Patents Examined by Derek N Mueller
  • Patent number: 10774275
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are used for investigating the naphtha reforming process in catalyst test devices with reactors arranged in parallel. The apparatus has a plurality of reactors arranged in parallel with reaction chambers (R1, R2, . . . ), a product fluid supply, a process control, and at least one analysis unit. Each individual reactor has an outlet line for the product fluid stream, wherein the analysis unit is operatively connected to each outlet line for the product fluid stream and the apparatus is functionally connected to the control of the apparatus. In carrying out the method, naphtha-containing reactant fluid streams are brought into contact with catalysts in the individual reactors and the product fluid streams are subsequently supplied to the online analysis unit from the respective outlet lines of the individual reactors and analyzed. Using the evaluation of the online analytical characterization data, the process parameters of the respective reactor unit are adapted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: hte GmbH the high throughput experimentation company
    Inventors: Marius Kirchmann, Christoph Hauber
  • Patent number: 10744453
    Abstract: A combination marine exhaust gas scrubber and ballast disinfection system using seawater/water surrounding a ship to reduce/scrub smoke-stack emissions and produce a disinfected seawater/water for ballast, which can then be periodically or continually discharged back into the seawater/water body without concern for the spread of non-invasive species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Terry Gong
  • Patent number: 10722833
    Abstract: A process is described for removing halogen compounds, particularly chlorine compounds, from a process fluid, comprising the steps of (i) passing a process fluid containing hydrogen halide over a first sorbent to remove hydrogen halide and generate a hydrogen halide depleted process fluid and then, (ii) passing the hydrogen halide depleted process fluid over a second different sorbent to remove organic halide compounds therefrom. A purification system suitable for removing hydrogen halide and organic halide compounds from process fluids is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Colin Baptist, Claire Cahill, Matthew John Cousins, David Davis, Michelle Taylor Wilson, Christopher John Young
  • Patent number: 10710943
    Abstract: Processes and apparatus for isomerizing hydrocarbons are provided. The process comprises isomerizing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon feed stream comprising at least one of C4 to C7 hydrocarbons in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and hydrogen under isomerization conditions to produce an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream is stabilized in a stabilizer to provide a stabilizer off-gas stream comprising chlorides and a liquid isomerate stream. At least a portion of the stabilizer off-gas stream is contacted with a dried feed stream to remove chlorides from the stabilizer off-gas stream. The dried feed stream is not cooled before absorbing the chlorides. A portion of the dried feed stream may bypass the absorbing section. A chiller is disposed on top of the vessel with the absorbing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Manoj Kumar, David James Shecterle
  • Patent number: 10711202
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus for pyrolysis of mixed plastic feedstock producing petroleum products are described. In one example, a process for producing petroleum products includes charging feedstock of mixed polymer materials into a reactor apparatus. Heat energy is applied to the feedstock while advancing the feedstock through the reactor apparatus in an anaerobic operation. The energy input to the reactor apparatus is controlled by controlling a temperature gradient within the reactor vessel to produce petroleum gas product. The process involves in situ chemical reactions comprising cracking and recombination reactions that that are controlled to convert solid hydrocarbonaceous portion of the feedstock to molten fluids and gases inside the reactor vessel and to produce gaseous petroleum products which exit the reactor vessel. The separated solid residue from the pyrolysis process is also removed from the reactions vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: RES POLYFLOW LLC
    Inventors: Jay Schabel, Richard A. Schwarz, Charles W. Grispin, Mehmet A. Gencer, Joseph D. Hensel
  • Patent number: 10703996
    Abstract: Systems for reforming a feedstock comprising paraffins and naphthenes. A first reactor containing a first reforming catalyst is operable to maintain a temperature and pressure that facilitates conversion of naphthenes in the feedstock to aromatics while facilitating conversion of less than 50 wt. % of paraffins in the feedstock to olefins. A first separator receives and separates the first effluent that is produced in the first reactor to produce a first fraction enriched in aromatics and a second fraction enriched in paraffins. A second reactor containing a second reforming catalyst is operable to maintain a temperature and pressure that facilitates conversion of at least 50 wt. % of paraffins in the second fraction to olefins. The system is operable to produce a liquid hydrocarbon product suitable for use as a blend component of a liquid transportation fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Edward C. Weintrob, Sundararajan Uppili, Clark A. Miller, Tushar V. Choudhary
