Gaseous Mixture (e.g., Solid-gas, Liquid-gas, Gas-gas) Patents (Class 702/24)
  • Patent number: 8032311
    Abstract: A method for characterizing a desired property of a fluid downhole is described. In some non-limiting examples, the method comprises receiving an input signal representing sound speed of a fluid downhole, processing the input signal using a correlation equation expressing the desired property in terms of at least sound speed to produce an output signal representing the desired property, and outputting the output signal. In some examples, the correlation equation is derived through a chemometric analysis of a training data set, the training data set comprises a plurality of input values and a plurality of output values derived from said input values, between the desired fluid property and the first measured property, and the output values are calculated from the input values using a series of correlation equations. In at least one example, the desired property is gas oil ratio. In another example, the desired property is gas brine ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Rocco DiFoggio
  • Patent number: 8032321
    Abstract: A biosensor system determines the presence and/or concentration of an analyte in a sample using one or more calibrated correlation equations. The analysis may be electrochemical, optical, or a combination thereof. The biosensor system may be implemented using a measurement device and a sensor strip. The measurement device applies test signals to a multi-layered encoding area of the sensor strip. Calibration information is determined from the patterns generated by the interaction of the test signals with the multi-layered encoding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC
    Inventor: Weiping Zhong
  • Patent number: 8027792
    Abstract: The Invention is a method for quantitative analysis of a mixture of molecular compounds by two-dimensional gas chromatography having application for quantitative analysis of products from the chemical or petroleum industry. A two-dimensional gas chromatography is carried out, during which a chromatographic signal is recorded. A chromatogram in two dimensions on which chromatographic peaks form spots is generated from the signal. These spots are defined by means of polygons. Then, for each polygon, chromatographic signal portions contained between two intersections of the polygon with columns of the chromatogram are extracted. Start and end times are defined for the chromatographic peaks present in these portions and the polygon is adjusted by shifting its intersection points according to the start and end times of the chromatographic peaks. Finally, molecular compound amounts are determined by calculating the surface area of the polygons thus adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Fabrice Bertoncini, Benoît Celse, Laurent Duval
  • Publication number: 20110231109
    Abstract: The present invention aims at creating an accurate mass spectrum with a high resolving power based on a plurality of multi-turn time-of-flight (TOF) spectra, while reducing the amount of computation to assure the real-time processing. First, a plurality of TOF spectra each obtained for a different timing when ions are ejected from the loop orbit are measured (S2 and S3). At this point, the concept of the coincidence detection method is utilized to determine what mass-to-charge ratio a peak appearing on the TOF spectra originates from. From the information on the peak of interest in one TOF spectrum and other data, the time range in which a corresponding peak appears on other TOF spectra is set, and the existence or nonexistence of the peak in that range is determined (S5). In the case where the corresponding peak is found on most of the other TOF spectra, the m/z is deduced from the peak on the TOF spectrum with the highest resolving power and a mass spectrum is created (S6 and S7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicants: SHIMADZU CORPORATION, KOBE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Osamu FURUHASHI, Kiyoshi OGAWA, Shigeki KAJIHARA, Tohru KINUGAWA
  • Patent number: 8024133
    Abstract: A sensor system for detecting and estimating concentrations of various gas or liquid analytes. In an embodiment, the resistances of a set of sensors are measured to provide a set of responses over time where the resistances are indicative of gas or liquid sorption, depending upon the sensors. A concentration vector for the analytes is estimated by satisfying a criterion of goodness using the set of responses. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Margie L. Homer, Darrell L. Jan, April D. Jewell, Adam Kisor, Kenneth S. Manatt, Allison M. Manfreda, Margaret A. Ryan, Abhijit V. Shevade, Charles Taylor, Tuan A. Tran, Shiao-Pin S. Yen, Hanying Zhou
  • Patent number: 8024149
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing the failure of a system, which includes one or more pipes, or one or more cooling jackets, or one or more fluid cooled system components carrying a fluid, involves detecting one or more pressure levels of the fluid in the one or more pipes at one or more points, then comparing the detected pressure levels to a corresponding one or more predetermined limitation values. If the detected pressure levels exceed the corresponding limitation values, a shut-down signal is generated. The shut-down signal triggers the adjusting of one or more systems responsible for causing thermal variations of the fluid, preventing the system from failing while allowing the system to continue operation shortly thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Titanium Metals Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence M. Rubin
