Patents by Inventor Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
Lawrence A. Smith, Jr. 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).
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Publication number: 20100048970Abstract: A process for reformate benzene reduction, the process including: feeding a light reformate fraction, an olefin feed, and an alkylation catalyst to an alkylation reaction zone; contacting the light reformate fraction and the olefin feed in the presence of the alkylation catalyst in the alkylation reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the benzene and the olefin to a monoalkylate; recovering a catalyst fraction from an alkylation reaction zone effluent; and recovering a light reformate product having a reduced benzene content.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2008Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Christopher C. Boyer, Lawrence A. Smith, JR., Arvids Judzis, JR., John R. Adams
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Publication number: 20090306448Abstract: A process for producing an alkylate having a low Reid vapor pressure, the process including: contacting a C6+-containing hydrocarbon stream with a mixture of isopentane and isobutane in the presence of an acid catalyst in an alkylation reactor to form a dilute alkylate product, wherein the C6+-containing hydrocarbon stream includes at least one of oligomers of C3 to C5 olefins and a dilute alkylate produced by contacting an isoparaffin with at least one of C3 to C5 olefins and oligomers of C3 to C5 olefins; fractionating the dilute alkylate product to form an isobutane-rich fraction, a n-butane-rich fraction, a fraction containing isopentane, and an alkylate product having a Reid vapor pressure less than 0.35 bar (5 psi); recycling at least a portion of the fraction containing isopentane to the alkylation reactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2008Publication date: December 10, 2009Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., Abraham P. Gelbein, William M. Cross, JR.
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Patent number: 7601879Abstract: A process for paraffin alkylation of isoalkane with isoolefins in which an olefin component comprising oligomerized propylene, oligomerized isoolefin or mixtures thereof is fed to a paraffin alkylation unit wherein the dissociated olefin components forming the oligomers react with isoalkane to produce a reaction mixture containing an alkylate and unreacted isoalkane The reaction mixture is fractionally distilled to recover unreacted isoalkane as overheads and alkylate as bottoms. The stoichiometry of isoolefins to isoalkane in the alkylation unit is maintained by adjustment of the feed to the oligomerization, for example, by adding fresh isoalkane to the recovered, unreacted isoalkane from the alkylation unit being recycled to the oligomerization. Alternatively, a portion of the recovered unreacted isoalkane is dehydrogenation to an isoolefin which is added to the oligomerization.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2006Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: William M. Cross, Jr., Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
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Publication number: 20090200205Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a gasoline fraction comprising one or more organic sulfur compounds including mercaptans, thiophenes, and mono- and di-sulfides, the process including: contacting a gasoline fraction having an initial organic sulfur content with a sulfuric acid-rich composition to extract organic sulfur compounds from the gasoline fraction and produce a gasoline fraction having reduced sulfur content and a sulfuric acid fraction having increased organic sulfur content; and separating the gasoline fraction having reduced organic sulfur content and the sulfuric acid-rich fraction having increased organic sulfur content.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2008Publication date: August 13, 2009Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., William M. Cross, JR.
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Publication number: 20090198091Abstract: A process for treating an alkylation feedstock comprising olefins, n-alkanes, and iso-alkanes, the process including: contacting at least a portion of the alkylation feedstock with sulfuric acid in a reaction zone under conditions to form sulfate esters of the olefins; separating the n-alkanes and the iso-alkanes from the sulfuric acid and the sulfate esters; recovering the n-alkanes and the iso-alkanes in a first product stream; and recovering the sulfate esters in a second product stream; wherein the sulfuric acid has a strength titrating as below 75 weight percent H2SO4/water mixtures.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., Abraham P. Gelbein, William M. Cross, JR.
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Publication number: 20090105513Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., William M. Cross, JR.
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Publication number: 20090076312Abstract: A process for the conversion of tertiary butyl alcohol to ethyl tertiary butyl ether, including: dehydrating tertiary butyl alcohol to form a product stream comprising isobutylene and water; separating the product stream to form an isobutylene-rich fraction and a water-rich fraction; separating the water-rich fraction to recover a hydrocarbon fraction and a water fraction having less than 1 ppm hydrocarbon content; reacting isobutylene in the isobutylene-rich fraction with ethanol to form a reaction product comprising ethyl tertiary butyl ether; separating the reaction product to recover unreacted ethanol and an ethyl tertiary butyl ether stream; and recycling at least a portion of the unreacted ethanol to the reacting; wherein the ethyl tertiary butyl ether stream comprises at least 99 weight percent ethyl tertiary butyl ether.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2007Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Mitchell E. Loescher, Lawrence A. Smith, JR.
