Patents by Inventor Keith D. Hovda

Keith D. Hovda 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).

  • Sulfonation of fatty acid esters
    Patent number: 5587500
    Abstract: A sulfonation process includes the process steps of air sulfonating a fatty acid alkyl ester feedstock, bleaching the crude product with co-addition of up to about 40 wt. % of an alcohol based upon the weight of the crude product. The bleaching/alcohol addition step of the process is performed in a nonmetallic or low-iron alloy system at temperatures above 90.degree. C. The resulting product is then neutralized with a liquid base or metal carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: The Chemithon Corporation
    Inventor: Keith D. Hovda
  • Process for the recovery of ammonia and fluoride values from ammonium fluoride solutions
    Patent number: 4713231
    Abstract: The components of aqueous ammonium fluoride solutions are recovered as ammonia and potassium fluoride by adding potassium hydroxide, distilling to remove and secure the ammonia, concentrating the remaining solution and combining it with a water soluble, dipolar, aprotic solvent, such as N-methylpyrrolidone, and distilling to remove the remaining water to obtain the potassium fluoride as a slurry in the solvent. Slurries of potassium fluoride are useful in the replacement of chloride in heterocyclyl and aryl chlorides by fluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kent D. Campbell, Laura J. Dietsche, Lee B. Crampton, Keith D. Hovda, George K. Tyson, Charles A. Wilson