Southwest Research Institute

Gas Research Institute

James J Cole

Jack A Smith

Cheryl Renee Blanchard

James Lankford, Jr

Charles D Wood, Iii

Gordon J Bartley

Gary D Bourn

Ralph E Harris

John Thomas Kubesh

Steven R King

Daniel James Podnar

Anthony J Smalley

Gerald S McAlwee

Kennon H Guglielmo

John P Latusek

A method and system for controlling an engine that drives a reciprocating compressor, such as the large compressors used for natural gas transmission. A controller receives data from the compressor representing operation conditions, such as load step, suction pressure, and discharge pressure. The controller then calculates engine control parameters, such as air intake and spark timing, based on the compressor data to optimize engine performance and emissions.

Integrated engine/compressor control for gas transmission compressors

A method of stoichiometrically operating an internal combustion engine. The engine is equipped with a pre-engine catalyst, which produces syngas from natural gas and air. The engine receives the syngas, as well as natural gas, and recirculated exhaust gas. The amount of syngas and the amount of recirculated exhaust gas are maximized for a desired engine efficiency and NO.sub.x emissions level.

Stoichiometric synthesis, exhaust, and natural-gas combustion engine

A spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine comprises an electrically nonconductive body member and a pair of electrodes formed of a material each having titanium diboride as its major component. Tests indicate that titanium diboride electrodes are extremely resistant to electrical erosion. The spark plugs embodying the present invention are particularly useful in continuous cycle or heavy duty cycle engines that have heretofore been the subject of severe electrode erosion.

Spark plug having titanium diboride electrodes

A method and a metering valve for metering a fluid by incrementally adjusting a position of a flow control element that directly varies a flow area of a flow port opening in a valve housing. The flow control element is adjustably mounted with respect to the valve housing. The metering valve maintains an approximately constant percentage variation of a mass flow rate of a fluid with respect to the current total flow rate flowing through the flow port opening, for each incremental adjustment of the flow control element position, throughout the metering range of the metering valve yielding an exponentially varying mass flow rate as a result of linearly varying the flow control element position.

Metering valve

There is disclosed an apparatus and method for pumping a flowable medium. The pump forces a volume of medium out a pumping chamber by driving an induced plasma arc the length of the pumping chamber from inlet to outlet. An electric potential generated across the medium within the pumping chamber creates the plasma arc near the inlet of the chamber. An induced magnetic field then causes the plasma arc to travel from inlet to outlet thereby forcing the medium ahead of the plasma arc out of the chamber.

Method and apparatus for pumping a medium

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

James J Cole