Patents by Inventor Gary G. Podrebarac

Gary G. Podrebarac 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: 20220153657
    Abstract: A method of converting carbon oxides to olefins is provided. The method can include directing a renewable hydrogen feed stream and a carbon oxide feed stream to a methanation reactor to generate an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) feed stream that includes methane. The OCM feed stream and an oxidant feed stream including oxygen are directed to an OCM reactor containing an OCM catalyst to produce an OCM effluent that includes ethylene. A system for converting carbon oxides to olefins is also provided. The methods and systems produce olefins including ethylene with negative carbon emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: GARY G. PODREBARAC, EDWARD KATENDE, ZAN LIU
  • Patent number: 10974163
    Abstract: A catalytic distillation structure that may include a rigid framework having at least two grids with a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Additionally, each horizontal fluid permeable tubes may have a profile of a six-sided polygon. Further, the catalytic distillation structure may include a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Furthermore, the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Liang Chen, Peter Loezos, Perry Lew, Bryan Tomsula, Willibrord A. Groten, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20200147513
    Abstract: A catalytic distillation structure that may include a rigid framework having at least two grids with a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Additionally, each horizontal fluid permeable tubes may have a profile of a six-sided polygon. Further, the catalytic distillation structure may include a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Furthermore, the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Liang Chen, Peter Loezos, Perry Lew, Bryan Tomsula, Willibrord A. Groten, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 10537826
    Abstract: A catalytic distillation structure that may include a rigid framework having at least two grids with a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Additionally, each horizontal fluid permeable tubes may have a profile of a six-sided polygon. Further, the catalytic distillation structure may include a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Furthermore, the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Liang Chen, Peter Loezos, Perry Lew, Bryan Tomsula, Willibrord A. Groten, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20190314736
    Abstract: A catalytic distillation structure that may include a rigid framework having at least two grids with a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Additionally, each horizontal fluid permeable tubes may have a profile of a six-sided polygon. Further, the catalytic distillation structure may include a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Furthermore, the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Liang Chen, Peter Loezos, Perry Lew, Bryan Tomsula, Willibrord A. Groten, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 10280376
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. A full range cracked naphtha is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the dienes and mercaptans to thioethers and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the dienes. The full range cracked naphtha is fractionated into a light naphtha fraction, a medium naphtha fraction, and a heavy naphtha fraction. The heavy naphtha fraction is hydrodesulfurized. The medium naphtha fraction is mixed with hydrogen and gas oil to form a mixture, which is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a medium naphtha fraction having a reduced sulfur concentration. The light, heavy, and medium naphtha fractions may then be recombined to form a hydrodesulfurized product having a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20170226433
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. A full range cracked naphtha is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the dienes and mercaptans to thioethers and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the dienes. The full range cracked naphtha is fractionated into a light naphtha fraction, a medium naphtha fraction, and a heavy naphtha fraction. The heavy naphtha fraction is hydrodesulfurized. The medium naphtha fraction is mixed with hydrogen and gas oil to form a mixture, which is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a medium naphtha fraction having a reduced sulfur concentration. The light, heavy, and medium naphtha fractions may then be recombined to form a hydrodesulfurized product having a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 9695096
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of linear pentenes to propylene is disclosed. The process may include feeding hydrogen and a C5-olefin containing stream comprising linear pentenes, dienes, acetylenes, and cyclopentene to a catalytic distillation reactor system. Concurrently in the catalytic distillation reactor system, the acetylenes and dienes may be hydrogenated and the C5-olefin containing stream may be fractionated, thereby recovering an overheads fraction comprising the linear pentenes, a side draw fraction comprising the cyclopentene, and a bottoms fraction. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the overheads fraction may then be fed to a metathesis reactor for converting the linear pentenes to propylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Lummus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Yongqiang Xu, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 9688590
