Patents by Inventor Michael O. Nutt

Michael O. Nutt 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: 11326004
    Abstract: Isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TPC GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Rajeev Kumar, André M. Gobin, George Pappas, James A. Hopson, Michael O. Nutt, Peggy J. Macatangay, Randall V. Redd
  • Patent number: 11208511
    Abstract: Non-random isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The non-random copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: André M. Gobin, Rajeev Kumar, George Pappas, James A. Hopson, Michael O. Nutt, Peggy J. Macatangay, Randall V. Redd
  • Publication number: 20210301048
    Abstract: Non-random isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The non-random copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: André M. Gobin, Rajeev Kumar, George Pappas, James A. Hopson, Michael O. Nutt, Peggy J. Macatangay, Randall V. Redd
  • Patent number: 10947324
    Abstract: A flexible manufacturing system for selectively producing different alpha-olefins from ethylene includes: (a) a reaction section 18 with ethylene feed operative to oligomerize ethylene; (b) a catalyst feed system 12, 14, 16 comprising a plurality of independent homogeneous catalyst feeders connected with the reaction section for alternatively providing different selective homogeneous catalyst compositions to the reaction section; (c) an ethylene recycle column 22 coupled to the reaction section and adapted to receive crude product and unreacted ethylene therefrom, the recycle column being operative to separate ethylene and optionally lower oligomers from the crude product which are recycled to the ethylene feed to the reaction section, the ethylene recycle column being further operative to provide a crude product bottoms stream; (d) a catalyst removal section 20 coupled to the reaction section adapted to remove spent catalyst from the system; and (e) a first product separation column 24 connected to the recyc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: Michael O. Nutt, Baiyi Zhao
  • Patent number: 10836690
    Abstract: A dehydrogenation system includes a plurality of dehydrogenation reactors valved to operate in alternating dehydrogenation modes and regeneration modes in a timed sequence in a system cycle by way of the plurality of valves; a digital programmable controller connected to the plurality of valves for sequencing the reactors; and means for determining the productivity characteristics of each reactor over a system cycle. The digital controller is operable to re-sequence the reactors to reduce either peak productivity or productivity deltas over an initial system cycle. After resequencing, production may be increased with the more uniform productivity profile of the re-sequenced system without exceeding system limits, such as compressor operating limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: Joseph G. Duff, David S. Hager, Gilbert D. Valdez, Joseph A. Comeaux, Michael O. Nutt
  • Publication number: 20200291140
    Abstract: A flexible manufacturing system for selectively producing different alpha-olefins from ethylene includes: (a) a reaction section 18 with ethylene feed operative to oligomerize ethylene; (b) a catalyst feed system 12, 14, 16 comprising a plurality of independent homogeneous catalyst feeders connected with the reaction section for alternatively providing different selective homogeneous catalyst compositions to the reaction section; (c) an ethylene recycle column 22 coupled to the reaction section and adapted to receive crude product and unreacted ethylene therefrom, the recycle column being operative to separate ethylene and optionally lower oligomers from the crude product which are recycled to the ethylene feed to the reaction section, the ethylene recycle column being further operative to provide a crude product bottoms stream; (d) a catalyst removal section 20 coupled to the reaction section adapted to remove spent catalyst from the system; and (e) a first product separation column 24 connected to the recyc
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Michael O. Nutt, Baiyi Zhao
  • Publication number: 20200231724
    Abstract: Isobutylene copolymer includes repeat units derived from isobutylene and one or more comonomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, limonene, substituted styrenes, and C4 to C10 dienes other than isoprene, butadiene, limonene, cyclopentadiene, or dicyclopentadiene, wherein the molar ratio of isobutylene derived repeat units to the comonomer derived repeat units is from 75:1 to 1.5:1. The copolymers have a molecular weight, Mn, of from 200 to 20,000 Daltons and typically have a high double bond content and a high vinylidene double bond content when diene monomers are utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Rajeev Kumar, André M. Gobin, George Pappas, James A. Hopson, Michael O. Nutt, Peggy J. Macatangay, Randall V. Redd
  • Patent number: 10544071
