Patents Examined by Derek Mueller
  • Patent number: 9133404
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove sulfur compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Beckay J. Mezza, Haiyan Wang, Christopher P. Nicholas, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Brenna E. Huovie, Rajeswar R. Gattupalli
  • Patent number: 9120983
    Abstract: The invention relates to treating a hydrocarbon-comprising emulsion with an aqueous component to form an aqueous component-treated emulsion, and processing the treated emulsion to recover the hydrocarbon. The aqueous component is contacted with the hydrocarbon-comprising emulsion in a manner and proportion so as to promote coalescence of the like phases while minimizing shear, which results in a decreased viscosity of the emulsion and a shift away from the emulsion inversion region toward a water-continuous state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Cenovus Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Russell H Wickes, Mike Wasylyk, Bailey R Gould
  • Patent number: 9115318
    Abstract: An intermediate hydrogen separation and absorption-based purification system is integrated with a hydrocracking process for the production of relatively lower molecular weight products from a relatively heavy feedstock including sulfur-containing and nitrogen-containing hydrocarbon compounds. The integrated process allows the processing of heavy hydrocarbon feedstock having high nitrogen and high sulfur contents in a single-stage configuration and the using of noble metal catalyst in the hydrocracking reaction zone. The integrated process increases the overall catalytic activity and hydrogenation capability to produce superior distillate products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ali Hasan Al-Abdulal, Yuv Raj Mehra, Vinod Ramaseshan
  • Patent number: 9090834
    Abstract: A method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons into more usable hydrocarbon products is provided. The method provides for the steps of adding heavy hydrocarbons to a solvent system to form a reaction medium, and ozonating the reaction medium with an ozone containing gas to provide ozonation products. The solvent system can include a first solvent that solubilizes at least a portion of the heavy hydrocarbons and a reactive solvent which reacts with ozonation intermediates. Reactive solvent is maintained at concentrations sufficient to decompose ozonation intermediates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: P. K. Andy Hong, Zhixiong Cha
  • Patent number: 9089824
    Abstract: The catalytic reactor consists of a chamber [1] that contains at least one catalyst bed [2] in solid form, with the reactor being supplied with effluent to be treated by a pipe [3] that empties into a separator [4] between gas and liquid, with the liquid obtained from the separator being collected in a tank, and a plate [9] being arranged between the separator [4] and the solid catalyst bed [2]. The plate [9] consists of at least two closed boxes [10], with at least two vertical tubes [11] provided with openings [12] linking with the interiors of the boxes [10] passing through the boxes, and with the liquid distributor [8] channeling the liquid from the tank into said boxes [10].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Christophe Boyer, Frederic Augier, Frederic Bazer-Bachi, Yacine Haroun
  • Patent number: 9080114
    Abstract: A method for producing diesel fuel with improved yield and quality by integration of fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydrocracking (HC), comprising the following stages: arrangement of FCC and HC processes in parallel; feedstock segregation to each of such processes depending on the content of aromatic hydrocarbons; and a fractioning common stage for both output streams from HC and FCC processes, also comprising recycling the unconverted fraction towards the FCC unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: YPF S.A.
