Patents by Inventor Ralph W. Romig

Ralph W. Romig 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: 20230400226
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process and apparatus for cooling a coolant used in a heat exchange equipment in a plant. The process is performed in a plant having the apparatus disclosed herein. The process and apparatus utilize a geothermal cooling loop for cooling at least a portion of the total amount of coolant circulating in the coolant loop that is used to cool a surface of a heat exchange equipment in the plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventor: Ralph W. Romig
  • Publication number: 20230159669
    Abstract: Processes for producing an activated chromium catalyst are disclosed, and these processes comprise contacting a supported chromium catalyst with a gas stream containing from 25-60 vol % oxygen at a peak activation temperature of 550-900° C. to produce the activated chromium catalyst. The linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.18-0.4 ft/sec, and the oxygen linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.05-0.15 ft/sec. The resultant activated chromium catalyst and an optional co-catalyst can be contacted with an olefin monomer and an optional olefin comonomer in a polymerization reactor system under polymerization conditions to produce an olefin polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Ralph W. Romig, James E. Hein, Troy Bretz, Zhihui Gu
  • Patent number: 11584806
    Abstract: Processes for producing an activated chromium catalyst are disclosed, and these processes comprise contacting a supported chromium catalyst with a gas stream containing from 25-60 vol % oxygen at a peak activation temperature of 550-900° C. to produce the activated chromium catalyst. The linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.18-0.4 ft/sec, and the oxygen linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.05-0.15 ft/sec. The resultant activated chromium catalyst and an optional co-catalyst can be contacted with an olefin monomer and an optional olefin comonomer in a polymerization reactor system under polymerization conditions to produce an olefin polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Ralph W Romig, James E. Hein, Troy Bretz, Zhihui Gu
  • Patent number: 11578145
    Abstract: A method of operating a dump tank of a polymer production process by transferring all or a portion of a content of a polymerization reactor into the dump tank, wherein the reactor contents comprise solid polymer, and liquid and gaseous non-product components, and removing at least a portion of the liquid and gaseous non-product components from the dump tank by: reducing a pressure of the dump tank, subjecting the solid polymer to a first cleaning stage comprising heating the solid polymer by introducing a first heated treatment gas into the dump tank, and subjecting the solid polymer to a second cleaning stage comprising purging the solid polymer by introducing a second heated treatment gas into the dump tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Joseph A. Curren, James E. Hein, Ralph W. Romig, Ai-Fu Chang
  • Publication number: 20220267485
    Abstract: Processes for producing an activated chromium catalyst are disclosed, and these processes comprise contacting a supported chromium catalyst with a gas stream containing from 25-60 vol % oxygen at a peak activation temperature of 550-900° C. to produce the activated chromium catalyst. The linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.18-0.4 ft/sec, and the oxygen linear velocity of the gas stream is 0.05-0.15 ft/sec. The resultant activated chromium catalyst and an optional co-catalyst can be contacted with an olefin monomer and an optional olefin comonomer in a polymerization reactor system under polymerization conditions to produce an olefin polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ralph W Romig, James E. Hein, Troy Bretz, Zhihui Gu
  • Publication number: 20210261694
    Abstract: A method of operating a dump tank of a polymer production process by transferring all or a portion of a content of a polymerization reactor into the dump tank, wherein the reactor contents comprise solid polymer, and liquid and gaseous non-product components, and removing at least a portion of the liquid and gaseous non-product components from the dump tank by: reducing a pressure of the dump tank, subjecting the solid polymer to a first cleaning stage comprising heating the solid polymer by introducing a first heated treatment gas into the dump tank, and subjecting the solid polymer to a second cleaning stage comprising purging the solid polymer by introducing a second heated treatment gas into the dump tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph A. CURREN, James E. HEIN, Ralph W. ROMIG, Ai-Fu CHANG
  • Patent number: 11021549
    Abstract: A method of operating a dump tank of a polymer production process by transferring all or a portion of a content of a polymerization reactor into the dump tank, wherein the reactor contents comprise solid polymer, and liquid and gaseous non-product components, and removing at least a portion of the liquid and gaseous non-product components from the dump tank by: reducing a pressure of the dump tank, subjecting the solid polymer to a first cleaning stage comprising heating the solid polymer by introducing a first heated treatment gas into the dump tank, and subjecting the solid polymer to a second cleaning stage comprising purging the solid polymer by introducing a second heated treatment gas into the dump tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
    Inventors: Joseph A. Curren, James E. Hein, Ralph W. Romig, Ai-Fu Chang
  • Publication number: 20200354483
    Abstract: A method of operating a dump tank of a polymer production process by transferring all or a portion of a content of a polymerization reactor into the dump tank, wherein the reactor contents comprise solid polymer, and liquid and gaseous non-product components, and removing at least a portion of the liquid and gaseous non-product components from the dump tank by: reducing a pressure of the dump tank, subjecting the solid polymer to a first cleaning stage comprising heating the solid polymer by introducing a first heated treatment gas into the dump tank, and subjecting the solid polymer to a second cleaning stage comprising purging the solid polymer by introducing a second heated treatment gas into the dump tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph A. CURREN, James E. HEIN, Ralph W. ROMIG, Ai-Fu CHANG
  • Patent number: 10173951
    Abstract: Processes and systems for olefin and diluent recovery utilizing one or more side columns, including a side rectifier column and/or a side degassing column, in combination with a heavies column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Joseph A. Curren, Ralph W. Romig, Ji Xian Loh, Timothy O. Odi
