Patents Assigned to UOP LLC
  • Patent number: 11131218
    Abstract: Processes for controlling at least one process condition of a chemical processing unit with a turbine. In the processes, a flow of a fluid is adjusted with a turbine in order to provide the fluid with a flow associated with at least one process condition of a chemical processing unit. The turbine wheel is rotated within the turbine, and the turbine wheel is configured to transmit rotational movement to an electrical generator. The resistance of the turbine is modulated and adjusts the flow of the fluid through the turbine. A response time of at least one steady state process condition to a new steady state process condition of at least 10% difference is at least one second to reach 50% of the difference between the at least one steady state process condition and the new steady state process condition after modulating the resistance of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stanley Joseph Frey, James W. Harris
  • Patent number: 11130720
    Abstract: This present disclosure relates to processes for methylation of aromatics in an aromatics complex for producing a xylene isomer product. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a process for producing para-xylene by the selective methylation of toluene and/or benzene in an aromatics complex using mild reaction conditions, namely a combination of low temperatures and elevated pressures using a zeolite with lower number of external acid sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Timur V. Voskoboynikov, Deng-Yang Jan, John Q. Chen, Jaime G. Moscoso
  • Patent number: 11130692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system for a bioreactor. More particularly, this invention relates to a process and apparatus for reading the characteristics of an industrial waste water stream and dosing amount of nutrients that play a key role to help the microorganisms in the bioreactor work efficiently to remove impurities from the industrial wastewater stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Killol H. Thakkar, Robert W. Brafford, Eric C. Tompkins
  • Patent number: 11130111
    Abstract: A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Sanford Allan Victor, Phillip F. Daly, Ian G. Horn
  • Patent number: 11124710
    Abstract: A naphtha hydrotreating process involves the use of a sulfur guard bed (SGB) with a controlled bypass which allows for control of the sulfur in the feed to a downstream processing unit. The SGB is installed on the light ends stripper bottoms stream in a naphtha hydrotreating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Steven B. Philoon, Patrick J. Bullen, Stanley J. Frey, Gail L. Gray, Dean E. Rende
  • Patent number: 11123721
    Abstract: A trialkylphosphonium haloaluminate compound having a formula: where R1, R2, and R3 are the same or different and each is independently selected from C1 to C8 hydrocarbyl; and X is selected from F, Cl, Br, I, or combinations thereof is described. An ionic liquid catalyst composition incorporating the trialkylphosphonium haloaluminate compound, methods of making the trialkylphosphonium haloaluminate compound, and alkylation processes incorporating the trialkylphosphonium haloaluminate compound are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Avram M. Buchbinder, Susie C. Martins, Douglas A. Nafis, Donato Nucciarone
  • Patent number: 11117811
    Abstract: A highly active quaternary mixed transition metal oxide material has been developed. The material may be sulfided to generate metal sulfides which are used as catalyst in a conversion process such as hydroprocessing. The hydroprocessing may include hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodemetallation, hydrodesilication, hydrodearomatization, hydroisomerization, hydrotreating, hydrofining, and hydrocracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Zara Osman, Wei Pan
  • Patent number: 11104855
    Abstract: Processes for co-processing a naphtha stream with a light cycle oil stream are disclosed. The processes include hydrocracking the light cycle oil stream under hydrocracking conditions to provide a hydrocracked effluent stream. A naphtha stream is hydrotreated under hydrotreating conditions to provide a hydrotreated effluent stream. The hydrocracked effluent stream and the hydrotreated effluent stream may be passed to a stripping column to recover a stripping bottom stream. The stripping bottom stream may be passed to a main fractionation column to recover an intermediate naphtha stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stanley Joseph Frey, Krishna Mani, Krishan Pratap Jadaun, Gautam Pandey, Mousumi Chanda
  • Patent number: 11105500
    Abstract: A fired heater with a film temperature optimizer is presented. The fired heater is for heating a process fluid in process coils within the fired heater. The process coils experience high temperatures at the outlets. The film temperature optimizer includes baffles or means for changing the flow of the fired heating gas around the process coils near the coil outlets. The baffles are positioned near the process coil outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Quan Yuan, Rajeswar Gattupalli, Matthew Martin, Michael J. Vetter
  • Patent number: 11104622
    Abstract: A process for acid catalyzed alkylation involving the use of surfactants which form bi-continuous micro-emulsions with the liquid acid and the hydrocarbon is described. The bicontinuous phase formed between the hydrocarbon and liquid acid phases at surfactant addition facilitates and improves the liquid acid catalyzed alkylation reactions including motor-fuel alkylation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Jeffery C. Bricker, Mark G. Riley, Andrey O. Kuzmin
  • Patent number: 11103859
    Abstract: A catalyst suitable for the conversion of aromatic hydrocarbons is described. The catalyst comprises UZM-54 zeolite; a mordenite zeolite; a binder comprising alumina, silica, or combinations, thereof; and a metal selected from one or more of: Groups VIB(6) VIIB(7), VIII(8-10) and IVA(14) of the Periodic Table. A process for transalkylation using the catalyst is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Eseoghene Jeroro, Deng-Yang Jan, Pelin Cox, Jaime G. Moscoso, Martha Leigh Abrams
  • Patent number: 11097219