  • Patent number: 8024134
    Abstract: A gas sensor which includes: a plurality of gas detectors, each detects a target gas; an error detector which detects the occurrence of an error on each of gas sensors; an output selector which selects one output from among outputs entered from each gas sensor, the output selected by the output selector is the output from the gas detector in which no error exists; and an output unit which generate a normal output based on the output selected by the output selector and outputs the normal output to an external electrical device through a single output system, the output unit generates an abnormal output based on the output from the gas detector, in which the error exists, when the gas detector, in which an error exists, is detected, and outputs alternately the normal output and the abnormal output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Akihiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110218726
    Abstract: A method of determining an air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine in real-time includes: calibrating sensitivity of a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor to a plurality of gases; inputting to a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor controller a molecular composition of Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen which comprise a combustion fuel in use in the internal combustion engine; calculating with the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor controller an air-to-fuel ratio by performing a chemical balance equation calculation based on the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor sensitivity calibration and the input combustion fuel molecular composition; and transmitting the calculated air-to-fuel ratio to an engine control unit in real-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: BG SOFLEX LLC
    Inventors: Bruce BOWLING, Albert GRIPPO
  • Publication number: 20110213554
    Abstract: A method for remotely screening a selected area of the atmosphere for the presence of emissions into the atmosphere comprises moving a mobile platform, such as an aircraft, which carries an atmospheric component sensor in a pattern over and in the vicinity of the selected area, measuring the concentration of a component of the atmosphere at one or more points along the pattern with the atmospheric component sensor to obtain concentration data, obtaining supplementary data, and using an inverse dispersion technique, that utilizes the concentration data with the supplementary data to detect and locate one or more sources of emissions, and to determine the emitted mass release rates and/or surface fluxes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Ian George Archibald, William Joseph Senior Hirst
  • Patent number: 8010300
    Abstract: A system is provided for determining emission rate of a gas from a source. The system includes a selector for designating an in-plume area extending across a plume of gas. The in-plume area includes a length dimension greater than a width dimension. The system also includes a processor for determining an area-integrated concentration value for the in-plume area. The system further includes a wind vector received by the processor. The processor determines the emission rate of the gas based on the area-integrated concentration value and a vector component of the wind vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Vincent Stearns, Joseph Lawrence Lippert
  • Patent number: 8000903
    Abstract: Methods for using modified single wall carbon nanotubes (“SWCNTs”) to detect presence and/or concentration of a gas component, such as a halogen (e.g., Cl2), hydrogen halides (e.g., HCl), a hydrocarbon (e.g., CnH2n+2), an alcohol, an aldehyde or a ketone, to which an unmodified SWCNT is substantially non-reactive. In a first embodiment, a connected network of SWCNTs is coated with a selected polymer, such as chlorosulfonated polyethylene, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polystyrene and/or polyvinylalcohol, and change in an electrical parameter or response value (e.g., conductance, current, voltage difference or resistance) of the coated versus uncoated SWCNT networks is analyzed. In a second embodiment, the network is doped with a transition element, such as Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os and/or Au, and change in an electrical parameter value is again analyzed. The parameter change value depends monotonically, not necessarily linearly, upon concentration of the gas component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Asministration (NASA)
    Inventor: Jing Li
  • Patent number: 7996159
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for sensing gases includes a gas detector with at least one light emitter and at least one light detector configured to detect an intensity of light at wavelengths of light indicative of target gas(es). The system also includes a processor circuit and a data storage device in communication with the gas detector and configured to determine an amount of target gas in the volume of the gas-air mixture and to determine a lower explosive limit (“LEL”) level for at least one target gas in the gas-air mixture. The processor is configured to receive data regarding temperature and relative humidity of the gas-air mixture such that the processor circuit can adjust the LEL according to the temperature and humidity. Temperature and humidity sensors may be included to sense these conditions for inputting to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Delphian Corporation
