Patents by Inventor Donald L. Bunning

Donald L. Bunning 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: 10618864
    Abstract: The invention describes processes to prepare levulinic acid, formic acid and/or hydroxymethyl furfural from various biomass materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: GFBiochemicals IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Brian D. Mullen, Cora M. Leibig, Louis A. Kapicak, Donald L. Bunning, Steven R. Strand, Daniel Joseph Brunelle, Marc David Rodwogin, Robert Page Shirtum, Andrew J. Louwagie, Dorie Janine Yontz, Matthew John Tjosaas
  • Publication number: 20190016658
    Abstract: The invention describes processes to prepare levulinic acid, formic acid and/or hydroxymethyl furfural from various biomass materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Brian D. Mullen, Cora M. Leibig, Louis A. Kapicak, Donald L. Bunning, Steven R. Strand, Daniel Joseph Brunelle, Marc David Rodwogin, Robert Page Shirtum, Andrew J. Louwagie, Dorie Janine Yontz, Matthew John Tjosaas
  • Patent number: 9493391
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: NOVOMER, INC.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Publication number: 20160102040
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Patent number: 9206144
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Novomer, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Patent number: 9115067
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to the manufacture of acrolein. In particular, the invention generally relates to a process for the continuous production of acrolein via the catalytic oxidation of propylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Novus International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Bunning, James D. Rolston, David A. LaBrot, Puvin Pichai, John Patrick Dever, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Michael L. Hutchison, Kevin Roy
  • Publication number: 20140316161
    Abstract: The invention describes processes to prepare levulinic acid, formic acid and/or hydroxymethyl furfural from various biomass materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Brian D. Mullen, Cora M. Leibig, Louis A. Kapicak, Donald L. Bunning, Steven R. Strand, Daniel Joseph Brunelle, Marc David Rodwogin, Robert Page Shirtum, Andrew J. Louwagie, Dorie Janine Yontz, Matthew John Tjosaas
  • Publication number: 20140275575
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Novomer, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Patent number: 8796475
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Novomer, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Publication number: 20130281715
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Patent number: 8445703
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Novomer, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Publication number: 20120123137
    Abstract: The present application provides a method for producing an beta-lactone product. The method includes the steps of: reacting an epoxide, a solvent with a carbonylation catalyst and carbon monoxide to produce a reaction stream comprising a beta-lactone then separating a portion of the beta-lactone in the reaction stream from the solvent and carbonylation catalyst to produce: i) a beta-lactone stream with the beta-lactone, and ii) a catalyst recycling stream including the carbonylation catalyst and the high boiling solvent; and adding the catalyst recycling stream to the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: NOVOMER, INC.
    Inventors: Scott D. Allen, Ronald R. Valente, Han Lee, Anna E. Cherian, Donald L. Bunning, Nye A. Clinton, Olan Stanley Fruchey, Bernard Duane Dombek
  • Patent number: 8124812
    Abstract: An aldehyde composition derived by hydroformylation of a transesterified seed oil and containing a mixture of formyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters having the following composition by weight: greater than about 10 to less than about 95 percent monoformyl, greater than about 1 to less than about 65 percent diformyl, and greater than about 0.1 to less than about 10 percent triformyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters, and having a diformyl to triformyl weight ratio of greater than about 5/1; preferably, greater than about 3 to less than about 20 percent saturates; and preferably, greater than about 1 to less than about 20 percent unsaturates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Zenon Lysenko, Donald L. Morrison, David A. Babb, Donald L. Bunning, Christopher W. Derstine, James H. Gilchrist, H. Ray Jouett, Jeffrey S. Kanel, Kurt D. Olson, Wei-Jun Peng, Joe D. Phillips, Brian M. Roesch, Aaron W. Sanders, Alan K. Schrock, Pulikkottil J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100298610
    Abstract: An aldehyde composition derived by hydroformylation of a transesterified seed oil and containing a mixture of formyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters having the following composition by weight: greater than about 10 to less than about 95 percent monoformyl, greater than about 1 to less than about 65 percent diformyl, and greater than about 0.1 to less than about 10 percent triformyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters, and having a diformyl to triformyl weight ratio of greater than about 5/1; preferably, greater than about 3 to less than about 20 percent saturates; and preferably, greater than about 1 to less than about 20 percent unsaturates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Zenon Lysenko, Donald L. Morrison, David A. Babb, Donald L. Bunning, Christopher W. Derstine, James H. Gilchrist, H. Ray Jouett, Kurt D. Olson, Wei-Jun Peng, Joe D. Phillips, Brian M. Roesch, Aaron W. Sanders, Alan K. Schrock, Pulikkottil J. Thomas, Jeffrey S. Kanel
