Patents by Inventor James Hillier

James Hillier 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: 11958745
    Abstract: Processes and systems that utilize methane pyrolysis for carbon capture from a petrochemical stream that contains hydrogen and methane. The petrochemical stream can be the tail gas of a hydrocarbon cracking system, or any other petrochemical stream containing hydrogen and methane. The petrochemical stream can be separated into a hydrogen product stream and a methane product stream, before sending the methane product stream to a methane pyrolysis unit. The methane pyrolysis unit converts methane to solid carbon and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: James Hillier, Michael S. Webster-Gardiner
  • Patent number: 11955674
    Abstract: Processes and systems that utilize a fuel cell for carbon capture from a petrochemical stream that contains hydrogen and methane. The petrochemical stream can be the tail gas of a hydrocarbon cracking system, or any other petrochemical stream containing hydrogen and methane. The petrochemical stream can be separated into a hydrogen product stream and a methane product stream, before sending the methane product stream to the fuel cell. The fuel cell converts methane to carbon dioxide and hydrogen to water, while generating electricity that can be used to power equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventor: James Hillier
  • Publication number: 20240109774
    Abstract: A hydrogen-rich hydrocarbon fuel gas can be separated into a methane fuel stream and a hydrogen product stream. The methane fuel stream can be fed to a methane fuel fired furnace, combustion of the methane fuel stream can produce a carbon-dioxide-rich flue gas, and a carbon capture process can be performed on the carbon-dioxide-rich flue gas. The hydrogen product stream can be fed to a hydrogen fired furnace or elsewhere. Combustion of the hydrogen product stream in a hydrogen fired furnace can generate a flue gas the is low in carbon dioxide. Electrolysis of water obtained from the hydrogen fired furnace flue gas can produce hydrogen for a desired use, such as fuel for the hydrogen fired furnace, and can produce oxygen for enriching the fuel gas fed to the methane fuel fired furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: James Hillier, Ralph J. Price, Arthur Orscheln
  • Publication number: 20240034702
    Abstract: Processes for producing n-heptane from a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene in the presence of a suitable isomerization-metathesis catalyst followed by a hydrogenation step are disclosed. Integrated manufacturing systems for producing n-heptane with minimal waste also are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Steven M. BISCHOF, Jeffery C. GEE, James HILLIER, Kamaljeet KAUR, Ronald C. SMITH, Darin B. TIEDTKE, Mark L. HLAVINKA
  • Publication number: 20230331642
    Abstract: Methods for determining ethylene concentration in an ethylene oligomerization reactor using an ultrasonic flow meter are described, and these methods are integrated into ethylene oligomerization processes and related oligomerization reactor systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Bruce Kreischer, Kendall M. Hurst, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Steven M. Bischof, Jared Fern, Kent E. Mitchell, James Hillier
  • Patent number: 11753356
    Abstract: Methods for determining ethylene concentration in an ethylene oligomerization reactor using an ultrasonic flow meter are described, and these methods are integrated into ethylene oligomerization processes and related oligomerization reactor systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Bruce E. Kreischer, Kendall M. Hurst, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Steven M. Bischof, Jared Fern, Kent E. Mitchell, James Hillier
  • Patent number: 11731921
    Abstract: Processes for producing n-heptane from a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene in the presence of a suitable isomerization-metathesis catalyst followed by a hydrogenation step are disclosed. Integrated manufacturing systems for producing n-heptane with minimal waste also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventors: Steven M. Bischof, Jeffery C. Gee, James Hillier, Kamaljeet Kaur, Ronald C. Smith, Darin B. Tiedtke, Mark L. Hlavinka
  • Publication number: 20230183390
    Abstract: Processes for producing ethylene-based polymers and oligomers from ethanol include the steps of contacting the ethanol and a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture containing ethylene, wherein a first portion of the ethanol is derived from a biomass and a second portion of the ethanol is derived from a plastic, a mixed solid waste stream, or a combination thereof, separating at least a portion of the ethylene from the reaction mixture, and contacting ethylene with a suitable polymerization or oligomerization catalyst composition to produce the ethylene polymer or ethylene oligomers. A related process for producing ethylene-based polymers and oligomers uses a first ethylene feed derived from ethanol and a second ethylene feed derived from a plastic, a mixed solid waste stream, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: James Hillier, Michael S. Webster-Gardiner
