Patents by Inventor Michel Thomas

Michel Thomas 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: 8216324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of thermally-integrated hydrogen from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock that contains sulfur-containing compounds that comprise at least one stage for heating the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock by indirect heat exchange with a hot stream, a stage for desulfurizing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock, a stage for evaporating the desulfurized hydrocarbon feedstock by indirect heat exchange with the hot stream that exits from the autothermal reformer, a stage for autothermal reforming of the hydrocarbon feedstock, and a stage wherein the carbon monoxide content in the hydrogen-rich gas that is produced is reduced in a reactor for converting carbon monoxide with water. The invention also relates to the hydrogen production installation that corresponds to this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Alexandre Nicolaos, Michel Thomas, Fabrice Giroudiere, Jijun Xu, Kishore Doshi
  • Patent number: 8137562
    Abstract: The invention concerns a composite support comprising a base support for the treatment of a biological fluid, in which: “the base support is essentially-constituted by a first polymer carrying anionic or anionizable groups;” at least a part of the surface of the base support is coated with a second polymer ionically bonded to the first polymer, the second polymer carrying the cationic or cationizable groups which are capable of forming an ionic bond with the anionic or anionizable groups of the first polymer; in which the second polymer is in the colloidal form and in mixture with a polyacid during application to the support, allowing the composite membrane to adsorb at least one entity containing anionic or anionizable groups by bonding with cationic or cationizable groups of the second polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Michel Thomas
  • Patent number: 8118176
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a unit element forming a membrane comprising a semi-permeable material able to separate in two compartments a filtration device for extracorporeal treatment of a fluid such as blood or plasma, said material being negatively charged, said element having a first internal face intended to be in direct contact with blood or plasma and a second external face intended to be in contact with filtrate, wherein said second face of said element is treated on the surface by one selected in the group comprising at least a cationic polymer, a mixture of polymers of which at least one polymer is cationic. The unit element can also have said first face treated on the surface by one selected in the group comprising: at least one cationic polymer, a mixture of polymers of which at least one polymer is cationic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Gambro AB
    Inventors: Nicolas Moachon, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120017511
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the production of hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock and water vapor comprising: A stage for the production of a synthetic gas in a vapor reforming unit of the hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of water vapor, with a fuel that provides the heat that is necessary to the reaction, A stage for conversion to vapor of the synthetic gas that is obtained in the preceding stage producing a hydrogen stream that contains methane and carbon dioxide, A stage for recovering carbon dioxide that is present in the stream that is obtained in the stage for conversion to vapor, making it possible to separate the carbon dioxide from the hydrogen stream, A stage for recovery and recycling to the vapor reforming stage of impurities that are present in the hydrogen stream, comprising a decompression phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Beatrice Fischer, Fabrice Giroudiere, Jean-Louis Ambrosino, Michel Thomas
  • Patent number: 7976698
    Abstract: Process for catalytic conversion in the presence of hydrogen with regeneration of the catalyst that comprises a stage for reduction of said catalyst by the hydrogen that is obtained from the catalytic conversion stage, whereby this hydrogen is purified in advance of impurities that it contains by running it over adsorbent masses, whereby said adsorbent masses are regenerated by an increase in temperature that is provided by the effluent from the reduction stage of the catalyst. Application to the processes for regenerative reforming or dehydrogenation of paraffins and naphthenes and most generally to any moving-bed process that operates in the presence of hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Béatrice Fischer, Frédéric Hoffmann, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100263532
    Abstract: The method allows liquefaction of a dry natural gas comprising water and heavy hydrocarbons containing more than five carbon atoms. The following stages are carried out: a) passing the dry natural gas through a water-adsorbent solid so as to obtain a water-depleted natural gas and a water-laden adsorbent solid, b) passing the water-depleted natural gas through a solid adsorbing heavy hydrocarbons comprising at least five carbon atoms so as to obtain a heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas and a heavy hydrocarbon-laden adsorbent solid, c) liquefying the heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas at a pressure above 40 bar abs so as to obtain a liquid natural gas under pressure, d) expanding the liquid natural gas under pressure obtained in stage c) to atmospheric pressure so as to obtain a liquid natural gas and a gas fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: IFP
