Patents by Inventor Kyle Cuellar

Kyle Cuellar 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: 12643843
    Abstract: A process and apparatus cool a pyrolyzed stream and a dehydrogenated stream in respective cold boxes by use of a refrigerant compressed with a common compressor. The refrigerant is compressed and used to cool a pyrolysis cold box and a dehydrogenation cold box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Ernest J. Boehm, Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Patent number: 12643842
    Abstract: A process and apparatus integrate recovery of propylene from a pyrolysis reactor and a paraffin dehydrogenation reactor. A stripping column for fractionating a dehydrogenation stream is coupled with a demethanizer column for fractionating a pyrolyzed stream. The stripping overhead stream comprising C2? hydrocarbons are fractionated with the pyrolyzed stream in the demethanizer column. The coupling omits the need for a conventional deethanizer column and separate refrigeration system in the propane dehydrogenation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar, Fuyue Stephanie Li, Ernest J. Boehm
  • Patent number: 12623981
    Abstract: A process of producing ethylene and propylene from naphtha, the process comprising: producing light paraffins—ethane, hydrogen/methane/residual ethane and propane rich streams—in a dividing wall fractionation column from a stream of hydrogen, methane, propane, and residual C4+ produced in the reactor section of a naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane processing unit by reacting naphtha with hydrogen, a naphtha reactor effluent stream produced by a naphtha reactor of the naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane processing unit is cooled to produce a feed stream. The feed stream is passed to a dividing wall fractionation column. An ethane stream from the dividing wall fractionation column is passed to an ethane steam cracker to produce a cracking heater effluent stream. The cracking heater effluent stream is passed to a coldbox of the ethane steam cracker after multiple steps such as quenching, compression, cooling, caustic scrubbing, drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Patent number: 12623980
    Abstract: In a process of producing ethylene and propylene from naphtha the process a feed stream comprising hydrogen, methane, ethane, and propane and residual C4+ from a naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane reactor is fed to a dividing wall fractionation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Patent number: 12613065
    Abstract: An improved process and apparatus integrate a deethanizer column with a cryogenic heat exchanger by condensing the deethanizer column overhead with a refrigerant stream in a cryogenic heat exchanger. A refrigerant compressor may provide refrigerant to the deethanizer overhead cryogenic condenser and a main cryogenic heat exchanger. Expansion of the refrigerant may provide sufficient cooling duty in one or both cryogenic exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Glen John Pomorski, Kyle Cuellar, Joseph Edward Zimmermann, Dennis Robert Ladendorf, Michael R. Van de Cotte
  • Publication number: 20260055958
    Abstract: A system for separating nitrogen from hydrocarbon streams comprising a distillation column, a first heat exchange system, and a second heat exchange system. The distillation column has an inlet configured to receive a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising nitrogen and at least 50 mol % hydrocarbons. The first heat exchange system is coupled to a top end of the distillation column and comprises one or more heat exchangers configured to cool the vapor to separate nitrogen from the vapor while simultaneously achieving mass transfer to produce a first product. The second heat exchange system is coupled to a bottom end of the distillation column and comprises one or more heat exchangers configured to heat the liquid to separate liquefied natural gas from the liquid while simultaneously achieving mass transfer to produce a second product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2024
    Publication date: February 26, 2026
    Inventors: William Larry LEWIS, Juan Francisco LEON, Kyle CUELLAR, Humberto CARMONA, Kurtis Beamer BREILING, Andrew Francis JOHNKE
  • Publication number: 20260055957
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, a method for separating nitrogen from hydrocarbon streams, comprising: receiving a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising nitrogen and at least 50% hydrocarbons through an inlet of a housing; separating the hydrocarbon feed stream into a vapor and a liquid in the housing; receiving a cooling medium through an inlet of a first heat exchanger and mass transfer device located at the top of the housing; cooling the vapor with the cooling medium as the vapor flows through the first heat exchanger and mass transfer device to separate nitrogen from the vapor to produce a first product; receiving a heating medium through an inlet of a second heat exchanger and mass transfer device located at the bottom of the housing; and heating the liquid with the heating medium as the liquid flows through the second heat exchanger and mass transfer device to separate liquefied natural gas from the liquid to produce a second product
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2024
    Publication date: February 26, 2026
    Inventors: William Larry LEWIS, Juan Francisco LEON, Kyle CUELLAR, Humberto CARMONA, Kurtis Beamer BREILING, Andrew Francis JOHNKE
  • Patent number: 12252406
    Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for recovering a high purity carbon dioxide stream. A first separation zone that may include a cryogenic fractionation column provides the high-purity CO2 stream. A vapor stream from the cryogenic fractionation column is passed to a second separation zone to separate the CO2 from the other components. The second separation zone may include a pressure swing adsorption unit or a solvent separation unit. The second separation zone provides a hydrogen enriched gas stream that may be used in a gas turbine. The second stream from the second separation zone includes carbon dioxide and, after a pressure increase in a compressor, may be recycled to the first separation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Bradley Russell, Kyle Cuellar, Eleftherios Adamopoulos, Mark Schott, Bhargav Sharma
  • Patent number: 12049400
    Abstract: A bio-renewable conversion process for making fuel from bio-renewable feedstocks is combined with a hydrogen production process that includes recovery of CO2. The integrated process uses a purge gas stream comprising hydrogen from the bio-renewable hydrocarbon production process in the hydrogen production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: William Cady, Elizabeth Carter, Bradley Russell, James T. Wexler, Addison Cruz, Erick J. Bennett, III, Kurt Kraus, Stefano Bietto, Kyle Cuellar, Oluwaseyi Kayode, Suryanarayana Murthy Konda Naga Venkata
