Patents Represented by Attorney Steven A. Owen

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  • Versatile oxidation byproduct purge process
    Patent number: 7880032
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for treating a purge stream in a carboxylic acid production process. The process employs a purge process that allows for the separation of oxidation byproducts into benzoic acid and non-benzoic acid oxidation byproducts, thus providing flexibility in the treatment and use of such oxidation byproducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kenny Randolph Parker, Philip Edward Gibson
  • Versatile oxidation byproduct purge process
    Patent number: 7863481
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for treating a purge stream in a carboxylic acid production process. The process employs a purge process that allows for the separation of oxidation byproducts into benzoic acid and non-benzoic acid oxidation byproducts, thus providing flexibility in the treatment and use of such oxidation byproducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker
  • Carboxylic acid production process
    Patent number: 7863483
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes and apparatus for producing a carboxylic acid. The processes employ a concentration section disposed before and/or after a product isolation section, which allows for oxidation byproducts produced in the process to exit the product isolation section with the isolated carboxylic acid product and/or to be combined with the isolated carboxylic acid product downstream of the product isolation section at a rate of at least about 15 percent of the net make rate of the oxidation byproducts in the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker
  • Process to produce an enriched composition
    Patent number: 7855305
    Abstract: A process is provided for producing an enriched carboxylic acid compositions produced by contacting composition comprising a carboxylic acid with an enrichment feed in an enrichment zone to form an enriched carboxylic acid composition. This invention also relates to a process and the resulting compositions for removing catalyst from a carboxylic acid composition to produce a post catalyst removal composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kenny Randolph Parker, Philip Edward Gibson, Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra
  • Carboxylic acid production process
    Patent number: 7847121
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes and apparatus for producing a carboxylic acid. The processes employ a concentration section disposed before and/or after a product isolation section, which allows for oxidation byproducts produced in the process to exit the product isolation section with the isolated carboxylic acid product and/or to be combined with the isolated carboxylic acid product downstream of the product isolation section at a rate of at least about 15 percent of the net make rate of the oxidation byproducts in the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker
  • Polyester process using a pipe reactor
    Patent number: 7842778
    Abstract: The invention is directed to polyester processes where the esterification process at utilizes a vapor removing device, wherein the vapor removing device is substantially horizontally oriented, wherein the esterification effluent forms a two-phase laminar, stratified, non-circular vapor/liquid flow in at least a portion of said vapor removing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventor: Bruce Roger DeBruin
  • Process to produce a post catalyst removal composition
    Patent number: 7834208
    Abstract: A process is provided for producing an enriched carboxylic acid compositions produced by contacting composition comprising a carboxylic acid with an enrichment feed in an enrichment zone to form an enriched carboxylic acid composition. This invention also relates to a process and the resulting compositions for removing catalyst from a carboxylic acid composition to produce a post catalyst removal composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kenny Randolph Parker, Philip Edward Gibson, Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra
  • Oxidation system with sidedraw secondary reactor
    Patent number: 7829037
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Earl Woodruff, Alan George Wonders
  • Polycarboxylic acid production system employing enhanced multistage oxidative digestion
    Patent number: 7816556
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. The system includes a multi-stage oxidative digestion system for processing an improved initial slurry from primary oxidation. The multi-stage digestion system is capable of adequately purifying the improved initial slurry without requiring significant liquor exchange between primary oxidation and oxidative digestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Ronald Buford Sheppard, Thomas Earl Woodruff, Martin De Boer, Raymond Elbert Fogle
  • Polycarboxylic acid production system employing enhanced evaporative concentration downstream of oxidative digestion
    Patent number: 7772424
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized system for more efficiently and economically producing terephthalic acid. The system employs an evaporative removal step downstream of oxidative digestion. The evaporative removal step removes a portion of the liquid phase and promotes precipitation of certain aromatic impurities. By promoting precipitation of certain aromatic impurities, the amount of the precipitated impurities in the recycled solvent is advantageously reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Ronald Buford Sheppard, Thomas Earl Woodruff, Martin De Boer, Raymond Elbert Fogle, Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker
  • Versatile oxidation byproduct purge process
    Patent number: 7759516
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for treating a purge stream in a carboxylic acid production process. The process employs a purge process that allows for the separation of oxidation byproducts into benzoic acid and non-benzoic acid oxidation byproducts, thus providing flexibility in the treatment and use of such oxidation byproducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7741515
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Wayne Scott Strasser, Marcel de Vreede, J Thomas Tidwell
  • Process to enrich a carboxylic acid composition
    Patent number: 7741516
    Abstract: A process is provided for producing an enriched carboxylic acid compositions produced by contacting composition comprising a carboxylic acid with an enrichment feed in an enrichment zone to form an enriched carboxylic acid composition. This invention also relates to a process and the resulting compositions for removing catalyst from a carboxylic acid composition to produce a post catalyst removal composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Philip Edward Gibson, Kenny Randolph Parker, Ruairi Seosamh O'Meadhra
  • Polyester process using a pipe reactor
    Patent number: 7718759
    Abstract: The invention is directed to polyester processes that utilizes a pipe reactor in the esterification, polycondensation, or both esterification and polycondensation processes. Pipe reactor processes of the present invention have a multitude of advantages over prior art processes including improved heat transfer, volume control, agitation and disengagement functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventor: Roger Bruce DeBruin
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7692037
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Marcel de Vreede, Lee Reynolds Partin, Wayne Scott Strasser
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7659427
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Wayne Scott Strasser, Marcel de Vreede, J. Thomas Tidwell
  • Process for production of a carboxylic acid/diol mixture suitable for use in polyester production
    Patent number: 7601795
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process by which a carboxylic acid/diol mixture is obtained from a slurry or cake carboxylic acid product without isolation of a substantially dry carboxylic acid solid. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process by which a terephthalic acid/ethylene glycol mixture suitable as a starting material for polyester or co-polyester production is obtained from a slurry or cake terephthalic acid product without isolation of a substantially dry terephthalic acid solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kenny Randolph Parker, Robert Lin, Philip Edward Gibson
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7589231
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Howard Wood Jenkins, Jr., Lee Reynolds Partin, Wayne Scott Strasser, Marcel de Vreede
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7586000
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Thomas Young Lightfoot, Charles Edwan Sumner, Jr., Thomas Earl Woodruff, Ernest William Arnold, III, Eric Jackson Fugate, Charles Helton Hitchcock, Brent Alan Tennant, John David Aycock
  • Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
    Patent number: 7582793
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Alan George Wonders, Gino Georges Lavoie, Charles Edwan Sumner, Jr.