Patents by Inventor Zhe Cui

Zhe Cui 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: 20080134579
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are unmixed fuel processors and methods for using the same. In one embodiment, an unmixed fuel processor comprises: an oxidation reactor comprising an oxidation portion and a gasifier, a CO2 acceptor reactor, and a regeneration reactor. The oxidation portion comprises an air inlet, effluent outlet, and an oxygen transfer material. The gasifier comprises a solid hydrocarbon fuel inlet, a solids outlet, and a syngas outlet. The CO2 acceptor reactor comprises a water inlet, a hydrogen outlet, and a CO2 sorbent, and is configured to receive syngas from the gasifier. The regeneration reactor comprises a water inlet and a CO2 stream outlet. The regeneration reactor is configured to receive spent CO2 adsorption material from the gasification reactor and to return regenerated CO2 adsorption material to the gasification reactor, and configured to receive oxidized oxygen transfer material from the oxidation reactor and to return reduced oxygen transfer material to the oxidation reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Parag Prakash Kulkarni, Zhe Cui
  • Patent number: 7044163
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing drag in fluid flow through pipes that utilizes microbubbles and acoustic energy are provided. A gas ejector for microbubble generation in a pipe is provided and includes a pipe comprising a wall having inner and outer diameters and at lease one orifice in the wall for ejecting gas microbubbles into the pipe. To cause the formation of the microbubbles, a flow restrictor is provided in the pipe, with the flow restrictor being spaced from the inner diameter of the pipe wall and positioned adjacent the at least one orifice. The flow restrictor causes and increase in the velocity of the fluid in the pipe past the at least one orifice, and produces a pressure drop which draws gas into the orifice. That gas is then ejected into the pipe in the form of microbubbles. Acoustic energy may be used to provide further reductions in drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventors: Joline Fan, Zhe Cui