Patents by Inventor Paul F. Keusenkothen

Paul F. Keusenkothen 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: 9260361
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for converting hydrocarbons to olefins products such as ethylene and propylene. The invention also relates to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz, S. M. Davis
  • Publication number: 20160024388
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting hydrocarbons into unsaturated products such as acetylene and/or ethylene. The invention also relates to converting acetylene to olefins such as ethylene and/or propylene, to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Frank Hershkowitz, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Jeffrey W. Frederick, Richard J. Basile, John W. Fulton
  • Publication number: 20160024392
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the production of xylenes from syngas, in which the syngas is converted to an aromatic product by reaction with an isosynthesis catalyst and an aromatization catalyst. The isosynthesis catalyst and aromatization catalyst may be different catalysts or combined into a single catalyst. The aromatic product is then subjected to one of more of (i) xylene isomerization, (ii) transalkylation with at least one C9+aromatic hydrocarbon, and (iii) alkylation with methanol and/or carbon monoxide and hydrogen to increase its p-xylene content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Juan D. Henao
  • Publication number: 20160023962
    Abstract: A process and catalyst for use therein for the production of aromatics via the oxidative coupling of methane and methane co-aromatization with higher hydrocarbons in a single reaction stage. First, methane is partially converted to ethane and ethylene on an OCM catalyst component, and the OCM intermediate mixture containing methane, ethane and ethylene is subsequently converted into aromatics on an aromatization catalyst component. The reaction may be conducted at 550-850° C. and at about 50 psig. The claimed process and catalyst used therein achieves high methane conversion at lower temperatures (less than 800° C.), higher methane conversion into the aromatic products and significant reductions in production cost when compared to the traditional two (or more) step processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Juan D. Henao, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Abhimanyu O. Patil
  • Publication number: 20160024397
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrolysis process that is capable of being with reduced coke and/or tar formation. The process can pyrolyze hydrocarbon feed that contains low- to mid-range levels of non-volatiles. Pyrolysis is carried out with a predetermined amount of the feed being in the liquid phase so as to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The pyrolysis feed may also include a diluent, such as molecular hydrogen, that further acts to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The amount of diluent in the pyrolysis feed can be adjusted to adjust or control dry point of the hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 9233893
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation process that is particularly effective in selectively hydrogenating alkynl compounds, such as acetylene or methyl acetylene, over alkenyl compounds, such as ethylene, is described. The process utilizes a slurry conversion unit for heat efficiency purposes during the conversion of acetylene into ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Charles J. Mart
  • Patent number: 9187699
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrolysis process that is capable of being with reduced coke and/or tar formation. The process can pyrolyze hydrocarbon feed that contains low- to mid-range levels of non-volatiles. Pyrolysis is carried out with a predetermined amount of the feed being in the liquid phase so as to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The pyrolysis feed may also include a diluent, such as molecular hydrogen, that further acts to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The amount of diluent in the pyrolysis feed can be adjusted to adjust or control dry point of the hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 9187382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting hydrocarbons into unsaturated products such as acetylene and/or ethylene. The invention also relates to converting acetylene to olefins such as ethylene and/or propylene, to polymerizing the olefins, and to equipment useful for these processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Hershkowitz, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Jeffrey W. Frederick, Richard J. Basile, John W. Fulton
  • Patent number: 9126882
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrolysis reaction process. The process can be advantageously accomplished using a pyrolysis reactor that has a primary reaction zone comprised of bed packing having multiple passages through the bed packing and a secondary reaction zone having an open flow arrangement. The process includes a step of injecting a pyrolysis feed comprising a first hydrocarbon into the primary reaction zone to produce a primary pyrolysis product containing unsaturated hydrocarbon. A reactive feed comprising a second hydrocarbon is injected into the secondary reaction zone to mix with the primary pyrolysis product and produce a secondary pyrolysis product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Lattner, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Publication number: 20150197696
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for processing hydrocarbon feeds. The process enhances the conversion of hydrocarbon feeds into conversion products, such as ethylene and propylene. In particular, the present techniques utilize two high-severity pyrolysis reactors integrated with another reactor type to convert hydrocarbons to other petrochemical products. The pyrolysis reactors recycle a portion of one of the reactor products to at least one of the pyrolysis reactors to further enhance the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Patent number: 9067851
