Patents Examined by Bradley Etherton
  • Patent number: 8404915
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method to selectively oligomerize olefins comprising contacting olefins with: 1) at least one diaryl-substituted diphosphine ligand; 2) a chromium metal precursor; and 3) optionally, one or more activators. In a particular embodiment, the method for selectively oligomerizing olefins includes trimerizing ethylene to selectively form 1-hexene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Laughlin G. McCullough, Francis Charles Rix, John F. Walzer, Lily Joy Ackerman, Keith Anthony Hall, Gary Michael Diamond, Victor Oswaldo Nava-Salgado
  • Patent number: 8395007
    Abstract: A renewable biofuel based on a highly efficient batch catalysis methodology for conversion of 1-butene to a new class of potential jet fuel blends. By tuning the catalyst and then using the dimer produced, the carbon use is about 95% or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Michael E. Wright, Benjamin G. Harvey, Roxanne L. Quintana
  • Patent number: 8395003
    Abstract: The object of this invention is a suspension of metal nanoparticles with a mean size of between 1 and 20 nanometers, in at least one non-aqueous ionic liquid, whereby said suspension also contains at least one nitrogen-containing ligand, in which said metal nanoparticles comprise at least one transition metal in the zero valence state that is selected from among rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, nickel, and platinum by themselves or in a mixture and in which said nitrogen-containing ligand is selected from the group that is formed by the linear compounds that comprise at least one nitrogen atom, whereby the non-aromatic cyclic compounds comprise at least one nitrogen atom, the non-condensed aromatic compounds comprise at least one nitrogen atom, the condensed aromatic compounds comprise at least one group of two aromatic cycles that are condensed two by two, and at least one nitrogen atom, whereby the condensed aromatic compounds comprise at least 3 aromatic cycles and 1 nitrogen atom, and whereby the condensed ar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Bastien Leger, Alain Roucoux, Helene Olivier-Bourbigou
  • Patent number: 8389788
    Abstract: Processes for olefin metathesis, for example for the production of propylene, utilize a catalyst comprising a solid support and a tungsten hydride bonded to alumina present in the support. Conversion, selectivity, and/or catalyst stability advantages may be realized when a first olefin reactant (e.g., ethylene) is present in the hydrocarbon feedstock at a stoichiometric deficit relative to a second, higher carbon number olefin reactant (e.g., butylene).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Mostafa Taoufik, Etienne Mazoyer, Christopher P. Nicholas, Jean-Marie Basset
  • Patent number: 8389782
    Abstract: A process useful for treating biologically derived oils in the production of biofuels is described. A biologically derived oil feed is deoxygenated by contacting the feed with a metal titanate catalyst comprising a metal titanate having an MTiO3 perovskite structure wherein M is a metal having a valence of 2+. The process does not require the addition of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Zhen Zhou, Lin Li, Shabbir Husain
  • Patent number: 8383874
    Abstract: A reactor for the autorefrigerant alkylation process has a reactor vessel with a lower end inlet for the refrigerant reactant and the sulfuric acid and a series of inlets for the olefin reactant at vertically spaced intervals. A flow path for the reactants is provided by co-acting baffles which define sequential reaction zones. The baffles interact with a rotary mixer with multiple impellers to provide agitation. Outlets for the vaporized refrigerant and the reaction effluent are provided at the upper end of the vessel. In the alkylation process, the liquid isoparaffin hydrocarbon reactant/refrigerant with a sulfuric acid alkylation catalyst is introduced into the lower end and passed along the extended reactant flow path with the olefin reactant introduced at intervals along the path. The reaction mixture flows in the sequence of serial reaction zones within the reactor to promote mixing of the isoparaffin reactant with the acid catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramon A. Strauss, Ramesh R. Hemrajani, Guido L. Spinelli
  • Patent number: 8378163
    Abstract: The invention describes catalysts, methods of making catalysts, methods of making a microchannel reactor, and methods of conducting chemical reactions. It has been discovered that superior performance can be obtained from a catalyst formed by directly depositing a catalytic material onto a (low surface area) thermally-grown alumina layer. Improved methods of conducting oxidative dehydrogenations are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Velocys Corp.