  • Publication number: 20230101033
    Abstract: A process to produce 1-octene and 1-decene includes (a) separating a composition containing an oligomer product—which contains 15 to 80 mol % C6 olefins, 20 to 80 mol % C8 olefins, and 5 to 20 mol % C10+ olefins—into a first oligomer composition containing C6 alkanes and at least 85 mol % C6 olefins (e.g., 1-hexene), a second oligomer composition containing at least 20 mol % C8 olefins (e.g., 1-octene), and a heavies stream containing C10+ olefins, then (b) contacting a metathesis catalyst system with the first oligomer composition to form a first composition comprising C10 linear internal olefins, (c) contacting the C10 linear internal olefins with a catalytic isomerization catalyst system in the presence of photochemical irradiation to form a second composition comprising 1-decene, and (d) purifying the second composition to isolate a third composition comprising at least 90 mol % 1-decene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Michael S. Webster-Gardiner, Steven M. Bischof, James Hillier
  • Publication number: 20230081124
    Abstract: Methods for determining ethylene concentration in an ethylene oligomerization reactor using an ultrasonic flow meter are described, and these methods are integrated into ethylene oligomerization processes and related oligomerization reactor systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Bruce E. Kreischer, Kendall M. Hurst, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Steven M. Bischof, Jared Fern, Kent E. Mitchell, James Hillier
  • Patent number: 11572324
    Abstract: Methods for determining ethylene concentration in an ethylene oligomerization reactor using an ultrasonic flow meter are described, and these methods are integrated into ethylene oligomerization processes and related oligomerization reactor systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
    Inventors: Bruce E. Kreischer, Kendall M. Hurst, Eric D. Schwerdtfeger, Steven M. Bischof, Jared Fern, Kent E. Mitchell, James Hillier
  • Patent number: 11498889
    Abstract: A process to produce 1-octene and 1-decene includes (a) separating a composition containing an oligomer product—which contains from 15 to 80 mol % C6 olefins, from 20 to 80 mol % C8 olefins, and from 5 to 20 mol % C10+ olefins—into a first oligomer composition containing C6 alkanes and at least 85 mol % C6 olefins (e.g., 1-hexene), a second oligomer composition containing at least 85 mol % C8 olefins (e.g., 1-octene), and a heavies stream containing C10+ olefins, then (b) contacting a metathesis catalyst system with the first oligomer composition to form a first composition comprising C10 linear internal olefins, (c) contacting the C10 linear internal olefins with an isomerization hydrofunctionalization catalyst system to form a second composition containing a functionalized alkane, (d) retro-hydrofunctionalizing the functionalized alkane to form a third composition containing 1-decene, and (e) purifying the third composition to isolate a fourth composition containing at least 90 mol % 1-decene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Steven M. Bischof, James Hillier
  • Patent number: 9909067
    Abstract: Various biomass reactors systems and methods of pyrolyzing biomass are disclosed. One type of biomass reactor system comprises a plurality of biomass processing stations configured in series, each station comprising an auger reactor including an auger inlet for receiving biomass and a transfer screw for conveying the biomass through the auger reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: COOL PLANET ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Daren Daugaard, Davy Tong, Vern S. Traxler, Vital Aelion, Gary Podrebarac, James Hillier, Michael C. Cheiky
  • Patent number: 9478144
    Abstract: A method of capturing student performance can be provided that includes enabling a course creator to generate assessment data related to learning assessments for an online course and to generate learning outcomes for the online course, associating the assessment data with the learning outcomes, such that at least some of the learning assessments correspond to at least some of the learning outcomes, and generating an online classroom. The method may further include providing the learning assessments to students enrolled in the online course using the online classroom, wherein the students can generate completed learning assessments, and determining, for each of the completed learning assessments, whether one or more of the learning outcomes were met by each of the students.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Distance EDU Learning, Inc.
