Patents by Inventor Charles A. Morris

Charles A. Morris 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).

  • Publication number: 20160376212
    Abstract: Disclosed are (i) a process for making cyclohexylbenzene by benzene hydroalkylation with a low methylcyclopentylbenzene selectivity; and (ii) a process of making phenol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene including a step of removing methylcyclopentylbenzene from the cyclohexylbenzene feed supplied to the oxidation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Charles Morris Smith, Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton, Jane C. Cheng
  • Patent number: 9475745
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and cyclohexanone, a cleavage feed containing greater than 40 wt % and no greater than 95 wt % cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, and at least 5 wt % and less than 60 wt % cyclohexylbenzene is mixed with at least phenol, cyclohexanone, water, and sulfuric acid to produce a cleavage reaction mixture containing from 15 wt % to 50 wt % phenol, from 15 wt % to 50 wt % cyclohexanone, from 1 wt % to 10 wt % cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, from 5 wt % to 60 wt % cyclohexylbenzene, from 0.1 wt % to 4 wt % water, and from 10 wppm to 1000 wppm sulfuric acid. The cleavage reaction mixture is then reacted at a temperature from 30° C. and to 70° C., and a pressure of at least 1 atmosphere for a time sufficient to convert at least 50% of said cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in said cleavage reaction mixture and produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Keith H. Kuechler, Charles Morris Smith, Francisco M. Benitez, Kun Wang, Hari Nair, Travis A. Reine, Gabor Kiss, Roberto Garcia, Christopher L. Becker
  • Patent number: 9469580
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for dehydrogenating a hydrocarbon with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising a step of activating the catalyst precursor in a H2-containing atmosphere. A particularly advantageous activation process includes heating the catalyst precursor to a temperature in a range from 400° C. to 600° C. The process of the present disclosure is particularly advantageous for dehydrogenating cyclohexane to make benzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Christopher L. Becker, Hari Nair, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 9469589
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst under oxidation conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the oxidation effluent is then subjected to a concentrating step to produce a cleavage feed having a higher concentration of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide than the oxidation effluent. A cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed is then contacted with a solid acid catalyst in a cleavage reaction zone under conditions effective to produce a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Nair, Christopher L. Becker, Jason D. Davis, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 9452965
    Abstract: A process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone is described in which cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas under conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and at least part of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is contacted with a cleavage catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the oxidation effluent and the cleavage effluent contains at least one phenylcyclohexanol as a by-product and the process further comprises contacting the phenylcyclohexanol with a dehydration catalyst comprising a molecular sieve of the MCM-22 family under conditions effective to convert at least part of the phenylcyclohexanol to phenylcyclohexene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Jihad M. Dakka, Charles Morris Smith, Keith H. Kuechler, Christopher L. Becker, Terry E. Helton, Jason D. Davis, Edmund J. Mozeleski
  • Patent number: 9347722
    Abstract: A magazine loader for a firearm is provided. The magazine loader includes a base having a lip that is configured to removably engage a magazine in an upstanding position thereon. The base further includes a hydraulic shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is affixed to the base. The second end includes a depressible platform and a projection configured to load an unloaded cartridge placed above an opening of a magazine. The depressible platform is configured to be hand actuated in relation to the hydraulic shaft to apply downward pressure on the unloaded cartridge with the projection. In this way, the cartridge can be forced downwardly and loaded into the magazine. The depressible platform and projection automatically return to the resting position to allow for additional cartridges to be loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventor: Charles Morris
  • Patent number: 9334218
    Abstract: A cleavage process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone, the process comprising: (A) providing a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; (B) contacting the feed with a catalyst under cleavage reaction conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone, the catalyst having a collidine uptake of at least 20 ?mol per gram of the catalyst and comprising an aluminosilicate molecular sieve of the FAU-type, an oxide binder, and a clay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Wang, Roberto Garcia, Terry E. Helton, Hari Nair, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 9321711
    Abstract: A system for producing high-purity phenol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene oxidation includes a cyclohexylbenzene feed hydrogenation reactor, a bubble column oxidation reactor, a cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide concentrator, a cleavage reactor, and a separation and purification sub-system. The components and the integrated system are designed such that high-purity phenol and/or cyclohexanone can be produced at high energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Becker, James R. Lattner, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith
  • Publication number: 20160107970
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst under oxidation conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the oxidation effluent is then subjected to a concentrating step to produce a cleavage feed having a higher concentration of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide than the oxidation effluent. A cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed is then contacted with a solid acid catalyst in a cleavage reaction zone under conditions effective to produce a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Hari Nair, Christopher L. Becker, Jason D. Davis, Charles Morris Smith
  • Publication number: 20160102034
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, a cleavage feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is supplied to a cleavage reaction zone and a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed is contacted in the cleavage reaction zone with a solid acid catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. The cleavage effluent is then divided into at least a cleavage product and a cleavage recycle and the cleavage recycle and a polar solvent is supplied to the cleavage reaction zone to produce the cleavage reaction mixture with the cleavage feed. Preferably, the polar solvent is combined with the cleavage recycle before being charged into the cleavage reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Hari Nair, Christopher L. Becker, Karen S. Nimmon, James R. Lattner, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 9272974