    Inventor: Francois Mottier
  • Publication number: 20110184657
    Abstract: A hydrogen sensor includes a substrate, a hydrogen absorbing member, a power source, an ammeter, and a processing unit. The hydrogen absorbing member is positioned on the substrate, and includes a carbon nanotube yarn and a hydrogen absorbing film coated on the carbon nanotube yarn. The ammeter measures an electric current. The hydrogen absorbing member and the ammeter are connected in series to the power source. The processing unit is electrically coupled to the ammeter to obtain a hydrogen concentration according to the electric current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TAI-HSU CHOU
  • Publication number: 20110178722
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting the remote origin fraction of 222Rn present in a measuring site (Z) for the monitoring of dynamic phenomena inside the land crust, comprising the following steps: a) analysis of the measuring site (Z) in order to state a typical ratio between 222Rn of local origin and 220Rn of local origin; b) measurement, at preset time intervals, of alpha spectroscopy in the measuring site (Z) by means of an appropriate measuring chamber (2); c) processing of said alpha spectroscopy in order to find the concentrations of 222Rn and 220Rn present in the measuring site (Z); d) determination of the concentration of 222Rn of local origin by multiplying the concentration of 220Rn with the typical ratio; subtraction of the concentration of 222Rn of local origin from the concentration of 222Rn to obtain the concentration of the remote origin fraction Of 222Rn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Vincenzo Roca, Mariagabriella Pugliese, Carlo Sabbarese, Gennaro Venoso
  • Publication number: 20110172486
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of preparing a suspension of microbubbles for use in a carrier liquid, wherein the microbubbles have a gas core and a liquid shell, said liquid shell comprising magnetic nanoparticles, and wherein the microbubbles satisfy the following conditions: (i) the force due to buoyancy (FBW) of the microbubble in the carrier liquid is greater than the weight (W) of the microbubble; (ii) the magnetic force (FM) on the microbubble due to a magnetic field applied to the carrier liquid is greater than the combined weight (W) and force due to buoyancy (FBW) of the microbubble; (iii) said magnetic force (FM) on the microbubble is greater than the force due to viscous drag (FD) on the microbubble due to flow of the carrier liquid; and (iv) the scattering cross section (?scat) of the microbubble to ultrasound allows the microbubble to be detectable and rupturable on exposure to ultrasound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Quentin Andrew Pankhurst, Eleanor Phoebe Jane Stride, Colin David Porter, Ana García Prieto
  • Publication number: 20110153224
    Abstract: Devices, implementations and techniques for measuring the environment impact of electronic devices, such as CO2 emission reduction by using alternative power sources for powering or charging electronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Takashi Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20110153083
    Abstract: A method for analysing a fluid containing one or more analytes of interest includes; measuring a plurality of properties of a sample fluid with unknown concentrations of the one or more analytes of interest; and using the measurements and a model of the relationship between the plurality of properties and concentrations of the one or more analytes to calculate the concentration of at least one of the analytes of interest. The model may be an artificial neural network. The method may be used to monitor the concentration of inhibitors of gas hydrate formation in a fluid. Apparatus for use in the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Bahman Tohidi, jinhai Yang, Antonin Chapoy
  • Publication number: 20110147524
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fire detection system comprising one or several fire sensors, in which fire detection system a monitoring unit communicates with the fire sensors and by way of a configuration unit may be configured by means of configuration data, wherein the configuration data comprises information relating to the fire sensors within the means of transport, which fire sensors are to be used in the means of transport. The invention further comprises a method for configuring a fire detection system and an aircraft comprising such a fire detection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Kai Behle, Frank- Peter Riemer, Michael Dietl, Joerg Boesch
  • Publication number: 20110153223
    Abstract: Water droplets in exhaust gas that is, or was, analyzed by a remote emissions sensing system are detected. The detection may be made using measurements generally captured by the remote emissions sensing system during typical operation. As such, the detection may be applied “on site” as remote emissions sensing analysis is ongoing, or may be applied post hoc from data previously acquired by a remote emissions sensing system. The detection may be implemented without requiring additional sensors, more sophisticated sensors, and/or other additional or more sophisticated equipment being included in the remote emissions sensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS PRODUCTS HOLDINGS INC.