    Abstract: A selective hydrogenation method is particularly effective in selectively hydrogenating alkynyl compounds, such as acetylene or methyl acetylene, over alkenyl compounds, such as ethylene. The method produces a relatively high quantity of heat during the selective hydrogenation reaction. This production of heat is, however, quite beneficial in that enough heat is produced such that a substantial portion of the produced heat can be recovered for heat efficiency purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Neeraj Sangar, Paul F. Keusenkothen
  • Publication number: 20150166430
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for processing hydrocarbon feeds. The method may contact hydrogen (H2) and a hydrocarbon feed containing ?10 wt % resid in the hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst to form a hydroprocessed product. Then, a pyrolysis feed derived from the hydroprocessed product is exposed at high-severity thermal pyrolysis operating conditions to produce a reactor product that comprises ethylene and acetylene. Further, at least a portion of the hydrogen (H2) may be separated from the reactor product, wherein the hydrogen (H2) contacting the catalyst includes at least a portion of the separated hydrogen (H2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz
  • Patent number: 9057027
    Abstract: A process for steam cracking liquid hydrocarbon feedstocks containing synthetic crude oil comprises i) hydroprocessing a wide boiling range aliquot containing a) normally liquid hydrocarbon portion substantially free of resids and b) thermally cracked hydrocarbon liquid, boiling in a range from about 600° to about 1050° F., to provide a synthetic crude oil substantially free of resids; ii) adding to the synthetic crude oil a normally liquid hydrocarbon component boiling in a range from about 100° to about 1050° F.; and iii) cracking the mixture resulting from ii) in a cracker furnace comprising a radiant coil outlet to provide a cracked effluent, wherein the cracking is carried out under conditions sufficient to effect a radiant coil outlet temperature which is greater than the optimum radiant coil outlet temperature for cracking the synthetic crude oil separately. A method for upgrading synthetic crude for use in cracking is also provided, as well as a feedstock for cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F Keusenkothen, James N McCoy, James Earl Graham, Chad David Reimann
  • Publication number: 20150158789
    Abstract: Systems and a method are provided for producing an aromatic hydrocarbon and generating electricity from a tail gas stream. The method includes feeding a first stream including a raw natural gas into a reactor. The method includes converting the first stream, at least in part, to a second stream including an aromatic hydrocarbon within the reactor. The method includes separating the second stream into a tail gas stream and a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon stream and combusting at least a portion of the tail gas stream to generate electricity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Timothy A. Barckholtz, J. Tim Cullinane, Robert D. Denton, Frank Hershkowitz, Ian J. Laurenzi
  • Publication number: 20150158792
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the conversion of methane to higher molecular weight (C5+) hydrocarbon, including aromatic hydrocarbon, to materials and equipment useful in such conversion, and to the use of such conversion for, e.g., natural gas upgrading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Juan D. Henao, Abhimanyu O. Patil, Guang Cao
  • Publication number: 20150158787
    Abstract: This invention relates to the conversion of substantially-saturated hydrocarbon to higher-value hydrocarbon products such as aromatics and/or oligomers, to equipment and materials useful in such conversion, and to the use of such conversion for, e.g., natural gas upgrading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Juan D. Henao, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Abhimanyu O. Patil
  • Publication number: 20150158791
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the production of C2+ olefins from feeds containing methane and at least one co-reactant, to equipment and materials useful in such processes, and to the use of such olefins in, for example, the production of polymers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Juan D. Henao
  • Patent number: 9047439
    Abstract: A reactor with minimal dead volume especially suited to reverse-flow applications comprises: a) a reactor body; b) a first head engaged with said reactor body; c) a first conduit extending from outside said head to at least partially through said head; and d) a first valve in flow communication with said first conduit controlling fluid flow along a flow path extending from the first valve and through the reactor body. The reactor is especially suited for use in a process for rapid stream-switching of at least two streams in a reverse-flow reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Hershkowitz, Richard John Basile, Jeffrey William Frederick, John William Fulton, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Bryan A. Patel, Andrew Richard Szafran
  • Publication number: 20150119544
    Abstract: The invention relates to processes for converting a mixture of hydrocarbon and sulfur-containing molecules such as mercaptan into products comprising acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen sulfide, to processes utilizing the acetylene and ethylene resulting from the conversion, and to equipment useful for such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Frank Hershkowitz, Robert D. Denton, Gary D. Mohr
  • Publication number: 20150065769
    Abstract: Disclosed are reactors and reaction processes for contacting hydrocarbon reactant in the presence of oxygen stored and released within a thermal mass region of the reactor, and catalytically converting at least a portion of alkane, e.g., methane, in the hydrocarbon reactant to produce a reaction mixture comprising a C5+ composition. Oxygen storage and release for carrying out the catalytic conversion is achieved by including an oxygen storage material in a thermal mass region of the reactor. Flow-through reactors can be used to carry out oxygen storage and the hydrocarbon conversion reactions. Reverse-flow reactors are examples of flow-through reactors, which can be used to carry out oxygen storage and the hydrocarbon conversion reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Juan D. Henao, Paul F. Keusenkothen