Patents Assigned to Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11774189
    Abstract: A heat exchanger can be configured to utilize multiple sections of hardway fins that can be configured so that an upper first section of the fins can build up liquid head and a second lower section of the fins can be configured to distribute liquid in an even, or uniform, manner. The first section of fins can utilize a different type of hole arrangement than the second section of fins. For instance, the diameter or width of the holes in the first section may differ from the diameter or width of the holes of the second section. In addition (or as an alternative), fin frequency and/or spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the first section of fins may be different from the spacing between immediately adjacent holes in the second section of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Fang Xu, Declan Patrick O'Connor, William T Kleinberg, Patrick A. Houghton
  • Publication number: 20230304733
    Abstract: A hydrogen feed stream comprising one or more impurities selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water, is purified using a cryogenic temperature swing adsorption (CTSA) process with high overall recovery of hydrogen. The waste gas from regenerating the CTSA may be used to improve the performance of upstream hydrogen processing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Jeffrey R. Hufton, Timothy C. Golden, Aaron Raymond Scott, Kamlesh Ghodasara, Maulik R. Shelat, Garret C. Lau
  • Publication number: 20230287875
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for cooling down a liquid hydrogen or other cryogenic fluid pump can be configured to allow for a quick startup that also helps minimize hydrogen losses. Some embodiments can utilize a blow-by circuit configured and arranged to support the cryogenic cooldown operation for the pump that can minimize hydrogen loss while allowing substantially improved pump startup times. Some embodiments can utilize at least one temperature sensor to monitor temperature and an adjustable control valve that can facilitate the flow of the fluid utilized to perform the cooldown of the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven W. Hoffman, David Jonathan Chalk, Joseph P. Cohen
  • Patent number: 11753299
    Abstract: A process for producing syngas that uses the syngas product from a partial oxidation reactor to provide all necessary heating duties, which eliminates the need for a fired heater. Soot is removed from the syngas using a dry filter to avoid a wet scrubber quenching the syngas stream and wasting the high-quality heat. Without the flue gas stream leaving a fired heater, all of the carbon dioxide produced by the reforming process is concentrated in the high-pressure syngas stream, allowing essentially complete carbon dioxide capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiang-Dong Peng, Henry Choisun Chan, Kelly Danielle Aguilar, Shihong Yan, Qiong Zhou, Shylaja Gowda
  • Publication number: 20230279996
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a compressed gas and dispensing it to a compressed gas receiver. The compressed gas is formed from a process fluid provided at a cryogenic temperature. The forming includes pressurizing the process fluid, feeding the pressurized process fluid at still a cryogenic temperature to a heat exchanger and heating it in indirect heat exchange with a thermal fluid which is provided in a reservoir at a thermal fluid temperature above the cryogenic temperature of the pressurized process fluid. Once heated to a suitable temperature the compressed gas may be dispensed to the compressed gas receiver or stored in one or more compressed gas storage vessels for later use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Cacciapalle, Joseph P. Cohen, David Jonathan Chalk, David John Farese, Anthony R. Kyvelos
  • Publication number: 20230272971
    Abstract: A simple and efficient single mixed refrigerant process for cooling and liquefying a hydrocarbon feed stream, such as natural gas. The process employs a closed-loop single mixed refrigerant process for refrigeration duty. The refrigerant compressed to a high pressure using at least three stages of compression and two intercoolers (both producing liquid). A hydraulic turbine is used to expand the high pressure refrigerant before it flows into the main heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc,
    Inventors: Mark Julian Roberts, Annemarie Ott Weist, Bo Jin, Brian James Barr
  • Patent number: 11740022
    Abstract: A control scheme for a furnace can use real-time and historical data to model performance and determine relationships between different data and performance parameters for use in correcting suboptimal performance of the furnace in real-time. Operational parameters can be logged throughout the cycle for all cycles for a period of time in order to establish a baseline. This data can then be used to calculate the performance of the process. A regression analysis can be carried out in order to determine which parameters affect different aspects of performance. These relationships can then be used to predict performance during a single cycle in real-time and provide closed or open loop feedback to control furnace operation to result in enhanced performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Lawrence, Avishek Guha, Reed Jacob Hendershot
  • Patent number: 11731076
    Abstract: A method for separating a raw feed gas stream using a plurality of membrane module stages. The raw feed gas stream may be from a biogas process. Off-gas from another unit process in the system, such as a temperature swing adsorption unit or liquefaction unit, may be used as a low pressure sweep gas on the low pressure side of at least one of the membrane module stages. In one example, the sweep gas is used in a first membrane module stage. In another example, a stripping membrane module stage is provided and the sweep gas is used in the stripping membrane module stage. Optionally, portions of the off-gas could be directed to other streams in the system for the purpose of balancing compressor power requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew P. O'Brien, Donald E. Henry
  • Publication number: 20230249971
    Abstract: A hydrogen feed stream comprising oxygen and one or more impurities selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water, is purified using a cryogenic temperature swing adsorption (CTSA) process with high overall recovery of hydrogen. The CTSA is regenerated using an inert gas to prevent an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Jeffrey R. Hufton, Timothy C. Golden, Aaron Raymond Scott, Quan Min Shao, Vishrut Garg
  • Publication number: 20230249970
