Patents by Inventor Mitch L. Hindman

Mitch L. Hindman 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: 11603340
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline conversion may be performed using a heavy gasoline treatment, followed by a separation operation. Methanol may be converted into a first product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME) under DME formation conditions. In a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) reactor, the first product mixture may be converted under MTG conversion conditions to produce a second product mixture comprising light gasoline hydrocarbons and untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons. The untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons may be separated from the light gasoline hydrocarbons and transferred to a heavy gasoline treatment (HGT) reactor. The untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons may be catalytically reacted in the HGT reactor to form a third product mixture. A heavy hydrocarbon fraction may be separated from the third product mixture. The heavy hydrocarbon fraction includes heavy gasoline hydrocarbons having a lower boiling endpoint than does the untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Mitch L. Hindman, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan
  • Patent number: 11130915
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion may be performed with forward methanol processing. Methanol may be fed to a first reactor where it may be catalytically converted under dimethyl ether formation conditions in the presence of a first catalyst to form a product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and water. The DME may be separated from the methanol and the water and delivered to a second reactor. In the second reactor, the DME may be catalytically converted under MTG conversion conditions in the presence of a second catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising gasoline hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbon gas. The methanol and the water from the first reactor may be separated further to obtain substantially water-free methanol, which may be delivered to the second reactor. The separation of methanol from the water may be performed using the light hydrocarbon gas to effect stripping of the methanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan, David W. Staubs, Terry E. Helton, Mitch L. Hindman
  • Patent number: 11118115
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion may be performed with a methanol recycling. Methanol may be fed to a first reactor where it may be catalytically converted under dimethyl ether formation conditions in the presence of a first catalyst to form a product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and water. The DME may be separated from the methanol and the water and delivered to a second reactor. In the second reactor, the DME may be catalytically converted under MTG conversion conditions in the presence of a second catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising gasoline hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbon gas. The methanol and the water from the first reactor may be separated further to obtain substantially water-free methanol, which may be returned to the first reactor. The separation of methanol from the water may be performed using the light hydrocarbon gas to effect stripping of the methanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan, David W. Staubs, Terry E. Helton, Mitch L. Hindman
  • Publication number: 20210078921
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline conversion may be performed using a heavy gasoline treatment, followed by a separation operation. Methanol may be converted into a first product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME) under DME formation conditions. In a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) reactor, the first product mixture may be converted under MTG conversion conditions to produce a second product mixture comprising light gasoline hydrocarbons and untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons. The untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons may be separated from the light gasoline hydrocarbons and transferred to a heavy gasoline treatment (HGT) reactor. The untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons may be catalytically reacted in the HGT reactor to form a third product mixture. A heavy hydrocarbon fraction may be separated from the third product mixture. The heavy hydrocarbon fraction includes heavy gasoline hydrocarbons having a lower boiling endpoint than does the untreated heavy gasoline hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Mitch L. Hindman, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan
  • Publication number: 20200399543
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion may be performed with a methanol recycling. Methanol may be fed to a first reactor where it may be catalytically converted under dimethyl ether formation conditions in the presence of a first catalyst to form a product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and water. The DME may be separated from the methanol and the water and delivered to a second reactor. In the second reactor, the DME may be catalytically converted under MTG conversion conditions in the presence of a second catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising gasoline hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbon gas. The methanol and the water from the first reactor may be separated further to obtain substantially water-free methanol, which may be returned to the first reactor. The separation of methanol from the water may be performed using the light hydrocarbon gas to effect stripping of the methanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan, David W. Staubs, Terry E. Helton, Mitch L. Hindman
  • Publication number: 20200399544
    Abstract: Methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion may be performed with forward methanol processing. Methanol may be fed to a first reactor where it may be catalytically converted under dimethyl ether formation conditions in the presence of a first catalyst to form a product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and water. The DME may be separated from the methanol and the water and delivered to a second reactor. In the second reactor, the DME may be catalytically converted under MTG conversion conditions in the presence of a second catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising gasoline hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbon gas. The methanol and the water from the first reactor may be separated further to obtain substantially water-free methanol, which may be delivered to the second reactor. The separation of methanol from the water may be performed using the light hydrocarbon gas to effect stripping of the methanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan, David W. Staubs, Terry E. Helton, Mitch L. Hindman
  • Patent number: 10519383
    Abstract: A method for converting methanol to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons is disclosed. In an aspect the method includes feeding crude methanol from a methanol synthesis reactor to a methanol separation vessel to recover a methanol stream in a vapor phase; and without condensing the methanol stream, feeding the methanol stream in the vapor phase to a reactor containing a conversion catalyst for converting methanol to at least one of dimethyl ether or gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGNEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Mitch L. Hindman, Mohsen N. Harandi, Suriyanarayanan Rajagopalan
  • Patent number: 10173946
    Abstract: Apparatuses and processes for converting an oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol and/or dimethyl ether, in a fluidized bed containing a catalyst to hydrocarbons, such as gasoline boiling components, olefins and aromatics are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bing Du, Samuel A. Tabak, Mitch L. Hindman, Eric B. Shen, David L. Johnson, Mohsen N. Harandi, Clay R. Sutton, Lu Han, Michael F. Raterman, Zhongcheng Wang, Samia Ilias, Brett Loveless, Stephen J. McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20180291280
    Abstract: A method for converting methanol to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons is disclosed. In an aspect the method includes feeding crude methanol from a methanol synthesis reactor to a methanol separation vessel to recover a methanol stream in a vapor phase; and without condensing the methanol stream, feeding the methanol stream in the vapor phase to a reactor containing a conversion catalyst for converting methanol to at least one of dimethyl ether or gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Mitch L. HINDMAN, Mohsen N. HARANDI, Suriyanarayanan RAJAGOPALAN
  • Patent number: 9938205
    Abstract: Apparatuses and processes for converting an oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol and dimethyl ether, in a fluidized bed containing a catalyst to hydrocarbons, such as gasoline boiling components, olefins and aromatics are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bing Du, Samuel A. Tabak, Mitch L. Hindman, Eric B. Shen, David L. Johnson, Mohsen N. Harandi, Clay R. Sutton, Lu Han, Michael F. Raterman, Zhongcheng Wang, Rohit Vijay, Stephen J. McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20160102031
    Abstract: Apparatuses and processes for converting an oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol and dimethyl ether, in a fluidized bed containing a catalyst to hydrocarbons, such as gasoline boiling components, olefins and aromatics are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bing Du, Samuel A. Tabak, Mitch L. Hindman, Eric B. Shen, David L. Johnson, Mohsen N. Harandi, Clay R. Sutton, Lu Han, Michael F. Raterman, Zhongcheng Wang, Rohit Vijay, Stephen J. McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20160102032
    Abstract: Apparatuses and processes for converting an oxygenate feedstock, such as methanol and/or dimethyl ether, in a fluidized bed containing a catalyst to hydrocarbons, such as gasoline boiling components, olefins and aromatics are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Bing Du, Samuel A. Tabak, Mitch L. Hindman, Eric B. Shen, David L. Johnson, Mohsen N. Harandi, Clay R. Sutton, Lu Han, Michael F. Raterman, Zhongcheng Wang, Samia Ilias, Brett Loveless, Stephen J. McCarthy