Patents by Inventor François Hugues

François Hugues 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: 6700030
    Abstract: A process for converting hydrocarbons in the presence of a catalyst is described that is carried out in a three-phase reactor in which the liquid Peclet number is in the range 0 (excluded) to about 10, with a superficial gas velocity Ug that is preferably less than 35 cm.s−1, to encourage gas transfer into the liquid phase and avoid too much attrition of the catalyst grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Schweitzer, Pierre Galtier, Francois Hugues, Cristina Maretto
  • Publication number: 20030214772
    Abstract: A circuit (200) for protection against voltage or current spikes receives an initial clock signal (CI) and transmits at least one resultant clock signal (CN1, CN2, CP1, CP2) to a downstream circuit. This resultant clock signal is inactive if a random voltage or current spike appears upstream. This averts the possibility of disturbing the operation of the downstream circuit. Application to the protection of clock circuits for integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS SA
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Hugues, Philippe Roche, Richard Ferrant
  • Patent number: 6646173
    Abstract: A process is described for carrying out olefin oligomerisation in two catalysis steps of different types, using an organic feed containing at least one olefin. The cut to be treated, containing at least one olefin (Cn), is introduced into a first reaction zone where, in a first step, it undergoes catalytic oligomerisation either of the homogeneous liquid phase type, or of the heterogeneous type with a solid support. The effluent produced is generally sent to a heat exchanger traversed by a cold liquid, the effluent thus being cooled before being sent to a second reaction zone where it undergoes catalytic oligomerisation in a liquid—liquid two-phase medium, the invention being characterized in that at least an ethylenic hydrocarbon containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms per molecule is added to the inlet to the second reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, Alain Forestiere, François Hugues, Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou
  • Patent number: 6630112
    Abstract: A process for carrying out a reaction on an organic feed, for example dimerization, co-dimerization, oligomerization or metathesis of olefins, as described in which the catalyst is a catalytic metal compound dissolved in a non-aqueous ionic medium which is not or is only slightly miscible with hydrocarbons. The reaction is carried out in a system comprising at least two treatment loops each comprising at least one reaction zone and at least one zone for separating the organic and polar phases between which the polar medium containing the catalytic metal compound, and the organic phase circulate. Fresh polar phase is injected into the second loop and used polar phase is eliminated from the first loop. The hydrocarbon to be transformed is injected into the first loop and the products are withdrawn from the second loop. The invention also concerns a unit for carrying out the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Institut Français du Pétrole
    Inventors: Helene Olivier, Dominique Commereuc, Alain Forestiere, Francois Hugues
  • Patent number: 6624338
    Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst and a process for metathesis of olefinic C4 cuts. The catalyst contains rhenium, caesium and delta alumina. The preferred catalyst contains at least one rhenium compound deposited on a support principally composed of alumina, treated at a temperature of more than 750° C., and modified by at least one caesium compound. Thus the duration of the cycle between two regeneration operations is substantially increased. Application to a process for the production of propylene from an olefinic C4 cut in three steps: selective hydrogenation of butadiene with isomerisation of 1-butene to 2-butene, separation by distillation of the major portion of the isobutene, and metathesis of the cut rich in 2-butene with ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, François Hugues, Lucien Saussine
  • Publication number: 20030109590
    Abstract: A process for synthesising hydrocarbons by reacting a mixture comprising at least carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst is carried out in a three-phase reactor in which the liquid Peclet number is in the range 0 (excluded) to about 10, with a superficial gas velocity Ug that is preferably less than 35 cm.s−1, to encourage gas transfer into the liquid phase and avoid too much attrition of the catalyst grains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Schweitzer, Pierre Galtier, Francois Hugues, Cristina Maretto
  • Publication number: 20030105371
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for converting hydrocarbons in the presence of a catalyst carried out in a three-phase reactor and wherein the liquid Peclet number ranges between 0 (excluded) and about 10, and the gas surface speed Ug is preferably less than 35 sm.s−1, so as to promote the transfer, of gas into the liquid phase and avoid too much attrition of the catalyst grains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Schweitzer, Pierre Galtier, Francois Hugues, Cristina Maretto
  • Patent number: 6476643
