Patents by Inventor Bruce E. Firth

Bruce E. Firth 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: 9481627
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent includes (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, and/or (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, and/or (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20160090343
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent includes (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, and/or (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, and/or (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Patent number: 9222056
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent selected from the group consisting of (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative, and (iv) combinations thereof; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Patent number: 9175231
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, phosphinic acid, and a combination thereof; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product. Methods for suppressing isomerization of olefin metathesis products produced in a metathesis reaction, and methods of producing fuel compositions are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk, Vasudeo S. Gavaskar
  • Patent number: 9169174
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent that includes nitric acid to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. Methods of refining a natural oil are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Patent number: 9169447
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent that comprises nitric acid; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product. Methods for suppressing isomerization of olefin metathesis products produced in a metathesis reaction, and methods of producing fuel compositions are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Patent number: 9139493
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent is phosphorous acid, a phosphorous acid ester, phosphinic acid, a phosphinic acid ester or combinations thereof. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk, Vasudeo S. Gavaskar
  • Patent number: 9133416
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent includes (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, and/or (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, and/or (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20130165706
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent is phosphorous acid, a phosphorous acid ester, phosphinic acid, a phosphinic acid ester or combinations thereof. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk, Vasudeo S. Gavaskar
  • Publication number: 20130165708
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent that includes nitric acid to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. Methods of refining a natural oil are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20130165707
    Abstract: A method for suppressing isomerization of an olefin metathesis product produced in a metathesis reaction includes adding an isomerization suppression agent to a mixture that includes the olefin metathesis product and residual metathesis catalyst from the metathesis reaction under conditions that are sufficient to passivate at least a portion of the residual metathesis catalyst. The isomerization suppression agent includes (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, and/or (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, and/or (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative. Methods of refining natural oils are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20130006012
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent selected from the group consisting of (i) a salt and/or an ester of a phosphorous oxo acid, (ii) a derivative of the phosphorous oxo acid in which at least one P—H bond has been replaced by a P—C bond, (iii) a salt and/or an ester of the derivative, and (iv) combinations thereof; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Publication number: 20120197031
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, phosphinic acid, and a combination thereof; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product. Methods for suppressing isomerization of olefin metathesis products produced in a metathesis reaction, and methods of producing fuel compositions are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk, Vasudeo S. Gavaskar
  • Publication number: 20120197032
    Abstract: A method of refining a natural oil includes: (a) providing a feedstock that includes a natural oil; (b) reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesized product that includes olefins and esters; (c) passivating residual metathesis catalyst with an agent that comprises nitric acid; (d) separating the olefins in the metathesized product from the esters in the metathesized product; and (e) transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product and/or hydrogenating the olefins to form a fully or partially saturated hydrogenated product. Methods for suppressing isomerization of olefin metathesis products produced in a metathesis reaction, and methods of producing fuel compositions are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Sharon E. Kirk
  • Patent number: 7282600
    Abstract: Economical processes are disclosed for recovery and refining of valuable nitrogen-containing organic compounds formed by catalytic oxidation of least one feed compound selected from the group consisting of propane, propylene, isobutane and isobutylene in the presence of ammonia to produce a gaseous. Processes of the invention include quenching the gaseous reactor effluent with an aqueous quench liquid; forming an aqueous solution comprising the corresponding unsaturated mononitrile, hydrogen cyanide and other organic co-products; and using an integrated sequence of distillations and phase separations to recover for recycle of a useful aqueous liquid, and obtain the desired nitrogen-containing products. According to the invention aqueous solutions are fractionated in an integrated system of multi-stage columns while an effective polymerization inhibiting amount of at least one member of a preselected class of p-phenylenediamine compounds is maintained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Ineos USA LLC
    Inventors: Bruce I. Rosen, Bruce E. Firth
  • Patent number: 6984749
    Abstract: Economical processes are disclosed for recovery and refining of valuable nitrogen-containing organic compounds formed by catalytic oxidation of least one feed compound selected from the group consisting of propane, propylene, isobutane and isobutylene in the presence of ammonia to produce a gaseous. Processes of the invention include quenching the gaseous reactor effluent with an aqueous quench liquid; forming an aqueous solution comprising the corresponding unsaturated mononitrile, hydrogen cyanide and other organic co-products; and using an integrated sequence of distillations and phase separations to recover for recycle of a useful aqueous liquid, and obtain the desired nitrogen-containing products. According to the invention aqueous solutions are fractionated in an integrated system of multi-stage columns while an effective polymerization inhibiting amount of at least one member of a preselected class of p-phenylenediamine compounds is maintained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce I. Rosen, Bruce E. Firth
  • Publication number: 20040249182
    Abstract: Economical processes are disclosed for recovery and refining of valuable nitrogen-containing organic compounds formed by catalytic oxidation of least one feed compound selected from the group consisting of propane, propylene, isobutane and isobutylene in the presence of ammonia to produce a gaseous. Processes of the invention include quenching the gaseous reactor effluent with an aqueous quench liquid; forming an aqueous solution comprising the corresponding unsaturated mononitrile, hydrogen cyanide and other organic co-products; and using an integrated sequence of distillations and phase separations to recover for recycle of a useful aqueous liquid, and obtain the desired nitrogen-containing products. According to the invention aqueous solutions are fractionated in an integrated system of multi-stage columns while an effective polymerization inhibiting amount of at least one member of a preselected class of p-phenylenediamine compounds is maintained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Bruce I. Rosen, Bruce E. Firth
  • Publication number: 20040110977
    Abstract: Economical processes are disclosed for recovery and refining of valuable nitrogen-containing organic compounds formed by catalytic oxidation of least one feed compound selected from the group consisting of propane, propylene, isobutane and isobutylene in the presence of ammonia to produce a gaseous. Processes of the invention include quenching the gaseous reactor effluent with an aqueous quench liquid; forming an aqueous solution comprising the corresponding unsaturated mononitrile, hydrogen cyanide and other organic co-products; and using an integrated sequence of distillations and phase separations to recover for recycle of a useful aqueous liquid, and obtain the desired nitrogen-containing products. According to the invention aqueous solutions are fractionated in an integrated system of multi-stage columns while an effective polymerization inhibiting amount of at least one member of a preselected class of p-phenylenediamine compounds is maintained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Bruce I. Rosen, Bruce E. Firth
  • Patent number: 4815445
    Abstract: Anion exchange resins which have been exchanged with molybdate at acid pH are effective catalysts for epimerizing compounds with the structural unit: ##STR1## Cheif among these are aldoses, especially aldopentoses and aldohexoses, as well as some deoxy-sugars. A method for the continuous epimerization of aldoses and other compounds having the necessary structural feature shown using a fixed bed of molybdate-exchanged resin is quite efficient, and can be employed in enhancing the yield of the thermodynamically formed epimer which is produced as the minor epimer in a mixture under kinetic control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Swedo, Blaise J. Arena, Bruce E. Firth
  • Patent number: 4718405
    Abstract: Although feedstocks of L-mannose prepared from hydrocyanation of L-arabinose contain inhibitors to the soluble molybdate-catalyzed epimerization of L-mannose to L-glucose, experimental conditions have been found which minimize such inhibition. A method is presented for improving the yield of L-glucose in a preparative route using hydrocyanation of L-arabinose as the entry to the L-hexoses by incorporating a soluble molybdate-catalyzed empimerrization stage conducted at a pH below 3.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: UOP Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Firth, Blaise J. Arena