Patents by Inventor Ramanathan SUNDARARAMAN

Ramanathan SUNDARARAMAN 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: 11292973
    Abstract: Processes and systems for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process can include feeding a hydrocarbon feed, catalyst particles, and molecular hydrogen (H2) into a separation zone. The hydrocarbon feed and H2 can be contacted in the presence of the catalyst particles under hydrotreating conditions in the separation zone that can include contacting under a total pressure of less than 3,500 kilopascals-gauge. The H2 can be fed into the separation zone at a rate of no greater than 270 cubic meters of H2 per cubic meter of the hydrocarbon feed, where the volume of H2 and hydrocarbon feed are based on a temperature of 25 C and a pressure of 101 kilopascals-absolute. A vapor phase hydrocarbon stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream can be obtained from the separation zone. At least a portion of the vapor phase hydrocarbon stream can be fed into a pyrolysis reaction zone to produce a pyrolysis effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, James R. Lattner, Michael W. Weber, David T. Ferrughelli, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Federico Barrai, Jeevan S. Abichandani
  • Publication number: 20210130711
    Abstract: Processes and systems for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process can include feeding a hydrocarbon feed, catalyst particles, and molecular hydrogen (H2) into a separation zone. The hydrocarbon feed and H2 can be contacted in the presence of the catalyst particles under hydrotreating conditions in the separation zone that can include contacting under a total pressure of less than 3,500 kilopascals-gauge. The H2 can be fed into the separation zone at a rate of no greater than 270 cubic meters of H2 per cubic meter of the hydrocarbon feed, where the volume of H2 and hydrocarbon feed are based on a temperature of 25 C and a pressure of 101 kilopascals-absolute. A vapor phase hydrocarbon stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream can be obtained from the separation zone. At least a portion of the vapor phase hydrocarbon stream can be fed into a pyrolysis reaction zone to produce a pyrolysis effluent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, James R. Lattner, Michael W. Weber, David T. Ferrughelli, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Federico Barrai, Jeevan S. Abichandani
  • Patent number: 10035959
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feed, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid. The systems and methods allow for slurry hydroconversion using catalysts with enhanced activity and/or catalysts that can be recycled as a side product from a complementary refinery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas Francis Degnan, Jr., Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Natalie Ann Fassbender, Manuel A. Francisco, Anjaneya Sarma Kovvali, Randolph J. Smiley, John Peter Greeley, William Ernest Lewis, Roby Bearden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9849446
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feedstock, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid, in the presence of an enhanced or promoted slurry hydroconversion catalyst system. The slurry hydroconversion catalyst system can be formed from a) a Group VIII non-noble metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as an iron-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and b) a Group VI metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as a molybdenum-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and/or a Group VI metal sulfided catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: John P. Greeley, Paul Podsiadlo, William Ernest Lewis, Roby Bearden, Jr., Amitava Sarkar, Mainak Ghosh, Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas F. Degnan, Jr., Manuel A. Francisco
  • Patent number: 9816039
    Abstract: A heavy petroleum oil feed is upgraded by having its amenability to cracking improved by subjecting the oil to selective partial oxidation with a catalytic oxidation system to partially oxidize aromatic ring systems in the heavy oil. The partially oxidized oil can then be cracked in the conventional manner but at lower severities to lower molecular weight cracking products. The cracking following the partial oxidation step may be thermal in nature as by thermal cracking, delayed, contact or fluid coking or fluid catalytic cracking or hydrogenative as in hydrocracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Manuel A. Francisco, Thomas Francis Degnan, Jr., Colin L. Beswick, Ramanathan Sundararaman
  • Patent number: 9605218
    Abstract: Improved yields of fuels and/or lubricants from a resid or other heavy oil feed can be achieved using slurry hydroconversion to convert at least about 90 wt % of the feed. The converted portion of the feed can then be passed into one or more hydroprocessing stages. An initial processing stage can be a hydrotreatment stage for additional removal of contaminants and for passivation of high activity functional groups that may be created during slurry hydroconversion. The hydrotreatment effluent can then be fractionated to separate naphtha boiling range fractions from distillate fuel boiling range fractions and lubricant boiling range fractions. At least the lubricant boiling range fraction can then be hydrocracked to improve the viscosity properties. The hydrocracking effluent can also be dewaxed to improve the cold flow properties. The hydrocracked and/or dewaxed product can then be optionally hydrofinished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Randolph J. Smiley, Ajit Bhaskar Dandekar, Ramanathan Sundararaman, Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Thomas Francis Degnan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9605217
