Patents by Inventor John David Pach

John David Pach 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: 20220144654
    Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Alan Ingham, Madhanakrishnan Janardhanan, John David Pach, Kar Chi Yiu
  • Patent number: 11261086
    Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Alan Ingham, Madhanakrishnan Janardhanan, John David Pach, Kar Chi Yiu
  • Publication number: 20220048767
    Abstract: A method is described for controlling a furnace containing a plurality of catalyst-containing tubes heated by a combustion gas generated by a plurality of burners, said method comprising the steps of: (i) measuring path-averaged combustion gas temperatures on multiple paths through the furnace using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, (ii) periodically measuring temperatures of surfaces within the furnace to obtain periodic surface temperature information, (iii) entering the path-averaged combustion gas temperatures and periodic surface temperature information into a computer model of the furnace, said model comprising parameters for controlling the furnace; and (iv) using the computer model and the temperature information to obtain optimised parameters for controlling the furnace. A system for performing the method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew John COUSINS, Michael DAVIES, John David PACH
  • Patent number: 11097944
    Abstract: A method is described for revamping an ammonia production facility said ammonia production facility having a front end comprising one or more reformers fed with a hydrocarbon feedstock at a hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate and a high-temperature shift reactor fed with a reformed gas obtained from said one or more reformers and containing a fixed bed of iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst, said front end operating at a first steam-to-carbon ratio and a first pressure drop, said method comprising the steps of (i) replacing the iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst with a low-steam water-gas shift catalyst to form a modified front end, (ii) operating the modified front end at a second steam-to-carbon ratio and a second pressure drop, wherein the second steam-to-carbon ratio is at least 0.2 less than the first steam-to-carbon ratio and the second pressure drop is less than the first pressure drop, and (iii) increasing the hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate to said one or more reformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: John David Pach, Colin William Park
  • Publication number: 20210017023
    Abstract: A process for the co-production of methanol and ammonia is described comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first synthesis gas stream by reacting a first portion of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a steam reformer, (b) forming a second synthesis gas stream in parallel to the first synthesis gas stream by reacting a second portion of the hydrocarbon feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas and steam in an autothermal reformer, (c) synthesising methanol from a first process gas comprising the first synthesis gas stream, and (d) synthesising ammonia from a second process gas prepared from the second synthesis gas stream, wherein a purge stream containing hydrogen is recovered from the methanol synthesis step (c) and a portion of the purge gas stream is fed to the autothermal reformer and/or the second synthesis gas in step (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Alan INGHAM, Madhanakrishnan JANARDHANAN, John David PACH, Kar Chi YIU
  • Patent number: 10759744
    Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas; (b) subjecting the synthesis gas to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (c) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (d) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (e) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas; (f) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air to form formaldehyde in a stabiliser production unit; (g) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (h) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Sam Barker, Thomas Davison, John David Pach
  • Publication number: 20200109108
    Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas; (b) subjecting the synthesis gas to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (c) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (d) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (e) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas; (f) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air to form formaldehyde in a stabiliser production unit; (g) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (h) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas i
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Sam BARKER, Thomas DAVISON, John David PACH
  • Patent number: 10550076
    Abstract: A process for producing formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising generating a synthesis gas, subjecting the synthesis gas to water-gas shift to form a shifted gas; recovering carbon dioxide from the shifted gas; synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; subjecting recovered methanol to oxidation; subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation; synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas and recovering the ammonia; reacting ammonia and recovered carbon dioxide stream to form a urea stream; and stabilising the urea by mixing the urea stream and a stabiliser prepared using the recovered formaldehyde, wherein a portion of the synthesis gas by-passes either the one or more of the water-gas shift reactors, carbon dioxide removal unit, or water-gas shift reactors and the carbon dioxide removal unit used in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Ola Erlandsson, Andreas Erik Johan Magnusson, Kate McFarlane, John David Pach, Daniel Thomas Sheldon, Darren Ward
  • Patent number: 10479761
    Abstract: An integrated process for the production of a formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit; (b) dividing the synthesis gas into a first synthesis gas stream and a smaller second synthesis gas stream; (c) subjecting the first synthesis gas stream to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (d) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (e) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (f) subjecting the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas to a stage of methanation in one or more methanation reactors to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (g) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas in an ammonia production unit and recovering the ammonia; (
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Thomas Davison, John David Pach
  • Patent number: 10457634
    Abstract: A process is described for the production of formaldehyde, comprising (a) subjecting methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit thereby producing a formaldehyde-containing stream; (b) separating said formaldehyde-containing stream into a formaldehyde product stream and a formaldehyde vent gas stream; wherein the vent gas stream, optionally after treatment in a vent gas treatment unit, is passed to one or more stages of: (i) synthesis gas generation, (ii) carbon dioxide removal, (iii) methanol synthesis or (iv) urea synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Ola Erlandsson, Andreas Magnusson, John David Pach, Daniel Sheldon
  • Patent number: 10435304
