Patents by Inventor Gregory F. Maher

Gregory F. Maher 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: 7525008
    Abstract: A process for isomerizing ethylbenzene into xylenes such as para-xylene using a zeolitic catalyst system based on low Si/Al2 MTW-type zeolite that preferably is substantially free of mordenite. The catalyst may be bimetallic where the two metals are platinum and tin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paula L. Bogdan, John E. Bauer, E. Alejandro Leon-Escamilla, Gregory F. Maher, Robert B. Larson
  • Patent number: 7495137
    Abstract: This invention is drawn to a process for isomerizing a non-equilibrium mixture of alkylaromatics in two sequential zones, the first zone operating in the absence of hydrogen using a platinum-free catalyst and the second zone using a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a platinum-group metal component to obtain an improved yield of para-xylene from the mixture relative to prior art processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Gregory F. Maher, James A. Johnson, John E. Bauer
  • Patent number: 7435329
    Abstract: A reforming and isomerization process has been developed. A reforming feedstream is charged to a reforming zone containing a reforming catalyst and operating at reforming conditions to generate a reforming zone effluent. Hydrogen and an isomerization feedstream is charged into an isomerization zone to contact an isomerization catalyst at isomerization conditions to increase the branching of the hydrocarbons. The isomerization catalyst is a solid acid catalyst comprising a support comprising a sulfated oxide or hydroxide of at least an element of Group IVB, a first component being at least one lanthanide series element, mixtures thereof, or yttrium, and a second component being a platinum group metal or mixtures thereof. The reforming zone effluent and the isomerization zone effluent are each separated to form a light ends stream and a product stream. The light ends streams are combined for processing in a net gas re-contacting zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Douglas A. Nafis, Gregory F. Maher, Lynn H. Rice, William D. Schlueter, Ralph D. Gillespie, Michelle J. Cohn
  • Publication number: 20080245704
    Abstract: A reforming and isomerization process has been developed. A reforming feedstream is charged to a reforming zone containing a reforming catalyst and operating at reforming conditions to generate a reforming zone effluent. Hydrogen and an isomerization feedstream is charged into an isomerization zone to contact an isomerization catalyst at isomerization conditions to increase the branching of the hydrocarbons. The isomerization catalyst is a solid acid catalyst comprising a support comprising a sulfated oxide or hydroxide of at least an element of Group IVB, a first component being at least one lanthanide series element, mixtures thereof, or yttrium, and a second component being a platinum group metal or mixtures thereof. The reforming zone effluent and the isomerization zone effluent are each separated to form a light ends stream and a product stream. The light ends streams are combined for processing in a net gas re-contacting zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Douglas A. Nafis, Gregory F. Maher, Lynn H. Rice, William D. Schlueter, Ralph D. Gillespie, Michelle J. Cohn
  • Publication number: 20080221375
    Abstract: A process for preparing a transalkylation catalyst, the catalyst itself, and a transalkylation process for using the catalyst are herein disclosed. The catalyst comprises rhenium metal on a solid-acid support such as mordenite, which has been treated with a sulfur-based agent. Such treatment reduces the amount of methane produced by metal hydrogenolysis in a transalkylation process wherein heavy aromatics like A9+ are reacted with toluene to produce xylenes. Reduced methane production relative to total light ends gas production results in lower hydrogen consumption and lower reactor exotherms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Edwin P. Boldingh, Antoine Negiz, Gregory F. Maher, Paula L. Bogdan, Dean E. Rende
  • Publication number: 20080183023
    Abstract: This invention is drawn to a process for isomerizing a non-equilibrium mixture of alkylaromatics in two sequential zones, the first zone operating in the absence of hydrogen using a platinum-free catalyst and the second zone using a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a platinum-group metal component to obtain an improved yield of para-xylene from the mixture relative to prior art processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Gregory F. Maher, James A. Johnson, John E. Bauer
  • Patent number: 7393805
