Patents by Inventor Lance Awender Baird
Lance Awender Baird 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).
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Patent number: 10166519Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes providing the pyrolysis oil stream and providing the hydrocarbon stream separate from the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are introduced into a reaction zone. Deposits form adjacent to a pyrolysis oil outlet of the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are catalytically cracked in the presence of a particulate cracking catalyst in the reaction zone. During catalytic cracking, the pyrolysis oil deposits adjacent the pyrolysis oil outlet of the pyrolysis oil stream are removed, such as with a cleaning head.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Sathit Kulprathipanja, Paolo Palmas, Lance Awender Baird
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Patent number: 9758441Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for deoxygenating pyrolysis oil. A method includes contacting a pyrolysis oil with a deoxygenation catalyst in a first reactor at deoxygenation conditions to produce a first reactor effluent. The first reactor effluent has a first oxygen concentration and a first hydrogen concentration, based on hydrocarbons in the first reactor effluent, and the first reactor effluent includes an aromatic compound. The first reactor effluent is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst in a second reactor at conditions that deoxygenate the first reactor effluent while preserving the aromatic compound to produce a second reactor effluent. The second reactor effluent has a second oxygen concentration lower than the first oxygen concentration and a second hydrogen concentration that is equal to or lower than the first hydrogen concentration, where the second oxygen concentration and the second hydrogen concentration are based on the hydrocarbons in the second reactor effluent.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold, Stanley Joseph Frey
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Patent number: 9670413Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for thermally converting or pyrolyzing biomass are provided. In one embodiment, a method of thermally converting biomass includes introducing the biomass to a reactor feed chamber. The method provides for flowing a low oxygen gas into the reactor feed chamber to purge the reactor feed chamber and biomass of oxygen. The method also includes delivering the purged biomass to a thermal conversion reactor and thermally converting the biomass in the thermal conversion reactor.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.Inventors: Lance Awender Baird, Barry Freel, Doug Clarke, Gregory Joseph Morin
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Patent number: 9663729Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes separately introducing the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream into a reaction zone to form a mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream in the reaction zone. The mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream is catalytically cracked in the presence of a particulate cracking catalyst in the reaction zone. The pyrolysis oil stream is maintained at a temperature of less than or equal to about 100° C. substantially up to introduction into the reaction zone.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Paolo Palmas, Sathit Kulprathipanja
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Patent number: 9527054Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cracking a hydrocarbon. The method includes contacting a first hydrocarbon stream with a first cracking catalyst at a first cracking temperature in a first riser to produce a first riser effluent and a first spent catalyst. A second hydrocarbon stream is contacted with a second cracking catalyst at a second cracking temperature in a second riser to produce a second riser effluent and a second spent catalyst, where the second cracking temperature is less than the first cracking temperature. The first riser effluent and the second riser effluent are combined to produce a mixed riser effluent, and the mixed riser effluent is fractionated in a fractionation zone to produce a light cycle oil. The first spent catalyst and the second spent catalyst are combined in a reactor to produce a mixed spent catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2014Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Trung Pham, Lev Davydov, Lance Awender Baird
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Patent number: 9523042Abstract: Methods and fuel processing apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes providing a pyrolysis oil stream and providing a hydrocarbon stream separate from the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are mixed in a mixing zone and in the absence of a particulate cracking catalyst. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are introduced in a substantially common direction into the mixing zone to form a mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream. The mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are catalytically cracked in the presence of the particulate cracking catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Paolo Palmas
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Publication number: 20160145172Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for deoxygenating pyrolysis oil. A method includes contacting a pyrolysis oil with a deoxygenation catalyst in a first reactor at deoxygenation conditions to produce a first reactor effluent. The first reactor effluent has a first oxygen concentration and a first hydrogen concentration, based on hydrocarbons in the first reactor effluent, and the first reactor effluent includes an aromatic compound. The first reactor effluent is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst in a second reactor at conditions that deoxygenate the first reactor effluent while preserving the aromatic compound to produce a second reactor effluent. The second reactor effluent has a second oxygen concentration lower than the first oxygen concentration and a second hydrogen concentration that is equal to or lower than the first hydrogen concentration, where the second oxygen concentration and the second hydrogen concentration are based on the hydrocarbons in the second reactor effluent.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2014Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold, Stanley Joseph Frey
