Kirankumar M Kothari
Engineers at Haman Ave, Hoffman Estates, IL

5339695, Aug 23, 1994

May 1, 1992

7/877147

Sukhvinder S. Kang - Rochester MN
Bharatan R. Patel - Etna NH
William E. Nutt - Enfield NH
Kirankumar K. Kothari - Hoffman Estates IL

Gas Research Institute - Chicago IL

G01F 700, G01F 120

7386119

The present invention provides a wide range fluid flowmeter, having a body with a central air flow passage and a target in the air flow passage to direct fluid flow to one of the first and second flow loops. The fluid alternates between the first and second flow loops to create an oscillatory system, whose frequency can be measured to determine fluid flow rate. A preferred frequency measuring device is a piezoelectric diaphragm provided within the body of the flowmeter. In a preferred embodiment, a low flow rate sensor is provided in a nozzle of the flowmeter proximal the inlet to the body of the oscillatory, high flow rate flowmeter. The low flow rate sensor can incorporate a convection system which measures flow rates beyond the lower scale of the oscillatory flowmeter, thereby providing an apparatus and a method for measuring flow rates in a compact flowmeter, and with greater efficiency than previous apparatuses and methods. In its preferred embodiment, the low flow rate sensor is a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor provided in a constricted nozzle proximal the inlet to the oscillatory flowmeter.

5347876, Sep 20, 1994

Jan 7, 1992

7/817656

Sukhvinder S. Kang - Rochester MN
Bharatan R. Patel - Etna NH
Kirankumar M. Kothari - Hoffman Estates IL

Gas Research Institute - Chicago IL

G01F 168, G01F 700

7386195

A temperature time-of-flight (TOF) sensor is combined with a nozzle of known flow area to create a TOF flowmeter. The TOF measured by the flow sensor provides a measure of gas volumetric flow rate. A TOF sensor has of a pulse heated wire and a single temperature sensor downstream of the wire. This single temperature sensor arrangement allows the accurate measurement of gas velocities much lower than the previously demonstrated limit of 0. 3 m/s. The TOF sensor combined with a nozzle creates a new device such that the TOF measured with this device provides a measure of the gas flow rate rather than just the gas velocity. More than one nozzle in series is combined to achieve high flow measuring ranges. Compensation for variations in the thermophysical properties of the gas being metered is provided by pulsing the heated wire and measuring sensor outputs when both are immersed in the gas at zero velocity.

7013991, Mar 21, 2006

Aug 17, 2004

10/919748

Alan Wilson-Langman - Milnerton, ZA
Michael R. Inggs - Simons Town, ZA
Leendert Johannes du Toit - Somerset-West, ZA
Kirankumar M. Kothari - Hoffman Estates IL, US
David R. Hanson - Pella IA, US

Gas Technology Institute - Des Plaines IL

E21B 44/06

175 48, 175 40

An obstacle avoidance system for obstacle detection in an opaque material. The system includes at least one electromagnetic signal source adapted to produce an electromagnetic source signal suitable for transmission through the opaque material, at least one electromagnetic signal detector adapted to receive reflected electromagnetic energy signals from discontinuities in the opaque material encountered by the electromagnetic source signal, and a reflected electromagnetic energy signal processor suitable for determining a presence of obstructions and/or strata variations within the opaque material. The system is preferably integral with a head element suitable for traversing the opaque material, for example a subterranean drill bit.

7592595, Sep 22, 2009

Oct 6, 2006

11/545004

Harold S. Lessure - Pittsburgh PA, US
Satoru Simizu - Pittsburgh PA, US
Kirankumar M. Kothari - Hoffman Estates IL, US

Operations Technology Development, NFP - Des Plaines IL

G01J 5/58

25033901

A method and apparatus in which a first absorption measurement is made over a first frequency interval or set of frequency intervals including one or more absorptions from a spectral band of interest. The first absorption measurement is ideally selected to be near the frequency of a peak in the absorption spectrum, providing high sensitivity at low gas concentrations. A second absorption measurement is made over a second frequency interval. The second absorption measurement is made to include a contribution from the broadening of the absorption spectrum at higher concentrations. The second absorption measurement provides sensitivity at higher concentrations. The two absorption measurements are then combined to deduce the target sample concentration as the absorption line spectrum changes shape with concentration.