Patents Examined by Kenneth Vaden
  • Patent number: 8877098
    Abstract: Processing of wet biomass feedstock by liquid-phase catalytic hydrothermal gasification must address catalyst fouling and poisoning. One solution can involve heating the wet biomass with a heating unit to a pre-treatment temperature sufficient for organic constituents in the feedstock to decompose, for precipitates of inorganic wastes to form, for preheating the wet feedstock in preparation for subsequent removal of soluble sulfate contaminants, or combinations thereof. Processing further includes reacting the soluble sulfate contaminants with cations present in the feedstock material to yield a sulfate-containing precipitate and separating the inorganic precipitates and/or the sulfate-containing precipitates out of the wet feedstock. Having removed much of the inorganic wastes and the sulfate contaminants that can cause poisoning and fouling, the wet biomass feedstock can be exposed to the heterogeneous catalyst for gasification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Battelle Memorial Institute, Genifuel Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Elliott, James R. Oyler
  • Patent number: 8865117
    Abstract: The invention provides an integrated catalyst and membrane reactor for the production a predetermined gas such as hydrogen. The reactor comprises a gas flow channel, comprising a plurality of alternating catalyst sections and membrane sections, wherein each catalyst section comprises a catalyst bed and each membrane section comprises a plurality of membranes, and wherein the membranes are selectively permeable for the predetermined gaseous species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
    Inventors: Arend De Groot, Yvonne Christine Van Delft, Marija Saric
  • Patent number: 8852457
    Abstract: A method for purification and conditioning of crude syngas based on properties of molten salts, includes removing particles at a high-temperature by enabling the high-temperature crude syngas produced by a gasification device to firstly pass through a high-temperature particle removal device to remove solid particles in the gas; removing hydrocarbons in the presence of oxygen by introducing an oxidant into the crude syngas after treatment, selectively removing the hydrocarbons in the crude syngas and simultaneously utilizing high temperature produced by oxidation of the hydrocarbons to crack tar; and removing gas pollutants and conditioning by introducing the obtained crude syngas into molten salts medium, removing pollutants containing sulfur and chlorine in the crude syngas, and simultaneously adjusting the H2/CO ratio of the syngas to obtain purified syngas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Xiaobo Wang, Zengli Zhao, Haibin Li, Anqi Liu, Hongxiang Wu
  • Patent number: 8846562
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for producing a nano calcium carbonate slurry from a feedstock of waste gypsum, wherein: an aqueous gypsum slurry of the feedstock is mixed with ammonia water by stirring; with CO2 injected in the slurry is under continuous stirring until the calcium sulfate in the waste gypsum is completely carbonated into nano calcium carbonate; after filtration, the filter cake is dispersed in water to obtain the nano calcium carbonate slurry. This process is easy to operate and to obtain a low-cost and a lower decomposition temperature of calcium carbonate. The present invention also discloses a nano calcium carbonate slurry and its application in preparation of a CaO-based carbon dioxide adsorbent and complex catalyst used for a reactive sorption enhanced reforming process for hydrogen production from methane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Zhejiang University
    Inventors: Sufang Wu, Peiqiang Lan
  • Patent number: 8821834
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a hydrogen gas-generating apparatus (10) comprising (1) a reservoir (100) comprising an aqueous component (110), (2) a fuel compartment (200) comprising a solid metal borohydride fuel component (210), and (3) a reaction chamber (300) comprising an aerogel catalyst (310). A first fluid path introduces the aqueous component into the fuel compartment where the solid metal borohydride fuel component is dissolved into a liquid metal borohydride fuel component (210?). A second fluid path introduces the liquid metal borohydride fuel component into the reaction chamber to produce a hydrogen gas by means of a hydride-water oxidation reaction that is accelerated by the aerogel catalyst. The temperature and/or pressure of the reaction chamber are predetermined to maintain the water in the borate byproduct to be substantially in the liquid phase to minimize the precipitation of the borate byproduct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Societe BIC
    Inventors: Michael Curello, Constance Stepan
  • Patent number: 8808663
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods of generating hydrogen including contacting magnesium and silicon to form a mixture and reacting the mixture with an aqueous solution, sufficient to generate hydrogen. The solution can include water and salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Societe BIC
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Will Skrivan, Joerg Zimmermann, Sally Seaman
  • Patent number: 8784687
    Abstract: A methane steam reforming process for converting a syngas in the presence of permeable composite fibrous catalytic sheets comprised of at least three distinct solid phases. A first solid phase is a 3-dimensional porous network of a non-conductive porous ceramic material. A second solid phase is an electrically conductive phase comprised of randomly oriented electrically conductive fibers. A third phase is comprised of methane steam reforming catalytic particles dispersed on said 3-dimensional porous network, said conductive fibers, or both. A fourth phase can be present, which fourth phase is comprised one or more conductive species or one or more non-conductive species embedded in said first solid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: Juzer Jangbarwala
  • Patent number: 8771549
