Patents by Inventor Garrett R. Swindlehurst

Garrett R. Swindlehurst 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).

  • Publication number: 20230338886
    Abstract: The process of the present invention provides high recovery and low capital cost giving it an economic advantage over previously known purification processes. The present process has particular applicability to the purification of synthesis gases comprising at least hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), CO2, and H2O to obtain a gas stream including at least H2, CO, and CH4, that is substantially free of H2O and CO2. The process also has applicability to the purification of natural gases inclusive of at least CH4, N2, CO2, and H2O to produce a gas stream including at least CH4 and N2, but which is substantially free of H2O and CO2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Luke J. Coleman, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Katie Held, Kihyung Kim, Werner Leitmayr
  • Patent number: 11731075
    Abstract: The process of the present invention provides high recovery and low capital cost giving it an economic advantage over previously known purification processes. The present process has particular applicability to the purification of synthesis gases comprising at least hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), CO2, and H2O to obtain a gas stream including at least H2, CO, and CH4, that is substantially free of H2O and CO2. The process also has applicability to the purification of natural gases inclusive of at least CH4, N2, CO2, and H2O to produce a gas stream including at least CH4 and N2, but which is substantially free of H2O and CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Luke J. Coleman, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Katie Held, Kihyung Kim, Werner Leitmayr
  • Patent number: 11577217
    Abstract: A carbon adsorbent storage and dispensing system is provided with a structurally modified particulate carbon adsorbent designed with optimal volumetric surface area for a certain range of particle sizes. Bulk density and specific surface area are carefully balanced to ensure the volumetric surface area remains within an optimal range to create high performance, as measured by dispensing capacity of the dopant fluid that is reversibly adsorbed onto the structurally modified particulate carbon adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil A. Stephenson, Douglas C. Heiderman, Ashwini K. Sinha, Rachael A. Masin, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Cynthia A. Hoover, William S. Kane
  • Patent number: 11485637
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process for the substantial removal of H2O and CO2 from a synthesis gas to obtain a multicomponent product gas substantially free of H2O and CO2 with high recovery of the product gas. Further, the present invention provides an integrated process that achieves sufficiently high H2 and CO recoveries such that compression and recycling of the syngas purification PSA tailgas is not necessary to be economically advantageous compared to the conventional processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Luke J. Coleman, Kihyung Kim, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Minish M. Shah
  • Publication number: 20220040626
    Abstract: The process of the present invention provides high recovery and low capital cost giving it an economic advantage over previously known purification processes. The present process has particular applicability to the purification of synthesis gases comprising at least hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), CO2, and H2O to obtain a gas stream including at least H2, CO, and CH4, that is substantially free of H2O and CO2. The process also has applicability to the purification of natural gases inclusive of at least CH4, N2, CO2, and H2O to produce a gas stream including at least CH4 and N2, but which is substantially free of H2O and CO2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Luke J. Coleman, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Katie Held, Kihyung Kim, Werner Leitmayr
  • Publication number: 20220041442
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process for the substantial removal of H2O and CO2 from a synthesis gas to obtain a multicomponent product gas substantially free of H2O and CO2 with high recovery of the product gas. Further, the present invention provides an integrated process that achieves sufficiently high H2 and CO recoveries such that compression and recycling of the syngas purification PSA tailgas is not necessary to be economically advantageous compared to the conventional processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Luke J. Coleman, Kihyung Kim, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Minish M. Shah
  • Publication number: 20210178361
    Abstract: A carbon adsorbent storage and dispensing system is provided with a structurally modified particulate carbon adsorbent designed with optimal volumetric surface area for a certain range of particle sizes. Bulk density and specific surface area are carefully balanced to ensure the volumetric surface area remains within an optimal range to create high performance, as measured by dispensing capacity of the dopant fluid that is reversibly adsorbed onto the structurally modified particulate carbon adsorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Neil A. Stephenson, Douglas C. Heiderman, Ashwini K. Sinha, Rachael A. Masin, Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Cynthia A. Hoover, William S. Kane
