Patents by Inventor Sean C. Emerson

Sean C. Emerson 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: 20230077242
    Abstract: Aircraft fuel system including a fuel vessel containing a non-mixture fuel. A protective vessel is arranged about the fuel vessel such that the fuel vessel is contained within the protective vessel and a protective space is defined between an outer surface of a vessel wall of the fuel vessel and an inner surface of a vessel wall of the protective vessel. At least one mounting structure fixedly positions the fuel vessel within the protective vessel. A fuel consumption device configured to consume the non-mixture fuel. A fuel output fluidly connects an interior of the fuel vessel to the fuel consumption device, the fuel output being fluidly isolated from the protective space. A relief output fluidly connects the protective space to a relief flow path, the relief output and relief flow path configured to vent gas from the protective space and remove any non-mixture fuel from the protective space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Paul Papas, Joseph Turney, Ram Ranjan
  • Patent number: 11584538
    Abstract: An inerting system includes a fluid circuit, a reactor within the fluid circuit, at least one particulate removal device (PRD) downstream from the reactor, and a fluid tank. The fluid tank is downstream from the at least one PRD. A method for removing particulates from a fluid stream in a fluid circuit includes receiving a fluid stream in a reactor within a fluid circuit, outputting an exhaust stream from the reactor, receiving the exhaust stream in at least one PRD downstream from the reactor, removing particulate from the exhaust stream, and receiving the exhaust stream with particulate removed in a fluid tank downstream from the at least one PRD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Zissis A. Dardas, Ying She, Sean C. Emerson
  • Patent number: 11518537
    Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, an air source arranged to supply air into a reactive flow path, a catalytic reactor having a plurality of sub-reactors along the flow path, and a heat exchanger. The sub-reactors are arranged relative to the heat exchanger such that the flow path passes through at least a portion of the heat exchanger between two sub-reactors along the flow path. At least one fuel injector is arranged relative to at least one sub-reactor. The fuel injector is configured to inject fuel into the flow path at at least one of upstream of and in the respective at least one sub-reactor to generate a fuel-air mixture. A fuel tank ullage supply line fluidly connects the flow path to the fuel tank to supply an inert gas to a ullage of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Zissis A. Dardas, Robert R. Hebert, Randolph Carlton McGee, Allen Murray, Eric Surawski, Joseph Turney
  • Publication number: 20220333534
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine with a flowpath. This turbine engine assembly includes a fuel injection system. The fuel injection system includes a first fuel injector and a second fuel injector. The fuel injection system is configured to provide the first fuel injector with first fuel and provide the second fuel injector with second fuel. The first fuel may be or include ammonia. The second fuel is different than the first fuel. The second fuel may be or include hydrogen gas. The first fuel injector is configured to direct the first fuel into the flowpath for combustion. The second fuel injector is configured to direct the second fuel into the flowpath for combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Lance L. Smith, Timothy S. Snyder, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Peter Cocks, Sean C. Emerson
  • Patent number: 11472566
    Abstract: A fuel tank inerting system includes a primary catalytic reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, a reactive flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and a catalyst on the reactive flow path. The catalytic reactor is arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank and air from an air source that are mixed to form a combined flow, and to react the combined flow along the reactive flow path to generate an inert gas. The system also includes an input sensor that measures a property of the combined flow before it enters the primary catalytic reactor and an output sensor that measures the property of the combined flow after it exits the primary catalytic reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Zissis A. Dardas, Randolph Carlton McGee, Eric Surawski
  • Publication number: 20220299205
    Abstract: A turbo-expanding cracking assembly includes a plurality of stages each including a rotating blade coupled to an output shaft and a fixed stator, at least one heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to an ammonia containing fuel flow, and a catalyst that is configured to decompose an ammonia containing fuel flow into a flow containing hydrogen (H2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Malcolm MacDonald, Sean C. Emerson, Brian M. Holley, Lance L. Smith, Peter Cocks
  • Publication number: 20220073210
    Abstract: A system and method for providing dried inert gas to a protected space is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Jonathan Rheaume, Sean C. Emerson
  • Patent number: 11254439
    Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from a first reactant source and a second reactant from a second reactant source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill an ullage space of the fuel tank, a heat exchanger arranged between the catalytic reactor and the fuel tank and configured to at least one of cool and condense an output from the catalytic reactor to separate out the inert gas, and a controller configured to perform a light-off operation of the catalytic reactor by controlling at least one light-off parameter and, after light-off occurs, adjusting the at least one light-off parameter to an operating level, wherein the at least one light-off parameter comprises a temperature of the catalytic reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Peter A T Cocks, Lance L. Smith, Eric Surawski
  • Publication number: 20220045344
    Abstract: A proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell system includes a proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell including an anode through which a flow of fuel is directed, and a cathode through which a flow of air containing 9% to 100% oxygen is directed, and a water recovery portion. The water recovery portion includes an anode water recovery unit to recover anode water from anode products output from the anode, and a cathode water recovery unit to recover cathode water from cathode products output from the cathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Sven Tobias Junker, Tianli Zhu, Sean C. Emerson
  • Publication number: 20210362870
    Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from a first reactant source and a second reactant from a second reactant source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill an ullage space of the fuel tank, a heat exchanger arranged between the catalytic reactor and the fuel tank and configured to at least one of cool and condense an output from the catalytic reactor to separate out the inert gas, and a controller configured to perform a light-off operation of the catalytic reactor by controlling at least one light-off parameter and, after light-off occurs, adjusting the at least one light-off parameter to an operating level, wherein the at least one light-off parameter comprises a temperature of the catalytic reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Peter AT Cocks, Lance L. Smith, Eric Surawski
