Patents by Inventor Bernd Heida

Bernd Heida 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: 11034631
    Abstract: Process for isolating pure 1,3-butadiene from a crude C4 fraction by extractive distillation using a selective solvent, wherein (a) the crude C4 fraction is introduced into a predistillation column, a first low boiler fraction comprising C3-hydrocarbons is taken off as overhead stream, a gaseous C4 fraction is taken off as side stream and a first high boiler fraction is taken off as bottom stream, (b) the gaseous C4 fraction is brought into contact with a selective solvent in at least one extraction column, giving an overhead fraction comprising butanes and butenes and a bottom fraction comprising 1,3-butadiene and selective solvent, (c) crude 1,3-butadiene is desorbed from the bottom fraction in at least one stripping column, with a stripped selective solvent being obtained and the stripped selective solvent being recirculated to the extraction column, and (d) at least part of the crude 1-3-butadiene is fed to a pure distillation column and a second high boiler fraction is separated off and a gaseous purge s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Tobias Keller, Jan-Oliver Weidert
  • Patent number: 10968152
    Abstract: A process for isolating pure 1,3-butadiene from a crude C4 fraction, which produces pure 1,3-butadiene having a prescribed maximum content of at least one low boiler and a prescribed maximum content of 1,2-butadiene, in each case based on 1,3-butadiene, wherein (a) a low boiler fraction and a high boiler fraction are separated off by distillation from the crude C4 fraction, giving a purified C4 fraction whose content of the at least one low boiler, based on 1,3-butadiene, is equal to or lower than the prescribed maximum content of the at least one low boiler and whose content of 1,2-butadiene, based on 1,3-butadiene, is equal to or lower than the prescribed maximum content of 1,2-butadiene; (b) the purified C4 fraction is subjected to at least one extractive distillation using a selective solvent, giving at least a fraction comprising butanes and butenes and a pure 1,3-butadiene fraction, is described. The process makes a pure distillation column dispensable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Tobias Keller
  • Publication number: 20200339490
    Abstract: Process for isolating pure 1,3-butadiene from a crude C4 fraction by extractive distillation using a selective solvent, wherein (a) the crude C4 fraction is introduced into a predistillation column, a first low boiler fraction comprising C3-hydrocarbons is taken off as overhead stream, a gaseous C4 fraction is taken off as side stream and a first high boiler fraction is taken off as bottom stream, (b) the gaseous C4 fraction is brought into contact with a selective solvent in at least one extraction column, giving an overhead fraction comprising butanes and butenes and a bottom fraction comprising 1,3-butadiene and selective solvent, (c) crude 1,3-butadiene is desorbed from the bottom fraction in at least one stripping column, with a stripped selective solvent being obtained and the stripped selective solvent being recirculated to the extraction column, and (d) at least part of the crude 1-3-butadiene is fed to a pure distillation column and a second high boiler fraction is separated off and a gaseous purge s
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd HEIDA, Tobias KELLER, Jan-Oliver WEIDERT
  • Patent number: 10569192
    Abstract: A distillation device comprising a column for separating a feed stream into a head product stream, a bottom product stream and optionally one or more side extraction streams, having three or more cells in 5 series through which fluid flows, wherein at least the first cell is integrated into the bottom of the column, for multi-stage heating and partial evaporation of the liquid flowing through the cells with the exception of the liquid from the last cell in an evaporation stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Norbert Asprion, Bernd Heida, Jan-Oliver Weidert, Ortmund Lang
  • Publication number: 20200010387
    Abstract: A process for isolating pure 1,3-butadiene from a crude C4 fraction, which produces pure 1,3-butadiene having a prescribed maximum content of at least one low boiler and a prescribed maximum content of 1,2-butadiene, in each case based on 1,3-butadiene, wherein (a) a low boiler fraction and a high boiler fraction are separated off by distillation from the crude C4 fraction, giving a purified C4 fraction whose content of the at least one low boiler, based on 1,3-butadiene, is equal to or lower than the prescribed maximum content of the at least one low boiler and whose content of 1,2-butadiene, based on 1,3-butadiene, is equal to or lower than the prescribed maximum content of 1,2-butadiene; (b) the purified C4 fraction is subjected to at least one extractive distillation using a selective solvent, giving at least a fraction comprising butanes and butenes and a pure 1,3-butadiene fraction, is described. The process makes a pure distillation column dispensable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd HEIDA, Tobias KELLER
  • Publication number: 20180361270
    Abstract: A distillation device comprising a column for separating a feed stream into a head product stream, a bottom product stream and optionally one or more side extraction streams, having three or more cells in 5 series through which fluid flows, wherein at least the first cell is integrated into the bottom of the column, for multi-stage heating and partial evaporation of the liquid flowing through the cells with the exception of the liquid from the last cell in an evaporation stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Norbert ASPRION, Bernd HEIDA, Jan-Oliver WEIDERT, Ortmund LANG
  • Patent number: 10125063
