Patents Examined by Peter Kratz
  • Patent number: 5007987
    Abstract: The friability of green needle coke is reduced by heating the green needle coke to a temperature between about 875.degree. F. and about 1,200.degree. F. for a time sufficient to reduce the friability of the green needle coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
    Inventors: Michael J. Block, Arnold E. Kelley, Milan Skripek
  • Patent number: 5006131
    Abstract: A convective reformer device is provided which is useful for partially reforming a feed mixture of hydrocarbons and steam. The device includes an outer shell enclosure and a tubular inner core assembly and is specifically adapted to support heat exchange between a heating fluid, which may be an effluent from downstream, and the hydrocarbon-steam feed mixture. The convective reformer is used in a system and process for the steam reformation of hydrocarbons, in which the partially reformed effluent from the convective reformer is further reformed in a steam reforming furnace, or an auto-thermal reformer, or a steam reforming furnace followed by an auto-thermal reformer. The fully reformed effluent from the steam reformer, or auto-thermal reformer, is directed back to the convective reformer to supply the heat of reaction for the partial reformation of the feed mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Maxim Karafian, Irving C. Tsang
  • Patent number: 5006249
    Abstract: Waste water comprising organic pollutants, a Group II A metal component and a high concentration of an alkali metal component, such as produced water, is treated with an acclimated biomass of anaerobic microorganisms to decompose the organic pollutants to carbon dioxide and methane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: George A. Green, Stanislaus A. Kaczmarek
  • Patent number: 5004586
    Abstract: A gas generating apparatus for inflating an air bag which comprises a housing with an open joint portion connecting to the air bag and having a combustion chamber formed at the center inside the housing body wherein a high pressure gas is generated upon combustion of a gas generating agent. A partition is provided which defines a mixing chamber in a ring-like configuration by being concentrically disposed so as to be spaced apart from the opening of the housing body by a pre-selected interval whereby the high pressure gas forming a combustion chamber is introduced into the mixing chamber. A nozzle formed in a ring-like configuration is provided at the high pressure gas introducing portion so that the high pressure gas is ejected toward the opening of the mixing chamber and an air intake portion is formed along the nozzle on the housing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Nippon Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Hayashi, Koichi Kobari, Kimiharu Sato, Junichi Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 5000925
    Abstract: Highly purified gaseous hydrogen and liquid carbon dioxide are produced from a steam reformer/shift converter by passing the effluent from the latter through a multibed hydrogen PSA unit followed by an uncoupled carbon dioxide PSA unit. The carbon dioxide PSA unit produces a hydrogen-rich stream which is recycled to the feed to the steam reformer, a carbon dioxide-rich recycle stream which is recycled to the carbon dioxide PSA unit feed and a carbon dioxide-rich product stream which is introduced under pressure to a liquifier. A waste stream from the liquifier is recycled to the carbon dioxide PSA unit feed. A portion of the carbon dioxide-rich product stream is withdrawn from the compressor at a stage such that its pressure is higher than that of the carbon dioxide PSA unit and returned thereto as a cocurrent purge preceding bed regeneration to obtain product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramachandran Krishnamurthy, Virginia A. Malik, Alan G. Stokley
  • Patent number: 4999029
    Abstract: Synthesis gases are prepared by partial autothermal oxidation of liquid fuels and/or solid fuels in the presence of oxygen or oxygen-containing gases with the addition of a temperature moderator, such as steam and/or CO.sub.2, in an empty reactor space without baffles, at from 1000.degree. to 1500.degree. C. under from 1 to 100 bar, the reactants fuel and oxygen-containing gas being fed separately to the reactor, by a process in which the steam or CO.sub.2 is fed in simultaneously with the feed of the fuel, and the steam is let down through one or more nozzles into the fuel steam directly before the orifice for the fuel, let-down being effected at from 30 to 250%, preferably from 80 to 140%, of the critical pressure ratio. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Pasf Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gero Lueth, Rolf Becker, Robert K. Horn, Uwe Kempe, Wolfgang Vodrazka
  • Patent number: 4997458
    Abstract: An air/gaseous fuel proportioning device includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet, an outlet to feed an air fuel blend to an engine, with the air inlet having an air butterfly valve to throttle the air flow, having a disc-shaped fuel valve resting in a conical bore and having a linkage attached to the air butterfly valve for causing the fuel valve to follow the air butterfly valve in a tilting motion to provide an open area between the disc and cone that relates proportionally to the air flow past the air butterfly valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: David S. Ward
    Inventor: James S. Jones
  • Patent number: 4997459
    Abstract: The gas distribution system has a main gas line in gas flow connection with several components including a gas pressure safety structure. A pressure regulator is located on a front or forward portion of the main gas line and reduces the gas pressure at a point in the main gas line subsequent to the pressure regulator. There is an auxiliary gas line that extends from a point on the main line before the gas pressure regulator to the gas pressure safety structure. The gas pressure safety structure has in gas flow connection a source pressure regulator, as inspirator and a pressure sensing pilot all in gas flow connection with a gas venting device. Upon overpressurization the pressure sensing pilot will be activated and the inspirator will cause a vacuum to be formed in its connection with the gas venting device. This vacuum will open the gas venting device to permit the excess gas to be vented to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Enerop Corporation
    Inventor: Mark J. Pelkey
  • Patent number: 4995193
    Abstract: A method of preventing the adherence of the ash to a gasifier wall in a process for gasifying petroleum coke in the gasifier by partial oxidization reaction. The petroleum coke is mixed with 10 to 30 wt % of coal based on the petroleum coke and the mixture is gasified at a gasifying temperature higher than the melting point of the ash of said coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Soga, Kazuo Okada, Noriaki Tanaka, Morio Sogame, Toshio Tsujino
  • Patent number: 4994093
