Patents by Inventor Leslie William Bolton

Leslie William Bolton 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: 8552240
    Abstract: Process for producing propylene from a propanol feedstock A2 by reacting the propanol feedstock A2 in a vapor phase dehydration reactor wherein the propanol is convened at a temperature comprised between 160 and 270° C. and at a pressure of above 0.1 MPa but less than 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Patent number: 8440873
    Abstract: Process for producing mono-olefins(s) from a feedstock A containing ethanol and propanol, wherein ethanol and propanol are dehydrated into the corresponding same carbon number olefins. The process is performed by 1. reacting feedstock A in a vapor phase dehydration reactor wherein the ethanol and propanol alcohols are converted into a product stream B comprising ethylene, propylene, ethers, water and unconverted alcohols, 2. cooling the product stream B, 3. disengaging the cooled product stream B in a separation unit to give a first stream C containing ethylene, propylene and ethers, and a second product stream D containing water, ethers and unconverted alcohols, 4. feeding the product stream D to a dewatering column wherein the water stream F is separated from the ethers and unconverted alcohols stream E, 5. recycling the stream E into the dehydration reactor of step 1, and 6. cooling the product stream C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Patent number: 8426664
    Abstract: Process for producing ethylene from an ethanol feedstock A by (1) reacting the ethanol feedstock A in a vapor phase reactor wherein the ethanol is converted at a temperature between 160 and 270° C. and at a pressure of above 0.1 MPa but less than 4.5 MPa, into a product stream B containing ethylene, diethyl ethers, water and unconverted ethanol, (2) cooling the product stream B, (3) disengaging the cooled product stream B in a separation unit to give a first stream C containing ethylene and diethyl ethers, and a second product stream D containing water, diethyl ethers and unconverted ethanol, (4) feeding the product stream D to a dewatering unit wherein the water stream F is separated from the diethyl ethers and unconverted ethanol stream E, (5) recycling the stream E into the dehydration reactor of step 1, (6) cooling the product stream C, and (7) feeding the cooled product stream C to a purification unit wherein the diethyl ethers stream G is separated from the ethylene stream H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Patent number: 8367886
    Abstract: Process for producing alkene(s) from a feedstock containing at least one monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms. The process is carried out by 1 converting the monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol(s) containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms in a reactive distillation column at elevated pressure and temperature into a heads stream having the corresponding same carbon number alkene(s) and ether(s), 2 separating the heads stream from step 1 into an ether(s) enriched stream and an alkene(s) enriched stream, 3 recycling at least part of the ether(s) enriched stream from step 2 as a reflux return to the reactive distillation column, 4 simultaneously separating the alkene(s) enriched stream from step 2 into alkene(s) and ether(s), and 5 recycling at least part of the separated ether(s) from step 4 into the reactive distillation column. An alkene(s) stream from step 4 is then recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Leslie William Bolton
  • Publication number: 20120136192
    Abstract: A process for removing water from an ethylene stream comprising water, said process comprising: introducing an ethylene stream comprising water into, and circulating said ethylene stream through, a separation vessel; introducing a liquid diethyl ether stream into, and circulating said liquid diethyl ether stream through, the separation vessel, so that said liquid diethyl ether stream and said ethylene stream comprising water are brought into contact; recovering an ethylene stream having a reduced water content from the separation vessel; and optionally recovering a liquid diethyl ether stream having an increased water content from the separation vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee
  • Patent number: 8148589
    Abstract: Process for producing alkene(s) from a feedstock containing at least one monohydric aliphatic paraffinic primary (or secondary) alcohol(s), consisting of ethanol or propanol(s) or a mixture thereof. The process includes the steps of converting the monohydric aliphatic paraffinic primary (or secondary) alcohol(s) into the corresponding same carbon number alkene(s) in a reactive distillation column at elevated pressure and temperature so that the heads stream extracted from the top of the reactive distillation column comprises essentially the alkene(s), cooling the heads stream from the first step to a temperature sufficient to condense at least part of the alkene(s) with the highest boiling point, recycling at least part of the condensed alkene(s) from the second step back into the reactive distillation column, as a reflux return, and simultaneously recovering the remaining alkene(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Leslie William Bolton
  • Publication number: 20110281961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) et hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of a particulate catalyst. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) (CO et CO2) et hydrogen containing feedstocks, e.g. Synthesis gas or syngas, to alcohols in the presence of a particulate modified molybdenum sulphide based catalyst and/or a modified methanol based catalyst and/or a modified Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and/or a precious metal based catalyst (e.g. rhodium).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey
  • Patent number: 7914933
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing hydrogen for a fuel cell by (a) reacting a fuel comprising a hydrocarbon and/or an oxygenate with steam, under steam reforming conditions in a reforming reactor to produce a product stream comprising hydrogen, (b) feeding at least part of the hydrogen produced in step a) to a fuel cell, to produce electric power and a waste stream comprising hydrogen, (c) reacting at least part of the waste stream from step b) with an oxygen-containing gas in a combustion reactor, and (d) using the heat energy produced in step c) to supply energy to the steam reforming reaction in step a) in which the combustion reactor is positioned within the reforming reactor to facilitate heat transfer between the stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Leslie William Bolton, William Terence Woodfin
  • Patent number: 7834223
    Abstract: Process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen-containing hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of a particulate catalyst, by reacting carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen in the presence of a particulate catalyst in a conversion reactor to form oxygen-containing hydrocarbon compounds. A saturated monocarboxylic acid having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and/or an ester of a saturated monocarboxylic acid having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms with a monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms is added to the conversion reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: BP Chemicals Limited
    Inventors: Martin Philip Atkins, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, John Glenn Sunley
  • Publication number: 20090281362
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of propylene from a feedstock comprising propanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Publication number: 20090270668
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the co-production of ethylene and propylene from an ethanol feedstock and a propanol feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Publication number: 20090259086
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of mono-olefin(s) from a feedstock comprising of at least one monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: BP CHEMICALS LIMITED
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Publication number: 20090170966
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks to oxygen containing hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of a particulate catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: BP CHEMICALS LIMITED
    Inventors: Martin Philip Atkins, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, John Glenn Sunley
  • Publication number: 20090082605
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene from a feedstock comprising ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Craig Bailey, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee, Stephen Roy Partington
  • Publication number: 20090048354
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the conversion of carbon oxide(s) and hydrogen containing feedstocks into alcohols in the presence of a particulate catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Simpson Bell, Leslie William Bolton, Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Michael Keith Lee
  • Publication number: 20090048474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of alkene(s) from a feedstock comprising of at least one monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol in a reactive distillation reactor with olefin recycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Leslie William Bolton
  • Publication number: 20080275283
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of alkene(s) from a feedstock comprising of at least one monohydric aliphatic paraffinic alcohol by using a reactive distillation reactor for the dehydration of mixed alcohols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Benjamin Patrick Gracey, Leslie William Bolton
  • Publication number: 20040209131
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing hydrogen for a fuel cell by (a) reacting a fuel comprising a hydrocarbon and/or an oxygenate with steam, under steam reforming conditions in a reforming reactor to produce a product stream comprising hydrogen, (b) feeding at least part of the hydrogen produced in step a) to a fuel cell, to produce electric power and a waste stream comprising hydrogen, (c) reacting at least part of the waste stream from step b) with an oxygen-containing gas in a combustion reactor, and (d) using the heat energy produced in step c) to supply energy to the steam reforming reaction in step a) in which the combustion reactor is positioned within the reforming reactor to facilitate heat transfer between the stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Leslie William Bolton, William Terence Woodfin