Patents by Inventor Karl W. Plumlee

Karl W. Plumlee 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: 5383955
    Abstract: Removal NO.sub.x and SO.sub.x from the flue gas utilizing a transport line adsorber through which sorbent is transported by pressurized flue gas to cause the sorbent to absorb NO.sub.x and SO.sub.x from the flue gas while the flue gas is transporting the sorbent particles through the transport line adsorber. A plurality of interconnected cyclones may be utilized to contact sorbent saturated with NO.sub.x and SO.sub.x removed from the flue gas with a heated gas to heat the sorbent and remove the NO.sub.x from the sorbent and separate the sorbent and the heated gas to produce an off stream of heated gas carrying the removed NO.sub.x away; the heated gas and gravity combine to pass the sorbent through the plurality of cyclones and which cyclones are positioned vertically and successively downwardly with respect to each other. A plurality of interconnected cyclones is also utilized to contact heated sorbent having the NO.sub.x and SO.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Noxso Corporation
    Inventors: Lewis G. Neal, Warren Ma, Min-Yan Chang, Qian Zhou, Carmo J. Pereira, Karl W. Plumlee, Jean W. Beeckman
  • Patent number: 4448665
    Abstract: Coal, petroleum residuum and similar carbonaceous feed materials are subjected to hydroconversion in the presence of molecular hydrogen to produce a hydroconversion effluent which is then subjected to one or more separation steps to remove lower molecular weight liquids and produce a heavy bottoms stream containing high molecular weight liquids and unconverted carbonaceous material. The viscosity of the bottoms streams produced in the separation step or steps is prevented from increasing rapidly by treating the feed to the separation step or steps with ammonia gas prior to or during the separation step or steps. The viscosity of the heavy bottoms stream produced in the final separation step is also controlled by treating these bottoms with ammonia gas. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the effluent from the hydroconversion reactor is subjected to an atmospheric distillation followed by a vacuum distillation and the feeds to these distillations are contacted with ammonia during the distillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Sioma Zaczepinski, Rustom M. Billimoria, Frank Tao, Christopher G. Lington, Karl W. Plumlee
  • Patent number: 4216078
    Abstract: A process for hydrotreating a petroleum hydrocarbon feed comprising admixing a quinone compound, or compounds, with said hydrocarbon feed, and contacting said admixture with hydrogen at elevated temperature, suitably at temperatures ranging from about 500.degree. F. to about 1050.degree. F., preferably from about 750.degree. F. to about 900.degree. F. The petroleum hydrocarbon feed is characterized generally as comprised of a full boiling range crude, an atmospheric or vacuum residum, an unconventional whole heavy crude, or fractions boiling within the gasoline and mid-distillate ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Karl W. Plumlee, Lonnie W. Vernon
  • Patent number: 4085033
    Abstract: An indigenous hydrocarbon product stream boiling within a range of from about C.sub.1 -700.degree. F., preferably C.sub.1 -400.degree. F., is treated to produce an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel component and a component which can be recycled, with a suitable donor solvent, to a coal liquefaction zone to catalyze the reaction. In accordance therewith, a liquid hydrocarbon fraction with a high end boiling point range up to about 700.degree. F., preferably up to about 400.degree. F., is separated from a coal liquefaction zone effluent, the separated fraction is contacted with an alkaline medium to provide a hydrocarbon phase and an aqueous extract phase, the aqueous phase is neutralized, and contacted with a peroxygen compound to convert indigenous components of the aqueous phase of said hydrocarbon fraction into catalytic components, such that the aqueous stream is suitable for recycle to the coal liquefaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Karl W. Plumlee
  • Patent number: 4085032
    Abstract: An indigenous aqueous stream can be treated and then recycled, with a suitable donor solvent, to a coal liquefaction zone to catalyze the reaction. In one embodiment, an aqueous fraction is separated from a coal liquefaction zone effluent, a quinone solids portion of the separated fraction is concentrated within the liquid by evaporation of water therefrom to form a slurry, and the slurry is then recycled to the coal liquefaction zone to catalyze the coal liquefaction reaction. Naturally occurring phenols and alkyl substituted phenols, also found within the aqueous stream, can also be converted to quinones, if desired, by a chemical reaction which favors the addition of hydroxyl consitutents to the phenols to form dihydroxy benzenes. Quinones, as disclosed in copending Applications Ser. No. 686,813 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,536; Ser. No. 686,814 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,537; Ser. No. 686,827 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,012 and Ser. No. 686,828, K. W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Aczel, Karl W. Plumlee
  • Patent number: 4051012
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) contacting, in a liquefaction zone, said coal feed with a hydrogen donor solvent at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal, (b) separating the product from the liquefaction zone by distillation into fractions inclusive of a liquid solvent fraction which contains at least 30 weight percent, and preferably at least 50 weight percent hydrogen donor compounds, particularly those fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, (c) hydrotreating said liquid solvent fraction in a hydrogenation zone in the presence of a quinone catalyst, and (d) recycling the hydrogenated liquid solvent mixture to said coal liquefaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1977
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Karl W. Plumlee, Lonnie W. Vernon
  • Patent number: 4049537
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) admixing said coal feed, a solvent, particularly a non-donor solvent, and a quinone compound, or admixture of quinone compounds, to form a coal liquid slurry, and then (b) contacting said coal liquid slurry with molecular hydrogen in a liquefaction zone at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the product from the liquefaction zone is separated by distillation into fractions inclusive of fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, which can be recycled to the coal liquefaction zone for use in slurrying the coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Karl W. Plumlee, Lonnie W. Vernon
  • Patent number: 4049536
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) admixing said coal feed, a solvent, particularly a non-donor solvent, and an ortho-quinone compound, to form a coal liquid slurry, and then (b) contacting said coal liquid slurry with molecular hydrogen in a liquefaction zone at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the product from the liquefaction zone is separated by distillation into fractions inclusive of fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, which can be recycled to the coal liquefaction zone for use in slurrying the coal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Karl W. Plumlee, Lonnie W. Vernon