Patents by Inventor Steven H. ALMARAZ

Steven H. ALMARAZ 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: 10495035
    Abstract: A dedicated exhaust gas recirculation configuration that provides reduced exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) backflow and reduced fresh air backflow. One-way valves are positioned in the EGR loop to reduce or avoid fresh-air backflow into the dedicated exhaust gas recirculating cylinder and/or positioned in the engine intake passage to reduce or avoid dedicated cylinder exhaust gas backflow into the intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Raphael Gukelberger, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Patent number: 10385771
    Abstract: A four stroke internal combustion engine with dedicated exhaust gas recirculation and method of operating such engine, wherein the engine comprises a plurality of combustion cylinders including main cylinders and a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder, wherein each cylinder includes a piston; a crankshaft, which is rotatable in a direction, and defines a main crankshaft axis, and includes a plurality of crankpins. Each of the crankpins is coupled to at least one of the pistons. The crankpins affixed to the pistons of the main cylinders are spaced at an interval around the main crankshaft axis. The crankpin affixed to the piston of the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder is spaced at an offset of 5 to 50 degrees from the interval in either direction relative to the direction of crankshaft rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Raphael Gukelberger, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Publication number: 20190063311
    Abstract: A four stroke internal combustion engine with dedicated exhaust gas recirculation and method of operating such engine, wherein the engine comprises a plurality of combustion cylinders including main cylinders and a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder, wherein each cylinder includes a piston; a crankshaft, which is rotatable in a direction, and defines a main crankshaft axis, and includes a plurality of crankpins. Each of the crankpins is coupled to at least one of the pistons. The crankpins affixed to the pistons of the main cylinders are spaced at an interval around the main crankshaft axis. The crankpin affixed to the piston of the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder is spaced at an offset of 5 to 50 degrees from the interval in either direction relative to the direction of crankshaft rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Raphael GUKELBERGER, Steven H. ALMARAZ
  • Publication number: 20180223777
    Abstract: A dedicated exhaust gas recirculation configuration that provides reduced exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) backflow and reduced fresh air backflow. One-way valves are positioned in the EGR loop to reduce or avoid fresh-air backflow into the dedicated exhaust gas recirculating cylinder and/or positioned in the engine intake passage to reduce or avoid dedicated cylinder exhaust gas backflow into the intake passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Raphael GUKELBERGER, Steven H. ALMARAZ
  • Patent number: 8944034
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and systems to manage exhaust gas expelled from cylinders of an internal combustion engine. An exemplary system may comprise at least one cylinder of the engine configured to operate as a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinder, and wherein substantially all exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder is recirculated to an intake system of the engine. In one embodiment, the system may include a flow restrictor configured and arranged to restrict a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the dedicated EGR cylinder without restricting a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the remaining cylinders of the engine. In another embodiment, exhaust gas may be expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder in pulsations, and the intake system may be configured to reduce an amplitude of the pulsations of the exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Barrett W. Mangold, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Patent number: 8899016
    Abstract: An integrated water-gas-shift (WGS) and emissions control device (ECD) catalyst for treating exhaust from an internal combustion engine. The engine is assumed to have an EGR loop, such that exhaust is recirculated back to the engine's intake. A WGS catalyst on the EGR loop, for conditioning the EGR flow, is integrated with a catalyzed ECD on the main exhaust line, for reducing pollutant emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Patent number: 8561599
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and systems to manage exhaust gas expelled from an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present disclosure provides an exhaust gas recirculation apparatus to distribute recirculated exhaust gas in an air stream to be introduced to an internal combustion engine, with the apparatus comprising an intake passage defined by a wall structure, the wall structure including a plurality of apertures therein configured to distribute recirculated exhaust gas into the intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Publication number: 20130239547
    Abstract: An integrated water-gas-shift (WGS) and emissions control device (ECD) catalyst for treating exhaust from an internal combustion engine. The engine is assumed to have an EGR loop, such that exhaust is recirculated back to the engine's intake. A WGS catalyst on the EGR loop, for conditioning the EGR flow, is integrated with a catalyzed ECD on the main exhaust line, for reducing pollutant emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Publication number: 20120204845
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and systems to manage exhaust gas expelled from an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present disclosure provides an exhaust gas recirculation apparatus to distribute recirculated exhaust gas in an air stream to be introduced to an internal combustion engine, with the apparatus comprising an intake passage defined by a wall structure, the wall structure including a plurality of apertures therein configured to distribute recirculated exhaust gas into the intake passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jess W. GINGRICH, Steven H. ALMARAZ
  • Publication number: 20120204844
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and systems to manage exhaust gas expelled from cylinders of an internal combustion engine. An exemplary system may comprise at least one cylinder of the engine configured to operate as a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinder, and wherein substantially all exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder is recirculated to an intake system of the engine. In one embodiment, the system may include a flow restrictor configured and arranged to restrict a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the dedicated EGR cylinder without restricting a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the remaining cylinders of the engine. In another embodiment, exhaust gas may be expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder in pulsations, and the intake system may be configured to reduce an amplitude of the pulsations of the exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jess W. GINGRICH, Barrett W. MANGOLD, Steven H. ALMARAZ