    Abstract: The process to recover heat in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene is presented. The process utilizes heat recovered in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene to generate steam. The process utilizes the circulated water stream generated in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene for steam generation. A feedstream comprising butene is mixed with steam and preheated air at the inlet of the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignees: UOP LLC, TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt
  • Patent number: 10538466
    Abstract: A process is presented for the production of butadienes. The process includes the separation of oxygenates from the product stream from an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. The process includes quenching the product stream and solvent and oxygenates from the product stream. The oxygenates are stripped from the solvent with an inert gas to reduce the energy consumption of the process, and the solvent is recycled and reused in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: UOP LLC, TPC Group, LLC
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, Jeannie M. Blommel, Charles P. Luebke, Dana K. Sullivan, Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt
  • Publication number: 20180258015
    Abstract: A process is presented for the production of butadienes. The process includes the separation of oxygenates from the product stream from an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor. The process includes quenching the product stream and solvent and oxygenates from the product stream. The oxygenates are stripped from the solvent with an inert gas to reduce the energy consumption of the process, and the solvent is recycled and reused in the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, Jeannie M. Blommel, Charles P. Luebke, Dana K. Sullivan, Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt
  • Publication number: 20180251412
    Abstract: The process to recover heat in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene is presented. The process utilizes heat recovered in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene to generate steam. The process utilizes the circulated water stream generated in oxidative dehydrogenation of butene to butadiene for steam generation. A feedstream comprising butene is mixed with steam and preheated air at the inlet of the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: John J. Senetar, Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt
  • Patent number: 10035740
    Abstract: A method of oxidatively dehydrogenating a dehydrogenation reactant includes providing a first gaseous feed stream to a first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone with less than a stoichiometric amount of oxygen and superheated steam, oxidatively dehydrogenating dehydrogenation reactant in said first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone and subsequently cooling the effluent, adding additional oxygen and reacting the effluent stream in at least one subsequent adiabatic reaction zone. The dehydrogenation system enables higher conversion and yield per pass and in some cases greatly reduces steam usage and energy costs. In a preferred integrated process, ethylene is converted to n-butene which is then oxidatively dehydrogenated to butadiene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Alan Maat, Joseph G. Duff, Liana Caciula, Michael O. Nutt, Robert Z. Confair, Mark P. Kaminsky, Jillian M. Horn, Gus K. Georgeton
  • Patent number: 10035136
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process to treat a ferrite based catalyst useful in the oxidative dehydrogenation of monololefins and diolefins which process includes a preheat step prior to use of the catalyst in the OXO-D reactor. The catalyst is preferably a zinc ferrite catalyst for the production of butadiene. It has been observed that substantially no nitrogen oxide emissions result from the use of this treated catalyst in the reactor unit during the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: TPC Group LLC
    Inventors: Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Michael O. Nutt, George S. Pappas
  • Patent number: 9902669
    Abstract: Oxidative dehydrogenation includes: (a) providing a gaseous feed stream to a catalytic reactor, the feed stream comprising a dehydrogenation reactant, oxygen, superheated steam, hydrocarbon moderator gas and optionally nitrogen, wherein the molar ratio of moderator gas to oxygen in feed stream is typically from 4:1 to 1:1 and the molar ratio of oxygen to nitrogen in the feed stream is at least 2; (b) oxidatively dehydrogenating the reactant in the reactor to provide a dehydrogenated product enriched effluent product stream; and (c) recovering dehydrogenated product from the effluent product stream. One preferred embodiment is a process for making butadiene including dimerizing ethylene to n-butene in a homogeneous reaction medium to provide a hydrocarbonaceous n-butene rich feed stream and oxidatively dehydrogenating the n-butene so formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TPC GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Liana Caciula, Clifford A. Maat, Mark P. Kaminsky, Michael O. Nutt, Jillian M. Horn, Joseph G. Duff
  • Patent number: 9617363
