Cidra Corporation

Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Other

C1dra Corporation

Thomas Wolfgang Engel

Mark R Fernald

Robert J Maron

Martin A Putnam

Daniel L Gysling

James R Dunphy

John J Grunbeck

James M Sullivan

Paul F Croteau

Guy A Daigle

Alan D Kersey

Timothy J Bailey

Trevor Wayne MacDougall

Douglas H Loose

Paul Eric Sanders

Edward Michael Dowd

Robert N Brucato

Richard Todd Jones

James S Sirkis

Matthew B Miller

Andrew S Kuczma

Brian J Pike

Joseph J Baraglia

Michael A Davis

Robert A Rubino, Jr

Christopher T Chipman

Christopher Chestnut

Charles W Helm

Jeffrey A Bonja

Phillip E Pruett

Milton E Ives, Jr

Edward Laffitte

Robert Markoja

Kenneth Falkowich

A system for thermally processing solid fuel to produce pyrolysis gases, syngas, tar, char, and/or torrefied products, which includes a bulk solids pump having a curved passage to move a feedstock therein and wherein the pump includes a spool supported for rotational movement. A sleeve shaped chamber or chambers surround all or a portion of at least an axial extent of said curved passage to permit containment of heated gases to heat solid fuel within the curved passage to thermally process the feedstock within the pump.

Solid fuel burner-gasifier methods and apparatus

The present invention provides a method for making a multicore large diameter optical waveguide having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, two or more inner cores, a cladding surrounding the two or more inner cores, and one or more side holes for reducing the bulk modulus of compressibility and maintaining the anti-buckling strength of the large diameter optical waveguide. The method features the steps of: assembling a preform for drawing a multicore large diameter optical waveguide having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, by providing an outer tube having a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters and arranging two or more preform elements in relation to the outer tube; heating the preform; and drawing the large diameter optical waveguide from the heated preform. In one embodiment, the method also includes the step of arranging at least one inner tube inside the outer tube.

Method for making large diameter multicore optical waveguide

A method and apparatus for delivery of a solid particulate fuel to a heating system. The present invention provides a lock-up transport system to deliver particles of solid fuel in a downstream direction while maintaining the position of the particles relative to each other. The lock-up transport system provides a linear mass flow through the gasification stages of the fuel.

A piezocable-based sensor for measuring unsteady pressures inside a pipe comprises at least one cable extending around at least a portion of a circumference of the pipe. The cable includes a first electrical conductor, a piezoelectric material disposed around the first electrical conductor, and a second electrical conductor disposed around the piezoelectric material. The sensor provides a signal indicative of unsteady pressure within the pipe in response to displacement of the pipe. In various embodiments, a band is wrapped around the at least one cable for compressing the at least one cable toward the pipe. In other embodiments, the sensor includes a clamp attached to opposing ends of the at least one cable for holding the at least one cable in tension around the pipe.

Piezocable based sensor for measuring unsteady pressures inside a pipe

A probeis provided that measures the speed of sound and/or vortical disturbances propagating in a single phase fluid flow and/or multiphase mixture to determine parameters, such as mixture quality, particle size, vapor/mass ratio, liquid/vapor ratio, mass flow rate, enthalpy and volumetric flow rate of the flow in a pipe or unconfined space, for example, using acoustic and/or dynamic pressures. The probe includes a spatial array of unsteady pressure sensors-placed at predetermined axial locations x-xdisposed axially along a tube. For measuring at least one parameter of a saturated vapor/liquid mixture, such as steam, flowing in the tube. The pressure sensors-provide acoustic pressure signals P(t)-P(t) to a signal processing unitwhich determines the speed of sound apropagating through of the saturated vapor/liquid mixturein the tubeusing acoustic spatial array signal processing techniques. Frequency based sound speed is determined utilizing a dispersion model to determine the parameters of interest.

