Patents Examined by Lessanework T Seifu
  • Patent number: 7452390
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling superheating and temperature of a compressed natural gas stream and the addition of a corrision inhibitor composition for transmission through a pipeline that includes: a. dividing a stream of natural gas discharged from a high pressure gas compressor (106) into a first portion (108) and a second portion (202); b. passing the first portion (108) of the gas from the gas compressor to a heat exchanger (112) to heat the gas to a predetermined temperature; c. passing the first portion of gas (111) exiting the heat exchanger to an aftercooler (114); d. passing the second portion (202) of natural gas discharged from the gas compressor (106) to the aftercooler (114) without passing it through the heat exchanger (112), the second portion of gas and the first portion of gas being mixed at the aftercooler inlet and cooled by the aftercooler and discharged from the aftercooler as a cooled gas stream (116) having a temperature no greater than a first temperature; e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hani Al-Khalifa, Donald P. Delevan, Timothy T. Wilson, Abdulrahman Al-Abdullatif
  • Patent number: 7452393
    Abstract: An installation and process for producing hydrogen, which includes a purification unit for purifying a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas and for producing hydrogen and a waste gas, along with the additional equipment required in order to continue operation in the event of a purification unit shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directorie et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Yves Engler, Edie Michalik, Jan Cobbaut, Olivier Gonfalone, Dirck Simons
  • Patent number: 7445650
    Abstract: A method of starting up and shutting down a microchannel process is provided. Included are the steps of providing a first multi-planar process unit, preferably adapted to process an endothermic reaction, a second multi-planar process unit, preferably adapted to process an exothermic reaction, providing a containment vessel, the containment vessel containing at least a portion of the first, and preferably the second, process unit. In startup, the microchannel process is first checked for pressure integrity by pressurizing and checking the important components of the process for leaks. Subsequently, the process units are heated by introducing a dilute low-thermal energy density material, preferably to the second process unit, followed by the introduction of a dilute high-thermal energy density material, and adjusting the proportion of high-thermal energy density material as required. In shutdown, a purge material from the containment vessel is introduced into the first, and preferably the second, process unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Velocys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Weil, Robert D. Litt, William Allen Rogers, Jr., Richard K. Bennett, Elizabeth A. De Lucia
  • Patent number: 7438868
    Abstract: A catalytic converter has a honeycomb catalyst body, a housing and a holding material, wherein the honeycomb catalyst body has, as the catalyst carrier, a honeycomb structure having an inner wall(s) which is (are) provided so as to divide the large number of cells into two or more cell blocks and which has (have) a thickness larger than the thickness of the partition walls, and the exhaust gas-incoming section and purified gas-outgoing section of the housing are divided by diaphragms into two or more exhaust gas-incoming passages and two or more purified gas-outgoing passages, and the two or more cell blocks of the honeycomb structure are allowed to communicate with the corresponding two or more exhaust gas-incoming passages and corresponding two or more purified gas-outgoing passages of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Kato
  • Patent number: 7435332
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for cracking hydrocarbon oils. The process comprises contacting a hydrocarbon oil with a catalyst that has been contacted with an atmosphere containing a reducing gas, separating cracked products and the catalyst, and regenerating the catalyst. The catalyst is a cracking catalyst containing a metal component, or a catalyst mixture of a cracking catalyst containing a metal component and a cracking catalyst free of metal component. The catalyst is contacted with the atmosphere containing a reducing gas at a temperature of 100 to 900° C. for at least 1 second, and the amount of the atmosphere containing a reducing gas is not less than 0.03 cubic meters of reducing gas per ton of the cracking catalyst containing a metal component per minute, at a pressure of 0.1-0.5 MPa in the reduction reactor. The process has enhanced capability for desulfurizing and cracking heavy oils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Sinopec
    Inventors: Jun Long, Huiping Tian, Yujian Liu, Yuxia Zhu, Zhenyu Chen, Yaoqing Guo, Zhijian Da, Jiushun Zhang, Mingyuan He
  • Patent number: 7419644
