Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080256930 | ENERGY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECYCLING FUELS - A closed energy system using carbon-containing fuels is described. The system includes a utilization portion, where a fuel is stored and consumed, and a recycling portion, where the products of utilization are recycled into fuel. In one embodiment, dimethyl ether is used as a fuel. The utilization of the fuel produces carbon dioxide, which is stored for later recycling. In one embodiment, solar energy is used in the recycling of materials. In certain embodiments, a fueling station is provided that recycles waste from the utilization of the fuel. | 10-23-2008 |
20090045342 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ANALYTE CONCENTRATION IN A SAMPLE HAVING INTERFERENTS - A method and apparatus are described that permit an analyte concentration to be estimated from a measurement in the presence of compounds that interfere with the measurement. The method reduces the error in the analyte concentration in the presence of interferents. The method includes the use of a set of measurements obtained for a large population having a range of known analyte and interfering compound concentrations. From a sample measurement, which may or may not be one of the population, likely present interferents are identified, and a calibration vector is calculated. | 02-19-2009 |
20090077892 | BIOMASS ENERGY CONVERSION APPARATUS AND METHOD - Method and apparatus are disclosed to utilize the energy in biomass (waste agricultural products). The inventive method and apparatus utilized heat and mass flow to efficiently generate a variety of products from biomass. In various embodiment, the invention may generate a liquid fuel (such as methanol or dimethyl ether), pure liquid CO2 (intended for CO2 sequestration), a soil enhancement product (intended to return to the agricultural site), process heat, and/or electricity. In one embodiment, the process requires no external energy inputs, and preserves a large percentage (ie. >50%) of the energy contained in the biomass. In another embodiment, the inventive method and apparatus can selectively be operated to produce electricity and or liquid fuels. | 03-26-2009 |
20090326343 | FLUID HANDLING CASSETTE HAVING A SPECTROSCOPIC SAMPLE CELL - A fluid handling module is configured for removable engagement with a reusable main fluid handling instrument. The module includes a module housing and a first fluid passageway extending from the module housing. The first fluid passageway has a patient end remote from the housing. The first fluid passageway is configured to provide fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient. A fluid component separator is in fluid communication with the first fluid passageway. The fluid component separator is configured to separate at least one component from a portion of the bodily fluid drawn from the patient. A spectroscopic sample cell is configured to hold at least a portion of the first component. | 12-31-2009 |
20100030137 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ANALYZING BODY FLUID SAMPLES - An apparatus is provided for monitoring a predetermined parameter of a patient's body fluid while infusing an infusion fluid into the patient. The apparatus comprises an infusion line and a catheter configured for insertion into a blood vessel of the patient, and a reversible infusion pump connected between a source of an infusion fluid and the infusion line and catheter. The apparatus further comprises a body fluid sensor assembly mounted in fluid communication with the infusion line and which includes a first sensor and a sample cell. The first sensor provides a signal indicative of a predetermined parameter of any fluid present in the infusion line. The sample cell is substantially transmissive to light comprising a wavelength λ. The apparatus further comprises a controller that is configured to operate the infusion pump in a forward direction so as to pump the infusion fluid through the infusion line and catheter for infusion into the patient. The controller is configured to intermittently interrupt its operating of the infusion pump in the forward direction to operate the infusion pump in a rearward direction so as to draw a body fluid sample from the patient through the catheter and infusion line. The body fluid sample drawn from the patient is disposed such that a first portion of the body fluid sample is in sensing contact with the first sensor of the body fluid sensor assembly, and a second portion of the body fluid sample is disposed within the sample cell of the body fluid sensor assembly. The controller further is configured to monitor the signal provided by the first sensor of the body fluid sensor assembly and to detect a change in the signal indicative of the arrival of the body fluid sample at the first sensor. The controller, in response to detecting the arrival of the body fluid sample at the first sensor, is configured to cease its operating of the infusion pump in the rearward direction. The signal produced by the first sensor provides an indication of a predetermined parameter of the patient's body fluid when the body fluid sample is in sensing contact with the first sensor. | 02-04-2010 |
20100101141 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO BIOFUEL - Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to convert carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources which are remotely located, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a continuous process which can be completely powered by the energy contained in the biomass. The heat, mechanical power and electrical power are provided from the energy in the biomass, through the methods described. In this way, the apparatus is free to operate in remote locations, where no power or auxiliary fuel sources are available. | 04-29-2010 |
20100221762 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AN ANALYTE CONCENTRATION IN A SAMPLE HAVING INTERFERENTS - A method and apparatus are described that permit an analyte concentration to be estimated from a measurement in the presence of compounds that interfere with the measurement. The method reduces the error in the analyte concentration in the presence of interferents. The method includes the use of a set of measurements obtained for a large population having a range of known analyte and interfering compound concentrations. From a sample measurement, which may or may not be one of the population, likely present interferents are identified, and a calibration vector is calculated. | 09-02-2010 |