  • Publication number: 20210332249
    Abstract: A method of applying a trivalent chromium or chromium-free conversion coating to a metallic substrate including mixing a dye compound that interacts with electromagnetic radiation outside the human visual spectrum but not electromagnetic radiation that is within the human visual spectrum to produce an observable emission into the trivalent chromium or chromium-free conversion coating mixture to allow for inspection of the coating after applied with a correlating electromagnetic radiation source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Blair A. Smith, Weina Li, Georgios S. Zafiris, Bart Antonie Van Hassel
  • Publication number: 20210320316
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solid oxide fuel cell including an electrode-electrolyte assembly and an interconnect in communication with the electrode-electrolyte assembly, wherein the interconnect has a porosity gradient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Sreenivasa R. Voleti, Paul Sheedy, Justin R. Hawkes, Sean C. Emerson, Tianli Zhu
  • Publication number: 20210320301
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solid oxide fuel cell including an electrode-electrolyte assembly and an interconnect in communication with the electrode-electrolyte assembly, wherein the interconnect comprises a carbon matrix composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Sreenivasa R. Voleti, Paul Sheedy, Justin R. Hawkes, Sean C. Emerson, Tianli Zhu
  • Patent number: 11130590
    Abstract: Fuel tank inerting systems for aircraft are provided. The systems include a fuel tank, a catalytic reactor arranged to receive a first reactant from a first reactant source and a second reactant from a second reactant source to generate an inert gas that is supplied to the fuel tank to fill an ullage space of the fuel tank, a heat exchanger arranged between the catalytic reactor and the fuel tank and configured to at least one of cool and condense an output from the catalytic reactor to separate out the inert gas, and a controller configured to perform a light-off operation of the catalytic reactor by controlling at least one light-off parameter and, after light-off occurs, adjusting the at least one light-off parameter to an operating level, wherein the at least one light-off parameter comprises a space velocity through the catalytic reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Peter A T Cocks, Lance L. Smith, Eric Surawski
  • Patent number: 11084942
    Abstract: A method of applying a trivalent chromium or chromium-free conversion coating to a metallic substrate including mixing a dye compound that interacts with electromagnetic radiation outside the human visual spectrum but not electromagnetic radiation that is within the human visual spectrum to produce an observable emission into the trivalent chromium or chromium-free conversion coating mixture to allow for inspection of the coating after applied with a correlating electromagnetic radiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Blair A. Smith, Weina Li, Georgios S. Zafiris, Bart Antoine Van Hassel
  • Patent number: 11078386
    Abstract: A method of adhering a first component to a second component includes priming the first component with an adhesive bond primer containing a primer material, a corrosion inhibitor, and a chemical additive (such as a dye compound), and using an adhesive to attach the second component to the first component through the adhesive bond primer applied on the surface of the second component. The chemical additive allows inspection of the adhesive bond primer with a corresponding radiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Blair A. Smith, Weina Li, Georgios S. Zafiris, Bart Antoine Van Hassel
  • Publication number: 20210206503
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for inerting a fuel tank. The system includes a fuel tank and an air separator including a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, an air inlet and an inert gas outlet in fluid communication with a first side of the membrane, and a sweep gas inlet and an oxygen-enriched gas outlet in fluid communication with a second side of the membrane. An inert gas flow path is arranged to receive inert gas from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, and to direct inert gas to the fuel tank. A catalytic reactor is arranged to receive a fuel and air, and configured to catalytically react the fuel and oxygen in the air to form an oxygen-depleted gas, and to discharge the oxygen-depleted gas from a reactor outlet. A sweep gas flow path from the reactor outlet to the air separator sweep gas inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Zissis A. Dardas, Sean C. Emerson, Ying She, Rajiv Ranjan, Haralambos Cordatos, Matthew Robert Pearson, Eric Surawski
  • Publication number: 20210206504
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for inerting a fuel tank. The system includes a fuel tank and an air separator including an air inlet, a membrane with a permeability differential between oxygen and nitrogen, an oxygen-depleted air outlet, and an oxygen-enriched air outlet. A catalytic reactor is arranged to receive oxygen-depleted air from the oxygen-depleted air outlet and fuel, to react the fuel with oxygen in the oxygen-depleted air, and to discharge an inert gas from a reactor outlet. An inert gas flow path is arranged to receive inert gas from the reactor outlet, or from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, or from the reactor outlet and from the air separation module oxygen-depleted air outlet, and to direct inert gas to the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Zissis A. Dardas, Rajiv Ranjan, Ying She, Haralambos Cordatos, Matthew Robert Pearson, Eric Surawski
  • Patent number: 10994860
    Abstract: A fuel tank inerting system is disclosed. In addition to a fuel tank, the system includes a catalytic reactor with an inlet, an outlet, a reactive flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and a catalyst on the reactive flow path. The catalytic reactor is arranged to receive fuel from the fuel tank and air from an air source, and to react the fuel and air along the reactive flow path to generate an inert gas. The system also includes an inert gas flow path from the catalytic reactor to the fuel tank. The system also includes a non-uniform catalyst composition along the reactive flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Barbara Brenda Botros, Zissis A. Dardas, Lance L. Smith, Eric Surawski, Catherine Thibaud
  • Patent number: 10967985
    Abstract: A method for startup of a catalytic oxidation unit includes flowing air from an air source into the catalytic oxidation unit, recycling air from an outlet of the catalytic oxidation unit to an inlet of the catalytic oxidation unit through a recycle duct, and flowing a fuel from a fuel source into the catalytic oxidation to cause a catalytic reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Sean C. Emerson, Zissis A. Dardas, Robert R. Hebert, Allen Murray, Eric Surawski, Randolph Carlton McGee