  • Publication number: 20240191117
    Abstract: A composition for a mixed refrigerant can be used to efficiently separate hydrogen from light hydrocarbons. The mixed refrigerant can comprise about 0 to about 7 mol % inert gas, about 11 to about 35 mol % methane, about 25 to about 40 mol % C2 hydrocarbon, about 20 to about 50 mol % C3 hydrocarbon and about 0 to about 15 mol % C5 hydrocarbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen T. King, Xin X. Zhu, Glen John Pomorski, Kyle Cuellar
  • Publication number: 20240190792
    Abstract: A process of producing ethylene and propylene from naphtha, the process comprising: producing light paraffins—ethane, hydrogen/methane/residual ethane and propane rich streams—in a dividing wall fractionation column from a stream of hydrogen, methane, propane, and residual C4+ produced in the reactor section of a naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane processing unit by reacting naphtha with hydrogen, a naphtha reactor effluent stream produced by a naphtha reactor of the naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane processing unit is cooled to produce a feed stream. The feed stream is passed to a dividing wall fractionation column. An ethane stream from the dividing wall fractionation column is passed to an ethane steam cracker to produce a cracking heater effluent stream. The cracking heater effluent stream is passed to a coldbox of the ethane steam cracker after multiple steps such as quenching, compression, cooling, caustic scrubbing, drying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Publication number: 20240190791
    Abstract: In a process of producing ethylene and propylene from naphtha the process a feed stream comprising hydrogen, methane, ethane, and propane and residual C4+ from a naphtha-to-ethane-and-propane reactor is fed to a dividing wall fractionation column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Publication number: 20240191941
    Abstract: An improved process and apparatus integrate a deethanizer column with a cryogenic heat exchanger by condensing the deethanizer column overhead with a refrigerant stream in a cryogenic heat exchanger. A refrigerant compressor may provide refrigerant to the deethanizer overhead cryogenic condenser and a main cryogenic heat exchanger. Expansion of the refrigerant may provide sufficient cooling duty in one or both cryogenic exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventors: Glen John Pomorski, Kyle Cuellar, Joseph Edward Zimmermann, Dennis Robert Ladendorf, Michael R. Van de Cotte
  • Publication number: 20240166580
    Abstract: A process and apparatus integrate recovery of propylene from a pyrolysis reactor and a paraffin dehydrogenation reactor. A common C3 splitter column fractionates propylene product from propane recycle to a paraffin dehydrogenation reactor. The C3 hydrocarbons may be provided from a pyrolysis reactor and from a dehydrogenation reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar, Fuyue Stephanie Li, Ernest J. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240165551
    Abstract: A process and apparatus integrate recovery of propylene from a pyrolysis reactor and a paraffin dehydrogenation reactor. The improved process for recovering light olefins utilizes heats of compression to heat reboil streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Ernest J. Boehm, Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Publication number: 20240166581
    Abstract: A process and apparatus integrate recovery of propylene from a pyrolysis reactor and a paraffin dehydrogenation reactor. A stripping column for fractionating a dehydrogenation stream is coupled with a demethanizer column for fractionating a pyrolyzed stream. The stripping overhead stream comprising C2? hydrocarbons are fractionated with the pyrolyzed stream in the demethanizer column. The coupling omits the need for a conventional deethanizer column and separate refrigeration system in the propane dehydrogenation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar, Fuyue Stephanie Li, Ernest J. Boehm
  • Publication number: 20240166582
    Abstract: A process and apparatus cool a pyrolyzed stream and a dehydrogenated stream in respective cold boxes by use of a refrigerant compressed with a common compressor. The refrigerant is compressed and used to cool a pyrolysis cold box and a dehydrogenation cold box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Ernest J. Boehm, Sudipta K. Ghosh, Prashant Balyan, Xin X. Zhu, Kyle Cuellar
  • Patent number: 11814287
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a hydrogen-enriched product and recovering CO2 from an effluent stream from a hydrogen production process unit are described. The process utilizes a CO2 recovery system integrated with a PSA system that produces at least two product streams to recover additional hydrogen and CO2 from the tail gas stream of a hydrogen PSA unit in the hydrogen production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Addison Cruz, Bradley Russell, Erick J. Bennett, III, Kurt Kraus, Stefano Bietto, William Cady, Kyle Cuellar, Oluwaseyi Kayode
  • Patent number: 11807532
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a hydrogen-enriched product and recovering CO2 from an effluent stream from a hydrogen production unit are described. The effluent from the hydrogen production unit, which comprises a mixture of gases comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, water, and at least one of methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and argon, is sent to a PSA system that produces at least two product streams for separation. The PSA system that produces at least two product streams separates the gas mixture into a high-pressure hydrogen stream enriched in hydrogen, optionally a second gas stream containing the majority of the impurities, and a low-pressure tail gas stream enriched in CO2 and some impurities. The CO2-rich tail gas stream is compressed and sent to a CO2 recovery unit, where a CO2-enriched stream is recovered. The CO2-depleted overhead gas stream is recycled to the PSA system that produces at least two product streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Addison Cruz, Bradley Russell, Erick J. Bennett, III, William Cady, Kurt Kraus, Stefano Bietto, Kyle Cuellar, Oluwaseyi Kayode
  • Patent number: 11772966
    Abstract: A bio-renewable conversion process for making fuel from bio-renewable feedstocks is combined with a hydrogen production process that includes recovery of CO2. The integrated process uses a purge gas stream comprising hydrogen from the bio-renewable hydrocarbon production process in the hydrogen production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: William Cady, Elizabeth Carter, Bradley Russell, James T. Wexler, Addison Cruz, Erick J. Bennett, III, Kurt Kraus, Stefano Bietto, Kyle Cuellar, Oluwaseyi Kayode, Suryanarayana Murthy Konda Naga Venkata