Patents by Inventor John Mak

John Mak 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).

  • Ambient air vaporizer
    Patent number: 8826673
    Abstract: Contemplated systems and methods employ a portion of vaporized and heated LNG as a defrosting medium in an LNG ambient air vaporizer. Most preferably, the LNG is heated to a temperature of about 100° F. to 400° F., and is after defrosting fed back to the LNG stream at a position that is upstream and/or downstream of the vaporizer or to the natural gas delivery pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Configurations and Methods for Ambient Air Vaporizers and Cold Utilization
    Publication number: 20140130521
    Abstract: An ambient air LNG vaporizer has a housing that encloses the exchanger conduits and provides a stream of refrigerated air to a blower to so convey refrigerated air to one or more remote refrigerated air consumers. The temperature of the refrigerated air is maintained using a control circuit that adjusts an operational parameter of an ambient air intake control device of the housing and/or the blower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Mak
  • INTEGRATION METHODS OF GAS PROCESSING PLANT AND NITROGEN REJECTION UNIT FOR HIGH NITROGEN FEED GASES
    Publication number: 20140114110
    Abstract: Gas processing plants and methods are contemplated in CO2 is effectively removed to very low levels from a feed gas to an NRU unit by adding a physical solvent unit that uses waste nitrogen produced by the NRU as stripping gas to produce an ultra-lean solvent, which is then used to treat the feed gas to the NRU unit. Most preferably, the physical solvent unit includes a flash unit and stripper column to produce the ultra-lean solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Configurations and methods for offshore LNG regasification and heating value conditioning
    Patent number: 8695376
    Abstract: Contemplated plant configurations and methods employ a vaporized and supercritical LNG stream at an intermediate temperature that is expanded, wherein refrigeration content of the expanded LNG is used to chill one or more recompressor feed streams and to condense a demethanizer reflux. One portion of the so warmed and expanded LNG is condensed and fed to the demethanizer as reflux, while the other portion is expanded and fed to the demethanizer as feed stream. Most preferably, the demethanizer overhead is combined with a portion of the vaporized and supercritical LNG stream to form a pipeline product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Configurations and methods of high pressure acid gas removal
    Patent number: 8696798
    Abstract: Acid gas is removed from a feed gas using a physical solvent that is regenerated using successive flashing stages after heating of the rich solvent using low-level waste heat that is preferably produced or available within the acid gas removal plant. Especially preferred waste heat sources include compressor discharges of the refrigeration system and/or recompression system for CO2, and/or (low level) heat content from the feed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Configurations and methods for rich gas conditioning for NGL recovery
    Patent number: 8677780
    Abstract: Contemplated gas treatment plants for recovery of NGL from rich feed gas include an upstream conditioning unit in which heavier hydrocarbons, and most typically C5 and heavier are removed prior to feeding the processed feed gas to an NGL recovery plant, thus avoiding the need to process the heavier hydrocarbons in the NGL recovery plant. Such conditioning units advantageously reduce energy demand for dehydration otherwise required and allow for production of C2-C4, and C5+ streams that can be sold as valuable products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR NGL RECOVERY FOR HIGH NITROGEN CONTENT FEED GASES
    Publication number: 20140075987
    Abstract: A low cost and efficient design is used to convert a propane recovery process based on low nitrogen content feed gas to an ethane recovery process based on a high nitrogen feed gas while achieving over 95 mole % ethane recovery while maintaining a 99% propane recovery, and achieved without additional equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR OFFSHORE NGL RECOVERY
    Publication number: 20140060114
    Abstract: A natural gas two-column processing plant allows for recovery of at least 95% of C4 and heavier hydrocarbons, and about 60 to 80% of C3 hydrocarbons from a rich feed gas stream in which the first column (absorber) operates at a higher pressure than the second column, with the absorber receiving a compressed gas from the second column, and a turboexpander discharging a two-phase stream to the top of the absorber. Most typically, contemplated configurations and methods operate without the use of external refrigeration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • LNG regasification and power generation
    Patent number: 8661820
    Abstract: LNG is regasified with concurrent power production in systems and methods where the refrigeration content of the LNG condenses a low pressure working fluid vapor and in which the combined refrigeration content of the warmed LNG and low pressure working fluid condensate condenses an intermediate pressure working fluid vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR DEEP FEED GAS HYDROCARBON DEWPOINTING
    Publication number: 20140026615
    Abstract: An natural gas processing plant allows for recovery of at least 98% of butane and heavier hydrocarbons, and about 60 to 80% of propane hydrocarbons from a rich feed gas stream with a single fractionator that operates at two different pressures, that receives a chilled gas from a turboexpander in the upper fractionator and a C5+ liquid in the lower section, while producing a C2? vapor stream in the lower section that is used as reflux to the upper section. Most typically, contemplated configurations and methods operate without the use of external refrigeration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John MAK
  • Configurations and methods of heating value control in LNG liquefaction plant
    Patent number: 8635885
    Abstract: NGL recovery from natural gas is achieved by processing the natural gas in a scrub column that operates at high pressure. A C3+ depleted vapor stream is generated from the vapor portion of partially condensed scrub column overhead and expanded to provide refrigeration for the vapor portion to so form a second reflux stream and the C3+ depleted vapor stream. The C3+ depleted vapor stream is then combined with another vapor portion of partially condensed column overhead to produce a lean liquefaction feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • ETHANE RECOVERY AND ETHANE REJECTION METHODS AND CONFIGURATIONS
