Patents Alert
273
5500306
5501546
HIGH EFFICIENCY ENERGY
APPARATUS FOR DISSIPATING WAVE ENERGY
CONVERSION AND TREATMENT OF ORGANIC WASTE Hsu Michael S; Wei Irvine W Lincoln, MA, UNITED STATES assigned to Ztek Corporation A system and method for converting organic material to electricity includes the steps of collecting a quantity of organic material, generating biogas from the material, and passing the biogas through an energy converter. Biogas is generated from the organic material by an anaerobic filter, and electricity is converted from the biogas by an energy converter, such as a high efficiency solid oxide fuel cell. To further increase the efficiency of the system, an anaerobic digester is used for treating a solid or sludge component of the organic material to generate additional biogas. In one embodiment of the invention, solar energy is used to maintain the anaerobic digester at an elevated temperature. Further efficiency enhancing measures include the recirculation of both the sludge and liquid components of the organic material to obtain additional biogas. After all of the biogas generating potential of the organic material has been utilized, the liquid component thereof is suitable for irrigation or discharge, while the solid component thereof is suitable for use as soil conditioner.
5501185 BIOGAS-DRIVEN GENERATOR
SET
King James L; Mintner Timothy J "~rI, UNITED STATES assigned to Kohler Co A generator powered by an internal combustion engine is fueled from a source of biogas. A pump boosts the pressure of the biogas, and a regulator controls the biogas pressure supplied to the fuel intake of the engine carburetor. Acid-neutralizing oil is injected into the biogas stream at the intake of the pump to protect the engine from corrosion due to acidic constituents in the biogas.
Dorrell Donald E ISLAND
Rarotonga 01, COOK
PCT No. PCT/NZ93/00008 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 27, 1994 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 27, 1994 PCT Filed Feb. 24, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO93/17189 PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 1993. A structure for dissipating the energy of waves impinging on a shore is disclosed which includes one or more rows of modules positioned adjacent the shore. Each module incorporates a number of vanes. The vanes are shaped and spaced so that a number of venturi passages are defined between the vanes. Each vane has a frontal portion which faces away from the shore, and is inclined from the vertical so that it slopes away from the shore to define an entrapment chamber which forces an oncoming wave to pass through the venturi passages rather than over the module or be reflected. The sides of the passages converge from front to back. A longitudinally extending hub causes the passages to converge also in the vertical direction. Each vane may be X-shaped and substantially symmetrical about a vertical plane through its center. The modules are cast from a cementitious material and may incorporate a number of vanes joined together at the hub which is located at the center of the X. The vanes may be joined together at their upper and lower ends by cross members. The passages may incorporate cross vanes which divide the passage into sub-passages. Other vane shapes are disclosed. The vanes may be individually fabricated.
5501745 LOW TEMPERATURE METHOD FOR MAKING A PHOTOVOLTAIC MATERIAL Deamaley Geoffre San Antonio, TX, UNITED STATES assigned to Southwest Research Institute
274
Patents Alert
The present invention relates to a low temperature method for making a photovoltaic material. In particular, the present invention describes a low temperature method for the deposition in vacuo of successive layers of materials required for a photovoltaic device. The present invention uses ion beam assisted processes in which a selected silicon containing precursor film is controllably converted to an amorphous silicon and carbon mixture. Ion beams are used to control the hydrogen content and thereby control the electrical conductivity of the material. The present invention further comprises the addition of a dopant and the deposition of the electrical contacts, both by thermal evaporation.
5503530 WALTER'S WHIRL-WIND VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE Waiters Victor R
Sechelt, CANADA
A vertical axis wind turbine is supported by a frame held in place by an encircling series of crescent-shaped tubular deflector vanes. The vanes widen towards the turbine core, concentrating the wind.
5504259 5501780 HEAT INSULATING GLASS WITH MULTILAYER COATING Iida Yasunchu; Honda Satoru; Asai Sachio; Nakamura Isao; Noguchi Hidenori; Tomioka Takao Matsusaka, JAPAN assigned to Central Glass Company Limited A gray-colored heat insulating glass plate has a transparent glass plate and a multilayer coating formed on one side of the glass plate. The multilayer coating includes first, second and third layers. The In'st layer is formed on a surface of the glass plate, is a film of a tantalum oxide, and has a thickness ranging from 5 to 20 urn. The second layer is formed on the first layer, is a film of an oxynitride of a metal selected from Cr, Ni-Cr alloy and stainless steel, and has a thickness ranging from 5 to 25 nm. The third layer is formed on the second layer, is a film of a tantalum oxide, and has a thickness ranging from 5 to 20 nm. The heat insulating glass plate is sufficiently low in transmittance for solar radiation, sufficiently high in transmittance for radio waves, relatively low in transmittance for the visible light and good in durability.
PROCESS TO CONVERT BIOMASS AND REFUSE DERIVED FUEL TO ETHERS AND/OR ALCOHOLS Diebold James P; Scahill John W; Chum Helena L; Evans Robert J; Rejai Bahman; Bain Richard L; Overend Ralph P Lakewood, CO, UNITED STATES assigned to Midwest Research Institute A process for conversion of a feedstock selected from the group consisting of biomass and refuse derived fuel (RDF) to provide reformulated gasoline components compris~g a substantial amount of materials selected from the group consisting of ethers, alcohols, or mixtures thereof, comprising: drying said feedstock; subjecting said dried feedstock to fast pyrolysis using a vortex reactor or other means; catalytically cracking vapors resulting from said pyrolysis using a zeolite catalyst; condensing any aromatic byproduct fraction; catalytically alkylating any benzene present in said vapors after condensation; catalytically oligomerizing any remaining ethylene and propylene to higher olefms; isomerizing said olef'ms to reactive iso-olefms; and catalytically reacting said iso-olefins with an alcohol to form ethers or with water to form alcohols.