Probe for measuring parameters of a flowing fluid and/or multiphase mixture

A piezocable based sensor for measuring unsteady pressures inside a pipe comprises a cable wrapped around the pipe and an outer band compressing the cable towards the pipe. The cable provides a signal indicative of unsteady pressure within the pipe in response to expansion and contraction of the pipe. The cable includes: a first electrical conductor, a piezoelectric material disposed around the first electrical conductor, a second electrical conductor disposed around the piezoelectric material, and an insulative jacket surrounding the piezoelectric material and electrical conductors. The cable may be part of an array of cables wrapped around the pipe, and a signal processor may determine a parameter of the fluid using the signals. A housing is disposed around the pipe and electrical components associated with the pipe. Ends of the housing include a sealing arrangement, which provides a seal between the ends of the housing and the pipe.

An apparatus for measuring a parameter of a fluid passing through a pipe comprises a spatial array of pressure sensors disposed at different axial locations along the pipe between a sleeve within the pipe and an inside surface of the pipe. Each of the pressure sensors provides a pressure signal indicative of unsteady pressure within the pipe at a corresponding axial location of the pipe. A signal processor is configured to receive the pressure signals from each of the pressure sensors, and determine the parameter of the fluid using the pressure signals from the pressure sensors. The sleeve and the sensors may be disposed within a pipe spool piece having flanges disposed on opposing ends. The pipe may be formed from a material relatively more rigid than the sleeve, and the sensors may be compressed between the pipe and the sleeve. The sleeve may have grooves formed therein for receiving the sensors, and each sensor may be formed from a piezocable wrapped around the sleeve.

Apparatus for measuring parameters of a fluid in a lined pipe

A sensor head characterizes unsteady pressures in a fluid flowing within a pipe, as may be caused by one or both of acoustic waves propagating through the fluid within the pipe and/or pressure disturbances that convect with the fluid flowing in the pipe. The sensor head comprises a rigid support structure and at least one transducer attached to the rigid support structure. The rigid support structure holds the transducer in contact with an outer surface of the pipe. The at least one transducer senses relative movement between the outer surface of the pipe and the support structure and provides a signal indicative of unsteady pressures within the fluid at a corresponding axial position of the pipe in response to the relative movement. The support structure may be attached to each transducer in an array of transducers, and may include a handle secured thereto for manipulating the sensor head into contact with the pipe. Output signals from the transducers are provided to a processing unit, which processes the output signals to provide a signal indicative of at least one parameter of the flow process.

Contact-based transducers for characterizing unsteady pressures in pipes

Method for making large diameter optical waveguide having Bragg grating and being configured for reducing the bulk modulus of compressibility thereof

A tunable optical filter has a large diameter cane waveguide with 'side-holes' in the cane cross-section that reduce the force required to compress the large diameter optical waveguide without overly compromising the buckling strength thereof. The large diameter optical waveguide has a cross-section of at least about 0.3 millimeters, including at least one inner core, a Bragg grating arranged therein, a cladding surrounding the inner core, and a structural configuration for providing a reduced bulk modulus of compressibility and maintaining the anti-buckling strength of the large diameter optical waveguide. The structural configuration reduces the cross-sectional area of the large diameter optical waveguide. These side holes reduce the amount of glass that needs to be compressed, but retains the large diameter.

Tunable optical filter having large diameter optical waveguide with bragg grating and being configured for reducing the bulk modulus of compressibility thereof

An apparatusis provided that includes a spatial array of at least two unsteady pressure sensorsplaced at predetermined axial locations x&#x2013;xdisposed axially along a pipefor measuring at least one parameter of a fluidflowing in the pipe. The pressure sensorscomprise a plurality of pressure sensing elements such as piezoelectric film sensorsfor measuring unsteady pressures associated with acoustical pressures and/or vortical disturbances. The sensing elements are disposed circumferentially around the pipe and spaced a predetermined distance. The pressure signals P(t)&#x2013;P(t) provided by the pressure sensorsare processed by a processing unit to provide an output signal indicative of a parameter of the fluid.

