Patents by Inventor Dirk Manzel

Dirk Manzel 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: 11365172
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a production plant for producing a chemical product (1) by reacting a H-functional reactant (2) with phosgene (3) during an interruption in production when taking at least one plant part of the production plant out of operation, wherein low-oxygen and oxygen-rich phosgene-containing exhaust gas flows are directed separately from one another in different phosgene decomposition directions and separately from one another—at spatially different points—into a combustion device, wherein plant parts that have not been taken out of operation are operated in a closed-circuit operating mode. The invention also relates to a production plant for producing a chemical product by reacting H-functional reactants with phosgene, which is suitable for being operated with the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Juergen Spriewald, Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen
  • Patent number: 11213867
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cleaning a phosgene conducting apparatus, comprising: washing the apparatus with hot inert gas, followed by washing the apparatus with cold inert gas; conveying gaseous ammonia for breaking down phosgene residues with a continuous increase in temperature until a maximum temperature ranging between 30° C. to 120° C. is reached; once the maximum temperature is reached, shutting down the ammonia supply and the conveying of inert gas, optionally followed by washing the apparatus with an aqueous stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Peter Wolf, Udo Boegel
  • Publication number: 20210147346
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a production plant for producing a chemical product (1) by reacting a H-functional reactant (2) with phosgene (3) during an interruption in production when taking at least one plant part of the production plant out of operation, wherein low-oxygen and oxygen-rich phosgene-containing exhaust gas flows are directed separately from one another in different phosgene decomposition directions and separately from one another—at spatially different points—into a combustion device, wherein plant parts that have not been taken out of operation are operated in a closed-circuit operating mode. The invention also relates to a production plant for producing a chemical product by reacting H-functional reactants with phosgene, which is suitable for being operated with the method according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Juergen Spriewald, Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen
  • Patent number: 10947187
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and optionally a mixture of methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and polymethylene-polyphenylene-polyisocyanate, wherein, in a step ?), a fraction (142) containing a methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components is provided, optionally via a step ?.1), the separating of methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components from a fraction (100) containing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and polymethylene-polyphenylene-polyisocyanate, and wherein, in a step ?), the fraction (142) containing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components is subjected to a purification comprising an isomer separation by distillation and/or crystallization in two or more sub-steps (a, b, . . . ), obtaining two or more methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate-reinfractions (140-1, 140-2, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Covestro Intellectual Property GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Peter Plathen, Dirk Manzel, Stefan Wershofen
  • Publication number: 20200331848
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and optionally a mixture of methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and polymethylene-polyphenylene-polyisocyanate, wherein, in a step ?), a fraction (142) containing a methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components is provided, optionally via a step ?.1), the separating of methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components from a fraction (100) containing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and polymethylene-polyphenylene-polyisocyanate, and wherein, in a step ?), the fraction (142) containing methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate and secondary components is subjected to a purification comprising an isomer separation by distillation and/or crystallization in two or more sub-steps (a, b, . . . ), obtaining two or more methylene-diphenylene-diisocyanate-reinfractions (140-1, 140-2, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Peter Plathen, Dirk Manzel, Stefan Wershofen
  • Publication number: 20200246845
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cleaning a phosgene conducting apparatus, comprising: washing the apparatus with hot inert gas, followed by washing the apparatus with cold inert gas; conveying gaseous ammonia for breaking down phosgene residues with a continuous increase in temperature until a maximum temperature ranging between 30° C. to 120° C. is reached; once the maximum temperature is reached, shutting down the ammonia supply and the conveying of inert gas, optionally (and preferably) followed by washing the apparatus with an aqueous stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Peter Wolf, Udo Boegel
  • Patent number: 10577311
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for an economically and technically improved embodiment of a production interruption in a production method for isocyanates by phosgenation of the corresponding amines, in which the entire production plant is not closed while one or more parts of the plant is taken out of operation, rather the input materials and/or reaction products available in the production plant are recirculated through at least one part of the plant that has not been taken out of operation. The invention further relates to a plant for producing isocyanates and to a method for operating a plant for producing isocyanates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Jürgen Spriewald
  • Patent number: 10364214
