Patents Examined by Elvis O. Price
  • Patent number: 9243303
    Abstract: A method for the dissolving and rapid hydrolyzing of the lignocellulose biomass and the device thereof are disclosed. The lignocellulose biomass is put in the pure water and rapidly heated to 330˜403° C., and then 89˜99% of the lignocellulose biomass is dissolved and rapidly hydrolyzed to saccharide in 3.38˜21.79 s. The following hydrolysis reaction can be carried out under the homogeneous phase condition for the dissolving of the lignocellulose biomass. At the same time, the solvated biomass could be easily used in the high pressure flow reactor to continuously pretreat the biomass and hydrolyze for producing saccharide, other biofuel and product. The present invention doesn't need any catalyst and doesn't pollute the environment, furthermore the process is simple and the cost is low, and it belongs to green, continuable industry encouraged by the state, and a good prospect of market application could be taken on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: XISHUANGBANNA TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventor: Zhen Fang
  • Patent number: 9242914
    Abstract: Process for the purification of an alcohol in the course of a process comprising: (1) providing a reaction zone (C) comprising an acid type catalyst; (2) providing a reaction zone (B) comprising an acid adsorbent material; (3) providing an alcohol stream comprising impurities; (4) introducing the alcohol stream of (3) into the reaction zone (B) and bringing said stream into contact with the acid adsorbent material at conditions effective to reduce the amount of impurities having an adverse effect on the acid type catalyst of the reaction zone (C); (5) recovering from step (4) an alcohol stream and introducing it into the reaction zone (C); (6) optionally introducing one or more reactants (R) into the reaction zone (C); (7) operating said reaction zone (C) at conditions effective to recover a valuable effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TOTAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY FELUY
    Inventors: Delphine Minoux, Walter Vermeiren, Nikolai Nesterenko, Sander Van Donk, Jean-Pierre Dath
  • Patent number: 9233899
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst having an amorphous support and one or more active metals. The amorphous support may comprise a support material and an amorphous support modifier, which adjusts the acidity of the support material. In preparing the amorphous catalyst, post-synthesis treatment, i.e. calcination, may be used to adjust the catalyst performance while converting acetic acid to ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston
  • Patent number: 9233349
    Abstract: An olefin hydration process and reactor are provided, where an integrated membrane selectively removes alcohol product from the reactor, thereby allowing for increased yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ibrahim Abba, Aadesh Harale, Stephan Ralf Vogel, Wei Xu
  • Patent number: 9233897
    Abstract: Disclosed is an HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa co-production preparation method. The HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa are prepared through a two-stage gas phase fluorination reaction by using 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa) as a raw material. With the processing method of the present invention, HFO-1234ze and HFC-245fa can be prepared at the same time, and the alkene is unlikely to polymerize or carbonize during the reaction, thus being suitable for industrialized promotion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: SINOCHEM MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CHEMICALS (XI'AN) CO., LTD., SINOCHEM LANTIAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Yang, Huie Yang, Lei Xu, Hua Chai, Xintang Zhao, Wenqing Zhang, Changhua Zeng, Jianping Fan, Shaohua Yan, Kunfeng Liu, Zhong Li, Shukang Chen
  • Patent number: 9233895
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process to produce HCFC-244bb from HCFO-1233xf wherein, in one embodiment, one or more co-feed species having a normal boiling point of between about ?80° C. to about 0° C., such as HFC-245cb, is added to the reaction at a pressure of at least about 100 psig; and in another embodiment it is added to maintain a mole ratio of HFC-245cb to HCFO-1233xf of between about 0.005:1 to about 1:1. The HFC-245cb may be added as recycled by-product of the reaction and/or added as fresh feed. The HFC-245cb provides elevated pressures to the reaction thereby facilitating reactor operation, mixing and HCFC-244bb product removal. Other co-feed species are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Haluk Kopkalli, Daniel C. Merkel, Ron Joseph Roof
  • Patent number: 9227896
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the purification of a mixed diol stream. The mixed diol stream comprising two-, three-, and four-carbon diols is separated into component diols by extraction with a hydrophobic solvent mixture. The diols recovered in the extractant may be removed from the extractant stream by back extraction with water or by distillation with an azeotrope-forming agent present, preferably an azeotroping agent already present in the extractant mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventor: Scott Donald Barnicki
  • Patent number: 9224674
