Patents by Inventor Douglas Lee Husen

Douglas Lee Husen 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: 8013192
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing 1,3-alkanediols, such as 1,3-propanediol (PDO), from 3-hydroxyaldehydes, such as 3-hydroxypropanal (HPA), comprising providing a mixture of 3-hydroxyaldehydes in an organic solvent; extracting into an aqueous liquid a major portion of the 3-hydroxyaldehydes to provide an aqueous phase comprising 3-hydroxyaldehydes in greater concentration than the concentration of 3-hydroxyaldehydes in the 3-hydroxyaldehyde mixture, and an organic phase; separating the aqueous phase from the organic phase; contacting the aqueous phase with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to provide a hydrogenation product mixture comprising 1,3-alkanediols and water; separating water from the 1,3-alkanediols using a multi-effect evaporation scheme; recycling water containing about 50 wt % or less 1,3-propanediol based upon the total amount of 1,3-propanediol and water to the extraction stage; and recovering 1,3-alkanediols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Douglas Lee Husen, Glenn Charles Komplin, Joseph Broun Powell, Paul Richard Weider
  • Publication number: 20080154071
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing 1,3-alkanediols, such as 1,3-propanediol (PDO), from 3-hydroxyaldehydes, such as 3-hydroxypropanal (HPA), comprising providing a mixture of 3-hydroxyaldehydes in an organic solvent; extracting into an aqueous liquid a major portion of the 3-hydroxyaldehydes to provide an aqueous phase comprising 3-hydroxyaldehydes in greater concentration than the concentration of 3-hydroxyaldehydes in the 3-hydroxyaldehyde mixture, and an organic phase; separating the aqueous phase from the organic phase; contacting the aqueous phase with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to provide a hydrogenation product mixture comprising 1,3-alkanediols and water; separating water from the 1,3-alkanediols using a multi-effect evaporation scheme; recycling water containing about 50 wt % or less 1,3-propanediol based upon the total amount of 1,3-propanediol and water to the extraction stage; and recovering 1,3-alkanediols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Douglas Lee Husen, Glenn Charles Komplin, Joseph Broun Powell, Paul Richard Weider