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved plant and method for chemical looping combustion of at least one hydrocarbon feed with independent control of the circulation of the solid active mass particles between the fluidized bed reaction zones, by means of one or more non-mechanical valves of L-valve type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: IFP Energies Nouvelles, Total SA
    Inventors: Thierry Gauthier, Ali Hoteit, Ann Forret
  • Patent number: 8771638
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sequestering carbon dioxide from a waste gas and reusing it as a recycled gas without emissions concerns, including: given a gas source divided into a process gas and a waste gas: mixing the process gas with a hydrocarbon and feeding a resulting feed gas into a reformer for reforming the feed gas and forming a reducing gas; and feeding at least a portion of the waste gas into a carbon dioxide scrubber for removing at least some carbon dioxide from the waste gas and forming a carbon dioxide lean gas that is mixed with the reducing gas. Optionally, the method also includes feeding at least a portion of the waste gas into the carbon dioxide scrubber for removing at least some carbon dioxide from the waste gas and forming a fuel gas after the addition of a hydrocarbon that is fed into the reformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Midrex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Metius, James M. McClelland
  • Patent number: 8758647
    Abstract: Process for the endothermic, catalytic gas phase oxidation of hydrocarbons with steam and carbon dioxide to hydrogen and carbon monoxide (synthesis gas), performed in 5 to 30 series-connected reaction zones under adiabatic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Schellen, Evin Hizaler Hoffmann, Leslaw Mleczko, Stephan Schubert, Rushikesh Apte
  • Patent number: 8715616
    Abstract: There is provided herein a method for producing hydrogen gas, comprising: sorbing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a gasification catalyst to form a sorbed hydrocarbon fuel; heating said sorbed hydrocarbon fuel to a first temperature for a first period of time sufficient to form coke; and gasifying said coke at a second temperature at a pressure for a second period of time in the presence of water and/or oxygen, so as to produce hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide and to regenerate said catalyst. In particular, the hydrocarbon fuel can be a liquid biomass, such pyrolysis oil, and the method can be CO2 neutral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Roland Schmidt, Christopher J. LaFrancois
  • Patent number: 8709287
    Abstract: A process for producing a H2-containing product gas and purified water from an integrated catalytic steam-hydrocarbon reforming and thermal water purification process. Raw water, such as salt water, is heated by indirect heat transfer with reformate from the catalytic steam reforming process for purifying raw water in one of a multiple effect distillation process and a multi-stage flash process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiang-Dong Peng, Geoffrey Colling Achilles, Blaine Edward Herb, Eric Howard Klingenberg, Derek Miller
  • Patent number: 8703094
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a process to prepare a hydrogen rich gas mixture from a solid sulphur- and halogen-containing carbonaceous feedstock. The process involves the following steps. Step (a): gasification of the solid carbonaceous feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas to obtain a gas mixture comprising halogen compounds, sulphur compounds, hydrogen and at least 50 vol. % carbon monoxide, on a dry basis. Step (b): contacting the gas mixture with a quench gas or quench liquid to reduce the temperature of the gas mixture to below 900° C. Step (c) contacting the gas mixture with water having a temperature of between 150 and 250° C. to obtain a gas mixture comprising between 50 and 1000 ppm halogen and having a steam to carbon monoxide molar ratio of between 0.2:1 and 0.9:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert Van Den Berg, Matthieu Simon Henri Fleys, Frank Haiko Geuzebroek, Mark Jan Prins
  • Patent number: 8696936
    Abstract: A hydrogen generating system and a method of in situ hydrogen generation controlled on demand capable of reacting an aluminum-free metal reagent composed of at least one of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, alkali metal alloys and blends including alkali metals, alkaline earth metal alloys and blends including alkaline earth metals and metal alloys including at least one alkali metal and at least one alkaline earth metal, with water to obtain hydrogen and a residual reaction product including metal hydroxide composed of at least one of alkali hydroxides and alkaline earth hydroxide; and separating hydrogen from the residual reaction product; liquefying the metal reagent by heating to obtain liquid metal reagent under vacuum conditions; injecting the liquid metal reagent into a reactor by metal reagent injecting means and simultaneously injecting, by water injection system, a stoichiometric amount of water with respect to the amount of the liquid metal reagent being injected into the reactor such that a co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventor: Amalio Garrido Escudero
  • Patent number: 8697028
    Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst which is used to obtain hydrogen or a hydrogen-rich gas that is suitable for use in fuel cells or other applications from bioethanol and/or ethanol, comprising a support, a promoter agent and an active phase which is incorporated into the support, said catalyst taking the form of a calcinated solid in which the support comprises at least one oxide with high surface mobility and is modified with the promoter agent. According to the invention, the promoter agent comprises at least one oxide of a rare earth that is selected from the lanthanide group and the active phase comprises at least one oxide of a transition metal from group VIII or IB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Abengoa Hidrogeno, S.A.