    Inventors: ROBERT ALLEN GENTALA, PETER MILES MCCLINTOCK, DONALD HUGH STEDMAN
  • Publication number: 20110153225
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a flexible pipe, including an inline sensor system coupled to the annulus of the flexible pipe to detect corrosion of the flexible pipe. Also disclosed are method and system for monitoring an amount of water being accumulated in an annulus of a flexible pipe, including locating a pressure measurement system proximate to the annulus for measuring pressure of gas inside the annulus; controlling a flow of vent gas with a vent gas valve; positioning a flow measurement system upstream or downstream of the vent gas valve for measuring the flow of the vent gas when the vent gas valve is opened; and collecting with a microprocessor pressure and flow measurement data from the pressure and the flow measurement systems for determining the amount of water accumulated in the annulus based on the collected pressure and flow measurement data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lars Nicolas Mangal, Stephane Vannuffelen, Rogerio Tadeu Ramos, Ricardo R. Vasques, Michel V. Berard, Dominique Dion
  • Patent number: 7966132
    Abstract: Provided are compositions and systems useful in remote monitoring of chemical hazards, air quality, and medical conditions, for example, robotic systems to search for and detect explosives, mines, and hazardous chemicals. In addition, the methods, systems and compositions of the invention provide the ability to mine data from a database containing a plurality of chemical fingerprints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Erik Severin
  • Publication number: 20110144921
    Abstract: There is provided a greenhouse gas emission trading system including at least one battery for storing electric power, a measuring unit that measures, after a first amount of electric power has been stored in the battery, when a power supply request is received from the outside, a power amount of electric power having been stored in the battery, and a calculation unit that calculates greenhouse gas emissions for notification to the outside, based on measurement results by the measuring unit and information about emissions of greenhouse gases that were emitted when generating the first amount of electric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihito ISHIBASHI
  • Publication number: 20110137573
    Abstract: A system is provided for monitoring and testing engine emissions during normal operations. The system monitors and logs engine data to determine when the engine is operating at a steady-state within a defined test mode. The system may measure and log multiple sets of emissions data while the engine is operating in the defined test mode. The multiple sets of emissions data may be aggregated for qualifying the engine and may provide trend information about the engine. The test mode definition may be revised based on the logged engine data. The system may be used to selectively monitor one or more of a set of multiple engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventor: LINCOLN EVANS-BEAUCHAMP
  • Publication number: 20110137574
    Abstract: An emission management system is implemented via a host server that is accessible to a large number of clients (organizations) using a website. Based on data input by a client relating to actual usage of resources, the client's past CO2e emission over time is calculated by the host server and displayed to the client on the website in the form of a wedge chart, with emissions along the y-axis and time along the x-axis. The server software also extrapolates the past emissions to display baseline predicted future emissions, assuming no reduction strategies are implemented. The client also inputs an emission target level and proposes one or more strategies for reducing the baseline level to achieve the target level. The server converts each strategy to a CO2e emission reduction and layers the different reductions between the baseline level and the target so the client can graphically see the effect of each strategy on achieving the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: HARA SOFTWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Koch, Udo Waibel
  • Patent number: 7957906
    Abstract: A calculated vertical velocity sensor signal is determined from a recorded pressure sensor signal. A constructed vertical velocity sensor signal is determined as a linear combination of the calculated vertical velocity sensor signal and a recorded vertical velocity sensor signal in dual-sensor seismic streamer data, using a mixture coefficient as a proportionality constant. An upgoing pressure wavefield component is determined as one half of a difference of the recorded pressure sensor signal and the constructed vertical velocity sensor signal, as a function of the mixture coefficient. An error in the upgoing pressure wavefield component is determined by propagating errors in the recorded pressure sensor signal and constructed vertical velocity sensor signal terms. A value of the mixture coefficient is determined that minimizes the error in the upgoing pressure wavefield component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Neil Turnbull
  • Patent number: 7957922
