Patents Examined by Kenneth Vaden
  • Patent number: 8636922
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recovering high purity gaseous hydrogen and high purity gaseous carbon dioxide from a syngas stream by utilizing a hydrogen selective membrane unit and a primary water gas shift reactor in combination with a cryogenic purification unit, a hydrogen recovery unit and a secondary water gas shift reactor or by utilizing a hydrogen membrane/water gas shift reactor in combination with a cryogenic purification unit, a hydrogen recovery unit and a secondary water gas shift reactor. Each of these embodiments may further include a sulfur recovery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Bhadra S. Grover, Paul Terrien
  • Patent number: 8623241
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing heat used in a synthesis gas production process is provided. The disclosed method and apparatus include a plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements adapted to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream contacting the retentate side of the membrane elements. The permeated oxygen is combusted with a hydrogen containing synthesis gas stream contacting the permeate side of the tubular oxygen transport membrane elements thereby generating a reaction product stream and radiant heat. The present method and apparatus also includes at least one catalytic reactor containing a catalyst to promote the steam reforming reaction wherein the catalytic reactor is surrounded by the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements. The view factor between the catalytic reactor and the plurality of tubular oxygen transport membrane elements radiating heat to the catalytic reactor is greater than or equal to 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean M. Kelly, Brian R. Kromer, Michael M. Litwin, Lee J. Rosen, Gervase Maxwell Christie, Jamie R. Wilson, Lawrence W. Kosowski, Charles Robinson
  • Patent number: 8623240
    Abstract: A method for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, with simultaneous removal of one or more products, is described. The method includes the following steps: in a first reactor, carbon monoxide from the gas phase is bound in a first solvent and converted into formate, in a third reactor, formate is decomposed and resultant hydrogen H2 is removed, and in a second reactor a solid which is a hydrogen-carbonate salt or a carbonate salt is removed. The thermal decomposition of the solid and the expulsion of the carbon dioxide are carried out in an additional fourth reactor, optionally in a second solvent. Further presented is an apparatus for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, including a fourth reactor which thermally decomposes solids formed in the course of the reaction, and gives off carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Baldauf, Carsten Graeber, Marc Hanebuth, Gerhard Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8617423
    Abstract: An H2- and CO-containing synthesis gas is made by separating coke-oven gas from a coke-oven process into hydrogen and a residual gas stream containing hydrocarbons and obtaining a CO-rich synthesis-gas stream from a top gas of a blast furnace. The hydrogen separated from the coke-oven gas is fed into the CO-rich synthesis gas stream obtained from the top gas of a blast furnace to make the synthesis gas, and the hydrocarbon-containing residual gas stream is fed into the blast furnace as feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Menzel
  • Patent number: 8617511
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for producing hydrogen from methanol, comprising providing at least one flow of methanol and (1) catalytically converting part of the methanol or a fuel gas with air oxygen to carbon dioxide and water, while generating heat and (2) catalytically converting the methanol or the remaining part of the methanol at elevated temperature to hydrogen and carbon monoxide, followed by conversion of the carbon monoxide with water to hydrogen and carbon dioxide, wherein the heat generated in step (1) is sufficient to produce the elevated temperature required in step (2), wherein both steps (1) and (2) are carried out in a bed of sintered metal particles, the bed of sintered metal in step (2) having a surface that is catalytically active for the conversion of methanol to hydrogen, and wherein the beds of sintered metal particles are in heat exchanging relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: K.M.W.E. Management B.V.
