Patents by Inventor Robert M. Eng

Robert M. Eng 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).

  • Pervaporation process for separating alcohols from ethers
    Patent number: 4774365
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved process for separating alcohols from ethers and/or hydrocarbon raffinate in an etherification process. The excess alcohol reactant, which forms azeotrope mixtures with the product ethers and C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 raffinate, is removed by passing the liquid azeotrope mixture over a pervaporation membrane which effectively breaks the azeotrope and permeates the alcohol with high flux and high selectivity. In a typical etherification process, one or more pervaporation membrane units can be located ahead of the ether/raffinate distillation step, in conjunction with the distillation step with a liquid side draw, after the distillation step, or a combination of any of the above. The present invention also provides an improved process for separating alcohols from ethers and/or hydrocarbon raffinate in an ether decomposition process for the production of high purity iso-alkene products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Chen, Robert M. Eng, Jerome L. Glazer, Charles G. Wensley