    Abstract: A packaged semiconductor die with a bumpless die-package interface and methods of fabrication are described. For example, a semiconductor package includes a substrate having a land side with a lowermost layer of conductive vias. A semiconductor die is embedded in the substrate and has an uppermost layer of conductive lines, one of which is coupled directly to a conductive via of the lowermost layer of conductive vias of the substrate. In another example, a semiconductor package includes a substrate having a land side with a lowermost layer of conductive vias. A semiconductor die is embedded in the substrate and has an uppermost layer of conductive lines with a layer of conductive vias disposed thereon. At least one of the conductive lines is coupled directly to a conductive via of the semiconductor die which is coupled directly to a conductive via of the lowermost layer of conductive vias of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Pramod Malatkar, Weng Hong Teh, John S. Guzek, Robert L. Sankman
  • Patent number: 9222064
    Abstract: Tetrahydro iso-?-acids and hexahydro iso-?-acids are prepared from ?-acid resins in the presence of ?-acids derivatives without the use of conventional organic solvents. Specifically, the hydrogenation and hydrogenolyzis step is performed using a liquefied hop resin composed of ?-acids and ?-acid derivatives, hydrogen, and a noble metal hydrogenation catalyst to form desoxytetrahydro ?-acids and hydrogenated iso-?-acid derivatives (e. g., tetrahydroiso- and hexahydro iso-?-acids). The desoxytetrahydro ?-acids are subsequently auto-oxidized and isomerized by the spent noble metal catalyst in an aqueous alkaline solution (without adding peracids, lead, calcium, or magnesium salts) into the desired tetrahydro iso-?-acids and hexahydro iso-?-acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Hop Ting Resources, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick L. Ting, Lixin Zhu, Conglin Peng
  • Patent number: 9221734
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating a fermentation stream to remove dissolved gases, comprising obtaining a fermentation stream including water, one or more fermentation products, and dissolved gases; continuously sonicating the fermentation stream to generate acoustically cavitated gases from the dissolved gases; and applying vacuum to release the acoustically cavitated gases from the fermentation stream. The dissolved gases may include air, oxygen, nitrogen, helium, argon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, or other non-condensables. The release of acoustically cavitated gases may optionally be done simultaneously with sonication. At least 75%, such as up to 95% or more, of the dissolved gases may be released from the fermentation stream. The disclosed method positively impacts downstream operations and product quality by removing dissolved gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: API Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Monclin
  • Patent number: 9212114
    Abstract: In a process for producing fatty alcohol, fatty acid is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol to form a stream of lower alkyl fatty acid ester(s). The stream is vaporized and then subjected to hydrogenation. The stream is then subjected to transesterification in a wax ester reactor to convert at least a portion of the lower alkyl fatty acid ester(s) to lower alkanol and wax ester(s). The resulting stream is then separated to yield a fatty alcohol(s) steam, a wax ester(s) stream, and an overhead stream comprising fatty alkanol(s) and alkane. The overhead stream is reacted in a wax ester reactor to convert at least a portion of the lower alkyl fatty acid ester to lower alkanol and wax ester(s). The wax ester(s) formed from the alkane is separated, along with any water and/or lower alkanol present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: JOHNSON MATTHEY DAVY TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul John Cassidy, Robert Wild, Rikard Umberto Andersson, Simon Nicholas Tilley, Adrian Backes
  • Patent number: 9206098
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a high yield of sugar alcohols containing five to six carbon atoms from cellulose-containing materials. In a first step the starting materials (for example microcrystalline cellulose, alpha-cellulose, wood and cellulose-containing residues, such as sugar cane bagasse or wood shavings) and an acid are brought into close contact with the substrates by a impregnation carried out in the liquid or gaseous phase. In addition, in a second step the starting materials impregnated with acid and preferably dried are brought into contact by the action of mechanical energy, such that the cellulose-containing materials are degraded into water-soluble products. Subsequently, in a third step, sugar alcohols having five to six carbon atoms are obtained in a high yield and in high selectivity from the water-soluble products in aqueous solution by hydrolytic hydrogenation by means of a metal-containing catalyst under hydrogen pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: STUDIENGESELLSCHAFT KOHLE MBH
    Inventors: Ferdi Schüth, Roberto Rinaldi, Niklas Meine, Jakob Hilgert
  • Patent number: 9206105
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mixture of bisphosphites, to a process for preparation thereof, and to the reaction thereof with metals to give mixtures comprising complexes of the constitutionally isomeric bisphosphites and the metal, and to the use thereof as a catalytically active composition in hydroformylation reactions, and also to the hydroformylation reaction itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH
