Fluid Patents (Class 703/9)
  • Patent number: 7089165
    Abstract: A wall-thickness thinning rate at a not-measured position is estimated using information having a small number of measured points. Simulation of behavior of fluid flowing inside a pipe line is performed based on wall-thickness data of pips and three-dimensional layout data of the pipe line including the pips using a computer, and simulated wall-thickness thinned data of the pipes composing the pipe line is calculated from change of the simulated behavior of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Araki, Masatoshi Takada, Masakazu Hisatsune, Satoru Aoike, Kenji Utaka, Masafumi Noujima, Chikara Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7085695
    Abstract: A macroscopic physical model simulates and analyzes ink ejection from a piezoelectric print head. The model handles the slipping contact line problem and introduces a mass-conservative finite difference implementation using the level set method. First, the critical angle approach is adopted. The triple point is allowed to move if the critical angle is exceeded. Second, the no-slip boundary condition in the neighborhood of the triple point is relaxed and substituted by the free-slip boundary condition. Third, to allow the triple point to quickly accelerate when the critical angle is exceeded, an extra surface tension is added as a body force term in the governing equation. Fourth, the level set method is adopted to implement the slipping contact line model. Finally the above idea is incorporated in a fluid solver based on the higher-order projection method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiun-Der Yu, Shinri Sakai
  • Patent number: 7076414
    Abstract: An object having a concavity on a surface thereof is formed by means of a computer. A part of the surface of the object including the concavity is extracted. A spatial part in contact with the extracted surface of the object is formed by dividing the extracted surface of the spatial part into blocks. A large number of lattice-shaped portions is formed by dividing the spatial part into lattices. In a simulation, a gas is flowed into the spatial part in one direction. The motion of the gas is computed discretely for each lattice-shaped portion at each slight time by the equation of continuity and the Navier-Stokes equation. Based on results of the computation, the motion of the gas is visualized by a visualizing program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Akio Miyori
  • Patent number: 7072809
    Abstract: A modelling method having application to petroleum production, soil cleaning, etc. for optimizing faster and more realistically the displacement conditions, in a porous medium wettable by a first fluid (water for example), of a mixture of fluids including this wetting fluid, another, non-wetting fluid (oil for example) and a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignees: Gaz de France, Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Patrick Egermann, Olga Vizika-Kavvadias, Laurent Dallet, François Kalaydjian, Christophe Requin
  • Patent number: 7069203
    Abstract: A method and system of transforming a product development process to reduce time in bringing a product to market through high throughput experimentation and advanced statistics and informatics, to transform the product development to a level of higher correlation with engine tests, and to develop better commercial products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Chevron Oronite Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert H. Wollenberg, Thomas J. Balk
  • Patent number: 7069199
    Abstract: A grid convergence solution computation system computes a computed value (Ahigh) Of high-order accuracy, using a single grid, computes a computed value (Alow) of low-order accuracy, using the same single grid, and computes a grid convergence solution based on the relation between the computed value (Ahigh) of high-order accuracy and the computed value (Alow) of low-order accuracy on an assumption that the relation between the computed value (Ahigh) of high-order accuracy, the computed value (Alow) of low-order accuracy, and the grid convergence solution (Aconv) is substantially constant regardless of fineness or coarseness of the grid. The grid convergence solution computation system computes a highly accurate grid convergence solution (Aconv) by using small computational complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Shima, Akio Ochi
  • Patent number: 7047172
    Abstract: According to an electric network simulating method, element cells representing electric functions of a plurality of circuit elements and connection pipes representing wiring lines for connecting the circuit elements are defined. A current is defined as the number of particles moving through the connection pipe per unit time, and a voltage is defined as the number of particles present in the connection pipe. A rule for expressing the electric function of each circuit element in accordance the state of the connection pipe is set beforehand in units of element cells. The particles are transferred between the element cell and the connection pipe in accordance with the rule. The state of the electric network is simulated in accordance with the number of particles passing through the connection pipe per unit time and the number of particles present in the connection pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Usami, Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7039565
