Patents Examined by N. Bhat
  • Patent number: 7708897
    Abstract: Device, system and method for injecting organic matter into a reaction enclosure (2) of a reactor for treatment using a supercritical water oxidation method. The device comprises a body having an inner volume defining a pressurizing capacity (24) in which a mobile assembly (29) is arranged, e.g. a bellows for dividing the inner volume into two variable volume compartments including a compressing capacity compartment (32) and a hydraulic pressurizing capacity compartment (34). The hydraulic pressurizing capacity compartment is preferably connected to the outlet (15) of an aqueous phase liquid/gas separator (14) which separates the liquid and gaseous phases of the effluent leaving the reaction enclosure (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Commissariat A l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Christophe Joussot-Dubien, Hubert-Alexandre Turc
  • Patent number: 7704465
    Abstract: Aluminum hydroxide aggregated particles which have an average particle diameter of not less than 40 ?m, an average particle diameter as determined after pressing at 1,000 kg/cm2 of not more than 35 ?m, and an L value of slurry obtained by mixing 20 ml of glycerol and 10 g of the aluminum hydroxide aggregated particles of not more than 69, are obtained by a process comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a supersaturated aqueous sodium aluminate solution to a vessel, (b) adding aluminum hydroxide seeds to the supersaturated aqueous sodium aluminate solution, (c) stirring the seed-added solution in the vessel while continuously feeding an additional supersaturated aqueous sodium aluminate solution into the vessel to hydrolyze the supersaturated aqueous sodium aluminate solution, (d) separating the aluminum hydroxide aggregated particles from the aqueous sodium aluminate solution, and (e) continuously discharging the aqueous sodium aluminate solution out of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hisakatsu Kato, Masashi Wada, Naoyuki Eguchi, Hirofumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7700049
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. At least one of the stacked ceramic sections may be adapted to allow sensing of a characteristic of contents of the central chamber. In some embodiments, waste gas inlets to the thermal reaction unit may be angled to create a helical vortex within the thermal reaction unit. Other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel O. Clark, Sebastien Raoux, Robert M. Vermeulen, Shaun W. Crawford
  • Patent number: 7695694
    Abstract: A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of fluid-impermeable plates defining side-by-side flow channels between them. Tight fitting within each flow channel is a sheet of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. At each end of the flow channels there may be headers for supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels, which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the wall of the tube separating the adjacent channels, from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The provision of side=by-side flow channels provides for structural strength and for enhanced heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: CompactGTL PLC
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Bowe, John William Stairmand, Ian Frederick Zimmerman, Jason Andrew Maude
  • Patent number: 7695695
    Abstract: A shell-and-tube reactor or heat exchanger comprises first tubes, through the inside of which a first object for heat transfer with a heat transfer medium is passed, some of the first tubes being provided in a zone in which a flow of the heat transfer medium (parallel flow) parallel to the axis of the tubes is present; and a second tube, through the inside of which the first object is not passed, the second tube being provided in said zone such that it is parallel to the axis of the first tubes. A method for producing an oxide comprises using said shell-and-tube reactor or heat exchanger, and causing a catalytic vapor-phase oxidation reaction in first tubes, through the inside of which the first object for heat transfer with the heat transfer medium is passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Baek Shin, Sang Phil Han, Ye Hoon Im, Young Bae Kim, Jung Hoon Chang, Sang Oeb Na, Won Am Lee
  • Patent number: 7691337
    Abstract: A container for thermal conditioning of a fluid under pressure, use of the container for thermally conditioning a fluid under pressure, a chemical reactor including the container and a polymerization process using the reactor, and a method of producing the container and the reactor. The container is bounded over at least part of its surface facing the outside by at least one external plate and facing the inside by at least one internal plate, the external plate being thicker than the internal plate, the external plate and the internal plate being joined together in places to define a space between joints for circulation of a heat-transfer fluid and the container including a mechanism to adjust the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid to that of the fluid under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: SOLVAY (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Bindelle, Philippe Guiche, Manuel De Francisco, Daniel Borremans, Thierry Cartage
  • Patent number: 7687673
    Abstract: A process for reacting feed in and an apparatus comprising a radial flow reactor including a first catalyst bed disposed between an outer wall and a centerpipe of the vessel and a second catalyst bed disposed within a centerpipe. Also disclosed is a method of loading catalyst into the radial flow reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: David W. Ablin
  • Patent number: 7682490