    Abstract: A method of making a low-fluoride reactive PIB composition includes (a) providing a modified C4 feedstock by way of blending a mixed C4 feedstock with a second feedstock having a lower LB/IsoB ratio; or providing a C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10%; (b) feeding the modified C4 feedstock or the C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10% to a CSTR with a homogeneous catalyst comprising BF3 and a modifier selected from alcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof; (c) polymerizing the modified C4 feedstock or the C4 feedstock with an LB/IsoB index of less than 10% in the reactor while maintaining the reactor at a temperature above ?15° C. and utilizing a residence time less than 45 minutes to produce a crude PIB composition in a polymerization mixture; and (d) recovering a purified PIB composition from the polymerization mixture having a molecular weight, Mn, from 250 to 5000 Daltons and an alpha vinylidene content of at least 50 mol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TPC GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Rajeev Kumar, André M Gobin, Wayne Ouellette, Michael O. Nutt, Leonard M. Czupski, Peggy J. Macatangay
  • Patent number: 9617366
    Abstract: A method of making a low-fluoride reactive PIB composition includes in one embodiment: a) providing an isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock by way of blending a first mixed C4 feedstock with a second feedstock having a lower LB/IsoB index; (b) feeding the isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock to a polymerization reactor with a catalyst complex comprising BF3 and a modifier selected from alcohols, ethers and mixtures thereof; (c) polymerizing the isobutylene-enriched C4 feedstock in the reactor while maintaining the reactor at a temperature above ?40° C. and most preferably above ?15° C. and utilizing a residence time less than 45 minutes to produce a crude PIB composition in a polymerization mixture; and (d) recovering a purified PIB composition from the polymerization mixture having a molecular weight, Mn, from 250 to 5000 Daltons and an alpha vinylidene content of at least 50 mol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TPC GROUP LLC
    Inventors: André M. Gobin, Rajeev Kumar, Wayne Ouellette, Michael O. Nutt, Leonard M. Czupski, Peggy J. Macatangay
  • Patent number: 9567282
    Abstract: A process for producing acetic acid comprising the steps of reacting carbon monoxide and at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative in a first reactor under conditions effective to produce a crude acetic acid product; separating the crude acetic acid product into at least one derivative stream, at least one of the at least one derivative stream comprising residual carbon monoxide; and reacting at least a portion of the residual carbon monoxide with at least one of methanol and a methanol derivative over a metal catalyst in a second reactor to produce additional acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: CELANESE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: G. Paull Torrence, Brian W. Hokkanen, Michael O. Nutt, Tianshu Pan, Ronald D. Shaver
  • Publication number: 20170036195
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process to treat a ferrite based catalyst useful in the oxidative dehydrogenation of monololefins and diolefins which process includes a preheat step prior to use of the catalyst in the OXO-D reactor. The catalyst is preferably a zinc ferrite catalyst for the production of butadiene. It has been observed that substantially no nitrogen oxide emissions result from the use of this treated catalyst in the reactor unit during the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Joseph G. Duff, Jillian M. Horn, Michael O. Nutt, George S. Pappas
  • Patent number: 9505682
    Abstract: A method of producing butadiene includes: (1) dimerizing ethylene to butene followed by (2) oxidatively dehydrogenating the butene to butadiene and (3) recovering the butadiene by (i) absorbing the product with a hydrocarbon absorber oil and (ii) stripping a crude product stream from the absorber oil. The absorber oil is selected so as to be effective to sequester ethylene dimerization-derived impurities from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TPC GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Joseph G. Duff, Clifford A. Maat, Michael O. Nutt, Mark P Kaminsky
  • Publication number: 20160023963
    Abstract: A method of oxidatively dehydrogenating a dehydrogenation reactant includes providing a first gaseous feed stream to a first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone with less than a stoichiometric amount of oxygen and superheated steam, oxidatively dehydrogenating dehydrogenation reactant in said first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone and subsequently cooling the effluent, adding additional oxygen and reacting the effluent stream in at least one subsequent adiabatic reaction zone. The deydrogenation system enables higher conversion and yield per pass and in some cases greatly reduces steam usage and energy costs. In a preferred integrated process, ethylene is converted to n-butene which is then oxidatively dehydrogenated to butadiene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Clifford Alan Maat, Joseph G. Duff, Liana Caciula, Michael O. Nutt, Robert Z. Confair, Mark P. Kaminsky, Jillian M. Horn, Gus K. Georgeton