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for sequential slurry hydroconversion of heavy oil feedstocks. One or more low pressure slurry hydroconversion stages can be used to perform a majority of the conversion of a heavy oil feedstock. The bottoms from the low pressure stages can then be slurry hydroconverted in one or more high pressure stages to further convert the feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas Francis Degnan, Jr., Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Randolph J. Smiley
  • Publication number: 20170050177
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feedstock, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid, in the presence of an enhanced or promoted slurry hydroconversion catalyst system. The slurry hydroconversion catalyst system can be formed from a) a Group VIII non-noble metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as an iron-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and b) a Group VI metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as a molybdenum-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and/or a Group VI metal sulfided catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: John Peter GREELEY, Paul PODSIADLO, William Ernest LEWIS, Roby BEARDON, Amitava SARKAR, Mainak GHOSH, Ramanathan SUNDARARAMAN, Thomas F. DEGNAN, JR., Manuel A. FRANCISCO
  • Patent number: 9499752
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feed, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid. The systems and methods allow for slurry hydroconversion using catalysts with enhanced activity. The catalysts with enhanced activity can be used in conjunction with demetallization catalysts or catalysts that can be recycled as a side product from a complementary refinery process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas Francis Degnan, Jr., Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Keith Wilson, Randolph J. Smiley, Jacob Johannes Thiart
  • Publication number: 20160060550
    Abstract: A heavy petroleum oil feed is upgraded by having its amenability to cracking improved by subjecting the oil to selective partial oxidation with a catalytic oxidation system to partially oxidize aromatic ring systems in the heavy oil. The partially oxidized oil can then be cracked in the conventional manner but at lower severities to lower molecular weight cracking products. The cracking following the partial oxidation step may be thermal in nature as by thermal cracking, delayed, contact or fluid coking or fluid catalytic cracking or hydrogenative as in hydrocracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Manuel A. Francisco, Thomas Francis DEGNAN, JR., Colin L. BESWICK, Ramanathan SUNDARARAMAN
  • Publication number: 20150021233
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for sequential slurry hydroconversion of heavy oil feedstocks. One or more low pressure slurry hydroconversion stages can be used to perform a majority of the conversion of a heavy oil feedstock. The bottoms from the low pressure stages can then be slurry hydroconverted in one or more high pressure stages to further convert the feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas Francis Degnan, JR., Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Randolph J. Smiley
  • Publication number: 20150014217
    Abstract: Improved yields of fuels and/or lubricants from a resid or other heavy oil feed can be achieved using slurry hydroconversion to convert at least about 90 wt % of the feed. The converted portion of the feed can then be passed into one or more hydroprocessing stages. An initial processing stage can be a hydrotreatment stage for additional removal of contaminants and for passivation of high activity functional groups that may be created during slurry hydroconversion. The hydrotreatment effluent can then be fractionated to separate naphtha boiling range fractions from distillate fuel boiling range fractions and lubricant boiling range fractions. At least the lubricant boiling range fraction can then be hydrocracked to improve the viscosity properties. The hydrocracking effluent can also be dewaxed to improve the cold flow properties. The hydrocracked and/or dewaxed product can then be optionally hydrofinished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Randolph J. Smiley, Ajit Bhaskar Dandekar, Ramanathan Sundararaman, Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Thomas Francis Degnan, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150014216
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feed, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid. The systems and methods allow for slurry hydroconversion using catalysts with enhanced activity. The catalysts with enhanced activity can be used in conjunction with demetallization catalysts or catalysts that can be recycled as a side product from a complementary refinery process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramanathan Sundararaman, Thomas Francis Degnan, JR., Rustom Merwan Billimoria, Keith Wilson, Randolph J. Smiley, Jacob Johannes Thiart
  • Publication number: 20140374314
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feed, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid. The systems and methods allow for slurry hydroconversion using catalysts with enhanced activity and/or catalysts that can be recycled as a side product from a complementary refinery process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ramanathan SUNDARARAMAN, Thomas Francis DEGNAN, JR., Rustom Merwan BILLIMORIA, Natalie Ann FASSBENDER, Manuel A. FRANCISCO, Anjaneya Sarma KOVVALI, Randolph J. SMILEY, John Peter GREELEY, William Ernest LEWIS, Roby BEARDEN, JR.