Patents by Inventor Robert D. Denton

Robert D. Denton 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).

  • Publication number: 20180154300
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to a system and method for recovering carbon dioxide (CO2). The method includes recovering the CO2 from a gas mixture including the CO2 via a CO2 separation system. The CO2 separation system includes a rotating freezer/melter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Robert D. Denton, Sulabh K. Dhanuka
  • Patent number: 9975793
    Abstract: Methods and a system for removing carbon nanotubes from a water stream are provided herein. The system includes a purification vessel, wherein the purification vessel is configured to form a carbon oxide from the carbon nanotubes within the water stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY, SOLID CARBON PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, Dallas B. Noyes, Russell J. Koveal, Jr., Terry A. Ring
  • Patent number: 9964034
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically planning a well site are provided herein. Methods include flowing a raw gas stream though a suction scrubber to form a feed gas stream and compressing the feed gas stream to form a compressed gas stream. Methods include cooling the compressed gas stream in a cooler to produce a cooled gas stream. Methods include feeding the cooled gas stream into a gas treatment system, using a turboexpander, to produce a conditioned gas and a waste stream. Methods include heating the conditioned gas in a heat exchanger, where the conditioned gas is a superheated, sweetened, gas. Methods also include burning the conditioned gas in a turbine generator and mixing the waste stream into the raw gas stream upstream of the suction scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Denton
  • Patent number: 9957204
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for converting a mixture of hydrocarbon and sulfur-containing molecules such as mercaptan into products comprising acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen sulfide, to processes utilizing the acetylene and ethylene resulting from the conversion, and to equipment useful for such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz, Robert D. Denton, Gary D. Mohr
  • Publication number: 20180056229
    Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing an input feed stream through two swing adsorption systems as a purge stream to remove contaminants, such as water, from the respective adsorbent bed units. The wet purge product stream is passed to a solvent based gas treating system, which forms a wet hydrocarbon rich stream and a wet acid gas stream. Then, the wet hydrocarbon rich stream and the wet acid gas stream are passed through one of the respective swing adsorption systems to remove some of the moisture from the respective wet streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, Ananda K. Nagavarapu, Bruce T. Kelley, Robert A. Johnson, Bennett D. Marshall
  • Publication number: 20180016977
    Abstract: Methods and systems for treating a compressed gas stream. The compressed gas stream is cooled and liquids are removed therefrom to form a dry gas stream, which is chilled in a first heat exchanger. Liquids are separated therefrom, thereby producing a cold vapor stream and a liquids stream. A first part of the cold vapor stream is expanded to produce a cold two-phase fluid stream, and a second part of the cold vapor stream is cooled to form a cooled reflux stream. Various streams are fed into a separation column to produce a cold fuel gas stream and a low temperature liquids stream. The second part of the cold vapor stream is cooled by the cold fuel gas stream, which becomes a warmed fuel gas stream that is compressed and used with the low-temperature liquids stream to chill the dry gas stream and to cool the compressed gas stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Ananda K. Nagavarapu, Donald J. Victory, Robert D. Denton
  • Publication number: 20170370640
    Abstract: A system for conditioning a sour gas feed stream for a cryogenic distillation tower, comprising a dehydration unit configured to separate the sour gas feed stream into a first stream comprising water and a feed stream, and a sequential cooling assembly coupled to both the dehydration unit and the cryogenic distillation tower, wherein the sequential cooling assembly comprises a first stage configured to separate the feed stream into a partially cooled feed stream and a second stream comprising acid gas, a second stage configured to cool the partially cooled feed stream into a cooled feed stream and a third stream comprising acid gas, and a cooled feed stream header coupled to a cryogenic distillation tower feed inlet, wherein the first stage, the second stage, or both are configured to send at least one of the second and third streams to a bottom section of the cryogenic distillation tower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Ananda K. Nagavarapu, P. Scott Northrop, Robert D. Denton, Jaime A. Valencia
  • Patent number: 9829247
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower. The method may include forming solids in a controlled freeze zone section of the distillation tower; emitting radiation from a first radiation source in the controlled freeze zone section while the controlled freeze zone section forms no solids; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a first radiation level; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a second radiation level after detecting the first radiation level; and determining whether the solids adhered to at least one of on and around a first mechanical component included in the controlled freeze zone section based on the first radiation level and the second radiation level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Reseach Company
    Inventors: Jaime A. Valencia, J. Tim Cullinane, Edward J. Grave, Robert D. Denton
  • Patent number: 9823017
    Abstract: A method and system of controlling a temperature within a melt tray assembly of a distillation tower. The method may include determining a melt tray fluid composition of a melt tray fluid, determining a melt tray fluid temperature of the melt tray fluid, determining if the melt tray fluid temperature is within an expected melt tray fluid temperature range for the melt tray fluid composition, decreasing the melt tray fluid temperature if the melt tray fluid temperature is greater than an expected melt tray fluid temperature range upper limit, increasing the melt tray fluid temperature if the melt tray fluid temperature is less than an expected melt tray fluid temperature range lower limit, and maintaining the melt tray fluid temperature if the melt tray fluid temperature is within the expected melt tray fluid temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, P. Scott Northrop, Ananda K. Nagavarapu
