Patents by Inventor Wayne J. Brtko

Wayne J. Brtko 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: 9102612
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LyondellBasell Acetyls, LLC
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A Salisbury, Wayne J Brtko, Michael E Fitzpatrick
  • Publication number: 20130345474
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid includes: obtaining hydrogen iodide in an acetic acid production system; and continually introducing a complexing agent into the system, wherein the complexing agent and hydrogen iodide interact to form a complex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: LYONDELL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY L.P.
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 8394987
    Abstract: The invention is a method of removing methyl iodide from an alkane distillation bottoms stream of an acetic acid production process. The method comprises contacting the alkane distillation bottoms stream in the liquid phase with a phosphine or a phosphine-functionalized support, and recovering a treated alkane distillation bottoms stream having a reduced methyl iodide content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Wayne J. Brtko
  • Publication number: 20110313193
    Abstract: The invention is a method of purifying acetic acid containing 15 to 100 ppb iodide compounds. The method comprises contacting the acetic acid in the liquid phase with a phosphine-functionalized support, and recovering a purified acetic acid product having 10 ppb, or less, iodide compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Wayne J. Brtko
  • Publication number: 20110313217
    Abstract: The invention is a method of removing methyl iodide from an alkane distillation bottoms stream of an acetic acid production process. The method comprises contacting the alkane distillation bottoms stream in the liquid phase with a phosphine or a phosphine-functionalized support, and recovering a treated alkane distillation bottoms stream having a reduced methyl iodide content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Noel C. Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury, Wayne J. Brtko
  • Patent number: 8076508
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture and flashing the reaction mixture to form a vapor stream and a liquid stream. The flash tank is equipped with a distillation column. The vapor stream comprises acetic acid and other volatile components but essentially no catalyst. The liquid stream comprises the catalyst and sufficient amounts of water and acetic acid to carry and stabilize the catalyst. The liquid stream is recycled to the carbonylation and the vapor stream is subjected to further separation to produce essentially pure acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Lyondell Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 8076512
    Abstract: A method for reducing aldehydes in an acetic acid production process is disclosed. The acetic acid is produced by reacting methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst. The method comprises reacting an aldehyde-containing stream with an alcohol to form an acetal-containing stream. An acetal-enriched stream is separated from the acetal-containing stream and then hydrolyzed to form a hydrolysis mixture comprising the alcohol and the aldehydes. The alcohol is isolated from the hydrolysis mixture and used to react with the aldehyde-containing stream to form the acetal-containing stream. The invention reduces aldehydes in the acetic acid produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignees: Equistar Chemicals, L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Michael E. Fitzpatrick, Chuc Tu Nguyen, Wayne J. Brtko, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20110269992
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The process comprises carbonylating dimethyl carbonate. The carbonylation reaction for producing acetic acid is performed in the presence of water, while the carbonylation for producing acetic anhydride is performed essentially in the absence of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Shao-Hua Guo, Wayne J. Brtko, Noel Hallinan, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20110137075
    Abstract: A process for the production of vinyl acetate is disclosed. The process comprises reacting ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising vinyl acetate, ethylene, carbon dioxide, acetic acid, water and ethylene glycol diacetate. The reaction mixture is separated to a gas stream comprising ethylene, and carbon dioxide and a crude vinyl acetate stream comprising vinyl acetate, acetic acid, water and ethylene glycol diacetate. An ethylene glycol diacetate stream is isolated from the crude vinyl acetate stream and subjected to a reactive distillation to recover acetic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Wayne J. Brtko, Brian A. Salisbury, Noel Hallinan
  • Publication number: 20110087047
    Abstract: A process for the production of vinyl acetate is disclosed. The process comprises reacting ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising vinyl acetate, ethylene, carbon dioxide, acetic acid and ethylene glycol diacetate. The reaction mixture is separated to a gas stream comprising ethylene, oxygen, and carbon dioxide and a crude vinyl acetate stream comprising vinyl acetate, acetic acid and ethylene glycol diacetate. An ethylene glycol diacetate stream, which comprises at least 50 wt % of ethylene glycol diacetate, is isolated from the crude vinyl acetate stream and hydrolyzed to recover acetic acid. Recovered acetic acid may be recycled to the acetoxidation reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Noel Hallinan, Wayne J. Brtko, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20110054213
    Abstract: A method for reducing aldehydes in an acetic acid production process is disclosed. The acetic acid is produced by reacting methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst. The method comprises reacting an aldehyde-containing stream with an alcohol to form an acetal-containing stream. An acetal-enriched stream is separated from the acetal-containing stream and then hydrolyzed to form a hydrolysis mixture comprising the alcohol and the aldehydes. The alcohol is isolated from the hydrolysis mixture and used to react with the aldehyde-containing stream to form the acetal-containing stream. The invention reduces aldehydes in the acetic acid produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Michael E. Fitzpatrick, Chuc Tu Nguyen, Wayne J. Brtko, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Patent number: 7790920
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture comprising a catalyst, catalyst stabilizer, acetic acid, methanol, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, water, and carbon monoxide and introducing at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a distillation column to separate into a bottom steam comprising the catalyst and catalyst stabilizer, a sidedraw stream comprising acetic acid and water, and an overhead stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, and water. The process of the invention eliminates the use of flash tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P.
    Inventors: Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20100145097
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture and flashing the reaction mixture to form a vapor stream and a liquid stream. The flash tank is equipped with a distillation column. The vapor stream comprises acetic acid and other volatile components but essentially no catalyst. The liquid stream comprises the catalyst and sufficient amounts of water and acetic acid to carry and stabilize the catalyst. The liquid stream is recycled to the carbonylation and the vapor stream is subjected to further separation to produce essentially pure acetic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick
  • Publication number: 20100063319
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid is disclosed. The process comprises carbonylating methanol to form a reaction mixture comprising a catalyst, catalyst stabilizer, acetic acid, methanol, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, water, and carbon monoxide and introducing at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a distillation column to separate into a bottom steam comprising the catalyst and catalyst stabilizer, a sidedraw stream comprising acetic acid and water, and an overhead stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, and water. The process of the invention eliminates the use of flash tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Wayne J. Brtko, Michael E. Fitzpatrick, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Patent number: 7485749
    Abstract: A method for removing aldehyde impurities from an acetic acid stream is disclosed. The method comprises reacting aldehyde impurities with a hydroxyl compound in a drying distillation column or a combined column to form corresponding acetals. The acetals are subsequently removed as heavy impurities from acetic acid by distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignees: Lyondell Chemical Technology, L.P., Millennium Petrochemicals inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Sawyer, Wayne J. Brtko, Ronnie M. Hanes, Brian A. Salisbury
  • Publication number: 20080051601
    Abstract: A method for removing aldehyde impurities from an acetic acid stream is disclosed. The method comprises reacting aldehyde impurities with a hydroxyl compound in a drying distillation column or a combined column to form corresponding acetals. The acetals are subsequently removed as heavy impurities from acetic acid by distillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Gary A. Sawyer, Wayne J. Brtko, Ronnie M. Hanes, Brian A. Salisbury