    Inventors: Hugo Mendiondo, Adrian Guzman, Ruben Galdeano
  • Patent number: 9079174
    Abstract: The invention concerns a catalyst containing a support comprising at least one binder and at least one zeolite having at least one series of channels the opening of which is defined by a ring containing 12 oxygen atoms, said catalyst comprising phosphorus, at least one C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, acetic acid and a hydrodehydrogenating function comprising at least one element from group VI B and at least one element from group VIII, the Raman spectrum of the catalyst comprising bands at 990 and/or 974 cm-1, characteristic of at least one Keggin heteropolyanion, the characteristic bands of said succinate and the characteristic principal band of acetic acid at 896 cm-1. The invention also concerns the process for preparing the catalyst and its use in hydroconversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignees: TOTAL RAFFINAGE MARKETING, IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Laurent Simon, Bertrand Guichard, Gregory Lapisardi, Hugues Dulot, Valentina De Grandi, Delphine Minoux, Jean Pierre Dath
  • Patent number: 9074145
    Abstract: Dual stripper column arrangements are described in which hot flash drum liquid is sent to one column and cold flash drum liquid is sent to a second column. Methods of operating the dual stripper column apparatus are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Richard K. Hoehn, Vedula K. Murty
  • Patent number: 9074139
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coal conversion, optionally in co-processing with other feedstocks, notably of the biomass type, comprising at least one liquefaction step, followed by a fixed-bed hydrocracking step and a catalytic reforming step. With this process, aromatic compounds can be obtained from a feedstock containing coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Alain Quignard, Eric Sanchez, Jean Francois Le Coz
  • Patent number: 9068130
    Abstract: It provides for processing a dehydrated and salty hydrocarbon feed having a solid salt dispersed in a hydrocarbon material by contacting the feed with an active agent under a first operating condition under which the active agent has an initial active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon material, and modulating operating conditions to provide a second operating condition under which the active agent has a secondary active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon material that is less than the initial active agent solubility so as to form a separable active agent phase, wherein the salt solubility in the active agent is substantially greater than the salt solubility in the hydrocarbon material under both the first and second operating conditions such that the salt dissolves in the active agent, allowing the separable active agent phase to separate from the hydrocarbon material depleted in the salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. McFarlane
  • Patent number: 9068125
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of a pure aromatics-containing product is disclosed. This product is obtained by extractive distillation of a gasoline rich in aromatics, in which olefins, diolefins and polyolefins are separated, and this extractive distillation is followed by a hydrogenation of the recovered aromatics-rich, olefin-lean product stream, in which the alkylated aromatics, especially toluene and xylene, are dealkylated and the paraffinic dealkylation products further converted into methane so that a significant portion of hydrogen can be saved by carrying out the hydrogenation subsequent to the extractive distillation, as the aromatics mixture is then free of olefins and no hydrogen is required for an olefin hydrogenation, with extractive distillation and recovery of the extracting solvent taking place in one column. An apparatus for carrying out the process described is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Diehl, Helmut Gehrke, Baerbel Kolbe, Dieter Wilken
  • Patent number: 9057025
    Abstract: The invention is a process for removing impurities from an aromatics stream and apparatus for the practice thereof, whereby trace olefins and dienes are removed from aromatic plant feedstocks using a reactor design that enables the product to be backmixed with the feedstock and that enables a feed/effluent heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen H. Brown
  • Patent number: 9044730
    Abstract: A system for processing hydrocarbon materials includes a waveguide having a lateral portion comprising housing having a first end portion configured to be connected to an energy generator, a closed opposite end portion, a primary axis extending from the first end portion to the second end portion, and a central portion having a circular opening. A reaction tube structure comprising an outer wall made of a dielectric material is positioned in or connected to the opening of the waveguide. When hydrocarbon feedstock and process gas are fed into the reaction tube structure and energy is received in the waveguide, energy is propagated to the reaction tube structure to form a plasma within the reaction tube structure and cause the feedstock and process gas to react and form into a product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: H Quest Partners, LP
    Inventors: George L. Skoptsov, Alan A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9045702