    Abstract: A process for the production of jet and other heavy fuels, the process including: contacting at least one C3 to C5 isoalkanol with a first catalyst to convert at least a portion of the isoalkanol to isoalkene, isoalkene dimers, and water; contacting at least a portion of the isoalkene dimers with a second catalyst to convert at least a portion of the isoalkene dimers to isoalkene trimers; hydrotreating the isoalkene trimers to form isoalkanes useful as a jet fuel, kerosene, or other heavy fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: William M. Cross, Jr., Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 9631149
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. A full range cracked naphtha is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the dienes and mercaptans to thioethers and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the dienes. The full range cracked naphtha is fractionated into a light naphtha fraction, a medium naphtha fraction, and a heavy naphtha fraction. The heavy naphtha fraction is hydrodesulfurized. The medium naphtha fraction is mixed with hydrogen and gas oil to form a mixture, which is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a medium naphtha fraction having a reduced sulfur concentration. The light, heavy, and medium naphtha fractions may then be recombined to form a hydrodesulfurized product having a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventor: Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20140054198
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. A full range cracked naphtha is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the dienes and mercaptans to thioethers and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the dienes. The full range cracked naphtha is fractionated into a light naphtha fraction, a medium naphtha fraction, and a heavy naphtha fraction. The heavy naphtha fraction is hydrodesulfurized. The medium naphtha fraction is mixed with hydrogen and gas oil to form a mixture, which is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a medium naphtha fraction having a reduced sulfur concentration. The light, heavy, and medium naphtha fractions may then be recombined to form a hydrodesulfurized product having a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20140018584
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of linear pentenes to propylene is disclosed. The process may include feeding hydrogen and a C5-olefin containing stream comprising linear pentenes, dienes, acetylenes, and cyclopentene to a catalytic distillation reactor system. Concurrently in the catalytic distillation reactor system, the acetylenes and dienes may be hydrogenated and the C5-olefin containing stream may be fractionated, thereby recovering an overheads fraction comprising the linear pentenes, a side draw fraction comprising the cyclopentene, and a bottoms fraction. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the overheads fraction may then be fed to a metathesis reactor for converting the linear pentenes to propylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Yongqiang Xu, Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Patent number: 8628656
    Abstract: Processes for the desulfurization of a cracked naphtha by the reaction of hydrogen with the organic sulfur compounds present in the feed are disclosed. In particular, processes disclosed herein may use one or more catalytic distillation steps followed by further hydrodesulfurization of the naphtha in a fixed bed reactor. It has been found that the formation of recombinant mercaptans in the fixed bed reactor effluent may be reduced or eliminated by reducing the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and/or olefins at the exit of the fixed bed reactor. The reduction or elimination in the formation of recombinant mercaptans may be accomplished by recycling a select portion of the fixed bed reactor effluent to the fixed bed reactor, where the select portion has a relatively low or nil concentration of olefins. Processes disclosed herein may thus facilitate the production of hydrodesulfurized cracked naphthas having a total sulfur content of less than 10 ppm, by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Mahesh Subramanyam
  • Patent number: 8486258
    Abstract: A process for the hydrodesulfurization of gasoline is disclosed, the process including: feeding (1) a cracked naphtha containing mercaptans and other organic sulfur compounds and (2) hydrogen to a first hydrodesulfurization reactor containing one or more beds of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst; contacting sulfur compounds comprising the other organic sulfur compounds in the cracked naphtha with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to convert a portion of the other organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide; withdrawing from the hydrodesulfurization reactor an effluent comprising hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide. The effluent from the hydrodesulfurization reactor is fed to a membrane separation system containing a membrane for partitioning the hydrocarbons from the hydrogen sulfide. For example, the membrane may be selective to hydrogen sulfide, to separate a permeate fraction comprising hydrogen sulfide from a residue fraction comprising the hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Raymond Chafin
  • Patent number: 8236172
