Patents by Inventor David A. Wegerer

David A. Wegerer 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: 20100132254
    Abstract: Systems and processes for dehydration of a process stream in the production of motor fuel grade ethanol (MFGE) can include temperature controlled adsorption of water in the process stream, and heat pumping of the associated heat of adsorption. The process can include providing a process stream (110) including ethanol and water to a first temperature controlled adsorber (102) where water is removed by adsorption to produce an MFGE product stream (114) and an associated heat of adsorption. A cooling fluid can be provided to the first temperature controlled adsorber (102) to remove heat of adsorption and produce a heated cooling fluid (120). Heat from the heated cooling fluid can be provided to a heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, Stephen R. Dunne
  • Publication number: 20100132548
    Abstract: A process for dehydration of a water rich stream, the process comprising providing a process stream to a first temperature controlled adsorber that is undergoing adsorption, where the first temperature controlled adsorber has one or more adsorption flow passages containing an adsorptive material coating and one or more heat transfer flow passages and producing a dehydrated effluent stream. The process stream is passed through the one or more adsorption flow passages, where water is adsorbed by the adsorptive material coating, and a heat of adsorption is generated. The heat of adsorption is removed by passing a cooling fluid through the one or more heat transfer flow passages. The process stream can be a process stream for producing motor fuel grade ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Stephen R. Dunne, David A. Wegerer
  • Publication number: 20100137657
    Abstract: Systems and processes for dehydration of a process stream in the production of motor fuel grade ethanol (MFGE) can include temperature controlled adsorption of water in the process stream, and heat pumping to transfer heat from the process stream to a heat sink using one or more stages of heat pumping. One stage of heat pumping can be achieved during the regeneration process of a temperature controlled adsorber by desorbing the adsorbed water at a thermal condition enabling useful heat recovery. Another stage of heat pumping can be achieved during the adsorption process of a temperature controlled adsorber by transferring the heat of water adsorption to a heat sink. The heat sink with respect to each stage of heat pumping can be a solids separation unit, such as a beer column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, Stephen R. Dunne
  • Publication number: 20100101930
    Abstract: A process for reducing the energy consumption of a distillation column is disclosed. The process includes drawing off an intermediate vapor stream from the rectification section of the distillation column. The vapor stream is compressed and the heat in the vapor stream is exchanged with a portion of the liquid bottoms stream. The heat transfer condenses a portion of the vapor stream, while vaporizing the liquid bottoms stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Paul A. Sechrist, David A. Wegerer
  • Publication number: 20100101273
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the energy consumption of a distillation column is disclosed. The apparatus draws off an intermediate vapor stream from the rectification section of the distillation column, where the vapor stream is compressed and used to reboil a portion of the bottoms stream. The compressed vapor stream transfers energy to the bottoms stream, thereby condensing a portion of the vapor stream while vaporizing the bottoms stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Paul A. Sechrist, David A. Wegerer
  • Patent number: 7687674
    Abstract: Recent experimental work with currently available adsorbents indicates that operating the adsorption section at lower temperatures improves the para-xylene productivity. As a result, an aromatics complex and heat recovery network for a low temperature adsorptive separation-isomerization loop is disclosed resulting in adsorbents savings in combination with higher capacity thereby enabling smaller adsorbents chambers, a smaller total heat exchanger area and a lower heat exchanger shell count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: David A. Wegerer
  • Publication number: 20090120780
    Abstract: A splitter system is disclosed that produces a product stream from a mixed stream of two materials with similar boiling points. A multi-stage heat pump compressor is used in combination with a bottoms reboiler and an intermediate reboiler resulting in reduced utility consumption. The appropriately placed intermediate reboiler enables use of a lower temperature heat source relative to the bottoms reboiler heat source. As a result, a lower pressure overhead vapor stream can be used to deliver heat to both the intermediate and bottoms reboilers, thereby conserving energy. The first stage of the multi-stage heat pump compressor delivers pressurized overhead vapor to the intermediate reboiler and the second stage provides pressurized overhead vapor to the bottoms reboiler. The disclosed design and method lessens the heat pump compressor power consumption and trim condenser duty for a propylene/propane splitter system by over 20%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, Paul A. Sechrist
  • Publication number: 20090099398
    Abstract: A process is presented for the production of light olefins from a paraffin stream comprising pentanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: David A Wegerer, Stephen M. Casey
  • Publication number: 20090030251
    Abstract: A process for producing a feedstock for gasolines having very little aromatic concentrations is disclosed. The present process uses by-product olefins and alkanes to produce an alkylate for use in gasoline blending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, David A. Wegerer, Gavin P. Towler
  • Publication number: 20080161626
    Abstract: Recent experimental work with currently available adsorbents indicates that operating the adsorption section at lower temperatures improves the para-xylene productivity. As a result, an aromatics complex and heat recovery network for a low temperature adsorptive separation-isomerization loop is disclosed resulting in adsorbents savings in combination with higher capacity thereby enabling smaller adsorbents chambers, a smaller total heat exchanger area and a lower heat exchanger shell count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: David A. Wegerer
  • Publication number: 20080078692
    Abstract: Processing schemes and arrangements are provided for the processing a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock via hydrocarbon cracking processing with selected hydrocarbon fractions being obtained via absorption-based product recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, Micheal A. Schultz
