Patents by Inventor John R. Porter
John R. Porter 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: 9878968Abstract: A process is described for separating paraxylene from a multicomponent fluid mixture of C8 aromatics. A mixture of C8 aromatics is fed to a simulated moving bed adsorptive apparatus having at least two sieve chambers and at least two rotary valves. Each sieve chamber may be operated individually using the PowerFeed process. The flow rates of the streams to or from the individual sieve chambers may be varied during the step time in an inverse manner such that a substantially constant flow to and from the apparatus is achieved. Alternatively, the flow rates to each sieve chamber may vary during the step time according to the same profile, but the rotary valves may be off-set and step independently in a staggered manner to achieve a substantially constant flow of a stream to or from the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: John R. Porter, Michael W. Weber, Gaurav Agrawal
-
Publication number: 20180016207Abstract: In a process and system for treatment of feed stocks comprising alkylating agent and metal salts, the metal salts are removed from the feedstock by an efficient combination of separations processes. The processes may take place in one or more stages, each stage taking place in one or more vessels. Such treatment processes may remove 99.9% or more of metal salts from a feedstock, while recovering 99.9% or more of the alkylating agent from the feedstock for use in an alkylation reaction, especially of aromatics such as toluene and benzene. Preferred alkylating agents include methanol and mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, for methylation of toluene and/or benzene. The methylation proceeds over an aluminosilicate catalyst and preferably yields para-xylene with 75% or greater selectivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: Robert G. Tinger, Indulis J. Eilands, John R. Porter, Larry L. Iaccino
-
Publication number: 20180002253Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for recovering paraxylene in which a first simulated moving bed adsorption unit is used to produce a paraxylene-rich extract stream that also contains a significant amount of the ethylbenzene and a paraxylene-depleted raffinate stream. Because a significant amount of the ethylbenzene is removed in the paraxylene-rich extract stream (at least enough to limit buildup in the isomerization loop), the paraxylene-depleted raffinate stream may be isomerized in the liquid phase. Avoiding vapor phase isomerization saves energy and capital, as liquid phase isomerization requires less energy and capital than the vapor phase isomerization process due to the requirement of vaporizing the paraxylene-depleted stream and the use of hydrogen, which requires an energy- and capital-intensive hydrogen recycle loop.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Inventors: Catherine M. Dorsi, Gaurav Agrawal, Michael W. Weber, Dana L. Pilliod, John R. Porter
-
Patent number: 9850186Abstract: A process for producing paraxylene is provided. The process includes separating a first mixture of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons in a simulated moving bed apparatus using a desorbent to produce (i) an extract comprising ?50.0 wt % of the paraxylene in the first mixture; (ii) a desorbent-rich raffinate comprising ?75 wt % of the desorbent withdrawn, and (iii) an desorbent-lean raffinate comprising ?25 wt % of the desorbent withdrawn in the desorbent-rich and desorbent-lean raffinates. The desorbent-lean raffinate can then, without an intervening separation step, be passed to a refinery process or a vapor phase isomerization reaction to produce an effluent comprising paraxylene in a greater concentration than the desorbent-lean raffinate. The desorbent-rich raffinate can be passed to a liquid phase isomerization reaction to produce an effluent comprising paraxylene in a greater concentration than the desorbent-rich raffinate.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: Gaurav Agrawal, Michael W. Weber, Michael Salciccioli, John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod, Timothy P. Bender
-
Patent number: 9802877Abstract: In a process and system for treatment of feed stocks comprising alkylating agent and metal salts, the metal salts are removed from the feedstock by an efficient combination of separations processes. The processes may take place in one or more stages, each stage taking place in one or more vessels. Such treatment processes may remove 99.9% or more of metal salts from a feedstock, while recovering 99.9% or more of the alkylating agent from the feedstock for use in an alkylation reaction, especially of aromatics such as toluene and benzene. Preferred alkylating agents include methanol and mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, for methylation of toluene and/or benzene. The methylation proceeds over an aluminosilicate catalyst and preferably yields para-xylene with 75% or greater selectivity.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: Robert G. Tinger, Indulis J. Eilands, John R. Porter, Larry L. Iaccino
-
Publication number: 20170305818Abstract: A process is described for separating paraxylene from a multicomponent fluid mixture of C8 aromatics. A mixture of C8 aromatics is fed to a simulated moving bed adsorptive apparatus having at least two sieve chambers and at least two rotary valves. Each sieve chamber may be operated individually using the PowerFeed process. The flow rates of the streams to or from the individual sieve chambers may be varied during the step time in an inverse manner such that a substantially constant flow to and from the apparatus is achieved. Alternatively, the flow rates to each sieve chamber may vary during the step time according to the same profile, but the rotary valves may be off-set and step independently in a staggered manner to achieve a substantially constant flow of a stream to or from the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: John R. Porter, Michael W. Weber, Gaurav Agrawal
