Patents by Inventor Nicholas F. Urbanski

Nicholas F. Urbanski 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: 11543179
    Abstract: A system for melting contaminant-laden solids that have been separated from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor stream in a hydrocarbon distillation tower, comprising at least one plate positioned where the solids form within the hydrocarbon distillation tower, hollow tubing forming an integral part of each of the at least one plate, and a heating medium disposed to flow through the hollow tubing at a higher temperature than a temperature of the solids to at least partially melt the solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 11389745
    Abstract: A kettle reboiler includes a shell, a liquid reservoir defined within the shell to contain a first process fluid, and a tube bundle positioned within the liquid reservoir and at least partially submergible in the first process fluid, the tube bundle being configured to circulate a second process fluid that causes the first process fluid to boil and discharge a vapor-liquid mixture. A liquid-vapor separation assembly is positioned in the shell and includes a separation deck, and a plurality of separation devices mounted to the separation deck, each separation device being operable to de-entrain liquid from the vapor-liquid mixture and discharge a vapor. A vapor outlet nozzle is coupled to the shell to receive the vapor discharged from the plurality of separation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Exxon Mobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Todd P. Marut
  • Publication number: 20210178284
    Abstract: A kettle reboiler includes a shell, a liquid reservoir defined within the shell to contain a first process fluid, and a tube bundle positioned within the liquid reservoir and at least partially submergible in the first process fluid, the tube bundle being configured to circulate a second process fluid that causes the first process fluid to boil and discharge a vapor-liquid mixture. A liquid-vapor separation assembly is positioned in the shell and includes a separation deck, and a plurality of separation devices mounted to the separation deck, each separation device being operable to de-entrain liquid from the vapor-liquid mixture and discharge a vapor. A vapor outlet nozzle is coupled to the shell to receive the vapor discharged from the plurality of separation devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Todd P. Marut
  • Publication number: 20190219328
    Abstract: A system for melting contaminant-laden solids that have been separated from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor stream in a hydrocarbon distillation tower, comprising at least one plate positioned where the solids form within the hydrocarbon distillation tower, hollow tubing forming an integral part of each of the at least one plate, and a heating medium disposed to flow through the hollow tubing at a higher temperature than a temperature of the solids to at least partially melt the solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 10281205
    Abstract: A system for melting contaminant-laden solids that have been separated from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor stream in a hydrocarbon distillation tower, comprising at least one plate positioned where the solids form within the hydrocarbon distillation tower, hollow tubing forming an integral part of each of the at least one plate, and a heating medium disposed to flow through the hollow tubing at a higher temperature than a temperature of the solids to at least partially melt the solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 10100613
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a subwater heat exchanger that includes a duct, first coils, a first impeller and a second impeller. The duct is configured to receive a first fluid. The first coils are inside of the duct and are configured to receive a second fluid that is heated or cooled by the first fluid. The first impeller is inside of the duct that is configured to initiate flow of the first fluid around the first coils. The second impeller is inside of the duct and is substantially in line with the first impeller along a duct lateral axis of the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Robert D. Denton, Charles J. Mart, Tracy A. Fowler
  • Patent number: 10046251
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for maintaining constant fluid pressure and equalized fluid flow among a plurality of downcomer lines through which liquid from a tower is directed. A substantially annular fluid distribution belt is disposed at the circumference of the tower. The fluid distribution belt collects liquid from the tower. At least two outlets direct liquid from the fluid distribution belt out of the tower and into a corresponding number of downcomer lines disposed external to the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Edward J. Grave, Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 10006700
    Abstract: The disclosure includes techniques associated with a collector tray assembly for a cryogenic distillation tower disposed below a slurry mix zone and above a lower distillation zone, wherein the collector tray assembly comprises a deck at a lower end of the slurry mix zone, and wherein the deck comprises at least one vapor riser configured to pass the vapor from the lower distillation zone into the slurry mix zone, wherein the vapor riser comprises a substantially vertical heat transfer section configured to pass the vapor substantially upwards through the slurry mix zone, and a vapor outlet section comprising at least one vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet section is below the heat transfer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Brandon Cassimere, Robert D. Denton, Wayne S. Pon
  • Patent number: 9663914
    Abstract: Method and system is described for enhanced oil release management system by using one or more booms, one or more skimmers and one or more floating burners. The method and system may include skimmers to capture a fluid that is supplied to the floating burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nedwed, Nicholas F. Urbanski, Amy C. Tidwell, Changyong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20170023311
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a heat exchanging apparatus, comprising a heat exchanger plate comprising a plurality of flow passages, and wherein each flow passage comprises at least one surface feature configured to change the flow characteristics of a linear flow along an axis of flow for the flow passage. The disclosure further includes a method of constructing a heat exchanger, comprising using additive manufacturing to form a first plate having a plurality of flow passages, wherein each of the flow passages has one or more integral surface features, wherein the integral surface features are configured to change the flow characteristics of a fluid flowed linearly along an axis of flow for the flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventor: Nicholas F. URBANSKI
