Patents by Inventor Ralph Gillespie

Ralph Gillespie 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).

  • Publication number: 20230357112
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for recovering ethanol from a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises microbial biomass, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, at least one thiol, and at least one compound having 3 or more carbon atoms. The method comprises separating at least microbial biomass from the fermentation broth to generate a process stream; removing, in any order, from the process stream: ethyl acetate by reacting ethyl acetate with a base compound followed by distillation; at least one thiol by adsorption or reaction to disulfide; methanol by distillation; compounds having 3 or more carbon atoms by distillation; and recovering ethanol by distillation; wherein the distillations may be conducted in a single column or two or more columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal, Wyatt Eric Allen, Richard R. Rosin, Donovan Tran
  • Publication number: 20230340349
    Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for the production of liquefied petroleum gas from sustainable feedstocks, including methods comprising conversion of alcohols produced by gas fermentation for the production of propane and/or butane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal
  • Patent number: 11731926
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for recovering ethanol from a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises microbial biomass, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, at least one thiol, and at least one compound having 3 or more carbon atoms. The method comprises separating at least microbial biomass from the fermentation broth to generate a process stream; removing, in any order, from the process stream: ethyl acetate by reacting ethyl acetate with a base compound followed by distillation; at least one thiol by adsorption or reaction to disulfide; methanol by distillation; compounds having 3 or more carbon atoms by distillation; and recovering ethanol by distillation; wherein the distillations may be conducted in a single column or two or more columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal, Wyatt Eric Allen, Richard R Rosin, Donovan Tran
  • Patent number: 11680216
    Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for the production of liquefied petroleum gas from sustainable feedstocks, including methods comprising conversion of alcohols produced by gas fermentation for the production of propane and/or butane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal
  • Publication number: 20210284592
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for recovering ethanol from a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises microbial biomass, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, at least one thiol, and at least one compound having 3 or more carbon atoms. The method comprises separating at least microbial biomass from the fermentation broth to generate a process stream; removing, in any order, from the process stream: ethyl acetate by reacting ethyl acetate with a base compound followed by distillation; at least one thiol by adsorption or reaction to disulfide; methanol by distillation; compounds having 3 or more carbon atoms by distillation; and recovering ethanol by distillation; wherein the distillations may be conducted in a single column or two or more columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal, Wyatt Eric Allen, Richard R Rosin, Donovan Tran
  • Publication number: 20200239798
    Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for the production of liquefied petroleum gas from sustainable feedstocks, including methods comprising conversion of alcohols produced by gas fermentation for the production of propane and/or butane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Kocal
  • Publication number: 20080020944
    Abstract: A vessel arrangement having a base and multiple vessels suited for simultaneously conducting a plurality of isolated experimental reactions or treatments at atmospheric process conditions or elevated temperatures and pressure condition has been developed. A component of a first material is introduced into one independent vessel through an opening in its top of the first vessel and another component of a second material is introduced into a different independent vessel through its top. Both vessels are removably located about a base at different first locations. Transformation of the components in the vessels then occurs to produce different materials therein. After completion of the experiments a displacement medium simultaneously urges the vessels from their respective locations about the base for discard or reuse after any necessary cleaning. Typically at least one property of the materials from the vessels is determined either within the vessel or after recovery of the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Brent Anderson, Ralph Gillespie, Maureen Bricker
  • Publication number: 20080020943
    Abstract: A vessel arrangement having a base and multiple vessels suited for simultaneously conducting a plurality of isolated experimental reactions or treatments at atmospheric process conditions or elevated temperatures and pressure condition has been developed. A component of a first material is introduced into one independent vessel through an opening in its top of the first vessel and another component of a second material is introduced into a different independent vessel through its top. Both vessels are removably located about a base at different first locations. Transformation of the components in the vessels then occurs to produce different materials therein. After completion of the experiments a displacement medium simultaneously urges the vessels from their respective locations about the base for discard or reuse after any necessary cleaning. Typically at least one property of the materials from the vessels is determined either within the vessel or after recovery of the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Brent Anderson, Ralph Gillespie, Maureen Bricker
