Patents by Inventor Robert E. Tsai

Robert E. Tsai 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: 11441838
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for reforming of hydrocarbons including recovery of products are provided. In one example, a method comprises separating a reforming-zone effluent into a net gas phase stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The net gas phase stream is separated for forming an H2-rich stream and a first liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The H2-rich stream may be contacted with an adsorbent to form an H2-ultra rich stream and a gas stream. C3/C4 hydrocarbons are absorbed from the gas stream with the liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The gas stream may be contacted with an H2/hydrocarbon separation membrane to separate the PSA tail gas stream and form an H2-rich permeate stream and an H2 depleted non-permeate residue stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Thuy T. Vu, Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Amit Goyal, William Yanez, Sudipta K. Ghosh
  • Patent number: 11078133
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for alkylating aromatic hydrocarbons with an alkylating reagent to produce an alkylated aromatic product are described. The processes and apparatuses use a riser reactor operated at a superficial velocity of 10 m/s to 25 m/s to produce the alkylated aromatic product. In some embodiments, a combination of steam and aromatic hydrocarbon is used to lift the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Gregory B. Kuzmanich, Richard A. Johnson, II, Joseph A. Montalbano, Feng Xu, Robert E. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20210171421
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for alkylating aromatic hydrocarbons with an alkylating reagent to produce an alkylated aromatic product are described. The processes and apparatuses use a riser reactor operated at a superficial velocity of 10 m/s to 25 m/s to produce the alkylated aromatic product. In some embodiments, a combination of steam and aromatic hydrocarbon is used to lift the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Gregory B. Kuzmanich, Richard A. Johnson, II, Joseph A. Montalbano, Feng Xu, Robert E. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20200354293
    Abstract: Processes for recovering para-xylene from a para-xylene separation zone that receives two or more feed streams with different para-xylene amounts. One of the feed streams may have an equilibrium amount while the second may have a high amount. A fractionation column provides the effluent stream with para-xylene which may be a high purity stream that can be fed to the para-xylene separation zone in its entirety. If heavier compounds need to be removed from the second feed stream, a split shell or divided wall column may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Joseph Montalbano, Ellen Arnold, Raymond Shih, Anton N. Mlinar
  • Publication number: 20200263922
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for reforming of hydrocarbons including recovery of products are provided. In one example, a method comprises separating a reforming-zone effluent into a net gas phase stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The net gas phase stream is separated for forming an H2-rich stream and a first liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The H2-rich stream may be contacted with an adsorbent to form an H2-ultra rich stream and a gas stream. C3/C4 hydrocarbons are absorbed from the gas stream with the liquid phase hydrocarbon stream. The gas stream may be contacted with an H2/hydrocarbon separation membrane to separate the PSA tail gas stream and form an H2-rich permeate stream and an H2 depleted non-permeate residue stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Thuy T. Vu, Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Amit Goyal, William Yanez, Sudipta K. Ghosh
  • Patent number: 10626067
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for para-xylene separation. A stream of para-xylene is separated from a toluene stream in a fractionation column. An overhead stream of the fractionation column is compressed and then passed to a heat recovery zone to transfer heat from the overhead stream to another process stream in, for example, a heat exchanger. The fractionation column may be separating an effluent from a toluene methylation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Joseph Montalbano, Ellen Arnold
  • Patent number: 10450240
    Abstract: It is desirable to provide improved processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatic compounds such as toluene and benzene in an aromatics complex. Described herein are processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatics in an aromatics complex for producing a xylene isomer product. More specifically, processes and apparatuses for producing para-xylene by the selective methylation of toluene and/or benzene in an aromatics complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Joseph A. Montalbano, R. Jason L. Noe, Veronica G. Deak, Anton N. Mlinar, Robert E. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20190144358
    Abstract: It is desirable to provide improved processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatic compounds such as toluene and benzene in an aromatics complex. Described herein are processes and apparatuses for methylation of aromatics in an aromatics complex for producing a xylene isomer product. More specifically, processes and apparatuses for producing para-xylene by the selective methylation of toluene and/or benzene in an aromatics complex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph A. Montalbano, R. Jason L. Noe, Veronica G. Deak, Anton N. Mlinar, Robert E. Tsai
  • Patent number: 9815756
    Abstract: This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for use of a single dividing wall distillation column for phenol fractionation. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for phenol fractionation by combining crude acetone column and cumene-AMS column into a single dividing wall distillation column. The proper allocation of steam or water injection, chemical treatment reactor and internal liquid phase separator, the positioning of the side draw enables high yield of acetone and phenol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Schmidt, Charlotte Y. Fang, Russell C. Schulz, Xin X. Zhu, Scott R. Keenan, Chad A. Williams, Heather D. Tsihlis, Jose L. Miramontes, Robert E. Tsai
  • Publication number: 20170283350
    Abstract: This present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for use of a single dividing wall distillation column for phenol fractionation. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for phenol fractionation by combining crude acetone column and cumene-AMS column into a single dividing wall distillation column. The proper allocation of steam or water injection, chemical treatment reactor and internal liquid phase separator, the positioning of the side draw enables high yield of acetone and phenol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Robert J. Schmidt, Charlotte Y. Fang, Russell C. Schulz, Xin X. Zhu, Scott R. Keenan, Chad A. Williams, Heather D. Tsihlis, Jose L. Miramontes, Robert E. Tsai
  • Patent number: 9630138
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for treating a gas stream from a hydroprocessor that contains hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons. In embodiments of the invention, the gas stream is sent through at least two pressure swing adsorption units to produce a high quality hydrogen stream, a fuel gas stream containing most of the methane and a tail gas stream that is sent to a steam cracker. Lean gas from a gas plant and other refinery off gases may also be processed together with the gas stream from the hydroprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Joel J. Kaye, Eleftherios Adamopoulos
  • Publication number: 20150376525
    Abstract: The invention provides for sending a natural gas stream through a pressure swing adsorption unit to send a gas stream comprising mainly nitrogen, methane and hydrogen to a fuel gas stream and a gas stream comprising a significant majority of C2+ hydrocarbons from the natural gas stream to a tail gas stream to then go to a stream cracker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Ronald J. Long, Xin X. Zhu, Kirit M. Patel
  • Publication number: 20150375159
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for treating a gas stream from a hydroprocessor that contains hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons. In embodiments of the invention, the gas stream is sent through at least two pressure swing adsorption units to produce a high quality hydrogen stream, a fuel gas stream containing most of the methane and a tail gas stream that is sent to a steam cracker. Lean gas from a gas plant and other refinery off gases may also be processed together with the gas stream from the hydroprocessor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Joel J. Kaye, Eleftherios Adamopoulos
  • Publication number: 20150375160
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for treating a gas stream comprising hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons comprising sending the gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption unit to produce a first purified gas stream comprising hydrogen and methane and a second purified gas stream comprising hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons, sending the first purified gas stream to a second pressure swing adsorption unit to produce a hydrogen product stream comprising more than 99 mol % hydrogen and a fuel gas stream comprising more than 90 mol % of the methane in the first product gas stream, and sending the second purified gas stream to a gas plant to be separated into a plurality of streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Ronald J. Long
  • Publication number: 20150376092
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for treating a gas stream comprising hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons comprising sending the gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption unit to produce a first purified gas stream comprising more than 99 mol % hydrogen and a second purified gas stream comprising hydrogen, methane and C2+ hydrocarbons, and sending the second purified gas stream to a gas plant to be separated into a plurality of streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Robert E. Tsai, Xin X. Zhu, Ronald J. Long