Lawrence B Rhodes

US Patent:

7305829, Dec 11, 2007

Filed:

May 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/841845

Inventors:

Mark D. Mirolli - Redwood City CA, US
Lawrence Rhodes - Livermore CA, US
Yakov Lerner - Foster City UT, US
Richard I. Pelletier - Livermore CA, US

Assignee:

Recurrent Engineering, LLC - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

F01K 25/06

US Classification:

60649, 60651, 60653, 60671, 60676

Abstract:

The present invention relates to systems and methods for implementing a closed loop thermodynamic cycle utilizing a multi-component working fluid to acquire heat from two or more external heat source streams in an efficient manner utilizing countercurrent exchange. The liquid multi-component working stream is heated by a first external heat source stream at a first heat exchanger and is subsequently divided into a first substream and a second substream. The first substream is heated by the first working stream at a second external heat source stream at a second heat exchanger. The second substream is heated by the second working stream at a third heat exchanger. The first substream and the second substream are then recombined into a single working stream. The recombined working stream is heated by the second external heat source stream at a fourth heat exchanger.

US Patent:

8117844, Feb 21, 2012

Filed:

Jul 17, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/779013

Inventors:

Mark D. Mirolli - Redwood City CA, US
Lawrence Rhodes - Livermore CA, US
Yakov Lerner - Foster City UT, US
Richard I. Pelletier - Livermore CA, US

Assignee:

Recurrent Engineering, LLC - Kennett Square PA

International Classification:

F01K 25/06

US Classification:

60649, 60653, 60651, 60671

Abstract:

The present invention relates to systems and methods for implementing a closed loop thermodynamic cycle utilizing a multi-component working fluid to acquire heat from two or more external heat source streams in an efficient manner utilizing countercurrent exchange. The liquid multi-component working stream is heated by a first external heat source stream at a first heat exchanger and is subsequently divided into a first substream and a second substream. The first substream is heated by the first working stream at a second external heat source stream at a second heat exchanger. The second substream is heated by the second working stream at a third heat exchanger. The first substream and the second substream are then recombined into a single working stream. The recombined working stream is heated by the second external heat source stream at a fourth heat exchanger.

US Patent:

8375719, Feb 19, 2013

Filed:

May 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/382606

Inventors:

Lawrence Rhodes - Livermore CA, US
Yakov Lerner - Foster City CA, US

Assignee:

Recurrent Engineering, LLC - Draper UT

International Classification:

F01K 13/02

US Classification:

60646, 60649, 60651, 60671, 60657

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to a turbine seal system. The turbine seal system captures working fluid which is escaping from a closed loop thermodynamic cycle system, condenses the captured working fluid, and returns the condensate back to the thermodynamic cycle system. The turbine seal system is configured to apply nitrogen, or other non-condensable, or other material, to capture or mix with the escaping working fluid. The combined mixture of working fluid which escapes the turbine and the nitrogen utilized to capture the working fluid is evacuated by an exhaust compressor which maintains a desired vacuum in a gland seal compartment of the turbine seal. The combined mixture can then be sent to a condenser to condense the working fluid vapor and evacuate the non-condensables, forming a working stream. Once the non-condensables have been evacuated, the working stream is pumped to a higher pressure, and prepared to be re-introduced into the thermodynamic cycle system.

US Patent:

39611027, Jun 1, 1976

Filed:

Sep 13, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/505642

Inventors:

Joseph M. Ballantyne - Ithaca NY
Chung L. Tang - Ithaca NY
Lawrence Bryce Rhodes - Ithaca NY
John J. Turner - Ithaca NY
Ji Liang Yang - Ithaca NY

Assignee:

Cornwell Research Foundation, Inc. - Ithaca NY

International Classification:

B05D 306

US Classification:

427 43

Abstract:

A method of making optical gratings by the use of a Scanning Electron Microscope wherein (1) a substrate having a thin film of electron resist thereon is exposed in adjacent areas by an electron dosage and the amount of such dosage and the depth of the thin film are selected such that energy deposition in regions between adjacent exposed areas in said electron resist is below the threshold sensitivity of said resist for development, (2) the development time of the resist is made an inverse function of the electron dosage, and/or (3) the period of the grating is controlled by use of a standard scanning format.

US Patent:

59539186, Sep 21, 1999

Filed:

Feb 5, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/019476

Inventors:

Alexander I. Kalina - Hillsborough CA
Richard I. Pelletier - Livermore CA
Lawrence B. Rhodes - Livermore CA

Assignee:

Exergy, Inc. - Hagward CA

International Classification:

F01K 734

US Classification:

60653

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle. A heated gaseous working stream including a low boiling point component and a higher boiling point component is separated, and the low boiling point component is expanded to transform the energy of the stream into useable form and to provide an expanded relatively rich stream. This expanded rich stream is then split into two streams, one of which is expanded further to obtain further energy, resulting in a spent stream, the other of which is extracted. The lean unexpanded stream and the spent rich stream are then combined in a regenerating subsystem with the extracted stream to reproduce the working stream, which is then efficiently heated in a heater to provide the heated gaseous working stream that is separated.

US Patent:

58229906, Oct 20, 1998

Filed:

Feb 9, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/598950

Inventors:

Alexander I. Kalina - Hillsborough CA
Lawrence B. Rhodes - Livermore CA

Assignee:

Exergy, Inc. - Hayward CA

International Classification:

F01K 2506

US Classification:

60649

Abstract:

Converting heat in a primary fluid (e. g. , steam) to useful energy by multistage expansion of the primary fluid, heating of a multicomponent working fluid in a separate closed loop using heat of the primary fluid, and expansion of the multicomponent working fluid. The primary fluid in a vapor state is expanded in a first stage expander to obtain useful energy and to produce a partially expanded primary fluid. The partially expanded primary fluid stream is then separated into liquid and vapor components and split into a vapor stream (which is expanded in a second stage expander) and a further primary stream (which used to heat the multicomponent working fluid).