Patents by Inventor Henry Howard

Henry Howard 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: 20080066494
    Abstract: A method of separating one or more first light components from a carbon dioxide containing gaseous mixture that contains at least 30 mole percent carbon dioxide. In accordance with the method, a feed stream composed of the carbon dioxide is cooled to effect at least in part, liquefaction of the carbon dioxide containing gaseous mixture. The feed stream and a stripping gas stream are introduced into a liquid-vapor contact column to initiate counter-current vapor liquid mass transfer and the formation of a gaseous column overhead stream and a liquid column bottoms stream. The stripping gas stream contains one or more second light components having boiling point lower than that of carbon dioxide and higher than that of the first light component(s) to enrich the gaseous column overhead stream with the first light component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20070240449
    Abstract: A method for producing liquefied natural gas employing two separate adsorption steps for removing water and carbon dioxide from natural gas and employing a subambient expansion to produce regeneration gas for the regeneration of the dehydration adsorption step in addition to supplying refrigeration for the cooling or liquefaction of clean natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Henry Howard, Minish Shah
  • Publication number: 20070234755
    Abstract: A method for producing liquefied natural gas wherein high pressure liquid natural gas is subcooled and then flashed to form flash vapor and liquefied natural gas product, and the flash vapor is employed in a refrigeration cycle to generate refrigeration for subcooling the liquid natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20070232706
    Abstract: A method of producing a carbon dioxide product stream from a synthesis gas stream formed within a hydrogen plant having a synthesis gas reactor, a water-gas shift reactor, located downstream of the synthesis gas reactor to form the synthesis gas stream and a hydrogen pressure swing adsorption unit to produce a hydrogen product recovered from the synthesis gas stream. In accordance with the method the carbon dioxide from the synthesis gas stream by separating the carbon dioxide from the synthesis gas stream in a vacuum pressure swing adsorption system, thereby to produce a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas stream and a crude carbon dioxide stream and then purifying the crude carbon dioxide stream by a sub-ambient temperature distillation process thereby to produce the carbon dioxide product. A hydrogen synthesis gas feed stream to the hydrogen pressure swing adsorption unit is formed at least in part from the hydrogen rich stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Minish Shah, Ravi Kumar, Henry Howard, Bernard Neu, Dante Bonaquist, John Billingham
  • Publication number: 20070231244
    Abstract: Method of purifying a feed stream containing carbon dioxide wherein the feed stream after having been compressed and dried is partly cooled and then used to reboil a stripping column. Thereafter, the feed stream is further cooled and expanded to a lower operational temperature of the stripping column. A carbon dioxide product stream composed of the liquid column bottoms of the stripping column is expanded at one or more pressures to generate refrigeration, then fully vaporized within the main heat exchanger and compressed by a compressor to produce a compressed carbon dioxide product. Refrigeration is recovered in the main heat exchanger from a column overhead stream extracted from the stripping column within the main heat exchanger either directly or indirectly by auxiliary processing in which carbon dioxide is further separated and optionally recycled back to the main compressor used in compressing the feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Minish Shah, Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20070199344
    Abstract: A cryogenic plant having at least two direct phase separation devices such as distillation columns whose circular perimeters serve to define the perimeter of the cold box encompassing the direct phase separation devices and ancillary equipment for the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20070157664
    Abstract: A method for carrying out cryogenic air separation wherein feed air is processed in three streams which are at different pressures, wherein one stream is turboexpanded to generate refrigeration and the other two streams are condensed to effect pressurized product vaporization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20060107691
    Abstract: A method of separating one or more light components, such as helium, from a carbon dioxide containing stream. A two-phase stream is obtained, at least in part, by cooling a pressurized feed stream to at least partially condense such stream. The stream that is subsequently degassed to produce a first vapor stream enriched in the light component(s) and a first liquid stream containing an entrained fraction of the light component(s). The first liquid stream is expanded to create another two-phase stream that is degasified to produce a second vapor stream that is also enriched in the light component(s) and a second liquid stream having an enriched carbon dioxide content. The second liquid stream is repressurized and vaporized. In case of a supercritical feed, the pressurized feed stream is expanded after having been cooled. Thereafter, the feed is degassed to produce the light component enriched vapor stream and a liquid stream enriched in the carbon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20060101851
    Abstract: A method of separating one or more first light components from a carbon dioxide containing gaseous mixture that contains at least 30 mole percent carbon dioxide. In accordance with the method, a feed stream composed of the carbon dioxide is cooled to effect at least in part, liquefaction of the carbon dioxide containing gaseous mixture. The feed stream and a stripping gas stream are introduced into a liquid-vapor contact column to initiate counter-current vapor liquid mass transfer and the formation of a gaseous column overhead stream and a liquid column bottoms stream. The stripping gas stream contains one or more second light components having boiling point lower than that of carbon dioxide and higher than that of the first light component(s) to enrich the gaseous column overhead stream with the first light component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20060090508
    Abstract: A method for producing liquefied natural gas wherein high pressure liquid natural gas is subcooled and then flashed to form flash vapor and liquefied natural gas product, and the flash vapor is employed in a refrigeration cycle to generate refrigeration for subcooling the liquid natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventor: Henry Howard
  • Publication number: 20060075777
    Abstract: A method for producing liquefied natural gas employing two separate adsorption steps for removing water and carbon dioxide from natural gas and employing a subambient expansion to produce regeneration gas for the regeneration of the dehydration adsorption step in addition to supplying refrigeration for the cooling or liquefaction of clean natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Henry Howard, Minish Shah
  • Publication number: 20060075776
    Abstract: A method for generating refrigeration for cooling a product gas wherein a first or working gas undergoes a staged expansion to a first temperature and a subsequent turboexpansion to a second higher temperature and both the expanded gas and the turboexpanded gas provide cooling to the product gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventor: Henry Howard