Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Cidra Corporation

H2 Powertech, LLC

Idatech, LLC

Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC

Christopher J Wright

Martin A Putnam

Mark R Fernald

Timothy J Bailey

James M Sullivan

Alan D Kersey

Matthew B Miller

Paul Eric Sanders

Robert N Brucato

Michael A Davis

James R Dunphy

William A Pledger

Richard Todd Jones

Charles R Hill

Christopher T Chipman

Michael Arcand

Trevor Wayne MacDougall

Rebecca S Bryant

Bret C Baird

Jeffrey P Stolasz

John J Grunbeck

Robert J Maron

Guy A Daigle

Rebecca M Bryant

Deborah Campbell

Hydrogen-producing fuel processing systems and related methods. The systems include a hydrogen-producing region configured to produce a mixed gas stream from a feedstock stream, a hydrogen-separation membrane module having at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and configured to separate the mixed gas stream into a product hydrogen stream and a byproduct stream, and an oxidant delivery system configured to deliver an oxidant-containing stream to the hydrogen-separation membrane module in situ to increase hydrogen permeance of the hydrogen-selective membrane. The methods include operating a hydrogen-producing fuel processing system in a hydrogen-producing regime, and subsequently operating the hydrogen-producing fuel processing system in a restoration regime, in which an oxidant-containing stream is delivered to the hydrogen-separation membrane module in situ to expose the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane to the oxidant-containing stream to increase the hydrogen permeance of the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane.

Systems and methods for increasing the hydrogen permeance of hydrogen separation membranes in situ

Systems and methods for increasing the hydrogen permeance of hydrogen-separation membranes in situ

Techniques and systems suitable for performing low-loss fusion splicing of optical waveguide sections are provided. According to some embodiments, multiple laser beams (from one or more laser) may be utilized to uniformly heat a splice region including portions of the optical waveguide sections to be spliced, which may have different cross-sectional dimensions. According to some embodiments, the relative distance of the optical waveguide sections and/or the power of the multiple laser beams may be varied during splicing operations.

Large diameter optical waveguide splice

Fuel cell stacks and systems with thermal management systems to deliver a liquid heat exchange fluid into thermal communication with the stack and thereafter recycle the stream. In some embodiments, the system is adapted to selectively apportion the recycled liquid stream between a stream that, prior to reuse as a heat exchange stream, is returned to a fluid reservoir and/or selectively cooled, and/or selectively returned to the reservoir and mixed with heat exchange fluid in the reservoir, and a stream that is returned into thermal communication with the stack without returning the stream to the reservoir and/or without heating or cooling and/or without being mixed with additional heat exchange fluid. In some embodiments, the system is adapted to automatically apportion the recycled stream responsive to its temperature. In some embodiments, the system includes a thermostatic valve and/or selectively apportions the recycled stream without requiring an electronic controller or manual input.

Fuel cell stacks and systems with fluid-responsive temperature regulation

Low-loss large diameter optical waveguide attachment devices (i.e., pigtails) and methods and systems of making the same are provided. The optical waveguide attachment devices may include an optical fiber (or other type waveguide) embedded in a larger diameter carrier tube. According to some embodiments, multiple laser beams (from one or more laser) may be utilized to uniformly heat the circumference of the carrier tube. According to some embodiments a maria may be formed in one end of the capillary tube to facilitate optical waveguide insertion and/or provide strain relief.

Method of making an optical fiber attachment device

A strain-isolated bragg grating temperature sensor includes an optical sensing elementwhich includes an optical fiberhaving at least one Bragg gratingdisposed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tubeand/or a large diameter waveguide gratinghaving a core and a wide cladding and having the gratingdisposed therein, which senses temperature changes but is substantially not sensitive to strains on the element caused by the fiber or other effects. Lightis incident on the gratingand lightis reflected at a reflection wavelength &#x3bb;1. The shape of the sensing elementmay be other geometries and/or more than one concentric tube may be used or more than one grating or pair of gratings may be used or more than one fiber or optical core may be used. At least a portion of the elementmay be doped between a pair of gratings, disposed therein to form a temperature tunable laser or the gratingor gratingsmay be constructed as a temperature tunable DFB laser disposed in the element. Also, the element may have an inner or outer tapered regions, respectively, to provide strain relief and/or added pull strength for the fiber. Further, the fiberand the tubemay be made of different coefficients of thermal expansion for increased sensitivity.

Strain-isolated Bragg grating temperature sensor

A fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical sensing element which includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube and/or a large diameter waveguide grating having a core and a wide cladding. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The sensing element may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing. When external pressure P increases, the grating is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr;1 changes. The shape of the sensing element may have other geometries, e.g., a &ldquo;dogbone&rdquo; shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr;1 due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell.

Optical differential pressure sensor

A pressure-isolated Bragg grating temperature sensor includes an optical element, which includes an optical fiber having at least one Bragg grating disposed therein. The Bragg grating is encased within and fused to at least a portion of an inner glass capillary tube, or comprises a large diameter waveguide grating having a core and a wide cladding and having the grating disposed therein, encased within an outer tube to form a chamber. An extended portion of the sensing element that has the grating therein extends inwardly into the chamber, which allows the grating to sense temperature changes but isolates the grating from external pressure. More than one grating or pair of gratings may be used and more than one fiber or optical core may be used. At least a portion of the sensing element may be doped between a pair of gratings to form a temperature tuned laser, or the grating or gratings may be configured as a tunable DFB laser disposed in the sensing element.

Pressure-isolated bragg grating temperature sensor

Display case for collectibles

A fiber grating pressure sensor for use in an industrial process includes an optical sensing element which includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein which is encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube and/or a large diameter waveguide grating having a core and a wide cladding and which has an outer transverse dimension of at least 0.3 mm. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr; The sensing element may be used by itself as a sensor or located within a housing . When external pressure P increases, the grating is compressed and the reflection wavelength &lgr; changes. The shape of the sensing element may have other geometries, e.g., a &ldquo;dogbone&rdquo; shape, so as to enhance the sensitivity of shift in &lgr; due to applied external pressure and may be fused to an outer shell . A temperature grating may be used to measure temperature and allow for a temperature-corrected pressure measurement. The sensor may be suspended within an outer housing , by a fluid, spacers, or other means. The sensor may also be combined with an instrument, an opto-electronic converter and a controller in an industrial process control system.

Bragg grating pressure sensor for industrial sensing applications

A fiber Bragg grating based sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises an optical waveguide having a core and a cladding. The core comprises a pressure sensor such as a fiber Bragg grating. In one embodiment, a support is affixed around the cladding which has two first portions each having a first diameter. The pressure sensor is located at a second portion of the support positioned between the two first portions which has a second smaller diameter, thus giving the sensor a &ldquo;dog bone&rdquo; shape. In another embodiment, the dog bone shape is imparted by positioning the pressure sensor at a portion of a waveguide having a reduced cladding diameter.

Optical sensor having differing diameters

A fused tension-based fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein. The fiber is fused to tubes on opposite sides of the grating and an outer tube is fused to the tubes to form a chamber. The tubes and fiber may be made of glass. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr; . The grating is initially placed in tension as the pressure P increases, the tension on the grating reduced and the reflection wavelength shifts accordingly. A temperature grating may be used to measure temperature and allow for a temperature-corrected pressure measurement.

Fused tension-based fiber grating pressure sensor

Growing community of inventors

Amston, CT, United States of America

Christopher J Wright