  • Patent number: 10703645
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an atmospheric water generation system. The atmospheric water generation system may include a solar collector including a heat absorbing roof and an interior enclosure adjacent the heat absorbing roof. The heat absorbing roof may include a perforated dark panel that may be configured to allow ambient air into the interior enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Inventors: Behrooz Shahriari, Ehsan Seyfali
  • Patent number: 10702897
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of weakening and removal of coke or carbonaceous material which deposits as a result of thermal cracking of hydrocarbons on the inner walls of coils, piping, tubing, and in general, hydrocarbon processing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: William J Scharmach
  • Patent number: 10703994
    Abstract: Solvent deasphalting (SDA) in series is used to extract deasphalted oil from heavier hydrocarbons in series. Instead of stripping the pitch material of solvent in the second stage which can stick in the pitch stripper and inhibit flow, a dryer is used to vaporize solvent for recycle to the second SDA unit and produce pitch solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 10702846
    Abstract: A device and method are disclosed to mix two or more liquids to reduce their viscosity, specific gravity or density. The device can also take a heavy fuel oil and following treatment, produce a lighter fuel oil. The invention also comprises a method and procedure for mixing two or more liquids as well as producing a lighter fuel oil from a heavy fuel oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Active Resource Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Konstantin Lennykh, Konstantin Selivanov
  • Patent number: 10703979
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards modifying the internals of the reactor section of a fluidized coke reactor such that the majority of the hydrocarbon feed will react in the core region of the reactor section and that any hydrocarbon vapour that is produced in the annular region will be released into the core region. Therefore, the present invention reduces the residence time of vapour immediately flashed from the injected hydrocarbon feed, resulting in reduced secondary vapour phase cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SYNCRUDE CANADA LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Wormsbecker, Jennifer McMillan, Craig McKnight, Jason Wiens
  • Patent number: 10703984
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using an oxygen-containing gas as at least part of the stripping gas for the stripping zone or section in a fluidized coker. By using an oxygen-containing gas as the stripping gas, heat can be added to the stripping zone selectively based on combustion of coke and/or hydrocarbons with the oxygen in the stripping gas. This can allow the temperature of the stripping zone to be increased relative to the temperature of the coking zone of a fluidized coking system. The flow of oxygen can be controlled to achieve a desirable temperature in the stripper while the reactor temperature is independently set by preheating of the feed and/or hot coke circulation to the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventor: Mohsen N. Harandi
  • Patent number: 10702789
    Abstract: A thermal desalination system, comprising a multi-effect evaporator comprising a plurality of effects, configured to produce product water and brine and a fluidized bed crystallizer, configured to remove dissolved minerals and/or solids from the water, wherein the fluidized bed crystallizer is disposed between at least two effects of the multi-effect evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: I.D.E. TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Tomer Efrat, Alex Drak
  • Patent number: 10703986
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for selective oxidation of CO and/or C3? hydrocarbonaceous compounds in a reaction environment including hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbonaceous components. The selective oxidation can be performed by exposing the CO and/or C3? hydrocarbonaceous compounds to a catalytic metal that is encapsulated in a small pore zeolite. The small pore zeolite containing the encapsulated metal can have a sufficiently small pore size to reduce or minimize the types of hydrocarbons or hydrocarbonaceous compounds that can interact with the encapsulated metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Pedro Serna Merino, Jadeene E. Gabay, Avelino Corma Canos, Manuel Moliner Marin