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Publication number: 20090069607Abstract: A process for the production of dialkyl ether, the process including: feeding a stream comprising an alkyl alcohol to a distillation column reactor system; concurrently in the distillation column reactor system: i) contacting the alkyl alcohol with a catalytic distillation structure in a distillation reaction zone thereby catalytically reacting at least a portion of the alkyl alcohol to form a corresponding dialkyl ether and water; and ii) fractionating the resulting dialkyl ether from the water; operating the distillation column reactor system to obtain substantially complete conversion of the alkyl alcohol to form the corresponding dialkyl ether and water; recovering the dialkyl ether from the distillation column reactor as an overheads fraction; recovering the water from the distillation column reactor as a bottoms fraction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, JR., Abraham P. Gelbein, Christopher C. Boyer
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Patent number: 7449612Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., William M. Cross, Jr.
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Patent number: 7408090Abstract: Acetylenes and dienes in a stream containing hydrogen, methane, C2-C6 olefins and paraffins, C2-C6 acetylenes and dienes, benzene, toluene, xylenes, and other C6+ components are hydrogenated in a downflow boiling point reactor wherein the heat of reaction is absorbed by the liquid in the reactor which produces a vapor. Besides the feed to the reactor there is a recirculating stream which is fed at a rate sufficient to ensure that the catalyst particles within the reactor are wetted. A third stream, which is provided from a second downstream liquid/vapor separator from partially condensed vapor from the first downstream liquid/vapor separator corresponding to the mass evaporated in the reactor, is fed to the reactor. The composition of the third stream controls the steady state composition of the liquid flowing through the reactor.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2005Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Abraham P. Gelbein
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Patent number: 7368617Abstract: Acetylenes and dienes in a stream containing hydrogen, methane, C2-C6 olefins and paraffins, C2-C6 acetylenes and dienes, benzene, toluene, xylenes, and other C6+ components are hydrogenated in a downflow boiling point reactor wherein the heat of reaction is absorbed by the liquid in the reactor which produces a vapor. Besides the feed to the reactor there is a recirculating stream which is fed at a rate sufficient to ensure that the catalyst particles within the reactor are wetted. A third stream, which is taken from a downstream distillation column, is fed to provide the make up mass corresponding to the mass evaporated in the reactor. The composition of the this third stream controls the steady state composition of the liquid flowing through the reactor.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Abraham P. Gelbein, Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
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Patent number: 7351327Abstract: A process for concurrently fractionating and treating a full range naphtha stream. The full boiling range naphtha stream is first subjected to simultaneous thioetherification and splitting into a light boiling range naphtha, an intermediate boiling range naphtha and a heavy boiling range naphtha. The intermediate boiling range naphtha containing thiophene and thiophene boiling range mercaptans is passed on to a polishing hydrodesulfurization reactor where a low sulfur, low olefin gas oil is concurrently fed to the polishing reactor to insure that a liquid phase is present.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2004Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Willibrord A. Groten, Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.