    Abstract: A flow directing insert for a reactor chamber in a reactor may have a mainly square-shaped cross-section. The chamber has an inlet at one end of the chamber and an outlet at the other end of the chamber and at least one of the walls of the reactor chamber consists of a heat conductive material or of a membrane. The insert comprises a number of units arranged in rows, which units together with the walls of the chamber define a channel for a fluid. The channel extends from a first side of the chamber to a second side of the chamber and back again to the first side backwards and forwards a number of times. The units are arranged such that the fluid is forced to flow between the units in a serpentine path. A reactor comprises at least one reactor chamber containing a flow directing insert as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
    Inventor: Fabrice Chopard
  • Patent number: 7419643
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for treating flue gas containing sulfur dioxide using a scrubber, and more particularly relates to recovering gypsum and magnesium hydroxide products from the scrubber blowdown. The gypsum and magnesium hydroxide products are created using two separate precipitation reactions. Gypsum is crystallized when magnesium sulfate reacts with calcium chloride. Magnesium hydroxide is precipitated when magnesium chloride from the gypsum crystallization process reacts with calcium hydroxide. The process produces a high quality gypsum with a controllable pH and particle size distribution, as well as high quality magnesium hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Allegheny Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis K. Jones
  • Patent number: 7419518
    Abstract: In a hydrogen generator according to the invention, a reformer temperature sensor detects the temperature of a reformer at a start of a stop operation of a hydrogen generator. In a controller, a processing and controlling portion compares the detected temperature with first to fourth reference temperatures pre-stored in a storage portion, and determines which of the following conditions is the temperature condition of the hydrogen generator at the stop; a first condition in which water condensation occurs, a second condition in which water condensation and carbon deposition are avoidable, a third condition in which carbon deposition occurs, a fourth condition in which disproportionation reaction occurs, and a fifth condition in which oxidization of catalyst occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Yukimune Kani
  • Patent number: 7416570
    Abstract: A body of a hydrogen generator includes a reformer configured to generate a reformed gas mainly containing hydrogen, a material passage configured to supply a reforming material, which is a material for a reforming reaction, to the reformer, a shifter configured to convert CO contained in a reformed gas obtained from the reformer into CO2, a reformed gas passage configured to supply the reformed gas obtained from the reformer to the shifter, and a passage for the shifted gas obtained from the shifter. The shifted gas passage and the material passage are adjacent to each other with a shared horizontal wall interposed therebetween, and thereby, heat from the shifted gas and radiant heat from the downstream end face of the shifter are transferred to the reforming material that travels in the material passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Suzuki, Tomonori Asou, Yuji Mukai, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi
  • Patent number: 7413718
    Abstract: A silicon production reactor including a reaction vessel and heating element, the reaction vessel has a vertically extending wall and a space surrounded by the wall, the heating element being capable of heating at least a part, including lower end portion, of the wall's surface facing the space to a temperature of not lower than the melting point of silicon, the silicon production reactor being adapted to flow raw gas for silicon deposition from an upper part of the space of the reaction vessel toward a lower part thereof, characterized in that the space of the reaction vessel is of slit form in cross-sectional view. This silicon production reactor is capable of attaining improvement with respect to problems encountered at apparatus scale-up, such as decrease of reactivity of raw gas and generation of by-products, thereby accomplishing a striking enhancement of production efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Nakamura, Satoru Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 7399898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorptive separation system in which at least one component of a fluid mixture is brought into contact with a solid adsorbent and the adsorbed component is desorbed with a desorbent, wherein the improvement comprises an inert ball layer is formed on the upper part of the solid absorbent filled in the simulated moving bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Petrochemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Suk Lee, Nam Cheol Shin
  • Patent number: 7399328
    Abstract: A hydrogen gas station is disclosed comprising, a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-rich reformed gas through reforming reaction of an organic compound, a gas supply port configured to communicate with a gas supply pipe to supply the reformed gas to a plurality of fuel cells, and a gas recovery port configured to communicate with a gas recovery pipe to receive an off gas containing hydrogen unconsumed from the fuel cells, the hydrogen gas station being configured to consume the off gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Yukimune Kani
