Patents by Inventor Dennis P. Bernhard

Dennis P. Bernhard 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: 5596883
    Abstract: Light components are stripped from a multicomponent liquid feed mixture in a core type plate-fin heat exchanger by heating and partially vaporizing the mixture during downward flow in one of a plurality of multichannel flow passageways in the exchanger. The vapor thus formed flows upward and promotes vaporization of dissolved light components from the liquid to yield a liquid product substantially free of lighter components. The passageways are disposed in indirect heat exchange with one or more additional groups of passageways, and heat for partial vaporization of the downward-flowing liquid feed mixture is provided by indirect heat exchange with a condensing process stream. Alternatively, this heat is provided by a bottoms stream recovered from distillation of the stripped liquid product withdrawn from the core type plate-fin heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis P. Bernhard, Howard C. Rowles, Ramanathan R. Tarakad, John D. Bassett
  • Patent number: 5287703
    Abstract: A process for cooling, phase separating, rectifying and stripping a hydrocarbon containing feed gas stream to recover a heavy hydrocarbon product wherein a predominant amount of the refrigeration for the process is provided from a single loop vapor recompression refrigerator employing a mixed refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis P. Bernhard, Michael H. Evans, Richard P. Freeman, Howard C. Rowles
  • Patent number: 4720293
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the recovery of ethylene from a feed gas containing ethane, methane and other light gases, e.g. cracked gas or refinery off-gases, wherein ethylene is condensed in two stages, preferably rectified, and fed to an integrated demethanizer column. Refrigeration for the process is provided by an integrated combination of work expansion of rejected light gases, by vaporization of separated ethane at low partial pressure but high total pressure, and by a mixed refrigerant system. The process results in the separation and purification of ethylene from the feed gas stream while significantly reducing the energy consumption to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard C. Rowles, Kimberly S. Grassi, Dennis P. Bernhard
  • Patent number: 4519825
    Abstract: A process is described for separating C.sub.4 + hydrocarbons in high recovery and high purity from a feed gas comprising about 0-5% C.sub.5 and heavier hydrocarbons, 1-10% C.sub.4 hydrocarbons, 0-10% C.sub.3 hydrocarbons, 0-10% C.sub.2 hydrocarbons and the balance CH.sub.4 and light inerts. Efficient separation is effected by using a dephlegmator cycle employing only internal refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1985
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis P. Bernhard, Howard C. Rowles, Robert L. Teichman