Apparatus and method for measuring unsteady pressures within a large diameter pipe

A method and device for pressure sensing using an optical fiber having a core, a cladding and a Bragg grating imparted in the core for at least partially reflecting an optical signal at a characteristic wavelength. The cladding has two variation regions located on opposite sides of the Bragg grating to allow attachment mechanisms to be disposed against the optical fiber. The attachment mechanisms are mounted to a pressure sensitive structure so as to allow the characteristic wavelength to change according to pressure in an environment. In particular, the variation region has a diameter different from the cladding diameter, and the attachment mechanism comprises a ferrule including a front portion having a profile substantially corresponding to at least a portion of the diameter of the variation region and a butting mechanism which holds the ferrule against the optical fiber.

Optical sensor device having creep-resistant optical fiber attachments

A method of applying a metal coating to optical element, such as an optical waveguide, comprising the steps of partially depleting stabilizers in an electroless metallic solution and immersing an optical waveguide in the electroless metallic solution to deposit the metal coating to the optical waveguide. The step of partially depleting may include creating an electroless metallic solution having a sodium hypophoshite concentration of about 25 grams per liter. The electroless metallic solution may comprise a Fidelity solution 4865A, a Fidelity solution 4865B and de-ionized water in a ratio of 1:1:18; and sodium hypophosphite crystals. Alternatively, the step of partially depleting may include placing a dummy load into the electroless metallic solution. The dummy load may be a rectangular block of metal, formed of a low carbon steel, and may have a threaded cylindrical passage therein. After depleting the stabilizers, the optical waveguide is immersed in the electroless metallic solution for a predetermined length of time depending on a desired deposition thickness.

Method of metallization of an optical waveguide

A temperature compensated optical device includes a compression-tuned glass element having a Bragg grating therein, a compensating material spacer and an end cap all held within an outer shell The element end cap and shell are made of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), e.g., silica, quartz, etc. and the spacer is made of a material having a higher CTE, e.g., metal, Pyrex&reg;, ceramic, etc. The material and length L of the spacer is selected to offset the upward grating wavelength shift due to temperature. As temperature rises, the spacer expands faster than the silica structure causing a compressive strain to be exerted on the element which shifts the wavelength of the grating down to balance the intrinsic temperature induces wavelength shift up. As a result, the grating wavelength is substantially unchanged over a wide temperature range. The element includes either an optical fiber having at least one Bragg grating impressed therein encased within and fused to at least a portion of a glass capillary tube or a large diameter waveguide (or cane) with a grating having a core and a wide cladding, which does not buckle over a large range of compressive axial strains. The element may have a &ldquo;dogbone&rdquo; shape to amplify compressive strain on the grating The device may also be placed in an axially tunable system that allows the wavelength to be dynamically tuned while remaining athermal. In addition to a grating, the device may be an athermal laser, DFB laser, etc. Also, the entire device may be all made of monolithic glass materials.

Temperature compensated optical device

An actuator mechanism for a tunable optical filter unit that filters a selected wavelength band of the input light from a DWDM input light. The input light comprises a plurality of wavelength bands or optical channels of light, each of which are centered at a respective channel wavelength. The actuator mechanism exerts a substantially linear force to strain or stress a tunable optical filter element to a desire reflection wavelength(s). A controller, in accordance with a control algorithm, provides a drive signal to the actuator mechanism in response to a command signal and a feedback signal indicative of the center wavelength of the desired optical channel(s) to be filtered. The actuator mechanism includes a drive mechanism that translates linearly a slide in response to the drive signal. The linear slide includes a sloped engagement surface for engaging a flexure arm assembly that provides a substantially linear force in a direction of displacement, which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of translation of the slide, to the optical filter unit for tuning the Bragg grating of the optical filter element.

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East Hampton, CT, United States of America

Thomas Wolfgang Engel