    Abstract: A process for production of a lubricating base oil whereby a lubricating base oil is obtained by a first step in which a stock oil containing normal paraffins of C20 or more is subjected to isomerization reaction so that the content of the normal paraffins of C20 or more is 6-20 wt % based on the total weight of hydrocarbons of C20 or more in the obtained reaction product, a second step in which a lube-oil fraction containing hydrocarbons of C20 or more is separated from the reaction product of the first step, and a third step in which the lube-oil fraction obtained in the second step is separated into a dewaxed oil and a wax by a solvent dewaxing treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikako Hirohashi, Yuichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9034174
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing an iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle, comprising the steps of: i) reacting a water-soluble ferrous salt with a water-soluble ferric salt in a mole ratio of 1:2 in the presence of a base and a citrate to give an iron oxide particle surface-coated with the citrate (c-MNP); ii) reacting the c-MNP obtained in step (i) with a thiophilic compound to give a thiophilic compound-bounded iron oxide particle surface-coated with the citrate (thiophilic-c-MNP); and iii) modifying the thiophilic-c-MNP obtained in step (ii) using a surfactant for phase transfer of the thiophilic-c-MNP from aqueous phase to organic phase. The present invention also relates to the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle prepared by the above-mentioned method and the use of the nanoparticle in desulfurization. The iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle of the present invention is capable of effective deep desulfurization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: NANOPETRO COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Man Chung Daniel Cheng
  • Patent number: 9028673
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for producing at least one low sulfur distillate fuel product with improved low temperature properties. A potential distillate fuel feed is initially hydrotreated to reduce sulfur and nitrogen levels in the feed to desired amounts. The hydrotreated effluent is then fractionated to form several fractions, including a light diesel/distillate fraction and a heavy diesel fraction. The heavy diesel fraction is then dewaxed to improve the cold flow properties of the heavy diesel fraction. The dewaxed heavy diesel fraction can be combined with the light diesel fraction, or the dewaxed heavy diesel fraction can be fractionated as well. Optionally, the heavy diesel fraction is dewaxed under conditions effective for producing a dewaxed fraction with a cloud point that is less than or equal to the cloud point of the light diesel/distillate fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Stuart S. Shih, Berne K. Stober
  • Patent number: 9023194
    Abstract: A process for reforming a feed composed of one or more hydrocarbon cuts containing 9 to 22 carbon atoms which includes, at least one first step for reforming the feed in at least one reforming unit, during which a stream of hydrogen is produced and at least one first step for distillation of the effluent from the reforming unit in the presence of a reforming catalyst in order to obtain 4 cuts. The 4 cuts are, a liquefied petroleum gas cut (LPG) (A), a C5-C8 cut: naphtha (B), a C9-C15 cut: densified kerosene (C), and a C16-C22 cut: densified gas oil cut (D). The invention also concerns the device for carrying out this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Eric Sanchez, Jacques Rault, Pierre Yves Le Goff, Christophe Pierre, Joana Fernandes
  • Patent number: 9023196
    Abstract: Trace element levels of mercury in crude oil are reduced by first passing the crude oil through a filtration device to generate filtered crude having a reduced concentration of mercury and a reject stream having a concentrated mercury level. In one embodiment, the filtration device is back-flushed to generate the reject stream. In another embodiment, the reject stream comprises a portion of the retentate from a cross-flow filter device. The reject stream is treated with an extractive agent selected from tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate; tetrakis(hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride; an oxidizing agent; an organic or inorganic sulfidic compound to extract a portion of the mercury into a water phase for subsequent removal. In one embodiment, the extractive agent is a reductant to convert non-volatile mercury into volatile mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Evan Cooper, Dennis John O'Rear, Sujin Yean, Seyi Abiodun Odueyungbo
  • Patent number: 9023193
    Abstract: An improved delayed coking process utilizing a coking unit and a coking unit product fractionating column which includes the steps of: heating a mixture of a fresh whole crude oil feedstream and the bottoms from the coking unit product fractionator in a furnace to a coking temperature in the range of 480° C. to 530° C./896° F. to 986° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Omer Refa Koseoglu
  • Patent number: 9011673
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a paraffinic product that involves providing a paraffinic feed having an initial average carbon chain length of greater than 20. The paraffinic feed is a product of a gas-to-liquids process, such as a Fischer-Tropsch process. The paraffinic feed is subjected to thermal cracking at elevated temperature and elevated pressure, which results in the formation of a paraffinic product. The paraffinic product has a final average carbon chain length of less than or equal to 20. The paraffinic product is typically liquid at ambient temperature, such as at 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Energy Technology Partners, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard A. Flinn