Patents Assigned to UOP
  • Paraffin utilization of linear alkyl benzene production
    Patent number: 10894753
    Abstract: A process is provided for producing linear alkylbenzenes with an improved yield from paraffin feed due to the use of a new catalyst that has a reduced selectivity to produce undesired aromatic compounds. In some embodiments, it is now possible to operate the process without including a unit to remove such aromatic compounds which allows for an operator of a plant to make modifications to the process to increase product yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Amanda Hickman, Wei Pan, Stephen Sohn, Phuong Thi Mai Do
  • Perchloroethylene decomposition reactor design for isomerization unit hydrogen feed, enabling a lower temperature process with increased C5+ yield
    Patent number: 10889767
    Abstract: An improved isomerization process in which the inlet temperature to the isomerization reaction zone is less than 105° C. is described. A separate reactor is provided for the decomposition of the organic chloride. The product of the decomposition of the organic chloride is sent to an isomerization reactor along with a hydrocarbon feed containing paraffins. The use of the organic chloride decomposition reactor allows the operating temperatures for the isomerization reaction zone to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jocelyn Daguio, Ralph C. Norton, David J. Shecterle, Patrick J. Bullen, Steven L. Krupa
  • Hydrocarbon conversion using UZM-50
    Patent number: 10888851
    Abstract: A new aluminosilicate zeolite designated UZM-50, methods of making the zeolite, and its use as a catalyst in hydrocarbon conversion processes are described. This zeolite is represented by the empirical formula: M+mRrAl1?xExSiyOz where M is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium or combinations thereof, R is the organic structure directing agent or agents derived from reactants R1 and R2 where R1 is an amine essentially incapable of undergoing pyramidal inversion and having 7 or fewer carbon atoms, and R2 is a dihaloalkane, and E is an element selected from the group consisting of gallium, iron, boron and mixtures thereof. UZM-50 has utility in various hydrocarbon conversion reactions such as conversion of an aromatic molecule to another aromatic molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Nicholas, Mark A. Miller, Melissa M. Galey, John Mowat, Collette Nicholas
  • Ionic liquid catalyst regeneration with reduced hydrogen amounts
    Patent number: 10888857
    Abstract: Processes for regenerating ionic liquid catalyst by contacting the ionic liquid catalyst with hydrogen gas in a regeneration reactor. The amount of hydrogen is less than 550 SCF/BBL (97.96 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or less than 500 SCF/BBL (89.05 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 550 and 45 SCF/BBL (97.96 and 8.015 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst, or between 500 and 50 SCF/BBL (89.05 and 8.905 m3/m3) of spent ionic liquid catalyst. Alkylation processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Carter, Douglas A. Nafis, Bong-Kyu Chang, Hye Kyung Timken, Huping Luo, Michael Girgis
  • Alkylation processes using liquid Lewis acid catalysts
    Patent number: 10889534
    Abstract: An alkylation process is described. The alkylation process includes contacting a feed comprising a paraffin or an aromatic with an olefin feed in the presence of a liquid Lewis acid catalyst in an alkylation reaction zone under alkylation conditions to form a reaction mixture comprising alkylation products and the liquid Lewis acid catalyst. The liquid Lewis acid catalyst is the liquid reaction product of a donor molecule and a metal halide. The alkylation products are separated from the liquid Lewis acid catalyst and recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Erin M. Broderick, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Peter K. Coughlin
  • Apparatus and process for contacting catalyst with a gas and reduction
    Patent number: 10882037
    Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for distributing a gas stream into a downwardly flowing catalyst stream in a vessel by feeding the gas stream into a center of the vessel or the catalyst stream into a hollow cap. The gas stream enters the cap and exits the cap flowing upwardly to contact the catalyst stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Grott, Michael J. Vetter, Jennifer J. Ozmen, Quan Yuan
  • Reducing peak compositions in regeneration gas for swing adsorption processes
    Patent number: 10882004