  • Publication number: 20170023312
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a heat exchanging apparatus, comprising a heat exchanger plate comprising a plurality of flow passages, and wherein each flow passage comprises at least one surface feature configured to change the flow characteristics of a linear flow along an axis of flow for the flow passage. The disclosure further includes a method of constructing a heat exchanger, comprising using additive manufacturing to form a first plate having a plurality of flow passages, wherein each of the flow passages has one or more integrally formed surface features, wherein the integrally formed surface features are configured to change the flow characteristics of a fluid flowed linearly along an axis of flow for the flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20160187061
    Abstract: The disclosure includes techniques associated with a collector tray assembly for a cryogenic distillation tower disposed below a slurry mix zone and above a lower distillation zone, wherein the collector tray assembly comprises a deck at a lower end of the slurry mix zone, and wherein the deck comprises at least one vapor riser configured to pass the vapor from the lower distillation zone into the slurry mix zone, wherein the vapor riser comprises a substantially vertical heat transfer section configured to pass the vapor substantially upwards through the slurry mix zone, and a vapor outlet section comprising at least one vapor outlet, wherein the vapor outlet section is below the heat transfer section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Nicholas F. URBANSKI, Brandon Cassimere, Robert D. Denton, Wayne S. Pon
  • Publication number: 20160186549
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein for separating well fluids into gaseous and liquid components using a single vessel that achieves multiple stages of separation. In one example embodiment, a system for separating a fluid mixture into different components is disclosed. The system comprises a separator. The separator comprises a first inlet configured to receive a stream of the fluid mixture, a first stage separation section configured to provide a first stage of separation to separate the stream into a first liquid, a second liquid, and a gas at a first temperature, and a second stage separation section in fluid communication with the first stage separation section such that the first stage and the second stage separation sections operate at substantially the same pressure. The second stage separation section is configured to provide a second stage of separation to further separate the second liquid at a second temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Donald J. VICTORY, Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20160158842
    Abstract: A method, including: applying an additive manufacturing process to processing equipment, wherein the additive manufacturing process increases a dimension of the processing equipment and expands an operating envelope of the processing equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Nicholas F. URBANSKI, Michael Matheidas
  • Publication number: 20160138864
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for maintaining constant fluid pressure and equalized fluid flow among a plurality of downcomer lines through which liquid from a tower is directed. A substantially annular fluid distribution belt is disposed at the circumference of the tower. The fluid distribution belt collects liquid from the tower. At least two outlets direct liquid from the fluid distribution belt out of the tower and into a corresponding number of downcomer lines disposed external to the tower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Edward J. GRAVE, Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20160138863
    Abstract: A system for melting contaminant-laden solids that have been separated from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor stream in a hydrocarbon distillation tower, comprising at least one plate positioned where the solids form within the hydrocarbon distillation tower, hollow tubing forming an integral part of each of the at least one plate, and a heating medium disposed to flow through the hollow tubing at a higher temperature than a temperature of the solids to at least partially melt the solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Nicholas F. URBANSKI
  • Publication number: 20160033170
    Abstract: The present techniques are directed to a heat recovery system, such as a waste heat recovery system (WHRU) that receives and passes a vapor across a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the vapor to a heating medium in the heat exchanger. The vapor may be an exhaust gas from a source outside of the heat recovery system. The heat recovery system includes a collection system to deinventory the heating medium from the heat exchanger during abnormal operation of the heat recovery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20160018168
    Abstract: A heat exchanger, including: a shell configured to have an inlet and an outlet for a first fluid; baffles disposed in the shell, wherein the baffles are configured to guide the first fluid into a helical flow pattern, and at least some of the baffles are disposed in a helical pattern with a helix angle; a tube disposed in the shell, wherein the tube extends along a longitudinal axis of the shell, the tube passes through the baffles, and the tube is configured to facilitate an exchange of thermal energy between a second fluid within the tube and the first fluid; and fins fixedly attached to an outer surface of the tube, wherein at least some of the fins are angled to match the helix angle of the at least some of the baffles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20150377557
    Abstract: An apparatus for conditioning an inlet air for an air-cooled heat exchanger, comprising a pre-cooler tube bundle configured to circulate a cooling medium, wherein the pre-cooler tube bundle is configured to remove heat from air circulated across the pre-cooler tube bundle, wherein the pre-cooler tube bundle is configured to be positioned on an air inlet side of the air-cooled heat exchanger in a plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventor: Nicholas F. Urbanski
  • Publication number: 20150354321
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a subwater heat exchanger that includes a duct, first coils, a first impeller and a second impeller. The duct is configured to receive a first fluid. The first coils are inside of the duct and are configured to receive a second fluid that is heated or cooled by the first fluid. The first impeller is inside of the duct that is configured to initiate flow of the first fluid around the first coils. The second impeller is inside of the duct and is substantially in line with the first impeller along a duct lateral axis of the duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Nicholas F. Urbanski, Robert D. Denton, Charles J. Mart, Tracy A. Fowler