Patents by Inventor Charles P. Luebke

Charles P. Luebke 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: 10329498
    Abstract: A process is presented for the purification of an olefins feed stream to a benzene alkylation unit. The process removes heavy aromatics in an adsorbent system comprising at least two adsorbent units. The unit passes the olefins feed stream to a first adsorbent unit, while the second adsorbent unit is either in regeneration mode, or standby mode. The process switches the feed stream to the second adsorbent unit and displaces the fluid in the second adsorbent unit, while maintaining the flow of the purified feed stream to the benzene alkylation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
  • Publication number: 20190185393
    Abstract: Processes for co-production of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and alkylate is disclosed. The process includes comprising passing a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising C4 hydrocarbons to a dehydrogenation unit to generate a dehydrogenation effluent comprising C4 olefins. The dehydrogenation effluent is passed to a MTBE unit to provide a mixed stream comprising C4 olefins and MTBE. The mixed stream is separated to provide an MTBE product stream and a fractionator overhead stream comprising olefins. The fractionator overhead stream is passed to an alkylation unit to produce an alkylation product stream comprising an alkylate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Christopher D. DiGiulio
  • Patent number: 10301558
    Abstract: An integrated process for production of gasoline has been described. The process includes a C5-C6 isomerization zone, two C7 isomerization zones separate by a deisoheptanizer, and a reforming zone. The use of two C7 isomerization zones eliminates the need for the large recycle stream from the deisoheptanizer. The low temperature in first C7 isomerization zone favors the formation of multi-branched C7 paraffins and cyclohexanes and maximizes C5+ yield. The separation between paraffin and cycloalkane in deisoheptanizer becomes easier due to conversion of cycloalkanes to cyclohexanes in the first C7 isomerization zone. Further, the high temperature in second C7 isomerization zone favors the formation of higher octane cyclopentanes over cyclohexanes. An aromatic-containing stream can be introduced to second C7 isomerization zone. The saturation of the aromatics in the second C7 isomerization zone provides heat that increases the reactor outlet temperature in the isomerization reactors to favor cyclopentanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Lin Jin, Christopher DiGiulio, Mark P. Lapinski
  • Patent number: 10294430
    Abstract: An integrated process for production of gasoline has been described. The process includes a C5-C6 isomerization zone with an associated deisohexanizer, two C7 isomerization zones separated by a deisoheptanizer, and a reforming zone. The use of two C7 isomerization zones eliminates the need for the large recycle stream from the deisoheptanizer. The C6 cycloalkanes and heavies from the deisohexanizer are fed to the second C7 isomerization zone to increase the amount of 95 RONC gasoline produced. A higher percentage of 95 RONC gasoline may be achieved by further recycling C6 from deisoheptanizer overhead back to C5-C6 isomerization zone. Higher gasoline yields and higher percentage of 95 RONC gasoline is achieved over the whole naphtha complex with operating costs savings by fully integrating the C5-C6 isomerization zone, two C7 isomerization zones, deisohexanizer and deisoheptanizer columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lin Jin, Charles P. Luebke
  • Patent number: 10294173
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the integration of an alkylation unit for use in a hydrocarbon conversion process. More specifically, the present invention relates to the integration of a dehydrogenation unit and an alkylation unit and the placement of different isomerization units located off the deisobutanizer and the debutanizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Raul Zavala, Christopher D. DiGiulio
  • Publication number: 20190062648
    Abstract: A process is presented for the purification of an olefins feed stream to a benzene alkylation unit. The process removes heavy aromatics in an adsorbent system comprising at least two adsorbent units. The unit passes the olefins feed stream to a first adsorbent unit, while the second adsorbent unit is either in regeneration mode, or standby mode. The process switches the feed stream to the second adsorbent unit and displaces the fluid in the second adsorbent unit, while maintaining the flow of the purified feed stream to the benzene alkylation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
  • Publication number: 20190002370
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the integration of an alkylation unit for use in a hydrocarbon conversion process. More specifically, the present invention relates to the integration of a dehydrogenation unit and an alkylation unit and the placement of different isomerization units located off the deisobutanizer and the debutanizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Raul Zavala, Christopher D. DiGiulio
  • Patent number: 10167241
    Abstract: A process is presented for the purification of an olefins feed stream to a benzene alkylation unit. The process removes heavy aromatics in a two adsorbent unit system. The unit passes the olefins feed stream to a first adsorbent unit, while the second adsorbent unit is either in regeneration mode, or standby mode. The process switches the feed stream to the second adsorbent unit and displaces the fluid in the second adsorbent unit, while maintaining the flow of the purified feed stream to the benzene alkylation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
  • Patent number: 10155704
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for the production of butadienes are provided. In an embodiment, a process for production of butadienes includes passing a reactor feed stream comprising a hydrocarbon stream comprising butene, a steam stream and a oxygen rich stream to a dehydrogenation reactor. The reactor feed stream is oxidatively dehydrogenated in the dehydrogenation reactor in presence of an oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst to provide an effluent stream comprising butadiene. The effluent stream is cooled in a quench tower to provide a cooled effluent stream and a bottoms water stream. The cooled effluent stream is passed to an aldehyde scrubber to provide a scrubbed effluent stream and a spent water stream comprising aldehydes. A first portion of the bottoms water stream is passed from the quench tower to the aldehyde scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: UOP LLC, TPC Group, LLC
    Inventors: Jeannie Mee Blommel, Charles P. Luebke, Clifford A. Maat
  • Publication number: 20180345268
    Abstract: A process for the regeneration of a catalyst is presented. The catalyst is in a reactor for use in benzene alkylation, and periodically needs to be regenerated. The reactor is taken off-line, and a regenerant is passed through the reactor, producing an effluent stream. A portion of the effluent stream is recycled through the reactor without passing through a clean-up process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Stephen W. Sohn, Charles P. Luebke, Jeffrey L. Pieper
  • Patent number: 10131591
    Abstract: Processes using mid-column reboilers in at least one benzene separation columns to reduce the heat duty in alkylation processes are provided. The feed to the aromatics removal zone may exchange heat in a mid-column reboiler in the benzene separation column in the alkylbenzene separation zone followed by exchanging heat in a mid-column reboiler in the benzene separation column in the aromatics removal zone. This arrangement minimizes the hot oil duty on the reboilers in both benzene separation columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignees: UOP, LLC, Compañia Española de Petroleos, S.A.U.
