Patents by Inventor Heiko Weiner

Heiko Weiner 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 for producing acrylic acids and acrylates
    Patent number: 8889586
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a catalyst composition, comprising vanadium and titanium. Preferably, the molar ratio of vanadium to titanium in an active phase of the catalyst composition is greater than 0.5:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Dick Nagaki, Heiko Weiner, Josefina T. Chapman, Mark O. Scates, Alexandra S. Locke, Craig J. Peterson
  • Reducing impurities in hydrogenation processes with multiple reaction zones
    Patent number: 8884079
    Abstract: In a hydrogenation processes, a second lower temperature hydrogenation reactor is used to control the concentration of impurities, namely ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, and acetal, prior to separating the reaction mixtures. Controlling impurities reduces the need for separation capital and improves overall efficiencies for recovering alcohols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, R. Jay Warner, Dheeraj Kumar, Heiko Weiner
  • Hydrogenation catalysts
    Patent number: 8865609
    Abstract: The present invention relates to catalysts, to processes for making catalysts and to chemical processes employing such catalysts. The catalysts are preferably used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises a precious metal and one or more active metals on a modified support. The modified support may comprise cobalt tungstate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor Johnston, Dheeraj Kumar, Xiaoyan Tu, Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab
  • Processes for producing denatured ethanol
    Patent number: 8858659
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing a denatured ethanol composition comprising the steps of hydrogenating an acetic acid feed in the presence of a catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol, and at least one denaturant and separating the crude ethanol product in one or more separation units into a denatured ethanol composition and one or more derivative streams. The denatured ethanol composition comprises from 0.01 wt. % to 40 wt % denaturant, based on the total weight of the denatured ethanol composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic
  • Esterifying an ethanol and acetic acid mixture to produce an ester feed for hydrogenolysis
    Patent number: 8853470
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for alcohol production by hydrogenating acetic acid to obtain a mixture of ethanol and acetic acid, esterifying the mixture to produce an esterification product and reducing the esterification product. The mixture may provide a sufficient amount of ethanol and acetic acid for esterification and reduces the need for additional acetic acid and/or ethanol. This may reduce the recycle of ethanol in the hydrogenolysis process and improve ethanol productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Adam Orosco, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou, Emily Duff, Iva Franjkic
  • Combined column for separating products of different hydrogenation reactors
    Patent number: 8853469
    Abstract: Recovery of ethanol from a crude product comprising ethyl acetate obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. The crude product is separated to form an organic stream that may be subjected to hydrogenolysis to form ethanol. The organic phase may comprise ethyl acetate is reacted via hydrogenolysis form ethanol that may be directly or indirectly fed to the separation zone or the hydrogenation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, David Lee, Mark O. Scates, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou, Emily Duff, Andrew Shuff
  • Liquid esterification for the production of alcohols
    Patent number: 8846988
    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: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Jevtic, Victor Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Trinity Horton
  • Processes for making catalysts with metal halide precursors
    Patent number: 8841230
    Abstract: The present invention relates to catalysts, to processes for making catalysts with halide containing precursors and to chemical processes employing such catalysts. The catalysts are preferably used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises a precious metal and one or more active metals on a support, optionally a modified support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Heiko Weiner
  • THERMOCHEMICALLY PRODUCED ETHANOL COMPOSITIONS
    Publication number: 20140275637
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is to an ethanol composition comprising at least 92 wt. % ethanol and from 20 wppm to 94 wppm isopropanol. The composition may be free of methanol and acetaldehyde.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatiana H. Sonnenberg, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner
  • Processes for making catalysts with acidic precursors
    Patent number: 8815768
    Abstract: The present invention relates to catalysts, to processes for making catalysts with acidic precursors and to chemical processes employing such catalysts. The catalysts are preferably used for converting acetic acid to ethanol. The catalyst comprises a precious metal and one or more active metals on a support, optionally a modified support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Heiko Weiner
