Patents Represented by Attorney Roderick W. MacDonald

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  • Polymer removal from a polymer mixer
    Patent number: 7878700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the removal of polymer from a mixer using an outlet gate that is coupled to an actuator by way of a pair of flanges, one flange carrying a protuberance and the other flange carrying a depression into which the protuberance fits in a sliding manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: James R. Ketchum
  • Ethylene recovery from a polymerization process
    Patent number: 7709585
    Abstract: A method for solution polymerizing ethylene wherein an ethane purge stream is separated, subjected to high efficiency cryogenic distillation, and a side cut from that distillation recycled to the polymerization process while the overhead and bottoms from that distillation are removed from the polymerization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Alberto Buchelli, Ronald J. Morris, William G. Todd, Anthony Lee Zimmermann
  • Toluene production
    Patent number: 7709693
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the production of nitration grade toluene from a solvent extraction process that produces an aromatic rich extract and a saturate rich raffinate, comprising adding an effective amount of the raffinate back to the extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Gaeth, Reynaldo E. Vera
  • Hydrocarbon thermal cracking using hardfaced fittings
    Patent number: 7615144
    Abstract: A thermal cracking process that employs (1) a sinusoidal conduit in the convection section of a thermal cracking furnace, (2) a cross-over conduit, and/or (3) a transfer conduit that contains at least one bend fitting, at least one bend fitting carrying a protective layer comprising a steel carrier and carbide pellets composed of submicron hard particles cemented with a metal binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Bala S. Devakottai, Anthony R. Kiballa, John A. Swanson, Pinakin B. Mistry
  • Method of operating a cooling fluid system
    Patent number: 7614613
    Abstract: In a gravity fed cooling tower liquid return system having a common header with a plurality of valved sub-headers, a distributive control system, risers on the sub-headers, and sensor/transmitters on the risers, some of the sensor/transmitters controlling the valves on their respective sub-headers, sensing the liquid level in each of the sub-headers, comparing the sensed liquid levels in the distributive control system, and controlling the liquid levels in the sub-headers in response to the sensed liquid levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: David B. Shield
  • Valve construction and method of use
    Patent number: 7571890
    Abstract: An actuated valve having a rotatable cam that controls an opening and closing disc and stop members for the cam, the cam having a notch that allows the cam to be stopped between fully open and fully closed, and an adjustable member on the stop member that corresponds with the notch that allows the cam to be rotated to the fully open or fully closed position. A method of thermally cracking at least one of whole crude oil and natural gas condensate using the actuated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignees: Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P., Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Patrick L. Maloney, Ricky W. Catchings
  • Method for processing natural gasoline
    Patent number: 7572366
    Abstract: A method for rendering a high Reid Vapor Pressure natural gasoline feed suitable for addition to the gasoline pool by using steam stripping conditions that provide an overhead fraction that is suitable for thermal cracking, and a bottoms product that has a substantially reduced Reid Vapor Pressure as compared to the natural gasoline feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Integrated cracking and metathesis process
    Patent number: 7550638
    Abstract: An integrated method that comprises a hydrocarbon thermal cracking operation to form at least one olefin product, coupled with dimerization and metathesis operations, the dimerization operation forming additional feed material for the metathesis operation, and the metathesis operation forming additional amounts of olefin product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Robert S. Bridges, Steven T. Coleman
  • Olefin production utilizing whole crude oil/condensate feedstock with enhanced distillate production
    Patent number: 7550642
    Abstract: A method processing a liquid crude and/or natural gas condensate feed comprising subjecting the feed to a vaporization step to form a vaporous product and a liquid product, subjecting the vaporous product to severe thermal cracking, and subjecting the liquid product to crude oil refinery processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Plug-flow method and apparatus for operating a curvilinear pressure vessel where transport phenomena occur
    Patent number: 7531024