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Patent number: 9192931Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for washing a spent ion exchange bed and for treating biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided herein. An exemplary process for washing a spent ion exchange bed employed in purification of biomass-derived pyrolysis oil includes the step of providing a ion-depleted pyrolysis oil stream having an original oxygen content. The ion-depleted pyrolysis oil stream is partially hydrotreated to reduce the oxygen content thereof, thereby producing a partially hydrotreated pyrolysis oil stream having a residual oxygen content that is less than the original oxygen content. At least a portion of the partially hydrotreated pyrolysis oil stream is passed through the spent ion exchange bed. Water is passed through the spent ion exchange bed after passing at least the portion of the partially hydrotreated pyrolysis oil stream therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold
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Publication number: 20150322355Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cracking a hydrocarbon. The method includes contacting a first hydrocarbon stream with a first cracking catalyst at a first cracking temperature in a first riser to produce a first riser effluent and a first spent catalyst. A second hydrocarbon stream is contacted with a second cracking catalyst at a second cracking temperature in a second riser to produce a second riser effluent and a second spent catalyst, where the second cracking temperature is less than the first cracking temperature. The first riser effluent and the second riser effluent are combined to produce a mixed riser effluent, and the mixed riser effluent is fractionated in a fractionation zone to produce a light cycle oil. The first spent catalyst and the second spent catalyst are combined in a reactor to produce a mixed spent catalyst.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2014Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Trung Pham, Lev Davydov, Lance Awender Baird
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Patent number: 9163181Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for deoxygenating a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. In one example, a method comprises the steps of separating a low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent into a low-oxygen-pyoil organic phase stream and an aqueous phase stream. Phenolic compounds are removed from the aqueous phase stream to form a phenolic-rich diluent recycle stream. A biomass-derived pyrolysis oil stream is diluted and heated with the phenolic-rich diluent recycle stream to form a heated diluted pyoil feed stream. The heated diluted pyoil feed stream is contacted with a deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to deoxygenate the heated diluted pyoil feed stream.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold
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Patent number: 9068126Abstract: Methods for deoxygenating a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. A method for deoxygenating a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil comprising the steps of combining a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil stream with a heated low-oxygen-pyoil diluent recycle stream to form a heated diluted pyoil feed stream is provided. The heated diluted pyoil feed stream has a feed temperature of about 150° C. or greater. The heated diluted pyoil feed stream is contacted with a first deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at first hydroprocessing conditions effective to form a low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2011Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold, Francis Stephen Lupton
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Publication number: 20150159093Abstract: Methods and systems for deoxygenating a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. An exemplary method includes combining a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil stream with a heated low-molecular weight fraction low-oxygen-pyoil diluent recycle stream to form a heated diluted pyoil feed stream, which is contacted with a first deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at first hydroprocessing conditions effective to form a low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent. A low-molecular weight fraction low-oxygen-pyoil diluent recycle stream is formed by contacting the low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent with a fractionation column to separate a low molecular weight fraction low-oxygen-pyoil diluent recycle stream at a cutpoint of about 225° C. or less. The low-molecular weight fraction low-oxygen-pyoil diluent recycle stream is then heated prior to combination with the biomass-derived pyrolysis oil stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2013Publication date: June 11, 2015Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Timothy A. Brandvold, Praneeth Dayanthe Edirisinghe