    Inventors: Nathan Siedler, Charles P. Luebke, Cynthia K. Zimmerman, Jacques Meunier, Leopoldo R. Alcázar
  • Publication number: 20180265432
    Abstract: A process is presented for the purification of an olefins feed stream to a benzene alkylation unit. The process removes heavy aromatics in a two adsorbent unit system. The unit passes the olefins feed stream to a first adsorbent unit, while the second adsorbent unit is either in regeneration mode, or standby mode. The process switches the feed stream to the second adsorbent unit and displaces the fluid in the second adsorbent unit, while maintaining the flow of the purified feed stream to the benzene alkylation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
  • Publication number: 20180265790
    Abstract: Processes for regenerating adsorbent in a nitrile removal zone. The regenerant comprises a stream of hot liquid that may comprise a portion of the oligomerized effluent or a portion of a hydrotreated effluent. A spent regenerant comprising the desorbed nitriles may be processed along with the oligomerized effluent with existing separation equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Zhihao Fei
  • Publication number: 20180258015
    Abstract: A process is presented for the production of butadienes. The process includes the separation of oxygenates from the product stream from an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. The process includes quenching the product stream and solvent and oxygenates from the product stream. The oxygenates are stripped from the solvent with an inert gas to reduce the energy consumption of the process, and the solvent is recycled and reused in the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, Jeannie M. Blommel, Charles P. Luebke, Dana K. Sullivan, Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt
  • Patent number: 10065903
    Abstract: Processes for the production of linear alkylbenzenes from a renewable feedstock. Prior to converting the side chains of the glycerides and free fatty acids of the feedstock into hydrocarbons, the feedstock is separated into a stream rich in C10 and C14 free fatty acids glycerides having C10 and C14 fatty acid side chains and at least one, preferably two, other glyceride streams. The stream rich in glycerides having C10 and C14 fatty acid side chains can be converted via deoxygenation into a stream rich in C9 to C14 hydrocarbons while the other glyceride streams can be used as vegetable oil. A C10 to C13 hydrocarbon fraction from the stream rich in C9 to C14 hydrocarbons may be dehydrogenated to form olefins which may be reacted with benzene to form linear alkylbenzenes. The linear alkylbenzenes may be used to produce surfactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Daniel L. Ellig, Geoffrey W. Fichtl, Charles P. Luebke
  • Patent number: 10065908
    Abstract: Processes for removal of heavy aromatic compounds in an alkylated aromatic compounds production complex is disclosed. The processes includes separating a first component from a second component comprising introducing a feed stream comprising the second component and less than about 5 wt % of the first component to one or more top trays of a prefractionation column. The feed stream is separated in the prefractionation column to provide a prefractionation column overhead stream comprising at least about 50 wt % of the second component present in the feed stream and a prefractionation column bottoms stream. A first portion of the prefractionation columns bottom stream is vaporized by heat exchange with a low temperature fluid stream having a temperature of about 150-200° C. in a reboiler and passing the vaporized first portion through the prefractionation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Nathan A. Siedler, Charles P. Luebke, Cynthia K. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10052580
    Abstract: Methods for operating an adsorption separation zone are described. A trim bed is used with two adsorption beds in a swing bed arrangement. The trim bed will catch small amounts of treated feed remaining in the adsorption bed during the switch over from the spent adsorption bed to the fresh adsorption bed. In addition, any adsorbed material that desorbs from the spent adsorption bed during the displacement step of regeneration would be adsorbed onto the trim bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
  • Patent number: 10011778
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process optimizing the yield of propylene from a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The method combines a first catalytic reactor, a fractionation zone, a separation unit and a second catalytic reactor. The separation unit produces a first separation unit stream and a second separation unit stream, the first separation unit stream comprising Cx paraffins, and the second separation unit stream comprising Cx olefins, wherein the second separation unit stream is passed to a second catalytic reactor and the first separation unit stream is removed from the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Kirk Liu, Zhihao Fei
  • Publication number: 20180178159
    Abstract: Methods for operating an adsorption separation zone are described. A trim bed is used with two adsorption beds in a swing bed arrangement. The trim bed will catch small amounts of treated feed remaining in the adsorption bed during the switch over from the spent adsorption bed to the fresh adsorption bed. In addition, any adsorbed material that desorbs from the spent adsorption bed during the displacement step of regeneration would be adsorbed onto the trim bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
  • Publication number: 20180179124
    Abstract: Processes using mid-column reboilers in at least one benzene separation columns to reduce the heat duty in alkylation processes are provided. The feed to the aromatics removal zone may exchange heat in a mid-column reboiler in the benzene separation column in the alkylbenzene separation zone followed by exchanging heat in a mid-column reboiler in the benzene separation column in the aromatics removal zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Nathan Siedler, Charles P. Luebke, Cynthia K. Zimmerman, Jacques Meunier, Leopoldo R. Alcázar