Patents by Inventor Michael A. Risch

Michael A. Risch 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: 7199273
    Abstract: A process for selectively removing alkynes and/or diolefins from a feedstock also containing olefins comprises contacting the feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst composition. The catalyst composition comprises at least one metal component selected from Groups 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements impregnated on a support, wherein an organic nitrogen-containing compound is contacted with the support before, during or after the metal impregnation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch
  • Publication number: 20070037692
    Abstract: A method for maintaining the activity of silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve catalyst particles during oxygenate to olefin conversion reactions. The SAPO catalyst particles are regenerated under targeted conditions in the presence of platinum to provide controlled, steady state regeneration while minimizing catalyst damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: James Beech, Jesse Goellner, Michael Risch, Peter Loezos, Kenneth Clem, Michael Nicoletti
  • Patent number: 7153807
    Abstract: Catalysts have been discovered that are useful in hydrogenation reactions, and particularly for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or methyl acetylene (MA) and/or propadiene (PD) in light olefin-rich feedstreams. These catalysts can selectively hydrogenate acetylene with less selectivity to making oligomers (green oil) as compared with existing commercial catalysts, particularly palladium catalysts. These catalysts are non-palladium catalysts, and have three different constituents that are metal or metal-based components. The metal of the first constituent may be nickel or platinum, the metal of the second constituent may be from Groups 1–10, and the metal of the third constituent may be from Groups 11–12, where the Groups are of the Periodic Table of Elements (new IUPAC notation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Exxon Mobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch
  • Patent number: 7145051
    Abstract: A catalyst is provided comprising (1) at least one solid acid component, and (2) at least one metal-based component comprised of one or more element from Groups 1–3, one or more element from Groups 4–15 and one or more element from Groups 16 and 17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The catalyst is particularly useful in producing light olefins, preferably from paraffins. When used to convert paraffins to light olefins, the catalyst is capable of high paraffin conversion, high olefin yield, and low aromatic yield. Optionally, the catalyst can further comprise at least one of a support and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch, Blake J. Aronson
  • Patent number: 7087794
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating a stream, say, an olefins stream, e.g., propylene, containing at least one ether, e.g., dimethyl ether, and/or at least one of an alkyne and an alkadiene, e.g., methyl acetylene and propadiene, typically present as impurities. The process comprises: contacting the stream with a metal-containing catalyst, e.g., palladium supported on alumina, under conditions sufficient to convert the ether and the at least one of an alkyne and an alkadiene to provide a product stream having a reduced impurities content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Risch, John Di-Yi Ou
  • Patent number: 7038097
    Abstract: It has been discovered that a dual bed process using two different catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or methyl acetylene (MA) and/or propadiene (PD) in a light olefin-rich feedstream can be accomplished with less selectivity to making oligomers (green oil) as compared with existing commercial technologies, if a low oligomers selectivity catalyst is used first in the process. A palladium catalyst may be used as a second, sequential catalyst to further hydrogenate acetylene and/or MAPD while consuming at least a portion of the balance of the hydrogen present. The first catalyst should be different from the second catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch, John Scott Buchanan
  • Publication number: 20060060505
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises a rhodium component present in an amount such that the catalyst composition comprises less than 3.0% of rhodium by weight of the total catalyst composition; and an indium component present in an amount such that the catalyst composition comprises at least 0.3% and less than 5.0% of indium by weight of the total catalyst composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder
  • Publication number: 20060063954
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises a support; a first metal component comprising rhodium; and a second metal component comprising a metal other than rhodium and selected from Groups 1 to 15 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein said first and second components are predominantly contained in an outer surface layer of the support having a depth of not more than 1000 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder, Valery Sokolovskii
  • Patent number: 6987208
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for removing oxygenate impurities, e.g., dimethyl ether, from an olefinic product stream by converting the oxygenate impurity to a compound whose boiling point differs by at least about 5° C. from the oxygenate impurity. Typically, the compound is more readily removable from the product stream than the oxygenate impurity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Risch, Teng Xu, John Di-Yi Ou, Keith Holroyd Kuechler, James H. Beech, James Richardson Lattner, Cor F. Van Egmond
  • Publication number: 20050288538
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises at least two different metal components selected from Groups 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements, one of which may be rhodium, and at least one metal component selected from Group 13 of the Periodic Table of Elements, such as indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder
