Patents by Inventor Charles A. Durr
Charles A. Durr 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).
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Patent number: 8887513Abstract: Systems and methods for heating a cryogenic fluid are provided. A cryogenic fluid can be heated to provide a partially cryogenic vaporized fluid having a first temperature. The partially vaporized cryogenic fluid can be partially vaporized to provide a second partially vaporized fluid having a second temperature. At least a portion of the second, partially vaporized, cryogenic fluid can be used to heat the cryogenic fluid to the first temperature. The second, partially vaporized, cryogenic fluid can be partially vaporized to provide a substantially vaporized cryogenic fluid having a third temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2007Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLCInventors: Heinz J. Kotzot, Felix J. Fernandez de la Vega, Joseph H. Cho, Charles Durr, Robert Burlingame
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Publication number: 20080202161Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting the heating value of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) are provided. LNG can be apportioned into at least two portions. A first portion can be warmed to provide a vapor-liquid mixture which can be separated in a first separator to provide a first vapor and a first liquid. The first liquid can be separated to provide ANGL and a second vapor. The first vapor can be compressed and mixed with the second vapor to provide a first effluent. At least a portion of the first effluent can be used to heat the first portion. At least a portion of the first effluent can be used as a first reflux in the first separator. At least a portion of the first effluent can be mixed with a second portion of the LNG to provide an adjusted LNG.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: JORGE JAVIER VAZQUEZ-ESPARRAGOZA, Joseph H. Cho, Heinz Kotzot, Felix J. Fernandez De La Vega, Charles Durr, Robert Burlingame
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Publication number: 20080155996Abstract: A process for vaporizing liquefied gas is provided. Energy can be transferred within one or more first heat exchangers from a heat transfer medium at a first temperature to a liquefied gas. At least a portion of the liquefied gas can be vaporized within the one or more first heat exchangers to provide an at least partially vaporized liquid and a heat transfer medium at a second temperature. The heat transfer medium can be heated from the second temperature to a temperature at or near the first temperature with air within one or more second heat exchangers. The heat transfer medium from the one or more second heat exchangers can be directed to the one or more first heat exchangers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2006Publication date: July 3, 2008Inventors: Masroor S. Khan, David A. Coyle, Charles A. Durr
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Publication number: 20080115508Abstract: Systems and methods for heating a cryogenic fluid are provided. A cryogenic fluid can be heated to provide a partially cryogenic vaporized fluid having a first temperature. The partially vaporized cryogenic fluid can be partially vaporized to provide a second partially vaporized fluid having a second temperature. At least a portion of the second, partially vaporized, cryogenic fluid can be used to heat the cryogenic fluid to the first temperature. The second, partially vaporized, cryogenic fluid can be partially vaporized to provide a substantially vaporized cryogenic fluid having a third temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: May 22, 2008Inventors: Heinz J. Kotzot, Felix J. Fernandez de la Vega, Joseph H. Cho, Charles Durr, Robert Burlingame
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Patent number: 5659109Abstract: A process for liquefying natural gas containing mercaptans. Mercaptans are concentrated into a distillate stream by distilling the feed gas stream without specific pretreatment for mercaptans removal. Thus, the mercaptans removal equipment is much smaller since mercaptans treatment can take place at a point in the process where the flowrate is much lower. A portion of the treated distillate stream can be reinjected to the upstream distilling stage to facilitate mercaptan absorption.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1996Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Felix J. Fernandez de la Vega, Charles A. Durr
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Patent number: 5505049Abstract: A process for removing nitrogen from liquefied natural gas (LNG) using an enhanced surface, reflux heat exchanger is disclosed. A relatively warm high pressure LNG stream is directed countercurrently in heat exchange with a cool low pressure LNG stream to chill the high pressure stream and partially vaporize the low pressure LNG stream in the reflux heat exchanger. Vapor produced thereby strips the low pressure LNG stream of nitrogen. The cool low pressure LNG stream is produced by expansion of the chilled high pressure LNG stream. Vapor produced by the expansion is combined with the vapor produced in the exchanger and withdrawn overhead. Product LNG which is lean in nitrogen is withdrawn from the bottom of the exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1995Date of Patent: April 9, 1996Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: David A. Coyle, Felix J. Fernandez de la Vega, Charles A. Durr, Ashutosh Rastogi