    Inventors: James Hillier, James Pulliam, Kevin Pulliam
  • Publication number: 20160063882
    Abstract: A method of capturing student performance can be provided that includes enabling a course creator to generate assessment data related to learning assessments for an online course and to generate learning outcomes for the online course, associating the assessment data with the learning outcomes, such that at least some of the learning assessments correspond to at least some of the learning outcomes, and generating an online classroom. The method may further include providing the learning assessments to students enrolled in the online course using the online classroom, wherein the students can generate completed learning assessments, and determining, for each of the completed learning assessments, whether one or more of the learning outcomes were met by each of the students.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: James Hillier, James Pulliam, Kevin Pulliam
  • Patent number: 9214090
    Abstract: A method of capturing student performance can be provided that includes enabling a course creator to generate assessment data related to learning assessments for an online course and to generate learning outcomes for the online course, associating the assessment data with the learning outcomes, such that at least some of the learning assessments correspond to at least some of the learning outcomes, and generating an online classroom. The method may further include providing the learning assessments to students enrolled in the online course using the online classroom, wherein the students can generate completed learning assessments, and determining, for each of the completed learning assessments, whether one or more of the learning outcomes were met by each of the students.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Distance EDU Learning, Inc.
    Inventors: James Hillier, James Pulliam, Kevin Pulliam
  • Patent number: 8835517
    Abstract: A method for the production of dimethyl ether is disclosed which utilizes: a dimethyl ether synthesis catalyst that converts synthesis gas to a dimethyl ether containing stream, wherein the dimethyl ether containing stream is directed to an absorption column containing water as a scrubbing agent and operating in a temperature range from 1° C.-20° C. and pressure range from 20 psig to 500 psig, and wherein the scrubbing liquid resulting from the exposure of the dimethyl ether containing stream to the absorption column is directed to a flash evaporation unit operating at 25° C.-100° C. and pressure range ?15 psig to 15 psig to produce a product stream rich in dimethyl ether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Cheiky, James Hillier
  • Publication number: 20140183022
    Abstract: Various biomass reactors systems and methods of pyrolyzing biomass are disclosed. One type of biomass reactor system comprises a plurality of biomass processing stations configured in series, each station comprising an auger reactor including an auger inlet for receiving biomass and a transfer screw for conveying the biomass through the auger reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: COOL PLANET ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Daren DAUGAARD, Davy TONG, Vern S. TRAXLER, Vital AELION, Gary PODREBARAC, James HILLIER, Michael C. CHEIKY
  • Publication number: 20140087352
    Abstract: A method of capturing student performance can be provided that includes enabling a course creator to generate assessment data related to learning assessments for an online course and to generate learning outcomes for the online course, associating the assessment data with the learning outcomes, such that at least some of the learning assessments correspond to at least some of the learning outcomes, and generating an online classroom. The method may further include providing the learning assessments to students enrolled in the online course using the online classroom, wherein the students can generate completed learning assessments, and determining, for each of the completed learning assessments, whether one or more of the learning outcomes were met by each of the students.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Inventors: James Hillier, James Pulliam, Kevin Pulliam, Kathy Becker, Will Richards
  • Publication number: 20130324622
    Abstract: A method for the production of dimethyl ether is disclosed which utilizes: a dimethyl ether synthesis catalyst that converts synthesis gas to a dimethyl ether containing stream, wherein the dimethyl ether containing stream is directed to an absorption column containing water as a scrubbing agent and operating in a temperature range from 1° C.-20° C. and pressure range from 20 psig to 500 psig, and wherein the scrubbing liquid resulting from the exposure of the dimethyl ether containing stream to the absorption column is directed to a flash evaporation unit operating at 25° C.-100° C. and pressure range ?15 psig to 15 psig to produce a product stream rich in dimethyl ether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Cheiky, James Hillier