John S Andrepont

6408609, Jun 25, 2002

Jun 9, 2000

09/591250

John S. Andrepont - Naperville IL

Chicago Bridge Iron Company - Plainfield IL

F02C 7143

60 3902, 60728

Output power and efficiency of combustion turbines, in particular, and combustion engines, in general, are improved by providing cooled intake air to the combustion device. The cooled air is obtained using a thermal energy storage system that has a stratified chilled fluid storage tank. A local or remote chiller plant, possibly already present for use in a thermal energy distribution system, provides the chilled fluid, which can be an aqueous solution of sodium chloride or calcium chloride or both, during off-peak operating times.

20030182941, Oct 2, 2003

Feb 14, 2003

10/344739

John Andrepont - Naperville IL, US
Per Duus - Chicago IL, US
Robert Golueke - Naperville IL, US

F02C001/00

060/728000

Liquid fuel for a power plant is vaporized against a heat-exchange fluid, cooling the fluid. A re-circulation circuit enables cooled fluid to be re-directed back for further cooling, when desired. The cooled fluid is used to cool the inlet air for a combustion turbine. Some of the cooled fluid is periodically directing to the bottom of a stratified tank, from which it can be drawn during times when the need for or value of cooling the inlet air is higher. The fluid is warmed as it cools the inlet air, and may be returned for use in vaporizing additional fuel, or returned to the top of the stratified tank.

49879227, Jan 29, 1991

Apr 20, 1989

7/340704

John S. Andrepont - Naperville IL
Robert S. Wozniak - Elmhurst IL
Chapin O. Saint - Spring TX

Chicago Bridge & Iron Technical Services Company - Oak Brook IL

F17C 1300

137592

An enclosed storage tank for the simultaneous addition and removal, and storage, or two liquid layers of different density comprising a tank shell having a bottom, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom, a roof supported at least in part by the side wall and at least one vertical tubular column extending upwardly from the shell bottom to at least close to the roof; a substantially horizontal first distributor plate above which the column extends and with the plate spaced above but adjacent to the shell bottom; first openings in the column between the first distributor plate and the shell bottom; a high density liquid conduit extending from outside the shell to the column interior whereby high density liquid can be fed to the column interior and then flow out the first openings into the lower portion of the tank beneath the first distributor plate and the high density liquid can be withdrawn from the tank through the first openings and then through the high density liquid conduit; a substantially horizontal second distributor plate above and below which the column extends and with the second distributor plate spaced below but adjacent to the shell roof; second openings in the column between the second distributor plate and shell roof; a low density liquid conduit extending from outside the shell into communication with the column interior whereby low density liquid can be fed to the column interior and then flow out the second openings into the upper portion of the tank above the second distributor plate while high density liquid is withdrawn from the tank through the high density liquid conduit, and the low density liquid can be withdrawn from the tank through the second openings and then through the low density liquid conduit while the high density liquid is fed to the tank through the high density liquid conduit.

49952340, Feb 26, 1991

Oct 2, 1989

7/415649

Richard J. Kooy - Western Springs IL
John S. Andrepont - Naperville IL
Roger F. Gyger - Naperville IL
Lewis Tyree - Lexington VA

Chicago Bridge & Iron Technical Services Company - Plainfield IL

F01K 2510

60648

LNG is pumped to high pressure, vaporized, further heated and then expanded to create rotary power that is used to generate electrical power. A reservoir of carbon dioxide at about its triple point is created in an insulated vessel to store energy in the form of refrigeration recovered from the evaporated LNG. During peak electrical power periods, liquid carbon dioxide is withdrawn therefrom, pumped to a high pressure, vaporized, further heated, and expanded to create rotary power which generates additional electrical power. The exhaust from a fuel-fired combustion turbine, connected to an electrical power generator, heats the high pressure carbon dioxide vapor. The discharge stream from the CO. sub. 2 expander is cooled and at least partially returned to the vessel where vapor condenses by melting stored solid carbon dioxide. During off-peak periods, CO. sub.