    Abstract: An hydraulics software system for a one-dimensional hydrodynamic numerical model for modeling unsteady flows in sewer and storm water urban drainage systems is provided. The inventive software uses as a numerical model, an implicit four-point, finite-difference solution technique to solve the one-dimensional Saint-Venant equations. The software is designed to select that numerical model, or equation that best describes, or best exhibits the behavior of each of the various structures and flows encountered in complex hydrodynamic systems such as a sewer and storm water drainage systems. Local partial initial modification for subcritical and supercritical transcritical flows is provided. Relaxation for pipe/channel networks are included for achieving computational performance and robustness for commercial software for practical use in water resource engineering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Haestad Methods, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Jin, Samuel R. Coran, Jack S. Cook, Jr., Danny L. Fread
  • Patent number: 7035777
    Abstract: A wall-thickness thinning rate at a not-measured position is estimated using information having a small number of measured points. Simulation of behavior of fluid flowing inside a pipe line is performed based on wall-thickness data of pipes and three-dimensional layout data of the pipe line including the pipes using a computer, and simulated wall-thickness thinned data of the pipes composing the pipe line is calculated from change of the simulated behavior of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Araki, Masatoshi Takada, Masakazu Hisatsune, Satoru Aoike, Kenji Utaka, Masafumi Noujima, Chikara Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7013248
    Abstract: A method for estimating the relative speed factor parameter for a variable speed pump in a hydraulic network sufficient to maintain a fixed pressure at a control node is provided. A desired operating characteristic is determined and this is inserted into a matrix of equations describing the hydraulic system. The largely symmetrical matrix includes certain aspects of the system representing the variable speed pumps which are non-symmetrical. Non-symmetrical portions of the matrix are separated out and solved using an LU factorization technique. Non-sparse, non symmetric matrices are generated and the difference in head correction is solved for to compute the updated nodal head vector and ultimately determine the variable pump speed parameter. The invention allows estimation of the variable speed factor for a variable speed pump drive sufficient to maintain a fixed pressure at a control node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Haestad Methods, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezio Todini, Michael E. Tryby, Jack S. Cook, Thomas M. Walski, Robert F. Mankowski
  • Patent number: 7010474
    Abstract: A simulation system for generating a predicted performance for fabricated parts comprises a rheological degradation database for storing rheological degradation data for associated materials, a mechanical degradation database for storing mechanical degradation data for associated materials and a computer coupled to the rheological degradation database and the mechanical degradation database for computing part performance predictions for a respective material with a predetermined geometry under predetermined processing conditions, partially based on the rheological degradation data and the mechanical degradation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hsin-Pang Wang, Sreeganesh Ramaswamy, Irene Dris, Erin Marie Perry, Dongming Gao
  • Patent number: 6996509
    Abstract: A system and method of analyzing paint spray particle trajectory on a vehicle with a computer aided design (CAD) model representative of the vehicle. The method includes the steps of preparing a CAD model of a desired portion of the vehicle and placing a paint spray gun at a desired location with respect to the desired portion of the vehicle. The method also includes the steps of specifying a set of particle information describing particles to be sprayed from the paint spray gun and computing a trajectory for a particle stream emanating from the paint spray gun. The method further includes the steps of displaying the trajectory relative to the desired portion of the vehicle on a display to permit visual observation thereof and relocating the paint spray gun if necessary to achieve a desired trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gary S. Strumolo, Ronald H. Miller, Viswanathan Babu
  • Patent number: 6965848
    Abstract: A method and means for automating the design of a ducting system for a fluid is proposed. Boundary data identifying boundary conditions of the ducting system, which boundary data comprises positional information in a three dimensional installation space and magnitude of partial fluid flow for each of at least one component terminal connection, through which fluid is exchanged with the ducting system, and positional information of at least one main terminal connection, at which the partial fluid flows are converging, is entered into a data processing system. Design data is determined by applying an optmization algorithm to the boundary data using the data processing system, which design data comprises an optimum layout of said ducting system and an identification of all required ducting components for building the ducting system, selected from a collection of standard ductwork primitives, and the data processing system communicates the design data to an external recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S
