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: 9168555Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 11, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
-
Publication number: 20130146677Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2013Publication date: June 13, 2013Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
-
Patent number: 8434473Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 26, 2010Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
-
Publication number: 20100327072Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Chen S. Tsai, Shirley C. Tsai
-
Patent number: 4506835Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 7, 1982Date of Patent: March 26, 1985Assignee: Occidental Research Corp.Inventor: Shirley C. Tsai
-
Patent number: 4323447Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 5, 1980Date of Patent: April 6, 1982Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
-
Patent number: 4322284Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 5, 1980Date of Patent: March 30, 1982Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
-
Patent number: 4313499Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 1980Date of Patent: February 2, 1982Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
-
Patent number: 4312746Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 5, 1980Date of Patent: January 26, 1982Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Howard G. McIlvried, III
-
Patent number: 4299285Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 1980Date of Patent: November 10, 1981Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
-
Patent number: 4296809Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 1980Date of Patent: October 27, 1981Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventors: Shirley C. Tsai, Richard H. Graham, Robin R. Oder
-
Patent number: 4166022Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 27, 1978Date of Patent: August 28, 1979Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventor: Shirley C. Tsai
-
Patent number: 4158638Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 27, 1978Date of Patent: June 19, 1979Assignee: Gulf Research & Development CompanyInventor: Shirley C. Tsai