    Inventors: John Wilhelm Geus, Marinus Franciscus Johannes Evers
  • Patent number: 8617512
    Abstract: The invention provides a water gas shift process comprising a reaction stage. The reaction stage comprises (a) providing a gas mixture comprising CO, H2O and an acid gas component to a reactor containing an adsorbent, and (b) subjecting the gas mixture to water gas shift reaction conditions to perform the water gas shift reaction. The adsorbent comprises an alkali promoted alumina based material. The acid gas component comprises H2S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
    Inventors: Paul Dean Cobden, Stéphane Walspurger, Rudolf Willem Van Den Brink, Hendricus Adrianus Johannes Van Dijk
  • Patent number: 8608981
    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: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Battelle Memorial Institute, Genifuel Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Elliott, James Oyler
  • Patent number: 8608982
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a synthetic gas are provided. A feedstock can be gasified within a gasifier to produce a raw syngas. The raw syngas can be processed within a processing device to produce a processed syngas. The processed syngas can be separated into a vapor phase, an organic phase, and an aqueous phase within a separator. The organic phase can be introduced to the gasifier. The aqueous phase can be introduced to a stripper to provide steam and a condensate, and the steam can then be introduced to the gasifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC
    Inventors: John Abughazaleh, Siva Ariyapadi, David P. Mann
  • Patent number: 8603430
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing a methane rich producer gas are provided in which the producer gas is preferably produced via steam-hydrogasification. The product stream from the steam-hydrogasification is then subjected to autothermal reforming, steam is removed after the reforming step via condensation, and sulfur impurities are subsequently eliminated. In most preferred aspects, the process pressure is substantially maintained throughout all steps, typically in a range of 150 psi to 500 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Joseph M. Norbeck, Chan Seung Park, Arun Sk Raju, Kiseok Kim
  • Patent number: 8597546
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing acetylene and synthesis gas by partial oxidation of hydrocarbons with oxygen, by first separately preheating the starting gases comprising a hydrocarbon-containing stream and an oxygen-containing stream and then mixing them in a mixing zone and, after they have flowed through the burner block, reacting them in the firing space and then cooling the products rapidly, wherein the surface on the firing space side of the burner block is covered with a purge gas stream and this purge gas stream is introduced through the burner block by means of several bores, where the averaged ratio of effective surface area of the burner block to number of these bores in the burner block for the purge gas stream is within a range from 5 to 100 cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Michael Russ, Dirk Grossschmidt, Peter Renze, Maximilian Vicari, Horst Neuhauser, Kai Rainer Ehrhardt, Christian Weichert
  • Patent number: 8591769
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of reducing the carbon dioxide balance from a reformer furnace flue gas to the high pressure syngas exit water gas shift reaction unit. Introducing a heated gas mixture into at least one pre-reforming chamber. The heating being provided by indirect heat exchange with one or more of an SMR furnace flue gas or an SMR furnace syngas introducing the gas mixture into a standard H2 PSA unit, wherein the gas mixture is separated into a hydrogen enriched stream and a PSA tail gas stream; introducing the PSA tail gas stream into a CPU system, wherein the PSA tail gas stream is separated into a carbon dioxide enriched stream, a hydrogen rich stream, and a residual stream, and introducing the residual stream as fuel into the reformer furnace along with natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP, L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme pour l'Étude et l'Exploitation de Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Dennis Vauk, Bhadra S. Grover
  • Patent number: 8580153
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of minimizing the emissions of carbon dioxide from a reformer furnace flue gas to the high pressure syngas exit water gas shift reaction unit. Including heating a first gas mixture by indirect heat exchange with one or more of an SMR furnace flue gas or an SMR furnace syngas, further heating the pre-reformed mixture in a primary reformer, thereby generating a second gas mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and a flue gas. Introducing the gas mixture into a standard H2 PSA unit, wherein the gas is separated into a hydrogen enriched stream and a PSA tail gas stream, and introducing PSA feed or tail gas stream into a carbon dioxide removal system, wherein the flue gas is separated into a residual flue gas stream and a carbon dioxide enriched stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignees: Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP, L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Dennis A. Vauk, Bhadra S. Grover
  • Patent number: 8580152