    Inventors: Manuel Jesús Benito González, Juan Luis Sanz Yagüe, Ruth Isabel Gomez, Loreto Daza Bertrand
  • Patent number: 8691181
    Abstract: A process for preparing and converting synthesis gas, which has a plurality of different operating states which consist essentially of mutually alternating (i) daytime operation and (ii) nighttime operation, daytime operation (i) comprising principally dry reforming and steam reforming with supply of renewable energy, and nighttime operation (ii) comprising principally the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, and the synthesis gas produced being used to produce products of value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Stephan Schunk, Armin Lange De Oliveira
  • Patent number: 8691182
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems reside in the decomposition of ammonia into a hydrogen gas mixture. An ammonia-rich gaseous mixture containing ammonia and oxygen enters into a conduit within which combustion and decomposition of the mixture is initiated, thereby liberating hydrogen. A mixture of gaseous products resulting from the reaction is expelled from the outlet of the conduit, the mixture including non-combusted hydrogen gas, which may then be used for other purposes. In the preferred embodiment, the incoming reactants including ammonia and oxygen are heat exchanged with the outgoing product mixture containing non-combusted hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Inventors: Shawn Grannell, Donald E. Gillespie
  • Patent number: 8685281
    Abstract: The production of gasses and, more particularly, to systems and methods for the production of syngas and fuel gasses including the production of hydrogen are set forth. In one embodiment system and method includes a reactor having a molten pool of a material comprising sodium carbonate. A supply of conditioned water is in communication with the reactor. A supply of carbon containing material is also in communication with the reactor. In one particular embodiment, the carbon containing material may include vacuum residuum (VR). The water and VR may be kept at desired temperatures and pressures compatible with the process that is to take place in the reactor. When introduced into the reactor, the water, the VR and the molten pool may be homogenously mixed in an environment in which chemical reactions take place including the production of hydrogen and other gasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC
    Inventors: Dennis N. Bingham, Kerry M. Kllingler, Terry D. Turner, Bruce M. Wilding, Bradley C. Benefiel
  • Patent number: 8679368
    Abstract: A process for the liquefaction of carbonaceous material is described that utilizes a single liquefaction reactor that accepts mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas) at any ratio and which provides for a water gas shift reaction and a hydrogenation reaction of the carbonaceous material to provide a desired hydrocarbon. The process avoids the use of a separate reactor for the water gas shift reaction and applies to carbonaceous material such as any type of coal and/or biomass containing plant and/or animal matter for conversion to a synthetic fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: David S. Moulton, Jimell Erwin
  • Patent number: 8642004
    Abstract: Using the process described in the present invention, a gas is produced that is rich in methane and hydrogen and has a content of olefins below 1% v/v, which fully meets the necessary requirements for raw materials used for large-scale production of hydrogen or synthesis gas, in steam reforming units that already exist in a great many oil refineries and petrochemical units. Starting from ethanol, steam, nickel-based catalysts and the use of appropriate conditions of temperature, and H2O/ethanol and H2/ethanol molar ratios, the invention teaches the production of hydrogen and synthesis gas from biomass, stably for long periods without loss of catalyst performance over time, permitting its industrial application in new units or in existing units. As a solution for the production of ethanol, the present invention claims the replacement of the ZnO-based and hydrofining catalysts of the feed pre-treatment section, with nickel-based catalysts and process conditions in accordance with the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras
    Inventor: Roberto Carlos Pontes Bittencourt