Patents by Inventor Hermanus Gerhardus Nel

Hermanus Gerhardus Nel 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: 10322393
    Abstract: A method of operating a slurry phase apparatus includes feeding one or more gaseous reactants into a slurry body of solid particulate material suspended in a suspension liquid contained inside a vessel. The one or more gaseous reactants are fed into the slurry body through a gas distributor having downward facing gas outlets and are fed towards a fluid impermeable partition spanning across the vessel below the gas distributor. The partition divides the vessel into a slurry volume above the partition and a bottom volume below the partition. A differential pressure is maintained over the partition between predefined limits by manipulating or allowing changes in the pressure in the bottom volume by employing a pressure transfer passage establishing flow or pressure communication between the bottom volume and a head space above the slurry body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: André Peter Steynberg, Evert Phillippus Kleynhans, Marshall Stephen Lee, Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Jako Louw
  • Publication number: 20180117558
    Abstract: A method of operating a slurry phase apparatus includes feeding one or more gaseous reactants into a slurry body of solid particulate material suspended in a suspension liquid contained inside a vessel. The one or more gaseous reactants are fed into the slurry body through a gas distributor having downward facing gas outlets and are fed towards a fluid impermeable partition spanning across the vessel below the gas distributor. The partition divides the vessel into a slurry volume above the partition and a bottom volume below the partition. A differential pressure is maintained over the partition between predefined limits by manipulating or allowing changes in the pressure in the bottom volume by employing a pressure transfer passage establishing flow or pressure communication between the bottom volume and a head space above the slurry body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: André Peter Steynberg, Evert Phillippus Kleynhans, Marshall Stephen Lee, Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Jako Louw
  • Patent number: 9937476
    Abstract: A method of operating a slurry phase apparatus includes feeding one or more gaseous reactants into a slurry body of solid particulate material suspended in a suspension liquid contained inside a vessel. The one or more gaseous reactants are fed into the slurry body through a gas distributor having downward facing gas outlets and are fed towards a fluid impermeable partition spanning across the vessel below the gas distributor. The partition divides the vessel into a slurry volume above the partition and a bottom volume below the partition. A differential pressure is maintained over the partition between predefined limits by manipulating or allowing changes in the pressure in the bottom volume by employing a pressure transfer passage establishing flow or pressure communication between the bottom volume and a head space above the slurry body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: André Peter Steynberg, Evert Phillippus Kleynhans, Marshall Stephen Lee, Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Jako Louw
  • Patent number: 9061952
    Abstract: A process (10) to produce Fischer-Tropsch products includes feeding feed synthesis gas (30) with a substantially constant target feed synthesis gas H2/CO ratio to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16). A portion of the feed synthesis gas (30) is converted to Fischer-Tropsch products in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16). The Fischer-Tropsch products (20) from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16) are withdrawn. A Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage tail gas (26) which includes unconverted H2 and CO is obtained. The operating conditions of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16) are manipulated to achieve a substantially constant target tail gas H2/CO ratio, with the target tail gas H2/CO ratio being substantially different from the target feed synthesis gas H2/CO ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Propietary) Limited
    Inventors: Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Alex Philip Vogel
  • Publication number: 20150018437
    Abstract: A process (10) to produce Fischer-Tropsch products includes feeding feed synthesis gas (30) with a substantially constant target feed synthesis gas H2/CO ratio to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16). A portion of the feed synthesis gas (30) is converted to Fischer-Tropsch products in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16). The Fischer-Tropsch products (20) from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16) are withdrawn. A Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage tail gas (26) which includes unconverted H2 and CO is obtained. The operating conditions of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis stage (16) are manipulated to achieve a substantially constant target tail gas H2/CO ratio, with the target tail gas H2/CO ratio being substantially different from the target feed synthesis gas H2/CO ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Alex Philip Vogel
  • Publication number: 20140371334
    Abstract: A method of operating a slurry phase apparatus includes feeding one or more gaseous reactants into a slurry body of solid particulate material suspended in a suspension liquid contained inside a vessel. The one or more gaseous reactants are fed into the slurry body through a gas distributor having downward facing gas outlets and are fed towards a fluid impermeable partition spanning across the vessel below the gas distributor. The partition divides the vessel into a slurry volume above the partition and a bottom volume below the partition. A differential pressure is maintained over the partition between predefined limits by manipulating or allowing changes in the pressure in the bottom volume by employing a pressure transfer passage establishing flow or pressure communication between the bottom volume and a head space above the slurry body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: SASOL TECHNOLOGY (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
    Inventors: André Peter Steynberg, Evert Phillippus Kleynhans, Marshall Stephen Lee, Hermanus Gerhardus Nel, Jako Louw