Patents by Inventor William L. Roberts

William L. Roberts 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).

  • Publication number: 20230366350
    Abstract: A powered system is disclosed including a power block, an exhaust system configured to receive exhaust gas from the power block, a carbon capture system and a heat recovery system. The exhaust system is configured to couple the carbon capture system to the power block. The carbon capture system is configured to extract CO2 from the exhaust gas. The heat recovery system is configured to receive the extracted CO2 from the carbon capture system for providing heat energy to and from the power plant system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Deoras Mukund Prabhudharwadkar, William L. Roberts, Robert Woodrow Dibble
  • Patent number: 11691040
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for flame arresting are provided. In an embodiment, a flame arrestor includes a quenching element disposed within a conduit. The flame arrestor also includes a cooling system in thermal contact with the quenching system. The cooling system cools the quenching element during operation of the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: The Boeing Company, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Thibault F. Guiberti, Jason Scott Damazo, Eddie Kwon, Deanna A. Lacoste, William L. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20200284778
    Abstract: A fuel testing device includes a combustion chamber having an optical access port; a visualization system that acquires images of a flame inside the combustion chamber, the images being acquired through the optical access port; and a vortex generator that perturbs a flow of a fuel inside the combustion chamber. The images are used to determine a propensity of the fuel to thermoacoustic instabilities, and the combustion chamber has a length less than 2 m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Thibault F. GUIBERTI, Francesco DI SABATINO, Jonas P. MOECK, Wesley R. BOYETTE, Deanna A. LACOSTE, William L. ROBERTS
  • Publication number: 20200215366
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for flame arresting are provided. In an embodiment, a flame arrestor includes a quenching element disposed within a conduit. The flame arrestor also includes a cooling system in thermal contact with the quenching system. The cooling system cools the quenching element during operation of the cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Thibault F. Guiberti, Jason Scott Damazo, Eddie Kwon, Deanna A. Lacoste, William L. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8496472
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the clean and convenient combustion of high viscosity liquid fuels, such as glycerol, as well as an apparatus useful for carrying such processes. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a process for glycerol combustion comprising providing a combustion apparatus with a glycerol combustion chamber that facilitates reflective heating, pre-heating the glycerol combustion chamber, atomizing the reduced viscosity glycerol, and combining the atomized glycerol with air in the glycerol combustion chamber to thereby completely combust the glycerol. In one embodiment, such as when using a pressure-atomizing nozzle, the inventive method may further comprise treating the glycerol to reduce the glycerol viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, Brian Metzger, Timothy L. Turner
  • Patent number: 8350102
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processes for the direct conversion of lipidic biomass fuelstock to combustible fuels. In particular, the disclosure provides a process for the direct conversion of animal fats to transportations fuels suitable as replacement for petroleum-derived transportation fuels. In an example, the method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a lipidic biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to form n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds in the correct chain length, conformations, and ratio to be useful transportation fuels. Particularly, the product prepared comprises mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, isoalkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Patent number: 8350103
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to processes for the direct conversion of lipidic biomass fuelstock to combustible fuels. In particular, the disclosure provides a process for the direct conversion of animal fats to transportations fuels suitable as replacement for petroleum-derived transportation fuels. In an example, the method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a lipidic biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to form n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds in the correct chain length, conformations, and ratio to be useful transportation fuels. Particularly, the product prepared comprises mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, isoalkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Publication number: 20120108861
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for the direct conversion of lipidic biomass fuelstock to combustible fuels. In particular, the invention provides a process for the direct conversion of animal fats to transportations fuels suitable as replacement for petroleum-derived transportation fuels. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a lipidic biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to form n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds in the correct chain length, conformations, and ratio to be useful transportation fuels. Particularly, the product prepared according to the invention comprises mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, isoalkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Publication number: 20110105813
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for the direct conversion of lipidic biomass fuelstock to combustible fuels. In particular, the invention provides a process for the direct conversion of animal fats to transportations fuels suitable as replacement for petroleum-derived transportation fuels. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a lipidic biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to form n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds in the correct chain length, conformations, and ratio to be useful transportation fuels. Particularly, the product prepared according to the invention comprises mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, isoalkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Patent number: 7816570
    Abstract: A process for the direct conversion of lipid biomass fuel stock to combustible fuels include the steps of hydrolyzing a lipid biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to from n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds having the correct chain length, conformations and ratio to be useful as transportation fuels. The process exhibits an overall energy efficiency of at least about 75%, wherein energy efficiency is calculated as the lower heating value of the produced transportation fuel over the sum of the lower heating value of the process reactants and the total energy input into the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Publication number: 20090069610
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for the direct conversion of lipidic biomass fuelstock to combustible fuels. In particular, the invention provides a process for the direct conversion of animal fats to transportations fuels suitable as replacement for petroleum-derived transportation fuels. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a lipidic biomass to form free fatty acids, catalytically deoxygenating the free fatty acids to form n-alkanes, and reforming at least a portion of the n-alkanes into a mixture of compounds in the correct chain length, conformations, and ratio to be useful transportation fuels. Particularly, the product prepared according to the invention comprises mixtures of hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, isoalkanes, aromatics, cycloalkanes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, IV, H. Henry Lamb, Larry F. Stikeleather, Timothy L. Turner
  • Publication number: 20080305445
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the clean and convenient combustion of high viscosity liquid fuels, such as glycerol, as well as an apparatus useful for carrying such processes. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a process for glycerol combustion comprising providing a combustion apparatus with a glycerol combustion chamber that facilitates reflective heating, pre-heating the glycerol combustion chamber, atomizing the reduced viscosity glycerol, and combining the atomized glycerol with air in the glycerol combustion chamber to thereby completely combust the glycerol. In one embodiment, such as when using a pressure-atomizing nozzle, the inventive method may further comprise treating the glycerol to reduce the glycerol viscosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: William L. Roberts, Brian Metzger, Timothy L. Turner
  • Patent number: 5501423
    Abstract: A portable easel with tray and table composed of two legs, joined at the top by a crosspiece having in it pegs for hanging a thin, rigid easel board to serve as backing for commercially available easel pads. The legs pass through holes at their approximate midpoint in a tray table which senses as a tray for marking instruments in the front, a table for papers, books and the like in the rear, and which holds the legs in their splayed position. The tray table rests on fittings which support the upper structures, join the legs laterally for rigidity at their midpoint, and into which the lower portion of the legs may be fitted and removed. The lower ends of the legs have rubber tips to increase friction with the floor, or may be attached to a rectangular base to afford greater stability. The lower halves of the legs, when removed, enable the easel to function as a table model, and reduce the size of the structure for transport and storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Inventor: William L. Roberts
  • Patent number: 4237446
    Abstract: An improved clearance detecting device for warning the driver of a vehicle of a impending obstruction. In a detecting device consisting of a base, an antenna, spring means connecting the base and antenna, and an electrical circuit with an alarm device and normally open switch means, the improvement consists of switch means comprising a contact surface and an elongate spring with two ends. One end of the spring is attached to the clearance detector device while the other end is responsive when the antenna is deflected to engage the contact surface so that the electrical circuit is closed and the alarm device activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Inventor: William L. Roberts