Patents by Inventor Ben Heichelbech

Ben Heichelbech 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: 11959637
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and methods for post combustion capture of emissions from a natural gas generator used to power a data center disclosed herein. The facility includes a process for capturing and sequestering CO2 from a post combustion capture of the natural gas generator utilizing the heat from the flue gas and from the data center. The CO2 rich streams from the post combustion capture system are sent to sequestration of some form via a sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Vikrum Subra, Connor Rivard
  • Publication number: 20240100471
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Ben Heichelbech, Ivan Van der Walt, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Publication number: 20240058746
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Ben Heichelbech, Ivan Van der Walt, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Publication number: 20240035656
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for flue gas cooling for carbon capture processes are disclosed herein. A flue gas cooling process for carbon capture includes: cooling a flue gas in a direct contact cooler by a cooling water cooled in a closed cooling loop; cooling the cooling water in the closed cooling loop utilizing air-cooled heat exchangers; cooling the flue gas below a water dew point to produce a surplus water when an available cooling duty of the closed cooling loop exceeds a cooling duty required to cool the flue stream to the water dew point; storing the surplus water in a surplus water storage vessel; and directing the surplus water stored in the surplus water storage vessel to the direct contact cooler when the available cooling duty of the closed cooling loop is less than the cooling duty required to cool the flue stream to the water dew point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Connor Rivard, Eunhwa Kim, Sanjeev Agrawal, Alex Thompson, Ben Heichelbech
  • Patent number: 11865494
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and methods for bio fermentation-based facilities, such as corn milling, ethanol, breweries, and biogas, are disclosed herein. The CO2 rich streams from the fermentation unit and the process heaters/boilers are sent to a sequestration site or pipeline via a capture unit and sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Vikrum Subra, Ivan Van Der Walt, Connor Rivard, Ben Heichelbech
  • Publication number: 20230415093
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Ben Heichelbech, Ivan Van der Walt, Connor Rivard, Alex Thmpson
  • Patent number: 11852376
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and processes for direct air capture combined with carbon capture for reducing the overall emissions are disclosed herein. An exemplary system may include a first air blower configured to move a CO2 containing gas through a carbon capture unit; the carbon capture unit configured to separate and capture CO2 from the CO2 containing gas to generate a first CO2 rich stream; a second air blower configured to move an air from an air-cooled heat exchanger to a direct air capture unit; the direct air capture unit configured to capture CO2 from the air from the air-cooled heat exchanger to generate a second CO2 rich stream; and a sequestration compression unit configured to compress the first and second CO2 rich streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Vikrum Subra
  • Patent number: 11819797
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ben Heichelbech, Ivan Van der Walt, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Patent number: 11806664
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for power plant facilities are disclosed herein. A power plant facility includes a gas turbine; and a power generator that generates electricity from power supplied by the gas turbine. The power plant facility can also include at least one post-combustion capture unit that generates a CO2-rich stream from the combustion products of the gas turbine; and a sequestration compression unit that compresses and conveys at least one CO2-rich stream from a post-combustion capture unit, towards a sequestration site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Alex Thompson, Vikrum Subra, Victor Fernandes, Michael Abegg
  • Publication number: 20230324043
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and methods for post combustion capture of emissions from a natural gas generator used to power a data center disclosed herein. The facility includes a process for capturing and sequestering CO2 from a post combustion capture of the natural gas generator utilizing the heat from the flue gas and from the data center. The CO2 rich streams from the post combustion capture system are sent to sequestration of some form via a sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Vikrum Subra, Connor Rivard
  • Publication number: 20230296271
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and processes for direct air capture combined with carbon capture for reducing the overall emissions are disclosed herein. An exemplary system may include a first air blower configured to move a CO2 containing gas through a carbon capture unit; the carbon capture unit configured to separate and capture CO2 from the CO2 containing gas to generate a first CO2 rich stream; a second air blower configured to move an air from an air-cooled heat exchanger to a direct air capture unit; the direct air capture unit configured to capture CO2 from the air from the air-cooled heat exchanger to generate a second CO2 rich stream; and a sequestration compression unit configured to compress the first and second CO2 rich streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van Der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Vikrum Subra