    Abstract: This invention provides a method to smooth out the concentration peak generated from the regeneration stream of a cyclic adsorption process such as PTSA or TSA process. A fixed-bed adsorber (called a capacitor) to process the spent regeneration gas from a TPSA or TSA unit to maintain a constant composition of the spent regeneration gas to the downstream unit. The adsorber operates in a once-through non-cyclic manner, very similar to the conventional fixed bed reactor or adsorber. The spent regeneration gas stream coming out of the adsorber will have a more uniform CO2 composition than without the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Shain-Jer Doong
  • Crystalline transition metal tungstate
    Patent number: 10882030
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stuart R. Miller, Susan C. Koster
  • Olefin and BTX production using aliphatic cracking reactor
    Patent number: 10876054
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for making aromatics are described. The process includes reforming a naphtha stream in a reforming zone to form a reformer effluent comprising aromatic compounds and non-aromatic compounds, wherein at least a portion of the aromatic compounds contain alkyl groups. The reformer effluent is heated and passed directly to an acid cracking reaction zone. The non-aromatic compounds are selectively cracked and at least a portion of the alkyl groups on the aromatic compounds are selectively dealkylated in the presence of an acid cracking catalyst to form a cracked reformer effluent comprising the aromatic compounds and cracked olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stanley J. Frey, Hayim Abrevaya, Gregory R. Werba
  • Process improvement through the addition of power recovery turbine equipment in existing processes
    Patent number: 10876431
    Abstract: Power recovery turbines can be used debottlenecking of an existing plant, as well as recover electric power when revamping a plant. A process for recovering energy in a petroleum, petrochemical, or chemical plant is described. A fluid stream having a first control valve thereon is identified. A first power-recovery turbine is installed at the location of the first control valve, and at least a portion of the first fluid stream is directed through the first power-recovery turbine to generate electric power as direct current therefrom. The electric power is then recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stanley J. Frey, Thomas Ebner
  • Process for producing diesel fuel from a biorenewable feed
    Patent number: 10876050
    Abstract: The process produces a diesel from a biorenewable feedstock by hydrotreating to remove heteroatoms and saturate olefins. The biorenewable feedstock is contacted in a guard bed reactor in the presence of hydrogen to saturate olefins and remove metals to produce a contacted feed stream. The contacted feed stream is then heated in a charge heater to a higher temperature than in the guard bed reactor and hydrotreated in the presence of a hydrotreating hydrogen stream and a hydrotreating catalyst to deoxygenate the contacted feed stream to provide a hydrotreated stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: James T Wexler, Ralph P Davis, Nickolas Kapaun
  • Energy-recovery turbines for gas streams
    Patent number: 10871085
    Abstract: Processes for controlling the flowrate of and recovering energy from a gas stream in a processing unit are described. One process comprises directing a portion of the gas stream through one or more variable-resistance power-recovery turbines to control the flowrate of the gas stream and generate electric power therefrom; and controlling the pressure and temperature of the gas stream so that the gas exiting the power-recovery turbine remains in the gas phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Stanley Joseph Frey
  • Process and apparatus for recovering light hydrocarbons by sponge absorption
    Patent number: 10870068
    Abstract: A gas stream comprising LPG and naphtha hydrocarbons is absorbed with a sponge absorbent to recover LPG and naphtha hydrocarbons. The gas stream may comprise stripper off gas and/or PSA tail gas. An absorbent stream may be a stripped stream. The stripper off gas stream and the stripped stream may be obtained from a stripper that is downstream of a hydroprocessing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Kiran Ladkat, Hemant Mahajan, Neeraj Tiwari
  • Process for hydroprocessing a hydrocarbon stream
    Patent number: 10865350
    Abstract: A process and apparatus provides alternative hydrotreating reactor trains for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon stream. One hydrotreating reactor train is smaller than the other and the smaller train comes on stream to allow replacement or regeneration of catalyst in the larger train. A sulfide system also sulfides the catalyst volume in the reactor train that is off stream to prepare it for renewed hydroprocessing of feed when back on stream. The process and apparatus can be used to keep hydroprocessing reactors on stream to continuously provide feed to an FCC unit which has a longer period before shut down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Alexander C. Jimenez, Michael R. Smith, Trung Pham, Edward J. Houde