    Inventors: Andrea Christiansen, Robert Franke, Dirk Fridag, Dieter Hess, Katrin Marie Dyballa, Bernd Hannebauer
  • Patent number: 9193652
    Abstract: Methods and systems for purifying phenol. The method can include contacting a feed that includes phenol and an aldehyde containing compound with a first ion exchange material to produce a first treated product. The first treated product can have a pH that is less than a pH of the feed. The first treated product can contain less of the aldehyde containing compound than the feed. The first treated product can be contacted with a second ion exchange material to produce a second treated product. The second treated product can have a pH that is greater than the pH of the first treated product. Each of the first ion exchange material and the second ion exchange material can be a solid, a semi-solid, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: KELLOGG BROWN & ROOT LLC
    Inventor: Theodor Wilks
  • Patent number: 9187388
    Abstract: A butanol production system and method of producing refined mixed butanols from water and mixed butenes. The system includes an internal baffle single pass reactor, a separation system and an exterior motion driver. The reactor has baffled cells. The separations system is operable to separately selectively separate water and mixed butenes from the crude product such that a refined mixed butanols is produced. The exterior motion driver is operable to induce unsteadiness in the fluid flow of the process fluid through the reactor. A method for producing refined mixed butanols includes introducing mixed butenes, water and a butene hydration catalyst into the reactor, operating the butanol production system such that the external motion driver induces unsteadiness in the process fluid flow and the reaction of mixed butenes and water occurs in the presence of the butene hydration catalyst such that mixed butanols form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Abeer Arjah, Kareemuddin M. Shaik, Wei Xu
  • Patent number: 9187769
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy or sugary materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventor: Marshall Medoff
  • Patent number: 9180384
    Abstract: Disclosed are a process and an apparatus for using an olefin as an azeotropic entrainer to isolate a target organic compound from a waste stream. The olefin may be, for example, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, or 1-tetradecene. The target organic compound may be 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in waste stream comprising a 2,2?-oxybis(1-chloropropane).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Mahesh Ratnakar Sawant, Edward D. Daugs, Mark R. Smit
  • Patent number: 9174903
    Abstract: A method for removing formaldehyde from a blend of partially oxygenated hydrocarbons is provided. The method including a step of reacting a hydrocarbon-containing gas with an oxygen-containing gas in a reaction vessel to form first product blend. The first product blend includes a blend of partially oxygenated compounds that include formaldehyde. The blend of partially oxygenated compounds is provided to a reactive scrubbing station where it is contacted with a reactive scrubbing liquid to form a reactive liquid-formaldehyde compound. The reactive liquid-formaldehyde compound is then removed from the first blend of partially reactive compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Gas Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Krishna K. Rao, Evan Michael Visser, Ian Lawrence Gaffney, Walter Breidenstein
  • Patent number: 9174901
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for pre-treating a steam reforming feed containing sulphur-containing compounds, using two desulphurization reactors: a temporary desulphurization reactor (1010) containing an active adsorbent solid; a permanent desulphurization reactor (1003) placed upstream of the steam reforming unit, which contains an adsorbent solid in the passivated state, necessitating a depassivation phase in order to be rendered active; the temporary desulphurization reactor (1010) being disconnected as soon as the adsorbent solid of the permanent desulphurization reactor (1003) has been activated, and the volume of the temporary desulphurization reactor being in the range 1/20 to 1/200 times the volume of the permanent desulphurization reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Fabrice Giroudiere, Michel Thomas, Cedric Nebois
  • Patent number: 9175026
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radical-initiated thiol-ene or thiol-yne “click” reaction that provides a simple and efficient route to diverse trialkoxysilanes. Trialkoxysilanes made in this way are obtained in quantitative to near-quantitative yields with high purity without any or minimal purification. A wide range of functional groups is tolerated in this approach, and even complex alkenes click with the silane precursors. The modular nature of these radical-based thiol-ene or thiol-yne “click” reactions allows a wide variety of pendant groups to be coupled to silane compounds that can then be coupled to a wide variety surfaces in order to modify their material properties. Consequently, such radical initiated thiol-ene and thiol-yne reactions provide facile and efficient methods for preparing an enormous number of surface-active functional trialkoxysilanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Robin L. Garrell, Alexander K. Tucker-Schwartz