Patents by Inventor Michael Paul Ekart

Michael Paul Ekart 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: 20230110481
    Abstract: Chemical recycling facilities for processing mixed plastic waste are provided herein. Such facilities have the capability of processing mixed plastic waste streams and utilize a variety of recycling facilities, such as, for example, solvolysis facility, a pyrolysis facility, a cracker facility, a partial oxidation gasification facility, an energy generation/energy production facility, and a solidification facility. Streams from one or more of these individual facilities may be used as feed to one or more of the other facilities, thereby maximizing recovery of valuable chemical components and minimizing unusable waste streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Daryl Bitting, David Eugene Slivensky, Xianchun Wu, William Lewis Trapp, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Jaclyn Erin Shuman, Timothy Glenn Schaefer, Justin William Murphy, David Milton Lange, Aaron Nathaniel Edens
  • Publication number: 20230103080
    Abstract: Chemical recycling facilities for processing mixed plastic waste are provided herein. Such facilities have the capability of processing mixed plastic waste streams and utilize a variety of recycling facilities, such as, for example, solvolysis facility, a pyrolysis facility, a cracker facility, a partial oxidation gasification facility, an energy generation/energy production facility, and a solidification facility. Streams from one or more of these individual facilities may be used as feed to one or more of the other facilities, thereby maximizing recovery of valuable chemical components and minimizing unusable waste streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Daryl Bitting, David Eugene Slivensky, Xianchun Wu, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Jaclyn Erin Shuman, Timothy Glenn Schaefer, Justin William Murphy, David Milton Lange, Aaron Nathaniel Edens
  • Publication number: 20230068710
    Abstract: Chemical recycling facilities for processing mixed plastic waste are provided herein. Such facilities have the capability of processing mixed plastic waste streams and utilize a variety of recycling facilities, such as, for example, solvolysis facility, a pyrolysis facility, a cracker facility, a partial oxidation gasification facility, an energy generation/energy production facility, and a solidification facility. Streams from one or more of these individual facilities may be used as feed to one or more of the other facilities, thereby maximizing recovery of valuable chemical components and minimizing unusable waste streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Daryl Bitting, David Eugene Slivensky, Xianchun Wu, William Lewis Trapp, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Jaclyn Erin Shuman, Timothy Glenn Schaefer, Justin William Murphy, David Milton Lange, Aaron Nathaniel Edens
  • Publication number: 20230067427
    Abstract: Chemical recycling facilities for processing mixed plastic waste are provided herein. Such facilities have the capability of processing mixed plastic waste streams and utilize a variety of recycling facilities, such as, for example, solvolysis facility, a pyrolysis facility, a cracker facility, a partial oxidation gasification facility, an energy generation/energy production facility, and a solidification facility. Streams from one or more of these individual facilities may be used as feed to one or more of the other facilities, thereby maximizing recovery of valuable chemical components and minimizing unusable waste streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Daryl Bitting, David Eugene Slivensky, Xianchun Wu, William Lewis Trapp, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Jaclyn Erin Shuman, Timothy Glenn Schaefer, Justin William Murphy, David Milton Lange, Aaron Nathaniel Edens
  • Publication number: 20230066496
    Abstract: Chemical recycling facilities for processing mixed plastic waste are provided herein. Such facilities have the capability of processing mixed plastic waste streams and utilize a variety of recycling facilities, such as, for example, solvolysis facility, a pyrolysis facility, a cracker facility, a partial oxidation gasification facility, an energy generation/energy production facility, and a solidification facility. Streams from one or more of these individual facilities may be used as feed to one or more of the other facilities, thereby maximizing recovery of valuable chemical components and minimizing unusable waste streams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Daryl Bitting, David Eugene Slivensky, Xianchun Wu, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Jaclyn Erin Shuman, Timothy Glenn Schaefer, Justin William Murphy, David Milton Lange, Aaron Nathaniel Edens
  • Publication number: 20230026172
    Abstract: A method for manufacture of polyesters with recycle content is described in various aspects. The methods of the present disclosure effectively and cost-efficiently incorporates recycled DMT into existing TPA-based polyester manufacturing systems. Recycle feed compositions for manufacture of polyesters with recycle content and recycled content polyesters are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Earl Edmondson Howell, Jr., Michael Paul Ekart, Travis Wynn Keever, Bob N. Jack, Jonathan Michael Horton, Daniel Lee Martin
  • Publication number: 20230022664
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treating the product stream from a polyester methanolysis depolymerization process wherein the product stream includes dimethyl terephthalate and one or more side species selected from the group consisting of dimethyl phthalate, dimethyl isophthalate, bisphenol-A, an adipic acid diester and colorants. The method includes a) hydrogenating said dimethyl terephthalate to form one or more of dimethyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; and (b) hydrogenating one or more of said one or more side species of said product stream. A method for depolymerization of polyester is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: William Christopher Ketchie, Noah Glenn McMillan, Michael Paul Ekart, Travis Wynn Keever