  • Patent number: 7384611
    Abstract: Methods and configurations are drawn to a plant in which an effluent gas with a sulfur dioxide content of more than 1.5% is mixed with a substantially sulfur dioxide free offgas from a contactor to form a mixed feed gas for a hydrogenation reactor, wherein the mixed feed gas has a sulfur dioxide content of less than 1.5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Jen Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 7384612
    Abstract: An exhaust cleanup filter which, even if the exhaust temperature is low as during vehicular driving under low load, can trap PM efficiently to prevent clogging by PM buildup and which also is effective in purifying the exhaust from a diesel engine that does not use any burner or heater to remove PM. The cleanup filter is for purifying the exhaust from diesel engines and comprises particulate ceramic porous bodies that have a three-dimensional network structure, as well as artificial pores and communication channels in the interior, with some of the pores being partially exposed on the surfaces of the porous bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Chemical Auto
    Inventors: Yasuo Ajisaka, Shigeru Kumai, Yoshitaka Kumai
  • Patent number: 7384605
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fluidics system and a method for selectively drawing fluid from at least one selected reservoir into a channel by providing a negative pressure source downstream of the fluid and channel and selectively back filling the selected reservoir with a gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Mark J. Feldstein
  • Patent number: 7378061
    Abstract: A concentric, offset, or obliquely formed spun converter assembly includes an outer shell defining an internal cavity that receives a catalyst substrate. Inner cones are positioned within the internal cavity at each end of the outer shell. Each inner cone has a tapered body portion and a transversely extending shoulder portion that abuts an outer edge of the outer shell. The shoulder portions mechanically lock the inner cones to the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: EMOON Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Kevin A. Barnard
  • Patent number: 7375255
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pyrolysis system and method thereof which are capable of converting an entire rubber tire into several energy resources in an environmentally-friendly manner. The system includes a tire transporting unit, a waste to energy conversion unit, and a energy collection unit. The waste to energy conversion unit includes a conversion housing having a reaction chamber for receiving the rubber tire for pyrolysis processing to decompose the rubber tire into fuel oil, methane gas and carbon black, while metal wire from the rubber tire are resided for recycling use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: Ernest Lee
  • Patent number: 7374591
    Abstract: A method for starting a gas generating system serving to generate a hydrogenous gas used for operating a fuel cell. The gas generating system includes: devices for converting starting materials into the hydrogenous gas; devices for conditioning at least a portion of the starting materials; devices for purifying the hydrogenous gas by removing unwanted gas constituents, and; a starting burner. According to the method, in a first method step, at least one fuel is combusted inside the starting burner. The hot waste gases resulting from this combustion firstly heat the devices provided for conditioning at least a portion of the starting materials, and the residual heat of these waste gases subsequently heats at least one additional component. In parallel thereto, the devices for converting the starting materials are heated by an electric heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Marc Sommer, Bernhard Vogel
  • Patent number: 7368087
    Abstract: A gas re-use system for carbon fiber manufacturing processes based on hydrocarbon thermal decomposition. The system permits re-use of the output gas from the carbon fiber manufacturing process, a process based on the use of an industrial gas as the main raw material. The system can comprise a feedback pipeline provided with force and filtering means to raise the pressure from the reaction furnace output manifold to its input. There are also return and bleed lines operated separately to assure suitable pressure ranges at the same time both in the reaction furnace input area and extraction area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Grupo Antolin-Ingenieria, S.A.
    Inventors: César Merino Sanchez, Andres Melgar Bachiller
  • Patent number: 7358410
    Abstract: The present invention provides various processes for producing polypropylene from an oxygenate-contaminated propylene-containing feedstock, preferably derived from an oxygenate to olefin reaction system. In one embodiment, the process includes providing a propylene-containing stream from an oxygenate to olefin reaction system, wherein the propylene-containing stream comprises propylene and an oxygenate. The propylene in the propylene-containing stream contacts a polymerization catalyst in a polymerization zone under conditions effective to polymerize the propylene to form the polypropylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Shutt, Jeffrey L. Brinen