  • Patent number: 9784140
    Abstract: A method for generating steam for hydrocarbon production is provided. The method includes producing steam using heat from an exhaust stream from a gas turbine system. A water stream is condensed from combustion products in the exhaust stream, and the water stream is used as a make-up water for production of the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Robert D. Denton, Patrick D. McMahon, Lalit K. Bohra, Jasper L. Dickson
  • Publication number: 20170283688
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques include a method of obtaining an enhanced oil recovery fluid from a hydrocarbon reservoir, comprising producing a hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon reservoir, separating an associated gas stream from the hydrocarbon stream, and condensing at least a portion of the associated gas stream to obtain an enriched hydrocarbon fluid suitable for injecting into a liquid layer of the hydrocarbon reservoir to enhance recovery of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Jaime A. VALENCIA, David W. Maher, Robert D. Denton, Gary F. Teletzke, Michael W. Lin
  • Patent number: 9732673
    Abstract: Methods and systems for low emission power generation in hydrocarbon recovery processes are provided. One system includes a gas turbine system configured to stoichiometrically combust a compressed oxidant and a fuel in the presence of a compressed recycle exhaust gas and expand the discharge in an expander to generate a gaseous exhaust stream and drive a main compressor. A boost compressor can receive and increase the pressure of the gaseous exhaust stream and inject it into an evaporative cooling tower configured to use an exhaust nitrogen gas having a low relative humidity as an evaporative cooling media. The cooled gaseous exhaust stream is then compressed and recirculated through the system as a diluent to moderate the temperature of the stoichiometric combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, Himanshu Gupta, Richard Huntington, Moses Minta, Franklin F. Mittricker, Loren K. Starcher
  • Patent number: 9689309
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for generating power in combined low emission turbine systems and capturing and recovering carbon dioxide from the exhaust. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust from multiple turbine systems is combined, cooled, compressed, and separated to yield a carbon dioxide-containing effluent stream and a nitrogen-containing product stream. Portions of the recycled exhaust streams and the product streams may be used as diluents to regulate combustion in each combustor of the turbine systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Russell H. Oelfke, Richard A. Huntington, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Dennis M. O'Dea, Robert D. Denton, O. Angus Sites, Franklin F. Mittricker
  • Patent number: 9663419
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for converting a mixture of hydrocarbon and sulfur-containing molecules such as mercaptans into products comprising acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen sulfide, to processes utilizing the acetylene and ethylene resulting from the conversion, and to equipment useful for such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz, Robert D. Denton, Gary D. Mohr
  • Publication number: 20170089638
    Abstract: A method of designing, constructing, and operating a hydrocarbon gas treatment plant is disclosed. A target hydrocarbon production range for a hydrocarbon gas meeting a required product specification is established. A cryogenic distillation column is designed and constructed with a vapor capacity to meet the target hydrocarbon production range. A variable feed refrigeration system is incorporated to cool an inlet feed of the hydrocarbon gas. The variable feed refrigeration system is designed to handle the target hydrocarbon production range and a wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms heating system is incorporated to handle heating duties associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed. A variable bottoms pumping system is incorporated to handle liquid flows associated with the wide range of contaminant concentrations in the inlet feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Jaime A. VALENCIA, Robert D. Denton, David W. Maher
  • Publication number: 20170088484
    Abstract: The invention relates to producing aromatic hydrocarbon by aromatization of non-aromatic hydrocarbon, including feed pretreatment, aromatization of the aromatization feed's C2 hydrocarbon and C3+ non-aromatic hydrocarbon, and recovery of an aromatic product. The invention also relates to modules for carrying out the pretreatment, aromatization, and recovery, and also modules for auxiliary function such as power generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: David W. Maher, Robert D. Denton, Jaime A. Valencia, Paul F. Keusenkothen
  • Patent number: 9567219
    Abstract: Systems and a method for forming carbon nanotubes are described. A method includes forming carbon nanotubes in a reactor, using a Bosch reaction. The carbon nanotubes are separated from a reactor effluent to form a waste gas stream. The feed gas, a dry waste gas stream, or both, are heated with waste heat from the waste gas stream. The waste gas stream is chilled in an ambient temperature heat exchanger to condense water vapor, forming a dry waste gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventors: Robert D. Denton, Dallas B. Noyes
  • Publication number: 20170036970
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for converting a mixture of hydrocarbon and sulfur-containing molecules such as mercaptan into products comprising acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen sulfide, to processes utilizing the acetylene and ethylene resulting from the conversion, and to equipment useful for such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz, Robert D. Denton, Gary D. Mohr
  • Publication number: 20170016667
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and processes to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) using liquefied nitrogen (LIN) as the refrigerant. Greenhouse gas contaminants are removed from the LIN using a greenhouse gas removal unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Parag A. Gupte, Fritz Pierre, JR., Robert D. Denton
  • Publication number: 20170016668
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and processes to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) using liquefied nitrogen (LIN) as the refrigerant. Greenhouse gas contaminants are removed from the LIN using a greenhouse gas removal unit. The LNG is compressed prior to being cooled by the LIN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Fritz PIERRE, JR., Parag A. Gupte, Richard A. Huntington, Robert D. Denton