Patents by Inventor Patrick Michael Colleran

Patrick Michael Colleran 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).

  • Recovery of NF3 from adsorption operation
    Patent number: 8404024
    Abstract: During the conventional temperature swing adsorption (TSA) process, NF3 co-adsorbed with the impurities is vented during regeneration. This invention is a novel TSA cycle in which the co-adsorbed NF3 is recovered. In this novel TSA cycle, a control scheme is used to stop the adsorption prior to the saturation of the adsorber with impurities and use a recovery purge gas (either co-current or counter-current) to release the co-adsorbed NF3 off the saturated adsorber. The effluent of the inert purge gas can be combined with the effluent of the on-stream vessel or can be recycled to the feed of the on-stream vessel. 10%-100% of the co-adsorbed NF3 is recovered and made available as product in this novel TSA cycle. Thus the overall process yield of NF3 is increased. The removing of the co-adsorbed NF3 from the adsorber also prevents adsorber degradation thus prolonging the useful life of the adsorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Bruce Henderson, Patrick Michael Colleran, Forrest Eli Hulbert
  • Recovery of NF3 from Adsorption Operation
    Publication number: 20110100209
    Abstract: During the conventional temperature swing adsorption (TSA) process, NF3 co-adsorbed with the impurities is vented during regeneration. This invention is a novel TSA cycle in which the co-adsorbed NF3 is recovered. In this novel TSA cycle, a control scheme is used to stop the adsorption prior to the saturation of the adsorber with impurities and use a recovery purge gas (either co-current or counter-current) to release the co-adsorbed NF3 off the saturated adsorber. The effluent of the inert purge gas can be combined with the effluent of the on-stream vessel or can be recycled to the feed of the on-stream vessel. 10%-100% of the co-adsorbed NF3 is recovered and made available as product in this novel TSA cycle. Thus the overall process yield of NF3 is increased. The removing of the co-adsorbed NF3 from the adsorber also prevents adsorber degradation thus prolonging the useful life of the adsorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Bruce Henderson, Patrick Michael Colleran, Forrest Eli Hulbert