Patents by Inventor Michael L. Hergenrother

Michael L. Hergenrother 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: 11572325
    Abstract: Many linear alpha olefin (LAO) syntheses form a range of LAO products when oligomerizing ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The range of products typically requires a plurality of distillation columns to separate the LAO products up to a desired carbon count, but such approaches may be energy- and capital-intensive. LAO product separation using at least one dividing wall column may lessen these burdens. Methods for separating LAOs may comprise: providing a pre-processed product stream comprising Cg+ linear alpha olefins (LAOs) to a first of a series of distillation columns, at least one member of the series of distillation columns comprising a dividing wall column; and separating an overhead stream comprising a first LAO from the dividing wall column and one or more side streams from the dividing wall column, each side stream comprising a different LAO that also differs from the first LAO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Piszczek, Brian W. Heins, Paul Hamilton, Terrance C. Osby, Dion Zhang, Zhongcheng Wang, Michael L. Hergenrother, Jason A. Nichols
  • Publication number: 20220033327
    Abstract: Many linear alpha olefin (LAO) syntheses form a range of LAO products when oligomerizing ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The range of products typically requires a plurality of distillation columns to separate the LAO products up to a desired carbon count, but such approaches may be energy- and capital-intensive. LAO product separation using at least one dividing wall column may lessen these burdens. Methods for separating LAOs may comprise: providing a pre-processed product stream comprising Cg+ linear alpha olefins (LAOS) to a first of a series of distillation columns, at least one member of the series of distillation columns comprising a dividing wall column; and separating an overhead stream comprising a first LAO from the dividing wall column and one or more side streams from the dividing wall column, each side stream comprising a different LAO that also differs from the first LAO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Piszczek, Brian W. Heins, Paul Hamilton, Terrance C. Osby, Dion Zhang, Zhongcheng Wang, Michael L. Hergenrother, Jason A. Nichols
  • Patent number: 10918967
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for separating a feedstock into a plurality of separation products using dividing wall column technology that includes a plurality of dividing walls. Including a plurality of dividing walls in the column can provide reduced energy consumption and reduced equipment footprint for production of a plurality of high purity distillation products. The systems and methods can allow for separation of a large number of products from a feed while having a reduced or minimized number of liquid splits and/or vapor splits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Piszczek, Michael L. Hergenrother, Brian D. Albert, Jose X. Simonetty, Brian W. Heins, Vikram Singh, Zhonghcheng Wang
  • Publication number: 20190091600
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for separating a feedstock into a plurality of separation products using dividing wall column technology that includes a plurality of dividing walls. Including a plurality of dividing walls in the column can provide reduced energy consumption and reduced equipment footprint for production of a plurality of high purity distillation products. The systems and methods can allow for separation of a large number of products from a feed while having a reduced or minimized number of liquid splits and/or vapor splits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Robert PISZCZEK, Michael L. HERGENROTHER, Brian D. ALBERT, Jose X. SIMONETTY, Brian W. HEINS, Vikram SINGH, Zhonghcheng WANG
  • Patent number: 9746434
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the flow distribution of a fluid through a component with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the component. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to determine a flow of the fluid by determining one or more properties of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael L. Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin S. Umansky
  • Publication number: 20140294041
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the flow distribution of a fluid through a component with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the component. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the fluid exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to determine a flow of the fluid by determining one or more properties of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Yibing Zhang, Limin Song, Geoff Keiser, Michael L. Hergenrother, Berne K. Stober, Patricia H. Kalamaras, Benjamin S. Umansky