    Abstract: A micro-pipeline type asynchronous circuit and a method for detecting and correcting soft error. The asynchronous circuit records in a first recording unit a signal output by a calculation unit and then records in a second recording unit the same signal delayed by at least the duration of the pulse of a soft error. The recorded signals then are compared in a comparer circuit. If they are identical, no soft error has been detected and the output signal is recorded after another delay that is longer than the pulse duration of the soft error, and a request signal is transmitted to a control unit of a next logic stage with a delay twice as long as the pulse duration of a soft error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Hugues, Pascal Vivet
  • Publication number: 20020143222
    Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst and a process for metathesis of olefinic C4 cuts. The catalyst contains rhenium, caesium and delta alumina. The preferred catalyst contains at least one rhenium compound deposited on a support principally composed of alumina, treated at a temperature of more than 750° C., and modified by at least one caesium compound. Thus the duration of the cycle between two regeneration operations is substantially increased. Application to a process for the production of propylene from an olefinic C4 cut in three steps: selective hydrogenation of butadiene with isomerisation of 1-butene to 2-butene, separation by distillation of the major portion of the isobutene, and metathesis of the cut rich in 2-butene with ethylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: INSTITUT FRANCAIS DU PETROLE
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, Francois Hugues, Lucien Saussine
  • Publication number: 20020052537
    Abstract: A process is described for carrying out olefin oligomerisation in two catalysis steps of different types, using an organic feed containing at least one olefin. The cut to be treated, containing at least one olefin (Cn), is introduced into a first reaction zone where, in a first step, it undergoes catalytic oligomerisation either of the homogeneous liquid phase type, or of the heterogeneous type with a solid support. The effluent produced is generally sent to a heat exchanger traversed by a cold liquid, the effluent thus being cooled before being sent to a second reaction zone where it undergoes catalytic oligomerisation in a liquid-liquid two-phase medium, the invention being characterized in that at least an ethylenic hydrocarbon containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms per molecule is added to the inlet to the second reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, Alain Forestiere, Francois Hugues, Helene Olivier-Bourbigou
  • Publication number: 20020043989
    Abstract: A micro-pipeline type asynchronous circuit and a method for detecting and correcting soft error. The asynchronous circuit records in a first recording unit a signal output by a calculation unit and then records in a second recording unit the same signal delayed by at least the duration of the pulse of a soft error. The recorded signals then are compared in a comparer circuit. If they are identical, no soft error has been detected and the output signal is recorded after another delay that is longer than the pulse duration of the soft error, and a request signal is transmitted to a control unit of a next logic stage with a delay twice as long as the pulse duration of a soft error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Hugues, Pascal Vivet
  • Patent number: 6284937
    Abstract: A process for carrying out a reaction on an organic feed, for example dimerization, co-dimerization, oligomerization or metathesis of olefins, as described in which the catalyst is a catalytic metal compound dissolved in a non-aqueous ionic medium which is not or is only slightly miscible with hydrocarbons. The reaction is carried out in a system comprising at least two treatment loops each comprising at least one reaction zone and at least one zone for separating the organic and polar phases between which the polar medium containing the catalytic metal compound, and the organic phase circulate. Fresh polar phase is injected into the second loop and used polar phase is eliminated from the first loop. The hydrocarbon to be transformed is injected into the first loop and the products are withdrawn from the second loop. The invention also concerns a unit for carrying out the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Helene Olivier, Dominique Commereuc, Alain Forestiere, Francois Hugues
  • Patent number: 6281402
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuous metathesis or disproportionation of olefins, comprising at least 2 phases, a reaction phase a) carried out in a zone comprising at least one reactor containing at least one fixed bed of catalyst and a regeneration phase b) carried out in a zone comprising at least one reactor containing at least one fixed bed of catalyst, characterized in that at least one reactor passes from one phase to the other in alternation. In FIG. 1, the feed containing olefins traverses reactor R1 in riser mode. The feed to be treated containing olefins is introduced into reactor R1 via line 1a. In this reactor, the olefins contained in the feed undergo metathesis or disproportionation, then the effluent leaves the circuit via line 11. Simultaneously, reactor R2 is placed in catalyst regeneration phase, the different regeneration gases are introduced into reactor R2 via line 2b and leave this reactor via line 2c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Vincent Coupard, François Hugues, Dominique Commereuc, Béatrice Fischer, Pierre Boucot, Alain Forestiere