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Patent number: 5335504Abstract: A process for recovering CO.sub.2 from a mixture of light hydrocarbons, e.g. light hydrocarbons produced from a CO.sub.2 injection enhanced oil recovery. The mixture is distilled in a distributive zone with CO.sub.2 produced overhead and in the bottoms. The overhead and bottoms produced from the distributive zone are then fed to first and second concentrating distillation zones, respectively. The first concentrating zone produces a bottoms product rich in CO.sub.2 and an overhead product rich in methane and lean in CO.sub.2. The second concentrating zone is refluxed with lean oil and produces a CO.sub.2 distillate and a CO.sub.2 -lean bottoms product. In various embodiments, at least a section of each of the concentrating zones are placed in a single column, the CO.sub.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1993Date of Patent: August 9, 1994Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Charles A. Durr, David B. Manley, Robert L. McKee
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Patent number: 5325673Abstract: A method for pretreating a natural gas stream using a single scrub column to remove freezable C.sub.5+ components and provide an LNG product which can be conveniently handled and shipped is disclosed. The method comprises feeding a natural gas stream to a feed point on a scrub column operated substantially as an absorption column wherein the heavy components are absorbed from the feed gas using a liquid reflux essentially free of such C.sub.5+ components. The feed can be vapor introduced at a low point on the column, or can be optionally split, cooled and/or expanded and introduced at one or more feed points on the column. The reflux stream can be overhead vapor condensate having a temperature of about - 40.degree. C., or methane-rich LNG or a combination of LNG and vapor condensate.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1993Date of Patent: July 5, 1994Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Charles A. Durr, WIlliam C. Petterson
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Patent number: 4727723Abstract: A method for sub-cooling normally gaseous hydrocarbon mixtures produced in a cryogenic process unit wherein the mixture is introduced to a gas/liquid separator, which may be a storage vessel, and vapor containing at least two components of the mixture is recovered as refrigerant, employed in an open cycle refrigeration system to sub-cool the hydrocarbon mixture, and returned to the separator. The system is particularly useful for sub-cooling a hydrocarbon product stream while, at the same time, recovering boil-off vapor from a cryogenic storage vessel.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1987Date of Patent: March 1, 1988Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventor: Charles A. Durr
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Patent number: 4711651Abstract: A process for separation of a high pressure gas stream such as refinery gas in which the starting gas mixture is cooled and separated into a first vapor portion and a first liquid portion which is expanded to an intermediate pressure. The first vapor portion is further cooled and separated into a second vapor portion which may be further processed for ultimate recovery of, for example, a methane-rich product gas and a second liquid portion which is expanded to essentially the same intermediate pressure and combined with the expanded first liquid portion. The resulting mixed intermediate pressure stream or a portion thereof is then employed as refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1986Date of Patent: December 8, 1987Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Shanmuk Sharma, Donnie K. Hill, Charles A. Durr
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Patent number: 4710214Abstract: A process for separation of a high pressure gas stream such as light refinery gases in which the gas mixture is expanded, preferably through a turbine, and separated into first vapor and liquid portions. The first vapor portion may be recovered as, for example, methane-rich product gas. The first liquid portion is raised to an intermediate pressure, revaporized, and introduced to a fractionator from which an ethane-containing stream is recovered. The ethane-containing stream is then cooled and separated into a second vapor portion and a second liquid portion which is then expanded and combined with the expanded starting gas mixture to increase the amount of refrigeration that may be recovered from the first liquid stream prior to its fractionation.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1986Date of Patent: December 1, 1987Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Shanmuk Sharma, Donnie K. Hill, Charles A. Durr
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Patent number: 4702819Abstract: A process for separating gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons in first and second fractionation zones wherein the first fractionation zone employs a side reboiler discharging below the side draw point. A vapor sidestream is removed from the first fractionator below the side draw point and introduced to the second fractionator. The flow scheme permits control of the first fractionator bottoms temperature to match available low level waste heat which may therefore be used in fractionator reboiling duty.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1986Date of Patent: October 27, 1987Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg CompanyInventors: Shanmuk Sharma, Donnie K. Hill, Charles A. Durr