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Beatrice Fischer, Gilles Ferschneider
  • Publication number: 20100134645
    Abstract: A video processing system may include a video input and a video output for outputting manipulated video images. The system may have a video processing chain connecting the video input to the video output. The chain may include a series connection of two or more video processing components. The components may each include a component input for receiving video images and a component output for outputting processed video images. A control input may be present for controlling the video processing component to be in an enabled or a disabled state. The video processing component may be arranged to obtain in the enabled state the processed video images by performing a respective processing operation on the received video images; and to obtain in the disabled state the processed vide images by forwarding the received video images to the component output without performing the processing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Chistophe Comps, Patrice Bertrand, Klaus Foerster, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100089798
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for desulphurizing a feed comprising oxygen-containing compounds, hydrocarbon-containing compounds and organic sulphur-containing compounds, by capturing sulphur on a capture mass comprising iron oxides or zinc oxides and more than 20% by weight of zinc ferrite. The process is operated in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature in the range 200° C. to 400° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: IFP
    Inventors: Arnaud Baudot, Thierry Huard, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100080754
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a process for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feed and steam, comprising: a step for producing a synthesis gas in a unit for steam reforming the hydrocarbon feed in the presence of steam, with a fuel providing the heat necessary for the reaction; a step for steam converting synthesis gas obtained in the preceding step, producing a stream of hydrogen containing methane and carbon dioxide; a step for capturing carbon dioxide present in the stream obtained from the steam conversion step in order to separate the carbon dioxide from the stream of hydrogen; a step for capturing and recycling the methane and other impurities (CO, CO2) present in the stream of hydrogen to the steam reforming step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: IEP
    Inventors: Beatrice FISCHER, Fabrice GIROUDIERE, Jean-Louis AMBROSINO, Michel THOMAS
  • Publication number: 20100032376
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a unit element forming a membrane comprising a semi-permeable material able to separate in two compartments a filtration device for extracorporeal treatment of a fluid such as blood or plasma, said material being negatively charged, said element having a first internal face intended to be in direct contact with blood or plasma and a second external face intended to be in contact with filtrate, wherein said second face of said element is treated on the surface by one selected in the group comprising at least a cationic polymer, a mixture of polymers of which at least one polymer is cationic. The unit element can also have said first face treated on the surface by one selected in the group comprising: at least one cationic polymer, a mixture of polymers of which at least one polymer is cationic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Nicolas Moachon, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090246119
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of thermally-integrated hydrogen from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock that contains sulfur-containing compounds that comprise at least one stage for heating the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock by indirect heat exchange with a hot stream, a stage for desulfurizing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock, a stage for evaporating the desulfurized hydrocarbon feedstock by indirect heat exchange with the hot stream that exits from the autothermal reformer, a stage for autothermal reforming of the hydrocarbon feedstock, and a stage wherein the carbon monoxide content in the hydrogen-rich gas that is produced is reduced in a reactor for converting carbon monoxide with water. The invention also relates to the hydrogen production installation that corresponds to this process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Alexandre NICOLAOS, Michel Thomas, Fabrice Giroudiere, Jijun Xu, Kishore Doshi
  • Publication number: 20090206038
    Abstract: The invention concerns a composite support comprising a base support for the treatment of a biological fluid, in which: “the base support is essentially-constituted by a first polymer carrying anionic or anionizable groups;” at least a part of the surface of the base support is coated with a second polymer ionically bonded to the first polymer, the second polymer carrying the cationic or cationizable groups which are capable of forming an ionic bond with the anionic or anionizable groups of the first polymer; in which the second polymer is in the colloidal form and in mixture with a polyacid during application to the support, allowing the composite membrane to adsorb at least one entity containing anionic or anionizable groups by bonding with cationic or cationizable groups of the second polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventor: Michel Thomas
