Patents by Inventor Norman K. Yeh

Norman K. Yeh 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: 11260342
    Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of the feed gas stream. A co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. The co-current contacting system includes a compact contacting bundle disposed within a vessel and including a plurality of substantially parallel contacting units, each of the plurality of contacting units having a droplet generator, a mass transfer section, and a separation system. Each droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid disperses the droplets into a gas stream. Each mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. Each separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase such that the concentration of heavy hydrocarbons in the vapor phase is lower than in the liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, Edward J. Grave, Shwetha Ramkumar, Juan C. Juarez
  • Patent number: 11000795
    Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of a feed gas stream. First and second co-current contacting systems are located in-line within a pipe. The first co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. Each co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor and a separation system. Each co-current contactor includes a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid and disperses the droplets into a gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, Edward J. Grave, Shwetha Ramkumar, Juan C. Juarez
  • Patent number: 10717039
    Abstract: A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor, a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, and a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow, wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature along an inner surface of the mass transfer section configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of a hydrophobic surface, a superhydrophobic surface, a porous wall surface, and a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, Stephanie A. Freeman, J. Tim Cullinane, Edward J. Grave, Norman K. Yeh
  • Patent number: 10486100
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Freeman, Edward J. Grave, J. Tim Cullinane, P. Scott Northrop, Norman K. Yeh
  • Publication number: 20190336908
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Freeman, Edward J. Grave, J. Tim Cullinane, P. Scott Northrop, Norman K. Yeh
  • Patent number: 10391442
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Freeman, Edward J. Grave, J. Tim Cullinane, P. Scott Northdrop, Norman K. Yeh
  • Patent number: 10300429
    Abstract: A method for decontaminating a contaminated fluid stream, comprising receiving the contaminated fluid stream, distributing the contaminated fluid stream substantially equally across a plurality of separation units sharing a unitary pressure boundary, receiving a solvent stream, and co-currently contacting the contaminated fluid stream with the solvent stream in the plurality of separation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Edward J. Grave, Norman K. Yeh, Stephanie A. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20180361309
    Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of the feed gas stream. A co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. The co-current contacting system includes a compact contacting bundle disposed within a vessel and including a plurality of substantially parallel contacting units, each of the plurality of contacting units having a droplet generator, a mass transfer section, and a separation system. Each droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid disperses the droplets into a gas stream. Each mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. Each separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase such that the concentration of heavy hydrocarbons in the vapor phase is lower than in the liquid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, Edward J. Grave, Shwetha Ramkumar, Juan C. Juarez
  • Publication number: 20180361307
    Abstract: A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of a feed gas stream. First and second co-current contacting systems are located in-line within a pipe. The first co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. Each co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor and a separation system. Each co-current contactor includes a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid and disperses the droplets into a gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, Edward J. Grave, Shwetha Ramkumar, Juan C. Juarez
  • Publication number: 20180071674
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating CO2 and H2S from a gaseous stream are provided herein. The system includes a selective solvent that is utilized with a compact contacting technology unit to remove H2S from a gaseous stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Freeman, Edward J. Grave, J. Tim Cullinane, P. Scott Northrop, Norman K. Yeh
  • Publication number: 20170145803
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dehydrating a natural gas stream are provided herein. The system includes a lean solvent feed system, including a line from a topsides facility, wherein the line is configured to divide a lean solvent stream to feed lean solvent to each of a number of co-current contacting systems in parallel. The co-current contacting systems are placed in series along a wet natural gas stream, wherein each of the co-current contacting systems is configured to contact the lean solvent stream with the wet natural gas stream to adsorb at least a portion of the water from the wet natural gas stream to form a dry natural gas stream. A rich solvent return system includes a line to combine rich solvent from each of the plurality of co-current contacting systems and return a rich solvent stream to the topsides facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Norman K. Yeh, J. Tim Cullinane, Tracy A. Fowler, Shwetha Ramkumar, Donald P. Shatto
  • Publication number: 20160263516
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Stephanie A. Freeman, Edward J. Grave, J. Tim Cullinane, P. Scott Northrop, Norman K. Yeh
  • Publication number: 20160236140
    Abstract: A co-current contactor for separating components in a fluid stream, the co-current contactor comprising a first inlet configured to receive the fluid stream proximate to a first end of the co-current contactor, a second inlet configured to receive a solvent proximate the first end of the co-current contactor, and a mass transfer section configured to receive the fluid stream and the solvent and to provide a mixed, two-phase flow, wherein the mass transfer section comprises a surface feature along an inner surface of the mass transfer section configured to reduce film flow along an inner wall of the mass transfer section, and wherein the surface feature comprises at least one of a hydrophobic surface, a superhydrophobic surface, a porous wall surface, and a nonlinear surface irregularity extending radially inward or radially outward along the inner surface of the mass transfer section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: P. Scott Northrop, Stephanie A. Freeman, J. Tim Cullinane, Edward J. Grave, Norman K. Yeh
  • Publication number: 20160199774
    Abstract: A method for decontaminating a contaminated fluid stream, comprising receiving the contaminated fluid stream, distributing the contaminated fluid stream substantially equally across a plurality of separation units sharing a unitary pressure boundary, receiving a solvent stream, and co-currently contacting the contaminated fluid stream with the solvent stream in the plurality of separation units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Edward J. Grave, Norman K. Yeh, Stephanie A. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20100018248
    Abstract: A cryogenic distillation tower is provided for the separation of a fluid stream containing at least methane and carbon dioxide. The cryogenic distillation tower has a lower stripping section, an upper rectification section, and an intermediate spray section. The intermediate spray section includes a plurality of spray nozzles that inject a liquid freeze zone stream. The nozzles are configured such that substantial liquid coverage is provided across the inner diameter of the intermediate spray section. The liquid freeze zone stream generally includes methane at a temperature and pressure whereby both solid carbon dioxide particles and a methane-enriched vapor stream are formed. The tower may further include one or more baffles below the nozzles to create frictional resistance to the gravitational flow of the liquid freeze zone stream. This aids in the breakout and recovery of methane gas. Additional internal components are provided to improve heat transfer and to facilitate the breakout of methane gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Eleanor R Fieler, Edward J. Grave, Paul Scott Northrop, Norman K. Yeh