  • Patent number: 6277781
    Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst and a process for metathesis of olefinic C4 cuts. The catalyst contains rhenium, cesium and delta alumina. The preferred catalyst contains at least one rhenium compound deposited on a support principally composed of alumina, treated at a temperature of more than 750° C., and modified by at least one cesium compound. With the use of the catalyst, the duration of the cycle between two regeneration operations can be substantially increased. The catalyst is suitable for use in a process for production of propylene from an olefinic C4 cut in three steps: (1) selective hydrogenation of butadiene with isomerisation of 1-butene to 2-butene, (2) separation by distillation of the major portion of the isobutene, and (3) metathesis of the cut rich in 2-butene with ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, François Hugues, Lucien Saussine
  • Publication number: 20010005494
    Abstract: A process for carrying out a reaction on an organic feed (for example dimerisation, co-dimerisation, oligomerisation or metathesis of olefins) is described in which the catalyst is a catalytic metal compound dissolved in a non-aqueous ionic medium which is not or is only slightly miscible with hydrocarbons. The reaction is carried out in a system comprising at least two treatment loops each comprising at least one reaction zone and at least one zone for separating the organic and polar phases between which the polar medium containing the catalytic metal compound, and the organic phase circulate, in a counter-current, Fresh polar phase is injected into the second loop and used polar phase is eliminated from the first loop. The hydrocarbon to be transformed is injected into the first loop and the products are withdrawn from the second loop. The invention also concerns a unit for carrying out the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: Institut Francais Du Petrole
    Inventors: Helene Olivier, Dominique Commereuc, Alain Forestiere, Francois Hugues
  • Patent number: 6242662
    Abstract: For obtaining butene-1 from butene-2, a charge containing at least one of the isomers of butene-2 is introduced into a distillation zone linked to a hydro-isomerization zone. Part of the effluent from the bottom of the distillation column is removed from the distillation zone, heated in a heat exchanger and passed into an external hydro-isomerization zone. The hydro-isomerization effluent is removed from the hydro-isomerization zone, cooled in a heat exchanger, and then reintroduced into the distillation zone. Effluent containing butene-1 is withdrawn from the top of the column of the distillation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Dorbon, François Hugues, Jean-Charles Viltard, Blaise Didillon, Alain Forestiere
  • Patent number: 6235956
    Abstract: An acetal, wherein the acetal is 2,2-di(tetrahydrofurfuryloxy)propane as well as processed for producing the acetal and methods of using the acetal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: François Hugues, Alain Forestiere, Lucien Saussine, Dominique Commereuc
  • Patent number: 6235958
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for converting olefinic C5 cuts by metathesis using an improved catalyst containing rhenium, cesium, and delta alumina. The preferred catalysts contains at least one rhenium compound deposited on a support principally composed of alumina, treated at a temperature of more than 750° C., and modified by at least one cesium compound. Thus the duration of the cycle between two regeneration operations is substantially increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, François Hugues, Lucien Saussine
  • Patent number: 6221986
    Abstract: A process for producing light alpha olefins by ethylene oligomerisation in contact with a catalyst produced by mixing a zirconium compound with an organic compound selected from the group formed by acetals and ketals, with an aluminum hydrocarbyl compound selected from the group formed by chlorine-containing or bromine-containing aluminum hydrocarbyl compounds and with an aluminum hydrocarbyl compound selected from tris-(hydrocarbyl)-aluminum compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Dominique Commereuc, Serge Boivineau, François Hugues, Lucien Saussine
  • Patent number: 6203712
    Abstract: A process for separating at least two liquid phases which are at least partially non miscible is characterized in that after reacting, a polyphase effluent is settled in at least two distinct settling zones arranged in parallel, each of these settling zones containing at least one settler. The feed to be treated is sent to reactor R via a means for circulating fluids P via line 1. The effluent leaves the reactor via line 2 and is separated into two fractions. One fraction is sent to a settling zone a) via line 3; the other fraction is sent to a settling zone b) via line 4. The heavy phase from settling zone a) is sent to the reactor via line 7 and the heavy phase of the settling zone b) is sent to the reactor via line 6. The light phase from settling zone a) is sent to line 8, and rejoins fresh feed supply line 1. The light phase from settling zone b) is evacuated from the circuit via line 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Charles Bronner, Alain Forestiere, François Hugues