Patents by Inventor Donn Michael Herron
Donn 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).
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Publication number: 20240125550Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering at least argon from a feed gas that can provide an improved recovery of argon as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that the improved argon recovery can also be obtained with improved condenser operation for an argon column without requiring an increase in power for the recovery of the argon. Some embodiments can utilize a reboiler positioned near or at the bottom of argon recovery column to increase boil-up therein and/or provide added heat duty to drive a condenser of the argon recovery column to provide improved argon recovery.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2022Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Jay A. Thakkar, Donn Michael Herron, Qiao Zhao
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Publication number: 20240035743Abstract: 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 provide an improved recovery of argon and/or nitrogen as well as an improvement in operational efficiency. Some embodiments can be adapted so that at least a portion of a mixed nitrogen-oxygen fluid is at least partially vaporized and fed to a low pressure column.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2022Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: DONN MICHAEL HERRON, QIAO ZHAO
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Publication number: 20230233986Abstract: A process for separating carbon dioxide from a feed gas comprising carbon dioxide may comprise compressing the feed gas in a feed gas compressor to produce a compressed feed gas. The process may also comprise separating the compressed feed gas by an adsorption process comprising: using a plurality of adsorbent beds to produce a carbon dioxide-enriched product stream and a carbon dioxide-depleted stream, and a blowdown step. A blowdown gas may be removed from the adsorbent bed. The process may also comprise compressing the blowdown gas in the feed gas compressor and combining the blowdown gas with the compressed feed gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2022Publication date: July 27, 2023Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Mozhgan Alimohammadi Zanjani, David Ross Graham, Donald E. Henry, Donn Michael Herron, Roger Anthony Dewing
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Patent number: 11460246Abstract: Xenon and/or krypton is separated from a liquid oxygen stream comprising oxygen and xenon and/or krypton in a process comprising providing at least a portion of the liquid oxygen stream as a reflux liquid to the top of a rare gas recovery column operated at a pressure of between 5 to 25 bara, vaporizing a reboiler liquid in the reboiling zone in the bottom of the rare gas recovery column to produce a mixture of a rising vapor and a xenon and/or krypton-enriched liquid stream; and contacting the rising vapor with the reflux liquid in at least one distillation zone of the column to effect stripping xenon and/or krypton from the rising vapor to the reflux liquid. The process provides a recovery of xenon of greater than 90% and a krypton recovery of 15% to 90%.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Xukun Luo, Alan D. Berger, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20210285719Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus can be configured so that there is at least one “U” or “C” shape configured manifold in combination with at least one “Z” or “S” shape configured manifold for the heat exchanger apparatus for the input and output of fluid into and out of the heat exchangers of the heat exchanger apparatus. In some embodiments, downstream and/or upstream lines can be connected to the manifolds at a center or off-center point for conveying inlet fluid and outlet fluid. A method of retrofitting a pre-existing plant, building a new plant, or designing a new plant that utilizes an embodiment of the heat exchanger apparatus can help provide an improved heat exchanger arrangement without significantly increasing the footprint needed for the arrangement so that a plant can be improved with an embodiment of the apparatus without requiring an enlarged footprint for the plant.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Fang Xu, Xukun Luo, Douglas Paul Dee, Donn Michael Herron, William T. Kleinberg
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Patent number: 11054182Abstract: Process and apparatus for the separation of a compressed feed air stream to produce an oxygen product using a distillation column having a lower-pressure column and a higher-pressure column, a higher-pressure heat exchanger and a lower-pressure heat exchanger where the gaseous nitrogen expander receives a nitrogen-enriched fraction from a position intermediate the warmer end and the colder end of the higher-pressure heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Qiao Zhao, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20210190422Abstract: Xenon and/or krypton is separated from a liquid oxygen stream comprising oxygen and xenon and/or krypton in a process comprising providing at least a portion of the liquid oxygen stream as a reflux liquid to the top of a rare gas recovery column operated at a pressure of between 5 to 25 bara, vaporizing a reboiler liquid in the reboiling zone in the bottom of the rare gas recovery column to produce a mixture of a rising vapor and a xenon and/or krypton-enriched liquid stream; and contacting the rising vapor with the reflux liquid in at least one distillation zone of the column to effect stripping xenon and/or krypton from the rising vapor to the reflux liquid. The process provides a recovery of xenon of greater than 90% and a krypton recovery of 15% to 90%.