    Inventor: Thomas A. Ballus
  • Patent number: 6959269
    Abstract: A system and method for simulating a flow field are disclosed. A grid having cells is generated. Each cell is associated with a set of variables that describe a flow field. A value for each variable of each cell is calculated from a previous value at each period for a predetermined number of periods. The calculated values for each variable are averaged to yield an averaged value for each variable. A flow field is determined from the averaged values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy J. Welterlen
  • Patent number: 6952663
    Abstract: An automatic pipe gridding method allowing implementation of codes for modelling fluids carried by pipes is disclosed which has for example an application for oil pipes. The method comprises, considering a minimum and a maximum grid cell size, subdividing the pipe into sections including bends, positioning cells of minimum size on either side of each bend, positioning large cells whose size is at most equal to the maximum size in the central portion of each section, and distributing cells of increasing or decreasing size on the intermediate portions of each section between each minimum-size cell and the central portion. The method preferably comprises a prior stage of simplification of the pipe topography by means of weight or frequency spectrum analysis, so as to reduce the total number of cells without affecting the representativeness of the flow model obtained with the grid pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
    Inventors: Emmanuel Duret, Isabelle Faille, Eric Heintze
  • Patent number: 6944576
    Abstract: A factory automation method includes setting of all devices for a process unit to be carried out on a computer. The method includes constituting and setting various devices for a process unit on a computer display, grouping the devices into a transfer line, a heating line and a cooling line, selecting at least one from among the three grouped lines to set a control loop for a parameter such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, or pH, performing input relating to a process operation, executing a simulated operation and confirming an input error, and on-line connecting the various devices with the computer and normally operating the various devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventor: Yeong-Min Jeon
  • Patent number: 6941254
    Abstract: The invention is a method and system for real-time estimation of the flow mode, at all points of a pipe whose structure is defined by a certain number of structure parameters, of a multiphase fluid stream defined by several physical quantities providing simplified implementation of hydrodynamic modules that can be integrated in modelling tools. A non-linear neural network is formed with an input layer having as many inputs as there are structure parameters and physical quantities, an output layer with as many outputs as there are quantities necessary for estimation of the flow mode and at least one intermediate layer. A learning base is created with predetermined tables connecting various values obtained for the output data to the corresponding values of the input data, with iterative determination of the weighting factors of the activation function allowing to properly connect the values in the input and output data tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Emmanuel Duret, Eric Heintze, Isabelle Rey-Fabret
  • Patent number: 6941249
    Abstract: A computerized method of virtual flowbench simulation of fluid flow interaction with an object described in at least one design file includes receiving user-defined input via a user interface, the user-defined input including a specification of the at least one design file, accessing the at least one design file, and accessing a generic template describing basic geometries of the object, and modifying the basic geometries of the object with the at least one design file. Automatically, surface and volume mesh are generated in the object, and fluid flow interaction with the object is simulated. Predetermined data parameters are measured and stored during simulation. The method automatically checks the predetermined data parameter measurements to determine whether steady state has been reached and whether a predetermined maximum number of time steps has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald H. Miller, Gary S. Strumolo
  • Patent number: 6928399
    Abstract: The invention relates to an object-oriented method for simulating a property of at least one fluid in a fluid-containing physical system in which the physical system is represented by a multiplicity of volumetric cells and a multiplicity of connections between cells. The method uses cell-group objects and connection-group objects in the simulation. The invention can optionally comprise additional objects such as an object containing the entire model of the simulation and another object containing a portion of the entire model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: James W. Watts, III, Glenn O. Morrell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6922593
