Patents by Inventor Roland O. Dhondt
Roland O. Dhondt 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: 4556458Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for depressurizing, cooling, and, optionally, moisturizing retorted oil shale produced in an oil shale retort operated at superatmospheric pressure. Hot retorted oil shale particles are gravitated from the retort and into an elongated, multichambered vessel. In the upper chambers of the vessel the particles are partially cooled by contact with a controlled flow of liquid water. The water, having been totally vaporized, is removed from the particles at a rate which prevents the substantial flow of gases between the vessel and the retort. In the lower chambers of the vessel, the particles are first stripped of entrained hydrocarbon gas by gravitating through a countercurrently flowing stream of stripping gas and then brought to ambient pressure by gravitating through a long, narrow seal leg. Optionally, the depressurized and partially cooled particles are then further cooled and moisturized by admixing with a controlled flow of liquid water.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 1984Date of Patent: December 3, 1985Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventors: Roland F. Deering, John E. Hines, Roland O. Dhondt, deceased
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Patent number: 4461673Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for depressurizing, cooling, and, optionally, moisturizing retorted oil shale produced in an oil shale retort operated at superatmospheric pressure. Hot retorted oil shale particles are gravitated from the retort and into an elongated, multichambered vessel. In the upper chambers of the vessel the particles are partially cooled by contact with a controlled flow of liquid water. The water, having been totally vaporized, is removed from the particles at a rate which prevents the substantial flow of gases between the vessel and the retort. In the lower chambers of the vessel, the particles are first stripped of entrained hydrocarbon gas by gravitating through a countercurrently flowing stream of stripping gas and then brought to ambient pressure by gravitating through a long, narrow seal leg. Optionally, the depressurized and partially cooled particles are then further cooled and moisturized by admixing with a controlled flow of liquid water.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1982Date of Patent: July 24, 1984Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventors: Roland F. Deering, Roland O. Dhondt, deceased, John E. Hines
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Patent number: 4295773Abstract: A solids feeder and method for transporting particulate solids from an elevated solids feed reservoir and introducing the solids upwardly into the bottom of a solids upflow vessel. The feeder includes a stationary feed cylinder axially aligned with a bottom solids inlet of the upflow vessel and fitted with a vertically reciprocatable piston which alternately (1) retracts to allow the feed cylinder to receive solids from the feed reservoir by gravity flow through a feed chute and (2) extends to displace the solids upwardly into the upflow vessel. Horizontally reciprocatable slide plates prevent backflow of solids during the filling of the feed cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1979Date of Patent: October 20, 1981Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventor: Roland O. Dhondt
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Patent number: 4249855Abstract: A method for introducing particulate solids upwardly through a bottom solids inlet of a solids upflow vessel wherein after full extension of a piston to displace solids from a feed cylinder into the solids upflow vessel, the piston is partially retracted to "relax" the bed of solids in the solids upflow vessel. The bed relaxation step reduces the piston-to-solids pressure during the pumping stroke as well as substantially reducing the solids loading pressure on the device used to prevent backflow of solids from the upflow vessel during refilling of the feed cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 1979Date of Patent: February 10, 1981Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventor: Roland O. Dhondt
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Patent number: 4243510Abstract: Crushed oil shale is segregated into a major portion of relatively large particles and a minor portion of "fines," such as will pass through 1/8-inch screen openings. The large particles are subjected to retorting in an upflowing bed in countercurrent contact with a downflowing hot eduction gas, while the fines are fed onto and controllably transported across the hot planar surface of a free-standing truncated cone of spent shale at the top of the retort.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1979Date of Patent: January 6, 1981Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventor: Roland O. Dhondt
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Patent number: 4162960Abstract: Crushed oil shale is segregated into a major portion of relatively large particles and a minor portion of "fines" which will pass through screen openings up to about 1/4 inch in size. The large particles are subjected to retorting as an upflowing moving bed in countercurrent contact with downflowing hot eduction gas, while the fines are retorted by controlled distribution over the hot upper surface of the bed of retorted large particles.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1978Date of Patent: July 31, 1979Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventor: Roland O. Dhondt
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Patent number: 4025416Abstract: Crushed oil shale is subjected to eduction in a solids-upflow or -downflow retort in contact with a preheated counter-currently flowing eduction gas comprising a recycled portion of the retort make gases. The problem of shale particle agglomeration is avoided by correlating the eduction gas flow rate and temperature so as to insure that the 750.degree.-850.degree. F shale temperature interval in the retort is maintained at a level sufficiently high in the retort that the total shale, or "rock" pressure bearing down on said interval is insufficient to bring about agglomeration. It is found that the problem of agglomeration is critical to the 750.degree.-850.degree. F temperature range, and that there is a definite correlation between the oil assay of the raw shale and the permissible rock pressure which the shale particles in this temperature range can withstand without undergoing agglomeration. Provision is made for shifting the 750.degree.-850.degree. F zone upwardly or downwardly in the retort.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1975Date of Patent: May 24, 1977Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventors: Roland F. Deering, Roland O. Dhondt, Thomas A. Seesee
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Patent number: 4004982Abstract: In a continuous, solids upflow, gas downflow shale retorting process carried out at superatmospheric pressures, hydrostatic sealing means are provided at the shale inlet and retorted shale outlet ends of the retort, thereby avoiding the need for mechanical sealing means, lock vessels, etc. The raw shale is fed into the retort through a standing reservoir of product oil, or preferably a light fraction thereof, and the retorted shale is discharged from the retort through a water quenching zone and seal, in the lower portion of which is maintained a sufficient hydrostatic head of water to prevent the discharge therethrough of retort gases. Steam generated in the quench zone, containing some entrained hydrocarbonaceous matter, is treated in a multistage cooling and condensing manner for gas cleanup and for recovery of heat and an oil-free water condensate for recycle to the water sealing and quench zones.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1976Date of Patent: January 25, 1977Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventors: Don C. Jennings, Roland O. Dhondt
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Patent number: 4003797Abstract: In a continuous, solids upflow, gas downflow shale retorting process carried out at superatmospheric pressures, hydrostatic sealing means are provided at the shale inlet and retorted shale outlet ends of the retort, thereby avoiding the need for mechanical sealing means, lock vessels, etc. The raw shale is fed into the retort through a standing reservoir of product oil, or preferably a light fraction thereof, and the retorted shale is discharged from the retort through a water quenching zone and seal, in the lower portion of which is maintained a sufficient hydrostatic head of water to prevent the discharge therethrough of retort gases. Steam generated in the quench zone, containing some entrained hydrocarbonaceous matter, is treated in a multistage cooling and condensing manner for gas cleanup and for recovery of heat and an oil-free water condensate for recycle to the water sealing and quench zones.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1976Date of Patent: January 18, 1977Assignee: Union Oil Company of CaliforniaInventors: George D. Cheadle, Roland O. Dhondt