    Abstract: A process for preparing a transalkylation catalyst, the catalyst itself, and a transalkylation process for using the catalyst are herein disclosed. The catalyst comprises rhenium metal on a solid-acid support such as mordenite, which has been treated with a sulfur-based agent. Such treatment reduces the amount of methane produced by metal hydrogenolysis in a transalkylation process wherein heavy aromatics like A9+ are reacted with toluene to produce xylenes. Reduced methane production relative to total light ends gas production results in lower hydrogen consumption and lower reactor exotherms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Edwin P. Boldingh, Antoine Negiz, Gregory F. Maher, Paula L. Bogdan, Dean E. Rende
  • Patent number: 7371912
    Abstract: In processes for recovering one or more xylene isomers and isomerizing the remaining isomers for recycle, the isomerate is distilled to provide a toluene-containing overhead, a mid-boiling fraction containing C8 aromatics and a bottoms fraction containing C8 aromatics and C9+ aromatics. The mid-boiling fraction is recycled to the unit for recovering the sought xylene isomers and has sufficiently low content of C9+ aromatics that the separation feed to the unit for recovering the sought xylene isomers contains up to about 500 ppm-mass C9+ aromatics. The processes provide a high quality xylene isomer product while achieving at least one of debottlenecking, energy savings and capital savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Schultz, Gregory F. Maher
  • Patent number: 7368620
    Abstract: This invention is drawn to a process for isomerizing a non-equilibrium mixture of alkylaromatics in two sequential zones, the first zone operating in the absence of hydrogen using a platinum-free catalyst and the second zone using a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a platinum-group metal component to obtain improved yield of para-xylene from the mixture relative to prior art processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Gregory F. Maher, James A. Johnson, John E. Bauer
  • Patent number: 7220885
    Abstract: A process for preparing a transalkylation catalyst, the catalyst itself, and a transalkylation process for using the catalyst are herein disclosed. The catalyst comprises rhenium metal on a solid-acid support such as mordenite, which has been treated with a sulfur-based agent. Such treatment reduces the amount of methane produced by metal hydrogenolysis in a transalkylation process wherein heavy aromatics like A9+ are reacted with toluene to produce xylenes. Reduced methane production relative to total light ends gas production results in lower hydrogen consumption and lower reactor exotherms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Edwin P. Boldingh, Antoine Negiz, Gregory F. Maher, Paula L. Bogdan, Dean E. Rende
  • Patent number: 7179434
    Abstract: Enabling a transalkylation process to handle both C10 alkylaromatics and unextracted toluene permits the following improvements to be realized. No longer extracting toluene allows a reformate-splitter column to be eliminated. The extraction unit can be moved to the overhead of a benzene column that is also closely integrated with the transalkylation unit. No longer requiring a rigorous split between C9 and C10 alkylaromatics allows a heavy aromatics column to be eliminated. Such an enabled transalkylation process requires stabilization of a transalkylation catalyst through the introduction of a metal function. These improvements result in an aromatics complex apparatus with savings on inside battery limits curve costs and an improvement on the return on investment in such a complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Gregory F. Maher, David A. Hamm
  • Patent number: 7169368
    Abstract: Enabling a transalkylation process to handle both C10 alkylaromatics and unextracted toluene permits the following improvements to be realized. No longer extracting toluene allows a reformate-splitter column to be eliminated. The extraction unit can be moved to the overhead of a benzene column and integrated together with the transalkylation unit to reduce costs. No longer requiring a rigorous split between C9 and C10 alkylaromatics allows a heavy aromatics column to be eliminated. Such an enabled transalkylation process requires stabilization of a transalkylation catalyst through the introduction of a metal function. These improvements result in an aromatics complex apparatus with savings on inside battery limits curve costs and an improvement on the return on investment in such a complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Sullivan, Gregory F. Maher, David A. Hamm
  • Patent number: 6972348