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the control of a system comprising of a plurality of items through the scheduling of actions and the allocation of resources is disclosed. Primary areas of utility include manufacturing systems, city wide vehicle traffic control, multiple project scheduling, communications networks and economic systems. The method and apparatus comprise modeling the parts in such a system as fluid, formulating the control problem as a continuous linear program, using a novel algorithm to solve it, displaying the fluid solution in a meaningful way, and using the fluid solution in the control of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Inventor: Gideon Weiss
  • Patent number: 6917907
    Abstract: A method at power steering hose assembly design and analysis for a power steering system in a vehicle includes the steps of selecting a mesh model of a design for a power steering system having a power steering hose assembly, selecting a predetermined characteristic of the power steering system for a predetermined operating condition, performing an acoustic analysis on the mesh mocel using the predetermined characteristic and determining an acoustic response cf the power steering hose assembly from the acoustic analysis. The method further includes the steps of determining a noise transmission loss across the power steering hose assembly using the acoustic response, determining whether the transmission loss meets a predetermined noise criteria and modifying a design parameter for the power steering system if the transmission loss does not meet a predetermine noise criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Morris Hsi, Chris Brown, Christian Fernholz, John Lawrence
  • Patent number: 6915245
    Abstract: A method for simulating a compressible fluid includes selecting an equilibrium distribution function for simulating a fluid; receiving as input an initial value of at least one variable of a distribution function having for at least two time steps; setting the distribution function equal to the equilibrium distribution function; deriving an advected distribution function from the distribution function evaluated at the at least two time steps; calculating a current value of the at least one variable from the advected distribution function; and generating as output the current value of the at least one variable. The simulation of a fluid in accordance with the present invention has inherent positive hyperviscosity and hyperdiffusivity for very small values of viscosity and thermal diffusivity, and short wavelength modes are shown to be stable for temperatures above a lower limit. Finite amplitude sound waves are shown to steepen as expected from gas dynamic theory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: General Atomics
    Inventors: Frederick L. Hinton, Marshall N. Rosenbluth
  • Patent number: 6885982
    Abstract: The present invention provides for the design of a microfluidic system, including a microfluidic chip or circuit, using an object oriented microfluidic computer aided design system. In an embodiment of the present invention, in a computer system having a computer memory and an object-oriented environment, a method for physically laying out a microfluidic circuit, having a plurality of microfluidic components is provided. First, a first symbol object representing a microfluidic component is placed, where the first symbol object includes a fluid channel object which represents a first fluid channel of the microfluidic component. Next, a connecting fluid channel object on a channel layer is placed, where the connecting fluid channel object represents a second fluid channel used to connect two microfluidic components of the plurality of microfluidic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Harris, James Montgomery, Michael Lee, Gajus Worthington
  • Patent number: 6871170
    Abstract: The present invention relates to controlled airflow and air distribution within a laboratory safety enclosure and in particular, to turbulence-free airflow within a laboratory fume hood. The fume hood of the present invention has a work chamber and an access opening having an upper edge. A horizontal air deflector structure is positioned adjacent to the upper edge of the access opening to divert a portion of air entering the access opening upwardly within the chamber, whereby the diverted air eliminates an airflow eddy current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Flow Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond F. Ryan, Alexy Y. Kolesnikov
  • Patent number: 6865522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a diagram of an installation using apparatuses, each apparatus being supplied with gas, comprising: the consultation of one or more databases (5) comprising, for each apparatus, data on the flow rate, the nature, the purity of the gas supplying the apparatus, and the supply pressure of that gas for that apparatus, the selection, for each apparatus, of a value, or of a limit value, of duration or of frequency of use, the calculation, for each apparatus, of the consumption, or of the limit consumption, according to the utilisation value and to the flow rate data, the calculation, for each gas and for each gas purity, of the total of the consumptions of all of the apparatuses, the indication of technical constraints, the consultation of a database (5) for proposing, for each gas and each gas purity, a packaging, as a function of the consumption and of the technical constraints relating to the storage of the gas and/or to their delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michel Gastiger, Gérard Loiseau
  • Patent number: 6865523