    Abstract: A data logger system utilizing a censor which obtain a plurality of measurements of an environmental parameter and generates a plurality of signals representing such measurements. A processor receives the plurality of signals and produces a table of counts in sequential format. An external prime converter receives the table of sequential counts and converts the same to human readable values representing the environmental parameter measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Inventor: Fred Wu
  • Publication number: 20110130973
    Abstract: A light absorption examining device includes a laser light source that emits the pulse laser beam, a measuring unit that retains the measuring object and irradiates the measuring object with the pulse laser beam, a light receiving unit that receives the pulse laser beam transmitted through the measuring object and outputs a light receiving signal, a pulse generator that produces a single rectangular pulse at a time when a signal level of the light receiving signal output from the light receiving unit intersects a set threshold, a laser driver that supplies the produced rectangular pulse to the laser light source to emit the pulse laser beam, and a control/processing unit that determines an accumulated delay time and examines absorption of the pulse laser beam by the measuring object using the determined accumulated delay time, the accumulated delay time representing a delay in a production timing of the rectangular pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUI ENGINEERING & SHIPBUILDING CO., LTD
    Inventor: Noriaki Kimura
  • Patent number: 7953558
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments of the present invention provide means to obtain correct gas density and flux measurements using (i) gas analyzer (open-path, or closed-path gas analyzers with short intake tube, for example 1 m long, or any combination of the two); (ii) fast temperature or sensible heat flux measurement device (such as, fine-wire thermocouple, sonic anemometer, or any other device providing fast accurate gas temperature measurements); (iii) fast air water content or latent heat flux measurement device (such as, hygrometer, NDIR analyzer, any other device providing fast accurate gas water content measurements); (iv) vertical wind or sampling device (such as sonic anemometer, scintillometer, or fast solenoid valve, etc.) and (v) algorithms in accordance with the present invention to compute the corrected gas flux, compensated for T-P effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Li-Cor, Inc.
    Inventors: George Burba, Dayle McDermitt, Anatoly Komissarov, Tyler G. Anderson, Liukang Xu, Bradley A. Riensche
  • Publication number: 20110125414
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas sensor is provided, wherein provision is made for determining the concentration of a gas component in a sample gas. In so doing, the gas sensor is operated in at least two different operational modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Schumann, Thomas Classen, Berndt Cramer
  • Publication number: 20110125413
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining travel history can be based on noninvasive analysis of stable isotope ratios in the body of an individual. A method for reconstructing a travel history for an individual can include collecting a sample of exhaled breath from the individual and analyzing the sample to obtain a breath isotope ratio. The breath isotope ratio can be transformed to a body water isotope ratio and compared to a map model correlating input isotope ratios to geographic locations so as to determine a travel origin for the individual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: David W. Podlesak, James R. Ehleringer, Thure E. Cerling
  • Publication number: 20110125389
    Abstract: A method is provided for the determination of the actual quantity of fuel injected in an internal combustion engine, in particular a Diesel engine. The engine includes, but is not limited to an inlet line and an exhaust line, at least one cylinder and at least an injector for each of the cylinders. The method includes, but is not limited to, during a fuel cut-off state of the engine, at least an injection into one of the cylinders of a nominal fuel test quantity and, in correlation to the test injection, a determination of the air flow quantity MAF at the inlet of the engine, a determination of the parameter ? in the exhaust line of the engine, and a calculation of the actual quantity of fuel Qfuel injected in the test injection using the Electronic Control Unit of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Tommaso DE FAZIO, Michele BASTIANELLI
  • Patent number: 7949471
    Abstract: A method and a system is disclosed for determining cetane values from constant volume combustion chamber apparatuses capable of producing pressure versus time combustion profiles having a fast combustion region and a slow combustion region, where data from the two regions is used to compute cetane values for middle distillate fluid samples using a series expansion equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Petroleum Analyzer Company, LP
    Inventor: G. Patrick Ritz
  • Publication number: 20110112772
