Patents by Inventor Luc A. Vanmarcke

Luc A. Vanmarcke 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: 10632435
    Abstract: Method and fluidized bed reactor for the production of granules, such as granules of urea or ammonium nitrate. The fluidized bed reactor comprises at least one granulation compartment with air inlets, and an air moving device downstream of the granulation compartment, e.g., downstream of at least one scrubbers. The air moving device is configured to draw air through said at least one air inlet into at least one granulation compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Jaap Voorhans, Luc Vanmarcke, André Kayaert
  • Patent number: 10544064
    Abstract: Method and fluidized bed reactor for the production of granules, such as granules of urea or ammonium nitrate. The reactor comprises at least one granulation compartment with air inlets, and an air moving device downstream the granulation compartment, e.g., downstream one or more scrubbers. The air moving device is configured to draw air through said one or more air inlets into the granulation compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Jaap Voorhans, André Kayaert, Luc Vanmarcke
  • Publication number: 20190240631
    Abstract: Method and fluidized bed reactor for the production of granules, such as granules of urea or ammonium nitrate. The fluidized bed reactor comprises at least one granulation compartment with air inlets, and an air moving device downstream of the granulation compartment, e.g., downstream of at least one scrubbers. The air moving device is configured to draw air through said at least one air inlet into at least one granulation compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Jaap Voorhans, Luc Vanmarcke, André Kayaert
  • Patent number: 10106469
    Abstract: Disclosed is a particulate, urea-containing composition, to a method and apparatus for producing it, to the use thereof as fertilizer, as technical urea or as feed additive, and to the use of an additive for producing a particulate, urea-containing composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignees: UHDE FERTILIZER TECHNOLOGY B.V., THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Thomas Krawczyk, Matthias Potthoff, Luc Vanmarcke, Erik Alexander Bijpost, Alexander Maslow
  • Publication number: 20180117554
    Abstract: Method and fluidized bed reactor for the production of granules, such as granules of urea or ammonium nitrate. The fluidized bed reactor comprises at least one granulation compartment with air inlets, and an air moving device downstream of the granulation compartment, e.g., downstream of at least one scrubbers. The air moving device is configured to draw air through said at least one air inlet into at least one granulation compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Jaap VOORHANS, André Kayaert, Luc Vanmarcke
  • Publication number: 20170190632
    Abstract: Disclosed is a particulate, urea-containing composition, to a method and apparatus for producing it, to the use thereof as fertilizer, as technical urea or as feed additive, and to the use of an additive for producing a particulate, urea-containing composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Krawczyk, Matthias Potthoff, Luc Vanmarcke, Erik Alexander Bijpost, Alexander Maslow
  • Patent number: 9527104
    Abstract: A method for processing of granules, by forming at least one injection zone in a fluidized bed where a feed stream of seed particles is contacted or coated by a liquid product by simultaneous injection of the feed stream of the seed particles and a feed stream of the liquid product, forming at least one granulation zone in the fluidized bed where the contacted or coated seed particles may be at least one of dried, shaped, and cooled to form granules, extracting the granules from the at least one granulation zone and sorting the extracted granules into undersize granules, on-size granules, and oversize granules, passing the on-size granules to post-processing treatment, removing the oversize granules, and passing the undersize granules back into the feed stream of the seed particles, wherein the extracted granules are made to pass through at least one classifier located in the at least one granulation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Francois Ledoux, Luc Vanmarcke, Howard Volke, Peter de Bakker, Remco de Fouw, Roeland Elderson
  • Patent number: 9199265
    Abstract: A method for processing of granules, by forming at least one injection zone in a fluidized bed where a feed stream of seed particles is contacted or coated by a liquid product by simultaneous injection of the feed stream of the seed particles and a feed stream of the liquid product, forming at least one granulation zone in the fluidized bed where the contacted or coated seed particles may be at least one of dried, shaped, and cooled to form granules, extracting the granules from the at least one granulation zone and sorting the extracted granules into undersize granules, on-size granules, and oversize granules, passing the on-size granules to post-processing treatment, removing the oversize granules, and passing the undersize granules back into the feed stream of the seed particles, wherein the extracted granules are made to pass through at least one classifier located in the at least one granulation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Francois Ledoux, Luc Vanmarcke, Howard Volke, Peter de Bakker, Remco de Fouw, Roeland Elderson
  • Publication number: 20140318446
    Abstract: A method for processing of granules, by forming at least one injection zone in a fluidized bed where a feed stream of seed particles is contacted or coated by a liquid product by simultaneous injection of the feed stream of the seed particles and a feed stream of the liquid product, forming at least one granulation zone in the fluidized bed where the contacted or coated seed particles may be at least one of dried, shaped, and cooled to form granules, extracting the granules from the at least one granulation zone and sorting the extracted granules into undersize granules, on-size granules, and oversize granules, passing the on-size granules to post-processing treatment, removing the oversize granules, and passing the undersize granules back into the feed stream of the seed particles, wherein the extracted granules are made to pass through at least one classifier located in the at least one granulation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Francois LEDOUX, Luc VANMARCKE, Howard VOLKE, Peter de BAKKER, Remco de FOUW, Roeland ELDERSON
  • Patent number: 8343891
    Abstract: A method of improving the properties of urea granulates, more especially the caking tendency, the dust formation and the foaming tendency in aqueous media, by the addition of an additive to the urea, wherein the additive comprises a carboxylic acid compound with the general formula XY—(Z)—COOH, in which Z is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon with 1-25 carbon atoms and X and Y are selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom or a polar organic functional group, and in that the additive is added as a solution in a polar solvent to the urea granulates, which are subsequently dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Erik Alexander Bijpost, Luc Vanmarcke, Jacobus Gerardus Korver, Ruud van Belzen