  • Publication number: 20100126060
    Abstract: Waste water emissions from a biodiesel production facility are substantially reduced by recovering water from a spent water stream used in a water washing step in the refining of crude biodiesel which water washing removes glycerin. The water is recovered from the spent water stream is concentrated to provide an aqueous fraction which can be recycled for the water washing. The concentration also provides a glycerin-containing fraction containing that can be blended with crude glycerin by-product generated by transesterification of glycerides to make the biodiesel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: BEST ENERGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Maliszewski, Donald L. Bunning, David J. Schreck, Louis A. Kapicak, Norman L. Balmer
  • Patent number: 7663002
    Abstract: A non-aqueous hydroformylation process with liquid catalyst recycle involving a hydroformylation step and one or more stages of phase separation to recover a high molecular weight aldehyde product with efficient recovery of rhodium catalyst. The process includes a hydroformylation step to prepare a non-aqueous hydroformylation reaction product composition comprising one or more aldehyde products, one or more conjugated polyolefins, a rhodium-organophosphorus ligand complex, free organophosphorus ligand, and an organic solubilizing agent for said complex and said free ligand, and thereafter one or more stages of phase separation using added water under a carbon monoxide gas, hydrogen gas, or a mixture thereof. The process requires a specific range of total pressure for the hydroformylation, a specific range of total pressure for at least one of the separation stages, and a minimum sum of the total pressure of the hydroformylation step and the total pressure of the separation stage containing said gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Jun Peng, Kurt D. Olson, Donald L. Morrison, Brian M. Roesch, Donald L. Bunning, Jeffrey G. Hippler, Vincent J. Stricker
  • Patent number: 7615658
    Abstract: An aldehyde composition derived by hydroformylation of a transesterified seed oil and containing a mixture of formyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters having the following composition by weight: greater than about 10 to less than about 95 percent monoformyl, greater than about 1 to less than about 65 percent diformyl, and greater than about 0.1 to less than about 10 percent triformyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters, and having a diformyl to triformyl weight ratio of greater than about 5/1; preferably, greater than about 3 to less than about 20 percent saturates; and preferably, greater than about 1 to less than about 20 percent unsaturates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zenon Lysenko, Donald L. Morrison, David A. Babb, Donald L. Bunning, Christopher W. Derstine, James H. Gilchrist, H. Ray Jouett, Jeffrey S. Kanel, Kurt D. Olson, Wei-Jun Peng, Joe D. Phillips, Brian M. Roesch, Aaron W. Sanders, Alan K. Schrock, Pulikkottil J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090118548
    Abstract: A non-aqueous hydroformylation process with liquid catalyst recycle involving a hydroformylation step and one or more stages of phase separation to recover a high molecular weight aldehyde product with efficient recovery of rhodium catalyst. The process includes a hydroformylation step to prepare a non-aqueous hydroformylation reaction product composition comprising one or more aldehyde products, one or more conjugated polyolefins, a rhodium-organophosphorus ligand complex, free organophosphorus ligand, and an organic solubilizing agent for said complex and said free ligand, and thereafter one or more stages of phase separation using added water under a carbon monoxide gas, hydrogen gas, or a mixture thereof. The process requires a specific range of total pressure for the hydroformylation, a specific range of total pressure for at least one of the separation stages, and a minimum sum of the total pressure of the hydroformylation step and the total pressure of the separation stage containing said gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Wei-Jun Peng, Kurt D. Olson, Donald L. Morrison, Brian M. Roesch, Donald L. Bunning, Jeffrey G. Hippler, Vincent J. Stricker
  • Patent number: 5001274
    Abstract: An improved process for the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins to aldehydes is described. The improvement provides a means for recovering valuable components in gaseous streams by scrubbing the streams with a stripped or cooled catalyst solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Company Inc.
    Inventor: Donald L. Bunning
  • Patent number: 4999452
    Abstract: A process for producing acrylic ester by the catalytic esterification of a crude liquid stream of enriched acrylic acid recovered by the partial condensation of the reaction gas effluent from the catalytic oxidation of propylene and/or acrolein. The partial condensation allows a significant proportion of volatile aldehydes and water to pass through the first recovery stage to a second stage for conventional recovery, along with uncondensed acrylic acid vapors and the remainder of the uncondensed reaction gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Company Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Bunning, William G. Etzkorn, William M. Haydon, Gordon G. Harkreader, Jonathan J. Kurland, Wai C. Liu, Ernesto Vera-Castaneda