-
Publication number: 20170247301Abstract: A process for producing paraxylene is provided. The process includes separating a first mixture of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons in a simulated moving bed apparatus using a desorbent to produce (i) an extract comprising ?50.0 wt % of the paraxylene in the first mixture; (ii) a desorbent-rich raffinate comprising ?75 wt % of the desorbent withdrawn, and (iii) an desorbent-lean raffinate comprising ?25 wt % of the desorbent withdrawn in the desorbent-rich and desorbent-lean raffinates. The desorbent-lean raffinate can then, without an intervening separation step, be passed to a refinery process or a vapor phase isomerization reaction to produce an effluent comprising paraxylene in a greater concentration than the desorbent-lean raffinate. The desorbent-rich raffinate can be passed to a liquid phase isomerization reaction to produce an effluent comprising paraxylene in a greater concentration than the desorbent-rich raffinate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: August 31, 2017Inventors: Gaurav Agrawal, Michael W. Weber, Michael Salciccioli, John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod, Timothy P. Bender
-
Publication number: 20170050898Abstract: A process for producing para-xylene (PX) comprises supplying a hydrocarbon feed comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene (EB) to a PX recovery unit, where a PX-rich stream and at least one PX-depleted stream are recovered from the feed. The PX-depleted stream is then separated into an EB-rich stream and an EB-depleted stream in a divided wall column. The EB-depleted stream is then isomerized under at least partial liquid phase conditions to produce a first isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream, and the EB-rich stream is isomerized under at least partial vapor phase conditions to produce a second isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream. The first and second isomerized streams are then recycled to the PX recovery unit to recover additional PX and the process is repeated to define a so-called xylene isomerization loop.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2016Publication date: February 23, 2017Inventors: Timothy P. Bender, John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Publication number: 20170036973Abstract: A simulated moving bed process using dual, parallel rotary valves configured or plumbed to be operated independently in which the step times of the rotary valves are staggered. In embodiments, the second rotary valve is programmed to step about halfway through the step time of the first rotary valve. Staggering the step time of the parallel rotary valves, rather than utilizing simultaneous stepping, results in increased net composite paraxylene concentration of the extract stream, allowing for increased capacity of the simulated moving bed process and/or reduced energy consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: John R. Porter, Timothy P. Bender, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Publication number: 20170028312Abstract: A process and a device for removing water and/or oxygen from a crude organic liquid stream using a distillation column with heat input and dry nitrogen stream. A side effluent stream comprising water at a high concentration is drawn from the distillation column. An optional settling drum can be used to separate the aqueous phase from the organic phase in the side effluent stream can be used. The invention can be advantageously used for purifying a crude organic liquid stream comprising one or more of benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, cumene, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Christopher L. Becker, John R. Porter, Jonathan J. Watts
-
Patent number: 9517979Abstract: A process for producing para-xylene (PX) comprises supplying a hydrocarbon feed comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene (EB) to a PX recovery unit, where a PX-rich stream and at least one PX-depleted stream are recovered from the feed. The PX-depleted stream is then separated into an EB-rich stream and an EB-depleted stream in a divided wall column. The EB-depleted stream is then isomerized under at least partial liquid phase conditions to produce a first isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream, and the EB-rich stream is isomerized under at least partial vapor phase conditions to produce a second isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream. The first and second isomerized streams are then recycled to the PX recovery unit to recover additional PX and the process is repeated to define a so-called xylene isomerization loop.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: Timothy P. Bender, John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Patent number: 9464012Abstract: A simulated moving bed process using dual, parallel rotary valves configured or plumbed to be operated independently in which the step times of the rotary valves are staggered. In embodiments, the second rotary valve is programmed to step about halfway through the step time of the first rotary valve. Staggering the step time of the parallel rotary valves, rather than utilizing simultaneous stepping, results in increased net composite paraxylene concentration of the extract stream, allowing for increased capacity of the simulated moving bed process and/or reduced energy consumption.