20100234703 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION OF MULTIPLE ANALYTES - In some embodiments, an apparatus analyzes the composition of bodily fluid. The apparatus comprises a fluid handling network including a patient end configured to maintain fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient and at least one pump intermittently operable to draw a sample of bodily fluid from the patient. The apparatus further comprises a fluid analyzer positioned to analyze at least a portion of the sample and measure the presence of two or more analytes. Also disclosed is a method for analyzing the composition of a bodily fluid in a patient. The method comprises drawing a sample of the bodily fluid of the patient through a fluid handling network configured to maintain fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient. The method further comprises analyzing the at least a portion of the sample in a fluid analyzer to estimate the concentration of two or more analytes in the sample. | 09-16-2010 |
20110011167 | FLUID HANDLING CASSETTE WITH A FLUID CONTROL INTERFACE AND SAMPLE SEPARATOR - A fluid handling module that is removably engageable with a bodily fluid analyzer is provided. The module may comprise a fluid handling element, and a fluid component separator that is accessible via the fluid handling element and configured to separate at least one component of a bodily fluid transported to the fluid component separator. The fluid handling element may have at least one control element interface. | 01-20-2011 |
20110190606 | FLUID HANDLING CASSETTE - A fluid handling module that is removably engageable with a bodily fluid analyzer is provided. The module may comprise a fluid handling element, and a fluid component separator that is accessible via the fluid handling element and configured to separate at least one component of a bodily fluid transported to the fluid component separator. The fluid handling element may have at least one control element interface. | 08-04-2011 |
20110214343 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO BIOFUEL - Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to convert carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources which are remotely located, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a continuous process which can be completely powered by the energy contained in the biomass. The heat, mechanical power and electrical power are provided from the energy in the biomass, through the methods described. In this way, the apparatus is free to operate in remote locations, where no power or auxiliary fuel sources are available. | 09-08-2011 |
20120117815 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO BIOFUEL - Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to control the conversion of carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a process having a control system that enables the system to produce a fuel of uniform quality, even with a change in biomass supply. | 05-17-2012 |
20120232362 | BODILY FLUID COMPOSITION ANALYZER WITH DISPOSABLE CASSETTE - Disclosed is an apparatus for analyzing the composition of bodily fluid. The apparatus can include a fluid handling network including a patient end configured to maintain fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient and a pump unit in operative engagement with the fluid handling network. The pump unit can have an infusion mode, in which the pump unit is operable to deliver infusion fluid to the patient through the patient end, and a sample draw mode, in which the pump unit is operable to draw a sample of the bodily fluid from the patient through the patient end. The apparatus can include a spectroscopic analyzer positioned to analyze at least a portion of the sample; a processor in communication with or incorporated into the spectroscopic analyzer; and stored program instructions executable by the processor to obtain measurements of two or more properties of the sample. | 09-13-2012 |
20140058228 | FLUID HANDLING CASSETTE - A fluid handling module that is removably engageable with a bodily fluid analyzer is provided. The module may comprise a fluid handling element, and a fluid component separator that is accessible via the fluid handling element and configured to separate at least one component of a bodily fluid transported to the fluid component separator. The fluid handling element may have at least one control element interface. | 02-27-2014 |
20140119997 | APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A BIOMASS - An apparatus to convert carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources which are remotely located, into a solid material, which may be a high performance solid fuel, are presented. The apparatus provides a continuous process which can be completely powered by the energy contained in the biomass. The heat, mechanical power and electrical power are provided from the energy in the biomass, through the methods described. In this way, the apparatus is free to operate in remote locations, where no power or auxiliary fuel sources are available. | 05-01-2014 |
20140123551 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING A BIOMASS - Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to convert carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources which are remotely located, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a continuous process which can be completely powered by the energy contained in the biomass. The heat, mechanical power and electrical power are provided from the energy in the biomass, through the methods described. In this way, the apparatus is free to operate in remote locations, where no power or auxiliary fuel sources are available. | 05-08-2014 |
20140144042 | FURNACE INCLUDING MULTIPLE TRAYS AND PHASE-CHANGE HEAT TRANSFER - A method and apparatus for heating materials is described. The apparatus is a furnace that includes multiple gravity-feed trays and a heat transfer fluid that heats material by the heat evolved during phase change. The apparatus also includes moving paddles that urge the material through each tray. The method provides for the torrefying of the material using a phase-change heat-transfer fluid by providing the material sequentially to at least two trays, where the at least two trays are substantially horizontal and disposed at different vertical heights; condensing the vapor phase at a temperature; and providing heat from the condensing the vapor phase to the material, where the temperature is sufficient to torrefy the material. | 05-29-2014 |