    Abstract: A hydrogen feed stream comprising one or more impurities selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water, is contacted with liquid hydrogen in a cryogenic wash column (CWC) process that produces pure hydrogen with high overall recovery. The waste liquid stream leaving the CWC may be used to improve the performance of upstream hydrogen processing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamlesh Ghodasara, Maulik R. Shelat, Paul Higginbotham, Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Timothy C. Golden
  • Publication number: 20230249119
    Abstract: A hydrogen feed stream comprising oxygen and one or more impurities selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water, is purified by first removing oxygen using a copper oxide and/or manganese oxide getter, then using a cryogenic temperature swing adsorption (CTSA) process with high overall recovery of hydrogen. The oxygen getter prevents an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from occurring in the CTSA during regeneration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Casteel, Jr., Garret C. Lau, Timothy C. Golden, Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Jeffrey R. Hufton
  • Publication number: 20230242395
    Abstract: Recovery of hydrogen from an ammonia cracking process in which the cracked gas is purified in a PSA device is improved by using a membrane separator on the PSA tail gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Shaw, Vincent White, Edward Landis Weist, Jr., Paul Higginbotham, Donald E Henry
  • Publication number: 20230233986
    Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mozhgan Alimohammadi Zanjani, David Ross Graham, Donald E. Henry, Donn Michael Herron, Roger Anthony Dewing
  • Publication number: 20230188024
    Abstract: A hydrogen expander magnetic generator apparatus can include a magnetic generator to recover energy. Embodiments can utilize a permanent magnetic motor (PM) and energy conversion system (ECS) for converting energy from a rotating shaft of a turboexpander. Some embodiments can position magnets on the shaft such that the magnets are protected from exposure to hydrogen to avoid damage to the magnets. Some embodiments can include retrofitting of a pre-existing expander to remove an oil brake and replace it with an embodiment of the PM and ECS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: GENGLIN TANG, CANDICE DAIBES SILVESTRE, ETHAN D. EISWERTH, ROBERT E. BENTON, JR.
  • Publication number: 20230185283
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling an industrial gas plant complex comprising a plurality of industrial gas plants powered by one or more renewable power sources, the method being executed by at least one hardware processor, the method comprising receiving time-dependent predicted power data for a pre-determined future time period from the one or more renewable power sources; receiving time-dependent predicted operational characteristic data for each industrial gas plant; utilizing the predicted power data and predicted characteristic data in an optimization model to generate a set of state variables for the plurality of industrial gas plants; utilizing the generated state variables to generate a set of control set points for the plurality of industrial gas plants; and sending the control set points to a control system to control the industrial gas plant complex by adjusting one or more control set points of the industrial gas plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Mehta, Pratik Misra
  • Patent number: 11674749
    Abstract: A method and system for liquefying a natural gas feed stream and removing nitrogen therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Sylvain Vovard, Justin David Bukowski, Fei Chen, Mark Julian Roberts
  • Publication number: 20230178984
    Abstract: There is provided a method of determining and utilizing predicted available power resources from one or more renewable power sources for one or more industrial gas plants comprising one or more storage resources. The method is executed by at least one hardware processor and comprises: obtaining historical time-dependent environmental data associated with the one or more renewable power sources; obtaining historical time-dependent operational characteristic data associated with the one or more renewable power sources; training a machine learning model based on the historical time-dependent environmental data and the historical time-dependent operational characteristic data; executing the trained machine learning model to predict available power resources for the one or more industrial gas plants for a pre-determined future time period; and controlling the one or more industrial gas plants in response to the predicted available power resources for the pre-determined future time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Mehta, Pratik Misra
  • Publication number: 20230175773
    Abstract: Hydrogen is liquefied through a process utilizing refrigeration from hydrogen at one, two, or three different pressures as well as a nitrogen refrigeration cycle. One or more stages of catalyst are used to convert ortho-hydrogen to para-hydrogen as the hydrogen is cooled and liquefied. Subcooled liquid hydrogen feeds the final stage of ortho-hydrogen to para-hydrogen conversion to reduce or eliminate vaporization of the hydrogen during the exothermic ortho-hydrogen to para-hydrogen conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Higginbotham, John H. Petrik, Christopher F. Harris
  • Patent number: 11668522
    Abstract: A system and method for integrated heavy hydrocarbon removal in a liquefaction system having a lean natural gas source. An economizer located between a main cryogenic heat exchanger and a reflux drum is provided to cool an overhead vapor stream against a partially condensed stream. In addition, pressure of the natural gas feed stream is maintained into a scrub column. A pressure drop is provided by a valve located between the economizer and the reflux drum on a partially condensed stream withdrawn from the cold end of the warm section of the main cryogenic heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Chen, Mark Julian Roberts, Christopher Michael Ott, Annemarie Ott Weist
  • Publication number: 20230159328
    Abstract: A residue stream comprising liquid hydrocarbons and metal-rich solid particles is reacted with an oxidant stream in a gasifier to produce a syngas stream that is quenched in a water bath. The risk of plugging in the water lines is reduced by removing solids from the recycled water streams. Acid gases are stripped from at least a portion of the recycled water to reduce the risk of precipitates forming from the reaction of dissolved acid gases with metal ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Shelley, Joachim Wolff, Thomas Von Kossak, Eduardo Ribeiro, Nan Liu, Steffen Jancker