57356009, Apr 7, 1998

Jun 4, 1996

8/659136

David K. Wyness - Springfield IL
Donald N. Ruehrwein - Batavia IL
John S. Andrepont - Naperville IL

Chicago Bridge & Iron Technical Services Company - Oak Brook IL

B01F 1302
B01F 510

366101

In a drinking water reservoir, a draft tube is positioned above an inlet pipe to carry fresh water and water stored in a lower reservoir portion to an upper reservoir portion where the drinking water is mixed and stagnation of the reservoir contents is reduced. The draft tube can be used with a recycling pump and/or a mechanism for providing compressed gas to create a gas lifter to mix water in the lower storage portion with water in the upper storage portion when fresh water is not being added.

43727662, Feb 8, 1983

Nov 16, 1981

6/321463

John S. Andrepont - Downers Grove IL

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company - Oak Brook IL

B01D 902

62532

Apparatus comprising a vertical vessel having a lower downwardly pointed conical shell portion, an intermediate shell portion and an upper shell portion wider than the lower and intermediate portions and with all said vessel portions surrounding and defining an unobstructed interior; a conduit for feeding a liquid stream, containing solids less dense than the liquid, tangentially to the vessel intermediate portion interior so that the liquid flows in a helical path therein and then flows downwardly to and in the lower conical portion whereby less dense liquid slurry concentrates in the central area of the lower conical portion and flows upwardly into the vessel upper portion while more dense liquid slurry concentrates in the vessel lower conical portion; a conduit to withdraw more dense liquid slurry from the vessel lower conical portion; and a distributor for directing washing liquid onto the slurry while the slurry is in the vessel upper portion. A freeze concentration method of separating a liquid from a liquid mixture containing a dissolved material, said liquid being less dense in solid form than in liquid form, comprising cooling the liquid mixture containing the dissolved material to form crystals of the liquid; tangentially feeding the cold liquid mixture containing crystals of the liquid into the intermediate shell portion interior of a vertical vessel having a lower downwardly pointed conical shell portion, an intermediate shell portion and an upper shell portion wider than the lower and intermediate portions and with all said vessel portions surrounding and defining an unobstructed interior, so that the liquid flows in a helical path therein and then flows downwardly to and in the lower conical portion whereby a less dense liquid slurry of the crystals accumulates in the central area of the lower conical portion and flows upwardly into the vessel upper portion while a more dense liquid slurry of the crystals accumulates in the vessel lower conical portion; withdrawing the more dense liquid slurry from the vessel lower conical portion; collecting the less dense liquid slurry in the vessel upper portion and washing the crystal solids therein with the same, but pure, liquid as in the feed stream, and removing the washed crystals from the vessel.

41835590, Jan 15, 1980

Feb 6, 1978

5/875592

Donald C. Stafford - Hinsdale IL
John S. Andrepont - Lisle IL

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company - Oak Brook IL

F16L 2708

285190

A fluid-swivel with a first member having a first face, a second member having a second face adjoining and mating with the first face of the first member, the first face and the second face being positioned to rotate relative to each other about a common axis, a fluid conduit defined by a first raceway in the first face and a second raceway in the second face opposite the first raceway when the first and second raceways are at a predetermined index point relative to each other, said fluid conduit at the indexed condition defining a path in one revolution about the common axis which advances the conduit a distance of at least one width of the conduit, an inlet conduit communicating with the fluid conduit, and an outlet conduit communicating with the fluid conduit.

41145569, Sep 19, 1978

Jun 13, 1977

5/805652

James A. Orndorff - Glen Ellyn IL
Robert S. Wozniak - Elmhurst IL
John S. Andrepont - Lisle IL

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company - Oak Brook IL

B63B 2100

114230

A "quick-disconnect" rigid mooring system for attaching a ship to a buoyant tower comprises two rigid yoke structures, one of which is attached to the buoyant tower and the other of which is attached to the ship. Each yoke contains one element of a two-element "quick-disconnect" system, which when locked, achieves a rigid interconnection between the vessel and the buoyant tower. The yoke structures are provided with means which permit the structures to be properly aigned during the connect and disconnect procedures. The locking element of one of the yokes comprises an arm which projects from the end thereof, and a pair of transversely extending pins situated below the outwardly projecting arm. The locking element of the other yoke comprises a pair of spaced, parallel outwardly projecting arms provided with longitudinal slots that accept the outwardly projecting pins on the other yoke and guide the two yokes into aligned proximity, permitting the lock to be effected.