Patents Examined by Joan Thierstein
  • Patent number: 4180452
    Abstract: A method for hydrogenating coal to produce benzene and other gas and liquid products. In the process, the coal is pulverized and dried, and then saturated with methanol. The methanol saturated coal is slurryed in benzene and the slurry is exposed to microwave energy of a frequency and for a period of time sufficient to effect hydrogenation of the coal. The benzene liquid effects an immediate quench and the hydrogenation products are collected and separated. The principal product of the hydrogenation is benzene. Unreacted coal and char may be recycled or subjected to gasification with steam and oxygen to produce synthesis gas which can be converted to methanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: Cameron Engineers, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry E. Sinor
  • Patent number: 4158637
    Abstract: Hydrocarbons are formed of coal and water. The water is converted or dissociated separately into hydrogen and oxygen in a first chemical reactor by thermochemical and/or electrolytic processing. The resulting hydrogen is then reacted with the coal in a second reactor to produce the hydrocarbons. Residual carbon from the second reactor is reacted in a third reactor with oxygen derived from the first reactor to produce carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide is reacted with residual hydrogen from the second reactor or hydrogen from the first reactor to produce additional hydrocarbons. The energy for the endothermic and/or electrolytic processing in the reactors and for auxiliary equipment of the apparatus is supplied by a very high-temperature, gas-cooled, nuclear reactor by heat interchange with the cooling gas, helium. The cooling gas operates through heat-exchange means which isolates the cooling gas from the processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Andrew R. Jones
  • Patent number: 4141847
    Abstract: Lubricating oil additives having both dispersant and viscosity index-improving properties are prepared by reacting a selectively hydrogenated star-shaped polymer having at least four arms of polymers or copolymers of dienes and monoalkenyl arenes with an alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acid or derivative, and then reacting the resulting intermediate with an amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1979
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas E. Kiovsky
  • Patent number: 4136013
    Abstract: In the catalytic hydrogenation of a substance in a water-immiscible organic liquid medium, a metallic hydrogenation catalyst is conveniently and effectively dispersed in the reaction mixture by addition as an emulsion of an aqueous solution of a salt of the metal in the liquid medium. The method is particularly applicable to the liquefaction of coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Norman G. Moll, George J. Quarderer
  • Patent number: 4136044
    Abstract: This specification discloses a lubricant composition containing esters of arylaminophenoxyalkyl carboxylic acids as an antioxidant and new compositions of matter useful as antioxidants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Milton Braid
  • Patent number: 4134821
    Abstract: A coal liquefaction process is provided in which a solvent is used to at least partially liquefy the coal. The process is maintained in solvent balance without extraneous addition of make-up solvent. The required balance is effected by selectively recovering from the liquefaction product an oil-containing liquid phase, at least a portion of the liquid phase being thereafter hydrogenated to form coal solvent in sufficient amount to replenish that lost. The selective recovery of the desired liquid phase is effected by means of a deasphalting solvent that preferentially separates asphaltenes and benzene insolubles from the coal extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: Continental Oil Company
    Inventor: Everett Gorin
  • Patent number: 4134822
    Abstract: A process for reducing the amount of catalyst required for coal hydrogenation-liquefaction reactions involving dry fed, short-residence coal reaction systems. Coal particles are mixed with dry catalyst material having a vapor pressure of 1 to 1000 mm Hg at reaction conditions. Catalysts having such high vapor pressure have demonstrated greatly improved ability to establish the required intimate contact for efficient catalysis when dry mixed and enable significant reduction of amounts of catalyst material required. In systems utilizing ZnCl.sub.2 as the catalyst material, reductions in percent weight concentration to the range of 1 to 2% are accomplished.The invention disclosed herein was developed in part under contract funding provided by the Energy Research and Development Administration of the United States Government.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: University of Utah
    Inventors: Ralph E. Wood, Wendell H. Wiser, Larry L. Anderson, Alex G. Oblad
  • Patent number: 4133742
    Abstract: An efficient and practical process is provided, permitting greatly increased recovery of hydrocarbons from oil shales and tar sands. Steps involved include mixing oil shale or tar sand in water, with pulverized coal, to form an amalgam, and separation of water to be reused in the process. The separated amalgam contains the hydrocarbons of the shale or sand and constituents of coal in which mineral matter content is considerably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Inventor: William H. Hill
  • Patent number: 4133741
    Abstract: A plurality of hydrocarbon fractions are recovered from hydrocarbon-bearing material such as oil shale in a continuous retort wherein a bed of the material is moved through a heating chamber, the heating being for a time and at a temperature effective to strip increasingly heavier hydrocarbon fractions from the material as it moves through the heating chamber. The hydrocarbon fractions are collected by a plurality of collection means disposed along the path of movement of the bed for recovery of a corresponding plurality of hydrocarbon fractions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Assignee: The Superior Oil Company
    Inventors: Bernard E. Weichman, John H. Knight
  • Patent number: 4132627
    Abstract: An integrated process for the conversion of coal to liquid and gaseous fuels is disclosed. Coal and oil are hydrocracked in the presence of a particulate mixture of sand or clay and an iron and chromium alloy to form carbon-coated sand and an overhead product comprising cracked oil vapors and fuel gases. The carbon is removed from the sand to form carbon monoxide with the concomitant generation of heat. The carbon monoxide is used to reduce oxidized iron and chromium alloy located in a hydrogen generating bed. Steam is passed into the bed of reduced metallic alloy to form hydrogen for use in the coal reactor and the regenerated particulate mixture of sand and iron and chromium alloy is returned to the coal reactor to continue the sequence of carbon removal and to provide heat for the hydrocracking reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1979
