Patents by Inventor Andrew M. Warta
Andrew M. Warta 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).
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Publication number: 20230192485Abstract: A process for producing a purified hydrogen product without a pre-reformer or pre-reforming catalyst in a fired, tubular reformer where the feed stream having a carbon (i.e., C2+) molar composition greater than or equal to five percent and is mixed with a steam stream to yield a reformer feed stream with a steam-to-carbon ratio less than or equal to three. The reformer tubes contain a nickel-based catalyst without alkali promotion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2022Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Frank J. Klein, III, Andrew M. Warta, Axel Behrens, Stephanie Neuendorf, Troy M. Raybold, Nicole Schödel, Andreas Peschel, Martin Lang
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Publication number: 20210254891Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of separating carbon monoxide from syngas mixtures with high methane content by cryogenic means where a partial condensation cycle is generally employed, and more specifically towards combining the methane-rich liquid exiting the distillation column with a lower-boiling mixture so that the boiling point of the combined stream is lower than the boiling point of the methane-rich liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2020Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Joseph Michael Schwartz, Bryan S. Kalp, Andrew M. Warta, Minish Mahendra Shah
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Publication number: 20210172678Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of separating carbon monoxide from syngas mixtures by cryogenic means where a partial condensation cycle is generally employed, and more specifically varying refrigeration generation based on income feed composition of the hydrocarbon feedstock being processed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2019Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventor: Andrew M. Warta
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Patent number: 10294102Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing a catalyst utilized in a hydrogen plant. More specifically, the invention relates the reduction of a catalyst employed in the steam methane reformer.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Andrew M Warta, Troy M Raybold, David R Barnes, Jr.
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Patent number: 10254040Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
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Patent number: 10113792Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
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Publication number: 20180170751Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing a catalyst utilized in a hydrogen plant. More specifically, the invention relates the reduction of a catalyst employed in the steam methane reformer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: ANDREW M. WARTA, TROY M. RAYBOLD, DAVID R. BARNES, JR.
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Publication number: 20170115053Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
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Patent number: 9574821Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20170030643Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
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Patent number: 9518778Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2012Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
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Publication number: 20160153711Abstract: A system and method for air separation using a supplemental refrigeration cycle is provided. A portion of the refrigeration required by the air separation plant to produce a liquid product stream is supplied via a supplemental refrigeration circuit configured to direct a cooled refrigerant produced by the turboexpander through the main heat exchanger of the air separation plant. The refrigeration capacity is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus decreases the production of the liquid product stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2016Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Andrew M. Warta, Hao Wu, David R. Parsnick, Sophia J. Dowd
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Patent number: 9291388Abstract: A system and method for air separation using a supplemental refrigeration cycle is provided. A portion of the refrigeration required by the air separation plant to produce a liquid product stream is supplied via a supplemental refrigeration circuit configured to direct a cooled refrigerant produced by the turboexpander through the main heat exchanger of the air separation plant. The refrigeration capacity is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus decreases the production of the liquid product stream.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Andrew M. Warta, Hao Wu, David R. Parsnick, Sophia J. Dowd
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Publication number: 20150345857Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20140174123Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2012Publication date: June 26, 2014Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
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Publication number: 20130192301Abstract: A system and method for air separation using a supplemental refrigeration cycle is provided. A portion of the refrigeration required by the air separation plant to produce a liquid product stream is supplied via a supplemental refrigeration circuit configured to direct a cooled refrigerant produced by the turboexpander through the main heat exchanger of the air separation plant. The refrigeration capacity is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus decreases the production of the liquid product stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Andrew M. Warta, Hao Wu, David R. Parsnick, Sophia J. Dowd
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Publication number: 20120036891Abstract: An air separation method and apparatus in which a supercritical oxygen product is produced by heating a pumped liquid oxygen stream having a supercritical pressure, through indirect heat exchange with a boosted pressure air stream. The indirect heat exchange is conducted within a heat exchanger and a liquid nitrogen stream is vaporized in the heat exchanger to depress the pressure that would otherwise be required of the boosted pressure air stream to heat the pumped liquid oxygen stream. The pumped liquid oxygen stream constitutes 90 percent of the oxygen-rich liquid removed from an air separation unit in which the air is rectified, the liquid nitrogen constitutes at least 90 percent of the liquid nitrogen that is not used as reflux and a flow-rate ratio between the liquid nitrogen stream and the oxygen-rich liquid is between about 0.3 and 0.90.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventors: Neil Mark Prosser, Richard John Jibb, James Richard Salge, Lyda Zambrano, Andrew M. Warta
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Publication number: 20120036892Abstract: An air separation method and apparatus in which a supercritical oxygen product is produced by heating a pumped liquid oxygen stream having a supercritical pressure, through indirect heat exchange with a boosted pressure air stream. The indirect heat exchange is conducted within a heat exchanger and a liquid nitrogen stream is vaporized in the heat exchanger to depress the pressure that would otherwise be required of the boosted pressure air stream to heat the pumped liquid oxygen stream. The pumped liquid oxygen stream constitutes 90 percent of the oxygen-rich liquid removed from an air separation unit in which the air is rectified, the liquid nitrogen constitutes at least 90 percent of the liquid nitrogen that is not used as reflux and a flow-rate ratio between the liquid nitrogen stream and the oxygen-rich liquid is between about 0.3 and 0.90.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Neil Mark Prosser, Richard John Jibb, James Richard Salge, Lyda Zambrano, Andrew M. Warta