    Abstract: A process for production of ammonia includes: providing a reaction stream including carbon monoxide and hydrogen; passing the reaction stream and steam over a water gas shift catalyst in a catalytic shift reactor, forming a shifted gas mixture depleted in carbon monoxide and enriched in hydrogen; passing the shifted gas mixture with an oxygen-containing gas over a selective oxidation catalyst at ?175° C., forming a selectively oxidized gas stream with a portion of the carbon monoxide converted to carbon dioxide; removing some of the carbon dioxide from the selectively oxidized gas stream in a carbon dioxide removal unit; passing the carbon dioxide depleted stream over a methanation catalyst in a methanator to form a methanated gas stream, optionally adjusting its hydrogen:nitrogen molar ratio to form an ammonia synthesis gas; and passing the ammonia synthesis gas over an ammonia synthesis catalyst in an ammonia converter to form ammonia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: John David Pach, Daniel Sheldon, David Wails
  • Publication number: 20190263753
    Abstract: An integrated process for the production of a formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit; (b) dividing the synthesis gas into a first synthesis gas stream and a smaller second synthesis gas stream; (c) subjecting the first synthesis gas stream to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (d) cooling the shifted gas to below the dew point and recovering condensate to form a dried shifted gas; (e) recovering carbon dioxide from the dried shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (f) subjecting the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas to a stage of methanation in one or more methanation reactors to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (g) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas in an ammonia production unit and recovering the ammonia; (
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas DAVISON, John David PACH
  • Publication number: 20190047852
    Abstract: A method is described for revamping an ammonia production facility said ammonia production facility having a front end comprising one or more reformers fed with a hydrocarbon feedstock at a hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate and a high-temperature shift reactor fed with a reformed gas obtained from said one or more reformers and containing a fixed bed of iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst, said front end operating at a first steam- to-carbon ratio and a first pressure drop, said method comprising the steps of (i) replacing the iron-containing water-gas shift catalyst with a low-steam water-gas shift catalyst to form a modified front end, (ii) operating the modified front end at a second steam-to-carbon ratio and a second pressure drop, wherein the second steam-to-carbon ratio is at least 0.2 less than the first steam-to-carbon ratio and the second pressure drop is less than the first pressure drop, and (iii) increasing the hydrocarbon feed stock feed rate to said one or more reformers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: John David PACH, Colin William PARK
  • Publication number: 20190031604
    Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit, (b) subjecting the synthesis gas to one or more stages of water-gas shift in one or more water-gas shift reactors to form a shifted gas; (c) recovering carbon dioxide from the shifted gas in a carbon dioxide removal unit to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (d) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas comprising nitrogen, hydrogen and residual carbon monoxide; (e) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit; (f) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (g) synthesising ammo
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ola ERLANDSSON, Andreas Erik Johan MAGNUSSON, Kate MCFARLANE, John David PACH, Daniel Thomas SHELDON, Darren WARD
  • Publication number: 20180362453
    Abstract: A process is described for the production of formaldehyde, comprising (a) subjecting methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit thereby producing a formaldehyde-containing stream; (b) separating said formaldehyde-containing stream into a formaldehyde product stream and a formaldehyde vent gas stream; wherein the vent gas stream, optionally after treatment in a vent gas treatment unit, is passed to one or more stages of: (i) synthesis gas generation, (ii) carbon dioxide removal, (iii) methanol synthesis or (iv) urea synthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Ola Erlandsson, Andreas Magnusson, John David Pach, Daniel Sheldon
  • Patent number: 10099922
    Abstract: A method for loading an axial-radial flow vessel containing a bed of a particulate catalyst having a radial-flow portion and an axial-flow portion supported on and in fluid communication with the radial flow portion, includes: (i) placing a first catalyst material in the radial-flow portion and (ii) placing a second catalyst material in the axial-flow portion, wherein the second catalyst material has a smaller particle size than the first catalyst material. A vessel loaded with first and second catalyst materials is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: John David Pach, Mikhail Victorovich Tararyshkin, Anatoly L'vovich Yelagin
  • Patent number: 10087140
    Abstract: A process is described for the production of formaldehyde, comprising (a) subjecting methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit thereby producing a formaldehyde-containing stream; (b) separating said formaldehyde-containing stream into a formaldehyde product stream and a formaldehyde vent gas stream; wherein the vent gas stream, optionally after treatment in a vent gas treatment unit, is passed to one or more stages of: (i) synthesis gas generation, (ii) carbon dioxide removal, (iii) methanol synthesis or (iv) urea synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Ola Erlandsson, Andreas Magnusson, John David Pach, Daniel Sheldon
  • Patent number: 10077235
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilized urea, starting with producing synthesis gas and including the preparation of methanol, ammonia, urea, and formaldehyde in amounts appropriate for the final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Ola Erlandsson, Andreas Magnusson, John David Pach, Daniel Sheldon
  • Publication number: 20180072659
    Abstract: A process is described for the production of formaldehyde, comprising (a) subjecting methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit thereby producing a formaldehyde-containing stream; (b) separating said formaldehyde-containing stream into a formaldehyde product stream and a formaldehyde vent gas stream; wherein the vent gas stream, optionally after treatment in a vent gas treatment unit, is passed to one or more stages of: (i) synthesis gas generation, (ii) carbon dioxide removal, (iii) methanol synthesis or (iv) urea synthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Ola ERLANDSSON, Andreas MAGNUSSON, John David PACH, Daniel SHELDON
  • Publication number: 20180072658
    Abstract: A process for the production of formaldehyde-stabilised urea is described comprising the steps of: (a) generating a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and steam in a synthesis gas generation unit; (b) recovering carbon dioxide from the synthesis gas to form a carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas; (c) synthesising methanol from the carbon dioxide-depleted synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit and recovering the methanol and a methanol synthesis off-gas comprising nitrogen, hydrogen and residual carbon monoxide; (d) subjecting at least a portion of the recovered methanol to oxidation with air in a formaldehyde production unit; (e) subjecting the methanol synthesis off-gas to methanation in a methanation reactor containing a methanation catalyst to form an ammonia synthesis gas; (f) synthesising ammonia from the ammonia synthesis gas in an ammonia production unit and recovering the ammonia; (g) reacting a portion of the ammonia and at least a portion of the recover
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Ola ERLANDSSON, Andreas MAGNUSSON, John David PACH, Daniel SHELDON