Patents by Inventor Pramod Vora
Pramod Vora 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: 8046191Abstract: A method is provided for the monitoring of heat transfer devices. The method includes the acts of receiving data from a heat transfer device, and computing a performance indicator indicative of an incipient anomaly condition of the heat transfer device based upon the received data, and/or computing a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device. The normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of a process parameter on performance of the heat transfer device. The data represents a measurable process parameter or a change in a measurable process parameter in the heat transfer device. The method receives the data and computes a performance indicator to predict performance degradation of the heat transfer device over time based upon the received data.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vinay Bhaskar Jammu, Nishith Pramod Vora, Ravi Yoganatha Babu, Rama Venkata Mahajanam
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Patent number: 7818156Abstract: A method includes assessing corrosion in a refinery operation having a piping network. Assessing can include identifying in a petroleum sample a presence and an amount of a species determined to be potentially corrosive to corrodible equipment in a refinery. A corrosion risk presented by the presence, the amount, and the boiling point of the species is determined. And, the corrosion risk is evaluated in view of piping network information. A system for implementing the method is provided, also.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Pramod Vachhani, Sunil Shirish Shah, Collin Wade Cross, Yatin Tayalia, Nishith Pramod Vora, Raghunandan Murthy
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Patent number: 7455099Abstract: A technique is disclosed for evaluating and monitoring performance of a heat exchanger system. Operating parameters of the system are monitored and fouling factors for heat transfer surfaces of the exchanger are determined. Trending of fouling may be performed over time based upon the fouling factors, and a model of fouling may be selected from known sets of models, or a model may be developed or refined. Fluid treatment, such as water treatment regimes may be taken into account in evaluation of fouling. An automated knowledge based analysis algorithm may diagnose possible caused of fouling based upon sensed and observed parameters and conditions. Corrective actions may be suggested and the system controlled to reduce, avoid or correct for detected fouling.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2004Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mark David Osborn, Vijaysai Prasad, Lijie Yu, Venkatarao Ryali, Sunil Shirish Shah, Ivy Wai Man Chong, Shirley Suet-Yee Au, Nishith Pramod Vora
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Publication number: 20080257782Abstract: A method includes assessing corrosion in a refinery operation having a piping network. Assessing can include identifying in a petroleum sample a presence and an amount of a species determined to be potentially corrosive to corrodible equipment in a refinery. A corrosion risk presented by the presence, the amount, and the boiling point of the species is determined. And, the corrosion risk is evaluated in view of piping network information. A system for implementing the method is provided, also.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Pramod Vachhani, Sunil Shirish Shah, Collin Wade Cross, Yatin Tayalia, Nishith Pramod Vora, Raghunandan Murthy
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Patent number: 7286960Abstract: A system for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device is provided. The system includes an efficiency correction unit that is adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device. The data is representative of one or more measurable process parameters or a change in the one or more measurable process parameters of the heat transfer device. The efficiency correction unit is also configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device. The normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer device.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vinay Bhaskar Jammu, Nishith Pramod Vora, Ravi Yoganatha Babu, Rama Venkata Mahajanam
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Patent number: 6952639Abstract: A method for estimating a temperature profile for individual combustion cans at an inlet of a gas turbine is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes determining an exhaust temperature profile of exhaust gas of the gas turbine, and inputting the exhaust temperature profile into a model-based estimator of turbine components through which turbine gas flows. The model-based estimator calculates an estimated inlet temperature profile at the gas turbine inlet, based upon the exhaust temperature profile and design parameters of the gas turbine, the estimate inlet temperature profile being indicative of the actual firing temperature of each of the individual combustion cans.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2002Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Aditya Kumar, Nishith Pramod Vora, Bruce G. Norman, Pierino G. Bonanni
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Patent number: 6849353Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a polygonal fuel cell comprises: a cathode layer having a tubular shape; a contact layer electrically coupled to and disposed on the cathode layer to leave an uncovered cathode surface portion; an electrolyte layer disposed on the uncovered cathode surface portion; and an anode layer electrically isolated from the contact layer, disposed on the electrolyte layer such that the polygonal fuel cell has a polygonal cross section to facilitate dense packing.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2002Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nishith Pramod Vora, Ronald Scott Bunker, Lester Russell Hale, George Charles Goodman, Debashis Dey
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Patent number: 6835478Abstract: A method of detecting faults in a fuel cell system, the method comprising: comparing a plurality of fuel cell measurements to respective ones of a plurality of range limits to yield a plurality of range flags; differentiating the fuel cell measurements to yield a plurality of fuel cell rates; comparing the fuel cell rates to respective ones of a plurality of rate limits to yield a plurality of rate flags; and classifying the range flags and the rate flags to yield a fault detection decision.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2002Date of Patent: December 28, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Zhongzhi Hu, Nishith Pramod Vora, George Charles Goodman
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Publication number: 20040093147Abstract: A method for estimating a temperature profile for individual combustion cans at an inlet of a gas turbine is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes determining an exhaust temperature profile of exhaust gas of the gas turbine, and inputting the exhaust temperature profile into a model-based estimator of turbine components through which turbine gas flows. The model-based estimator calculates an estimated inlet temperature profile at the gas turbine inlet, based upon the exhaust temperature profile and design parameters of the gas turbine, the estimate inlet temperature profile being indicative of the actual firing temperature of each of the individual combustion cans.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2002Publication date: May 13, 2004Inventors: Aditya Kumar, Nishith Pramod Vora, Bruce G. Norman, Pierino G. Bonanni
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Publication number: 20030228506Abstract: A method of detecting faults in a fuel cell system, the method comprising: comparing a plurality of fuel cell measurements to respective ones of a plurality of range limits to yield a plurality of range flags; differentiating the fuel cell measurements to yield a plurality of fuel cell rates; comparing the fuel cell rates to respective ones of a plurality of rate limits to yield a plurality of rate flags; and classifying the range flags and the rate flags to yield a fault detection decision.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Zhongzhi Hu, Nishith Pramod Vora, George Charles Goodman
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Publication number: 20030186100Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a polygonal fuel cell comprises: a cathode layer having a tubular shape; a contact layer electrically coupled to and disposed on the cathode layer to leave an uncovered cathode surface portion; an electrolyte layer disposed on the uncovered cathode surface portion; and an anode layer electrically isolated from the contact layer, disposed on the electrolyte layer such that the polygonal fuel cell has a polygonal cross section to facilitate dense packing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2002Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nishith Pramod Vora, Ronald Scott Bunker, Lester Russell Hale, George Charles Goodman, Debashis Dey
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Patent number: 5719450Abstract: An electrical power controller includes an input filter, a touch logic and a power conditioner combining to control a power device coupled to an electrical load which in turn is coupled to an AC main power source. The controller includes an overload or short circuit current sensor and apparatus for disabling the electrical power coupling to the load to protect both the load and the output power device against excessive current. A visual display indicating the level of voltage applied to the load is provided. In alternate embodiments, a timer having a preprogrammed power variation profiles imposes a predetermined variation of power to the load over time.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1994Date of Patent: February 17, 1998Inventor: Pramod Vora