Patents by Inventor Steven F. Kral

Steven F. Kral 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: 6758046
    Abstract: A slush hydrogen production device (10) utilizes a hydrogen slushifier magnetic refrigerator (30) having a wheel (50) of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect. The wheel is rotated through a magnetic field of varying intensity around the circumference of a wheel housing (36) created by the windings of superconductive magnets (56). The material of the wheel (50) follows a magnetic Carnot cycle as the wheel rotates (36) through regions of low temperature heat transfer and high temperature heat transfer. Liquid hydrogen is supplied to the regions of low and high temperature heat transfer through inlet pipes (39 and 42). Gaseous hydrogen is produced in the high temperature heat transfer region and vented away by an outlet pipe (48). Solid hydrogen is produced in the low temperature heat transfer region by direct solidification upon the magnetic wheel (50); and is removed by scrapers (76) and deposited in a compartment (26) where it mixes with liquid hydrogen to form slush hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Astronautics Corporation of America
    Inventors: John A. Barclay, Steven R. Jaeger, Peter J. Claybaker, Carl B. Zimm, Steven F. Kral