Patents by Inventor Wesley L. Bratton

Wesley L. Bratton 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: 10940437
    Abstract: A liquid phase catalytic exchange column with a catalyst is configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system uses the catalyst to exchange the hydrogen gas with the tritiated source yielding HT gas and tritiated water. The system monitors tritium content of the tritiated water. When a predetermined tritium level is detected, the tritiated water is released. The system also includes a gaseous permeation system comprising a permeable barrier for the selective extraction of gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Veolia Nuclear Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Denton, Gaetan Bonhomme, Wesley L. Bratton, Nicephore Bonnet
  • Publication number: 20160310898
    Abstract: A liquid phase catalytic exchange column with a catalyst is configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system uses the catalyst to exchange the hydrogen gas with the tritiated source yielding HT gas and tritiated water. The system monitors tritium content of the tritiated water. When a predetermined tritium level is detected, the tritiated water is released. The system also includes a gaseous permeation system comprising a permeable barrier for the selective extraction of gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Mark S. Denton, Gaetan Bonhomme, Wesley L. Bratton, Nicephore Bonnet
  • Patent number: 9004753
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting defects in the composite materials of a wind turbine blade or similar type of structure using an infrared (IR) camera. The temperature of the wind turbine blade is changed in such a way as to produce IR intensity changes in the region of the defect that can be visually detected or detected using a computer and signal processing algorithms. The same approach will work on other composite structures such as those found on aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kurion, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Maresca, Jr., Wesley L. Bratton, Wilhelmina C. Leuschen, David A. Rohrig
  • Patent number: 7908937
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying contamination in a fluid flow system like a pipe or duct. This characterization technique uses a conservative and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the fluid flow system and then monitored at another location in the system. Detection, location, and quantification are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W. Maresca, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7670085
    Abstract: Vertical migration of a plume of subsurface contamination in the vadose zone to the groundwater is prevented by forming and maintaining one or more desiccation layers in the vadose zone in or above a layer of contamination. Horizontal barrier layers are produced by injecting dry air at a specific elevation in one borehole and removing the air at another borehole. These horizontal layers act as an impermeable barrier to the vertical migration of dissolved contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W Maresca, Jr., William E. Lowry, Dawn Samara Kaback
  • Publication number: 20080274553
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying contamination in a fluid flow system like a pipe or duct. This characterization technique uses a conservative and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the fluid flow system and then monitored at another location in the system. Detection, location, and quantification are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Vista Engineering Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W. Maresca
  • Patent number: 7389706
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying contamination in a fluid flow system like a pipe or duct. This characterization technique uses a conservative and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the fluid flow system and then monitored at another location in the system. Detection, location, and quantification are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W. Maresca, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7331248
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying explosive materials and devices, and naturally occurring and man-made dangerous or hazardous biological and chemical materials and devices in ducts or piping systems, or other fluid flow systems in buildings such as residential, office, industrial, and power plants, transportation systems such as ships, airplanes, subways, and trains, and various types of infrastructure such as dams, tunnels, or bridges, and in the rooms, compartments, enclosures, containers, or difficult to access areas in these buildings, transportation systems, and structures. The preferred embodiment of this detection and location method uses a conservative tracer and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the duct or area to be searched at one location and then monitored at the same or another location in the duct or area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph W. Maresca, Jr., Wesley L. Bratton
  • Patent number: 7197914
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for finding the location of one or more holes in a fluid flow system such as pipe, duct, or conduit using one or more tracers that interact with or can be chemically or physically differentiated from those of the liquid or gas contents located outside the system and pulled back into the system when the system is placed under a vacuum. The preferred embodiment of this detection and location method uses one or more interactive tracers that are injected into a pipe or duct that may be leaking at one location and then monitor the concentration of these tracers at the same or another location in the pipe or duct. Detection and location are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration. Various types of interactive tracers may be used, including partitioning and reactive tracer gaseous tracers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies
    Inventors: Joseph W. Maresca, Jr., Wesley L. Bratton
  • Patent number: 7047830
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying contamination in a fluid flow system like a pipe or duct. This characterization technique uses a conservative and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the fluid flow system and then monitored at another location in the system. Detection, location, and quantification are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Vista Engineering Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W. Maresca, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20040050144
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting, locating, and quantifying contamination in a fluid flow system like a pipe or duct. This characterization technique uses a conservative and one or more interactive tracers that are injected into the fluid flow system and then monitored at another location in the system. Detection, location, and quantification are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Joseph W. Maresca
  • Patent number: 6644423
    Abstract: A tool latching and retrieval system allows the deployment and retrieval of a variety of direct push subsurface characterization tools through an embedded rod string during a single penetration without requiring withdrawal of the string from the ground. This enables the in situ interchange of different tools, as well as the rapid retrieval of soil core samples from multiple depths during a single direct push penetration. The system includes specialized rods that make up the rod string, a tool housing which is integral to the rod string, a lock assembly, and several tools which mate to the lock assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Stephen P. Farrington, James D. Shinn, II, Darren C. Nolet
  • Publication number: 20020020560
    Abstract: A tool latching and retrieval system allows the deployment and retrieval of a variety of direct push subsurface characterization tools through an embedded rod string during a single penetration without requiring withdrawal of the string from the ground. This enables the in situ interchange of different tools, as well as the rapid retrieval of soil core samples from multiple depths during a single direct push penetration. The system includes specialized rods that make up the rod string, a tool housing which is integral to the rod string, a lock assembly, and several tools which mate to the lock assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, Stephen P. Farrington, James D. Shinn, Darren C. Nolet
  • Patent number: 5497091
    Abstract: A surface-mounted pH sensor provides continuous pH profiling with depth during standard cone penetration testing (CPT). The pH sensor includes at least two electrodes, one being an antimony electrode and the other being a ceramic electrode. The electrodes are mounted to the shaft of a cone penetration device, and make contact with underground fluids during CPT. The antimony electrode, which functions as a measurement electrode, creates an exchange equilibrium between the hydrogen ions in the underground fluids and the ions of the antimony. This equilibrium creates a potential in the antimony electrode which is measured against the stable reference potential of the ceramic electrode. The resulting potential difference is indicative of the pH level of the underground fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley L. Bratton, J. Christopher Bianchi