  • Publication number: 20220372217
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst system to produce crystallizable polyester compositions which comprise residues of terephthalic acid, neopentyl glycol (NRG), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), ethylene glycol (EG), and diethylene glycol (DEG), in certain compositional ranges having certain advantages and improved properties including recyclability. The present disclosure also relates to a catalyst system to produce crystallizable polyester compositions which comprise residues of recycled terephthalic acid, recycled neopentyl glycol (NRG), recycled 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), recycled ethylene glycol (EG), and/or recycled diethylene glycol (DEG), in certain compositional ranges having certain advantages and improved properties including recyclability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Earl Edmondson Howell, Jr., Aaron Nathaniel Edens, Anne-Martine Sherbeck Jackson, Donna Rice Quillen, Carol Julliard Greene, Mark Allen Peters, Jonathan Michael Horton, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Erin G. Ekart
  • Publication number: 20220372216
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a catalyst system to produce crystallizable polyester compositions which comprise residues of terephthalic acid, neopentyl glycol (NRG), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), ethylene glycol (EG), and diethylene glycol (DEG), in certain compositional ranges having certain advantages and improved properties including recyclability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Earl Edmondson Howell, Jr., Aaron Nathaniel Edens, Anne-Martine Sherbeck Jackson, Donna Rice Quillen, Carol Julliard Greene, Mark Allen Peters, Jonathan Michael Horton, Travis Wynn Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Erin G. Ekart
  • Publication number: 20220363822
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to crystallizable shrinkable films and thermoformable films or sheets comprising amorphous polyester compositions which comprise residues of terephthalic acid, neopentyl glycol (NRG), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol CHDM), ethylene glycol (EG), and diethylene glycol (DEG), in certain compositional ranges having certain advantages and improved properties. The present disclosure also relates to crystallizable shrinkable films and thermoformable film(s) and/or sheet(s) comprising polyester compositions which comprise residues of recycled terephthalic acid, recycled neopentyl glycol (NRG), recycled 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), recycled ethylene glycol (EG), and recycled diethylene glycol (DEG), in certain compositional ranges having certain advantages and improved properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Mark Allen Peters, Jonathan Michael Horton, Travis Wynne Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Erin G. Ekart
  • Publication number: 20220348715
    Abstract: A process for producing a polyester composition from recycled polyesters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Mark Allen Peters, Jonathan Michael Horton, Travis Wynne Keever, Michael Paul Ekart, Erin G. Ekart
  • Publication number: 20220325036
    Abstract: A process for producing recycle polyesters made from organic compounds, e.g., acids and alcohols, derived from recycled, reused or other environmentally favored raw materials by obtaining a recycle monomer composition derived directly or indirectly from cracking a recycle content pyrolysis oil composition and reacting the recycle monomer with recycle DMT obtained directly or indirectly from the depolymerization of terephthalate polyesters to prepare a recycle polyester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ekart, Travis Wynn Keever, David Eugene Slivensky, Kenny Randolph Parker, William Lewis Trapp, Daryl Bitting, Michael Gary Polasek, Xianchun Wu
  • Publication number: 20220073676
    Abstract: Copolyesters made from the direct esterification of terephthalic acid with diols including ethylene glycol, but which contain low diethylene glycol (DEG) content, and processes for making the copolyesters. The copolyesters are characterized by comprising 1.0 wt % or less of DEG without requiring the use of DEG-suppressing additives. The processes are characterized by features including operating at lower pressures and lower EG:TPA feed mole ratios in the first esterification zone, while simultaneously at higher temperatures than typical operation in order to lower incorporation of DEG into the final polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Anne-Martine Sherbeck Jackson, Rachel Elizabeth McLendon, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Dale Milton Blakely, Robert Todd Harris
  • Publication number: 20220049050
    Abstract: Copolyesters made from the direct esterification of terephthalic acid with diols including ethylene glycol, but which contain low diethylene glycol (DEG) content, and processes for making the copolyesters. The copolyesters are characterized by comprising 1.0 wt % or less of DEG without requiring the use of DEG-suppressing additives. The processes are characterized by features including operating at lower pressures and lower EG:TPA feed mole ratios in the first reaction zone, while simultaneously at higher temperatures than typical operation in order to lower incorporation of DEG into the final polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Anne-Martine Sherbeck Jackson, Rachel Elizabeth McLendon, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Dale Milton Blakely, Robert Todd Harris
  • Patent number: 10370486
