Patents by Inventor Shirley C. Tsai

Shirley C. Tsai 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: 9168555
    Abstract: Ultrasonic nozzle devices without a central channel but employing a design of cascaded multiple Fourier horns in resonance produce micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets with greatly reduced electrical drive power requirements. The liquid to be atomized is brought externally to or adjacent to the endface of the nozzle tip. The above liquid transport method is equally applicable to the ultrasonic nozzle-array devices that are made up of a plurality of ultrasonic single-nozzle devices configured in parallel. The longitudinal length, transverse width, shape, and area of the nozzle endface of single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices may be tailored or designed (e.g. enlarged) to obtain optimum or large quantities of product droplets to achieve high throughput. By increasing the drive frequency to 8 MHz or higher, sub-micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets can be produced using the ultrasonic single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices or any solid endface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20130146677
    Abstract: Ultrasonic nozzle devices without a central channel but employing a design of cascaded multiple Fourier horns in resonance produce micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets with greatly reduced electrical drive power requirements. The liquid to be atomized is brought externally to or adjacent to the endface of the nozzle tip. The above liquid transport method is equally applicable to the ultrasonic nozzle-array devices that are comprised of a plurality of ultrasonic single-nozzle devices configured in parallel. The longitudinal length, transverse width, shape, and area of the nozzle endface of single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices may be tailored or designed (e.g. enlarged) to obtain optimum or large quantities of product droplets to achieve high throughput. By increasing the drive frequency to 8 MHz or higher, sub-micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets can be produced using the ultrasonic single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices or any solid endface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
  • Patent number: 8434473
    Abstract: Ultrasonic nozzle devices without a central channel but employing a design of cascaded multiple Fourier horns in resonance produce micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets with greatly reduced electrical drive power requirements. The liquid to be atomized is brought externally to or adjacent to the endface of the nozzle tip. The above liquid transport method is equally applicable to the ultrasonic nozzle-array devices that are comprised of a plurality of ultrasonic single-nozzle devices configured in parallel. The longitudinal length, transverse width, shape, and area of the nozzle endface of single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices may be tailored or designed (e.g. enlarged) to obtain optimum or large quantities of product droplets to achieve high throughput. By increasing the drive frequency to 8 MHz or higher, sub-micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets can be produced using the ultrasonic single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices or any solid endface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20100327072
    Abstract: Ultrasonic nozzle devices without a central channel but employing a design of cascaded multiple Fourier horns in resonance produce micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets with greatly reduced electrical drive power requirements. The liquid to be atomized is brought externally to or adjacent to the endface of the nozzle tip. The above liquid transport method is equally applicable to the ultrasonic nozzle-array devices that are comprised of a plurality of ultrasonic single-nozzle devices configured in parallel. The longitudinal length, transverse width, shape, and area of the nozzle endface of single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices may be tailored or designed (e.g. enlarged) to obtain optimum or large quantities of product droplets to achieve high throughput. By increasing the drive frequency to 8 MHz or higher, sub-micrometer-sized monodisperse or narrowly-sized droplets can be produced using the ultrasonic single-nozzle and nozzle-array devices or any solid endface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
  • Patent number: 4506835
    Abstract: There is provided a process for the beneficiation of oil shale comprising comminuting oil shale to a maximum particle size that maximizes the separation efficiency index of a physical separation method at a predetermined product yield. The oil shale particles are then separated into organic-rich product and organic-lean refuse by the physical separation methods in which the product yield is adjusted to maximize the separation efficiency index of the separation. Preferred physical separation methods include gravity separation, hydraulic separation by tabling, froth flotation and oil agglomeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Occidental Research Corp.