  • Patent number: 7449049
    Abstract: The raw natural gas is deacidized and dehydrated in units DA and DH. The treated gas is then purified by adsorption of the mercaptans in first enclosure A1. Part of the purified gas is heated in E1, then fed into second enclosure A2 so as to discharge the water adsorbed by the adsorbent material contained in this second enclosure. A steam-rich stream is fed into third enclosure A3 containing a mercaptan-laden adsorbent material. In A3, the mercaptans are desorbed and replaced by the steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Eszter Toth, Fabrice Lecomte, Peter Meyer, Jean-Louis Ambrosino
  • Patent number: 7435337
    Abstract: The invention describes the application of caesium-exchanged X, Y or LSX type faujasite zeolites for intense desulphurization of FCC gasoline, and to a method for preparing said zeolites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Alexandre Nicolaos
  • Patent number: 7311758
    Abstract: The raw natural gas is deacidized and dehydrated in units DA and DH. The treated gas is then purified by adsorption of the mercaptans in first enclosure A1. Part of the purified gas is heated in E1, then fed into second enclosure A2 so as to discharge the water adsorbed by the adsorbent material contained in this second enclosure. A water-laden purge gas is fed into third enclosure A3 containing a mercaptan-laden adsorbent material. In A3, the mercaptans are desorbed and replaced by the water. The gas from the third enclosure is washed in unit L, then recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Eszter Toth, Fabrice Lecomte, Géraldine Laborie, Chantal Rigaill
  • Patent number: 7211128
    Abstract: The raw natural gas is pretreated in treating unit 30. The treated gas is then purified by adsorption of the mercaptans in first enclosure 31. The various cuts that make up the purified gas are separated in fractionating unit 34. Part of the methane making up the purified gas is saturated with a C5+ hydrocarbon in contactor 33, then it is fed into second enclosure 32 so as to regenerate the adsorbent material contained in this second enclosure. The gas from the second enclosure is washed in unit 35, then recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Eszter Toth, Fabrice Lecomte, Géraldine Laborie, Chantal Rigaill
  • Publication number: 20070017852
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the removal of sulphur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream, especially a gaseous hydrocarbon gas stream, which process comprises contacting said gas stream with an adsorbent comprising at least a zeolite having a pore diameter of at least 5 ? to adsorb the sulphur compounds thereon, the adsorption procedure followed by a regeneration procedure of used, loaded adsorbent by contacting the said loaded adsorbent with a regeneration gas stream having a relative water humidity between 1-100% for certain steps of the regeneration and a water content of below 5 ppmV for other steps thus to replace the adsorbed sulphur compounds by water. Suitably the regeneration is followed by a dry regeneration treatment to finalize the regeneration. The process of the invention allows to send the sulphur compounds containing regeneration gas without further treatment of e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Meyer, Michel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20060287192
    Abstract: The invention describes the application of caesium-exchanged X, Y or LSX type faujasite zeolites for intense desulphurization of FCC gasoline, and to a method for preparing said zeolites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Alexandre Nicolaos
  • Publication number: 20060204419
    Abstract: The raw natural gas is deacidized and dehydrated in units DA and DH. The treated gas is then purified by adsorption of the mercaptans in first enclosure A1. Part of the purified gas is heated in E1, then fed into second enclosure A2 so as to discharge the water adsorbed by the adsorbent material contained in this second enclosure. A steam-rich stream is fed into third enclosure A3 containing a mercaptan-laden adsorbent material. In A3, the mercaptans are desorbed and replaced by the steam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Eszter Toth, Fabrice Lecomte, Peter Meyer, Jean-Louis Ambrosino
  • Patent number: 7077961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the extracorporeal treatment of blood or plasma, comprising two compartments, one compartment intended for circulating blood or plasma, and one compartment intended for circulating spent liquid, separated by a wet semi-permeable membrane, characterized in that the device has, before and after sterilization, the following technical characteristics: the membrane is impregnated with an aqueous glycerol solution; the aqueous glycerol solution contains from 7% to 15% by weight of glycerol and is free of toxic chemical compounds; the two compartments are purged of the aqueous glycerol solution. The present invention also relates to processes for manufacturing this device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hospal Industrie
    Inventor: Michel Thomas