  • Publication number: 20080081938
    Abstract: Processing schemes and arrangements for the amine treatment of high olefin content (e.g., ethylene-rich) carbon dioxide-containing streams such as for the effective separation and removal of carbon dioxide therefrom are provided. Corresponding or associated processing schemes and arrangements for the catalytic cracking of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and obtaining light olefins substantially free of carbon dioxide via absorption-based product recovery are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Michael A. Schultz, Gavin P. Towler, David A. Wegerer, John P. Brady, William J. Lechnick
  • Patent number: 5597537
    Abstract: An FCC process mixes spent and regenerated catalyst to obtain thermal equilibrium of a blended catalyst stream before contacting feed with the blended catalyst stream. The spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator catalyst may be mixed in a blending vessel located at the bottom of an FCC riser that can also serve as a hot catalyst stripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, David A. Lomas
  • Patent number: 5462652
    Abstract: A short contact time FCC process raises the coke level of the spent catalyst to improve regeneration zone kinetics and to decrease the total solids circulation through the unit by passing spent catalyst from the reaction zone back to a blending vessel. The blending vessel supplies a mixture of spent and fully regenerated catalyst to the reaction zone. The invention may also preferentially recover lightly coked catalyst by segregating catalyst from a separation device for recycle to the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventor: David A. Wegerer
  • Patent number: 5455010
    Abstract: An FCC process decouples the circulation of catalyst on the regeneration side of the process from the circulation of catalyst on the reactor side of the FCC process by mixing the spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator side of the process in a common blending vessel that receives all of the spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator. The blending vessel supplies blended catalyst to raise the solids to oil ratio on the reaction side of the process and regulate catalyst temperatures on the reaction and the regeneration sides of the process. The blending vessel can also retain the majority of the catalyst inventory for both the reactor and regenerator sides of the process. Moreover, by the introduction of a stripping gas into the blending vessel it operates as a hot stripper to remove additional hydrocarbons from the blended catalyst that enters the regeneration zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: David A. Lomas, David A. Wegerer
  • Patent number: 5451313
    Abstract: An FCC process mixes spent and regenerated catalyst to obtain thermal equilibrium of a blended catalyst stream before contacting feed with the blended catalyst stream. The spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator catalyst may be mixed in a blending vessel located at the bottom of an FCC riser that can also serve as a hot catalyst stripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: David A. Wegerer, David A. Lomas
  • Patent number: 5346613
    Abstract: An FCC process decouples the circulation of catalyst on the regeneration side of the process from the circulation of catalyst on the reactor side of the FCC process by mixing the spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator side of the process in a common blending vessel that receives all of the spent and regenerated catalyst from the reactor and regenerator. The blending vessel supplies blended catalyst to raise the solids to oil ratio on the reaction side of the process and regulate catalyst temperatures on the reaction and the regeneration sides of the process. The blending vessel can also retain the majority of the catalyst inventory for both the reactor and regenerator sides of the process. Moreover, by the introduction of a stripping gas into the blending vessel it operates as a hot stripper to remove additional hydrocarbons from the blended catalyst that enters the regeneration zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: David A. Lomas, David A. Wegerer
  • Patent number: 5283373
    Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses a separation zone that receives an effluent stream from the etherification reaction zone and separates it into a high boiling stream, a low boiling stream and an intermediate boiling stream in order to reduce the mass flow of reactants through the isomerization and etherification reaction zones. The separation zone includes at least one distillation column. The distillation column can provide a distillation function only, or can also provide a reactive distillation zone. The intermediate boiling stream leaves a two column separation zone as a bottoms stream from a second column or in a single column separation zone as a sidecut which in the case of reactive distillation is taken from the point above a bed of catalyst within the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Bipin V. Vora, David A. Wegerer, Joseph E. Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5273644
    Abstract: The invention is a lower cost combined reforming-benzene alkylation process. The unstabilized liquid product recovered from the reforming reaction zone is not stabilized by passage into a stripping column for the removal of C.sub.4 -minus hydrocarbons but is instead split into light and heavy fractions, with the light, benzene-containing fraction being passed directly into an alkylation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventor: David A. Wegerer
  • Patent number: 5210327
    Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses a separation zone that receives an effluent stream from the etherification reaction zone and separates it into a high boiling stream, a low boiling stream and an intermediate boiling stream in order to reduce the mass flow of reactants through the isomerization and etherification reaction zones. The separation zone normally has an arrangement of a distillation column. The distillation column can provide a distillation function only, or can also provide a reactive distillation zone. The intermediate boiling stream typically leaves the column as a sidecut which in the case of reactive distillation is taken from the point above a bed of catalyst within the column. Taking the sidecut stream substantially eliminates the circulation of isoalkane hydrocarbons through the etherification and isomerization zone and maintains normal alkanes at an acceptable equilibrium level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Charles P. Luebke, Bipin V. Vora, David A. Wegerer, Joseph E. Zimmermann, Kevin C. Buck