    Abstract: A transmission quantification approach that is effective at quantifying the concentration of key atmospheric gases, including water vapor and methane, does not require a background spectrum and is immune to changes between background and absorbance spectra. By using local minima and maxima in transmission of a target gas, this approach creates two spectral arrays as long as a single beam input spectra. One of these spectral arrays represents the points in wave-number space that are less absorbing points, and the other represents the more absorbing points. A concentration for a given gas is calculated by determining what reference concentration creates a residual after division by a pure gas spectrum that forces these two arrays to converge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: University of Washington Through Its Center For Commercialization
    Inventors: Michael G. Yost, Robert S. Crampton
  • Publication number: 20110100210
    Abstract: A method is provided for diagnosing the operability of fuel vapor intermediate stores (4), in particular of activated carbon filters, in tank-venting systems with at least one tank (3) and at least one fuel vapor intermediate store (4). In this case an actual change degree of filling of the fuel vapor intermediate store (4) is determined as a consequence of absorption or desorption processes of gaseous hydrocarbons in the fuel vapor intermediate store (4). The actual change in degree of filling is compared with a desired change in degree of filling and, from the comparison, a conclusion about the operability of the fuel vapor intermediate store (4) is drawn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Streib, Andreas Pape, Andreas Baumann, Werner Haeming
  • Publication number: 20110106396
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking the operability of an exhaust gas after-treatment system (12) of an internal combustion engine by evaluating signals (S—22, S—26) of a first exhaust gas sensor (22) and a second exhaust gas sensor (S—26), between which a catalyst 24 is disposed. The method is characterized in that the air ratio L of an exhaust gas atmosphere flowing through the exhaust gas after-treatment system (12) is reduced from a first lambda value 11>1 to a third lambda value L3 with L2>L3 via a second lambda value L2 with L1>L2>1, the value of a time duration (dt—26; dt—22) is detected, which is between the times (t5, t6, 7t7, t8) at which the signals (S—26, S—22) of the two exhaust gas sensors (22, 26) display the second value L2, the value of the time duration (dt—26; dt—22) is compared to a threshold value (dt_max), and an analysis of the operability of the catalyst (24) is not carried out if the value of the time duration (dt—26; dt—22) is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Moll, Damien Bouvier
  • Publication number: 20110098936
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for determining the heating value of a fuel, the fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon including a first hydrocarbon present in the highest molar concentration, the method comprising: measuring the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio of the fuel; determining the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) from the measured stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio; measuring the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon; and determining the real molar heating value (HVm,r) from the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) and the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon. An apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Johan Bats, Floris J.J Huijsmans
  • Publication number: 20110098937
    Abstract: A single chip wireless sensor comprises a microcontroller connected by a transmit/receive interface to a wireless antenna. The microcontroller is also connected to an 8 kB RAM, a USB interface, an RS232 interface, 64 kB flash memory, and a 32 kHz crystal. The device senses humidity and temperature, and a humidity sensor is connected by an 18 bit ?? A-to-D converter to the microcontroller and a temperature sensor is connected by a 12 bit SAR A-to-D converter to the microcontroller. The device is an integrated chip manufactured in a single process in which both the electronics and sensor components are manufactured using standard CMOS processing techniques, applied to achieve both electronic and sensing components in an integrated process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Timothy Cummins
  • Publication number: 20110093217
    Abstract: A moisture sensor system is described. In one embodiment, the provides an adjustable threshold level for the sensed moisture level. The adjustable threshold allows the moisture sensor to adjust to ambient conditions, aging of components, and other operational variations while still providing a relatively sensitive detection capability. In one embodiment, the adjustable threshold moisture sensor is used in an intelligent sensor system that includes one or more intelligent sensor units and a base unit that can communicate with the moisture sensor units. When one or more of the moisture sensor units detects a excess moisture the moisture sensor unit communicates with the base unit and provides data regarding the moisture condition. The base unit can contact a supervisor or other responsible person by a plurality of techniques, such as, telephone, pager, cellular telephone, Internet (and/or local area network), etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Lawrence Kates
  • Publication number: 20110093216
