Patents by Inventor Bernard S. Wright

Bernard S. Wright 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: 4929780
    Abstract: An integrated process for converting methanol and other lower molecular weight oxygenates to gasoline and distillate range liquid hydrocarbons and ethene is disclosed. When it is desirable to increase ethene yield, an auxiliary methanol-to-olefins (MTO) fixed bed reactor unit is activated in conjunction with a continuously operated primary MTO fluidized bed reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard S. Wright, Ronald M. Gould, Hartley Owen
  • Patent number: 4898717
    Abstract: An integrated process is provided for converting methanol, dimethylether or the like to heavy hydrocarbon products, especially distillate range hydrocarbons. In a first stage catalytic process oxygenate feedstock is converted to lower olefins. C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins are selectively sorbed in an interstage sorption fractionator and passed along with gasoline sorbent to a second stage oligomerization reactor. Distillate range hydrocarbons are useful as diesel fuel or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Chung H. Hsia, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4898716
    Abstract: An improved catalytic process for converting an olefinic feedstock comprising ethylene and C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins to heavier liquid hydrocarbon product comprising the steps of:(a) prefractionating the olefinic feedstock to obtain a gaseous stream rich in ethylene and a liquid stream containing C.sub.3.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Chung H. Hsia, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4897245
    Abstract: In the conversion of light olefins to heavier hydrocarbons, an improved recovery technique is provided for selectively removing unreacted light olefins from a catalytic reactor effluent. This system is useful in converting ethene-rich feedstocks to gasoline and/or distillate products, particularly in oligomerization processes employing shape selective siliceous catalysts such as ZSM-5 type zeolites. By recycling gasoline-range hydrocarbons as a sorbent liquid, unreacted C.sub.2.sup.+ components may be absorbed from reactor effluent vapor and returned for further contact with the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Hueng Hsia, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4891457
    Abstract: A staged reactor technique for converting ethene-rich olefinic feedstock to heavier hydrocarbons, particularly gasoline and distillate range products. By employing low temperature and high temperature separators, an economic recycle is provided for each stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4834949
    Abstract: A multistage reactor system and operating technique for converting ethene-rich olefinic feedstock to heavier hydrocarbons, particularly gasoline and distillate range products. By employing low temperature and high temperature separators, an economic recycle is provided for each stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4832920
    Abstract: A continuous catalytic system for converting an olefinic feedstock comprising ethylene and C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins to heavier liquid hydrocarbon product comprising apparatus for(a) prefractionating the olefinic feedstock to obtain a gaseous stream rich in ethylene and a liquid stream containing C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins;(b) vaporizing and contacting the liquid stream from the prefractionating step with hydrocarbon conversion oligomerization catalyst in a catalytic reactor system to provide a heavier hydrocarbon effluent stream comprising distillate, gasoline and lighter hydrocarbons;(c) fractionating the effluent stream to recover distillate, gasoline and lighter hydrocarbons separately;(d) recycling at least a portion of the recovered gasoline as a liquid sorption stream to prefractionating step (a); and(e) further reacting the recycled gasoline together with sorbed C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins in the catalytic reactor system of step (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Chung H. Hsia, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4832919
    Abstract: A heat balanced system for converting an olefinic feedstock comprising ethylene and C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins to heavier liquid hydrocarbon product in a catalytic exothermic process. Means are provided for prefractionating the olefinic feedstock to obtain a gaseous stream rich in ethylene and a liquid stream containing C.sub.3.sup.+ olefin, and a reactor for contacting an olefinic feedstock stream from the prefractionating step with ZSM-5 type oligomerization catalyst in a series of exothermic catalytic reactors to provide a heavier hydrocarbon effluent stream comprising distillate, gasoline and lighter hydrocarbons. In a preferred embodiment a catalytic system is provided for making gasoline or diesel fuel from an olefinic feedstock containing ethylene and C.sub.3.sup.+ lower olefins comprising a prefractionation system for separating and recovering ethylene and a liquid stream rich in C.sub.3.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard S. Wright, Hartley Owen, Chung H. Hsia
  • Patent number: 4789528