  • Liquid phase isomerization process integration
    Patent number: 10865169
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for producing a C8 aromatic isomer product are provided. The process comprises introducing a reformate stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons to a reformate splitter column to provide a plurality of streams. One or more streams comprising at least one stream from the plurality of streams is passed to a reformate upgrading unit to obtain an upgraded reformate stream. The upgraded reformate stream is passed to an aromatics stripper column to provide an aromatics stripper sidedraw stream comprising C8 aromatic hydrocarbons. The aromatics stripper sidedraw stream is passed to a xylene separation unit to provide the C8 aromatic isomer product and a raffinate product stream. At least a portion of the raffinate product stream is processed in a liquid phase isomerization unit to obtain an isomerized stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Joseph A. Montalbano, Patrick C. Whitchurch, Gregory R. Werba, Ian G. Horn
  • PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR RECYCLING HYDROGEN TO HYDROPROCESS BIORENEWABLE FEED
    Publication number: 20200385643
    Abstract: The process and apparatus enables purification of a recycle hydrogen gas stream from hydroprocessing biorenewable feedstocks. The recycle gas stream is fed to a methanator reactor to hydrogenate carbon monoxide in the gas stream to water and methane. Other acid gases can be removed by scrubbing preferably upstream of the methanator. Removal of carbon monoxide omits the need for a hydrogen purge stream to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation and enables use of the hydrogen for a downstream hydroisomerization reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Afrin Ahmed
  • Crystalline transition metal tungstate process data system
    Patent number: 10857526
    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 at least one unit or stream in fluid communication with and downstream from or upstream to 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: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stuart R. Miller, Susan C. Koster
  • Processes for stabilizing a liquid hydrocarbon stream
    Patent number: 10851311
    Abstract: One or more processes for stabilizing a hydrocarbon stream. An unstabilized hydrocarbon stream comprising C5+ hydrocarbons and including some butane, propane and ethane, may be passed to a first separation zone. The first separation zone has an increased operating pressure so that a residue gas stream recovered from the first separation zone requires minimal compression for further processing. A bottoms stream form the first separation zone is passed to a second, lower pressure separation zone which provides an NGL stream and a C5+ liquid hydrocarbon stream that is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Oneal, Derrick Oneal, Jeffrey Garrison
  • Processes for increasing an octane value of a gasoline component
    Patent number: 10851315
    Abstract: Processes for the production of a gasoline blend. A C7 portion of a naphtha stream is first isomerized to increase the branched, iso-paraffins, and then, the isomerized effluent is passed to a dehydrogenation reaction zone. In the dehydrogenation zone, the C7 saturated hydrocarbons are convert to C7 olefins. The C7 olefins have a higher octane number than the C7 saturated hydrocarbons, and the branched olefins have a higher octane number than the normal olefins. The C7 olefins can be blended in a gasoline pool. C5 and C6 hydrocarbons can be isomerized and dehydrogenated as well, separately or with the C7 components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Mark P. Lapinski, Rajeswar Gattupalli, Bryan K. Glover, Mohamed Shakur, Keith A. Couch, Michael W. Penninger, Soumendra Mohan Banerjee, Deepak Bisht, Gautam Pandey, Amit Sharma, Priyesh Jayendrakumar Jani, Nishesh Garg
  • Processes for removing heavy hydrocarbons and water from a stream of natural gas
    Patent number: 10850225
    Abstract: Process for retrofitting existing processing units for natural gas fee streams. A portion of the dehydration adsorbent is removed from the vessels of the dehydration unit and is replaced with an adsorbent for heavy hydrocarbons. In operation the vessels are operated in thermal swing adsorption processes with reduced cycle times compared to the original design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Bhargav Sharma, Nagaraju Palla, Trevor Smith, Shain-Jer Doong