Patents by Inventor William Randall Seeker

William Randall Seeker 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: 6981456
    Abstract: A method to reduce mercury in gas emissions from the combustion of coal is disclosed. Mercury emissions can be reduced by staging combustion process and/or reducing boiler excess oxygen. Fly ash formed under combustion staging conditions is more reactive towards mercury than fly ash formed under typical combustion conditions. Reducing boiler excess oxygen can also improve ability of fly ash to adsorb mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker, Roy Payne, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Loc Ho
  • Patent number: 6895875
    Abstract: A method to reduce mercury in gas emissions from the combustion of coal is disclosed. Mercury emissions can be reduced by staging combustion process and/or reducing boiler excess oxygen. Fly ash formed under combustion staging conditions is more reactive towards mercury than fly ash formed under typical combustion conditions. Reducing boiler excess oxygen can also improve ability of fly ash to adsorb mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker, Roy Payne, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Loc Ho
  • Patent number: 6865994
    Abstract: An overfire air injector for use in a fossil fuel-fired combustion device includes a cylindrical nozzle having an outlet end formed with a step diffuser comprising one or more radial steps that enlarge the outlet end of the nozzle. An atomizer lance may be mounted within the nozzle, having a discharge orifice at the outlet end of the nozzle, for supplying a reducing agent to the overfire air to reduce NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Randall Seeker, Roy Payne, Larry William Swanson
  • Patent number: 6863005
    Abstract: In a method to decrease emission of mercury, a factor is selected to control a combustion process to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon; the combustion process is controlled according to a factor selected from reburning fuel, flue gas temperature, OFA injection, coal particle size, LNB flow, LNB design, combustion zone air, stoichiometric ratio of fuel, fuel/air mixing in a primary combustion zone and fuel/air mixing in a secondary combustion zone to produce the flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and to vaporize mercury; and the flue gas is allowed to cool to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury. A system to decrease emission of mercury; comprises a combustion zone that is controlled to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and that produces vaporized mercury; and a post combustion zone to cool the flue gas to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Steven Lanier, Charles M. Booth, Vitali V. Lissianski, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Publication number: 20040194680
    Abstract: An overfire air injector for use in a fossil fuel-fired combustion device includes a cylindrical nozzle having an outlet end formed with a step diffuser comprising one or more radial steps that enlarge the outlet end of the nozzle. An atomizer lance may be mounted within the nozzle, having a discharge orifice at the outlet end of the nozzle, for supplying a reducing agent to the overfire air to reduce NOx emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: William Randall Seeker, Roy Payne, Larry William Swanson
  • Publication number: 20040191914
    Abstract: A method of optimizing operation of a fossil fuel fired boiler includes, in an exemplary embodiment, providing a plurality of sensors positioned in different spatial positions within the fossil fuel fired boiler. The method also includes recording sensor outputs, identifying spatial combustion anomalies indicated by sensor outputs, identifying burners responsible for the spatial combustion anomalies, and adjusting air flow of responsible burners to alleviate the spatial combustion anomalies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Neil Colin Widmer, Roy Payne, William Randall Seeker, Philippe Jean Gauthier
  • Publication number: 20040134396
    Abstract: In a method to decrease emission of mercury, a factor is selected to control a combustion process to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon; the combustion process is controlled according to a factor selected from reburning fuel, flue gas temperature, OFA injection, coal particle size, LNB flow, LNB design, combustion zone air, stoichiometric ratio of fuel, fuel/air mixing in a primary combustion zone and fuel/air mixing in a secondary combustion zone to produce the flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and to vaporize mercury; and the flue gas is allowed to cool to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury. A system to decrease emission of mercury; comprises a combustion zone that is controlled to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and that produces vaporized mercury; and a post combustion zone to cool the flue gas to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: William Steven Lanier, Charles M. Booth, Vitali V. Lissianski, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 6726888
    Abstract: In a method to decrease emission of mercury, a factor is selected to control a combustion process to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon; the combustion process is controlled according to a factor selected from reburning fuel, flue gas temperature, OFA injection, coal particle size, LNB flow, LNB design, combustion zone air, stoichiometric ratio of fuel, fuel/air mixing in a primary combustion zone and fuel/air mixing in a secondary combustion zone to produce the flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and to vaporize mercury; and the flue gas is allowed to cool to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury. A system to decrease emission of mercury; comprises a combustion zone that is controlled to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and that produces vaporized mercury; and a post combustion zone to cool the flue gas to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Steven Lanier, Charles M. Booth, Vitali V. Lissianski, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Publication number: 20030143128