  • Patent number: 10046306
    Abstract: A treater regeneration system in a polyolefin production system, the treater regeneration system comprising an off-line treater receiving a first portion of a regenerating stream and regenerating a desiccant in the off-line treater to yield a regenerating effluent stream, where the regenerating stream comprises a regenerating medium, and where the regenerating effluent stream comprises the regenerating medium, water and an impurity; a decanter receiving at least a portion of the regenerating effluent stream to yield the regenerating stream and a water stream, wherein the water stream comprises the water; and a stripper receiving a second portion of the regenerating stream to yield an impurity stream and a process recycle stream, wherein the impurity stream comprises at least a portion of the impurity, and wherein the process recycle stream comprises the regenerating medium of the second portion of the regenerating stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Ralph W. Romig, Timothy O. Odi, Jennifer F. Drew
  • Patent number: 10040882
    Abstract: Polymerization reactor systems providing integrated liquid-solid sampling systems are disclosed. Methods for operating such polymerization reactor systems and for measuring a property of the liquid portion of liquid-solid mixture are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Stephen L. Ege, Ralph W. Romig
  • Publication number: 20180078921
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of regenerating a desiccant in an off-line treater of a polyolefin production process. The method may include a heating phase followed by a cooling phase. The heating phase may involve use of a regenerating gas made from heating a treated a recycle stream of the polyolefin production process to regenerate desiccant in an off-line treater. The cooling phase may involve thermosyphoning the regenerating gas, nitrogen, an olefin-free diluent, or combinations thereof in a closed-convection loop of the off-line treater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Ralph W. ROMIG, Timothy O. ODI, Jennifer F. DREW
  • Publication number: 20180072639
    Abstract: Processes and systems for olefin and diluent recovery utilizing one or more side columns, including a side rectifier column and/or a side degassing column, in combination with a heavies column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Joseph A. CURREN, Ralph W. ROMIG, Ji Xian LOH, Timothy O. ODI
  • Patent number: 9861955
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of regenerating a desiccant in an off-line treater of a polyolefin production process. The method may include a heating phase followed by a cooling phase. The heating phase may involve use of a regenerating gas made from heating a treated a recycle stream of the polyolefin production process to regenerate desiccant in an off-line treater. The cooling phase may involve thermosyphoning the regenerating gas, nitrogen, an olefin-free diluent, or combinations thereof in a closed-convection loop of the off-line treater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP
    Inventors: Ralph W. Romig, Timothy O. Odi, Jennifer F. Drew
  • Publication number: 20170282151
    Abstract: Polymerization reactor systems providing integrated liquid-solid sampling systems are disclosed. Methods for operating such polymerization reactor systems and for measuring a property of the liquid portion of liquid-solid mixture are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen L. Ege, Ralph W. Romig
  • Publication number: 20170232422
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of regenerating a desiccant in an off-line treater of a polyolefin production process. The method may include a heating phase followed by a cooling phase. The heating phase may involve use of a regenerating gas made from heating a treated a recycle stream of the polyolefin production process to regenerate desiccant in an off-line treater. The cooling phase may involve thermosyphoning the regenerating gas, nitrogen, an olefin-free diluent, or combinations thereof in a closed-convection loop of the off-line treater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Ralph W. ROMIG, Timothy O. ODI, Jennifer F. DREW
  • Patent number: 9708426
    Abstract: Polymerization reactor systems providing integrated liquid-solid sampling systems are disclosed. Methods for operating such polymerization reactor systems and for measuring a property of the liquid portion of liquid-solid mixture are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Stephen L. Ege, Ralph W. Romig
  • Patent number: 9687815
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of regenerating a desiccant in an off-line treater of a polyolefin production process. The method may include a heating phase followed by a cooling phase. The heating phase may involve use of a regenerating gas made from heating a treated a recycle stream of the polyolefin production process to regenerate desiccant in an off-line treater. The cooling phase may involve thermosyphoning the regenerating gas, nitrogen, an olefin-free diluent, or combinations thereof in a closed-convection loop of the off-line treater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Ralph W. Romig, Robert R. McElvain, Steve E. Page
  • Patent number: 9624316
    Abstract: A system and method for a polyolefin reactor temperature control system having a first reactor temperature control path, a second reactor temperature control path, and a shared temperature control path. The shared temperature control path is configured to combine and process coolant return streams, and to provide coolant supply for the first reactor temperature control path and the second reactor temperature control path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL COMPANY LP
    Inventors: Timothy O. Odi, Anurag Gupta, Ralph W. Romig
  • Patent number: 9610558
    Abstract: A manufacturing system for producing polyolefin includes a polymerization reactor, a flash chamber, and a purge column. In certain embodiments, the purge column may receive a solids stream directly from the flash chamber. Further, the purge column may function as a feed tank for an extruder within an extrusion/loadout system. According to certain embodiments, the manufacturing system may be configured to consume less than 445 kilowatt-hours of energy per metric ton of polyolefin produced based on consumption of electricity, steam, and fuel gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP
    Inventors: Robert R. McElvain, John D. Hottovy, Ralph W. Romig, Donald W. Verser, David H. Burns, John H. Tait, Richard Peacock, James E. Hein, Scott E. Kufeld, Carl W. Fenderson, Anurag Gupta, Dale A. Zellers