    Abstract: In accordance with a method of producing of methanol synthesis gas from a partial oxidation crude gas, the gas is cooled after a waste heat boiler of a gasifier by adding a converted circulating gas in a quenching zone. The resulting gas mixture is dedusted and then separated into a product gas partial stream and a circulating gas partial stream. The product gas partial stream is supplied after corresponding gas treatment to the synthesis reactor while the circulating gas partial stream is subjected to a CO-conversion and supplied back to the quenching zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Krupp Koppers GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Wetzel, Bernhard Firnhaber
  • Patent number: 4988368
    Abstract: A method for determining blockage of a coal gasification slag tap by observing changes in the sound pressure across the slag tap is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Otto E. Crenwelge, Jr., Lloyd A. Clomburg, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4988411
    Abstract: A filling car for filling coal in oven chambers of a coke oven battery comprises a telescopable filling pipe having an upper part and a lower part and a lower end to be lowerable to a filling frame of a filling opening of a coke oven battery, a supporting ring in which the lower part of the filling pipe is supported for turning about a horizontal axis, a liftable and lowerable supporting bracket in which the supporting ring is held, a mechanism for suspending the lower part of the filling pipe in the supporting ring and including two oppositely located hinge arms, and a mechanism for holding the supporting ring on the supporting bracket and including two oppositely located pivot pins arranged so that the supporting ring is turnable about a horizontal axis relative to the supporting bracket, the hinge arms and the pivot pins being offset relative to one another by 90.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Harting, Kuhn & Co. Naschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Schroter
  • Patent number: 4983188
    Abstract: The lock container is connected to a reactor, which serves to gasify or to combust solid fuels. The lock container serves to remove ash from the reactor. A pressure of at least 2 bars prevails in the reactor. The lock container is pressurized and pressure-relieved in alternation. The pressure relief line communicates with a filter element, which is permeable to gas and substantially impermeable to solids and is disposed within the lock container. When the lock container is filled to the usual level during a pressure relief, at least one half of the filter element is surrounded by ash. The filter element may be tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft AG
    Inventors: Horst Mielke, Gerhard Schmitt, Peter Herbert
  • Patent number: 4983297
    Abstract: Waste water, such as water separated from crude oil at a production well which comprises an alkali metal component, a Group II A metal component, organic pollutants and insoluble oils and solids, is treated by the sequential steps of oils and solids removal, H.sub.2 S removal, anaerobic treatment and aerobic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Stanislaus A. Kaczmarek, Piyush S. Shah, George A. Green
  • Patent number: 4980028
    Abstract: A method fo controlling fuel for a coke oven by a programmed heating method in which the fuel supply rate is changed at least once during the coal carbonization process in the coke oven, wherein the improvement comprises conducting the substantial reduction of the fuel supply rate from a large flow rate at the initial stage of the carbonization to a small flow rate inclusive of a zero rate when the coal center temperature, i.e. the temperature at the center of the coal packed in the carbonization chamber, is within a range of from 350.degree. to 700.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Yoshino, Koji Tsuchihashi, Yoshihiro Omae, Kenzo Tsujikawa, Yukio Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 4979964
    Abstract: The slag tap of a gasifier is offset from the geometrical axis. Coalescent, molten, residual ash from incomplete combustion is directed to a hearth where residence time provides further combustion and a reduction in the volume and temperature of the resulting slag. The reduced volume and temperature ash is then directed to a slag tap after which disposal is accomplished by conventional means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Charles V. Sternling
  • Patent number: 4978368
    Abstract: The cooling of a stream of hot product gas exiting from an outlet opening of a gasification reactor is made by way of two separate partial streams of cooling fluid such as a cooling gas, vapor or liquid. The first partial stream of the cooling fluid is fed from the outside substantially in a radial direction against an outer layer of the product gas stream. The second partial stream of cooling liquid is fed axially in a counter direction to the product gas stream to impinge against a central portion thereof. In this manner the path of mixing of the product gas with the cooling fluid is substantially shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Krupp koppers GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Gunter Richard
  • Patent number: 4978369
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for feeding carbonaceous materials into pressurized reaction spaces where partial oxidation or hydrogenation occurs. The feed is compressed into a strand material in a rotable screw conveyor which strand is disintegrated by fluid media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignees: Veba OEL Entwicklungs-Gesellschaft mbH, Pfleiderer GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Pontow, Hans-Peter Wenning, Albert Grimminger, Jurgen Strecker
  • Patent number: 4976747
    Abstract: An oxidizer (12) receives cool fresh fuel (10) and hot recycle fuel (14). The recycle fuel is mixed with only a portion of the fresh fuel in the catalytic bed (16). The remaining fresh fuel is progressively added within the bed. High temperature is achieved for local ignition. The exothermic reaction heats the later mixed fuel to the ignition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: International Fuel Cells Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Szydlowski, Roger R. Lesieur
  • Patent number: 4973337
    Abstract: The arrangement for cooling a hot product gas containing adhesive or fusible particles which lose their adhesiveness during cooling, has a reactor for producing the hot product gas, a cooling duct connected with the reactor for the hot product gas, a nozzle ring subdivided into a plurality of chambers mounted adjacent to and communicating with the cooling duct, each of the chambers being structured to introduce a different ring-shaped jet of cooling fluid into the hot product gas in the cooling duct. The different ring-shaped jets are producible with mass and penetration depths according to the mass of a product gas stream flowing in a cooling zone of the cooling duct with injection speeds selected to obtain a predetermined penetration depth. Using different penetration depths for the different ring-shaped jets allows avoidance of baked deposits on the walls of the reactor and cooling duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Krupp Koppers GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Jokisch, Adolf Linke, Hans-Christoph Pohl