Patents by Inventor Alain Brusselle

Alain Brusselle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9920172
    Abstract: A method can include consecutively batch processing at least two different polyethylene grades in pellet form in a pellet handling unit. A ratio of a melt flow index (MI) of a first polyethylene in pellet form (MIf) to a MI of a later processed polyethylene in pellet form (MIl) can be smaller than 0.30. The method can include processing an intermediate polyethylene grade in pellet form. An amount of intermediate polyethylene grade processed can be at most 1/100th of a handling capacity of the pellet handling unit. The intermediate polyethylene grade can have the same MI as the later processed polyethylene in pellet form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Peter Stevens, Franky Fant, Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 9839892
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a mud pot and a reflectometer to monitor a level of an interface between liquid diluent and catalyst slurry in the mud pot using reflectometry. The apparatus may include a mixing tank and a conduit to transfer catalyst slurry from the mud pot to the mixing tank. The apparatus may include a polymerization reactor and a conduit to provide catalyst slurry from the mixing tank to the polymerization reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 9574018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for consecutively producing at least two different polyethylene resins in one slurry loop reactor, comprising producing a first polyethylene resin in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta and/or a Chromium catalyst, and consecutively producing a second polyethylene resin in the presence of a metallocene catalyst, characterized in that the ratio of the melt flow index of the first produced polyethylene resin to the melt flow index of the second produced polyethylene resin is at least 0.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Peter Stevens, Franky Fant, Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 9512245
    Abstract: A process includes preparing a diluted catalyst slurry in a catalyst slurry preparation system. The diluted catalyst slurry contains solid particulate catalyst and liquid hydrocarbon diluent. The catalyst slurry preparation system includes a mixing vessel with a top part, a bottom part and a rotatable impeller system which is actuated by a motor. The rotatable impeller system has a magnetic actuated agitator shaft which is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the mixing vessel and extends through the top part of the mixing vessel. At least two double-bladed hubs are fixed to the magnetic actuated agitator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Louis Fouarge
  • Publication number: 20160152741
    Abstract: A process includes preparing a diluted catalyst slurry in a catalyst slurry preparation system. The diluted catalyst slurry contains solid particulate catalyst and liquid hydrocarbon diluent. The catalyst slurry preparation system includes a mixing vessel with a top part, a bottom part and a rotatable impeller system which is actuated by a motor. The rotatable impeller system has a magnetic actuated agitator shaft which is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the mixing vessel and extends through the top part of the mixing vessel. At least two double-bladed hubs are fixed to the magnetic actuated agitator shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Louis Fouarge
  • Patent number: 9273157
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a catalyst preparation system for the preparation of a diluted catalyst slurry. In particular, the invention relates to a catalyst preparation system comprising a mixing vessel for mixing a particulate catalyst and a liquid hydrocarbon diluent. According to the invention, diluted catalyst slurry is prepared in a mixing vessel comprising a rotatable axial impeller system comprising at least two double-bladed hubs. The invention also relates to a process for preparing diluted catalyst slurry for use in the preparation of a particulate polyethylene product in a loop reactor with the catalyst preparation system as described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Louis Fouarge
  • Publication number: 20150209749
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a mud pot and a reflectometer to monitor a level of an interface between liquid diluent and catalyst slurry in the mud pot using reflectometry. The apparatus may include a mixing tank and a conduit to transfer catalyst slurry from the mud pot to the mixing tank. The apparatus may include a polymerization reactor and a conduit to provide catalyst slurry from the mixing tank to the polymerization reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 9050573
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the level of an ethylene polymerization catalyst slurry in a mud pot (2), whereby said catalyst slurry is prepared by introducing a solid catalyst and a liquid diluent in said mud pot (2), and whereby through sedimentation an interface (35) is formed between said diluent and the obtained catalyst slurry, characterized in that said interface (35) is monitored with Time Domain Reflectometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Publication number: 20150011696
    Abstract: A method can include consecutively batch processing at least two different polyethylene grades in pellet form in a pellet handling unit. A ratio of a melt flow index (MI) of a first polyethylene in pellet form (MIf) to a MI of a later processed polyethylene in pellet form (MIl) can be smaller than 0.30. The method can include processing an intermediate polyethylene grade in pellet form. An amount of intermediate polyethylene grade processed can be at most 1/100th of a handling capacity of the pellet handling unit. The intermediate polyethylene grade can have the same MI as the later processed polyethylene in pellet form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Stevens, Franky Fant, Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 8846831