    Abstract: What is proposed is a column (K) comprising separatory internals (E) for separating a mixture of hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon derivatives (1) by extractive distillation with a selective solvent (2), with supply of the selective solvent (2) in the upper region of the column and supply of the mixture of hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon derivatives to be separated (1) below the supply of the selective solvent (2), the selective solvent (2) becoming laden in the column (K) with the components from the mixture to be separated (1) for which it has greater affinity and being withdrawn from the lower region of the column as laden selective solvent (3), while, by contrast, the components from the mixture to be separated for which the selective solvent (2) has a lower affinity remain in the vapor phase and are withdrawn as top stream (4), which is completely or partially condensed to obtain a condensate (5), some of which is withdrawn as product stream (6), the remainder being reintroduced to the column (K) as ref
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Julia Hofinger, Peter Renze
  • Publication number: 20170158583
    Abstract: What is proposed is a column (K) comprising separatory internals (E) for separating a mixture of hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon derivatives (1) by extractive distillation with a selective solvent (2), with supply of the selective solvent (2) in the upper region of the column and supply of the mixture of hydrocarbons and/or hydrocarbon derivatives to be separated (1) below the supply of the selective solvent (2), the selective solvent (2) becoming laden in the column (K) with the components from the mixture to be separated (1) for which it has greater affinity and being withdrawn from the lower region of the column as laden selective solvent (3), while, by contrast, the components from the mixture to be separated for which the selective solvent (2) has a lower affinity remain in the vapor phase and are withdrawn as top stream (4), which is completely or partially condensed to obtain a condensate (5), some of which is withdrawn as product stream (6), the remainder being reintroduced to the column (K) as ref
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd HEIDA, Julia HOFINGER, Peter RENZE
  • Patent number: 8766029
    Abstract: Mixtures of hydrocarbons predominantly having 4 carbon atoms per molecule known as C4 cuts are used in obtaining crude 1,3-butadiene by a thermal cracking process. Vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are produced from liquid crude C4 cuts, containing butanes, butenes, 1,3-butadiene, C3 hydrocarbons, C4 oligomers and polymers, and C5+ hydrocarbons via an extractive distillation by fist removing the C4 oligomers and polymers and the C5+ hydrocarbons and then vaporizing the liquid crude C4 cut in a vaporizer vessel. The vaporizer vessel is directly or indirectly in contact with a stripping column where liquid C4 cuts are supplied to the upper region, direct gas and liquid exchange with the vaporizer vessel occurs in the lower region, and vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are removed from the top region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Randolf Hugo
  • Patent number: 8642828
    Abstract: Secondary streams in 1,3-butadiene processing plants still contain high amounts of valuable 1,3-butadiene. An energy-efficient process for purifying a recycle stream from a 1,3-butadiene processing plant is provided. The recycle stream is divided into two substreams: the first substream for prepurifying pure 1,3-butadiene feedstream by removing high boilers relative to 1,3-butadiene in a stripping column and the second substream in an extractive distillation plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Randolf Hugo
  • Publication number: 20130197292
    Abstract: Secondary streams in 1,3-butadiene processing plants still contain high amounts of valuable 1,3-butadiene. An energy-efficient process for purifying a recycle stream from a 1,3-butadiene processing plant is provided. The recycle stream is divided into two substreams: the first substream for prepurifying pure 1,3-butadiene feedstream by removing high boilers relative to 1,3-butadiene in a stripping column and the second substream in an extractive distillation plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Bernd Heida, Randolf Hugo
  • Publication number: 20130178684
    Abstract: Mixtures of hydrocarbons predominantly having 4 carbon atoms per molecule known as C4 cuts are used in obtaining crude 1,3-butadiene by a thermal cracking process. Vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are produced from liquid crude C4 cuts, containing butanes, butenes, 1,3-butadiene, C3 hydrocarbons, C4 oligomers and polymers, and C5+ hydrocarbons via an extractive distillation by fist removing the C4 oligomers and polymers and the C5+ hydrocarbons and then vaporizing the liquid crude C4 cut in a vaporizer vessel. The vaporizer vessel is directly or indirectly in contact with a stripping column where liquid C4 cuts are supplied to the upper region, direct gas and liquid exchange with the vaporizer vessel occurs in the lower region, and vaporous purified crude C4 cuts are removed from the top region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Bernd HEIDA, Randolf Hugo
  • Patent number: 8361280
    Abstract: A process is proposed for distillatively obtaining pure 1,3-butadiene from crude 1,3-butadiene in a plant comprising one or more distillation columns, comprising supply of a feed stream of crude 1,3-butadiene to the one distillation column or the first of the plurality of distillation columns, the one distillation column or the plurality of distillation columns having a flange with an internal diameter of ?80 mm, comprising two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1) with an intermediate seal (2) which seals the interior of the one distillation column or of the first of the plurality of distillation columns from an intermediate space (3) on the atmosphere side between the two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1), and the intermediate space (3) on the atmosphere side between the two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1) being closed off from the atmosphere to form a chamber, wherein the chamber is purged continuously during the operation of the plant with a low-oxygen gas or a low-oxygen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Uwe Stabel, Harry Zachmann, Eberhardt Gaffron, Bernd Heida, Michael Jäger