  • Publication number: 20080019885
    Abstract: A vessel arrangement having a base and multiple vessels suited for simultaneously conducting a plurality of isolated experimental reactions or treatments at atmospheric process conditions or elevated temperatures and pressure condition has been developed. A component of a first material is introduced into one independent vessel through an opening in its top of the first vessel and another component of a second material is introduced into a different independent vessel through its top. Both vessels are removably located about a base at different first locations. Transformation of the components in the vessels then occurs to produce different materials therein. After completion of the experiments a displacement medium simultaneously urges the vessels from their respective locations about the base for discard or reuse after any necessary cleaning. Typically at least one property of the materials from the vessels is determined either within the vessel or after recovery of the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Brent Anderson, Ralph Gillespie, Maureen Bricker
  • Publication number: 20070078289
    Abstract: A catalyst for opening naphthenic rings has been developed. The catalyst comprises ruthenium and platinum as the active catalytic metals and a modifier with cerium being a preferred modifier. At least 50% of the platinum and ruthenium components are present as particles wherein more ruthenium is present on the surface of the particles than in the center. All of these components are dispersed on a metal oxide support such as aluminas. A ring opening process using the catalyst is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Feng Xu, Lorenz Bauer, Ralph Gillespie, Maureen Bricker, Steven Bradley
  • Publication number: 20060094592
    Abstract: A catalyst and process is disclosed to selectively upgrade a paraffinic feedstock to obtain an isoparaffin-rich product for blending into gasoline. The catalyst comprises a support of a tungstated oxide or hydroxide of a Group IVB (IUPAC 4) metal, a phosphorus component, and at least one platinum-group metal component which is preferably platinum. The catalyst has a structure other than a hetropoly anion structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Feng Xu
  • Publication number: 20060094919
    Abstract: A catalyst and process is disclosed to selectively upgrade a paraffinic feedstock to obtain an isoparaffin-rich product for blending into gasoline. The catalyst comprises a support of a tungstated oxide or hydroxide of a Group IVB (IUPAC 4) metal, a phosphorus component, and at least one platinum-group metal component which is preferably platinum. The catalyst has a structure other than a hetropoly anion structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Feng Xu
  • Publication number: 20050161368
    Abstract: A catalyst and process is disclosed to selectively upgrade a paraffinic feedstock to obtain an isoparaffin-rich product for blending into gasoline. The catalyst comprises a support of a sulfated oxide or hydroxide of a Group IVB (IUPAC 4) metal, a first component of at least one lanthanide element or yttrium component, which is preferably ytterbium, and at least one platinum-group metal component which is preferably platinum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Cohn
  • Publication number: 20050027154
    Abstract: A catalyst and process is disclosed to selectively upgrade a paraffinic feedstock to obtain an isoparaffin-rich product for blending into gasoline. The catalyst comprises a support of a sulfated oxide or hydroxide of a Group IVB (IUPAC 4) metal, a first component of at least one lanthanide element or yttrium component, which is preferably ytterbium, and at least one platinum-group metal component which is preferably platinum and a refractory-oxide binder having at least one platinum-group metal component dispersed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: James Vassilakis, Richard Rosin, Steven Bradley, Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Cohn, Feng Xu
  • Publication number: 20050023189
    Abstract: A reforming and isomerization process has been developed. A reforming feedstream is charged to a reforming zone containing a reforming catalyst and operating at reforming conditions to generate a reforming zone effluent. Hydrogen and an isomerization feedstream is charged into an isomerization zone to contact an isomerization catalyst at isomerization conditions to increase the branching of the hydrocarbons. The isomerization catalyst is a solid acid catalyst comprising a support comprising a sulfated oxide or hydroxide of at least an element of Group IVB, a first component being at least one lanthanide series element, mixtures thereof, or yttrium, and a second component being a platinum group metal or mixtures thereof. The reforming zone effluent is combined with the isomerization zone effluent to form a combined effluent stream and separated into a product stream enriched in C5 and heavier hydrocarbons and an overhead stream enriched in C4 and lighter boiling compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Ralph Gillespie, Michelle Cohn, Richard Rosin, Lynn Rice, Margaret Stine
  • Patent number: 4393114
    Abstract: A packaging material, preferably for meat, which is composed of a weft inserted, warp knit substrate fabric and a coating of microcrystalline wax on both sides of the substrate fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1983
    Assignee: Milliken Research Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph Gillespie