    Abstract: A method for calculating parameters about an axisymmetric body in a cavity is provided. The user provides data describing the body, a cavity estimate, and convergence tolerances. Boundary element panels are distributed along the body and the estimated cavity. Matrices are initialized for each panel using disturbance potentials and boundary values. Disturbance potential matrices are formulated for each panel using disturbance potential equations and boundary conditions. The initialized matrices and the formulated matrices are solved for each boundary panel to obtain panel sources, dipoles and cavitation numbers. Forces and velocities are computed giving velocity and drag components. The cavity shape is updated by moving each panel in accordance with the calculated values. The method then tests for convergence against a tolerance, and iterates until convergence is achieved. Upon completion, parameters of interest and the cavity shape are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Abraham N. Varghese, James S. Uhlman
  • Patent number: 6842725
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for modelling fluid flows in a fractured multilayer porous medium by accounting for the real geometry of the fracture network and the local exchanges between the porous matrix and the fractures at each node of the network, thus allowing simulation of the interactions between the pressure and flow rate variations in a well running across the medium. The method essentially comprises discretizing the fractured medium by means of a mesh pattern, with fracture meshes centered on nodes at the various intersections of the fractures with each node being associated with a matrix volume, and determination of the flows between each fracture mesh and the associated matrix volume in a pseudosteady state. The method can be applied in hydrocarbon production well testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Sylvain Sarda
  • Patent number: 6829570
    Abstract: An oilfield data analysis system is based on a four-tier software model which includes a “shared earth model” and a federation of “directory services”. The first tier is a universal graphical user interface (GUI) which can operate on any inexpensive computer as well as on an expensive workstation, i.e. a “web browser”. The second tier is an application server which is coupled to users via the worldwide web and serves geoscientific software applications. The third tier is a geometric modelling system where geometric data is stored and processed. The third tier embodies the “shared earth model”. The fourth tier is a database management system where non-geometric data is stored. According to the invention, there can be (and preferably are) multiple instances of each tier. Communication of data between different tiers is accomplished via XML data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Raj Kumar Michael Thambynayagam, Peter G. Tilke, Ian D. Bryant, Francois M. Auzerais, Nicholas N. Bennett, Terizhandur S. Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 6829566
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a model of pipe network with respect to a predetermined criteria, such as costs. In particular, the method provides an efficient way of minimizing the cost of rehabilitating a water pipe network. The invention provides a method of optimizing proposals for pipes within a network without violating operating criteria of the network. The invention further provides the methods of determining the hydraulic significance of pipes within a pipe network, and determining the peak flow requirements of each pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: United Utilities, PLC
    Inventor: Paul Sage
  • Patent number: 6829563
    Abstract: A simulation method of estimating performance of a product made of a viscoelastic material, comprising the steps of measuring a value of a strain, a strain speed, and a stress generated in viscoelastic material momently in a measuring condition equivalent to a state in which the product is actually used; deriving time history data of a viscosity resistance of the viscoelastic material separately in each of a strain increase state and a strain decrease state from time history data of the strain, the strain speed, and the stress and a viscoelastic model set in consideration of a viscosity of the viscoelastic material; setting the product as a product model whose performance is analyzed and inputting a relationship among the strain, the strain speed, and the viscosity resistance to the product model to conduct a simulation in consideration of a phenomenon that the viscosity resistance changes in dependence on a variation of the strain and the strain speed and in consideration of a difference in the viscosity res
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Miyamoto, Masahiko Ueda, Masaki Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 6826520
    Abstract: A method is provided for scaling up permeabilities associated with a fine-scale grid of cells representative of a porous medium to permeabilities associated with an unstructured coarse-scale grid of cells representative of the porous medium. An areally unstructured, Voronoi, computational grid is generated using the coarse-scale grid as the genesis of the computational grid. The computational grid is then populated with permeabilities associated with the fine-scale grid. Flow equations are developed for the computational grid, the flow equations are solved, and inter-node fluxes and pressure gradients are then computed for the computational grid. These inter-node fluxes and pressure gradients are used to calculate inter-node average fluxes and average pressure gradients associated with the coarse-scale grid. The inter-node average fluxes and average pressure gradients associated with the coarse grid are then used to calculate upscaled permeabilities associated with the coarse-scale grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Sameer A. Khan, Aaron G. Dawson