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Xukun Luo, Alan D. Berger, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20190368811Abstract: Process and apparatus for the separation of a compressed feed air stream to produce an oxygen product using a distillation column having a lower-pressure column and a higher-pressure column, a higher-pressure heat exchanger and a lower-pressure heat exchanger where the gaseous nitrogen expander receives a nitrogen-enriched fraction from a position intermediate the warmer end and the colder end of the higher-pressure heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Qiao Zhao, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20190226765Abstract: Plate-fin heat exchanger with mitered distributor design for improved fluid flow distribution through the plate-fin heat exchanger resulting in improved heat exchanger efficiency. Sections of the distributor have different fin types that provide improved distribution of the fluid through the heat exchanger. The fin types for the different sections of the distributor are selected based on a friction factor parameter ratio and a j-factor parameter ratio for the different fin types.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2018Publication date: July 25, 2019Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Fang Xu, Donn Michael Herron
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Patent number: 9708188Abstract: Methods and systems for purifying argon from a crude argon stream are disclosed, employing pressure swing adsorption at cold temperatures from ?186° C. to ?20° C.; more preferably from ?150° C. to ?50° C.; and most preferably from ?130° C. to ?80° C. with oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent. In some embodiments, the oxygen-selective zeolite adsorbent is a 4A zeolite, a chabazite, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Shubhra Jyoti Bhadra, Roger Dean Whitley, Garret Chi-Ho Lau, David Ross Graham, Donn Michael Herron, Qiao Zhao, Erin Marie Sorensen
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Patent number: 9630123Abstract: An apparatus for distributing a flow of a liquid descending in an inner space of a packed column includes: a collector to collect the flow of the liquid; a mixer below and vertically spaced apart from the collector to receive and mix the liquid collected; a first conduit to receive and transmit at least part of the liquid from a first sector of the collector to a first zone of the mixer; and a second conduit to receive and transmit at least part of the liquid from a second sector of the collector to a second zone of the mixer. A geometric center of the first sector of the collector is positioned circumferentially away from a geometric center of the first zone of the mixer and/or a geometric center of the collector's second sector is positioned circumferentially away from a geometric center of the mixer's second zone.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Swaminathan Sunder, Donn Michael Herron, Patrick Alan Houghton
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Patent number: 8601833Abstract: An air stream is compressed in multiple stages using refrigeration derived from a refrigerant comprising natural gas for inter-stage cooling. The possibility of natural gas leaking into the air stream is reduced by use of an intermediate cooling medium (“ICM”) to transfer the refrigeration from the refrigerant to the inter-stage air stream. The compressed air stream can be fed to a cryogenic air separation unit that includes an LNG-based liquefier unit from which a cold natural gas stream is withdrawn for use as said refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2007Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Paul Dee, Donn Michael Herron, Jung Soo Choe
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Publication number: 20130153037Abstract: An apparatus for distributing a flow of a liquid descending in an inner space of a packed column includes: a collector to collect the flow of the liquid; a mixer below and vertically spaced apart from the collector to receive and mix the liquid collected; a first conduit to receive and transmit at least part of the liquid from a first sector of the collector to a first zone of the mixer; and a second conduit to receive and transmit at least part of the liquid from a second sector of the collector to a second zone of the mixer. A geometric center of the first sector of the collector is positioned circumferentially away from a geometric center of the first zone of the mixer and/or a geometric center of the collector's second sector is positioned circumferentially away from a geometric center of the mixer's second zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Swaminathan Sunder, Donn Michael Herron, Patrick Alan Houghton
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Patent number: 8132411Abstract: A method and system for generating power in a vaporization of liquid natural gas process, the method comprising pressurizing a working fluid; heating and vaporizing the working fluid; expanding the working fluid in one or more expanders for the generation of power, the working fluid comprises: 2-11 mol % nitrogen, methane, a third component whose boiling point is greater than or equal to that of propane, and a fourth component comprising ethane or ethylene; cooling the working fluid such that the working fluid is at least substantially condensed; and recycling the working fluid, wherein the cooling of the working fluid occurs through indirect heat exchange with a pressurized liquefied natural gas stream in a heat exchanger, and wherein the flow rate of the working fluid at an inlet of the heat exchanger is equal to the flow rate of the