Patents by Inventor Hans G. Lefebvre

Hans G. Lefebvre 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).

  • Process and apparatus for recycling slurry hydrocracked product
    Patent number: 10760013
    Abstract: Recycle of slurry hydrocracked product to a subsequent slurry hydrocracking reactor downstream of a lead slurry hydrocracking reactor produces reduced mesophase and provides better reactor stability as opposed to recycle to the lead slurry hydrocracking reactor. The recycle stream may be a vacuum bottoms stream and/or a slop wax stream from a fractionation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Grant H. Yokomizo, Ping Sun, Thomas J. Traynor, Hans G. Lefebvre, Mark Van Wees
  • Process and apparatus for two-stage deasphalting
    Patent number: 10703994
    Abstract: Solvent deasphalting (SDA) in series is used to extract deasphalted oil from heavier hydrocarbons in series. Instead of stripping the pitch material of solvent in the second stage which can stick in the pitch stripper and inhibit flow, a dryer is used to vaporize solvent for recycle to the second SDA unit and produce pitch solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • Flexible hydroprocessing of slurry hydrocracking products
    Patent number: 10563139
    Abstract: Processes for hydrotreating an effluent from a slurry hydrocracking process are described. Different streams are formed from the SHC effluent, and different hydroprocessing conditions are applied to the streams, e.g., more severe conditions are applied to streams which need additional hydroprocessing, while less severe conditions are applied to streams which do not need as much hydroprocessing. Common equipment is shared between different hydroprocessing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Ping Sun, Hans G. Lefebvre, Grant H. Yokomizo
  • PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEASPHALTING AND PITCH CONVERSION
    Publication number: 20190233746
    Abstract: Solvent deasphalting (SDA) is used to extract deasphalted oil from heavier hydrocarbons in series. The pitch stream from solvent deasphalting is calcined to recover volatile hydrocarbon vapor products and calcined solids. The hydrocarbon vapors can be fractionated to recover valuable transportation range fuel products. The pitch stream can be first fed to the fractionation column before calcination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR RECYCLING SLURRY HYDROCRACKED PRODUCT
    Publication number: 20190144766
    Abstract: Recycle of slurry hydrocracked product to a subsequent slurry hydrocracking reactor downstream of a lead slurry hydrocracking reactor produces reduced mesophase and provides better reactor stability as opposed to recycle to the lead slurry hydrocracking reactor. The recycle stream may be a vacuum bottoms stream and/or a slop wax stream from a fractionation column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Grant H. Yokomizo, Ping Sun, Thomas J. Traynor, Hans G. Lefebvre, Mark Van Wees
  • PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TWO-STAGE DEASPHALTING
    Publication number: 20190093025
    Abstract: Solvent deasphalting (SDA) in series is used to extract deasphalted oil from heavier hydrocarbons in series. Instead of stripping the pitch material of solvent in the second stage which can stick in the pitch stripper and inhibit flow, a dryer is used to vaporize solvent for recycle to the second SDA unit and produce pitch solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • Processes for recovering hydrocarbons from a drag stream from a slurry hydrocracker
    Patent number: 10041011
    Abstract: A process for recovering hydrocarbons from a slurry hydrocracking reactor. The hydrocarbons are recovered by taking a drag stream of the slurry in the reactor. After separating lighter hydrocarbons in a separation zone, the heavier hydrocarbons can be processed in a deashing zone, with a vacuum column bottoms from a separation of the effluent stream recovered from the reactor. The deashing zone can recover the heavier hydrocarbons in a deashed pitch. Additionally, a VGO rich stream from the deashing zone may be recycled back to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Robert Haizmann, Trung Pham, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • Processes for producing deashed pitch
    Patent number: 10041004
    Abstract: A process for de-ashing pitch. The pitch from a slurry hydrocracking process is mixed with a solvent. The mixture is separated into solvent and soluble materials and insoluble materials. The insoluble materials can be dried to recover solvent which may be recycled. The solvent and soluble materials are separated. The solvent may be recovered and recycled. Hi-Sol 15 may be the solvent. Additionally, CSO may be the solvent and a portion thereof may be used with the de-ashed pitch to make an asphalt binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Grant H. Yokomizo, Robert Haizmann, Hans G. Lefebvre, Trung Pham, Andrew J. Towarnicky
  • FLEXIBLE HYDROPROCESSING OF SLURRY HYDROCRACKING PRODUCTS
    Publication number: 20180119034
    Abstract: Processes for hydrotreating an effluent from a slurry hydrocracking process are described. Different streams are formed from the SHC effluent, and different hydroprocessing conditions are applied to the streams, e.g., more severe conditions are applied to streams which need additional hydroprocessing, while less severe conditions are applied to streams which do not need as much hydroprocessing. Common equipment is shared between different hydroprocessing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Ping Sun, Hans G. Lefebvre, Grant H. Yokomizo
  • PROCESSES FOR RECOVERING HYDROCARBONS FROM A DRAG STREAM FROM A SLURRY HYDROCRACKER
    Publication number: 20160130511
    Abstract: A process for recovering hydrocarbons from a slurry hydrocracking reactor. The hydrocarbons are recovered by taking a drag stream of the slurry in the reactor. After separating lighter hydrocarbons in a separation zone, the heavier hydrocarbons can be processed in a deashing zone, with a vacuum column bottoms from a separation of the effluent stream recovered from the reactor. The deashing zone can recover the heavier hydrocarbons in a deashed pitch. Additionally, a VGO rich stream from the deashing zone may be recycled back to the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Robert Haizmann, Trung Pham, Hans G. Lefebvre
  • PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING DEASHED PITCH
    Publication number: 20160130506
    Abstract: A process for de-ashing pitch. The pitch from a slurry hydrocracking process is mixed with a solvent. The mixture is separated into solvent and soluble materials and insoluble materials. The insoluble materials can be dried to recover solvent which may be recycled. The solvent and soluble materials are separated. The solvent may be recovered and recycled. Hi-Sol 15 may be the solvent. Additionally, CSO may be the solvent and a portion thereof may be used with the de-ashed pitch to make an asphalt binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Jagannathan Govindhakannan, Grant H. Yokomizo, Robert Haizmann, Hans G. Lefebvre, Trung Pham, Andrew J. Towarnicky