Patents by Inventor Kevin J. Knob

Kevin J. Knob 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: 10988421
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the use of dissolved hydrogen in a purification process for the removal of Bromine Index (BI)-reactive compounds from an aromatic-containing hydrocarbon stream derived from various sources, such as petroleum fractionation, reforming, thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, isomerization, transalkylation, alkylation, coking, conversion of oxygenates, conversion of biomass, etc. The purification process comprises contacting the aromatic-containing hydrocarbon stream in the liquid phase in the presence of dissolved hydrogen with at least one suitable catalytic material under conditions effective to provide a product stream having a lower concentration of BI-reactive compounds than the untreated stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John Di-Yi Ou, Kevin J. Knob, Surbhi Jain
  • Patent number: 10077220
    Abstract: In a process for producing para-xylene, at least one feed comprising C6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is supplied to a dividing wall distillation column to separate the feed into a C7? aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. At least part of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream is then supplied to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and produce a para-xylene depleted stream. The para-xylene depleted stream is contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream, which is then at least partially recycled to the para-xylene recovery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, Kevin J. Knob, Dennis J. Stanley, Terri S. Vander Pol, Chunshe J. Cao, Xiaobo Zheng, Thierry LeFlour, Jacques Rault, Stephane Claudel, Isabelle Prevost, Jerome Pigourier, Celia Fernandez
  • Publication number: 20170275218
    Abstract: In a process for producing para-xylene, at least one feed comprising C6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is supplied to a dividing wall distillation column to separate the feed into a C7? aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. At least part of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream is then supplied to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and produce a para-xylene depleted stream. The para-xylene depleted stream is contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream, which is then at least partially recycled to the para-xylene recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, Kevin J. Knob, Dennis J. Stanley, Terri S. Vander Pol, Chunshe J. Cao, Xiaobo Zheng, Thierry LeFlour, Jacques Rault, Stephane Claudel, Isabelle Prevost, Jerome Pigourier, Celia Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9708233
    Abstract: In a process for producing para-xylene, at least one feed comprising C6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is supplied to a dividing wall distillation column to separate the feed into a C7? aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. At least part of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream is then supplied to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and produce a para-xylene depleted stream. The para-xylene depleted stream is contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream, which is then at least partially recycled to the para-xylene recovery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, Kevin J. Knob, Dennis J. Stanley, Terri S. Vander Pol, Chunshe Cao, Xiaobo Zheng, Thierry LeFlour, Jacques Rault, Stephane Claudel, Isabell Prevost, Jerome Pigourier, Celia Fernandez
  • Publication number: 20160046544
    Abstract: In a process for producing para-xylene, at least one feed comprising C6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is supplied to a dividing wall distillation column to separate the feed into a C7? aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. At least part of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream is then supplied to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and produce a para-xylene depleted stream. The para-xylene depleted stream is contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para-xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream, which is then at least partially recycled to the para-xylene recovery unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, Kevin J. Knob, Dennis J. Stanley, Terri S. Vander Pol, Chunshe Cao, Xiaobo Zheng, Thierry LeFlour, Jacques Rault, Stephane Claudel, Isabell Prevost, Jerome Pigourier, Celia Fernandez
  • Publication number: 20150158794
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the use of dissolved hydrogen in a purification process for the removal of Bromine Index (BI)-reactive compounds from an aromatic-containing hydrocarbon stream derived from various sources, such as petroleum fractionation, reforming, thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, isomerization, transalkylation, alkylation, coking, conversion of oxygenates, conversion of biomass, etc. The purification process comprises contacting the aromatic-containing hydrocarbon stream in the liquid phase in the presence of dissolved hydrogen with at least one suitable catalytic material under conditions effective to provide a product stream having a lower concentration of BI-reactive compounds than the untreated stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: John Di-Yi Ou, Kevin J. Knob, Surbhi Jain
  • Patent number: 8907152
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Publication number: 20130303820
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Patent number: 8502008
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Publication number: 20130012750
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy F Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Patent number: 8283510
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Publication number: 20110257456
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Patent number: 7989672
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Publication number: 20080249345
    Abstract: A process of producing PX comprising providing a C8+ feedstock, the C8+ feedstock has C8 hydrocarbons and C9+ hydrocarbons, to a crystallization unit under crystallization conditions to produce a PX enriched stream having a PX concentration of at least 99.5 wt % based on the weight of the PX enriched stream, wherein the C8+ feedstock has a PX concentration of at least 70 wt % based on total weight of xylenes in the C8+ feedstock, which the C8+ feedstock having a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration in a range from 1 wppm to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the C8+ feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy F. Kinn, Kevin J. Knob
  • Patent number: 4544781
    Abstract: A reactor bed, particularly one designed for converting alcohols to gasoline, is provided with a section downstream of the catalyst bed filled with high heat capacity thermal absorptive material. When the circulation of recycled gas to the system is temporarily suspended automatic valves terminate the injection of alcohol feedstock and begin the injection of inert gases such as methane into the system, thereby avoiding the formation of a hot spot which would subsequently damage the catalyst and equipment downstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Paul K. Chao, Kevin J. Knob, Sergei Yurchak