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream, including: feeding hydrogen and a hydrocarbon stream including sulfur compounds to a catalytic distillation reactor having one or more hydrodesulfurization reaction zones; concurrently in the catalytic distillation reactor: fractionating the hydrocarbon stream into a heavy fraction and a light fraction; contacting hydrogen and the light fraction to form H2S and a light fraction of reduced sulfur content; recovering the light fraction, H2S, and hydrogen as an overheads; recovering the heavy fraction; heating the overheads to a temperature from 500 to 700° F.; feeding the heated overheads and hydrogen to a high temperature low pressure reactor to form H2S and a reactor effluent of reduced mercaptan content; separating the reactor effluent, H2S, and unreacted hydrogen to form a light hydrocarbon fraction and a fraction including H2S and hydrogen; recycling a portion of the light hydrocarbon fraction to the catalytic distillation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Raymond Chafin
  • Patent number: 8143466
    Abstract: A process for the reduction of benzene in a gasoline stream, the process including: feeding a gasoline fraction including benzene and C6+ hydrocarbons and at least one of an alcohol and an ether to a catalytic distillation column comprising at least one reaction zone containing an alkylation catalyst, wherein the at least one reaction zone is above a gasoline fraction feed location; concurrently in the catalytic distillation column: separating the C6 hydrocarbons from C7+ hydrocarbons, wherein the C6 hydrocarbons and benzene distill upward into the at least one reaction zone; contacting benzene and the at least one of an alcohol and an ether in the at least one reaction zone in the presence of the alkylation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the benzene and alcohol/ether to an alkylate; recovering an overheads fraction including C6 hydrocarbons, any unreacted alcohol and ether, and water; and recovering a bottoms fraction including C7+ hydrocarbons and the alkylate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: Mitchell E. Loescher, Gary G. Podrebarac, Quoc T. Phan
  • Publication number: 20120048778
    Abstract: Processes for the desulfurization of high end point naphtha, such as naphtha fractions having an ASTM D-86 end point of greater than 450° F., greater than 500° F., or greater than 550° F., and containing hindered sulfur compounds, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Arvids Judzis, Purvis K. Ho, Mahesh Subramanyam, Luis Simoes
  • Publication number: 20120048776
    Abstract: Processes for the desulfurization of a cracked naphtha by the reaction of hydrogen with the organic sulfur compounds present in the feed are disclosed. In particular, processes disclosed herein may use one or more catalytic distillation steps followed by further hydrodesulfurization of the naphtha in a fixed bed reactor. It has been found that the formation of recombinant mercaptans in the fixed bed reactor effluent may be reduced or eliminated by reducing the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and/or olefins at the exit of the fixed bed reactor. The reduction or elimination in the formation of recombinant mercaptans may be accomplished by recycling a select portion of the fixed bed reactor effluent to the fixed bed reactor, where the select portion has a relatively low or nil concentration of olefins. Processes disclosed herein may thus facilitate the production of hydrodesulfurized cracked naphthas having a total sulfur content of less than 10 ppm, by weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Mahesh Subramanyam
  • Publication number: 20120043260
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream, including: feeding hydrogen and a hydrocarbon stream including sulfur compounds to a catalytic distillation reactor having one or more hydrodesulfurization reaction zones; concurrently in the catalytic distillation reactor: fractionating the hydrocarbon stream into a heavy fraction and a light fraction; contacting hydrogen and the light fraction to form H2S and a light fraction of reduced sulfur content; recovering the light fraction, H2S, and hydrogen as an overheads; recovering the heavy fraction; heating the overheads to a temperature from 500 to 700° F.; feeding the heated overheads and hydrogen to a high temperature low pressure reactor to form H2S and a reactor effluent of reduced mercaptan content; separating the reactor effluent, H2S, and unreacted hydrogen to form a light hydrocarbon fraction and a fraction including H2S and hydrogen; recycling a portion of the light hydrocarbon fraction to the catalytic distillation reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Gary G. Podrebarac, Raymond Chafin
  • Patent number: 8119848
    Abstract: A process for treating an alkylation feedstock comprising olefins, n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, and impurities including one or more of butadiene, oxygenates, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds, the process including: contacting an alkylation feedstock containing at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds with water to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds and an aqueous fraction comprising at least a portion of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds; separating water from the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content; contacting the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content with an oligomerization catalyst in a first oligomerization reaction zone under oligomerization conditions to react at least a portion of the olefins to form a reactor effluent comprising olefin oli
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Catalytic Distillation Technologies
    Inventors: William M. Cross, Jr., Lawrence A. Smith, Jr., Gary G. Podrebarac