    Inventor: Arnold M. Leas
  • Patent number: 4130495
    Abstract: A non-factice sulfohalogenated jojoba oil characterized by a M.W. under 4,500, an I.V. greater than 5, a sulfur content below 8.7% and having a sulfur to halogen mole ratio of about 1.1:1.0 to about 1.0:1.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1978
    Assignee: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority
    Inventors: Jaime Wisniak, Hanoch Benajahu
  • Patent number: 4128471
    Abstract: A process for liquefying coal employing a low temperature preheater zone, a higher temperature non-catalytic hydrocracking zone and a catalytic hydrogenation zone in series. Carbon monoxide passes through the preheater and non-catalytic hydrocracking zones but is removed from the process in advance of the catalytic hydrogenation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1978
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Huey P. Malone, John A. Paraskos, Herman Taylor, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4125459
    Abstract: This invention relates to the production of oils of specified higher quality at the same yield or to the production of a higher yield of oils of the same quality from a bituminous material by a combination of propane and pentane deasphalting than would otherwise be obtainable by utilizing either propane or pentane deasphalting processes alone. This is effected by subjecting the bituminous material first to a pentane deasphalting process to produce a light fraction containing resins and oils, followed by a propane deasphalting process on the resin-oil fraction previously obtained and the recycle of at least a portion of the resins fraction back to the pentane deasphalting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Kerr-McGee Refining Corporation
    Inventor: Leo Garwin
  • Patent number: 4125452
    Abstract: In a process for the liquefaction of coal in which coal liquids containing phenols and other oxygenated compounds are produced during the liquefaction step and later hydrogenated, oxygenated compounds are removed from at least part of the coal liquids in the naphtha and gas oil boiling range prior to the hydrogenation step and employed as a feed stream for the manufacture of a synthesis gas or for other purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Edward Effron
  • Patent number: 4124485
    Abstract: Ash-containing solids are separated from coal liquid by adding a blend comprising alcohol and a light oil fraction to said coal liquid, followed by a solids-liquid separation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1978
    Assignee: Gulf Research & Development Company
    Inventors: Norman L. Carr, Edgar L. McGinnis
  • Patent number: 4123347
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products which comprises contacting; in a series of two or more coal liquefaction zones, or stages, graded with respect to temperature, an admixture of a polar compound; or compounds, a hydrogen donor solvent and particulate coal, the total effluent being passed in each instance from a low temperature zone, or stage to the next succeeding higher temperature zone, or stage, of the series. The temperature within the initial zone, or stage, of the series is maintained about 70.degree. F and 750.degree. F and the temperature within the final zone, or stage, is maintained between about 750.degree. F and 950.degree. F. The residence time within the first zone, or stage, ranges, generally, from about 20 to about 150 minutes and residence time within each of the remaining zones, or stages, of the series ranges, generally, from about 10 minutes to about 70 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Peter S. Maa
  • Patent number: 4123348
    Abstract: A process for performing reactions in a reaction vessel contaning a catalyst bed of solid particles wherein the reaction between reactants is enhanced by imparting pulsating motion to the solid particles. The pulsating motion can be produced by pulsating introduction of at least one of the reactants, pulsating the introduction of recycled reaction products, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1978
    Assignee: Saarbergwerke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Wurfel
  • Patent number: 4121995
    Abstract: A slurry of carbonaceous particles such as coal containing an oil soluble polar substituted oleophilic surfactant, suitably an amine substituted long chain hydrocarbon, is liquefied at high temperature and high hydrogen presence. The pressure of surfactant results in an increase in yield and the conversion product contains a higher proportion of light and heavy oils and less asphaltene than products from other liquefaction processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: George C. Hsu
  • Patent number: 4120775
    Abstract: A system for effecting a sharp separation from tar sands of the large weight fraction of coarse materials present therein and for recovering bitumen, or tar, from the remaining product, wherein, as a first step, finely divided particles of a tar sand are added to a liquid hydrocarbon solvent in an agitation zone to form a dilute solution of the bitumen component which is agitated to maintain both the coarse as well as the fine solid particles present in a well dispersed condition. This dispersion flows downwardly from the agitation zone and through a shallow conduit, generally rectangular in cross section and having an opening extending across its bottom portion over which the dispersion passes. During the short residence time of the dispersion over the opening, the coarse sand particles, which under the influence of gravity fall faster than the fines, selectively drop out of the dispersion and pass through the conduit opening into an underlying sand-receiving chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: Natomas Company
    Inventors: Robert G. Murray, Benjamin J. Gikis
  • Patent number: 4120803
    Abstract: Mono-alkenes, aliphatic conjugated dienes and unsaturated fatty acids or esters thereof copolymerize with a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to yield a copolymer containing carboxylic acid or ester groups which are reacted with a polyamine to amidate the carboxyl group leaving free amine groups. The free amine groups are reacted with polycarboxylic acids to form inter- and intra-molecular bridged polyamides. These compounds are effective ashless dispersants in lubricating oil and have detergency properties in distillate fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: Ethyl Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Malec