working fluid at an outlet of the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Jianguo Xu, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20110308275Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system. The method and system involve compressing an atmospheric gas stream to form a supercritical atmospheric gas stream, forming at least a first stream from the supercritical atmospheric gas stream, directing the first stream to a regenerator for cooling to form a first cooled stream, directing the first cooled stream from the regenerator, expanding the first cooled stream to form a liquefied atmospheric gas stream, storing at least a portion of the liquefied atmospheric gas stream, pressurizing at least a portion of the stored portion of the liquefied atmospheric gas stream, and heating at least a portion of a pressurized liquefied atmospheric gas stream in the regenerator. In the method and system, refrigeration below the critical temperature of the atmospheric gas is directly or indirectly provided to at least one portion of the system from a non-combustible source.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2010Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.Inventors: Jianguo XU, Robert VERO, Donn Michael HERRON, Paul Joseph PERSICO, Ronald Martin PEARLSTEIN, John Frederick CIRUCCI, Paul HIGGINBOTHAM
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Patent number: 7712331Abstract: A system is set forth to increase the capacity of an LNG-based liquefier in a cryogenic air separation unit wherein, in a low production mode, the nitrogen that is fed to the LNG-based liquefier consists only of at least a portion of the high pressure nitrogen from the distillation column system while in a high production mode, a supplemental compressor is used to boost the pressure of at least a portion of the low pressure nitrogen from the distillation column system to create additional (or replacement) feed to the LNG-based liquefier. A key to the present invention is the supplemental compressor and the associated heat exchange equipment is separate and distinct from the LNG-based liquefier. This allows its purchase to be delayed until a capacity increase is actually needed and thus avoid building an oversized liquefier based on a speculative increase in liquid product demand.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2006Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Paul Dee, Jung Soo Choe, Donn Michael Herron
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Publication number: 20100107634Abstract: A method and system for generating power in a vaporization of liquid natural gas process, the method comprising pressurizing a working fluid; heating and vaporizing the working fluid; expanding the working fluid in one or more expanders for the generation of power, the working fluid comprises: 2-11 mol % nitrogen, methane, a third component whose boiling point is greater than or equal to that of propane, and a fourth component comprising ethane or ethylene; cooling the working fluid such that the working fluid is at least substantially condensed; and recycling the working fluid, wherein the cooling of the working fluid occurs through indirect heat exchange with a pressurized liquefied natural gas stream in a heat exchanger, and wherein the flow rate of the working fluid at an inlet of the heat exchanger is equal to the flow rate of the working fluid at an outlet of the heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Jianguo Xu, Donn Michael Herron
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Patent number: 7552599Abstract: A cryogenic air separation process is set forth wherein, in order to provide the refrigeration necessary when at least a portion of the oxygen product is desired as liquid oxygen, LNG-derived refrigeration is used to liquefy a nitrogen stream in the process. A key to the present invention is that, instead of feeding the liquefied nitrogen to the distillation column, the liquefied nitrogen is heat exchanged against the air feed to the distillation column system.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2006Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Donn Michael Herron, Jung Soo Choe, Douglas Paul Dee
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Publication number: 20090100863Abstract: An air stream is compressed in multiple stages using refrigeration derived from a refrigerant comprising natural gas for inter-stage cooling. The possibility of natural gas leaking into the air stream is reduced by use of an intermediate cooling medium (“ICM”) to transfer the refrigeration from the refrigerant to the inter-stage air stream. The compressed air stream can be fed to a cryogenic air separation unit that includes an LNG-based liquefier unit from which a cold natural gas stream is withdrawn for use as said refrigerant.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2007Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.Inventors: Douglas Paul Dee, Donn Michael Herron, Jung Soo Choe
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Patent number: 7501009Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing high purity argon by combined cryogenic distillation and adsorption technologies is disclosed. Crude argon from a distillation column or a so-called argon column is passed to a system of adsorption vessels for further purification. Depressurization gas from adsorption is introduced back, in a controlled manner, to the distillation column and/or a compressor or other means for increasing pressure. Particulate filtration and getter purification may optionally be used.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2006Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: David Ross Graham, Justin David Bukowski, Jung Soo Choe, Donn Michael Herron, Sang Kook Lee