Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Other

Battelle Memorial Institute

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

University of Connecticut

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC

Inentec Inc.

Integrated Environmental Technologies, LLC

Amastan Technologies LLC

Electro-pyrolysis, Inc.

Amastan LLC

Paul P Woskov

Daniel R Cohn

Jeffrey E Surma

Charles H Titus

Kamal Hadidi

David A Lamar

Leslie Bromberg

Eric H Jordan

J Kenneth Wittle

Ward D Halverson

Benjamin Lax

Baki Cetegen

Eric Christopher Forrest

William E Daniel, Jr

Donna L Smatlak

S Kamakshi Sundaram

Paul Thomas

Shanmugavelayutham K Sundaram

Ryan D Murphy

David Y Rhee

Joshua Stanford

Apparatus and methods are described for drilling deep boreholes with millimeter-wave radiation in earthen materials to access deep resources such as geothermal heat. Borehole depth and temperature at the bottom of the borehole can be monitored with probe signals and/or radiative emission from the bottom of the borehole.

Rate of penetration/depth monitor for a borehole formed with millimeter-wave beam

An apparatus for accurate measurement of surface and sub-surface temperatures of an object from a distance without contacting the object is provided. Illustrative embodiments provide for simultaneous measurement of thermal emission and emissivity in the mm-wave regime thereby enabling real-time non-contact measurement of emissivity. Corrected temperatures for the object which may be used for calibration of infrared thermographic cameras are determined from the measurement of emissivity.

Passive millimeter wave radiometer system for calibration of infrared cameras

A microwave plasma apparatus for processing a material includes a plasma chamber, a microwave radiation source, and a waveguide guiding microwave radiation from the microwave radiation source to the plasma chamber. A process gas flows through the plasma chamber and the microwave radiation couples to the process gas to produce a plasma jet. A process material is introduced to the plasma chamber, becomes entrained in the plasma jet, and is thereby transformed to a stream of product material droplets or particles. The product material droplets or particles are substantially more uniform in size, velocity, temperature, and melt state than are droplets or particles produced by prior devices.

Microwave plasma apparatus and method for materials processing

The melter includes a vessel and structure for introducing waste material into the vessel. Waveguide structure is provided for introducing millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation into the vessel to heat the waste material. A gyrotron is a preferred source for the millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation.

Directed energy melter

System for drilling boreholes into subsurface formations. A gyrotron injects millimeter-wave radiation energy into the borehole and pressurization apparatus is provided for pressurizing the borehole whereby a thermal melt front at the end of the borehole propagates into the subsurface formations. In another aspect, a system for fracturing a subsurface formation is disclosed.

Millimeter-wave drilling system

A milliwave melter monitoring system is presented that has a waveguide with a portion capable of contacting a molten material in a melter for use in measuring one or more properties of the molten material in a furnace under extreme environments. A receiver is configured for use in obtaining signals from the melt/material transmitted to appropriate electronics through the waveguide. The receiver is configured for receiving signals from the waveguide when contacting the molten material for use in determining the viscosity of the molten material. Other embodiments exist in which the temperature, emissivity, viscosity and other properties of the molten material are measured.

Milliwave melter monitoring system

Hybrid plasma monitor. A ground electrode is spaced apart from a high voltage electrode supporting an electric discharge therebetween to generate a plasma. The ground electrode and the high voltage electrode form an annular region into which a sample is introduced for generating a plasma. Microwave radiation couples into the plasma to sustain the plasma. A light detector such as a spectrometer receives light resulting from atomic emissions from the sample to analyze elements in the sample.

Hybrid plasma element monitor

A gas processing chamber for treating a gas stream containing an oxidant and carbon particles, having a gas inlet port for receiving the gas stream from a high temperature processing chamber, a gas outlet port for exhausting the processed gas stream, a microwave source for introducing microwave energy into the gas processing chamber having a sufficient power to induce the carbon to react with the oxidant, a microwave waveguide to direct the microwave energy at the gas stream for processing, a reflected microwave power dump for protecting the microwave source from reflected microwave power, and a window seal to separate the gas stream from the microwave source.