    Inventors: Junko Ida, Francis P. Daly, Terry Mazanec, Barry L. Yang, Richard Long
  • Patent number: 8373015
    Abstract: Catalytic methods for the production of saturated hydrocarbons with 2 to 5 carbon atoms per molecule by conversion of small hydrocarbon halides and/or hydrogenation of carbonaceous material are disclosed that result in high yield of saturated C2 to C5 hydrocarbons at reduced corrosion of the reactors and in good lifetime of the catalyst. The methods are performed in the presence of a Lewis acid comprising catalyst and in the absence of oxygen or oxygen containing compounds, whereby an upper limit of at most 50 parts per million mass of oxygen or oxygen containing compounds can be tolerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: ETH Zürich
    Inventors: Jan Wendelin Stark, Neil Osterwalder
  • Patent number: 8373013
    Abstract: A process for combining the catalytic conversion of organic oxygenates and the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons: an organic oxygenate feedstock is contacted with a Y-zeolite containing catalyst to produce a reaction stream, and a coked catalyst and a product stream are obtained after separating the reaction stream; a hydrocarbon feedstock is contacted with a Y-zeolite containing catalyst to produce a reaction stream, a spent catalyst and a reaction oil vapor are obtained after separating the reaction stream, and the reaction oil vapor is further separated to give the products such as gas, gasoline and the like; a part or all of the coked catalyst and a part or all of the spent catalyst enter the regenerator for the coke-burning regeneration, and the regenerated catalyst is divided into two portions, wherein one portion returns to be contacted with the hydrocarbon feedstock, and the other portion, after cooling, returns to be contacted with the organic oxygenate feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, SINOPEC
    Inventors: Wenhua Xie, Genquan Zhu, Qiang Fu, Zhiguo Wu, Shaobing Yu, Yihua Yang, Qiang Liu, Zhiqiang Qiao, Xuhong Mu, Chaogang Xie, Yibin Luo, Jiushun Zhang, Xingtian Shu
  • Patent number: 8367885
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of preparing a multicomponent bismuth molybdate catalyst by changing the pH of a coprecipitation solution upon coprecipitation and a method of preparing 1,3-butadiene using the catalyst. The multicomponent bismuth molybdate catalyst, coprecipitated using a solution having an adjusted pH, the preparation method thereof, and the method of preparing 1,3-butadiene through oxidative dehydrogenation using a C4 mixture including n-butene and n-butane as a reactant are provided. The C4 raffinate, containing many impurities, is directly used as a reactant without an additional process for separating n-butane or extracting n-butene, thus obtaining 1,3-butadiene at high yield. The activity of the multicomponent bismuth molybdate catalyst can be simply increased through precise pH adjustment upon coprecipitation, which is not disclosed in the conventional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: SK Innovation Co., Ltd, SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Min Chung, Seong Jun Lee, Tae Jin Kim, Seung Hoon Oh, Yong Seung Kim, In Kyu Song, Hee Soo Kim, Ji Chul Jung, Ho Won Lee
  • Patent number: 8350106
    Abstract: The selective saturation of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons (e.g., diolefins) in a hydrogenation feed stream comprising an aromatic compound (e.g., benzene) and one or more nitrogen compounds renders it beneficial when the stream or a portion thereof is subsequently treated (e.g., with a zeolitic adsorbent) to remove nitrogen. In particular, the selective saturation of, for example, olefins and diolefins prolongs the life of the nitrogen guard bed. In a representative embodiment, the selective hydrogenation is applied to a recycle benzene-containing stream recovered in the separation section (e.g., from the benzene/toluene splitter overhead) of a styrene production process, prior to treatment with a nitrogen guard bed adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Deng-Yang Jan, Michael A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 8338654
    Abstract: Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, e.g. of acetylene to ethylene, uses a hydrogenation catalyst comprising an ordered intermetallic compound. The ordered intermetallic compound comprises at least one metal of type A capable of activating hydrogen, and at least one metal of type B not capable of activating hydrogen. The structure of the ordered intermetallic compound is such that the type A metal is mainly surrounded by atoms of the type B metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften E.V.