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a pressure vessel containing a bed of particulate material comprising substantially leveling the bed and employing a plug-flow inducer in the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Alberto Buchelli, William G. Todd, Jeffrey R. Golden
  • Upgrading drip oil
    Patent number: 7527725
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for upgrading drip oil comprising subjecting the drip oil to multiple distillation steps to form a stream rich in aromatics and a separate stream rich in dicyclopentadiene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignees: Equistar Chemicals, LP, Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Krishnan Viswanathan, Lau S. Yang, Ellen S. Lenz, David W. Leyshon
  • Sampling method
    Patent number: 7493800
    Abstract: A method for sampling a host liquid in a vessel to detect the presence of an undesired liquid in the host liquid and removing host liquid that contains undesired liquid from the vessel, wherein an electrical capacitance probe is employed to detect the presence of the undesired liquid, and the liquid that is passed by the capacitance probe is fed to an incinerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Ahmad Zamanian, Lawrence W. Dvorak, Brian K. Reed
  • Residence time distribution method and apparatus for operating a curvilinear pressure vessel where transport phenomena take place
    Patent number: 7491259
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a pressure vessel containing a bed of particulate material comprising substantially leveling the bed and employing a fluid flow distributor above the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Alberto Buchelli, William G. Todd
  • Method for temporary closing and reopening of a reactor tube
    Patent number: 7491368
    Abstract: A method for deliberately plugging the inlet and outlet ends of a reactor tube in a recoverable manner, which method employs at least one vented plug whereby fluid communication within the tube can be established or terminated at will, and the tube is unplugged only after the fluid content of the tube has been drained through the vented plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Keith L. Vogel, Michael A. Middleton
  • Hydrocarbon thermal cracking using atmospheric distillation
    Patent number: 7404889
    Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a hydrocarbonaceous feed wherein the feed is first processed in an atmospheric thermal distillation step to form a light gasoline and atmospheric residuum mixture. The light gasoline/residuum combination is gasified at least in part in a vaporization step, and the gasified product of the vaporization step is thermally cracked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Olefin production utilizing condensate feedstock
    Patent number: 7396449
    Abstract: A method for utilizing natural gas condensate as a feedstock for an olefin production plant wherein the feedstock is subjected to vaporization and separation conditions that remove light hydrocarbons from the condensate for thermal cracking in the plant, and leave liquid distillate for separate recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Rotary seal
    Patent number: 7392988
    Abstract: A rotary seal housing having opposing ends, a first fluid conducting slot at one of the opposing ends, a pair of spaced apart fluid conducting slots at the other opposing end, and sets of apertures connecting the first fluid conducting slot with the pair of fluid conducting slots, the housing having helical push back grooves that are arcuate in cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: David T. Moldt, James E. Taylor, Sina Saylany
  • Olefin production utilizing whole crude oil feedstock
    Patent number: 7374664
    Abstract: A method for utilizing whole crude oil as a feedstock for the pyrolysis furnace of an olefin production plant wherein the feedstock is subjected to vaporization conditions until substantially vaporized with minimal mild cracking but leaving some remaining liquid from the feedstock, the vapors thus formed being subjected to severe cracking in the radiant section of the furnace, and the remaining liquid from the feedstock being mixed with at least one quenching oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventor: Donald H. Powers
  • Thermal cracking
    Patent number: 7374661
    Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a hydrocarbonaceous feed material using a combustion fuel fired furnace wherein at least part of the combustion fuel employed in the furnace is syngas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Robert S. Bridges, Sellamuthu G. Chellappan
  • Solvent extraction
    Patent number: 7348466
    Abstract: In a method for the solvent extraction of butadiene from a mixture of hydrocarbons having four carbon atoms per molecule, which method inherently produces tars, the extraction process is operated with a tar loading level, relative to the solvent employed, of no more than about 1.6 wt. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Equistar Chemicals, LP
    Inventors: Joseph P. Bridges, Solon B. Williams, Byron B. Unterbrink