    Abstract: A catalyst, and a process for using the catalyst, that effectively converts and transalkylates indane and C10 and heavier polycyclic aromatics into C8 aromatics is herein disclosed. The catalyst comprises a solid-acid support such as mordenite plus a metal component such as rhenium. The catalyst provides excellent conversion of such heavy aromatic species as naphthalene, which is also observed by a decrease in the ending-boiling-point of a hydrocarbon stream passed over the catalyst. The same catalyst is also effective for transalkylation of lighter aromatics, thus yielding a valuable xylenes product stream out of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Antoine Negiz, Edwin P. Boldingh, Frank S. Modica, Gregory F. Maher
  • Patent number: 6958425
    Abstract: The use of transalkylation catalysts to react heavy aromatic compounds of carbon number nine (and heavier carbon numbers) with benzene to form carbon number eight aromatics is disclosed. The catalyst system preserves ethyl-group species on the heavier aromatics that are otherwise de-ethylated over most gas-phase transalkylation catalysts to form undesired ethane gas with benzene or toluene. The catalyst system also promotes methyl-group species transalkylation at selected conditions. Thus, by using the transalkylation system, a greater yield of para-xylene or other carbon number eight aromatics may be achieved overall within an integrated aromatics complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paula L. Bogdan, Robert B. James, Jr., Gregory F. Maher
  • Patent number: 6872866
    Abstract: A liquid or partially liquid phase process for isomerizing a non-equilibrium mixture of xylenes and ethylbenzene uses a zeolitic catalyst system preferably based on zeolite beta and on pentasil-type zeolite. The invention obtains an improved yield of para-xylene from the mixture relative to prior art processes in a more economical manner. A preferred beta zeolite is a surface-modified zeolite beta resulting from acid washing of a templated native zeolite at conditions insufficient to effect bulk dealumination. A preferred pentasil zeolite is a MTW-type with a silica-to-alumnina ratio between 20 and 45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Laszlo T. Nemeth, Gregory F. Maher
  • Patent number: 6740788
    Abstract: Enabling a transalkylation process to handle both C10 alkylaromatics and unextracted toluene permits the following improvements to be realized. No longer extracting toluene allows a reformate-splitter column to be eliminated. The extraction unit can be moved to the overhead of a benzene column. No longer requiring a rigorous split between C9 and C10 alkylaromatics allows a heavy aromatics column to be eliminated. Such an enabled transalkylation process requires stabilization of a transalkylation catalyst through the introduction of a metal function. A further enhancement to the flow scheme is accomplished through the elimination of clay treaters in favor of selective olefin saturation at the exits of a reforming unit and an isomerization unit. These improvements result in an aromatics complex with savings on inside battery limits curve costs and an improvement on the return on investment in such a complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Gregory F. Maher, David A. Hamm
  • Patent number: 5488156
    Abstract: Lactic acid formed via fermentation generally is susceptible to the development of color bodies when heated to temperatures of approximately 180.degree. C. and above. Color development appears to result from carbonization of small amounts of carbohydrates. Consequently a heat-stable lactic acid may be produced by subjecting an aqueous solution of lactic acid to temperatures between about 180 and 230.degree. C. for a time sufficient to carbonize the carbohydrates, with subsequent removal of the color bodies using standard decolorants such as activated charcoal. Heat treatment may be applied either directly to the broth or to an aqueous solution resulting from one or more processing steps applied to the fermentation broth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Santi Kulprathipanja, Gregory F. Maher, Thomas W. Lorsbach
  • Patent number: 5433793
    Abstract: A flow scheme is presented for the production of high purity D-allose from D-glucose. The key reaction is epimerization of D-glucose at C-3 to afford D-allose in per pass yields of at least 7%. The epimerization reaction product is then subjected to concentration, decolorization, and deionization before entering a separation zone, preferably a sorptive separation zone, from which an extract stream enriched in D-allose is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Raymond R. Herber, Gregory F. Maher, Edward C. Arnold, Thomas W. Lorsbach