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2015Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: John R. Porter, Timothy P. Bender, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Publication number: 20160272558Abstract: A process for producing para-xylene (PX) comprises supplying a hydrocarbon feed comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene (EB) to a PX recovery unit, where a PX-rich stream and at least one PX-depleted stream are recovered from the feed. The PX-depleted stream is then separated into an EB-rich stream and an EB-depleted stream in a divided wall column. The EB-depleted stream is then isomerized under at least partial liquid phase conditions to produce a first isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream, and the EB-rich stream is isomerized under at least partial vapor phase conditions to produce a second isomerized stream having a higher PX concentration than the PX-depleted stream. The first and second isomerized streams are then recycled to the PX recovery unit to recover additional PX and the process is repeated to define a so-called xylene isomerization loop.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2015Publication date: September 22, 2016Inventors: Timothy P. Bender, John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Publication number: 20160261052Abstract: A conductive fastener assembly, system, and method are described. The fastener assembly includes a nut having a counterbore formed therein. The counterbore is formed to maintain a sufficient gap between the nut and the protruding end of a fastener sleeve. The nut with the counterbore improves the conductive fastener system such that the need for a solid copper grid and a cap seal is reduced or eliminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: Russell J. Heeter, Thu A. Nguyen, John A. Ward, John R. Porter, Jeffrey A. Wilkerson
-
Publication number: 20160240939Abstract: A conductive fastener assembly, system, and method, wherein the fastener assembly includes a fastener, a fastener sleeve, a nut, and a lubricant coating. The lubricant coating is deposited on a distal portion of a fastener shank and is omitted from the rest of the fastener. To overcome the stresses placed on the fastener sleeve by the insertion of the fastener shank largely devoid of a lubricant coating, the fastener sleeve is reinforced by one or more of an increased thickness, a high-strength alloy, and a soft metal coating.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Russell J. HEETER, Thu A. NGUYEN, John A. WARD, John R. PORTER, Jeffrey A. Wilkerson
-
Publication number: 20160145174Abstract: A simulated moving bed process using dual, parallel rotary valves configured or plumbed to be operated independently in which the step times of the rotary valves are staggered. In embodiments, the second rotary valve is programmed to step about halfway through the step time of the first rotary valve. Staggering the step time of the parallel rotary valves, rather than utilizing simultaneous stepping, results in increased net composite paraxylene concentration of the extract stream, allowing for increased capacity of the simulated moving bed process and/or reduced energy consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: John R. Porter, Timothy P. Bender, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Patent number: 9343824Abstract: The present disclosure describes a conductive fastener assembly, system, and method, wherein the fastener assembly comprises a nut having a counterbore formed therein. The counterbore is formed to maintain a sufficient gap between the nut and the protruding end of a fastener sleeve. The nut with the counterbore improves the conductive fastener system such that the need for a solid copper grid and a cap seal is reduced or eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Russell J Heeter, Thu A Nguyen, John A Ward, John R Porter, Jeffrey A Wilkerson
-
Patent number: 9331402Abstract: The present disclosure describes a conductive fastener assembly, system, and method, wherein the fastener assembly comprises a fastener, a fastener sleeve, a nut, and a lubricant coating. The lubricant coating is deposited on a distal portion of a fastener shank and is omitted from the rest of the fastener. To overcome the stresses placed on the fastener sleeve by the insertion of the fastener shank largely devoid of a lubricant coating, the fastener sleeve is reinforced by one or more of an increased thickness, a high-strength alloy, and a soft metal coating.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Russell J Heeter, Thu A Nguyen, John A Ward, John R Porter, Jeffrey A Wilkerson
-
Patent number: 9302201Abstract: A process for separating a product from a multicomponent feedstream to an adsorption apparatus or system is described. The apparatus or system may comprise a moving-bed or a simulated moving-bed adsorption means. The product comprises at least one organic compound, such as an aryl compound with alkyl substitutes. In embodiments the conduits used to supply the feedstream to the apparatus or system are flushed with media of multiple grades. The improvement is more efficient use of the desorbent. In embodiments the process achieves improvements in one or more of efficiency of adsorption separation, capacity of adsorption apparatus systems, and purity of product attainable by adsorption process.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2013Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventors: John R. Porter, Dana L. Pilliod
-
Patent number: 9289745Abstract: Liquid phase isomerization technology is employed in a manner to increase efficiency and reduce energy in paraxylene recovery.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.Inventor: John R. Porter