    Abstract: Polyester polymer particle spheroids comprising a polyester polymer including: a carboxylic acid component containing at least 90 mole % of the residues of terephthalic acid, derivates of terephthalic acid, naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and/or derivatives of naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and a hydroxyl component containing from 90 to 96 mole % of the residues of ethylene glycol, based on 100 mole percent of the carboxylic acid component residues and 100 mole percent hydroxyl component residues in the polyester polymer, wherein said particle has an It.V. of at least 0.72 dL/g, and the It.V. at the surface of the particle is from 0.02 dL/g to less than 0.25 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particle, and wherein the polyester polymer spheroids are not solid state polymerized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: GRUPO PETROTEMEX S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Frederick Leslie Colhoun, Michael Paul Ekart, Mary Therese Jernigan, Stephen Weinhold
  • Publication number: 20170009009
    Abstract: Polyester polymer particle spheroids comprising a polyester polymer including: a carboxylic acid component containing at least 90 mole % of the residues of terephthalic acid, derivates of terephthalic acid, naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and/or derivatives of naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid,; and a hydroxyl component containing from 90 to 96 mole % of the residues of ethylene glycol, based on 100 mole percent of the carboxylic acid component residues and 100 mole percent hydroxyl component residues in the polyester polymer, wherein said particle has an kV. of at least 0.72 dL/g, and the It.V. at the surface of the particle is from 0.02 dL/g to less than 0.25 dL/g higher than the It.V. at the center of the particle, and wherein the polyester polymer spheroids are not solid state polymerized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: GRUPO PETROTEMEX, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Frederick Leslie COLHOUN, Michael Paul EKART, Mary Therese JERNIGAN, Stephen WEINHOLD
  • Patent number: 8968615
    Abstract: A bulk of polyester polymer particles comprising polyester polymer comprising greater than 75% virgin polyester polymer, the particles having: A) an It.V. of at least 0.72 dl/g, and B) 10 ppm or less of residual acetaldehyde; and C) at least two melting peaks, wherein one of said at least two melting peaks is a low peak melting point within a range of 140° C. to 220° C. and having a melting endotherm area of at least the absolute value of 1 J/g. The particles may also have a degree of crystallinity within a range of 20% and a maximum degree of crystallinity Tcmax defined by the equation: Tcmax=50%?CA?OH where CA is the total mole % of all carboxylic acid residues other than terephthalic acid residues, based on 100 mole % of carboxylic acid residues, and OH is the total mole % of all hydroxyl functional compound residues other than ethylene glycol residues, based on 100 mole % of hydroxyl functional compounds residues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ekart, Frederick Leslie Colhoun, Mary Therese Jernigan, Stephen Weinhold, Rodney Scott Armentrout
  • Patent number: 8309683
    Abstract: A process for crystallizing a polyester polymer by introducing a molten polyester polymer, such as a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, into a liquid medium at a liquid medium temperature greater than the Tg of the polyester polymer, such as at a temperature ranging from 100° C. to 190° C., and allowing the molten polyester polymer to reside in the liquid medium for a time sufficient to crystallize the polymer under a pressure equal to or greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid medium. A process flow, underwater cutting process, crystallization in a pipe, and a separator are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Grupo Petrotemex, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ekart, Mary Therese Jernigan, Cory Lee Wells, Larry Cates Windes
  • Patent number: 8299203
    Abstract: A melt phase process for making a polyester polymer melt phase product by adding an antimony containing catalyst to the melt phase, polycondensing the melt containing said catalyst in the melt phase until the It.V. of the melt reaches at least 0.75 dL/g. Polyester polymer melt phase pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.75 dL/g are obtained without solid state polymerization. The polyester polymer pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.70 dL/g obtained without increasing the molecular weight of the melt phase product by solid state polymerization are fed to an extruder, melted to produce a molten polyester polymer, and extruded through a die to form shaped articles. The melt phase products and articles made thereby have low b* color and/or high L* brightness, and the reaction time to make the melt phase products is short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Grupo Petrotemex, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Mary Therese Jernigan, Michael Paul Ekart, Richard Gill Bonner
  • Publication number: 20120101249
    Abstract: A melt phase process for making a polyester polymer melt phase product by adding an antimony containing catalyst to the melt phase, polycondensing the melt containing said catalyst in the melt phase until the It.V. of the melt reaches at least 0.75 dL/g. Polyester polymer melt phase pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.75 dL/g are obtained without solid state polymerization. The polyester polymer pellets containing antimony residues and having an It.V. of at least 0.70 dL/g obtained without increasing the molecular weight of the melt phase product by solid state polymerization are fed to an extruder, melted to produce a molten polyester polymer, and extruded through a die to form shaped articles. The melt phase products and articles made thereby have low b* color and/or high L* brightness, and the reaction time to make the melt phase products is short.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: GRUPO PETROTEMEX, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Mary Therese JERNIGAN, Michael Paul Ekart, Richard Gill Bonner