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Patent number: 8940060Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming a low-metal biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. In an embodiment, a method for forming a low-metal biomass-derived pyrolysis oil includes washing biomass comprising a water-soluble metal component therein with wash water that is substantially free of water-soluble metals. The washed biomass and water containing water-soluble metal are separated after washing the biomass. The washed biomass is pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis process to form a pyrolysis vapor stream. A portion of the pyrolysis vapor stream is condensed to form a condensate. The wash water is derived from the washed biomass. In an embodiment of an apparatus, the apparatus comprises a washing stage, a biomass dryer, a pyrolysis reactor, a quenching system comprising a primary condenser and a secondary condenser, and a return line that connects the quenching system to the washing stage.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2011Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Stefan Muller, Barry A. Freel
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Publication number: 20140336427Abstract: Methods of and apparatuses for upgrading a hydrocarbon stream are provided. In an embodiment, a method of upgrading a hydrocarbon stream includes providing the hydrocarbon stream that includes a deoxygenated pyrolysis product. The hydrocarbon stream also includes a residual oxygen-containing compound content. The residual oxygen-containing compound content of the hydrocarbon stream is reduced to form an upgraded hydrocarbon stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2013Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Lance Awender Baird, Douglas B. Galloway, Tom N. Kalnes
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Patent number: 8877995Abstract: Pyrolysis fuels and methods for processing pyrolysis fuel are provided. In one embodiment, a method of processing pyrolysis fuel converts biomass to pyrolysis fuel including pyrolysis oil and char particles. Also, the method includes resizing a portion of the char particles so that substantially all resized char particles have a largest dimension no greater than about 5 microns.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Stanley Joseph Frey
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Publication number: 20140034552Abstract: Methods and fuel processing apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes providing a pyrolysis oil stream and providing a hydrocarbon stream separate from the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are mixed in a mixing zone and in the absence of a particulate cracking catalyst. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are introduced in a substantially common direction into the mixing zone to form a mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream. The mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are catalytically cracked in the presence of the particulate cracking catalyst.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Paolo Palmas
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Publication number: 20140034554Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes providing the pyrolysis oil stream and providing the hydrocarbon stream separate from the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are introduced into a reaction zone. Deposits form adjacent to a pyrolysis oil outlet of the pyrolysis oil stream. The pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream are catalytically cracked in the presence of a particulate cracking catalyst in the reaction zone. During catalytic cracking, the pyrolysis oil deposits adjacent the pyrolysis oil outlet of the pyrolysis oil stream are removed, such as with a cleaning head.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Sathit Kulprathipanja, Paolo Palmas, Lance Awender Baird
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Publication number: 20140034550Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method for upgrading a pyrolysis oil stream and a hydrocarbon stream includes separately introducing the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream into a reaction zone to form a mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream in the reaction zone. The mixture of the pyrolysis oil stream and the hydrocarbon stream is catalytically cracked in the presence of a particulate cracking catalyst in the reaction zone. The pyrolysis oil stream is maintained at a temperature of less than or equal to about 100° C. substantially up to introduction into the reaction zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Paolo Palmas, Sathit Kulprathipanja
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Publication number: 20140001026Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for thermally converting or pyrolyzing biomass are provided. In one embodiment, a method of thermally converting biomass includes introducing the biomass to a reactor feed chamber. The method provides for flowing a low oxygen gas into the reactor feed chamber to purge the reactor feed chamber and biomass of oxygen. The method also includes delivering the purged biomass to a thermal conversion reactor and thermally converting the biomass in the thermal conversion reactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: UOP LLCInventors: Lance Awender Baird, Barry Freel, Doug Clarke, Gregory Joseph Morin
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Publication number: 20140004610Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for converting a feedstock are provided. In one embodiment, a process of converting biomass includes flowing the biomass and a gas through a process unit. A default value is provided for a frequency of measuring a process condition in the process unit. The process condition is measured according to the frequency to obtain process condition measurements. The process condition measurements are evaluated to assess the stability of the process condition. Then, it is determined whether to change the default value depending on the stability of the process condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: UOP LLCInventor: Lance Awender Baird