Patents by Inventor Richard C. Stell

Richard C. Stell 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: 20230382730
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reforming carbonaceous material into syngas containing hydrogen and CO gases is disclosed. In one embodiment, a hydrogen rich torch reactor is provided for defining a reaction zone proximate to torch flame. One input of the reactor receives input material to be processed. Further inputs may be provided, such as for example to introduce steam and/or gases such as methane, oxygen, hydrogen, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Clifton T. Knight, Arthur R. DiNicolantonio, Erik M. Howard, Darrell Poteet, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 11807531
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reforming carbonaceous material into syngas containing hydrogen and CO gases is disclosed. In one embodiment, a hydrogen rich torch reactor is provided for defining a reaction zone proximate to torch flame. One input of the reactor receives input material to be processed. Further inputs may be provided, such as for example to introduce steam and/or gases such as methane, oxygen, hydrogen, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: KNIGHTHAWK ETEC, INC.
    Inventors: Clifton T. Knight, Arthur R. DiNicolantonio, Erik M. Howard, Darrell Poteet, Richard C. Stell
  • Publication number: 20210009412
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reforming carbonaceous material into syngas containing hydrogen and CO gases is disclosed. In one embodiment, a hydrogen rich torch reactor is provided for defining a reaction zone proximate to torch flame. One input of the reactor receives input material to be processed. Further inputs may be provided, such as for example to introduce steam and/or gases such as methane, oxygen, hydrogen, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Clifton T. Knight, Arthur R. DiNicolantonio, Erik M. Howard, Darrell Poteet, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 10570345
    Abstract: The invention relates to a regenerative reactor system which includes a reverse flow regenerative reactor. The reverse flow regenerative reactor includes a housing enclosing an interior region, and process flow components configured to manage the flow of a pyrolysis stream through the interior region. The process flow components include reactor beds. The reverse flow regenerative reactor also includes a pyrolysis inlet conduit for managing flow of the pyrolysis stream to the reverse flow regenerative reactor, and further includes a liquid distribution device that is configured to disperse a liquid portion of the pyrolysis stream along an internal surface of the pyrolysis inlet conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 9327260
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Richard C. Stell, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Stephen H. Brown, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Arthur R. Di Nicolantonio, John J. Waldrop
  • Publication number: 20160024397
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrolysis process that is capable of being with reduced coke and/or tar formation. The process can pyrolyze hydrocarbon feed that contains low- to mid-range levels of non-volatiles. Pyrolysis is carried out with a predetermined amount of the feed being in the liquid phase so as to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The pyrolysis feed may also include a diluent, such as molecular hydrogen, that further acts to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The amount of diluent in the pyrolysis feed can be adjusted to adjust or control dry point of the hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 9187699
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pyrolysis process that is capable of being with reduced coke and/or tar formation. The process can pyrolyze hydrocarbon feed that contains low- to mid-range levels of non-volatiles. Pyrolysis is carried out with a predetermined amount of the feed being in the liquid phase so as to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The pyrolysis feed may also include a diluent, such as molecular hydrogen, that further acts to minimize coke and/or tar formation in the pyrolysis reactor. The amount of diluent in the pyrolysis feed can be adjusted to adjust or control dry point of the hydrocarbon in the pyrolysis feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Keusenkothen, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 9056297
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing resid, comprising: heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; passing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock to a vapor/liquid separator; flashing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock in said vapor/liquid separator to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase containing said resid; passing at least a portion of said resid-containing liquid phase from said vapor/liquid separator to a thermal conversion reactor operating at 649° C. or more, wherein the thermal conversion reactor contains coke particles; and converting at least a portion of said resid into olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Larry L. Iaccino, Richard C. Stell, Steven E. Silverberg, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Howard Freund
  • Publication number: 20130156656
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Richard C. Stell, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Stephen H. Brown, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Arthur R. Dinicolantonio, John J. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 8435386
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, David B. Spicer, George Stephens
  • Patent number: 8399729
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Richard C. Stell, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Stephen H. Brown, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Arthur R. DiNicolantonio, John J. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 8361311
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing resid, comprising: heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; passing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock to a vapor/liquid separator; flashing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock in said vapor/liquid separator to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase containing said resid; passing at least a portion of said resid-containing liquid phase from said vapor/liquid separator to a thermal conversion reactor operating at 649° C. or more, wherein the thermal conversion reactor contains coke particles; and converting at least a portion of said resid into olefins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Larry Lee Iaccino, Richard C. Stell, Steven E. Silverberg, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Howard Freund
  • Patent number: 8173854
    Abstract: A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter, wherein said hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter is partially desalted, e.g., by passing through a centrifugal separator, heated, then separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separation vessel, separating and cracking the vapor phase which comprises less than about 98% of the hydrocarbon feedstock containing salt and/or particulate matter, and recovering cracked product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: James N. McCoy, Arthur R. DiNicolantonio, Richard C. Stell
  • Patent number: 8118996
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for cracking hydrocarbons. Hot, cracked effluent is removed to a quench header where it is pre-quenched with an oil containing crackable components, e.g., 1000° F.+ (538° C.+) boiling range bottoms taken from a vapor/liquid separator, cracking the bottoms to more valuable products, e.g., steam crack naphtha. The overhead of the separator is fed to a cracker, and then quenched with a quenching oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, Megan Renstrom Bleckinger, James N. McCoy, Arthur R. Di Nicolantonio
  • Publication number: 20120018278
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, David B. Spicer, George Stephens
  • Publication number: 20120006723
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Richard C. Stell, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Stephen H. Brown, Paul F. Keusenkothen, Arthur R. Dinicolantonio, John J. Waldrop
  • Publication number: 20120006722
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed containing resid, comprising: heating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid; passing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock to a vapor/liquid separator; flashing said heated hydrocarbon feedstock in said vapor/liquid separator to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase containing said resid; passing at least a portion of said resid-containing liquid phase from said vapor/liquid separator to a thermal conversion reactor operating at 649° C. or more, wherein the thermal conversion reactor contains coke particles; and converting at least a portion of said resid into olefins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: S. Mark Davis, Larry Lee Iaccino, Richard C. Stell, Steven E. Silverberg, Jiunn-Shyan Liou, Howard Freund
  • Patent number: 8092671
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating gaseous effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit to provide steam cracked tar of reduced asphaltene and toluene insolubles content. The method is suitable for preparing reduced viscosity tar useful as a fuel blending stock, or feedstock for producing carbon black, while reducing or eliminating the need for externally sourced lighter aromatics additives to meet viscosity specifications. The method comprises drawing steam cracked tar from a separation vessel, e.g., a primary fractionator or tar knock-out drum, cooling the tar, and returning it to the separation vessel to effect lower overall tar temperatures within the separation vessel, in order to reduce viscosity increasing condensation reactions. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert David Strack, Richard C. Stell, John R. Messinger, Dane C. Grenoble, John E. Asplin
  • Patent number: 8057663
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, David B. Spicer, George Stephens
  • Patent number: 7993435
    Abstract: A process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase which collect as bottoms and removing the liquid phase, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent, wherein the bottoms are maintained under conditions to effect at least partial visbreaking. The visbroken bottoms may be steam stripped to recover the visbroken molecules while avoiding entrainment of the bottoms liquid. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, George J. Balinsky, James N. McCoy, Paul F. Keusenkothen