Patents Represented by Attorney Thomas K. McBride
  • Patent number: 5980732
    Abstract: The residue (bottoms) from a vacuum or atmospheric column is upgraded in a revamped multireactor hydrotreating zone. The hydrotreating zone is modified such that the entire effluent of the next to last reactor is withdrawn, light gases and hydrocarbons are removed from the effluent in separators and the remaining liquid is passed into a fractionation column and/or a carbon rejection zone. Gas oils and distillates from the column and/or carbon rejection zone are then returned to the last reactor of the hydrotreating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Daniel B. Gillis
  • Patent number: 5975504
    Abstract: High vapor and liquid capacity counterflow fractionation trays demonstrating superior turndown and performance characteristics include a number of parallel downcomers separated by planar tray decking having unique bidirectional slotted cap valve geometries. Several different arrangements of the bidirectional valves are presented. The raised trapezoids of the bidirectional valves may be arranged in two groups which each face the nearest downcomer, or arranged in lines parallel to the downcomer sidewalls such that trapezoids of neighboring rows face opposite directions. In a third embodiment these bidirectional slotted cap valves are only located in the regions of the decking sections located next to the downcomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Dale E. Nutter, Michael R. Resetarits, Daniel R. Monkelbaan, Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 5976479
    Abstract: A hydrothermal process for preparing a modified amorphous silica has been prepared. The process involves mixing a slurry of a silica with a mineralizer such as sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate at a temperature of about 85.degree. C. to about 300.degree. C. for a time of about 4 hours to about 10 days. The silica thus produced has a unimodal pore distribution with pores in the range of about 300 .ANG. to about 25,000 .ANG..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Alcaraz, Jennifer S. Holmgren
  • Patent number: 5968473
    Abstract: A new family of stannosilicate molecular sieves which have the zeolite beta structure are disclosed. These molecular sieves have a three dimensional framework structure composed of at least SnO.sub.2 and SiO.sub.2 tetrahedral oxide units (and optionally TiO.sub.2 and GeO.sub.2 units) and have an empirical formula of:(Sn.sub.x Ti.sub.y Si.sub.1-x-y-z Ge.sub.z)O.sub.2where "x", "y" and "z" are the mole fractions of tin, titanium and germanium respectively. A process for preparing these molecular sieves is also presented along with processes for the selective oxidation of organic compounds with peroxides using the molecular sieves as catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Susana Valencia Valencia, Avelino Corma Canos
  • Patent number: 5969201
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of plastic to produce a synthetic crude oil by means of contacting the plastic with a hydrocarbonaceous recycle stream in a liquefying zone operated at liquefying conditions to produce a liquefied stream of plastic containing non-distillable particulate matter and at least a portion thereof is filtered. The filtered stream having a reduced concentration of finely divided particulate matter and the balance, if any, of the original liquefied stream together with hydrogen is contacted with a hydro-demetallization catalyst in a hydro-demetallization zone at hydro-demetallization conditions to produce gaseous, water-soluble inorganic compounds. The effluent from the hydro-demetallization zone is contacted with a hydrocracking catalyst in a hydrocracking zone to produce lower boiling hydrocarbons suitable for use as a synthetic crude oil. A recovered hydrogen-rich gaseous stream is preferably recycled to the hydro-demetallization zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Tom N. Kalnes, Robert B. James, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5965473
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering chlorine-containing species from the outlet gas of a hydrocarbon conversion process with a cyclic regeneration operation. The outlet gas from an off-stream catalyst bed in which regeneration is occurring is passed to another off-stream catalyst bed which contains spent catalyst and which is maintained at sorption conditions. The spent catalyst particles sorb the chlorine-containing species from the outlet gas. This method captures and retains within the hydrocarbon conversion process chlorine-containing species that would otherwise be scrubbed and lost from the process and that would need to be replaced by the injection of make-up chlorine-containing species. This method results in significant savings in operating costs of a cyclic regeneration process. This method is adaptable to many processes for the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons in which deactivated catalyst are regenerated by a cyclic regeneration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paul A. Sechrist, Delmar W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5965014
    Abstract: A process for recovering a hydrogen-rich gas and for increasing the recovery of liquid hydrocarbon products from a hydrocarbon conversion zone effluent by adsorption of the liquifiable products from a chilled gaseous stream with a chilled liquid stream is improved by an arrangement that uses a single refrigeration shell to provide independent temperature control of the chilled gaseous and the chilled liquid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Frank S. Rosser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5965265
