George Simpson, Greg Floyd Prusia, Thomas G. Clayton, Andrew Peter Richardson, John R. LeBlanc -
Publication number: 20010036611Abstract: A method of heating a surface provides for a central fuel rich jet having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and one or more fuel lean jets each having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products. The fuel lean jets are placed around the periphery of the central fuel rich jet. The fuel lean jet or jets each having shrouds of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and a careful choice of relative velocities for each results in minimizing the mixing of the fuel rich and fuel lean jets until they are at or near the surface of the material to be melted. The placement of the fuel lean jet and fuel rich jets may be reversed in applications where an oxidizing atmosphere is required at the surface to be heated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2001Publication date: November 1, 2001Inventors: Donald Prentice Satchell, Neil George Simpson, Andrew Peter Richardson
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Patent number: 6250915Abstract: A method of heating a surface provides for a central fuel rich jet having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and one or more fuel lean jets each having a peripheral shroud of substantially stoichiometric combustion products. The fuel lean jets are placed around the periphery of the central fuel rich jet. The fuel lean jet or jets each having shrouds of substantially stoichiometric combustion products and a careful choice of relative velocities for each results in minimizing the mixing of the fuel rich and fuel lean jets until they are at or near the surface of the material to be melted. The placement of the fuel lean jet and fuel rich jets may be reversed in applications where an oxidizing atmosphere is required at the surface to be heated.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2000Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Donald Prentice Satchell, Jr., Neil George Simpson, Andrew Peter Richardson