  • Publication number: 20110245510
    Abstract: A process for removing by-products from N-vinylamide-rich product mixtures (crude N-vinylamide), which comprises performing an extraction of the crude N-vinylamide with an organic solvent as the extractant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Wolfgang Staffel, Regina Vogelsang, Roland Kessinger, Lembit Tuttelberg, Bernd Heida
  • Publication number: 20100126843
    Abstract: A process is proposed for distillatively obtaining pure 1,3-butadiene from crude 1,3-butadiene in a plant comprising one or more distillation columns, comprising supply of a feed stream of crude 1,3-butadiene to the one distillation column or the first of the plurality of distillation columns, the one distillation column or the plurality of distillation columns having a flange with an internal diameter of ?80 mm, comprising two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1) with an intermediate seal (2) which seals the interior of the one distillation column or of the first of the plurality of distillation columns from an intermediate space (3) on the atmosphere side between the two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1), and the intermediate space (3) on the atmosphere side between the two mutually opposite plane-parallel surfaces (1) being closed off from the atmosphere to form a chamber, wherein the chamber is purged continuously during the operation of the plant with a low-oxygen gas or a low-oxygen
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: BASF SE
    Inventors: Uwe Stabel, Harry Zachmann, Eberhardt Gaffron, Bernd Heida, Michael Jäger
  • Patent number: 7692053
    Abstract: 1,3-butadiene is obtained by extractive distillation with a selective solvent from a C4 cut comprising C4 acetylenes as secondary components in a dividing wall column having a bottom evaporator, in which a dividing wall is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the column to form a first subregion, a second subregion and a lower combined column region. The column is disposed upstream of an extractive wash column. The energy input into the dividing wall column via the bottom evaporator is controlled in such a way that a bottom stream containing solvent, C4 acetylenes and 1,3-butadiene restricted such that the loss of 1,3-butadiene is economically acceptable, is drawn off and fed to an acetylenes outgasser where the C4 acetylenes are stripped out overhead and purified solvent is obtained as the bottom stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7619126
    Abstract: A process for recovering crude 1,3-butadiene from a C4 fraction by extractive distillation using a selective solvent in a dividing wall column (TK) in which a dividing wall (T) is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the column to form a first subregion (A), a second subregion (B) and a lower common column region (C) and which is preceded by an extractive scrubbing column (K), wherein the operation of the dividing wall column (TK) is set by regulation of the energy input into the dividing wall column (TK) via a bottom vaporizer (V) and setting of the number of the theoretical plates in the lower common column region (C) so that a bottom stream (17) consisting of purified solvent is obtained from the dividing wall column (TK), is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7556717
    Abstract: A process for fractionating a starting mixture of two or more components by extractive distillation using a selective solvent in a dividing wall column aligned in the longitudinal direction of the column and extending to the upper end of the column and dividing the column interior into a first region, a second region, and a lower combined column region. The starting mixture is fed into the first region, a first top stream is taken off from the first region, and a second top stream is taken off from the second region, each stream having a prescribed specification. The selective solvent is introduced in the upper part of the first region and/or in the upper part of the second region, and solvent flow into the first region and/or solvent flow into the second region are set so that each of the prescribed specifications for the top streams are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7557257
    Abstract: A process for fractionating a crude C4 fraction comprising butanes, butenes, 1,3-butadiene and small amounts of other hydrocarbons including C4-acetylenes, by extractive distillation using a selective solvent, wherein the crude C4 fraction (1) is fed into the middle region of a first extractive distillation column (K I) and the selective solvent (2) is fed into the column at a point above that at which the crude C4 fraction (1) is introduced and a gaseous side stream (3) which comprises the C4-acetylenes together with predominantly the selective solvent and in which the concentration of the C4-acetylenes is below the spontaneous decomposition limit is taken off from the first extractive distillation column (K I) at a point below the feed point for the crude C4 fraction (1) and an overhead stream (5) comprising the components which are less soluble than the C4-acetylenes in the selective solvent is taken off from the top of the first extractive distillation column, is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Heida
  • Patent number: 7462277
    Abstract: In a continuous process for fractionating a C4 fraction (C4) by extractive distillation using a selective solvent (LM) in an extractive distillation column (EDK), it is proposed that a dividing wall (TW) is installed in the longitudinal direction in the extractive distillation column (EDK) to form a first region (A), a second region (B) and a lower combined column region (C) and a top stream (C4H10) comprising the butanes is taken off from the first region (A), a top stream (C4H8) comprising the butenes is taken off from the second region (B) and a stream (C4H6) comprising the hydrocarbons from the C4 fraction which are more soluble in the selective solvent (LM) than are the butanes and the butenes is taken off from the lower combined column region (C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Till Adrian, Thomas Hill, Klaus Kindler, Bernd Heida