Patents by Inventor Nathan A. Hatcher
Nathan A. Hatcher 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).
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Patent number: 8075866Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2011Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D. Smith
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Publication number: 20110266135Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANYInventors: Alfred E. KELLER, Nathan A. HATCHER, Sriram RAMANI, Terry D. PRUITT, Michael D SMITH
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Patent number: 7998451Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2008Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D Smith
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Publication number: 20100163401Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2008Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D. Smith
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Patent number: 7658906Abstract: Novel sulfur recovery plants, and processes utilizing these plants are disclosed. These apparatuses eliminate the use of a condenser between the waste heat boiler and first Claus catalytic reactors, and also eliminate the use of reheaters in between Claus catalytic reactors.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Larry D. Swinney
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Publication number: 20090220402Abstract: Novel sulfur recovery plants, and processes utilizing these plants are disclosed. These apparatuses eliminate the use of a condenser between the waste heat boiler and first Claus catalytic reactors, and also eliminate the use of reheaters in between Claus catalytic reactors.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2008Publication date: September 3, 2009Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Larry D. Swinney
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Patent number: 7560088Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which includes an upflow orientation for the gases through a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. The upward flow of the gases puts the hottest gases in contact with the tubes and tube sheet in the waste heat boiler where there is greater confidence in having liquid water in most continuous therewith.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2007Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Nathan A. Hatcher, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Larry D. Swinney, Kerri J. Kirkendall, Gilbert E. Torres, Paul D. Stewart, Terry D. Pruitt
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Patent number: 7501111Abstract: Claus sulfur recovery plants that include one or more single-stage or multi-stage compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units are disclosed. In some instances, these new or improved Claus plants additionally include one or more compact heat exchanger containing cooling tubes that are filled with a heat transfer enhancement medium. The new compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units and HTEM-containing heat exchangers are also disclosed. A process for recovering sulfur from a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas stream, employing the new tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger unit, and in some instances a HTEM-containing heat exchanger, are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Conoco Phillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Nathan A. Hatcher, Larry D. Swinney, Rebecca S. Shaver
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Publication number: 20080050306Abstract: Claus sulfur recovery plants that include one or more single-stage or multi-stage compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units are disclosed. In some instances, these new or improved Claus plants additionally include one or more compact heat exchanger containing cooling tubes that are filled with a heat transfer enhancement medium. The new compact tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger units and HTEM-containing heat exchangers are also disclosed. A process for recovering sulfur from a hydrogen sulfide-containing gas stream, employing the new tubular Claus catalytic reactor-heat exchanger unit, and in some instances a HTEM-containing heat exchanger, are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANYInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Nathan A. Hatcher, Larry D. Swinney, Rebecca S. Shaver
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Publication number: 20070297970Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which includes an upflow orientation for the gases through a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. The upward flow of the gases puts the hottest gases in contact with the tubes and tube sheet in the waste heat boiler where there is greater confidence in having liquid water in most continuous therewith. In some embodiments, a secondary structure follows the primary structure and comprises a second Claus catalytic reaction zone, a third temperature-control zone, a second liquid sulfur outlet, and a second effluent gas outlet. One or more components of the system employ heat transfer enhancement material in the temperature-control zones, and one or more components deter accumulation of liquid sulfur in the Claus catalytic reaction zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2007Publication date: December 27, 2007Applicant: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred Keller, Sriram Ramani, Nathan Hatcher, Joe Allison, Steven Lusk, Larry Swinney, Kerri Kirkendall, Gilbert Torres, Paul Stewart, Terry Pruitt
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Patent number: 7226572Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which comprises a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. In some embodiments, a secondary structure follows the primary structure and comprises a second Claus catalytic reaction zone, a third temperature-control zone, a second liquid sulfur outlet, and a second effluent gas outlet. One or more components of the system employ heat transfer enhancement material in the temperature-control zones, and one or more components deter accumulation of liquid sulfur in the Claus catalytic reaction zones.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Nathan A. Hatcher, Larry D. Swinney, Kerri J. Kirkendall, Gilbert E. Torres, Paul D. Stewart, Terry D. Pruitt
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Patent number: 5935548Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing hydrogen sulfide from a molten sulfur stream containing hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen polysulfides by mixing the molten sulfur stream with a degassed molten sulfur stream in an eductor to form a mixture, contacting the mixture with a finely dispersed gaseous oxidant stream, separating hydrogen sulfide from the mixture and recovering molten sulfur having a reduced hydrogen sulfide content.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Black & Veatch Pritchard, Inc.Inventors: David A. Franklin, Nathan A. Hatcher