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing isocyanates, according to which exhaust flows provided for the combustion are guided through an adsorption device before being supplied into the exhaust gas combustion process, and are thereby depleted of solvent, the adsorption device comprising at least two adsorption units connected in parallel, which are alternately (i) exposed to the at least one exhaust flow and (ii) regenerated with water vapor, where, during method step (i), an exhaust flow depleted of solvent is obtained, and during method step (ii), a flow containing water and solvent is obtained, the solvent proportion of which is recycled into a method for producing isocyanates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Jürgen Spriewald
  • Publication number: 20190210961
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing isocyanates, according to which exhaust flows provided for the combustion are guided through an adsorption device before being supplied into the exhaust gas combustion process, and are thereby depleted of solvent, the adsorption device comprising at least two adsorption units connected in parallel, which are alternately (i) exposed to the at least one exhaust flow and (ii) regenerated with water vapour, where, during method step (i), an exhaust flow depleted of solvent is obtained, and during method step (ii), a flow containing water and solvent is obtained, the solvent proportion of which is recycled into a method for producing isocyanates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Dirk MANZEL, Peter PLATHEN, Jürgen SPRIEWALD
  • Patent number: 10280135
    Abstract: The invention relates to a continuously operated method for producing isocyanates by reacting the corresponding amines with phosgene. When changing the target production capacity starting from a starting state with a specified production capacity and ending with an end state with a different production capacity, the current excess phosgene at the time of the transition period between the starting state and the end state, the change of the amine mass flow beginning during said time, is at least equal to and preferably greater than the excess phosgene during the production period when the production capacity is in the starting state prior to the beginning of the transition period; and the average excess phosgene during the transition period is greater than the excess phosgene during the production period when the production capacity is in the starting state prior to the beginning of the transition period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Stefan Wershofen
  • Publication number: 20180290968
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for an economically and technically improved embodiment of a production interruption in a production method for isocyanates by phosgenation of the corresponding amines, in which the entire production plant is not closed while one or more parts of the plant is taken out of operation, rather the input materials and/or reaction products available in the production plant are recirculated through at least one part of the plant that has not been taken out of operation. The invention further relates to a plant for producing isocyanates and to a method for operating a plant for producing isocyanates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Jürgen Spriewald
  • Publication number: 20180265457
    Abstract: The invention relates to a continuously operated method for producing isocyanates by reacting the corresponding amines with phosgene. When changing the target production capacity starting from a starting state with a specified production capacity and ending with an end state with a different production capacity, the current excess phosgene at the time of the transition period between the starting state and the end state, the change of the amine mass flow beginning during said time, is at least equal to and preferably greater than the excess phosgene during the production period when the production capacity is in the starting state prior to the beginning of the transition period; and the average excess phosgene during the transition period is greater than the excess phosgene during the production period when the production capacity is in the starting state prior to the beginning of the transition period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Dirk Manzel, Peter Plathen, Stefan Wershofen
  • Patent number: 9815703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a phosgene generator for producing phosgene by reacting carbon monoxide with chlorine in the gas phase on an activated carbon catalyst arranged in a reaction chamber, in which method, after a predefinable operating period, the phosgene production is at least temporarily interrupted by shutting down the phosgene generator over a shutdown period and, after a predefinable downtime, is resumed by starting up the phosgene generator over a start-up period, wherein the method is characterized in that the activated carbon catalyst, before the phosgene generator is started up, is freed of chlorine by adding carbon monoxide so that, during the start-up period, a maximum concentration of chlorine in the gas stream immediately downstream of the reaction chamber of 1000 ppmv is not exceeded. The invention also relates to the use of the phosgene thus obtained in the production of polycarbonate and isocyanates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Andreas Karl Rausch, Dirk Manzel, Charles Bjoerndahl, Matthias Ehlers, Carlos Alvarez Herrero, Francisco Munoz Velasco
  • Publication number: 20160340196
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a phosgene generator for producing phosgene by reacting carbon monoxide with chlorine in the gas phase on an activated carbon catalyst arranged in a reaction chamber, in which method, after a predefinable operating period, the phosgene production is at least temporarily interrupted by shutting down the phosgene generator over a shutdown period and, after a predefinable downtime, is resumed by starting up the phosgene generator over a start-up period, wherein the method is characterized in that the activated carbon catalyst, before the phosgene generator is started up, is freed of chlorine by adding carbon monoxide so that, during the start-up period, a maximum concentration of chlorine in the gas stream immediately downstream of the reaction chamber of 1000 ppmv is not exceeded. The invention also relates to the use of the phosgene thus obtained in the production of polycarbonate and isocyanates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Andreas Karl Rausch, Dirk Manzel, Charles Bjoerndahl, Matthias Ehlers, Carlos Alvarez Herrero, Francisco Munoz Velasco