Patents by Inventor R. Jay Warner

R. Jay Warner 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).

  • Process to recover alcohol with secondary reactors for hydrolysis of acetal
    Patent number: 9000233
    Abstract: A process for recovering ethanol obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid and water. Acetal byproduct can be reduced or removed through configurations of hydrolysis secondary reactors. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Claudio Ribeiro, R. Jay Warner, Robert Alan Deck, Emily Duff, Victor J. Johnston
  • Single phase ester feed for hydrogenolysis
    Patent number: 8975451
    Abstract: The process involves esterifying ethanol and acetic acid to produce an esterification product that is in a single phase that is directly reduced, by hydrogenolysis, to produce ethanol. The single phase is not capable of separating. Feeding a single phase feed stream reduces the separation of the esterification product. Hydrogen may be fed to the esterification reactor that operates at a high pressure that is substantially similar to or greater than the hydrogenolysis reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Tatiana H. Sonnenberg, Wei Qi, R. Jay Warner
  • Integrated process for producing alcohols from a mixed acid feed
    Patent number: 8932372
    Abstract: Processes for producing alcohols such as ethanol and propanol from a mixed acid feedstock in an integrated process. In one embodiment, the process comprises the step of carbonylating methanol in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst to form a mixed acid feedstock comprising acetic acid and one or more higher acids, preferably comprising propionic acid. The mixed acid feed is hydrogenated in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude alcohol product comprising ethanol and one or more higher alcohols, preferably including propanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, Mark Scates, Ronald David Shaver, G. Paull Torrence, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, James Zink, David Lee
  • Process for producing ethanol and reducing acetic acid concentration
    Patent number: 8933278
    Abstract: A process for producing ethanol and, in particular, to a process for reducing the concentration of acetic acid in a crude ethanol product by esterifying unreacted acetic acid with an alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Claudio Ribeiro, R. Jay Warner, Robert Alan Deck, Emily Duff, Victor J. Johnston
  • Process to recover alcohol with reduced water from overhead of acid column
    Patent number: 8927788
    Abstract: A process for recovering ethanol obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Claudio Ribeiro, R. Jay Warner, Robert Alan Deck, Emily Duff, Victor J. Johnston
  • Vapor separation in alcohol production
    Patent number: 8927782
    Abstract: Two or more vapor-liquid separators are used in a process for removing at least one non-condensable gas from a crude alcohol mixture prepared by hydrogenating alkanoic acid and/or esters thereof. The vapor-liquid separators may comprise flashers or knock-out pots and are suitable for removing non-condensable gas, including those gases that are dissolved in the liquid. The multiple vapor-liquid separators may be in series prior to any separation of organic components. In addition, there may be a vapor-liquid separator before and after a distillation column for treating the feed to the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Grusendorf, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner
  • Process to recover alcohol from an ethyl acetate residue stream
    Patent number: 8927784
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Fred Ronald Olsson, Adam Orosco, Nathan Kirk Powell, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Process for removing aldehydes from ethanol reaction mixture
    Patent number: 8927780
    Abstract: A process for purifying an ethanol stream that comprises byproduct, such as aldehyde, acetals, and/or esters, but withdrawing a sidestream comprising ethanol from a distillation column. The sidestream may have a reduced concentration of aldehyde that reduces the formation of acetals in subsequent purification of the ethanol stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Radmila Jevtic
  • Process for controlling a reboiler during alcohol recovery and reduced ester formation
    Patent number: 8927787
    Abstract: The present invention is related to processes for the separation of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in one or more columns. A reboiler is used following one or more of the columns for reducing ester formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Emily Duff, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Adam Orosco
  • Thermochemically produced ethanol compositions
    Patent number: 8926718
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is to an ethanol composition comprising at least 92 wt. % ethanol and from 20 wppm to 94 wppm isopropanol. The composition may be free of methanol and acetaldehyde.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Tatiana H. Sonnenberg, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner
  • Process for acetal removal in the purification of a crude ethanol product
    Patent number: 8907139
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and hydrolyze acetal impurities by the addition of an acid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Adam Orosco, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Emily Duff, Radmila Jevtic
  • Process for producing ethanol by hydrogenating mixed feeds comprising water
    Patent number: 8907143
    Abstract: The processes of the current invention relate to the production of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid and ethyl acetate. Conversion of ethyl acetate may be improved by controlling the water content that may be fed to the vaporizer to form a feed stream that may be fed to the hydrogenation reactor. At least 0.01 wt. % water is fed to the vaporizer. The crude ethanol product is separated two or more columns to yield an ethanol product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner
  • Process to recover alcohol with secondary reactors for esterification of acid
    Patent number: 8907141
    Abstract: A process for recovering ethanol obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and water. Unreacted acetic acid can be reduced or removed through configurations of esterification secondary reactors. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Claudio Ribeiro, R. Jay Warner, Robert Alan Deck, Emily Duff, Victor J. Johnston
  • Esterification of vapor crude product in the production of alcohols
    Patent number: 8901358
    Abstract: Ethanol production process for recovering ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Ethanol recovery is improved by esterifying a vapor crude ethanol product to reduce unreacted acetic acid concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Trinity Horton
  • Processes for increasing alcohol production
    Patent number: 8895786
    Abstract: A process for reducing ethyl acetate and/or diethyl acetal concentration of a crude ethanol product by hydrolysis is disclosed. A portion of the water is initially separated from the crude ethanol product in a first column residue. Ethyl acetate in the first column distillate is hydrolyzed to form additional ethanol and acetic acid. Product ethanol is recovered in a second distillation column preferably in a side stream and acetic acid is removed in the second column residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Orosco, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Trinity Horton
  • Integrated process for producing acetic acid and alcohol
    Patent number: 8884081
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to processes for producing ethanol and acetic acid and, in particular, to a process for integrating an ethanol production process with an acetic acid production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Manuel Salado, Mark O. Scates
  • Reducing impurities in hydrogenation processes with multiple reaction zones
    Patent number: 8884079
    Abstract: In a hydrogenation processes, a second lower temperature hydrogenation reactor is used to control the concentration of impurities, namely ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, and acetal, prior to separating the reaction mixtures. Controlling impurities reduces the need for separation capital and improves overall efficiencies for recovering alcohols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, R. Jay Warner, Dheeraj Kumar, Heiko Weiner
  • Reduced energy alcohol separation process
    Patent number: 8884080
    Abstract: Recovery of alcohols, in particular ethanol, from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a reduced energy process. The crude ethanol product may be fed to a distillation column in which a substantial portion of the water is removed with the acetic acid in the residue. The ethanol product is obtained from the distillate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee, Adam Orosco, Nathan Powell, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Process for recovering alcohol
    Patent number: 8877986
    Abstract: Recovery of an alcohol such as ethanol from a crude alcohol product, preferably obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process. The crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising ethyl acetate and a residue stream comprising ethanol, acetic acid, and water. The ethanol product is recovered in a second column as an ethanol side stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Orosco, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Trinity Horton, Victor J. Johnston, David Lee
  • Process for producing anhydrous ethanol using extractive distillation column
    Patent number: 8877987
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol product are employed to allow recovery of an anhydrous ethanol composition. The process involves separating the crude ethanol product using one or more extractive distillation columns that employ one or more extractive agents. The anhydrous ethanol composition comprises less than 1 wt. % water, based on the total weight of the anhydrous ethanol composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corportation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner