Patents by Inventor Barry A. Freel
Barry A. Freel 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: 20110123407Abstract: The present invent provides improved rapid thermal conversion processes for efficiently converting wood, other biomass materials, and other carbonaceous feedstock (including hydrocarbons) into high yields of valuable liquid product, e.g., bio-oil, on a large scale production. In an embodiment, biomass material, e.g., wood, is feed to a conversion system where the biomass material is mixed with an upward stream of hot heat carriers, e.g., sand, that thermally convert the biomass into a hot vapor stream. The hot vapor stream is rapidly quenched with quench media in one or more condensing chambers located downstream of the conversion system. The rapid quenching condenses the vapor stream into liquid product, which is collected from the condensing chambers as a valuable liquid product. In one embodiment, the liquid product itself is used as the quench media.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2011Publication date: May 26, 2011Inventor: Barry Freel
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Patent number: 7905990Abstract: A rapid thermal conversion process for efficiently converting wood, other biomass materials, and other carbonaceous feedstock (including hydrocarbons) into high yields of valuable liquid product, e.g., bio-oil, on a large scale production. Biomass material, e.g., wood, is feed to a conversion system where the biomass material is mixed with an upward stream of hot heat carriers, e.g., sand, that thermally convert the biomass into a hot vapor stream. The hot vapor stream is rapidly quenched with quench media in one or more condensing chambers located downstream of the conversion system. The rapid quenching condenses the vapor stream into liquid product, which is collected from the condensing chambers as a valuable liquid product. The liquid product may itself be used as the quench media.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2007Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.Inventor: Barry Freel
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Publication number: 20100236915Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for reducing cumulative deposition and unwanted secondary thermal reactions in pyrolysis and other thermal conversion processes. In an embodiment, a system comprises a device, referred to as a reamer, for removing product deposits between thermal conversion and condensation operations of a pyrolysis process. The reamer may comprise, but is not limited to, a mechanical reciprocating rod or ram, a mechanical auger, a drill bit, a high-temperature wiper, brush, or punch to remove deposits and prevent secondary reactions. Alternatively or in addition, the reamer may use a high-velocity curtain or jet (i.e., a hydraulic or pneumatic stream) of vapor, product gas, recycle gas, other gas jet or non-condensing liquid to remove deposits. Preferably, the reamer removes deposits during the pyrolysis process allowing for continuous operation of the pyrolysis process.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Inventors: Barry Freel, Geoffrey Hopkins
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Publication number: 20090298927Abstract: The present invention is related to a thermal extract of a plant material and methods of extraction thereof. The method of producing a thermal extract from a plant starting material by means of a thermal extraction of the starting material wherein the improvement consists in requiring smaller amounts of costly and/or toxic organic solvents for the extraction and partitioning steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2007Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: Pharmatherm Chemicals Inc.Inventors: David Boulard, Robert G. Graham, Barry Freel
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Publication number: 20090266380Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for reducing cumulative deposition and unwanted secondary thermal reactions in pyrolysis and other thermal conversion processes. In an embodiment, a system comprises a device, referred to as a reamer, for removing product deposits between thermal conversion and condensation operations of a pyrolysis process. The reamer may comprise, but is not limited to, a mechanical reciprocating rod or ram, a mechanical auger, a drill bit, a high-temperature wiper, brush, or punch to remove deposits and prevent secondary reactions. Alternatively or in addition, the reamer may use a high-velocity curtain or jet (i.e., a hydraulic or pneumatic stream) of vapor, product gas, recycle gas, other gas jet or non-condensing liquid to remove deposits. Preferably, the reamer removes deposits during the pyrolysis process allowing for continuous operation of the pyrolysis process.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Barry Freel, Geoffrey Hopkins
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Patent number: 7572365Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2002Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
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Patent number: 7572362Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2003Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
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Publication number: 20090139851Abstract: The present invent provides improved rapid thermal conversion processes for efficiently converting wood, other biomass materials, and other carbonaceous feedstock (including hydrocarbons) into high yields of valuable liquid product, e.g., bio-oil, on a large scale production. In an embodiment, biomass material, e.g., wood, is feed to a conversion system where the biomass material is mixed with an upward stream of hot heat carriers, e.g., sand, that thermally convert the biomass into a hot vapor stream. The hot vapor stream is rapidly quenched with quench media in one or more condensing chambers located downstream of the conversion system. The rapid quenching condenses the vapor stream into liquid product, which is collected from the condensing chambers as a valuable liquid product. In one embodiment, the liquid product itself is used as the quench media.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2007Publication date: June 4, 2009Inventor: Barry Freel
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Publication number: 20080230440Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. The method comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an up-flow reactor, introducing the feedstock at a location above the entry of the particulate heat carrier, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier for a short time, separating the vapors of the product stream from the particulate heat carrier and liquid and byproduct solid matter, collecting a gaseous and liquid product mixture comprising a mixture of a light fraction and a heavy fraction from the product stream, and using a vacuum tower to separate the light fraction as a substantially bottomless product and the heavy fraction from the product mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2008Publication date: September 25, 2008Inventors: Robert Graham, Barry Freel
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Patent number: 7270743Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the preparation of a partially upgraded feedstock exhibiting reduced viscosity and increased API gravity. This process selectively removes metals, salts, water and nitrogen from the feedstock, while at the same time maximizes the yield of the liquid product, and minimizes coke and gas production. Furthermore, this process reduces the viscosity of the feedstock in order to permit pipeline transport, if desired, of the upgraded feedstock with little or no addition of diluents.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2001Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy, Inc.Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham
