Patents by Inventor Constantine A. Coulaloglou

Constantine A. Coulaloglou 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: 6199835
    Abstract: A gas distribution grid for a slurry reactor includes a plurality of gas injectors horizontally arrayed across, and extending through, an otherwise gas and liquid impervious plate. The injectors have a throat open at both ends, with a gas pressure reducing bore at one end which is the entrance end and with the other end opening into an upward opening cone. Flow diverting means in the injectors prevents slurry solids from entering the throat and being attrited by the high velocity gas jet exiting the bore into the throat. It is preferred that the gas injectors not protrude above the top surface of the grid and flat space is eliminated by means such as angular fillers, to prevent solids accumulation top of the grid. A chamfer may be present at the junction of the bore and throat to prevent unrestricted expansion of the gas jet entering the throat. This is useful for injecting gas into a reactive hydrocarbon synthesis slurry in a slurry reactor, with reduced catalyst attrition and deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou, Edward C. Hsu
  • Patent number: 6076810
    Abstract: A gas distribution grid for a slurry reactor includes a plurality of gas injectors horizontally arrayed across, and extending through, an otherwise gas and liquid impervious plate. The injectors have a throat open at both ends, with a gas pressure reducing bore at one end which is the entrance end and with the other end opening into an upward opening cone. Flow diverting means in the injectors prevents slurry solids from entering the throat and being attrited by the high velocity gas jet exiting the bore into the throat. It is preferred that the gas injectors not protrude above the top surface of the grid and flat space is eliminated by means such as angular fillers, to prevent solids accumulation top of the grid. A chamfer may be present at the junction of the bore and throat to prevent unrestricted expansion of the gas jet entering the throat. This is useful for injecting gas into a reactive hydrocarbon synthesis slurry in a slurry reactor, with reduced catalyst attrition and deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou, Edward C. Hsu
  • Patent number: 5905094
    Abstract: A slurry hydrocarbon synthesis process with reduced catalyst attrition is achieved by injecting a synthesis gas comprising a mixture of H.sub.2 and CO up into the reactive slurry with a gas distribution grid having gas injectors horizontally arrayed across, and vertically extending through, an otherwise gas and liquid impervious plate. The injectors have a throat with a gas pressure reducing orifice at one end, which is the bottom and gas entrance end, and the other end opening into an open cone in which the uprising gas contacts the slurry. Flow diverting means in the injectors prevents slurry from entering the throat and being attrited. The gas injectors do not protrude above the top surface of the plate and flat space is eliminated by means such as angular fillers, to prevent solids accumulation top of the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou, Edward C. Hsu, Larry E. Pedrick
  • Patent number: 5852061
    Abstract: In a hydrocarbon synthesis process, nitrogen is cryogenically removed from natural gas to produce a synthesis gas feed comprising methane which is substantially free of nitrogen. This feed is converted to a synthesis gas comprising a mixture of H.sub.2 and CO which is substantially free of the HCN and NH.sub.3 hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst deactivating nitrogen species. This reduces the need for rejuvenating the hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst. During the cryogenic separation, C.sub.2+ hydrocarbons are separated from the natural gas and all or a portion of the separated C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbons are added to the methane feed before it is converted into syngas, to increase syngas production. All or a portion of the separated C.sub.2 -C.sub.3 hydrocarbons may be removed as LPG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Dennis G. Alexion, Constantine A. Coulaloglou
  • Patent number: 5821270
    Abstract: A reversibly deactivated hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in a hydrocarbon synthesis slurry is rejuvenated by successively passing the slurry through at least two rejuvenation stages external of the slurry reactor, each of which comprises a rejuvenation zone followed by an offgas removal zone. This is accomplished by using a lift pipe outside the reactor into which slurry from the reactor is passed and contacts a catalyst rejuvenating gas to partially rejuvenate the catalyst particles and form a rejuvenation offgas. The gas and slurry mixture are passed into a vessel in which the gas is removed from the slurry. Rejuvenation gas is bubbled into the slurry in the vessel to further rejuvenate the catalyst. A gas removing downcomer removes gas from the slurry in the vessel before it is passed back into the reactor. The rejuvenation gas also acts as a lift gas in the lift pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou, Stephen Ju-Ming Hsia, Charles John Mart
  • Patent number: 5811468
    Abstract: A reversibly deactivated, particulate catalyst in a hydrocarbon synthesis slurry is rejuvenated by circulating the slurry from a slurry body through (i) a gas disengaging zone to remove gas bubbles from the slurry and increase its density, (iii) a downcomer which feeds the gas reduced, dense slurry into the bottom of a rejuvenating tube and applies a positive hydrostatic pressure to the tube, (iii) a catalyst rejuvenation zone in which a catalyst rejuvenating gas, which also acts as a lift gas, contacts the catalyst in slurry to form a catalyst rejuvenated slurry and, (iv) back into the slurry body. Removing gas bubbles prior to rejuvenation improves the rejuvenation efficiency and the downcomer reduces the amount of rejuvenation gas required to maintain slurry circulation through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou, Edward C. Hsu
  • Patent number: 5252613
    Abstract: Catalyst particle distribution and mixing in slurry part of bubble columns is improved by introducing a secondary suspending fluid into the columns at locations within the lower 20% of the vertical height of the column but above the gas distributor normally located at or near the bottom of the columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Min Chang, Constantine A. Coulaloglou