Patents by Inventor John Charles Saukaitis

John Charles Saukaitis 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: 10272381
    Abstract: An integrated process for making high molecular weight hydrocarbons from a synthesis gas feed to a Fischer-Tropsch unit. A carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium membrane system (membrane system) is used to control the hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio of a feed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system is operatively connected between a steam reformer and the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system receives a synthesis gas stream and provides for the removal of hydrogen from the synthesis gas stream to provide a retentate stream having a desired H2/CO molar ratio that is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: John Charles Saukaitis, Kamal Azad
  • Publication number: 20180104657
    Abstract: A method is provided for preparing a carbon monoxide resistant gold-alloy gas separation membrane system. A palladium layer is provided upon a surface of a tubular porous substrate, wherein the palladium layer has a mean surface roughness (Sa) of less than 2.5 microns, followed by submerging the tubular porous substrate within a solution of chloroauric acid or a salt thereof. A volume of hydrogen peroxide is periodically introduced into the solution while spinning the tubular porous substrate at a set rate and for a time period so as to deposit upon the palladium layer a gold layer of desired uniformity and a desired thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: John Charles SAUKAITIS, Kamal AZAD
  • Publication number: 20180065080
    Abstract: An integrated process for making high molecular weight hydrocarbons from a synthesis gas feed to a Fischer-Tropsch unit. A carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium membrane system (membrane system) is used to control the hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio of a feed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system is operatively connected between a steam reformer and the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system receives a synthesis gas stream and provides for the removal of hydrogen from the synthesis gas stream to provide a retentate stream having a desired H2/CO molar ratio that is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: John Charles SAUKAITIS, Kamal AZAD
  • Patent number: 9533263
    Abstract: A method of making a gas separation membrane by providing a plating vessel with a volume of plating solution of gas-selective metal ions into which is placed a porous support. The plating solution is circulated over a surface of the porous support while maintaining conditions within the plating vessel so as to promote the electroless deposition. The circulation rate of the plating solution is such as to enhance the metal deposition onto the surface of the porous support in the formation of the gas separation membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: John Charles Saukaitis
  • Publication number: 20150290591
    Abstract: Methods for preparing a gas separation membrane system can include depositing a gas-selective membrane layer upon a surface of a tubular porous support, annealing the gas-selective membrane layer to form an annealed gas-selective membrane layer, polishing the annealed gas-selective membrane layer under a controlled polishing condition to form an abraded membrane surface, depositing another gas-selective membrane layer upon the abraded membrane surface of the tubular porous support, and successively iterating the annealing, polishing and depositing operations until a leak-tight membrane system is formed. The controlled polishing condition comprises utilizing a rotary fibrous buff that includes a plurality of abrasive particles adhered to a fibrous support with a polymeric binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: John Charles SAUKAITIS, Eric PRECISE
  • Publication number: 20150292090
    Abstract: Presented is a method for preparing a gas separation membrane system. This method involves depositing a membrane layer of gas-selective metal upon a tubular porous support followed by annealing the resulting layer of gas-selective metal. The resulting annealed membrane layer of gas-selective material is polished under a controlled polishing condition with an abrading medium that includes a structured abrasive article comprising a backing having bonded thereto an abrasive layer comprising a plurality of shaped abrasive composites that comprise abrasive grains dispersed in a polymeric binder. Another layer of gas-selective metal is then deposited upon the tubular porous support. The cycle of annealing, polishing and depositing is repeated through one or more cycles until a leak-tight membrane system is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: John Charles SAUKAITIS, Eric PRECISE
  • Publication number: 20150231574
    Abstract: A method of making a gas separation membrane by providing a plating vessel with a volume of plating solution of gas-selective metal ions into which is placed a porous support. The plating solution is circulated over a surface of the porous support while maintaining conditions within the plating vessel so as to promote the electroless deposition. The circulation rate of the plating solution is such as to enhance the metal deposition onto the surface of the porous support in the formation of the gas separation membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: John Charles SAUKAITIS
  • Patent number: 9050562
    Abstract: A method of making a gas separation membrane by providing a plating vessel with a volume of plating solution of gas-selective metal ions into which is placed a porous support. The plating solution is circulated over a surface of the porous support while maintaining conditions within the plating vessel so as to promote the electroless deposition. The circulation rate of the plating solution is such as to enhance the metal deposition onto the surface of the porous support in the formation of the gas separation membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: John Charles Saukaitis
  • Patent number: 8911570
    Abstract: A method of making a gas separation membrane system by providing a porous support material having deposited thereon a metal membrane layer and imposing upon the surface thereof certain surface characteristics that provide for surface activation that enhances the placement thereon of a subsequent metal membrane layer. The gas separation membrane system is useful in the separation of hydrogen from hydrogen-containing gas streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Charles Saukaitis, Ashley Renee Villarreal