    Abstract: Functionalized silicas which can be used as core supports for a broad variety of chiral stationary phases may be conceptually represented as T--O--Si--U. T represents a refractory inorganic oxide, and T--O--Si arises from reaction of an organosilane with the surface hydroxyl groups of the refractory inorganic oxide. U represents a polyamine, related to poly(ethyleneamines), tris(2-aminoethyl) amine, or alkyleneoxyamines of glycerine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: David W. House
  • Patent number: 5965012
    Abstract: An FCC process combines ultra short catalyst and feed contacting with the blending of spent and regenerated catalyst in a disengaging vessel that recovers a primary product and passes the separated catalyst to a riser for controlled cracking of the adsorbed heavier hydrocarbons. The disengaging vessel is used as a separation zone to quickly withdraw lighter products that are initially cracked and the riser is used for the remaining hydrocarbons as a controlled secondary cracking section to further convert heavier feed components that are not quickly displaced from the catalyst in the blending/disengaging vessel zone. A separate feed may be added riser downstream of the blending disengaging vessel for cracking of secondary feeds. The arrangement provides a great deal of flexibility in the operation of ultra short catalyst contact systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Uop LLC
    Inventor: David A. Lomas
  • Patent number: 5962735
    Abstract: A solution is provided to the long sought inorganic alternative to resin based adsorbents for iodide clean-up service for corrosive organic liquid. The solution involves the use of a solid inorganic adsorbent comprising a combination of a silica-rich zeolite molecular sieve, which has been cation-exchanged with an iodide-reactive metal selected from silver, mercury, copper, lead, thallium, palladium or mixtures thereof, with a substantially insoluble, porous refractory inorganic oxide binder. Reactivation and regeneration technique for the spent inorganic adsorbent are also covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Santi Kulprathipanja, Benjamin C. Spehlmann, Richard R. Willis, John D. Sherman, William A. Leet
  • Patent number: 5962760
    Abstract: A process for the alkylation of aromatic compounds with an olefin or alkyl halide having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms utilizes a novel catalyst comprising: a) a refractory inorganic oxide, b) the reaction product of a first metal halide and bound surface hydroxyl groups of the refractory inorganic oxide, c) a second metal cation, and d) optionally a zerovalent third metal. The refractory inorganic oxide is selected from the group consisting of alumina, titania, zirconia, chromia, silica, boria, silica-alumina, and combinations thereof and the first metal halide is a fluoride, chloride, or bromide of aluminum, gallium, zirconium, or boron. The second metal cation is selected from the group consisting of: monovalent metal cations in an amount from 0.0026 up to about 0.20 gram atoms per 100 grams refractory inorganic oxide for lithium, potassium, cerium, rubidium, silver, and copper, and from 0.012 to about 0.20 gram atoms for sodium; and alkaline earth metal cations in an amount from about 0.0013 up to about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Joseph A. Kocal, Anil R. Oroskar
  • Patent number: 5962358
    Abstract: The present invention relates to binder-free molecular sieve zeolite granules of lithium zeolite A and lithium zeolite X, a process for preparing these molecular sieve zeolite granules and their use for preparing nitrogen or oxygen from air by pressure swing adsorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Bruno Hees, Lothar Puppe, Gerhard Reiss
  • Patent number: 5962759
    Abstract: Reduction of the amount of 1,1-diphenylethane and heavier polyalkylated benzenes produced in the formation of ethylbenzene by alkylation of benzene with ethylene can be effected by treating a non-templated zeolite beta at thermal oxidation conditions. The precursor zeolite beta contains at least 0.5% carbon which represents a combination of coke and high molecular organic compounds which are not removed by an extended benzene wash at about 200-250.degree. C. The improvement leads to a product containing less than 0.3 weight percent 1,1-diphenylethane relative to ethylbenzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Gregory J. Gajda
  • Patent number: 5962755
    Abstract: A process for saturating benzene in a light paraffin isomerization process can accommodate varying quantities of benzene through the incorporation of progressive steps that control temperatures in the isomerization zone while performing a majority of the saturation within an immediately upstream benzene saturation zone. The process is suited for saturating benzene to very low levels while feedstream concentrations of benzenes may vary from 2 to 25 wt % throughout a given period of operation. The process can accommodate rapid swings in benzene concentration that may occur on a daily basis. The invention is particularly suited for the use of a sulfated zirconia catalyst that allows the utilization of existing reactor vessels in an isomerization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Uop LLC