  • Patent number: 6823297
    Abstract: A multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method to solve elliptic problems with a plurality of spatial scales arising from single or multi-phase flows in porous media is provided. Two sets of locally computed basis functions are employed. A first set of basis functions captures the small-scale heterogeneity of the underlying permeability field, and it is computed to construct the effective coarse-scale transmissibilities. A second set of basis functions is required to construct a conservative fine-scale velocity field. The method efficiently captures the effects of small scales on a coarse grid, is conservative, and treats tensor permeabilities correctly. The underlying idea is to construct transmissibilities that capture the local properties of a differential operator. This leads to a multi-point discretization scheme for a finite-volume solution algorithm. Transmissibilities for the MSFV method are preferably constructed only once as a preprocessing step and can be computed locally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Jenny, Seong Lee, Hamdi A. Tchelepi
  • Patent number: 6816820
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for analyzing fluid flow while considering heat transfer effects and, in particular, a phase change from a molten state to a solid state. In particular, the method and apparatus may be applied to the analysis of an injection molding process for producing a molded polymer component from a thermoplastic or a thermosetting polymer. In one embodiment, the method may be used to determine pressure required to fill a mold cavity and pressure gradients introduced during filling and packing of the cavity of an injection mold. The results of these analyses may be used to determine the number and location of gates, to determine the best material for the component, and to optimize the process conditions used in the molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Moldflow Ireland, Ltd.
    Inventors: Christian Friedl, Franco Stephen Costa, Peter Shane Cook, Kapil Talwar, Leonid K. Antanovskii
  • Patent number: 6810370
    Abstract: A method is provided for simulating at least one characteristic of a physical system. The physical system is discretized into a plurality of volumetric cells having boundaries therebetween. An initial estimate of state variables is assigned for each cell. For each cell, linear equations are constructed relating its state variables to the state variables of cells adjacent to it. A transportability value is associated with each boundary and the boundaries are ranked corresponding to descending transportability values. The boundary rankings are used to construct topologically one-dimensional strings of cells. A matrix equation for each string is constructed by assembling the linear equations associated with the cells of each string. Improved estimates of the state variables of the cells are determined by solving the matrix equations. These state variables are then used to simulate at least one characteristic of the physical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: James W. Watts, III
  • Patent number: 6810371
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of simulating an indoor behavior of a pesticidal compound, and aims to provide a simulation method which can process simultaneous differential equations necessary for simulation accurately in a short time, and to evaluate safety of the compound with respect to a human body. The simulation method includes a step of dividing an indoor environment into predetermined media and forming a differential equation concerning a fugacity of the compound in each of the media; a step of determining the fugacity of the compound in each of the media from the differential equation; a step of determining the indoor behavior of the compound from the fugacity of the compound in each of the media; a step of changing, in response to a fluctuation in mass balance of the compound indoors, a minute time unit used when solving the differential equation; and a step of evaluating, according to the indoor behavior of the compound, safety of the compound with respect to the human body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihide Matoba, Masatoshi Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20040210429
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and methods for performing process simulation and structural analysis using a hybrid model. For example, a method of the invention automatically defines a hybrid solution domain by dividing a representation of a plastic component or mold cavity into two portions—a portion in which a simplified analysis may be conducted, and a portion in which a more complex analysis is required. The method may use as input any form of CAD data that describes the surface of a component or mold. Furthermore, the invention provides methods for simulating fluid flow within a mold cavity by automatically creating a hybrid solution domain, automatically discretizing the domain, and solving for the distribution of process variables within the solution domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Moldflow Ireland Ltd.
