Patents by Inventor Yihui Tom Xu

Yihui Tom Xu 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: 20150060259
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating an alcohol, and in particular butanol, from a fermented feed and concentrating thin stillage into syrup includes operation of one or more alcohol recovery distillation columns using the heat supplied by steam generated from concentration of the thin stillage in a multi-train, multi-effect evaporation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Yihui Tom Xu
  • Patent number: 8968522
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture of a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a noncondensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is returned to the first distillation column as reflux. A bottom stream from the first distillation column is refined in a second distillation column to obtain a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream. The extractant may be C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten
  • Patent number: 8968523
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture of a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is refined in a second distillation column; the aqueous phase is returned to the first distillation column. A portion of the wet butanol phase from the decanter is also returned to the first distillation column. The extractant may be C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten
  • Patent number: 8906204
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating an alcohol, and in particular butanol, from a fermented feed and concentrating thin stillage into syrup includes operation of one or more alcohol recovery distillation columns using the heat supplied by steam generated from concentration of the thin stillage in a multi-train, multi-effect evaporation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventor: Yihui Tom Xu
  • Patent number: 8569552
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is condensed to recover a mixed condensate. An entrainer is added to at least one appropriate process stream or vessel such that the mixed condensate comprises sufficient entrainer to provide phase separation of the organic and the aqueous phases to provide for recovery of the butanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, William D Parten, Bruce M Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu, Joseph J Zaher
  • Patent number: 8563788
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, William D Parten, Bruce M Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu, Joseph J Zaher
  • Patent number: 8373008
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is condensed to recover a mixed condensate. An entrainer is added to at least one appropriate process stream or vessel such that the mixed condensate comprises sufficient entrainer to provide phase separation of the organic and the aqueous phases to provide for recovery of the butanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Butamax (TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, William D. Parten, Bruce Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu, Joseph J. Zaher
  • Patent number: 8373009
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Butamax (TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, William D. Parten, Bruce Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu, Joseph J. Zaher
  • Publication number: 20130001061
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is condensed to recover a mixed condensate. An entrainer is added to at least one appropriate process stream or vessel such that the mixed condensate comprises sufficient entrainer to provide phase separation of the organic and the aqueous phases to provide for recovery of the butanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles GRADY, William D. PARTEN, Bruce M. VRANA, Yihui Tom XU, Joseph J. ZAHER
  • Publication number: 20130001062
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: MICHAEL CHARLES GRADY, William D. Parten, Bruce M. Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu, Joseph J. Zaher
  • Publication number: 20110315541
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating an alcohol, and in particular butanol, from a fermented feed and concentrating thin stillage into syrup includes operation of one or more alcohol recovery distillation columns using the heat supplied by steam generated from concentration of the thin stillage in a multi-train, multi-effect evaporation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventor: Yihui Tom Xu
  • Publication number: 20110288344
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is condensed to recover a mixed condensate. An entrainer is added to at least one appropriate process stream or vessel such that the mixed condensate comprises sufficient entrainer to provide phase separation of the organic and the aqueous phases to provide for recovery of the butanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: MICHAEL CHARLES GRADY, William D. Parten, Bruce Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu
  • Publication number: 20110288345
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, William D. Parten, Bruce Vrana, Yihui Tom Xu
  • Publication number: 20110162953
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is returned to the first distillation column as reflux. A bottom stream from the first distillation column is refined in a second distillation column to obtain a second overhead stream comprising butanol and a second bottoms stream comprising the extractant. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten
  • Publication number: 20110162954
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is refined in a second distillation column; the aqueous phase is returned to the first distillation column. A portion of the wet butanol phase from the decanter is also returned to the first distillation column. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten