Patents by Inventor Rafael Luis Espinoza

Rafael Luis Espinoza 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: 7547657
    Abstract: The invention provides heat treated self-supported precipitated ?-Fe2O3-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. The catalyst particles are breakage resistant, thus inhibiting the formation of catalyst fines in the Fischer-Tropsch reactor, thereby maintaining the performance of the reactor and reducing the contamination of down stream processes and catalysts by the catalyst fines. The catalyst particles also exhibit superior synthesis performance in low temperature Fischer-Tropsch processes, e.g., slurry bed reactor processes for the production of wax and other syncrudes. The invention also provides a method for producing the particles and a process for using the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
  • Patent number: 7459485
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrocarbon synthesis process comprising the conversion of a feed of H2 and at least one carbon oxide to hydrocarbons containing at least 30% on a mass basis hydrocarbons with five or more carbon atoms. The conversion is carried out in the presence of an alkali-promoted iron hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst and an acidic catalyst suitable for converting hydrocarbons. The reaction mixture formed during the conversion contains less than 0.02 mol alkali per 100 g iron and the H2:carbon oxide molar ration in the feed of H2 and carbon oxide is at least 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: Frederick Gideon Botes, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Philip Gibson, Rafael Luis Espinoza
  • Patent number: 6951893
    Abstract: The invention provides heat treated self-supported precipitated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. The particles of the present invention are breakage resistant and exhibit superior synthesis performance. The invention also provides a method for producing said particles and a process for using said particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
  • Patent number: 6844370
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst comprising a precipitated iron product and a catalyst promotor. The catalyst has a surface area of below 60 m2 per gram of catalyst in the reduced form or below 100 m2 per gram of catalyst in the non-reduced form. According to the invention there is also provided a process for preparing the catalyst and the use thereof in the synthesis of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Frederick Gideon Botes, Rentia Visagie, Keith Henry Lawson, Philip Gibson
  • Publication number: 20040106517
    Abstract: This invention relates to an iron-based Fischer-Tropsch cataylst composition wherein the iron phase is ferrihydrite. The catalyst composition optionally includes a structural promoter which may be selected from manganese or chromium or a mixture thereof and chemical promoters selected from magnesium, zinc, copper and an alkaline or alkali metal such as potassium. The catalyst is best bound to a refractory oxide support such as silica. This catalyst composition produces significant yields of higher parafins, olefins and alcohols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Thulani Humphrey Dlamini, Rafael Luis Espinoza, Genevieve Joorst, Masikana Millan Mdleleni, Jacobus Lucas Visagie
  • Publication number: 20040072918
    Abstract: The invention provides heat treated self-supported precipitated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. The particles of the present invention are breakage resistant and exhibit superior synthesis performance. The invention also provides a method for producing said particles and a process for using said particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
  • Publication number: 20040072917
    Abstract: The invention provides heat treated self-supported precipitated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. The particles of the present invention are breakage resistant and exhibit superior synthesis performance. The invention also provides a method for producing said particles and a process for using said particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
  • Patent number: 6716790
    Abstract: The invention provides heat treated self-supported precipitated iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles. The particles of the present invention are breakage resistant and exhibit superior synthesis performance. The invention also provides a method for producing particles and a process using particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
  • Patent number: 6653357
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling a selectivity profile of products of a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process, wherein a catalyst promoter, either dissolved in solution or in a powdered form, is directly injected into the reactor medium, typically into the reactor feedstream. The Fischer-Tropsch process is typically a High Temperature Fischer Tropsch (HTFT) process, and a typical chemical promoter for the HTFT process is potassium. By adding or doping the reaction medium with the catalyst promoter during the synthesis process, the selectivity profile of olefins and paraffins in the product stream is significantly changed, with more olefins being formed whilst the level of paraffins is reduced, and typically the level of olefins in the C2-C4 range is increased. The catalyst promoter may form part of a promoter-carrying compound, for example, potassium carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Terry Shingles, Dawid Jakobus Duvenhage, Pieter Lesch Langenhoven
  • Publication number: 20030162850
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst comprising a precipitated iron product and a catalyst promotor. The catalyst has a surface area of below 60 m2 per gram of catalyst in the reduced form or below 100 m2 per gram of catalyst in the non-reduced form. According to the invention there is also provided a process for preparing the catalyst and the use thereof in the synthesis of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Frederick Gideon Botes, Rentia Visagie, Keith Henry Lawson, Philip Gibson
  • Patent number: 6278034
    Abstract: A process for hydrogenating long chain hydrocarbons includes continuously feeding a feedstock having long chain hydrocarbons into a slurry bed including a slurry of catalyst particles in a slurrying liquid. The slurry bed is contained in a reaction zone and the feedstock enters the reaction zone at a low level. A hydrogenation component is fed continuously into the slurry bed, at a low level. The hydrogenation component is allowed to react with the feedstock, to hydrogenate the feedstock, as the feedstock and hydrogenation component pass upwardly through the bed. Hydrogenated long chain hydrocarbons are withdrawn from the reaction zone at a high level, as a hydrogenation product. Any excess hydrogenation component is withdrawn from the reaction zone at a high level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Andre Peter Steynberg, Samantha Harding, Johan Labuschagne
  • Patent number: 5733839
    Abstract: To prepare a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, a slurry comprising a particular alumina carrier, water and an active component selected from the group consisting in cobalt (Co), iron (Fe) and mixtures thereof, is subjected to a sub-atmospheric pressure environment. The alumina carrier is thereby impregnated by the active component. The impregnated carrier is dried under a sub-atmospheric pressure environment. The dried impregnated carrier is calcined, thereby to obtain the Fischer-Tropsch catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Sastech (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Jacobus Lucas Visagie, Peter Jacobus Van Berge, Franciscus Hermanus Bolder