Patents by Inventor D. Michael Herron

D. Michael Herron 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: 11512897
    Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can include utilization of a compression system, primary heat exchanger unit, plant processing units to separate and recover at least one desired fluid (e.g. nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc.). In some embodiments, the process can be configured so that fluid flows output from a low pressure column and/or high pressure column of the plant can provide a condensation duty or refrigeration duty that is utilized to process certain fluid flows for recovery of argon and/or nitrogen gases. Some embodiments can be configured to provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency by reducing an amount of power (e.g. electrical power) needed to recover the nitrogen and/or argon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Michael Herron, Alan D. Berger
  • Publication number: 20220221221
    Abstract: A process for recovering at least one fluid (e.g. argon gas and/or nitrogen gas, etc.) from a feed gas (e.g. air) can include utilization of a compression system, primary heat exchanger unit, plant processing units to separate and recover at least one desired fluid (e.g. nitrogen gas, argon gas, etc.). In some embodiments, the process can be configured so that fluid flows output from a low pressure column and/or high pressure column of the plant can provide a condensation duty or refrigeration duty that is utilized to process certain fluid flows for recovery of argon and/or nitrogen gases. Some embodiments can be configured to provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency by reducing an amount of power (e.g. electrical power) needed to recover the nitrogen and/or argon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: D. MICHAEL HERRON, ALAN D. BERGER
  • Patent number: 4970867
    Abstract: A process for the liquefaction of natural gas is disclosed wherein expansion valves for low-level multicomponent refrigerant and liquefied gas product streams are replaced with process-loaded turboexpanders having liquid inlet streams. Each turboexpander is coupled with a compressor or pump so that expansion work extracted from a given stream is used directly to compress or pump the stream prior to cooling and expansion. The use of process-loaded turboexpanders reduces the minimum work of liquefaction and increases the liquefaction capacity of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Michael Herron, Nirmal Chatterjee