    Inventors: Huagang Yu, Peter Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20040181384
    Abstract: A selectively reduced bi-cubic interpolation on quadrilateral grids for level set re-distancing improves finite-difference-based ink-jet simulation. The “bi-cubic” nature of the interpolation helps the scheme conserve droplet mass. The “selectively reduced” logic prevents the higher-order simulation algorithm from introducing new instability factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Jiun-Der Yu
  • Publication number: 20040181383
    Abstract: Methods for finite-difference-based inkjet simulation enable more precise control of ink droplet size and shape. A discrete transformation (mapping) is constructed so that a quadrilateral grid in physical space is transferred to the uniform square grid in a computational space. Since the grid in the computational space is square, numerical finite difference differentiation can be easily done. Governing partial differential equations, including a viscosity term, a surface tension term, and a level set convection equation for two-phase flows, are derived on the quadrilateral grid and then transformed to the computational space for application on the uniform square grid. A stable and powerful numerical algorithm is developed to solve the derived and transformed equations to enable finite-difference-based ink-jet simulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Jiun-Der Yu, Shinri Sakai
  • Publication number: 20040181382
    Abstract: Visualizing the surface of a liquid in real-time may be enabled using (i) a view-dependent representation of wave geometry and/or (ii) a Fresnel bump mapping for representing Fresnel reflection and refraction effects. In a described implementation, the liquid comprises an ocean that is simulated and rendered. In a first exemplary media implementation, electronically-executable instructions thereof direct an electronic device to execute operations that include: simulate a near patch of a surface of a liquid that is proximate to a viewpoint, the near patch including a representation of liquid waves in three dimensions; and simulate a far patch of the surface of the liquid that is distant from the viewpoint. In a second exemplary media implementation, instructions thereof direct actions that include: simulating a surface of a liquid to determine dimensional wave features; and rendering the surface of the liquid by applying a Fresnel texture map to the dimensional wave features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Yaohua Hu, Xin Tong, Baining Guo
  • Patent number: 6772103
    Abstract: A method for selecting a parts kit detail for the installation of a pressure transducer on a container such as a pipeline or a vessel, the container for containing a fluid material, the method including two steps. The first step is to establish at least two different installation categories, each such different installation category being defined by the properties of the fluid material. The second step is to establish at least two different parts kit details, at least two of such different parts kit details being applicable to the different installation categories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: David W. King
  • Patent number: 6757644
    Abstract: In an image display method used in a game device to display a fluid which is virtually caused along a three-dimensional surface, the three-dimensional surface is mapped onto a flat plane on which a flow of the fluid is calculated to obtain calculation results. The calculation results are remapped onto the three-dimensional surface. A flame is moved along the three-dimensional surface together with the flow of the fluid and flame colors are also changed in consideration of a density of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Murayama
  • Publication number: 20040111246
    Abstract: A method of simulating fluid flow through a system (10) having a plurality of devices (52). The method includes generating a plurality of device models (60), each model (60) corresponding to a respective device (52) of the system (10). A set of device models is selected from the plurality of device models (60). Linking information is generated for the set of device models. A fluid flow model is formed for each device (52) having a device model (60) within the set of device models. Fluid flow models are linked utilizing the linking information to form a first fluid flow aggregate system model. Fluid flow through the first fluid flow aggregate system model is simulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventor: Morgan Williams
  • Patent number: 6748350
    Abstract: A device and method identify and compensate for tensile and/or shear stress due to heat-caused expansion and contraction between an integrated heat spreader and thermal interface material. This device and method may change the shape of the integrated heat spreader based upon the identification of location(s) of high tensile and/or shear stress so that additional thermal interface material may be deposited between the integrated heat spreader and a die in corresponding locations. Utilizing this method and device, heat is efficiently transferred from the die to the integrated heat spreader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rumer, Sabina J. Houle
  • Patent number: 6748349
    Abstract: A general purpose program implemented on a computer analyzes steady state and transient flow in a complex fluid network, modeling phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics and external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal force. A preprocessor provides for the interactive development of a fluid network simulation having nodes and branches. Mass, energy, and specie conservation equations are solved at the nodes, and momentum conservation equations are solved in the branches. Contained herein are subroutines for computing “real fluid” thermodynamic and thermophysical properties for 12 fluids, and a number of different source options are provided for modeling momentum sources or sinks in the branches. The system of equations describing the fluid network is solved by a hybrid numerical method that is a combination of the Newton-Raphson and successive substitution methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Alok Kumar Majumdar, John W. Bailey, Paul Alan Schallhorn, Todd E. Steadman