  • Catalysts for producing acrylic acids and acrylates
    Patent number: 8802585
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is to a catalyst composition comprising vanadium and titanium. The catalyst composition has a surface area of at least 22.6 m2/g and a plurality of pores, and the plurality of pores have a pore diameter of less than 11.9 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Josefina T. Chapman, Alexandra S. Locke, Craig T. Peterson, Mark O. Scates, Dick Nagaki
  • Stacked bed reactor with diluents for producing ethanol
    Patent number: 8802903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing ethanol using a stacked bed reactor comprising a first bed comprising a first hydrogenation catalyst and a second bed comprising a second hydrogenation catalyst and one or more diluents. The diluents may be selected from the group consisting of silica, silica-alumina and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Zhenhua Zhou, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Processes for making ethanol from acetic acid
    Patent number: 8802904
    Abstract: A process for selective formation of ethanol from acetic acid by hydrogenating acetic acid in the presence of first metal, a silicaceous support, and at least one support modifier. Preferably, the first metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, titanium, zinc, chromium, rhenium, molybdenum, and tungsten. In addition the catalyst may comprise a second metal preferably selected from the group consisting of copper, molybdenum, tin, chromium, iron, cobalt, vanadium, tungsten, palladium, platinum, lanthanum, cerium, manganese, ruthenium, rhenium, gold, and nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Victor J. Johnston, Laiyuan Chen, Barbara F. Kimmich, Josefina T. Chapman, James H. Zink, Heiko Weiner, John L. Potts, Radmilla Wollrab
  • Bismuth catalyst composition and process for manufacturing ethanol mixture
    Patent number: 8802588
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising at least one Group VIII metal and bismuth on a support, and to a process for manufacturing a product comprising ethanol and ethyl acetate from a feedstock comprising acetic acid over the catalyst composition under hydrogenation conditions, including a temperature of greater than about 290° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhua Zhou, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Hydrogenation reaction conditions for producing ethanol
    Patent number: 8772553
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing ethanol from a feed stream comprising hydrogen and acetic acid and/or ethyl acetate. The reaction occurs at a temperature greater than 225° C. and the feed stream has a liquid hourly space velocity of at least 0.2 hr?1. The reaction occurs in the presence of a catalyst comprising a precious metal and one or more active metals on a modified support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Radmila Wollrab, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Coated Hydrotalcite Catalysts and Processes for Producing Butanol
    Publication number: 20140171693
    Abstract: A catalyst composition for converting ethanol to higher alcohols, such as butanol, is disclosed. The catalyst composition comprises metal coated hydrotalcite and method of making same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng Zhang, Mason Borlik, Heiko Weiner
  • Process for vapor phase hydrogenation
    Patent number: 8754270
    Abstract: A process for selective formation of ethanol from acetic acid includes contacting a feed stream containing acetic acid and hydrogen at an elevated temperature with catalyst comprising platinum and tin on a high surface area silica promoted with calcium metasilicate. Selectivities to ethanol of over 85% are achieved at 280° C. with catalyst life in the hundreds of hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Heiko Weiner, Radmila Wollrab, Victor J. Johnston, John L. Potts
  • Process for separating acetaldehyde from ethanol-containing mixtures
    Patent number: 8754267
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Nathan Bower, Josefina T. Chapman, Gerald Grusendorf, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston
  • Group VIII Metal Hydrogenolysis Catalysts Having Low Selectivity to Ethers
    Publication number: 20140163263
    Abstract: Group VIII metal containing catalysts used in processes for producing ethanol from ethyl acetate by reacting the ethyl acetate with hydrogenation. The Group VIII metal containing catalyst has a selectivity to ether, especially diethyl ether, that is very low. The process may be integrated with an ethyl acetate production process, such as esterification, hydrogenation, or dehydrogenation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Radmila Wollrab, Zhenhua Zhou, James H. Zink, Victor J. Johnston, Heiko Weiner
  • Ethanol/fuel blends for use as motor fuels
    Patent number: 8747492
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Trinity Horton, Radmila Jevtic, Victor J. Johnston, Lincoln Sarager, R. Jay Warner, Heiko Weiner, Gerald Grusendorf