    Abstract: A process for regenerating a temperature swing adsorption unit comprising: sending a heated purge gas stream through an adsorption bed to remove impurities from said adsorption bed and producing a contaminated stream; sending said contaminated stream to a separator to produce a liquid stream and a vapor stream; returning said vapor stream as at least a portion of said heated purge stream until said vapor stream comprises above a predetermined level of impurities; and purging a portion of said vapor stream until the heated purge stream has a level of impurities below a second predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: John Louis Griffiths, Shain-Jer Doong, James Robert Gaspar, Jayant Kumar Gorawara
  • Patent number: 11091454
    Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing an aromatic carboxylic acid compound comprising providing an aromatic compound or an aromatic compound with at least one carboxylic group; providing a metal hydroxide and at least one carboxylate to produce a mixture; and adding carbon dioxide to the mixture under pressures from about atmospheric to 1000 psig and sufficient heat for a time sufficient to produce aromatic carboxylic acid compounds. The aromatic carboxylic acid compounds may include terephthalic acid, naphthalic acid, thiophene dicarboxylic acid, pyridine dicarboxylic acid, carbazole dicarboxylic acid, and dibenzothiophene dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Erin Marie Broderick, Hayim Abrevaya, Paul T. Barger, Alakananda Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 11090636
    Abstract: A hydroprocessing catalyst has been developed. The catalyst is a crystalline transition metal tungstate material or metal sulfides derived therefrom, or both. The hydroprocessing using the crystalline transition metal tungstate material may include hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodemetallation, hydrodesilication, hydrodearomatization, hydroisomerization, hydrotreating, hydrofining, and hydrocracking. A data system comprising at least one processor; at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and at least one receiver configured to receive data of a conversion process comprising at least one reaction catalyzed by the catalyst or a metal sulfide decomposition product of the catalyst has been developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stuart R. Miller, Susan C. Koster
  • Patent number: 11091704
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing hydrogen for a hydrogen consuming process comprising obtaining a net gas stream containing hydrogen, compressing the gas stream to a pressure of 20.7 to 68.9 bar (300 to 1000 psig) to produce a compressed gas stream; sending the compressed gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption unit to be separated into a hydrogen stream and a fuel gas stream; purging the pressure swing adsorption unit with an external purge gas stream from a hydroprocessing unit off gas; treating the off gas with a thermal swing adsorption unit to remove water and other impurities prior to purging the pressure swing adsorption unit, and using a protective adsorbent layer in the pressure swing adsorption unit to adsorb impurities from the external purge gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, Bradley P. Russell, Gautam Pandey, Wim F. Elseviers
  • Patent number: 11084766
    Abstract: Toluene disproportionation processes utilizing treated UZM-39 zeolites are described. The processes produce effluent streams comprising para-xylene and benzene. The molar ratio of benzene to xylene (Bz/X) in the effluent stream can be in a range of about 1.00 to about 1.14, the molar ratio of para-xylene to xylene (pX/X) in the effluent stream can be in a range of about 0.80 to about 1.0, and the conversion of toluene can be about 20% to about 40%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Edwin P. Boldingh, Christopher P. Nicholas, Martha Leigh Abrams
  • Patent number: 11084994
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon stream are described. The method includes heating a feed stream in a convective bank. The heated feed stream is reacted in a first reaction zone to form a first effluent, which is heated in a first radiant cell. The first radiant cell combusts fuel to heat the first effluent and forms a first exhaust gas. The first exhaust gas is contacted with the convective bank to heat the feed stream. The outlet temperature the heated feed stream from the convective bank is controlled by introducing an additional gas stream into the convective bank. There can be additional reaction zones and radiant heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Bryan J. Egolf, Charles Brabson, William M. Hartman, William Yanez, Matthew Martin, Ka Lok
  • Patent number: 11083992
    Abstract: A process is provided of making facilitated transport membrane comprising a relatively hydrophilic, very small pore, nanoporous support membrane, a hydrophilic polymer inside the very small nanopores on the skin layer surface of the support membrane, a thin, nonporous, hydrophilic polymer layer coated on the surface of the support membrane, and metal salts incorporated in the hydrophilic polymer layer coated on the surface of the support membrane and the hydrophilic polymer inside the very small nanopores. In addition, the process provides a new method of making facilitated transport membrane spiral wound elements or hollow fiber modules for olefin/paraffin separations, particularly for C3=/C3 and C2=/C2 separations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Chunqing Liu, Nicole K. Karns, Howie Q. Tran, Carl W. Liskey
  • Patent number: 11084767
    Abstract: Toluene disproportionation processes utilizing treated UZM-44 zeolites are described. The processes produce effluent streams comprising para-xylene and benzene. The molar ratio of benzene to xylene (Bz/X) in the effluent stream can be in a range of about 1.00 to about 1.14, the molar ratio of para-xylene to xylene (pX/X) in the effluent stream can be in a range of about 0.80 to about 1.0, and the conversion of toluene can be about 20% to about 40%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Edwin P. Boldingh, Christopher P. Nicholas, Martha Leigh Abrams
  • Patent number: 11078088
    Abstract: A highly active quaternary mixed transition metal oxide material has been developed. The material may be sulfided to generate metal sulfides which are used as a catalyst in a conversion process such as hydroprocessing. The hydroprocessing may include hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodemetallation, hydrodesilication, hydrodearomatization, hydroisomerization, hydrotreating, hydrofining, and hydrocracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Zara Osman, Wei Pan