    Abstract: The present invention features a flange to flange dynamic seal and sealing system, particularly suited for use within high temperature, high pressure environments, such as a delayed coking process. The dynamic flange seal and sealing system comprises two primary elements or seals, each of which are capable of independently forming a flange seal between two flanged components or combining to create a flange seal. Specifically, these primary seals are an iconel bellows seal and a bi-material gasket, each of which surround a flange opening along a sealing surface. The flange seal created by the dynamic flange seal and sealing system is capable of being maintained in light of, or rather the sealing system adapts to, any structural or environmental changes within the connected flanges. As such, the flange seal may be a dynamic flange seal or a static flange seal or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation
    Inventor: Ruben F. Lah
  • Patent number: 7682574
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal reactor apparatus used to treat industrial effluent fluids, for example waste effluent produced in semiconductor and liquid crystal display manufacturing processes. Specifically, the present invention relates to improved monitoring and control features for the thermal reactor apparatus, including a flame sensing device, an intrinsically safe flammable gas sensing device, and a sequential mode of operation having built-in safety redundancy. The improved monitoring and control features ensure the safe and efficient abatement of waste effluent within the thermal reactor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ho-Man Rodney Chiu, Daniel O. Clark, Shaun W. Crawford, Jay J. Jung, Youssef A. Loldj, Robbert Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 7678950
    Abstract: Processes for the conversion of carbohydrates to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons, and processes for increasing the solubility of carbohydrates used in such processes are disclosed. The solubility of carbohydrates may be increased by contacting the carbohydrate with an ion-exchange resin. The dissolved product may be hydrogenated and reacted in the present of a catalyst to form a reaction product containing non-aromatic and aromatic gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Jianhua Yao, Edward L. Sughrue, II, James B. Kimble, Joseph B. Cross, Marvin M. Johnson, Dhananjay B. Ghonasgi
  • Patent number: 7678348
    Abstract: A Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalytic converter that does not require the injection of a reducing agent, and, particularly, to an open-flow type or wall-flow type SCR catalytic converter that does not require the injection of a reducing agent, which includes a front portion, in which first supports supporting modified catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls, a middle portion, in which second supports supporting ammonia synthesis catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls, and a rear portion, in which third supports supporting SCR reducing catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls. The catalytic converter can improve a reduction rate of NOx without requiring the injection of an ammonia reducing agent from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Heesung Catalysts Corporation
    Inventors: Hyun-sik Han, Jae-ho Bae, Eun-seok Kim
  • Patent number: 7674438
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a monoolefin production system comprising an extraction-hydrogenation zone for extracting a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon from an olefin stream into a polar solvent and, in situ, hydrogenating the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon to a monoolefin. In other embodiments, monoolefin production systems include an extraction-hydrogenation zone for performing the extraction and hydrogenating steps in situ. In alternative embodiments, the hydrogenation zone is disposed downstream from the extraction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Tin-Tack Peter Cheung, Marvin M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7670393
    Abstract: A method for causing chemical reactions between fluids, comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of metal sheets for providing first fluid flow channels adjacent to and in heat transfer contact with second fluid flow channels between adjacent ones of the metal sheets, placing catalyst material within at least some of the flow channels, passing a first fluid mixture through the first fluid flow channels and a second fluid mixture through the second fluid flow channels, wherein the first fluid mixture is different from the second fluid mixture, each fluid mixture undergoing separate reactions, one of the reactions being endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, and causing heat to transfer between the adjacent fluid flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Compactgtl PLC
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Bowe, John William Stairmand, Ian Frederick Zimmerman, Jason Andrew Maude
  • Patent number: 7671246
    Abstract: A catalytic process for converting biomass-derived carbohydrates to liquid alkanes, alkenes, and/or ethers is described. The process uses combinations of self- and crossed-aldol condensation reactions, dehydration reactions, and hydrogenation reactions, over specified metal-containing catalysts, to yield alkane, alkene, and ether products from carbohydrate reactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: James A. Dumesic, George W. Huber, Juben N. Chheda, Christopher J. Barrett
  • Patent number: 7670462
    Abstract: A system and method whereby on-line cleaning of black oil heater tubes and delayed coker heater tubes may be effectuated by injecting a high pressure water charge through the tubes during normal process operations so as to prevent tube fouling and heater downtime. The high pressure water charge begins the on-line cleaning process once it enters the heater tube by undergoing intense boiling and evaporation. The cleaning occurs by two methods—a scrubbing action and a shocking action. The scrubbing action occurs because of the complete turbulence caused by the water charge's intense boiling within the heater tubes. The shocking action is caused by the expansion and contraction of the heater tubes resulting from the colder water charge flowing through the heater tubes which is then followed by the hotter process fluid flowing through the heater tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Great Southern Independent L.L.C.
