Patents by Inventor Lee E. Brecher

Lee E. Brecher 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).

  • Publication number: 20110284425
    Abstract: A hydrocarbonaceous material upgrading method may involve a novel combination of heating, vaporizing and chemically reacting hydrocarbonaceous feedstock that is substantially unpumpable at pipeline conditions, and condensation of vapors yielded thereby, in order to upgrade that feedstock to a hydrocarbonaceous material condensate that meets crude oil pipeline specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Wyoming Research Corporation d/b/a Western Research Institute
    Inventors: Lee E. Brecher, Phyllis J. Brecher, Charles G. Mones, Frank D. Guffey
  • Patent number: 7976695
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for possibly producing pipeline-ready heavy oil from substantially non-pumpable oil feeds. The methods and apparatus may be designed to produce such pipeline-ready heavy oils in the production field. Such methods and apparatus may involve thermal soaking of liquid hydrocarbonaceous inputs in thermal environments (2) to generate, though chemical reaction, an increased distillate amount as compared with conventional boiling technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: University of Wyoming Research Corporation
    Inventor: Lee E. Brecher
  • Patent number: 7594978
    Abstract: A system for refining hydrocarbon containing materials in a continuous coking mode may provide a pyrolyzer (1) which may be inclined to effect a liquid seal between a liquid conduction environment (6) and a gaseous conduction environment (7). A heat source (9) may heat the material past the coking point and the system may include a screw or auger (10) which can continuously remove the coke while simultaneously outputting refined products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: The University of Wyoming Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lee E. Brecher, Lyle A. Johnson, Jr., Vijay K. Sethi
  • Patent number: 6972085
    Abstract: A system for refining hydrocarbon containing materials in a continuous coking mode may provide a pyrolyzer (1) which may be inclined to effect a liquid seal between a liquid conduction environment (6) and a gaseous conduction environment (7). A heat source (9) may heat the material past the coking point and the system may include a screw or auger (10) which can continuously remove the coke while simultaneously outputting refined products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: The University of Wyoming Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lee E. Brecher, Lyle A. Johnson, Jr., Vijay K. Sethi
  • Patent number: 5322530
    Abstract: A process for upgrading and stabilizing low-rank coal involving the sequential processing of the coal through three fluidized beds; first a dryer, then a pyrolyzer, and finally a cooler. The fluidizing gas for the cooler is the exit gas from the pyrolyzer with the addition of water for cooling. Overhead gas from pyrolyzing is likely burned to furnish the energy for the process. The product coal exits with a tar-like pitch sealant to enhance its safety during storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Western Research Institute
    Inventors: Norman W. Merriam, Vijay Sethi, Lee E. Brecher
  • Patent number: 5259945
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of tank bottom wastes employing a flash tank fed with hot, pressurized tank bottom wastes and separating a vapor component and heavier bottoms then fed to a stripping reactor along with hot gas producing an overhead vapor with a solid remainder. Such remainder is alternatively fed to a pyrolyzing reactor at elevated temperatures producing vapors with a solid residue. The vapor streams are used with a regenerative heat exchanger to heat said tank bottom wastes to a temperature appropriate for entering the flash tank. Certain recycled material is employed as fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Inventors: Lyle A. Johnson, Jr., Robert M. Satchwell, Ronald R. Glaser, Lee E. Brecher
  • Patent number: 4330523
    Abstract: Water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen by reacting it with iodine and sulfurous acid to produce hydrogen iodide and sulfuric acid. The hydrogen iodide is decomposed to produce the hydrogen product and the iodine. The sulfuric acid is decomposed to produce water and sulfur trioxide. The sulfur trioxide is decomposed to produce sulfur dioxide and the oxygen product. The sulfur dioxide is reacted with water to produce the sulfurous acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1982
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Lee E. Brecher, Christopher K. Wu
  • Patent number: 4162302
    Abstract: Water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen in a series of steps. In the first step hydrogen sulfide is reacted with cuprous sulfide to produce the hydrogen and cuprous sulfide. The cupric sulfide is then decomposed to produce sulfur and to regenerate the cupric sulfide. The sulfur is reacted with water to produce the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. The sulfur dioxide is reacted with water to produce sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid is decomposed to produce the sulfur dioxide, oxygen, and water.The decomposition of the sulfuric acid can be performed in four steps. In the first step the sulfuric acid is reacted with a metallic oxide to produce a solution of a metallic sulfate. The hydrate of the metallic sulfate is crystallized from the solution and is decomposed into the metallic sulfate and water. The metallic sulfate is decomposed into the metallic oxide, oxygen, and the sulfur dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1979
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Chikara Hirayama, Lee E. Brecher