Gas processing for waste treatment unit having combined joule and arc heating electrode

In embodiments, spectroscopic monitor monitors modulated light signals to detect low levels of contaminants and other compounds in the presence of background interference. The monitor uses a spectrometer that includes a transmissive modulator capable of causing different frequency ranges to move onto and off of the detector. The different ranges can include those with the desired signal and those selected to subtract background contributions from those with the desired signal. Embodiments of the system are particularly useful for monitoring metal concentrations in combustion effluent.

Spectroscopic detection

High power microwave plasma torch. The torch includes a source of microwave energy which is propagated by a waveguide. The waveguide has no structural restrictions between the source of microwave energy and the plasma to effect resonance. The gas flows across the waveguide and microwave energy is coupled into the gas to create a plasma. At least 5 kilowatts of microwave energy is coupled into the gas. It is preferred that the waveguide be a fundamental mode waveguide or a quasi-optical overmoded waveguide. In one embodiment, the plasma torch is used in a furnace for heating a material within the furnace.

Very high power microwave-induced plasma

The method for measuring the thickness of a material which transmits a detectable amount of microwave radiation includes irradiating the material with coherent microwave radiation tuned over a frequency range. Reflected microwave radiation is detected, the reflected radiation having maxima and minima over the frequency range as a result of coherent interference of microwaves reflected from reflecting surfaces of the material. The thickness of the material is determined from the period of the maxima and minima along with knowledge of the index of refraction of the material.

Method and apparatus for thickness measurement using microwaves

A method and portable apparatus for self-powered, sensitive analysis of solid, liquid or gas samples for the presence of elements is provided. The apparatus includes a compact sensor system which utilizes a microwave power source and a shorted waveguide to induce a plasma. The microwave power source may be a magnetron or the like. The device includes a portable power supply and preferably includes a portable battery charger. The portable power supply includes a compact generator-internal combustion engine unit. The device can be operated by directly using power from the portable power supply or in a more compact embodiment by using power from batteries that are recharged by a separate portable power supply module. Pulsed microwave operation can be used to reduce average power requirements and facilitate the use of very compact units using batteries. The device is capable of being transported to and from remote sites for analysis by an individual without the need for heavy transportation equipment. A computer may be utilized to control the portable power supply, the battery charger and the microwave power source. The method and apparatus are capable of analyzing samples for the presence of several elements simultaneously using fiber optic guides and a spectrometer system. The apparatus can be contained in a plurality of readily detactable modules to facilitate transportation and field operation.

Compact trace element sensor which utilizes microwave generated plasma

The apparatus for analyzing a sample gas includes a source of microwave energy directed onto the sample gas to create a plasma. A spectrometer is arranged to receive light from the plasma to identify different elements and/or to determine the concentration of at least one element in the sample gas. In one embodiment, an attached calibration system is provided for calibrating the output of the spectrometer. The calibration system includes a nebulizer apparatus for introducing a controlled amount of at least one element into the sample gas. The apparatus also includes structure adapted to add a swirl component to the plasma gas flow as an aid to plasma confinement. It is also preferred that a pair of electrodes contacting the sample gas be provided for igniting the plasma.

Microwave plasma element sensor

A method and portable apparatus for self-powered, sensitive analysis of solid, liquid or gas samples for the presence of elements is provided. The apparatus includes a compact sensor system which utilizes a microwave power source and a shorted waveguide to induce a plasma. The microwave power source may be a magnetron or the like. The device includes a portable power supply and preferably includes a portable battery charger. The portable power supply includes a compact generator- internal combustion engine unit. The device can be operated by directly using power from the portable power supply or in a more compact embodiment by using power from batteries that are recharged by a separate portable power supply module. Pulsed microwave operation can be used to reduce average power requirements and facilitate the use of very compact units using batteries. The device is capable of being transported to and from remote sites for analysis by an individual without the need for heavy transportation equipment. A computer may be utilized to control the portable power supply, the battery charger and the microwave power source. The method and apparatus are capable of analyzing samples for the presence of several elements simultaneously using fiber optic guides and a spectrometer system. The apparatus can be contained in a plurality of readily detachable modules to facilitate transportation and field operation.

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Bedford, MA, United States of America

Paul P Woskov