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for feeding metallocene catalyst slurry to an olefin polymerization loop reactor (1) using a positive displacement device (5) positive displacement device comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet and each chamber comprising an ball arranged between the walls of said chamber, wherein said chambers are connected to each other by a pump chamber operably connected to a pump, wherein, the difference between the diameter of said ball and the diameter of said chamber is comprised between 5 to 200 times the average particle size (d50) of said catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy
    Inventors: Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 8728971
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing catalyst slurry in a catalyst slurry preparation system and supplying catalyst slurry to an ethylene polymerization loop reactor wherein an accurate control of the pressure within said catalyst slurry preparation system is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Daan Dewachter, Louis Fouarge
  • Publication number: 20130231446
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a slurry loop reactor comprising at least two loop reactors connected in series and wherein the line connecting the two loops is subject to a dynamic pressure difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Daan Dewachter, Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Patent number: 8455595
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a slurry loop reactor comprising at least two loop reactors connected in series and wherein the line connecting the two loops is subject to a dynamic pressure difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy
    Inventors: Daan Dewachter, Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Publication number: 20130130890
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a catalyst preparation system for the preparation of a diluted catalyst slurry. In particular, the invention relates to a catalyst preparation system comprising a mixing vessel for mixing a particulate catalyst and a liquid hydrocarbon diluent. According to the invention, diluted catalyst slurry is prepared in a mixing vessel comprising a rotatable axial impeller system comprising at least two double-bladed hubs. The invention also relates to a process for preparing diluted catalyst slurry for use in the preparation of a particulate polyethylene product in a loop reactor with the catalyst preparation system as described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Louis Fouarge
  • Publication number: 20130130891
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing catalyst slurry in a catalyst slurry preparation system and supplying catalyst slurry to an ethylene polymerization loop reactor wherein an accurate control of the pressure within said catalyst slurry preparation system is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Alain Brusselle, Daan Dewachter, Louis Fouarge
  • Publication number: 20130131288
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for consecutively producing at least two different polyethylene resins in one slurry loop reactor, comprising producing a first polyethylene resin in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta and/or a Chromium catalyst, and consecutively producing a second polyethylene resin in the presence of a metallocene catalyst, characterized in that the ratio of the melt flow index of the first produced polyethylene resin to the melt flow index of the second produced polyethylene resin is at least 0.3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Peter Stevens, Franky Fant, Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Publication number: 20130125996
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for feeding metallocene catalyst slurry to an olefin polymerization loop reactor (1) using a positive displacement device (5) positive displacement device comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet and each chamber comprising an ball arranged between the walls of said chamber, wherein said chambers are connected to each other by a pump chamber operably connected to a pump, wherein, the difference between the diameter of said ball and the diameter of said chamber is comprised between 5 to 200 times the average particle size (d50) of said catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Daan Dewachter, Alain Brusselle
  • Publication number: 20120242532
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the level of an ethylene polymerization catalyst slurry in a mud pot (2), whereby said catalyst slurry is prepared by introducing a solid catalyst and a liquid diluent in said mud pot (2), and whereby through sedimentation an interface (35) is formed between said diluent and the obtained catalyst slurry, characterized in that said interface (35) is monitored with Time Domain Reflectometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: TOTAL PETROCHEMICALS RESEARCH FELUY
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle
  • Publication number: 20110190459
    Abstract: Process to kill a continuous catalyzed olefin liquid phase polymerization in which the catalyst is a Ziegler-Natta or a metallocene catalyst, wherein, a predetermined amount of killing agent is injected into the reactor during at least twice the cycle time of the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Olivier Miserque, Alain Brusselle, Vincent Warichet
  • Publication number: 20110105701
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a slurry loop reactor comprising at least two loop reactors connected in series and wherein the line connecting the two loops is subject to a dynamic pressure difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: TOTAL PETROCHEMICALS RESEARCH FELUY
    Inventors: Daan Dewachter, Louis Fouarge, Alain Brusselle