Patents by Inventor Paul D. Van Buskirk

Paul D. Van Buskirk 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: 9410565
    Abstract: Implementations of an orifice plate used to regulate flow through a conduit are provided. In some implementations, a balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate configured to maximize pressure loss is provided. In some implementations, the BRO plate may be configured to limit pipe and plate noise, erosion, cavitation, shear stress, etc. while maximizing pressure loss, and limiting flow to required values. In some implementations, openings through a BRO plate may be configured to satisfy the Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation: ?P=k?Vn/2Gc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Inventor: Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Publication number: 20160076565
    Abstract: Implementations of an orifice plate used to regulate flow through a conduit are provided. In some implementations, a balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate configured to maximize pressure loss is provided. In some implementations, the BRO plate may be configured to limit pipe and plate noise, erosion, cavitation, shear stress, etc. while maximizing pressure loss, and limiting flow to required values. In some implementations, openings through a BRO plate may be configured to satisfy the Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation: ?P=k?Vn/2 Gc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventor: Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 9200650
    Abstract: Implementations of an orifice plate used to regulate flow through a conduit are provided. In some implementations, a balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate configured to maximize pressure loss is provided. In some implementations, the BRO plate may be configured to limit pipe and plate noise, erosion, cavitation, shear stress, etc. while maximizing pressure loss, and limiting flow to required values. In some implementations, openings through a BRO plate may be configured to satisfy the Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation: ?P=k?Vn/2Gc. Alternatively, in some implementations, the hole pattern of an orifice plate may be optimized through the use of a provided Reynolds matching (RM) equation. In some implementations, an orifice plate may be optimized to improve process variable measurements, minimize system pressure drop, recover pressure, and reduce noise and other inefficiencies within the system using equations provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Inventor: Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Publication number: 20150083262
    Abstract: Implementations of an orifice plate used to regulate flow through a conduit are provided. In some implementations, a balanced restriction orifice (BRO) plate configured to maximize pressure loss is provided. In some implementations, the BRO plate may be configured to limit pipe and plate noise, erosion, cavitation, shear stress, etc. while maximizing pressure loss, and limiting flow to required values. In some implementations, openings through a BRO plate may be configured to satisfy the Velocity-Head Pressure-Loss equation: ?P=k?Vn/2Gc. Alternatively, in some implementations, the hole pattern of an orifice plate may be optimized through the use of a provided Reynolds matching (RM) equation. In some implementations, an orifice plate may be optimized to improve process variable measurements, minimize system pressure drop, recover pressure, and reduce noise and other inefficiencies within the system using equations provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 7621670
    Abstract: A fluid mixer plug has holes formed therethrough such that a remaining portion is closed to fluid flow. The plug's inlet face defines a central circuit region and a ring-shaped region with the ring-shaped region including at least some of the plug's remaining portion so-closed to fluid flow. This remaining portion or closed region at each radius R of the ring shaped region satisfies a radius independent, flow-based relationship. Entry openings are defined in the plug's inlet face in correspondence with the holes. The entry openings define an open flow area at each radius of the ring-shaped region. The open flow area at each such radius satisfies the inverse of the flow-based relationship defining the closed regions of the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautica and Space Administration
    Inventors: John Dwight England, Anthony R. Kelley, Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 7347089
    Abstract: A method for determining the volume of an incompressible gas in a system including incompressible substances in a zero-gravity environment. The method includes inducing a volumetric displacement within a container and measuring the resulting pressure change. From this data, the liquid level can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Anthony R. Kelley, Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 7228241
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods and apparatus are provided through which the equation of state is used to control a process through analyses of one or more properties of a fluid through an interactive modeler that models the equation of state for the fluid in the process based on measured signals and for selectively enabling the modeling of control changes to the process. In some embodiments, a device generates an indication of machine health based on variations on the equation of state for a fluid in a machine. In some embodiments, one or more properties for the fluid from at least one unmeasured machine parameter in the interactive modeler are determined for the machine at various operating states. In some embodiments, a difference between an expected one or more properties of the fluid beyond a set point indicates the health of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: John P. Butas, Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 7051765
    Abstract: An orifice plate for use in a conduit through which fluid flows is defined by a central circular region having a radius R0 and a ring-shaped region surrounding the central circular region. The ring-shaped region has holes formed therethrough with those holes centered at each radius R thereof satisfying a relationship AR=a/(XRVRb) where AR is a sum of areas of those holes having centers at radius R, XR is a flow coefficient at radius R, VR is a velocity of the fluid that is to flow through the conduit at radius R, b is a constant selected to make at least one process variable (associated with the fluid that is to flow through the conduit) approximately equal at each radius R, and a is a constant that is equal to (XRARVRb) at each radius R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Anthony R. Kelley, Paul D. Van Buskirk
  • Patent number: 5001924
    Abstract: A method for determining the volume of compressible gas in a system including incompressible substances in a zero-gravity environment consisting of measuring the change in pressure (.DELTA.P) for a known volume change rate (.DELTA.V/.DELTA.t) in the polytropic region between isothermal and adiabatic conditions. The measurements are utilized in an idealized formula for determining the change in isothermal pressure (.DELTA.P.sub.iso) for the gas. From the isothermal pressure change (.DELTA.P.sub.iso) the gas volume is obtained. The method is also applicable to determination of gas volume by utilizing work (W) in the compression process. In a passive system, the relationship of specific densities can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Richard T. Walter, Paul D. Van Buskirk, William F. Weber, Richard C. Froebel