    Inventors: Paul George Blommel, Christopher David Gosling, Steve A. Wilcher
  • Patent number: 5962761
    Abstract: A process for the continuous oligomerization of ethylene to produce linear alpha olefins by oligomerizing ethylene in a polar phase comprising a solution of transition metal catalyst system at oligomerization conditions including a temperature and pressure greater than the critical temperature and pressure of ethylene. The resulting hydrocarbon phase containing oligomers and unreacted ethylene is subjected to physical treatment which tends to render the ethylene a nonsolvent for oligomers and thereby produce a liquid stream rich in unreacted ethylene which may be recycled to the oligomerization reaction zone by pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Uop LLC
    Inventors: Paul A. Sechrist, Brian H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5958222
    Abstract: An arrangement for the controlled production of an essentially linear array of hydrocarbon feed injection jets reduces required clearances and elevation while facilitating modification of the contacting locating a feed distributor containing a linear array of jets at a standpipe junction point to provide choke point for particle flow control. The flow properties of the extended particle layer are controlled by adjusting the density of the particles above the choke point created by the upper part of the standpipe inside diameter and the top of the distributor. Steam or another fluidization medium may be added to the particles directly above the distributor for this purpose. This invention can also modify the particle or feed injection characteristics by changing the projection of the distributor into the standpipe to adjust the flow area over the choke point and by the use of bottom slides or baffles to change the flow area size and configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: William H. Radcliffe, Ismail B. Cetinkaya
  • Patent number: 5958216
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon feedstock is catalytically reformed in a sequence comprising a first bifunctional-catalyst reforming zone, a zeolitic-reforming zone containing a catalyst comprising a platinum-group metal and a nonacidic zeolite, and a terminal bifunctional catalyst reforming zone. The first and terminal bifunctional catalysts preferably comprise a lanthanide-series metal component. The process combination permits higher severity, higher aromatics yields and/or increased throughput relative to the known art, and is particularly useful in connection with moving-bed reforming facilities with continuous catalyst regeneration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Bryan K. Glover
  • Patent number: 5954948
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon conversion processes are described which use a sulfur tolerant catalyst system. The catalyst is tolerant to large amounts (about 30,000 ppm sulfur) in the feedstream and comprises a first component which comprises at least one Group VIII metal dispersed on an inorganic oxide support and a second component comprising a metal phthalocyanine dispersed on an inorganic oxide support. Preferred Group VIII metals are platinum and palladium, while preferred metal phthalocyanines are cobalt or nickel phthalocyanine. Preferred inorganic oxide supports are molecular sieves, aluminas and mixtures thereof. Processes which can be carried out using this catalyst system include reforming, hydrocracking, dehydrogenation and isomerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Leonid B. Galperin
  • Patent number: 5953927
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a chilled water stream by the integration of a sorption cooling section with a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process. The hot and cold working fluids for operation of the sorption cooling section are withdrawn directly from liquid streams in the FCC process in a novel flow scheme which employs a side draw stream to provide the hot working fluid and the liquid condensed from the overhead of the FCC main fractionator as the cold working fluid. The hot exit stream and the warm exit stream are cross-exchanged to smooth out the temperature variations which reduce the size and operating cost of producing the chilled stream. Potential damage to equipment and variation operations can be avoided by selecting the location of the side draw stream to avoid the accumulation of non-condensables in the heat exchange equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Constante P. Tagamolila, Stephen R. Dunne
  • Patent number: 5950694
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for particulate matter which distributes the particulate matter, at substantially the same rate, uniformly across a given area of a vessel and comprises a particle container having an opening at one end for receiving particulate material into an upwardly directed end and an outlet end at an opposite end for flowing particulate material. A rotor having multiple elongated, hollow arms, an opening at one end for receiving particulate material from the particle container, the multiple arms each having at least one aperture located in a lower portion thereof for discharging particulate material, wherein the rotor is rotatably positioned below and adjacent to the outlet end of the particle container to permit the flow of particulate material from the particle container to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Omar M. Jama, Sergey V. Gurevich, Michael Z. Mikulicz