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to process of gasification of carbonaceous materials to produce synthesis gas or syngas. The present disclosure provides improved methods of gasification comprising adding a molecular oxygen-containing gas and optionally adding water into said gasifier. This disclosure is also directed to process of production of one or more alcohols from said syngas via fermentation or digestion in the presence of at least one microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: INEOS USA LLC
    Inventors: Bhagya Chandra Sutradhar, Ching-Whan Ko
  • Patent number: 8545725
    Abstract: A process for carrying out a carbon monoxide shift reaction is provided. In the implementation of the carbon monoxide shift reaction, including the conversion of carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, this conversion takes place in the liquid phase and involves separation of the product gases carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen, where as a first solvent dry methanol is used, for the absorption of carbon monoxide with simultaneous formation of a methyl formate, as a second solvent, in the area of release of the product gases, water is used, for avoiding hydrogen losses in a carbon dioxide area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Baldauf, Carsten Graeber, Marc Hanebuth, Gerhard Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8545727
    Abstract: A process for producing ammonia synthesis gas, where a natural gas feedstock (10) is reformed in a primary steam reformer (12) and in a secondary reformer (14) at a pressure of at least 35 bar; the product syngas (16) at the output of the secondary reformer is cooled and subject to catalytic medium-temperature shift, converting the CO into CO2 and H2; downstream said medium-temperature shift, the carbon dioxide is removed from the syngas by physical absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ammonia Casale SA
    Inventors: Ermanno Filippi, Marco Badano, Geoffrey Frederick Skinner
  • Patent number: 8535638
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recovering hydrogen and carbon dioxide from a process stream of a process unit wherein the process stream contains at least carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: Air Liquide Large Industries U.S., L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Paul Terrien, Trapti Chaubey, Purushottam V. Shanbhag, Bhadra S. Grover, Dennis A. Vauk, Arthur Darde
  • Patent number: 8529792
    Abstract: A process and device is provided for the generation and purification of a crude gas for synthesis gas generation from a solid carbon-containing fuel by a coal gasification reaction. The fuel is mixed with a quenching medium directly after generation to dissipate the high internal energy and is then brought into contact with a solid basic alkaline earth metal compound or a sorbent consisting of a transition metal-containing compound just in the mixing chamber or downstream of the mixing chamber such that the acidic or basic or sulfur-containing or halogen-containing constituents contained in the crude gas and originating from the gasification reaction are absorbed. A solids-separating device downstream of the sorbent feed device removes the solid or solidified constituents from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: UHDE GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Kowoll
  • Patent number: 8529865
    Abstract: Processes for making hydrogen and optionally carbon monoxide and their integrations in a Carbon-to-Liquids plant are disclosed. A first syngas produced by a first syngas generator is converted in a hydrocarbon synthesis process to hydrocarbon products, oxygenates and product water comprising dissolved oxygenates. The first syngas generator may use partial oxidation, reforming, gasifying, or pyrolysis of any solid, liquid or gaseous carbonaceous feedstock. The product water may be treated, for example by distillation and/or by stripping, to form an oxygenates-rich stream which comprises a reforming reactant and oxygenates originating from the product water. Oxygenates from the oxygenates-rich stream fed to a second syngas generator are converted under reforming conditions to form at least hydrogen. The hydrogen formed by reforming may be supplied to one or more units using hydrogen within a Carbon-to-Liquids plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Barbara A. Belt, Sara Irina Kopponen, Ralph T. Goodwin, III, Mariella L. Raven, Blaine E. Beck
  • Patent number: 8529866
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of hydrogen by steam reforming an oil cut using a hot vector gas, in which the steam produced by the process is used in its entirety in said process, a first portion of the steam being introduced as a mixture with the feed, and the second portion supplying the steam turbine driving the compressor for pressurizing the hot vector gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Beatrice Fischer, Fabrice Giroudiere
  • Patent number: 8518301
    Abstract: A synthetic gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide is efficiently obtained by reacting a hydrocarbon feedstock gas with carbon dioxide under pressure, while suppressing carbon deposition. The pressure is preferably 3 atmospheres (0.304 MPa), and used is a carbon dioxide reforming catalyst that contains at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate a catalytic metal promoting the decomposition reaction of a hydrocarbon feedstock gas, at least one alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, and Ba, and a complex oxide containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Zr, Fe, W, and Mo, such as ATiO3, AAl2O4, AZrO3, AFe2O4, A3W2O9, A2WO5, or AMoO4, where A is at least one of Ca, Sr, and Ba.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideto Sato, Yoshinori Saito