Patents by Inventor Lawrence A. Lacijan

Lawrence A. Lacijan 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: 8702972
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a gas recovery conduit in which at least one plate radially extending from an inner wall impedes rotational motion of the mixture. The mixture enters cyclones at the other end of the gas recovery conduit without substantial swirling motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Lacijan, Hadjira Iddir
  • Patent number: 8173567
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst distributor and process for spreading catalyst over a regenerator vessel. Nozzles disposed angular to a header of the distributor spread catalyst throughout a full cross section of the catalyst bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Lawrence A. Lacijan, Sujay R. Krishnamurthy, Mohammad-Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Paul S. Nishimura, Lisa M. Wolschlag
  • Patent number: 7947230
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst distributor and process for spreading catalyst over a regenerator vessel. Nozzles disposed angular to a header of the distributor spread catalyst throughout a full cross section of the catalyst bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Lawrence A. Lacijan, Sujay R. Krishnamurthy, Mohammad-Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Paul S. Nishimura, Lisa M. Wolschlag
  • Publication number: 20100152020
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst distributor and process for spreading catalyst over a regenerator vessel. Nozzles disposed angular to a header of the distributor spread catalyst throughout a full cross section of the catalyst bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Lawrence A. Lacijan, Sujay R. Krishnamurthy, Mohammad-Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Paul S. Nishimura, Lisa M. Wolschlag
  • Publication number: 20100150788
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst distributor and process for spreading catalyst over a regenerator vessel. Nozzles disposed angular to a header of the distributor spread catalyst throughout a full cross section of the catalyst bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Lawrence A. Lacijan, Sujay R. Krishnamurthy, Mohammad-Reza Mostofi-Ashtiani, Paul S. Nishimura, Lisa M. Wolschlag
  • Publication number: 20090318744
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a gas recovery conduit in which at least one plate radially extending from an inner wall impedes rotational motion of the mixture. The mixture enters cyclones at the other end of the gas recovery conduit without substantial swirling motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Lacijan, Hadjira Iddir
  • Patent number: 7601305
    Abstract: An apparatus and process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a gas recovery conduit in which at least one plate radially extending from an inner wall impedes rotational motion of the mixture. The mixture enters cyclones at the other end of the gas recovery conduit without substantial swirling motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Lacijan, Hadjira Iddir
  • Patent number: 7138558
    Abstract: The invention is a process and the corresponding apparatus for producing light olefins from oxygenates in an OTO reactor comprising sending an oxygenate feed stream through a feed stream distributor into an OTO reactor, contacting the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce a mixture comprising light olefins, diolefins, unreacted oxygenate and other by-products; separating the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins from said light olefins and said by-products; and returning the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins to the OTO reactor. The unreacted oxygenate and diolefins are sent through at least one feed nozzle into said reactor at a point separate from the oxygenate feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Lacijan, Daniel N. Myers, Paolo Palmas
  • Patent number: 7094380
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for injecting a plurality of uniform jets into an extended dispersion of moving catalyst particles within a reactor vessel. The apparatus comprises a plurality of outer conduits each for carrying contacting fluid and being fixed to a respective opening in a first tube sheet. A plurality of outlet nozzles are each fixed to a respective opening in a second tube sheet which is fixed to the first tube sheet. Feed in the outer conduits are delivered to the outlet nozzles for distribution into the vessel. All of the outlet nozzles can be easily replaced by breaking the fixation between the two tube sheets and securing a new second tube sheet with outlet nozzles to the first tube sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Lawrence A. Lacijan, Adam S. Kasle
  • Publication number: 20060094916
    Abstract: The invention is a process and the corresponding apparatus for producing light olefins from oxygenates in an OTO reactor comprising sending an oxygenate feed stream through a feed stream distributor into an OTO reactor, contacting the oxygenates with a catalyst to produce a mixture comprising light olefins, diolefins, unreacted oxygenate and other by-products; separating the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins from said light olefins and said by-products; and returning the unreacted oxygenate and diolefins to the OTO reactor. The unreacted oxygenate and diolefins are sent through at least one feed nozzle into said reactor at a point separate from the oxygenate feed stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Lawrence Lacijan, Daniel Myers, Paolo Palmas
  • Patent number: 6979360
    Abstract: In a cyclone separator used for separating solids from gases, we discovered placing at least one opening in a lateral surface of a gas outlet conduit on a side facing away from an inlet to the cyclone separator prevents coke deposits from forming thereon. A plurality of openings may be placed on the side of the lateral surface of the gas outlet conduit facing away from the inlet. In an embodiment, no openings are placed on a side of the lateral surface facing the inlet to the cyclone separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Ismail B. Cetinkaya, Keith A. Couch, Lawrence A. Lacijan
  • Patent number: 6110356
    Abstract: The invention improves a system and apparatus for the recovery of fine solid particles entering the slurry system of a fluidized catalytic contacting process by returning a portion of the recovered solids from the main separator directly back to the reactor stripper. The invention recovers fine particulate material from an FCC main column and returns the particulate material to an FCC stripper to reduce the amount of fine material that continues to recycle through the FCC reactor and product separator. By returning fine particulate material from the FCC product separation zone directly to a low velocity area of the stripping section, the invention breaks the reactor--main column recycle loop that concentrates the fines. Fines entering the reactor stripper will not be carried back into the cyclones for unwanted return to the main column. By the recycling of fines to the stripper via this invention, the fines concentration in the slurry system can decrease by up to 300%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Brian W. Hedrick, Mark Schnaith, Lawrence A Lacijan