    Abstract: A multi-reactor hydrocarbon catalytic conversion system includes at least three reactors, a feed source for providing hydrocarbon feed to the reactors and apparatus for sequentially backwardly rotating the reactors during process mode operation of the reactors. In each of a series of sequential cycles, at least one reactor currently operates in a regeneration mode position, while other reactors operate in process mode positions. A reactor having freshest catalyst is in a last process mode position, and a reactor having relatively least fresh catalyst is in a first process mode position. The reactor having relatively least fresh catalyst receives fresh feed first from the feed source, and the reactor having freshest catalyst receives the partially converted feed last. Method and apparatus are provided for rotation of the reactors, without the necessity of stopping operation of the catalytic conversion process while the shifting of the reactors is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Nicholas Daviduk, Susan K. Marsh, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4788369
    Abstract: A methanol-to-gasoline (MTG type) conversion process in which the conversion is conducted in a fixed bed catalytic reactor. A C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbon diluent is generated from the effluent in a series of steps and recycled to the fixed bed reactor in order to dissipate the heat of reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Susan K. Marsh, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4788042
    Abstract: A methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) catalytic conversion system in which the conversion is conducted in a fixed bed catalytic reactor. A C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbon diluent is generated from pressurized liquid effluent and recycled to the fixed bed reactor in order to dissipate the heat of reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Susan K. Marsh, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4767604
    Abstract: Alkylate is produced by catalytically converting oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol, to lower olefins comprising C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefins. Ethene is separated by interstage sorption of C.sub.3 + components and an isoparaffin is alkylated with C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins derived from sorbate. The system comprises means for fractionating an olefinic feedstream containing ethene and C.sub.3 + olefinic components by contacting the olefinic feedstream in a sorption zone with a liquid hydrocarbon sorbent to selectively sorb C.sub.3.sup.+ components; means for reacting C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins with excess isoparaffin in a catalytic alkylation reactor to produce C.sub.7 + alkylate hydrocarbons; fractionating the alkylation reactor effluent to provide a liquid hydrocarbon fraction rich in C.sub.7.sup.+ alkylate. Liquid recycle or C.sub.5.sup.+ liquid coproduced with the lower olefin may be passed to the sorption zone as lean sorbent. C.sub.7.sup.+ alkylate product and C.sub.5.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4634798
    Abstract: Alkylate is produced by catalytically converting oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol, to lower olefins comprising C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefins. Ethene is separated by interstage sorption of C.sub.3 + components and an isoparaffin is alkylated with C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins.The improved technique comprises fractionating an olefinic feedstream containing ethene and C.sub.3 + olefinic components by contacting the olefinic feedstream in a sorption zone with a liquid hydrocarbon sorbent to selectively sorb C.sub.3 + components; reacting C.sub.3 + olefins with excess isoparaffin in a catalytic alkylation reactor to produce C.sub.7 + alkylate hydrocarbons; fractionating the alkylation reactor effluent to provide a liquid hydrocarbon fraction rich in C.sub.4 + isoparaffin for recycle to the sorption zone as lean sorbent; and recovering C.sub.7 + alkylate product from the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4633028
    Abstract: Alkylate is produced by catalytically converting oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol, to lower olefins comprising C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefins. Ethene is separated by interstage sorption of C.sub.3 + components and an isoparaffin is alkylated with C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins derived from sorbate.The improved technique comprises fractionating an olefinic feedstream containing ethene and C.sub.3 + olefinic components by contacting the olefinic feedstream in a sorption zone with a liquid hydrocarbon sorbent to selectively sorb C.sub.3 + components; reacting C.sub.3 + olefins with excess isoparaffin in a catalytic alkylation reactor to produce C.sub.7 + alkylate hydrocarbons; fractionating the alkylation reactor effluent to provide a liquid hydrocarbon fraction rich in C.sub.7 +, alkylate for recycle to the sorption zone as lean sorbent; and recovering C.sub.7 + alkylate product and C.sub.5 + gasoline from the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4633027