  • Patent number: 8084642
    Abstract: A method of improving the crushing strength, impact resistance and the compressibility of urea granules by the addition of a compound to the molten urea, wherein the compound comprises both a polyvinyl compound and an organic molecule consisting of 1-10 carbon atoms and 1-10 polar organic groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Erik Bijpost, Luc Vanmarcke, John van der Hoeven, Ruud van Belzen
  • Publication number: 20110159180
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and device for processing of granules of solidified salts, by forming at least one injection zone in a fluidised bed where a feed stream of seed particles is contacted/coated by the liquid product by simultaneous injection of a feed stream of the seed particles and a feed stream of the liquid product to be sprayed, forming at least one granulation zone in the fluidised bed where contacted/coated seed particles may be dried and/or shaped and/or cooled to form granules, extracting granules from the at least one granulation zone(s) and sorting the extracted granules into three fractions; undersize granules with too small diameters compared to the desired size range, on-size granules with diameters within the desired size range, and oversize granules with too large diameters compared to the desired size range, passing the fraction of on-size granules to post-processing treatment for forming the product granules, removing the oversize, typically by reducing the size of at least a
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Francois Ledoux, Luc Vanmarcke, Howard Volke, Peter de Bakker, Remco de Fouw, Roeland Elderson
  • Patent number: 7824565
    Abstract: Colorfast urea composition having reduced compressibility, cake formation and tendency of re-crystallization of the urea granulate, wherein the granulate further contains at least two different biodegradable polymers, of which at least one polymer is preferably a polyalkenyl amine compound. The other polymer is preferably polyaspartic acid or polyvinyl alcohol. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of such a urea composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Ruud van Belzen, Luc Vanmarcke, Erik Bijpost, John van der Hoeven
  • Patent number: 7816561
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improving the crushing strength and reducing the dust formation and the caking tendency of urea particles by the addition of an organic compound to the molten urea, where at least one carbohydrate and optionally a polyvinyl compound is added to the urea. The invention also relates to a composition to be used as a urea additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Ruud Van Belzen, Luc Vanmarcke
  • Patent number: 7704420
    Abstract: A spraying device for melt granulation in a fluidized bed including a nozzle (2) with a feed channel for a liquid to be atomized, where the liquid is led through an emulsifying device and into an internal mixing chamber for gas and liquid, before it is fed to the fluidized bed. The nozzle has a separate channel for the atomizing gas fitted concentrically around the central liquid supply channel for the liquid to be atomized or nebulized. The mixing chamber surrounds the outlet zone of the liquid spray from the emulsifying device and the gas, allowing efficient mixing of high speed atomization gas and liquid, and having an external gas cap (1) where fluidization gas is channelled into a spout above the spraying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Rob Stevens, Luc Vanmarcke, Roeland Elderson
  • Publication number: 20080190161
    Abstract: Colourfast urea composition having reduced compressibility, cake formation and tendency of re-crystallization of the urea granulate, wherein the granulate further contains at least two different biodegradable polymers, of which at least one polymer is preferably a polyalkenyl amine compound. The other polymer is preferably polyaspartic acid or polyvinyl alcohol. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of such a urea composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Ruud van Belzen, Luc Vanmarcke, Erik Bijpost, John Van Der Hoeven
  • Publication number: 20080041131
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of improving the crushing strength and reducing the dust formation and the caking tendency of urea particles by the addition of an organic compound to the molten urea, where at least one carbohydrate and optionally a polyvinyl compound is added to the urea. The invention also relates to a composition to be used as a urea additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Ruud Van Belzen, Luc Vanmarcke
  • Publication number: 20070200007
    Abstract: The invention concerns a spraying device for melt granulation in fluidised bed comprising a nozzle (2) with a feed channel for a liquid to be atomised, where the liquid is led through emulsifying means and into an internal mixing chamber for gas and liquid, before it is fed to the fluidised bed. The nozzle has a separate channel for the atomising gas fitted concentrically around the central liquid supply channel for the liquid to be atomised or nebulised. The mixing chamber surrounds the outlet zone of the liquid spray from the emulsifying means and the gas, allowing efficient mixing of high speed atomisation gas and liquid, and having an external gas cap (1) where fluidisation gas is channelled into a spout above the spraying device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Inventors: Rob Stevens, Luc Vanmarcke, Roeland Elderson
  • Publication number: 20070131011
    Abstract: A method of improving the crushing strength, impact resistance and the compressibility of urea granules by the addition of a compound to the molten urea, wherein the compound comprises both a polyvinyl compound and an organic molecule consisting of 1-10 carbon atoms and 1-10 polar organic groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Erik Bijpost, Luc Vanmarcke, John Van Belzen, John Van Der Hoeven
  • Publication number: 20070125142
    Abstract: A method of improving the properties of urea granulates, more especially the caking tendency, the dust formation and the foaming tendency in aqueous media, by the addition of an additive to the urea, wherein the additive comprises a carboxylic acid compound with the general formula XY—(Z)—COOH, in which Z is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon with 1-25 carbon atoms and X and Y are selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom or a polar organic functional group, and in that the additive is added as a solution in a polar solvent to the urea granulates, which are subsequently dried.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA
    Inventors: Erik Bijpost, Luc Vanmarcke, Jacobus Korver, Ruud van Belzen