Patents by Inventor Gerald Grusendorf

Gerald Grusendorf 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: 8309773
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Calanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Tianshu Pan, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Josefina Chapman, Robert Cunningham, Gerald Grusendorf, Trinity Horton
  • Patent number: 8304587
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol product are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In addition, the process involves separating the crude ethanol product using an extractive distillation column that employs an extraction agent, such as a recycled stream comprising water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Wael Amleh, Gerald Grusendorf, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Fred Ronald Olsson, Nathan Kirk Powell, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager
  • Patent number: 8304586
    Abstract: Purifying and/or recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol mixture are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In addition, the process involves returning acetaldehyde separated from the crude ethanol product to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Nathan Bower, Josefina T. Chapman, Gerald Grusendorf
  • Publication number: 20120253084
    Abstract: A process for producing ethanol comprising the steps of hydrogenating an acetic acid feed stream to form a crude ethanol product and separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product to form an ethanol stream and at least one vent stream. The vent stream comprises non-condensable gases at least one volatile organic. The process further comprises the step of scrubbing the vent stream with at least two different solvents to recover the volatile organics. The vent stream may also comprise entrained ethanol, which may also be recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gerald Grusendorf, Victor J. Johnston, Fred Ronald Olsson, Wayne D. Picard, Nathan Powell, Samuel Roundy, Ismael Tejeda, James Curtis
  • Publication number: 20120035400
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating an acetic acid feed stream in a first reactor to form a crude ethanol product. The crude ethanol product may comprise, among other components, ethanol, acetaldehyde, and residual acetic acid. The process further comprises the step of recovering acetaldehyde from the crude ethanol product. The process further comprises the steps of feeding a first portion of the recovered acetaldehyde to the first reactor and reacting the first portion of the recovered acetaldehyde in the first reactor to form additional ethanol. In addition, the inventive process may comprise the steps of feeding a second portion of the recovered acetaldehyde to a second reactor and reacting the second portion of the recovered acetaldehyde in the second reactor to faun an additional product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, Tianshu Pan, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Josefina Chapman, Robert Cunningham, Gerald Grusendorf, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic
  • Publication number: 20120030996
    Abstract: An ethanol/fuel blend composition. The ethanol/fuel blend composition includes an ethanol composition including at least 92 wt. % ethanol, and from 95 wppm to 1,000 wppm isopropanol and a fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Trinity HORTON, Radmila JEVTIC, Victor J. JOHNSTON, Lincoln SARAGER, R. Jay WARNER, Heiko WEINER, Gerald GRUSENDORF
  • Publication number: 20110275865
    Abstract: Purifying and/or recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol mixture are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In particular, light ends are separated in an acetaldehyde removal column operating at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure to recover acetaldehyde that may be returned to the reactor and reduce acetaldehyde concentrations in an ethyl acetate stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Nathan Bower, Josefina T. Chapman, Gerald Grusendorf, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Publication number: 20110275863
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for purifying a crude ethanol product. The process comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form the crude ethanol product. The process further comprises the step of separating at least a portion of the crude ethanol product in a purification zone. The purification zone preferably comprises a first column, which yields a first distillate comprising ethanol, water and ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising acetic acid. The at least a portion of the crude ethanol product has a residence time from the reactor to the purification zone from 5 minutes to 5 days.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Tianshu Pan, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Nathan Bower, Josefina T. Chapman, Gerald Grusendorf
  • Publication number: 20110275862
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove acetal impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, Josefina T. Chapman, Radmila Jevtic, Heiko Weiner, Tianshu Pan, R. Jay Warner, Gerald Grusendorf, Nathan Bower, Lincoln M. Sarager
  • Publication number: 20110275864
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol product are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In addition, the process involves separating the crude ethanol product using an extractive distillation column that employs an extraction agent, such as a recycled stream comprising water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Wael Amleh, Gerald Grusendorf, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Fred Ronald Olsson, Nathan Kirk Powell, Manuel Salado, Lincoln Sarager
  • Publication number: 20110190550
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is to a process for producing a anhydrous ethanol composition comprising hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product; separating in a first column at least a portion of the crude ethanol product into a first distillate comprising ethanol, water and ethyl acetate, and a first residue comprising acetic acid; separating in a second column at least a portion of the first distillate into a second distillate comprising ethyl acetate and a second residue comprising ethanol and water; separating in a third column at least a portion of the second residue into a third distillate comprising ethanol and residual water and a third residue comprising separated water; and dehydrating at least a portion of the third distillate to form the anhydrous ethanol composition. The anhydrous ethanol composition, as formed, comprises less than 1 wt. % water, based on the total weight of the anhydrous ethanol composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Gerald Grusendorf
  • Publication number: 20110190547
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Tianshu Pan, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Josefina T. Chapman, Robert Cunningham, Gerald Grusendorf, Trinity Horton
  • Publication number: 20110190548
    Abstract: Purifying and/or recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of crude ethanol mixture are employed to allow recovery of ethanol and remove impurities. In addition, the process involves returning acetaldehyde separated from the crude ethanol product to the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Nathan Bower, Josefina Chapman, Gerald Grusendorf