    Publication number: 20140007616
    Abstract: Contemplated plants for flexible ethane recovery and rejection by allowing to switch the top reflux to the demethanizer from residue gas to the deethanizer overhead product and by controlling the flow ratio of feed gas to two different feed gas exchangers. Moreover, the pressure of the demethanizer is adjusted relative to the deethanizer pressure for control of the ethane recovery and rejection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR GASIFICATION PLANTS
    Publication number: 20130327990
    Abstract: A syngas treatment plant has a decarbonization section and a desulfurization section that use the same solvent to remove various acid gases. Contemplated methods and plants are highly effective in removal of CO2, recycle sulfurous contaminants to extinction. Minimal loss of H2 while maximizing H2S concentration in a Claus plant feed during regeneration of the solvent is achieved by stripping the solvent with both treated syngas and a flash vapor of the desulfurization section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS OF VAPOR RECOVERY AND LNG SENDOUT SYSTEMS FOR LNG IMPORT TERMINALS
    Publication number: 20130298572
    Abstract: Energy efficiency and stability of LNG sendout operations in LNG terminals is increased by addition of a surge tank and booster pump downstream of a boil-off gas condenser to produce a subcooled condensate that is used to provide refrigeration to an LNG transfer line and that can be fed to the high-pressure LNG sendout pump without impacting the pressure of the main LNG sendout line, and/or without necessitating a pressure reduction device in the main LNG sendout line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Ethane recovery methods and configurations for high carbon dioxide content feed gases
    Patent number: 8567213
    Abstract: Ethane is separated from a carbon dioxide-containing feed gas in a demethanizer that receives a rich subcooled reflux stream at very low temperature. Freezing of carbon dioxide is prevented by feeding a temperature-controlled vapor portion of the feed gas to the column, wherein the temperature of the vapor portion is adjusted by routing a portion of the expander discharge through a heat exchanger in response to the tray temperature in the demethanizer. Thus, high separation efficiency is achieved at reduced, or even eliminated carbon dioxide freezing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Liquid natural gas fractionation and regasification plant
    Patent number: 8505312
    Abstract: LNG vapor from an LNG storage vessel is absorbed using C3 and heavier components provided by a fractionator that receives a mixture of LNG vapors and the C3 and heavier components as fractionator feed. In such configurations, refrigeration content of the LNG liquid from the LNG storage vessel is advantageously used to condense the LNG vapor after separation. Where desired, a portion of the LNG liquid may also be used as fractionator feed to produce LPG as a bottom product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John Mak, Richard B. Nielsen, Curt Graham
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR SMALL SCALE LNG PRODUCTION
    Publication number: 20130192297
    Abstract: A small scale natural gas liquefaction plant is integrated with an LNG loading facility in which natural gas is liquefied using a multi-stage gas expansion cycle. LNG is then loaded onto an LNG truck or other LNG transport vehicle at the loading facility using a differential pressure control system that uses compressed boil off gas as a motive force to move the LNG from the LNG storage tank to the LNG truck so as to avoid the use of an LNG pump and associated equipment as well as to avoid venting of boil off vapors into the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Configurations and methods for carbon dioxide and hydrogen production from gasification streams
    Patent number: 8480982
    Abstract: A syngas treatment plant is configured to remove sulfurous compounds and carbon dioxide from shifted or un-shifted syngas in a configuration having a decarbonization section and a desulfurization section. Most preferably, the solvent in the decarbonization section is regenerated and cooled by flashing, while the solvent is regenerated in the desulfurization section via stripping using external heat, and it is still further preferred that carbonylsulfide is removed in the desulfurization section via hydrolysis, and that the so produced hydrogen sulfide is removed in a downstream absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John Mak, Richard Nielsen
  • Configurations and methods for acid gas absorption and solvent regeneration
    Patent number: 8398748
    Abstract: Contemplated configurations and methods include a solvent regenerator (58) that has an upper (93) and a lower stripping section (94). Cooled rich solve is used as reflux while heated rich solvent (11) is used as a source of stripping agent in the upper section (91). A reboiler (62) in the lower section provides further stripping agent, hi especially preferred configurations, a portion of lean solved from the regenerator (58) is further stripped in a separate or integrated regenerator (62) to form an ultra-lean solvent. Both lean and ultra-lean solvents are preferably used in a two-stage absorber (52) to thereby from the rich solvent and an offgas that is very low in acid gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • CONFIGURATIONS AND METHODS FOR HIGH PRESSURE ACID GAS REMOVAL IN THE PRODUCTION OF ULTRA-LOW SULFUR GAS
    Publication number: 20130055729
    Abstract: Acid gas is removed from a high pressure feed gas that contains significant quantities of CO2 and H2S. In especially preferred configurations and methods, feed gas is contacted in an absorber with a lean and an ultra-lean solvent that are formed by flashing rich solvent and stripping a portion of the lean solvent, respectively. Most preferably, the flash vapors and the stripping overhead vapors are recycled to the feed gas/absorber, and the treated feed gas has a CO2 concentration of less than 2 mol % and a H2S concentration of less than 10 ppmv, and more typically less than 4 ppmv.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventor: John Mak