    Abstract: A method for determining the relative humidity of an insulating liquid filled electric apparatus including a container containing insulating liquid and gas, a communication unit providing communication between the gas of the container and gas of an external environment, and providing dehydration of gas passing through the communication unit, wherein the method includes: continuously measuring and storing the relative humidity of the gas in the container, calculating an average value of the relative humidity in the gas based on the stored humidity measurements during a certain time period, and determining the relative humidity of the insulating liquid based on the average value of the relative humidity in the gas and a relationship between the relative humidity of the gas and the relative humidity of the insulating liquid at equilibrium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Gunnar Andersson, Bengt-Olof Stenestam
  • Publication number: 20110093214
    Abstract: A method of quickly detecting a handmade explosive in a bottle with a low erroneous alarm frequency is provided. A sample gas generated from a bottle placed on a bottle placement space is sucked-in, and ions of the sample gas are generated by an ion source and subjected to mass analysis. The presence/absence of a mass spectrum derived from the handmade explosive is determined from an obtained mass spectrum, and the result thereof is displayed on a monitor, thereby quickly detecting the handmade explosive in the bottle or the handmade explosive adhering to the surface of the bottle at a low erroneous alarm frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Hisashi NAGANO, Yasuaki Takada, Minoru Sakairi, Yuichiro Hashimoto, Masuyuki Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20110093215
    Abstract: A differential absorption spectrum for a reactive gas in a gas mixture can be generated for sample absorption data by subtracting background absorption data set from the sample absorption data. The background absorption data can be characteristic of absorption characteristics of the background composition in a laser light scan range that includes a target wavelength. The differential absorption spectrum can be converted to a measured concentration of the reactive gas using calibration data. A determination can be made whether the background composition has substantially changed relative to the background absorption data, and new background absorption data can be used if the background composition has substantially changed. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Xin Zhou, Xiang Liu, Alfred Feitisch, Gregory M. Sanger
  • Publication number: 20110087441
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating the amount of hydrogen and/or nitrogen in a fuel cell stack and stack volumes at system start-up and shut-down. The method defines the fuel cell stack and stack volumes as discrete volumes including an anode flow-field and anode plumbing volume, a cathode flow-field volume and a cathode header and plumbing volume. The method estimates the amount of hydrogen and/or nitrogen in the anode flow-field and anode plumbing volume, the cathode flow-field volume and the cathode header and plumbing volume when the fuel cell system is shut down, during a first stage when the hydrogen partial pressure between the anode and cathode is not in equilibrium and during a second stage when the hydrogen partial pressure between the anode and cathode is in equilibrium by considering various flows into and out of the volumes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: John P. Salvador, Joseph Nicholas Lovria, Sriram Ganapathy, John C. Fagley
  • Patent number: 7925450
    Abstract: A process system adapted for processing of or with a material therein. The process system includes: a sampling region for the material; an infrared photometric monitor constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the material in the sampling region, based on its interaction with the infrared radiation; and process control means arranged to receive the output of the infrared photometric monitor and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the process system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jose I. Arno
  • Patent number: 7925449
    Abstract: Products and processes are provided herewith for analyzing octane content in a fuel sample that include the step or steps of receiving an octane measurement of a fuel sample from a octane analyzer, rounding the octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating, comparing the rounded octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample, and communicating results of the comparison to a user of the octane analyzer. The octane analyzer may be incorporated into a fuel pump or a vehicle. The results of the comparison may also be used to adjust the vehicle operating parameters to account for the actual octane rating of the fuel dispensed into the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventors: Howard W. Lutnick, Antonio Papageorgiou
  • Publication number: 20110077872
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for detecting and identifying gases includes a piezoresistive microcantilever transducer, wherein dissipation of heat from the piezoresistive microcantilever into one or more gases is measured by changes in an electrical resistance of the piezoresistor, a vibrating microcantilever transducer, wherein shifts are measured in resonant frequency of the vibrating microcantilever due to viscous damping thereof by the one or more gases, and a subsystem for correlating the measured resistance changes and the resonant frequency shifts to the one or more gases. In another embodiment, a method for detecting and identifying one or more gases includes determining dissipation of heat from a microcantilever into one or more gases, and determining shifts in resonant frequency of the microcantilever due to viscous damping thereof by the one or more gases. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described according to more embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Loui, Donald J. Sirbuly, Selim Elhadj, Scott K. McCall, Bradley R. Hart, Timothy V. Ratto