  • Publication number: 20050113615
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises a support; a first metal component comprising rhodium; and a second metal component comprising a metal other than rhodium and selected from Groups 1 to 15 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein said first and second components are predominantly contained in an outer surface layer of the support having a depth of not more than 1000 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder, Valery Sokolovskii
  • Publication number: 20050113613
    Abstract: A process for selectively removing alkynes and/or diolefins from a feedstock also containing olefins comprises contacting the feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst composition. The catalyst composition comprises at least one metal component selected from Groups 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements impregnated on a support, wherein an organic nitrogen-containing compound is contacted with the support before, during or after the metal impregnation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch
  • Publication number: 20050113614
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises at least two different metal components selected from Groups 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements, one of which may be rhodium, and at least one metal component selected from Group 13 of the Periodic Table of Elements, such as indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder
  • Publication number: 20050113251
    Abstract: An selective hydrogenation catalyst composition comprises a rhodium component present in an amount such that the catalyst composition comprises less than 3.0% of rhodium by weight of the total catalyst composition; and an indium component present in an amount such that the catalyst composition comprises at least 0.3% and less than 5.0% of indium by weight of the total catalyst composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: David Lowe, Michel Molinier, John Ou, Michael Risch, Anthony Volpe, Jeffrey Yoder
  • Publication number: 20050043575
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for selectively removing isobutene and butadiene from a stream, the process comprising contacting the stream with a hydrogenation catalyst to hydrogenate butadiene and an oligomerization catalyst to oligomerize isobutene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Risch, John Ou, Cor Van Egmond
  • Publication number: 20040254416
    Abstract: This invention is to a process for removing dimethyl ether from an olefin stream. The process includes contacting the olefin stream with a molecular sieve that has improved capacity to adsorb the dimethyl ether from the olefin stream. The molecular sieve used to remove the dimethyl ether has low or no activity in converting the olefin in the olefin stream to other products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Michael A. Risch, John D.Y. Ou
  • Publication number: 20040176651
    Abstract: Catalysts have been discovered that are useful in hydrogenation reactions, and particularly for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or methyl acetylene (MA) and/or propadiene (PD) in light olefin-rich feedstreams. These catalysts can selectively hydrogenate acetylene with less selectivity to making oligomers (green oil) as compared with existing commercial catalysts, particularly palladium catalysts. These catalysts are non-palladium catalysts, and have three different constituents that are metal or metal-based components. The metal of the first constituent may be nickel or platinum, the metal of the second constituent may be from Groups 1-10, and the metal of the third constituent may be from Groups 11-12, where the Groups are of the Periodic Table of Elements (new IUPAC notation).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch
  • Publication number: 20040176652
    Abstract: It has been discovered that a dual bed process using two different catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or methyl acetylene (MA) and/or propadiene (PD) in a light olefin-rich feedstream can be accomplished with less selectivity to making oligomers (green oil) as compared with existing commercial technologies, if a low oligomers selectivity catalyst is used first in the process. A palladium catalyst may be used as a second, sequential catalyst to further hydrogenate acetylene and/or MAPD while consuming at least a portion of the balance of the hydrogen present. The first catalyst should be different from the second catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Michel Molinier, John Di-Yi Ou, Michael A. Risch, John Scott Buchanan
  • Publication number: 20040152938
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for removing oxygenate impurities, e.g., dimethyl ether, from an olefinic product stream by converting the oxygenate impurity to a compound whose boiling point differs by at least about 5° C. from the oxygenate impurity. Typically, the compound is more readily removable from the product stream than the oxygenate impurity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Michael A. Risch, Teng Xu, John Di-Yi Ou, Keith Holroyd Kuechler, James H. Beech, James Richardson Lattner, Cor F. Van Egmond
  • Publication number: 20040097760
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating a stream, say, an olefins stream, e.g., propylene, containing at least one ether, e.g., dimethyl ether, and/or at least one of an alkyne and an alkadiene, e.g., methyl acetylene and propadiene, typically present as impurities. The process comprises: contacting the stream with a metal-containing catalyst, e.g., palladium supported on alumina, under conditions sufficient to convert the ether and the at least one of an alkyne and an alkadiene to provide a product stream having a reduced impurities content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Michael A. Risch, John Di-Yi Ou