Patents by Inventor Alvin E. Harkins, Jr.

Alvin E. Harkins, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8921624
    Abstract: A process for the production of an aliphatic bromide in which the bromine atom is attached to a terminal carbon atom, which process comprises continuously feeding olefin having a terminal double bond, gaseous hydrogen bromide, and a molecular oxygen-containing gas into a liquid phase reaction medium comprised of aliphatic bromide to cause anti-Markovnikov addition of HBr to terminal olefin, the feeds being proportioned and maintained to provide a molar excess of hydrogen bromide relative to terminal olefin in the range of about 1 to about 5 percent, and a molar ratio of molecular oxygen to terminal olefin of less than 0.005. The process is especially suited for production of n-propyl bromide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Torres, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Thanikavelu Manimaran, B. Gary McKinnie
  • Patent number: 8119846
    Abstract: Described is a process for separating an organic phase comprising mainly propyl bromide from a crude reaction mixture formed by free-radical catalyzed hydrobromination of propylene with hydrogen bromide. The process comprises (A) feeding cold water into an upper or mid-portion of a packed column; (B) concurrently feeding the crude reaction mixture into an upper portion and/or mid-portion of the column so that the water contacts the crude reaction mixture; to form a mixture of (i) an acidic aqueous phase comprising aqueous hydrogen bromide and (ii) an organic phase comprising propyl bromide; (C) withdrawing the resultant phases from said column, at a rate comparable to the feeds being made into the column; and (D) separating the phases to form an upper acidic aqueous phase comprising aqueous hydrogen bromide superposed on a lower liquid organic phase comprising propyl bromide, and separating these upper and lower phases from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., James E. Torres, Keith G. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20090240091
    Abstract: Described is a process for separating an organic phase comprising mainly propyl bromide from a crude reaction mixture formed by free-radical catalyzed hydrobromination of propylene with hydrogen bromide. The process comprises (A) feeding cold water into an upper or mid-portion of a packed column; (B) concurrently feeding the crude reaction mixture into an upper portion and/or mid-portion of the column so that the water contacts the crude reaction mixture; to form a mixture of (i) an acidic aqueous phase comprising aqueous hydrogen bromide and (ii) an organic phase comprising propyl bromide; (C) withdrawing the resultant phases from said column, at a rate comparable to the feeds being made into the column; and (D) separating the phases to form an upper acidic aqueous phase comprising aqueous hydrogen bromide superposed on a lower liquid organic phase comprising propyl bromide, and separating these upper and lower phases from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alvin E. Harkins, JR., Keith G. Anderson, James E. Torres
  • Publication number: 20090054709
    Abstract: A process for the production of an aliphatic bromide in which the bromine atom is attached to a terminal carbon atom, which process comprises continuously feeding olefin having a terminal double bond, gaseous hydrogen bromide, and a molecular oxygen-containing gas into a liquid phase reaction medium comprised of aliphatic bromide to cause anti-Markovnikov addition of HBr to terminal olefin, the feeds being proportioned and maintained to provide a molar excess of hydrogen bromide relative to terminal olefin in the range of about 1 to about 5 percent, and a molar ratio of molecular oxygen to terminal olefin of less than 0.005. The process is especially suited for production of n-propyl bromide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
    Inventors: James E. Torres, Alvin E. Harkins, JR., Thanikavelu Manimaran, B. Gary McKinnie
  • Publication number: 20080279757
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering antimony catalysts wherein the formation of insoluble solids is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Thanikavelu Manimaran, Alvin E. Harkins, JR.
  • Patent number: 7432332
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering antimony catalysts wherein the formation of insoluble solids is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Albermarle Corporation
    Inventors: Thanikavelu Manimaran, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6992148
    Abstract: A process for brominating a styrenic polymer in an organic solvent in the presence of an antimony trihalide catalyst such that a reaction mass containing brominated styrenic polymer in an organic phase is formed is improved by mixing hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid, or both, with said reaction mass at least once to extract antimony catalyst residues from said reaction mass as an acidic aqueous phase. Preferably, catalyst residues are recovered from the acidic aqueous phase and still more preferably, recovered antimony trihalide catalyst residues are recycled to constitute at least a portion of the antimony trihalide catalyst used in preparing the brominated styrenic polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Thanikavelu Manimaran, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Samuel H. Dubois, Thomas J. Callender
  • Patent number: 6506418
    Abstract: Concentrated liquid biocide compositions are produced by: A) feeding (a) bromine atoms and chlorine atoms in the form of (i) one or more of BrCl, (ii) Br2, and (iii) Cl2 into (b) water containing sulfamate anions, or feeding each of (a) and (b) into a reaction vessel, such that the numerical ratio of the total number of bromine atoms fed to the total number of chlorine atoms fed is in the range of about 0.7:1 to about 1.7:1; and B) providing enough alkali metal base in the mixture being formed in A) to keep the pH of such mixture in the range of about 7-11 during all or substantially all of the time feeding in A) is occurring, the amounts of (a) and (b) used being amounts that form an active-bromine-containing solution in which (i) the active bromine content is 50,000 ppm or more, and (ii) the atom ratio of nitrogen to active bromine originating from (a) and (b) is greater than about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Bonnie G. McKinnie, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Robert M. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6300527
    Abstract: This invention relates, inter alia, to a process for the production of tetrabromobisphenol-A by the bromination of bisphenol-A and/or underbrominated bisphenol-A, which process features: a water and water-miscible organic solvent reaction medium; a relatively high reaction temperature; and the presence, in the reaction medium, of both (i) excess unreacted Br2 during the feed of bisphenol-A to the reactor, and (ii) sufficient HBr to protect the tetrabromobisphenol-A produced against undesirable color formation. Tetrabromobisphenol-A precipitates from the reaction mass and is easily recovered. Product of high purity (97% or more) and very low color (APHA of 50 or less) can be produced, even when using large excesses of bromine in the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Thanikavelu Manimaran, Hassan Y. Elnagar, Richard A. Holub, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Bonnie G. McKinnie
  • Patent number: 6218584
    Abstract: This invention relates, inter alia, to a process for the production of tetrabromobisphenol-A by the bromination of bisphenol-A and/or underbrominated bisphenol-A, which process features: a water and water-miscible organic solvent reaction medium; a relatively high reaction temperature; and the presence, in the reaction medium, of both (i) excess unreacted Br2 during the feed of bis-phenol-A to the reactor, and (ii) sufficient HBr to protect the tetrabromobisphenol-A produced against undesirable color formation. Tetrabromobisphenol-A precipitates from the reaction mass and is easily recovered. Product of high purity (97% or more) and very low color (APHA of 50 or less) can be produced, even when using large excesses of bromine in the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Thanikavelu Manimaran, Hassan Y. Elnagar, Richard A. Holub, Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Bonnie G. McKinnie
  • Patent number: 4308143
    Abstract: A rotary drum filter apparatus comprising a rotary drum, a plurality of axial, parallel slots spaced circumferentially around the drum, a filter cloth positioned peripherally around the drum and portions thereof extending into each of the axial slots, flexible metal means inserted into each of the slots over the portion of the filter cloth extending into the slots and caulking means for holding each of the metal means and each of said portions of said filter cloth in a locked position in their respective axial slots. The metal means may comprise a stranded metal cable wherein caulking means are unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: Ethyl Corporation
    Inventors: Alvin E. Harkins, Jr., Wesley D. Blank