Patents by Inventor James R. Butler

James R. Butler 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: 20150158793
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: James R. Butler, Joseph E. Pelati
  • Publication number: 20150126666
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a polystyrene based nanocomposite by combining a monomer with a nanoparticle to form a mixture and subjecting the mixture to polymerization conditions to produce a polymeric composite. In an embodiment the nanoparticle has been treated with an additive prior to combining with the monomer and the additive contains a silane moiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: James R. Butler, David W. Knoeppel
  • Patent number: 9012708
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Butler, Joseph E. Pelati
  • Patent number: 8999257
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons include a direct contact condenser to remove compounds from an offgas process stream. The reduction of compounds can decrease duty on the offgas compressor by removing steam and aromatics from the offgas. The dehydrogenation reaction system can be applicable for reactions such as the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to produce styrene, the dehydrogenation of isoamiline to produce isoprene, or the dehydrogenation of n-pentene to produce piperylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent A. Welch, James R. Butler
  • Patent number: 8981004
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a polystyrene based nanocomposite by combining a monomer with a nanoparticle to form a mixture and subjecting the mixture to polymerization conditions to produce a polymeric composite. In an embodiment the nanoparticle has been treated with an additive prior to combining with the monomer and the additive contains a silane moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Butler, David W. Knoeppel
  • Patent number: 8969638
    Abstract: A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Tippet, James R. Butler, James Assef, John Ashbaugh, Jason Clark, Michel Duc, Jean-Bernard Cary
  • Patent number: 8969642
    Abstract: A process for making styrene is disclosed that includes reacting toluene with a C1 source and a co-feed in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor to form a first product stream comprising styrene, ethylbenzene, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen; separating the hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the first product stream to form a second stream; separating the hydrogen from the second stream to form a third stream comprising hydrogen and a fourth stream comprising carbon monoxide; wherein the fourth stream is recycled to the reactor and forms at least a portion of the co-feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph E. Pelati, James R. Butler, Sivadinarayana Chinta
  • Patent number: 8865958
    Abstract: A method of producing an alkylaromatic by the alkylation of an aromatic with an alkylating agent, such as producing ethylbenzene by an alkylation reaction of benzene, is disclosed. The method includes using an H-beta catalyst to minimize process upsets due to alkylation catalyst deactivation and the resulting catalyst regeneration or replacement. The H-beta catalyst can be used in a preliminary alkylation reactor that is located upstream of the primary alkylation reactor. The H-beta catalyst used in a preliminary alkylation reactor can reduce the deactivation of the catalyst in the primary alkylation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Butler
  • Publication number: 20140288340
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: James R. Butler, Joseph E. Pelati
  • Publication number: 20140257004
    Abstract: A process for making styrene is disclosed that includes providing toluene, a co-feed, and a C1 source to a reactor containing a catalyst, reacting toluene with the C1 source in the presence of the catalyst and the co-feed to form a product stream containing ethylbenzene and styrene. The co-feed can be selected from the group of water, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sivadinarayana Chinta, Joseph L. Thorman, James R. Butler
  • Publication number: 20140257005
    Abstract: A method for the oxidative coupling of hydrocarbons, such as the oxidative coupling of methane to toluene, includes providing an oxidative catalyst inside a reactor, and carrying out the oxidative coupling reaction under a set of reaction conditions. The oxidative catalyst includes (A) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Lanthanoid group, Mg, Ca, and the elements of Group 4 of the periodic table (Ti, Zr, and Hf); (B) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Group 1 elements of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and the elements of Group 3 (including La and Ac) and Groups 5-15 of the periodic table; (C) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Group 1 elements of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and the elements Ca, Sr, and Ba; and (D) oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sivadinarayana Chinta, Joseph L. Thorman, James R. Butler, Joe Hunter, Taylor Rives
  • Publication number: 20140237600
    Abstract: Detecting executable machine instructions in a data is accomplished by accessing a plurality of values representing data contained within a memory of a computer system and performing pre-processing on the plurality of values to produce a candidate data subset. The pre-processing may include determining whether the plurality of values meets (a) a randomness condition, (b) a length condition, and/or (c) a string ratio condition. The candidate data subset is inspected for computer instructions, characteristics of the computer instructions are determined, and a predetermined action taken based on the characteristics of the computer instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Peter J Silberman, James R Butler, Nick J Harbour
  • Patent number: 8802911
    Abstract: A method of producing an alkylaromatic by the alkylation of an aromatic with an alkylating agent, such as producing ethylbenzene by an alkylation reaction of benzene, is disclosed. The method includes using an H-beta catalyst to minimize process upsets due to alkylation catalyst deactivation and the resulting catalyst regeneration or replacement. The H-beta catalyst can be used in a preliminary alkylation reactor that is located upstream of the primary alkylation reactor. The H-beta catalyst used in a preliminary alkylation reactor can reduce the deactivation of the catalyst in the primary alkylation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Butler
  • Publication number: 20140221717
    Abstract: Methods of forming ethylbenzene are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes contacting dilute ethylene with benzene in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to form ethylbenzene, wherein such contact occurs in a reaction zone containing a gaseous phase and recovering ethylbenzene from the reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: James R. Butler
  • Patent number: 8796497
    Abstract: A method for the oxidative coupling of hydrocarbons, such as the oxidative coupling of methane to toluene, includes providing an oxidative catalyst inside a reactor, and carrying out the oxidative coupling reaction under a set of reaction conditions. The oxidative catalyst includes (A) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Lanthanoid group, Mg, Ca, and the elements of Group 4 of the periodic table (Ti, Zr, and Hf); (B) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Group 1 elements of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and the elements of Group 3 (including La and Ac) and Groups 5-15 of the periodic table; (C) at least one element selected from the group consisting of the Group 1 elements of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and the elements Ca, Sr, and Ba; and (D) oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivadinarayana Chinta, Joseph L. Thorman, James R. Butler, Joe Hunter, Taylor Rives
  • Patent number: 8796498
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Butler, Joseph E. Pelati
  • Patent number: 8785705
    Abstract: A process for making styrene is disclosed that includes providing toluene, a co-feed, and a C1 source to a reactor containing a catalyst, reacting toluene with the C1 source in the presence of the catalyst and the co-feed to form a product stream containing ethylbenzene and styrene. The co-feed can be selected from the group of water, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivadinarayana Chinta, Joseph L. Thorman, James R. Butler
  • Publication number: 20140194663
    Abstract: A process for the coupling of hydrocarbons and utilizing the heat energy produced by the reaction is disclosed. In one embodiment the process can include reacting methane with oxygen to form a product stream containing ethane and further processing the ethane to ethylene in an existing ethylene production facility while using the heat energy produced by the reaction within the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: James R. Butler
  • Patent number: 8748683
    Abstract: Methods of forming ethylbenzene are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes contacting dilute ethylene with benzene in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to form ethylbenzene, wherein such contact occurs in a liquid phase reaction zone and recovering ethylbenzene from the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Butler
  • Publication number: 20140154148
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for vaporizing and transporting an alkali metal salt is shown. The apparatus has a first conduit capable of transporting an alkali metal salt solution and a second conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit, the second conduit capable of transporting steam so that the alkali metal salt is dissipated into the steam forming a solution that can be transported, such as to a remote reaction zone. The solution can be transported via a third conduit that is capable of being heated by a heat source. The method can be used to add a promoter to a dehydrogenation catalyst during a dehydrogenation reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: FINA TECHNOLOGY, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph E. Pelati, James R. Butler, Hollie Craig