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Patent number: 7344692Abstract: A process for the regeneration of sulfuric acid contaminated with hydrocarbons and water to produce pure concentration acid comprising: contacting sulfuric acid contaminated with hydrocarbons and water with oxygen and elemental sulfur in the presence of a vanadium containing catalyst in a reaction zone, maintaining at least a portion of the acid in the liquid phase, converting hydrocarbon to carbon oxides and water, and converting sulfur and sulfurdioxide to sulfurtrioxide, separating the reactor effluent into a vapor stream and a liquid stream and cooling and partially condensing of the vapor stream to concentrate clean acid.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2005Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Abraham P. Gelbein
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Patent number: 7319180Abstract: A process for the alkylation of alkane with olefin or olefin precursor such as an oligomer of tertiary olefin comprising contacting a liquid system comprising acid catalyst, isoparaffin and olefin in concurrent downflow into contact in a reaction zone with a disperser mesh under conditions of temperature and pressure to react said isoparaffin and said olefin to produce an alkylate product is disclosed. Preferably, the liquid system is maintained at about its boiling point in the reaction zone. Unexpectedly, the olefin oligomers have been found to function as olefin precursors and not as olefins in the reaction. Thus, for example, a cold acid alkylation using an oligomer of isobutene (principally dimer and trimer) with isobutane produces isooctane with the isobutane reacting with the constituent isobutene units of the oligomers on a molar basis. The product isooctane is essentially the same as that produced in the conventional cold acid process.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2004Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Mitchell E. Loescher, John R. Adams, Abraham P. Gelbein
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Patent number: 7287745Abstract: Bubble columns fractionate with vapor-liquid mass transfer efficiencies approaching that of distillation towers when vapor velocities in excess of 50% of jet flood are used. If the vapor velocities are pushed above about 70% of jet flood then the distillation performance of a given column packing becomes similar for both liquid continuous operation (bubble column mode) and vapor continuous operation (ordinary distillation tower mode).Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2006Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Mitchell E. Loescher
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Patent number: 7288693Abstract: A method of operating a multi-phase downflow reactor so as to induce a pulsing flow regime is disclosed. The pulse may be induced by increasing the gas rate while maintaining the liquid rate until a pressure drop sufficient to induce the pulse flow is achieved. The method is particularly useful in the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of olefins in a reactor packed with a stainless steel/polypropylene mesh.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2004Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., William M. Cross, Jr.
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Patent number: 7255777Abstract: Improved HETP is obtained in the operation of a distillation column containing trays with a packing of a porous container containing a particulate material intimately associated with a resilient component having at least 50 volume % open space, preferably at least 70 volume % positioned on the trays compared to the trays without the packing. The packing may contain a catalytic particulate material and the distillation may involve reaction and distillation of the reaction products. The particulate material may also be inert and the distillation of the conventional type to separate components in the distillation mixture without reaction.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2005Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Gary R. Gildert, James R. Fair, A. Frank Seibert
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Patent number: 7250542Abstract: A process for the alkylation of alkane with olefin or olefin precursor such as an oligomer of tertiary olefin comprising contacting a liquid system comprising acid catalyst, isoparaffin and olefin in concurrent downflow into contact in a reaction zone with a disperser mesh under conditions of temperature and pressure to react said isoparaffin and said olefin to produce an alkylate product is disclosed. Preferably, the liquid system is maintained at about its boiling point in the reaction zone. Unexpectedly, the olefin oligomers have been found to function as olefin precursors and not as olefins in the reaction. Thus, for example, a cold acid alkylation using an oligomer of isobutene (principally dimer and trimer) with isobutane produces isooctane with the isobutane reacting with the constituent isobutene units of the oligomers on a molar basis. The product isooctane is essentially the same as that produced in the conventional cold acid process.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2004Date of Patent: July 31, 2007Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Mitchell E. Loescher, John R. Adams, Abraham P. Gelbein
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Patent number: 7141705Abstract: A process for the etherification of C4, C5 and/or C6 tertiary olefins in a hydrocarbon feed with at least one C1 to C6 alcohol, preferably C1–C4 alcohols in a distillation column reactor, preferably where C4's and C5's ethers are co-produced, in which the amount of alcohol employed in the etherification is below that which will produce an azeotrope with hydrocarbons in the overheads from the distillation column reactor. The azeotrope results from the presence of unreacted alcohol in the reaction system in the distillation column reactor. The amount of alcohol is less than the stoichiometric amount, preferably less than 90%, more preferably 10 to 80%, of the stoichiometric amount and the overheads contain less than a stoichiometric of alcohol.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventors: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., John R. Adams
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Patent number: 7125484Abstract: A process for the treatment of light naphtha hydrocarbon streams is disclosed wherein the mercaptans contained therein are reacted with diolefins simultaneous with fractionation into a light stream and a heavy stream. The heavy stream is then simultaneously treated at high temperatures and low pressures and fractionated. The naphtha is then stripped of the hydrogen sulfide in a final stripper.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2004Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Catalytic Distillation TechnologiesInventor: Lawrence A. Smith, Jr.