  • Publication number: 20110068940
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a concentration of carbon dioxide in an unsaturated zone of a site in which carbon dioxide should be stored underground is provided which includes: a plurality of apparatuses for detecting the concentration of carbon dioxide in the unsaturated zone, each including a cylindrical chamber buried in an unsaturated zone under the earth surface, gas introduction holes formed in the side surface of the chamber, and a carbon dioxide concentration sensor formed through the top of the chamber for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the gas in the chamber; a plurality of communication devices transmitting the carbon dioxide concentration from the carbon dioxide concentration sensor; and a monitoring server storing a reference carbon dioxide concentration every time zone and comparing the reference carbon dioxide concentration with the measured carbon dioxide concentrations transmitted from the communication devices to output a normal or abnormal signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM)
    Inventors: Jeong-Chan Kim, Ki-Sung Sung
  • Publication number: 20110066286
    Abstract: An in-line loss-on-ignition measurement system includes an on-site extractor subsystem configured to collect fuel or a combustion by-product from a hydrocarbon fuel burning plant. An on-site analyzer is configured to receive the collected matter from the extractor subsystem and configured to weigh the collected matter, burn the collected matter, and weight the collected matter again. A controller is responsive to the analyzer and is configured to determine the loss-on-ignition data for the plant based on the weight of the collected matter before and after it is burned in the analyzer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel Harjes, John Williams, James A. Bickford, Daniel Traviglia, David G. D'Amore, James D. Derouin
  • Publication number: 20110066387
    Abstract: A convention appliance monitoring apparatus handles only the amount of gas used and security information for the case of a gas cutoff and can not address social needs for a desire to obtain information about influence (e.g., an amount of CO2 emission) of use of the gas combustion appliance on a terrestrial environment. Based on a gas appliance used by a client and a gas flow signal pertaining the gas appliance which are output from an appliance determination unit 2, CO2 emission data on the gas appliance stored in a CO2 emission data storage unit 3, and CO2 emission data which are to be compared with the gas appliance and stored in a comparative CO2 emission data storage unit 4, a CO2 emission calculation unit 5 calculates an amount of CO2 emission, an comparative amount of CO2 emission and a difference between the amount of CO2 emission and the comparative amount of CO2 emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicants: Panasonic Corporaiton, The High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Honda, Akira Matsuda, Kouji Murase, Kenji Yasuda, Mitsuo Namba, Kazuo Kubo, Hisashi Saito
  • Patent number: 7900374
    Abstract: An automatic drying apparatus and a method of controlling the same is disclosed, enabling exact drying by using a humidity sensor (37) provided at a location having a stabilized output characteristic for automatic drying, the automatic drying apparatus including a heating apparatus (31) for heating air supplied into a drum into which a drying object is introduced, a fan (32) for forcibly drawing air into the drum; and a humidity sensor (37) provided between the fan (32) and the heating apparatus (37) such that a sensing surface is positioned to be parallel to a flowing direction of air passed through the fan (32), for outputting a sensing voltage value for determining dryness of the drying object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sun Cheol Bae, Dae Woong Kim, Chang Woo Son
  • Patent number: 7902497
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the lubrication oil content in an exhaust gas mixture comprising the steps of ionizing the exhaust gas mixture by means of an ion source (3), feeding the ions of the exhaust gas mixture to a filter unit (5) which is embodied as a multipole with a connected voltage source, setting a transmission range of the filter unit (5) according to a lubrication oil fraction to be measured, filtering out ions with a specific mass outside the transmission range and feeding the other ions to a measuring device (8) as well as measuring the intensity of the transmitted ions. According to the invention there is provision for the determination of the proportion of the lubrication oil fraction to be measured to be carried out as a global measurement of the intensity of the ions in a step over the transmission range. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method. The invention provides an improvement both in the measuring quality and in the measuring speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Inventors: Marcus Gohl, Gerhard Matz