  • Patent number: 8876949
    Abstract: A method of preparing a palladium-silver alloy gas separation membrane system, wherein the surface of the palladium layer or a silver layer is activated by a non-chemical activation method involving abrasion to a controlled surface roughness and abrasion pattern, thereby permitting the plating or deposition of an overlayer of silver on the palladium layer, silver on a silver layer, or palladium on a silver layer. The palladium and silver layers are preferably supported on a porous metal support to which an intermetallic diffusion barrier has been applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: John Charles Saukaitis
  • Patent number: 8876948
    Abstract: A method of making a composite gas separation module by providing a porous support material having deposited thereon a metal membrane layer, by imposing upon the surface of the metal membrane layer certain surface characteristics including an abrasion pattern and a relatively high surface roughness that provides for surface activation that enhances the placement thereon of a subsequent metal membrane layer without the use of a chemical activating solution. The composite gas separation module is useful in the separation of hydrogen from hydrogen-containing gas streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: John Charles Saukaitis
  • Patent number: 8721773
    Abstract: A method for preparing a palladium-gold alloy gas separation membrane system comprising a gold-palladium alloy membrane on a porous substrate coated with an intermetallic diffusion barrier. The method includes an abrading step to increase surface roughness of the palladium to a desired range, a gold plating step with a solution of chloroauric acid (AuCl4H) and hydrogen peroxide, followed by annealing to produce a palladium-gold alloy membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Nathan Earl Perkins, II, John Charles Saukaitis
  • Publication number: 20130104740
    Abstract: A method for preparing a palladium-gold alloy gas separation membrane system comprising a gold-palladium alloy membrane on a porous substrate coated with an intermetallic diffusion barrier. The method includes an abrading step to increase surface roughness of the palladium to a desired range, a gold plating step with a solution of chloroauric acid (AuCl4H) and hydrogen peroxide, followed by annealing to produce a palladium-gold alloy membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Nathan Earl PERKINS, II, John Charles SAUKAITIS
  • Publication number: 20120167768
    Abstract: A gas separation membrane system and a method of preparing such gas separation membrane system by providing a porous support upon which is supported a membrane layer comprising a first gas-selective material and having a membrane thickness and removing therefrom a substantial portion of the first gas-selective material from the membrane layer by the use of an ultra-fine abrasive to thereby provide the membrane layer having a reduced membrane thickness. A second gas-selective material is deposited upon the membrane layer having the reduced membrane thickness to provide an overlayer of the second gas-selective material having an overlayer thickness so as to thereby provide the gas separation membrane system having the membrane layer of the reduced membrane thickness and the overlayer of the overlayer thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Alan Anthony DEL PAGGIO, John Charles SAUKAITIS
  • Patent number: 8167976
    Abstract: A gas separation membrane system and a method of preparing such gas separation membrane system by providing a porous support upon which is supported a membrane layer comprising a first gas-selective material and having a membrane thickness and removing therefrom a substantial portion of the first gas-selective material from the membrane layer by the use of an ultra-fine abrasive to thereby provide the membrane layer having a reduced membrane thickness. A second gas-selective material is deposited upon the membrane layer having the reduced membrane thickness to provide an overlayer of the second gas-selective material having an overlayer thickness so as to thereby provide the gas separation membrane system having the membrane layer of the reduced membrane thickness and the overlayer of the overlayer thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Alan Anthony Del Paggio, John Charles Saukaitis
  • Patent number: 8048199
    Abstract: A method of preparing a gas separation membrane system and the gas separation membrane system itself, wherein the method includes applying a layer of a gas-selective material to a porous substrate followed by heat-treating thereof in an inert gaseous atmosphere and then polishing and repeating these steps to thereby provide the gas separation membrane system or a structure that may suitably be used in a gas separation membrane system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: John Charles Saukaitis
  • Publication number: 20110232821
    Abstract: A method of making a gas separation membrane system by providing a porous support material having deposited thereon a metal membrane layer and imposing upon the surface thereof certain surface characteristics that provide for surface activation that enhances the placement thereon of a subsequent metal membrane layer. The gas separation membrane system is useful in the separation of hydrogen from hydrogen-containing gas streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: John Charles SAUKAITIS, Ashley Renee Villarreal
  • Patent number: 8026398
    Abstract: Catalyst comprising a combination of oxidized metals and processes for cleaving phenylalkyl hydroperoxides in the presence of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventors: Narayana Mysore, John Charles Saukaitis, John Anthony Smegal
  • Patent number: 7998247
    Abstract: A gas separation membrane and a method of manufacturing such gas separation membrane that comprises a porous substrate treated with a layer of metal-coated inorganic oxide particles and with the layer of such metal-coated inorganic oxide particles being coated with an overlayer of a gas-selective material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Charles Saukaitis, Alan Anthony Del Paggio
  • Patent number: 7959711
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing such gas separation membrane system that includes applying to a surface of a porous substrate a layer of a nanopowder of a gas-selective metal and, thereafter, heat-treating the resultant surface treated porous substrate to yield a heat-treated and surface-treated porous substrate suitable for use as a gas separation membrane system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John Charles Saukaitis, Alan Anthony Del Paggio