    Inventors: Rainer Giedigkeit, Marc Armbruester, Kirill Kovnir, Juri Grin, Robert Schloegl, Juergen Osswald, Thorsten Kessler, Rolf E. Jentoft
  • Patent number: 8334232
    Abstract: The invention relates to a porous heterogeneous catalyst. In order to prepare a catalyst which catalyzes with a relatively high selectivity the hydrogenation of individual unsaturated bonds of polyunsaturated compounds it is proposed that the inner surface of the catalysts is coated with an ionic liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sud-Chemie AG
    Inventors: Andreas Jess, Wolfgang Korth, Bastian Etzold
  • Patent number: 8324440
    Abstract: Silica supports having a surface area from about 250 m2/g to about 600 m2/g and an average pore diameter from about 45 ? to about 170 ?, used for supported tungsten catalysts, improves the activity of the resulting catalyst (i.e., its conversion level at a given temperature) for the metathesis of olefins, without compromising its selectivity to the desired conversion product(s). Exemplary catalysts and processes include those for the production of valuable light olefins such as propylene from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising ethylene and butylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Kristoffer E. Popp, Mark A. Krawczyk, Christopher P. Nicholas, Jennifer F. Abrahamian
  • Patent number: 8309780
    Abstract: Provided is a process for oligomerizing n-olefins. The process has the step of reacting (oligomerizing) an amount of one or more n-olefins in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a two or more metal oxides at a temperature effective to effect oligomerization. The two or more metal oxides are represented by the formula MOn/M?On?. M and M?, are, independently, selected from the group consisting of Al, Ce, Fe, P, W, Zr, and combinations thereof. M and M? are different metals or combinations of metals. “n” and “n?” are positive numbers and vary stoichiometrically depending on the valency of M and M?, respectively. Provided is also a process for alkylation of an alkylatable aromatic compound. The process has the step of contacting an amount of one or more n-olefins with an amount of aromatic compound in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of the two or more metal oxides at a temperature effective to effect alkylation of the aromatic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Jihad Mohammed Dakka, Jeffrey T. Elks, James C. Vartuli
  • Patent number: 8309779
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a catalyst system for selective oligomerization of ethylene, which comprises a P—C—C—P frame-work ligand, which is (R1)(R2)P—(R5)CHCH(R6)—P(R3)(R4), and a chromium-based metal compound. Also disclosed is a method of greatly enhancing the activity and selectivity of oligomerization, such as trimerization or tetramerization, using a ligand having a specific steric arrangement structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignees: SK Innovation Co., Ltd., SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taek Kyu Han, Sung Seok Chae, Sang Ook Kang, Kyung Ryang Wee, Sung Kwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8299312
    Abstract: A process for dimerizing olefins in the presence of a catalyst, a hydrocarbon feedstock containing C4 to C6 isoolefins is subjected to dimerization. The process comprises the steps of contacting the C4 to C6 isoolefins at conditions conducive to dimerization with a catalytic material comprising an acidic mesoporous molecular sieve, the catalytic material being thermally stable at a temperature of at least 900° C., and carrying out the contacting step essentially in the absence of butadiene and water in the feedstock. By means of the invention, the dimerization process can be operated over extended periods of time with prolonged maintenance intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Neste Oil Oyj
    Inventors: Niilo Oikarinen, Kari I. Keskinen, Antti Pyhälahti, Veli-Matti Purola
  • Patent number: 8299314
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for integrating a catalyst regeneration system with a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses, preferably, a plurality of multiple riser reactor units. One embodiment of the present invention is a reactor system including a plurality of reactor units, at least one reactor unit preferably comprising a plurality of riser reactors. The system also includes a regenerator for converting an at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerated catalyst. A first conduit system transfers the at least partially deactivated catalyst from the reactor units to the regenerator, and a second conduit system transfers regenerating catalysts from the regenerator to the plurality of reactor units. Optionally, catalysts from a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses may be directed to a single stripping unit and/or a single regeneration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Beech, Michael Peter Nicoletti, James R. Lattner, Dennis George Alexion, Peter K. Paik
  • Patent number: 8293670
    Abstract: A process for catalyst regeneration is presented. The process regenerates a catalyst in a paraffin dehydrogenation process, where the reaction is endothermic. The regeneration process provides the heat for the process through heating the catalyst and removes the need for a charge heater to the dehydrogenation reactor, which in turn eliminates high temperature thermal residence time which eliminates thermal cracking of the feed and improves the overall product selectivity. In addition, plot area, equipment costs and operating complexity are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: David N. Myers, Daniel N. Myers
  • Patent number: 8288602
    Abstract: The present invention describes a cost-efficient method for preparing di-substituted fluorenes in high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy
    Inventors: Alexander Z. Voskoboynikov, Artyom Y. Le Bedev, Andrey F. Asachenko, Abbas Razavi