  • Patent number: 10989210
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and control system to control the speed of centrifugal compressors operating within a vacuum pressure swing adsorption process to avoid an operation at which surge can occur and directly driven by an electric motor that is in turn controlled by a variable frequency drive, while subsequently operating the vacuum pressure swing process between set limits of highest adsorption and lowest desorption pressure. In accordance with present invention an optimal speed for operation of the compressor is determined at which the compressor will operate along a peak efficiency operating line of a compressor map thereof. This speed is adjusted by a feed back speed multiplier when the flow or other parameter referable to flow through the compressor is below a minimum and a feed forward multiplier during evacuation and evacuation with purge steps that multiplies the feed back multiplier to increase speed of the compressor and thereby avoid surge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Andrew C. Rosinski, Michael S. Manning
  • Publication number: 20200368724
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a superior carbon adsorbent with or without a core. In one embodiment the carbon adsorbent of the present invention employs carbon adsorbent powder and an organic binding agent which are combined together with an appropriate solvent in an agglomeration step. In another embodiment the invention contemplates a core-in-shell adsorbent comprising an outer shell composed of a carbon and a non-adsorbing inert inner core. Low temperature processing of these agglomerates substantially preserves the binding agent within the final composition and allows one to prepare adsorbent products of high sphericity. The adsorbents of the invention possess superior characteristics such as higher mass transfer rate and CO2 working capacity for use in a H2PSA process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Neil A. Stephenson, Philip A. Barrett, Steven J. Pontonio, Nicholas R. Stuckert, Garrett R. Swindlehurst
  • Patent number: 10295255
    Abstract: An adsorption process for xenon recovery from a cryogenic liquid or gas stream is described wherein a bed of adsorbent is contacted with the aforementioned xenon containing liquid or gas stream and adsorbs the xenon selectively from this fluid stream. The adsorption bed is operated to at least near full breakthrough with xenon to enable a deep rejection of other stream components, prior to regeneration using the temperature swing method. Operating the adsorption bed to near full breakthrough with xenon, prior to regeneration, enables production of a high purity product from the adsorption bed and further enables oxygen to be used safely as a purge gas, even in cases where hydrocarbons are co-present in the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Philip A. Barrett, Neil A. Stephenson, Nicholas R. Stuckert, Michael Freiert, Hai Du, Rachael A. Masin, Garrett R. Swindlehurst
  • Publication number: 20190010949
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and control system to control the speed of centrifugal compressors operating within a vacuum pressure swing adsorption process to avoid an operation at which surge can occur and directly driven by an electric motor that is in turn controlled by a variable frequency drive, while subsequently operating the vacuum pressure swing process between set limits of highest adsorption and lowest desorption pressure. In accordance with present invention an optimal speed for operation of the compressor is determined at which the compressor will operate along a peak efficiency operating line of a compressor map thereof. This speed is adjusted by a feed back speed multiplier when the flow or other parameter referable to flow through the compressor is below a minimum and a feed forward multiplier during evacuation and evacuation with purge steps that multiplies the feed back multiplier to increase speed of the compressor and thereby avoid surge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Garrett R. Swindlehurst, Andrew C. Rosinski, Michael S. Manning
  • Publication number: 20180058758
    Abstract: An adsorption process for xenon recovery from a cryogenic liquid or gas stream is described wherein a bed of adsorbent is contacted with the aforementioned xenon containing liquid or gas stream and adsorbs the xenon selectively from this fluid stream. The adsorption bed is operated to at least near full breakthrough with xenon to enable a deep rejection of other stream components, prior to regeneration using the temperature swing method. Operating the adsorption bed to near full breakthrough with xenon, prior to regeneration, enables production of a high purity product from the adsorption bed and further enables oxygen to be used safely as a purge gas, even in cases where hydrocarbons are co-present in the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Philip A. Barrett, Neil A. Stephenson, Nicholas R. Stuckert, Michael Freiert, Hai Du, Rachael A. Masin, Garrett R. Swindlehurst