  • Publication number: 20230294037
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for carbon capture optimization in industrial facilities are disclosed herein. An example carbon capture process involves cooling a flue gas stream using at least one gas-to-air heat exchanger disposed upstream of a carbon dioxide (CO2) absorber. Another example carbon capture process involves heating a heat medium for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping using a fired heater and/or using at least one waste heat recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ben Heichelbech, Ivan Van der Walt, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Publication number: 20230294035
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and methods for direct air capture using adsorbent beds are disclosed. A exemplary system may include water adsorbent beds in fluid communication with an air cooled heat exchanger, and the water adsorbent beds adsorb water from a CO2 containing gas stream from the air cooled heat exchanger. The system may include CO2 adsorbent beds in fluid communication with the air cooled heat exchanger, and the CO2 adsorbent beds adsorb the CO2 from the CO2 containing gas stream. A heat source provides heat energy to the water adsorbent beds and the CO2 adsorbent beds to regenerate these adsorbent beds. A sequestration compression unit then compresses the saturated CO2 from the CO2 adsorbent beds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Vikrum Subra, Connor Rivard
  • Publication number: 20230288138
    Abstract: Devices, systems, facilities, and processes for CO2 capture at Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facilities using self-generated electric power. The process includes a pretreatment unit located upstream of the power generating station and liquefaction facility to remove at least one of water, CO2, or one or more heavy hydrocarbons. The CO2 captured from the pretreatment unit, along with the CO2 captured from the power generating station flue gas may be sent to a sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Vikrum Subra
  • Patent number: 11754229
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes, apparatuses, and systems in natural gas pipelines to significantly reduce pigging and blowdown emissions. In an example, a process involves filtering and/or separating pigging or blowdown emissions. The filtered and/or separated pigging/blowdown products can then be stored in a storage, sent back into the natural gas pipeline at a downstream location, or sent to an adjacent pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van Der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Vikrum Subra
  • Publication number: 20230235963
    Abstract: A multistage direct contact cooler is configured to cool process gases for downstream process requirements. The multistage direct contact cooler includes a high temperature stage and a low temperature stage. Cooling duties for the high temperature stage of the direct contact cooler are achieved by air cooling. Cooling duties for the low temperature stage of the direct contact cooler are achieved by evaporative cooling with an option to include additional air cooling to reduce evaporative losses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Vikrum Subra, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Publication number: 20230226485
    Abstract: A power generation facility includes a process for capturing and sequestering CO2 generated from the facility turbines. The systems may include a heat recovery steam generator, a heat exchanger, a capture unit, and a sequestration compression unit that are configured to cool the flue gas, absorb CO2 therefrom, compress the flue gas, and send the compressed CO2 rich gas stream to sequestration of some form, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Vikrum Subra, Ben Heichelbech, Connor Rivard, Alex Thompson
  • Publication number: 20230213276
    Abstract: A blast furnace facility includes a process for capturing and sequestering CO2 generated from the facility process, generating hydrogen from hot blast furnace gas, and using blast furnace gas as methanol feed. The CO2 rich streams from the facility are sent to sequestration of some form via a sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility. The other products generated by the facility are used as methanol feedstock and to produce hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Vikrum Subra, Ivan Van der Wait, Ben Heichelbech
  • Publication number: 20230213275
    Abstract: A blast furnace facility includes a process for capturing and sequestering CO2 generated from the facility process, producing hydrogen from the hot blast furnace gas, and using blast furnace gas as methanol feed. The CO2 rich streams from the facility may be sent to sequestration of some form via a sequestration compressor, thereby reducing the overall emissions from the facility. The other products generated by the facility are used as methanol feedstock and to produce hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Vikrum Subra, Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech
  • Publication number: 20230191316
    Abstract: Disclosed are processes, apparatuses, and systems for Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC). An example process involves using a stream of exhaust air flowing from an air cooled heat exchanger to drive a DACC unit. Another example process involves conveying waste heat recovered from an industrial source to the DACC unit. The waste heat may be used to remove captured CO2 from a capture device of the DACC unit and/or for regeneration of the capture device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Vikrum Subra