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas to produce an oxidation effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then contacted with a cleavage catalyst to produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the oxidation effluent and the cleavage effluent also contains at least one by-product selected from phenylcyclohexanols and phenylcyclohexanones and the process further comprises contacting the by-product with a dehydration catalyst to convert the by-product to phenylcyclohexene and hydrogenating the phenylcyclohexene to cyclohexylbenzene. The dealkylation and hydrogenation may be conducted in a single stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Jihad M. Dakka, Charles Morris Smith, Christopher L. Becker, Terry E. Helton, Jason D. Davis, Edmund J. Mozeleski
  • Patent number: 9266801
    Abstract: The invention is directed to improvements in the indirect hydration process for the production of alcohols that enable high alcohol yield by increasing ether recycle in an olefin hydration process, such as the hydration process to produce isopropyl alcohol (IPA) from propylene or the hydration process to produce sec-butyl alcohol (SBA) from butylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Morris Yarbrough, Seth McConkie Washburn, Dennis Jay Davoren, Michael Alan Better
  • Publication number: 20160032801
    Abstract: An aftertreatment system is disclosed for use with a combustion engine. The aftertreatment system may have at least one exhaust passage, and a plurality of dosing circuits configured to inject reductant into the at least one exhaust passage. The aftertreatment system may also have a controller in communication with each of the plurality of dosing circuits. The controller may be configured to determine a failure of a first of the plurality of dosing circuits, and to selectively adjust operation of a second of the plurality of dosing circuits based on the failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Eric Tyler Alig, Jinhui Sun, Scott Charles Morris, Faith Juliet McKenzie, Matthew Colin Mowers
  • Patent number: 9249078
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are catalyst compositions useful in selective decomposition of organic oxygenates. A feed comprising an organic oxygenate may be contacted with a catalyst comprising (a) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of an element selected from Group 3 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein Group 3 includes the Lanthanide series; (b) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of an element selected from Group 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (c) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of at least one element selected from Group 4 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein the wt % s are based upon the total combined weight of the oxides in (a) through (c) and excludes any other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Wang, Roberto Garcia, Charles Morris Smith, Doron Levin, James C. Vartuli
  • Patent number: 9233890
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, in which a benzene feed stream is subjected to each of the following treatment steps: treating the feed stream with at least one adsorbent and fractionating the feed stream to remove components having a different boiling point than benzene. The treatment steps are carried out in any order and produce a treated benzene feed stream. The treated benzene feed stream is then contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst in a hydroalkylation unit under conditions effective to produce a reaction product containing cyclohexylbenzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Nair, Christopher L. Becker, Ryan A. Sothen, Charles Morris Smith, Tan-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 9233888
    Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene is reacted with cyclohexene under alkylation conditions effective to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene and a polycyclohexylbenzene. A first feed comprising at least a portion of the alkylation effluent is then fed to a first separation device, where the first feed is separated into at least a first fraction containing cyclohexylbenzene and a second fraction containing the polycyclohexylbenzene, the second fraction also comprising an oxygenated hydrocarbon. At least a portion of the oxygenated hydrocarbon is removed from at least a portion of the second fraction in a second separation device to obtain a second feed. The second feed may then be reacted in a transalkylation or dealkylation reactor to convert at least part of the polycyclohexylbenzene to additional cyclohexylbenzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan A. Sothen, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith, Christopher L. Becker
  • Publication number: 20150375135
    Abstract: A system configured to separate a cleavage reaction mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, an amine salt, cyclohexylbenzene, and water, capable of producing high-purity phenol and cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide cleavage reaction mixture at high energy efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher L. Becker, James R. Lattner, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith
  • Publication number: 20150361009
    Abstract: A system for making cyclohexylbenzene starting from benzene and hydrogen includes a first benzene preparation column, a hydroalkylation reactor, a dehydrogenation reactor, a second distillation column for cyclohexylbenzene separation, a third distillation column for cyclohexylbenzene purification, a transalkylation reactor, and a fourth distillation column for separating cyclohexylbenzene from transalkylation effluent. All components are integrated to achieve a high-purity cyclohexylbenzene product produced with a high yield and high overall energy efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher L. BECKER, James R. LATTNER, Francisco M. BENITEZ, Charles Morris SMITH
  • Publication number: 20150353459
    Abstract: A system for producing high-purity phenol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene oxidation includes a cyclohexylbenzene feed hydrogenation reactor, a bubble column oxidation reactor, a cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide concentrator, a cleavage reactor, and a separation and purification sub-system. The components and the integrated system are designed such that high-purity phenol and/or cyclohexanone can be produced at high energy efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher L. Becker, James R. Lattner, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 9182954
    Abstract: A web browser has a user interface that includes a content rendering area within the web browser user interface and a control layout area adjacent the content rendering area. The control layout area includes a user-selectable icon that is always available to the user in the control layout area and which is user-configurable. For example, the user-configurable icon may be configured with one of two pre-defined functions. In one illustrative implementation the two pre-defined functions may be a tabs function and a favorites function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Chee Chen Tong, Amin Lakhani, Yun Xu, Liang Chen, Ricardo Meza, Charles Morris