    Abstract: In a method to decrease emission of mercury, a factor is selected to control a combustion process to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon; the combustion process is controlled according to a factor selected from reburning fuel, flue gas temperature, OFA injection, coal particle size, LNB flow, LNB design, combustion zone air, stoichiometric ratio of fuel, fuel/air mixing in a primary combustion zone and fuel/air mixing in a secondary combustion zone to produce the flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and to vaporize mercury; and the flue gas is allowed to cool to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury. A system to decrease emission of mercury; comprises a combustion zone that is controlled to generate a flue gas comprising fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon and that produces vaporized mercury; and a post combustion zone to cool the flue gas to collect fly ash with enhanced unburned carbon with absorbed mercury.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: William Steven Lanier, Charles M. Booth, Vitali V. Lissianski, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 6471506
    Abstract: Various methods for decreasing the amount of nitrogen oxides released to the atmosphere as a component of combustion gas mixtures are provided. The methods specifically provide for the removal of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide (NOx) from gas mixtures emitted from stationary combustion systems. In particular, methods for improving efficiency of nitrogen oxide reduction from combustion systems include injecting metal-containing compounds into the main combustion zone and/or the reburning zone of a combustion system. The metal containing compounds react with active combustion species, and these reactions change radical concentrations and significantly improve NOx conversion to molecular nitrogen. The metal-containing additives can be injected with the main fuel, in the main combustion zone, with secondary or reburning fuel addition, or at several locations in the main combustion zone and reburning zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: GE Energy & Environmental Research Corp.
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, Jerald A. Cole, Vitali V. Lissianski, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 6206685
    Abstract: Various methods for decreasing the amount of nitrogen oxides released to the atmosphere as a component of combustion gas mixtures are provided. The methods specifically provide for the removal of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide (NOx) from gas mixtures emitted from stationary combustion systems. In particular, methods for improving efficiency of nitrogen oxide reduction from combustion systems include injecting metal-containing compounds into the main combustion zone and/or the reburning zone of a combustion system. The metal containing compounds react with active combustion species, and these reactions change radical concentrations and significantly improve NOx conversion to molecular nitrogen. The metal-containing additives can be injected with the main fuel, in the main combustion zone, with secondary or reburning fuel addition, or at several locations in the main combustion zone and reburning zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: GE Energy and Environmental Research Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, Jerald A. Cole, Vitali V. Lissianski, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 5756059
    Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and systems for preventing the release of nitrogen oxides with combustion flue gases emitted to the atmosphere. The invention is specifically directed to the removal of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and nitrous oxide from flue gas in stationary combustion systems. The methods of the invention improve efficiency of conventional reburning and advanced reburning processes by two key improvements, including the injection of a reducing agent into the reburning zone and the use of promoters, which considerably enhance NO.sub.x control. The promoters are metal-containing compounds that can be added to the reducing agents. These improvements allow either one or two stages of reducing agent injection for greater NO.sub.x control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Energy and Environmental Research Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter M. Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 5670122
    Abstract: A method is provided for preventing the release of air pollutants with combustion flue gases emitted to the atmosphere by the removal of one or more of nitric oxide, sulfur trioxide, light hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and trace amounts of mercury from combustion flue gas streams. The method converts nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide, sulfur trioxide to sulfur dioxide, removes light hydrocarbons in the form of carbon dioxide, reduces the concentration of carbon monoxide, and removes mercury vapor in the form of mercury oxide, by the addition of hydrogen peroxide or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and methanol to a combustion flue gas at a temperature in the range from about 650 K (377.degree. C.) to 1100 K (827.degree. C.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Energy and Environmental Research Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Zamansky, Loc Ho, William Randall Seeker