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).
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Patent number: 7547657Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 2, 2003Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
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Patent number: 7459485Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 15, 2003Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) LimitedInventors: Frederick Gideon Botes, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Philip Gibson, Rafael Luis Espinoza
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Patent number: 6951893Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 2, 2003Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) LtdInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
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Patent number: 6844370Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 12, 2002Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Frederick Gideon Botes, Rentia Visagie, Keith Henry Lawson, Philip Gibson
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Publication number: 20040106517Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2003Publication date: June 3, 2004Inventors: Thulani Humphrey Dlamini, Rafael Luis Espinoza, Genevieve Joorst, Masikana Millan Mdleleni, Jacobus Lucas Visagie
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Publication number: 20040072918Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Applicant: Sasol Technology (Pty) LtdInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
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Publication number: 20040072917Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Applicant: Sasol Technology (Pty) LtdInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
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Patent number: 6716790Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) LtdInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Philip Gibson, Jan Hendrik Scholtz
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Patent number: 6653357Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 4, 2000Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd.Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Terry Shingles, Dawid Jakobus Duvenhage, Pieter Lesch Langenhoven
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Publication number: 20030162850Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2002Publication date: August 28, 2003Inventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Tracy Carolyn Bromfield, Frederick Gideon Botes, Rentia Visagie, Keith Henry Lawson, Philip Gibson
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Patent number: 6278034Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 11, 1999Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) LimitedInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Andre Peter Steynberg, Samantha Harding, Johan Labuschagne
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Patent number: 5733839Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 2, 1996Date of Patent: March 31, 1998Assignee: Sastech (Proprietary) LimitedInventors: Rafael Luis Espinoza, Jacobus Lucas Visagie, Peter Jacobus Van Berge, Franciscus Hermanus Bolder