    Inventor: Shirley C. Tsai
  • Patent number: 4323447
    Abstract: A coal solvation/liquefaction process wherein the coal is contacted with hydrogen and an octahydrophenanthrene-enriched solvent containing OHP and THP in a ratio of OHP/THP greater than 0.4, wherein the OHP is present in an amount of at least 5 percent by weight based upon the total weight of said solvent.The OHP-enriched solvent provides improved coal solvation and increases the production of distillate liquid (62) in a coal solvation/liquefaction (20, 24) process. The desired ratio of OHP/THP is provided by catalytic hydrogenation (68) of a coal liquid distillate stream (64). By increasing the OHP/THP ratio to a value greater than 1, the amount of hydrogen consumed in the process can be significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
  • Patent number: 4322284
    Abstract: Ash-containing raw coal is converted to a liquid fuel product by contacting the coal with hydrogen and an OHP-enriched solvent containing OHP and THP in a ratio of OHP/THP greater than 0.4, wherein the OHP is present in an amount of at least 5 weight percent of the solvent, to produce a liquid stream and a coal minerals stream, and recycling at least a portion of the coal minerals stream.A portion of the liquid stream (64) is catalytically hydrogenated (68), preferably with a tungsten-containing catalyst, to increase the ratio of OHP/THP to a value greater than 0.4 or preferably greater than l. The OHP-enriched liquid stream solvent is passed as solvent to a mixing zone (11) where it is admixed with raw coal (10) and recycled coal minerals (38), admixed with hydrogen (58) and passed to a preheater (20) and dissolver (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
  • Patent number: 4313499
    Abstract: In the underground gasification of a swelling coal the high gas-flow link between the injection and the production wells needed for the gasification process is produced by reverse combustion using air heated to a temperature below the softening point of the coal. The heated air pretreats and conditions the coal proximate to the link under formation by increasing its permeability and reducing its swelling properties. Improved combustion and suppression of plugging results in the subsequent gasification stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
  • Patent number: 4312746
    Abstract: The OHP content of an OHP- and THP-containing solvent is enriched by contacting the solvent with hydrogen in the presence of a supported catalyst comprising Group VIB and Group VIII metals under conditions to increase the OHP/THP ratio in the solvent to a level greater than 0.4 and preferably greater than 1. The preferred catalyst contains tungsten where it is desired to provide an OHP/THP ratio greater than 1 in the OHP-enriched solvent, and also contains titanium to improve the hydrogen selectivity of the catalyst so as to enhance the preservation of aromatics in the hydrogenated solvent. The OHP-enriched solvent provides increased solvation of coal and improved yields of liquid fuel product in a coal liquefaction process which utilizes the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1982
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
  • Patent number: 4299285
    Abstract: In the underground gasification of a swelling coal the high gas-flow link between the injection and the production wells is produced by introducing hot air into the injection well at a pressure sufficient to fracture the coal. The bulk permeability of the coal proximate to the link is increased and the plugging of the link during the subsequent in situ combustion and gasification procedure is suppressed by continuing the injection of the hot air, heated to a temperature below the softening point of the coal, into the injection well, through the link to the production well without combustion of the coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
  • Patent number: 4296809
    Abstract: In the underground gasification of a swelling coal the bulk permeability of the coal proximate to the linkage between the injection and the production holes is increased and the plugging of the linkage during the in situ combustion and gasification procedure is suppressed by subjecting this coal proximate to the linkage between the injection and production holes to a stream of air heated to a temperature below the softening point of the coal prior to the in situ combustion and gasification procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
  • Patent number: 4166022
    Abstract: A process for recovering oil from oil shale containing kerogen which comprises contacting said oil shale with steam having a partial pressure of at least about 600 psia (4.3 MPa) but no greater than about 3000 psia (20.8 MPa) at a reaction temperature ranging from about 300.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. for a period of time ranging from about 0.5 to about 6 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1979
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventor: Shirley C. Tsai
  • Patent number: 4158638
    Abstract: A process for recovering oil from oil shale containing kerogen which comprises contacting said oil shale at a reaction temperature of at least about 300.degree. C. with steam having a partial pressure of at least about 450 psia (3.1 MPa) and an organic solvent having a boiling point at ambient pressure, that is, about 15 psia (0.1 MPa), of at least about 80.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventor: Shirley C. Tsai