    Inventors: William C. Gibson, Robert L. Gibson
  • Patent number: 7666279
    Abstract: A structure for extreme thermal cycling has a support element that supports a vessel primarily by bearing and frictional forces rather than by welds. The support element has a bearing portion that tapers inwardly beneath a knuckle that separates a cylindrical section of the vessel from a sloped lower section. The bearing portion of the support element follows that slope, providing an extended area of contact between the support element and the vessel. An annular section of the support element can be heated and expanded before placing it around the cylindrical section of the vessel to provide pre-stressing. If required, a strap may extend downwardly from the vessel over an upper edge of the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Chicago Bridge & Iron Company
    Inventors: Steve M. Cihlar, Dale A. Swanson, Randy L. Eberly
  • Patent number: 7666278
    Abstract: A decoking system that not only enables an operator to remotely switch the coke-cutting process from boring to cutting mode without removing the drill stem from the coke drum, but also to remotely determine the drill stem's mode so that efficiency, safety and convenience are not compromised, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation
    Inventor: Ruben F. Lah
  • Patent number: 7658889
    Abstract: In a catalytic FCC cracking unit comprising a vertically disposed riser housing a reaction zone, the improvement comprising at least one device for redistribution of catalyst inside said reaction zone, the catalytic cracking unit being equipped at a plane with feedstock injectors, and an upper plane, with mixed temperature control (MTC) injectors, wherein said device has the general shape of a continuous ring adjacent the riser wall and along the inside periphery of said wall, said device creating a restriction in the cross section of the riser ranging between 30% and 45%, having a profile section at least partially rectilinear, and being located a) either in a zone encompassed between the plane of the feedstock injectors and the plane of the MTC injectors, b) or at a height of between 0.1 and 5 meters above the plane of the MTC injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignees: Institut Francais du Petrole, Total France
    Inventors: Romain Roux, Patrick Leroy, Thierry Patureaux
  • Patent number: 7655822
    Abstract: A gas-solid reactor and method including two fluidized reaction zones having an integrated gas-solid separation system which achieves rigorously controlled residence times in the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Joseph Ross, Thierry Gauthier, Régis Andreux
  • Patent number: 7651542
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed to generate hydrogen. A liquid permeable material with one or more cavities contains a solid anhydrous chemical hydride and an anhydrous activating agent. A housing that is heat and pressure resistant houses the liquid permeable material, and a liquid. One or more liquid sources inject the liquid into the housing such that the liquid contacts at least a portion of the liquid permeable material. A gas outlet port releases hydrogen gas produced by a reaction comprising the solid anhydrous chemical hydride, the anhydrous activating agent, and the liquid. A hydrogen output regulator controls the amount of hydrogen gas that the gas outlet port releases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Thulite, Inc
    Inventors: Kevin Shurtleff, Eric Ladd, John Patton, Chris Brydon, Ken Pearson