Patents by Inventor Paul Flanagan

Paul Flanagan 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: 20160280135
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an animal detection system (11) includes a surround view system (12), a location determination system (13) and a processing module (14). The processing module (14) is configured to receive data from the surround view system (12) and receive data regarding the location of the vehicle (10) from the location determination system (13). The processing module (14) is configured to determine if the location of the vehicle (10) is within an animal zone, and if the location of the vehicle (10) is within an animal zone, to process data received from the surround view system (12). If the data from the surround view system (12) indicates the presence of an animal, the processing module (14) activates an alert (19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Louis-Marie AUBERT, Paul FLANAGAN, Rui GUERREIRO, Clifford LAWSON, Andreas PANAKOS, John POWELL, Carlos SILVA, Greg WINGFIELD
  • Patent number: 5658139
    Abstract: A burner structure and a method of operating a burner to reduce the pollutant emissions produced thereby are disclosed. Air and gas are premixed in a manner such that a substantially homogeneous mixture containing excess combustion air results. The velocity of the substantially homogeneous mixture is increased as it passes through the burner causing the "residence time" associated with the formation of the flame to be decreased, i.e., the combustion gases are in the reaction zone of the flame for a significantly shorter period of time, reducing the production of NO.sub.x. In order to prevent the flame from "lifting-off" the burner because of the high velocity of the substantially homogeneous air/gas mixture, flame stabilizing devices and/or a burner structure which provides flame stabilization are utilized resulting in the production of a high heat flux and low pollutant emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: American Gas Association
    Inventors: Paul Flanagan, Kenneth M. Gretsinger
  • Patent number: 5460513
    Abstract: A burner structure and a method of operating a burner to reduce the pollutant emissions produced thereby are disclosed. Air and gas are premixed in a manner such that a substantially homogeneous mixture containing excess combustion air results. The velocity of the substantially homogeneous mixture is increased as it passes through the burner causing the "residence time" associated with the formation of the flame to be decreased, i.e., the combustion gases are in the reaction zone of the flame for a significantly shorter period of time, reducing the production of NO.sub.x. In order to prevent the flame from "lifting-off" the burner because of the high velocity of the substantially homogeneous air/gas mixture, flame stabilizing devices and/or a burner structure which provides flame stabilization are utilized resulting in the production of a high heat flux and low pollutant emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: American Gas Association
    Inventors: Paul Flanagan, Kenneth M. Gretsinger
  • Patent number: 5236327
    Abstract: A burner structure and a method of operating a burner to reduce the pollutant emissions produced thereby are disclosed. Air and gas are premixed in a manner such that a substantially homogeneous mixture containing excess combustion air results. The velocity of the substantially homogeneous mixture is increased as it passes through the burner causing the "residence time" associated with the formation of the flame to be decreased, i.e., the combustion gases are in the reaction zone of the flame for a significantly shorter period of time, reducing the production of NO.sub.x. In order to prevent the flame from "lifting-off" the burner because of the high velocity of the substantially homogeneous air/gas mixture, flame stabilizing devices and/or a burner structure which provides flame stabilization are utilized resulting in the production of a high heat flux and low pollutant emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: American Gas Association
    Inventors: Paul Flanagan, Kenneth M. Gretsinger
  • Patent number: 4856981
    Abstract: A pulse combustion burner is disclosed having a combustion chamber and a passageway for delivering a combustible gaseous mixture of air and fuel gas to the chamber. A self-feeding flapper valve and air and fuel gas flow restrictor members are positioned in close proximity along the passageway for metering the air and fuel gas flows through the passageway and combining the flows and enhancing quality and rate of mixing of the air and fuel gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventor: Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: 4844837
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out partial oxidation of hydrocarbon feeds to produce hydrogen rich gases suitable for steam reforming, utilizes a monolithic platinum and palladium containing catalyst. The process comprises introducing an oxygen containing oxidant gas (e.g., air), steam and a hydrocarbon feed into a catalytic partial oxidation apparatus comprising an adiabatic reaction vessel. The oxidation catalyst preferably comprises platinum, palladium and optionally rhodium distended upon a stabilized alumina washcoat. At least one half by weight of the hydrocarbon feed is catalytically oxidized in the monolith at a high throughput rate to produce an effluent suitable for further processing, such as steam reforming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald M. Heck, Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: 4480790
    Abstract: A rotary burner has fuel discharge nozzles arranged exclusively in the high velocity zone of combustion air flow. The resulting annular flame pattern has a central region adjacent to the burner hub which is essentially combustion free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: Coppus Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Flanagan, Mark S. Chumsae
  • Patent number: 4160526
    Abstract: A liquid fuel atomizer nozzle having a liquid fuel input and an air input, the nozzle including an internal mixing chamber in which the incoming liquid fuel to be atomized is subjected to high velocity air streams both within the central core of the liquid and about its periphery to effect thorough atomization of the liquid even at low atomizing air flow rates and pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1979
    Assignee: Flynn Burner Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: 4130388
    Abstract: A fuel burner adapted to produce a stable, non-contaminating blue flame throughout a broad operating range. The burner includes a combustion zone into which is directly fed the combustion air. Air-atomized liquid fuel is fed into the combustion zone through a Venturi whose constricted throat communicates by way of a feedback passage to the combustion zone, whereby the ejector effect produced by the atomized fuel passing through the Venturi causes a portion of the hot combustion gas generated in the combustion zone to be drawn into the throat to intermix with the atomized fuel therein, thereby pre-vaporizing the fuel to insure full combustion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1978
    Assignee: Flynn Burner Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: 4118171
    Abstract: A method for effecting combustion of carbonaceous fuel is operative to sustain the combustion at a predetermined rate or rates of total fuel demand, the fuel being distributed between two combustion stages to make up the required total feed rate. Thus one portion, usually about 20-70 percent, of the total fuel is fed to a thermal combustion stage. Sufficient air is supplied simultaneously to the thermal combustion stage, preferably about 125 to 185 percent of the stoichiometric amount of air, to effect substantially complete combustion of that portion of the fuel and produce a heated effluent. An additional amount of relatively cool air is mixed with this effluent, and the resulting cooled mixture continues through the mixing zone, the additional air being sufficient to inhibit preburning of the remaining portion of the fuel which is added downstream in the mixing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1978
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Flanagan, Eric Roy Norster, Robert V. Carrubba, Ronald M. Heck
  • Patent number: 4108242
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for directing discrete jets of fluid against a heat exchanging wall is configured to establish relatively close spacing between the openings through which the jets are formed and a portion of the heat exchanging wall while providing relatively large volumes of space adjacent other portions of the heat exchanging wall. The large volumes of space permit passage of the fluid from adjacent the heat exchanging wall without disturbing the jet flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1973
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Thermo Electron Corporation
    Inventors: Edward F. Searight, Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: 4047877
    Abstract: Combustion of the carbonaceous fuels such as fuel oil may be carried out advantageously in the presence of an oxidation catalyst body. Under suitable operating conditions the combustion can be effected at high rates of energy release for a catalyst and combustor of a given size, producing an effluent substantially free of pollutants. However, for a given combustor installation it may be desirable at times to utilize a thermal burner, associated with the catalyst arrangement, which is disposed for directing jets of burning gaseous fuel such as natural gas from a multiplicity of points just down-stream of the catalyst. Thus combustion of the gaseous fuel in such jets is obtained substantially throughout a cross section of the downstream zone through which catalyst effluent passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1977
    Assignee: Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Flanagan
  • Patent number: D507737
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Inventor: Paul Flanagan