  • Patent number: 6745158
    Abstract: A method for determining a layer thickness distribution in a paint layer produced during paint spraying after inputting specific spraying parameters into an electrostatically based paint spraying device. A data processing device sets up and uses a phenomenological mathematical model of a quasi-stationary three-dimensional spray pattern. Specific parameters, such as an angle of rotation of electrodes and a rate of movement of the spraying device are input into the phenomenological model as fixed input parameters. In addition, real physical input parameters such as paint volume, directing air data and a voltage value, whose influence on the spraying result is not accurately known, are fed to an artificial neural network. The neural network having been previously trained using real input data such as a configuration of the spraying device, a paint type, operating parameters, and measured values of the layer thickness distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Research LTD
    Inventors: Dietmar Eickmeyer, Gunter Börner
  • Patent number: 6721694
    Abstract: A method for generating a model of a portion of the floor of a body of water from a plurality of depth measurement sources includes determining an overlap of any of the plurality of depth measurement sources with another depth measurement source and generating a relative shift between any two depth measurement sources that overlap. For each depth measurement source that overlaps with at least one other source, generating an overall shift based on the generated relative shifts. The method also includes generating a desired grid having a plurality of grid nodes and generating a model depth at a plurality of the grid nodes based, at least in part, on a global shift for the measurements of the plurality of sources based on the relative shift. Further, an output is generated of all model depths at respective grid nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Lambrecht, Eugene J. Molinelli
  • Publication number: 20040047935
    Abstract: A system for generating a simulation of fluid flow in an injection molding process carried out by an injection molding machine having an injection unit for injecting the fluid into a manifold delivering the fluid to at least two injection ports leading to one or more cavities of one or more molds. The system comprises one or more programs containing a set of instructions that generate a calculated property, state, position or image of the fluid flowing into or through each cavity, the one or more programs using one or more variable inputs that are representative of one or more selected properties, characteristics or operating parameters of the machine or the fluid. The variable inputs include at least a first value indicative of a first fluid flow rate downstream of the injection unit leading to or through a first injection port and a second value indicative of a second fluid flow rate downstream of the injection unit leading to or through a second injection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: Synventive Molding Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Moss, Christopher Czeczuga
  • Patent number: 6704696
    Abstract: A designing apparatus comprises symbol mark memory for storing fluid controllers usable in fluid control devices in terms of symbol marks representing the functions, fluid channels and contours of the controllers, and a flowchart preparing device for preparing a flowchart of a fluid control device represented by symbol marks. The flowchart preparing device successively selects controllers, such as valves and massflow controllers, from a symbol mark file in the memory, arranges the selected controllers on a screen as suitably positioned, automatically selects a suitable coupling member for interconnecting adjacent two of the controllers from a coupling member data file and automatically arranges te controllers and the coupling members thus selected to prepare a flowchart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Michio Kuramochi, Masayuki Hatano, Hiroshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6691075
    Abstract: A model seismic image of a subsurface seismic reflector is constructed, wherein a set of source and receiver pairs is located, and a subsurface velocity function is determined. Specular reflection points are determined on the subsurface seismic reflector for each of the source and receiver pairs. A Fresnel zone is determined on the subsurface seismic reflector for each of the specular reflection points, using the subsurface velocity function. One or more seismic wavelets are selected and a set of image points is defined containing the subsurface seismic reflector. A synthetic seismic amplitude is determined for each of the image points by summing the Fresnel zone synthetic seismic amplitude for all of the Fresnel zones that contain the image point, using the seismic wavelets. The model seismic image of the subsurface seismic reflector is constructed, using the synthetic seismic amplitudes at the image points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Graham A. Winbow, William A. Schneider, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6675137
    Abstract: A method is provided for compressing data. The method includes collecting data representative of a process. The method further includes scaling at least a portion of the collected data to generate mean values and mean-scaled values for the collected data. The method also includes calculating Scores from the mean-scaled values for the collected data using at most first, second, third and fourth Principal Components derived from a model using archived data sets and saving the Scores and the mean values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony John Toprac, Hongyu Yue