    Abstract: A continuous process for upgrading C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbon feed containing olefins to produce heavier liquid hydrocarbons comprising converting a major portion of C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins in an oligomerization zone by contacting a shape selective medium pore zeolite catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure to make distillate and olefinic gasoline; fractionating the oligomerization stage effluent to provide distillate and gasoline product and a C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 intermediate stream containing isobutane and unconverted propene and butylene; and combining the C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 intermediate stream with a portion of C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 feed and further converting the combined streams in an alkylation zone to make heavier paraffinic hydrocarbons.The olefin feed may be produced by catalytically converting methanol or similar oxygenated hydrocarbons in a known process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4628135
    Abstract: Alkylate is produced by catalytically converting oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol, to lower olefins comprising dominantly C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefins. Ethene is separated from primary stage effluent by interstage sorption of C.sub.3 + components which may be upgraded. Isoparaffin may be alkylated with C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 olefins in a secondary stage.The improved technique comprises fractionating an olefinic feedstream containing ethene and C.sub.3 + olefinic components by contacting the olefinic feedstream in a sorption zone with a liquid hydrocarbon sorbent to selectively sorb C.sub.3 + components;wherein the sorbent is obtained by condensing C.sub.5 + aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon from the primary stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4569827
    Abstract: A multistage technique for converting olefins to heavier hydrocarbons including a sorption prefractionation unit for separating olefinic feedstock into a sorbate stream rich in liquified olefins and a vapor stream rich in light olefins; a first stage catalytic reactor unit for oligomerizing olefins from the sorbate stream including means for maintaining the first stage at elevated pressure and predetermined temperature for producing substantially linear aliphatic hydrocarbons; a second stage catalytic reactor unit for oligomerizing light olefin including means for maintaining the second stage under high severity conditions at substantially higher temperature than the first stage; and a product fractionation unit for separating effluent from the first and second stages to separate and recover heavy hydrocarbon product and a sorbent recycle fraction. The sorbent fraction is recycled to the sorption prefractionation unit for contacting olefinic feedstock with the recycled sorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard S. Wright, Hartley Owen, Chung H. Hsia
  • Patent number: 4544788
    Abstract: A control system is provided for an olefins upgrading plant wherein catalytic reactor effluent is separated to recover heavy, intermediate and light hydrocarbon streams. An improved liquid recycle system includes a level control technique for diverting a portion of a separator overhead vapor stream. Recycle flow rate may be determined by reactor temperature differential in a series of adiabatic catalytic reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Daviduk, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4520215
    Abstract: A process for converting synthol light oil product of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to heavy distillate comprising the steps ofcontacting the light oil at elevated temperature and pressure with acid zeolite conversion catalyst to oligomerize olefins and convert oxygenated hydrocarbons contained in the light oil thereby providing an effluent containing light heavy distillate range hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon vapor and byproduct water;flashing and separating the effluent to recover a heavy distillate-rich liquid phase and a light hydrocarbon-rich vapor phase containing byproduct water;condensing the vapor phase to provide a liquid hydrocarbon recycle stream;removing byproduct water from the recycle stream;combining the light oil with the pressurized recycle stream as heat sink to prevent excessive reaction temperature during catalytic conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1985
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Hartley Owen, Samuel A. Tabak, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4511747
    Abstract: In the conversion of light olefins to heavier hydrocarbons, an improved recovery technique is provided for selectively removing unreacted light olefins from a catalytic reactor effluent. This system is useful in converting ethene-rich feedstocks to gasoline and/or distillate products, particularly in oligomerization processes employing shape selective siliceous catalysts such as ZSM-5 type zeolites. By recycling gasoline-range hydrocarbons as a sorbent liquid, unreacted C.sub.2.sup.+ components may be absorbed from reactor effluent vapor and returned for further contact with the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard S. Wright, Chung H. Hsia, Hartley Owen