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Publication number: 20070170095Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that utilizes a short residence pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that cracks and chemically upgrades the feedstock. The process of the present invention provides for the preparation of a partially upgraded feedstock exhibiting reduced viscosity and increased API gravity. This process selectively removes metals, salts, water and nitrogen from the feedstock, while at the same time maximizes the yield of the liquid product, and minimizes coke and gas production. Furthermore, this process reduces the viscosity of the feedstock in order to permit pipeline transport, if desired, of the upgraded feedstock with little or no addition of diluents.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2007Publication date: July 26, 2007Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert Graham
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Publication number: 20070125369Abstract: A process is provided for producing glucose and other fermentable sugars from a liquid mixture containing anhydrosugars. One example of a process encompasses: 1) water extraction of a anhydrosugar-rich fast-pyrolysis bio-oil fraction that constitutes a residual after removal of volatile impurities, 2) further purification of said anhydrosugar-rich fraction, and 3) solid-phase catalytic hydrolysis of the anhydrosugars to yield glucose and other fermentable sugars. An exemplary application of the process is in the production of ethanol and other sugar-based fermentation products from bio-oil generated via fast pyrolysis of low-cost, high-availability lignocellulosic biomass resources.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Inventors: Edwin Olson, Barry Freel
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Patent number: 7199080Abstract: A method of producing activated carbon comprising the steps of a) pyrolysing corn derivatives to generate char and b) activating the char to produce activated corn carbon.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2003Date of Patent: April 3, 2007Assignees: Ensyn Renewables, Inc., A E Staley Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Barry Freel, Gin Liaw, Cameron Ferguson
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Patent number: 6844420Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of preparing a natural resin by liquefying wood, bark, forest residues, wood industry residues, or other biomass using rapid destructive distillation (fast pyrolysis). Fast pyrolysis produces both vapors and char from biomass, and following removal of the char from the product vapors, a liquid pitch product is recovered and processed by distillation, evaporation, or a combination thereof, in order to obtain a natural resin which may be in either liquid or solid form. The natural resin comprises a total phenolic content from about 30% to about 80% (w/w), and is a highly-reactive ligninic compound that has been found to be suitable for use within resin formulations without requiring any further extraction or fractionation procedures. Resins comprising up to 60% natural resin have been prepared and tested in board production and found to exhibit similar properties associated with commercially available resins.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2000Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham, RĂ©gi Giroux
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Publication number: 20040097369Abstract: The invention can be summarized as follows. There is provided a method of producing activated carbon comprising the steps of a) pyrolysing corn derivatives to generate char and b) activating the char to produce activated corn carbon. Also provided are activated corn carbon products and methods employing the activated corn carbon.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Inventors: Barry Freel, Gin Liaw, Cameron Ferguson
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Publication number: 20040069686Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2002Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
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Publication number: 20040069682Abstract: The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. It utilizes a short residence-time pyrolytic reactor operating under conditions that result in a rapid pyrolytic distillation with coke formation. Both physical and chemical changes taking place lead to an overall molecular weight reduction in the liquid product and rejection of certain components with the byproduct coke. The liquid product is upgraded primarily because of its substantially reduced viscosity, increased API gravity, and the content of middle and light distillate fractions. While maximizing the overall liquid yield, the improvements in viscosity and API gravity can render the liquid product suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Barry Freel, Jerry F. Kriz, Doug Clarke
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Patent number: 6555649Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of preparing a natural resin by liquefying wood, bark, forest residues, wood industry residues, or other biomass using rapid destructive distillation (fast pyrolysis). Fast pyrolysis produces both vapours and char from biomass, and following removal of the char from the product vapours, a liquid pitch product is recovered and processed by distillation, evaporation, or a combination thereof, in order to obtain a natural resin which may be in either liquid or solid form. The natural resin comprises a total phenolic content from about 30% to about 80% (w/w), and is a highly-reactive ligninic compound that has been found to be suitable for use within resin formulations without requiring any further extraction or fractionation procedures. Resins comprising up to 60% natural resin have been prepared and tested in board production and found to exhibit similar properties associated with commercially available resins.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Ensyn Group, Inc.Inventors: Regi Giroux, Barry Freel, Robert Graham
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Patent number: 6485841Abstract: The present invention is directed to bio-oil compositions, derived from fast pyrolysis of wood feedstocks, that exhibit properties of a preservative. The bio-oil may be used alone, in formulations with either a waterbased, or an oilbased, or a combination of a water based and an oil based preservatives. This invention also includes a method of preparing a wood preservative composition comprising, processing treated wood containing a preservative using a fast pyrolysis reactor, and obtaining the bio-oil fraction. The application of wood products with the bio-oil of the present invention is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1998Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Ensyn Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Barry Freel, Robert G. Graham
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Publication number: 20020132972Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of preparing a natural resin by liquefying wood, bark, forest residues, wood industry residues, or other biomass using rapid destructive distillation (fast pyrolysis). Fast pyrolysis produces both vapours and char from biomass, and following removal of the char from the product vapours, a liquid pitch product is recovered and processed by distillation, evaporation, or a combination thereof, in order to obtain a natural resin which may be in either liquid or solid form. The natural resin comprises a total phenolic content from about 30% to about 80% (w/w), and is a highly-reactive ligninic compound that has been found to be suitable for use within resin formulations without requiring any further extraction or fractionation procedures. Resins comprising up to 60% natural resin have been prepared and tested in board production and found to exhibit similar properties associated with commercially available resins.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2001Publication date: September 19, 2002Applicant: Ensyn Group Inc.Inventors: Regi Giroux, Barry Freel, Robert Graham