Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Botts

Thomas E. Botts 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: 4643809
    Abstract: A process for electrochemically gasifying coal by establishing a flowing stream of coal particulate slurry, electrolyte and electrode members through a transverse magnetic field that has sufficient strength to polarize the electrode members, thereby causing them to operate in combination with the electrolyte to electrochemically reduce the coal particulate in the slurry. Such electrochemical reduction of the coal produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide at opposite ends of the polarized electrode members. Gas collection means are operated in conjunction with the process to collect the evolved gases as they rise from the slurry and electrolyte solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas E. Botts, James R. Powell
  • Patent number: 4572285
    Abstract: A magnetically focused liquid drop radiator for application in rejecting rgy from a spacecraft, characterized by a magnetizable liquid or slurry disposed in operative relationship within the liquid droplet generator and its fluid delivery system, in combination with magnetic means disposed in operative relationship around a liquid droplet collector of the LDR. The magnetic means are effective to focus streams of droplets directed from the generator toward the collector, thereby to assure that essentially all of the droplets are directed into the collector, even though some of the streams may be misdirected as they leave the generator. The magnetic focusing means is also effective to suppress splashing of liquid when the droplets impinge on the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas E. Botts, James R. Powell, Roger Lenard
  • Patent number: 4226369
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the destruction of particles entrained in a gas stream are disclosed. Destruction in the context of the subject invention means the fragmentation and/or vaporization of particles above a certain size limit. The subject invention contemplates destroying such particles by exposing them to intense bursts of laser light, such light having a frequency approximately equal to or less than the mean size of such particles. This invention is particularly adopted to the protection of turbine blades in open cycle coal-fired turbine systems. Means for introducing various chemical species and activating them by exposure to laser light are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas E. Botts, James R. Powell