  • Patent number: 10703875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solvent recovery apparatus and a solvent recovery method, and the solvent recovery apparatus and method according to the present application can reduce the used amount of steam in a synthetic rubber production process, and can reduce the used amount of energy by recovering the waste heat discarded through a condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Kyu Lee, Joon Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 10703989
    Abstract: Methods for conserving the use of fresh wash water in crude oil desalting are described. A crude oil stream including salt mixes with a wash water stream to form an emulsion. The emulsion flows to a desalter, and the wash water coalesces to reform the wash water stream and to transfer at least a portion of the salt from the crude oil stream to the wash water stream. The crude oil stream with reduced salt content separates from the wash water stream. The effluent, which includes the wash water stream, flows from the desalter to a processing unit. The effluent is processed to reduce a concentration of salt in the effluent to be substantially equal to or less than a concentration of salt in the wash water stream. At least a portion of the processed effluent mixes with the crude oil stream before the emulsion flows to the desalter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Vilas S. Koleshwar, Saif F. Albluwi
  • Patent number: 10703704
    Abstract: A process for continuously removing water in situ from an oxidative esterification reaction is provided. The process includes (a) conducting a first oxidative esterification reaction in a first reactor or reaction zone, wherein the total number of reactors or reaction zones is n and n is at least 2; (b) removing a crude product stream from the first reactor or reaction zone; (c) introducing the crude product stream to a distillation column to generate a column overheads stream and a column bottoms stream; (d) passing a portion of the columns bottoms stream to the product recovery zone; and (e) passing a portion of the column overheads stream to a subsequent reactor or reaction zone. Steps (a)-(e) can be repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Zubin B. Kuvadia, Kirk W. Limbach, Dmitri A. Kraptchetov, Mark A. Silvano
  • Patent number: 10702793
    Abstract: Selective recovery of C2 to C4 hydrocarbons is achieved through the use of a converging-diverging nozzle, or de Laval nozzle. The vapor stream comprising C2 to C4 hydrocarbons is fed into an inlet of a de Laval nozzle having a throat. The vapor stream may have an initial temperature of between 0° C. and 100° C., and an initial pressure of between 200 psig and 500 psig. In the de Laval nozzle, the vapor stream expands after passing through the throat of the de Laval nozzle, producing a vapor stream having reduced temperature and pressure. Then, C2 to C4 hydrocarbons condense from the reduced-temperature vapor stream as liquid droplets, which may be recovered. Fractionation of C2 to C4 hydrocarbons by means of a de Laval nozzle is possible; the technique allows selective recovery of propane from a mixture of propane and ethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: Eastman Chemical Company, North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Ashfaq Shahanawaz Shaikh, Thomas Allen Puckette, Scott Owens, Syed Maaz, Jack R. Edwards
  • Patent number: 10703980
    Abstract: It has been discovered that the efficiency of asphalt blow stills can be improved by sectionalizing the blow still with perforated plates at various heights within the blow still. The perforated plates which contain a multitude of holes act to reduce air bubble size and improve the dispersion of the air bubbles throughout the asphalt flux. This increases the total surface area per unit volume of the air bubbles and promotes a faster processing time. The perforated plates also increase the contact time between the air bubbles and the asphalt flux which further results in improved efficiency and reduced blow times. This is beneficial because faster processing times can be achieved resulting in more efficient use of equipment, higher levels of productivity, lower energy requirements, cost savings, reduce blow loss, and reduced thermal history to which the asphalt is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Building Materials Investment Corporation
    Inventors: Denis Muki Tibah, Daniel E. Boss, Nicholas R. Soto
  • Patent number: 10703982
    Abstract: A process for solvent extraction of bitumen from mined oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the mined oil sand ore with at least one solvent to produce a solvent/oil sand slurry; adding water to the solvent/oil sand slurry to produce a slurry having a water-to-solids mass ratio of less than about 0.1; mixing the slurry in a mixing tank having a diameter to agglomerate the solids present in the slurry, the mixing tank operating at a power input of between 20 and 50 W/kg of slurry, to produce an agglomerated slurry; and subjecting the agglomerated slurry to solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; whereby the slurry height in the mixing tank is 0.1 to 0.3 of the tank diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SYNCRUDE CANADA LTD. in trust for the owners of the Syncrude Project as such owners exist now and in the future
    Inventors: Xin Alex Wu, Sujit Bhattacharya