Patents by Inventor Rolf Bank

Rolf Bank 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: 11806707
    Abstract: A method for carrying out catalytic gas phase reactions including providing a tube bundle reactor which has a bundle of reaction tubes that are filled with a catalyst charge and are cooled by a heat transfer medium, conveying a reaction gas through the catalyst charge, the reaction gas flowing into each reaction tube divided into two part flows introduced in the axial direction of the reaction tube at different points in the catalyst charge the catalyst charge has at least two catalyst layers of different activity, wherein the activity of the first catalyst layer, in the flow direction of the reaction gas, is lower than the activity of the at least one other catalyst layer and in step a first part flow is introduced into the first catalyst layer and each further part flow is introduced past the first catalyst layer into the at least one further catalyst layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS SE
    Inventors: Christian Schuhbauer, Dieter Verbeek, Rolf Bank
  • Publication number: 20230079115
    Abstract: A method for transporting liquid methane includes generating electricity in plants; using the electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen; providing carbon dioxide; feeding the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide from step into a reactor system for producing methane, wherein this reactor system comprises a catalytic reactor cooled with boiling water; liquefying the methane so produced; transporting the liquefied methane to a place of consumption located far away; utilising the liquefied methane at the place of consumption subject to generating carbon dioxide;) separating this carbon dioxide. At the place of consumption the methane is subjected to a steam reformation for producing hydrogen, wherein carbon dioxide is generated. At least a part of the carbon dioxide generated during the steam reformation is transported back to the reactor system for producing methane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Rolf BANK, Norbert ANGER
  • Publication number: 20210245129
    Abstract: A method for carrying out catalytic gas phase reactions including providing a tube bundle reactor which has a bundle of reaction tubes that are filled with a catalyst charge and are cooled by a heat transfer medium, conveying a reaction gas through the catalyst charge, the reaction gas flowing into each reaction tube divided into two part flows introduced in the axial direction of the reaction tube at different points in the catalyst charge the catalyst charge has at least two catalyst layers of different activity, wherein the activity of the first catalyst layer, in the flow direction of the reaction gas, is lower than the activity of the at least one other catalyst layer and in step a first part flow is introduced into the first catalyst layer and each further part flow is introduced past the first catalyst layer into the at least one further catalyst layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Christian SCHUHBAUER, Dieter VERBEEK, Rolf BANK
  • Patent number: 10927007
    Abstract: A method for producing syngas includes a) splitting a hydrocarbon into carbon and hydrogen using a plasma to obtain a first product including carbon and hydrogen, b) mixing steam and carbon dioxide with at least a portion of the first product to produce a product stream, wherein a first portion of the carbon in the first product is converted in an endothermic reaction with steam to carbon monoxide and hydrogen and a second portion of the carbon in the first product is converted in another endothermic reaction with the carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, and wherein heat is supplied to the endothermic reaction, and c) quenching the product stream of step b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: CAPHENIA GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Bank, Christian Schuhbauer, Franz Leher
  • Patent number: 10173190
    Abstract: A tube reactor for heterogeneous catalyzed gas phase reactions having a thermal tube with a catalyst material around which a fluid heat transfer medium, a temperature-sensitive optical waveguide surrounded by a capillary tube that extends into the catalyst material and has measuring points having a predetermined spacing between adjacent measurement points, and can be connected to a source for optical signals and to an evaluation unit (31) for optical signals reflected by the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide has measuring points having a spacing between adjacent measuring points in the axial direction of the thermal tube which is 0.8 to 5 times the shortest edge length of all imaginary cuboids which, having a minimum volume in the cases in which nominal external dimensions are associated with particles of the catalyst material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: MAN Energy Solutions SE
    Inventors: Franz Egner, Rolf Bank, Andreas Bauer, Dieter Verbeek, Martin Lainer
  • Publication number: 20170368523
    Abstract: A tube reactor for heterogeneous catalysed gas phase reactions having a thermal tube with a catalyst material around which a fluid heat transfer medium, a temperature-sensitive optical waveguide surrounded by a capillary tube that extends into the catalyst material and has measuring points having a predetermined spacing between adjacent measurement points, and can be connected to a source for optical signals and to an evaluation unit (31) for optical signals reflected by the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide has measuring points having a spacing between adjacent measuring points in the axial direction of the thermal tube which is 0.8 to 5 times the shortest edge length of all imaginary cuboids which, having a minimum volume in the cases in which nominal external dimensions are associated with particles of the catalyst material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Franz EGNER, Rolf BANK, Andreas BAUER, Dieter VERBEEK, Martin LAINER
  • Publication number: 20170349434
    Abstract: A method for producing syngas includes a) splitting a hydrocarbon into carbon and hydrogen using a plasma to obtain a first product including carbon and hydrogen, b) mixing steam and carbon dioxide with at least a portion of the first product to produce a product stream, wherein a first portion of the carbon in the first product is converted in an endothermic reaction with steam to carbon monoxide and hydrogen and a second portion of the carbon in the first product is converted in another endothermic reaction with the carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, and wherein heat is supplied to the endothermic reaction, and c) quenching the product stream of step b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Rolf Bank, Christian Schuhbauer, Franz Leher
  • Patent number: 8961909
    Abstract: A tube bundle reactor for carrying out catalytic gas phase reactions, particularly methanation reactions, has a bundle of catalyst-filled reaction tubes through which reaction gas flows and around which heat carrier flows during operation. In the region of the catalyst filling, the reaction tubes run through at least two heat carrier zones which are separated from one another, the first of which heat carrier zones extends over the starting region of the catalyst filling. The reaction tubes each have a first reaction tube portion with a first hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling and, downstream thereof in flow direction of the reaction gas, at least a second reaction tube portion with a second hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling that is greater than the first hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
    Inventors: Manfred Lehr, Josef Dachs, Franz Egner, Rolf Bank, Bernd Stürmer, Volkmar Frick, Michael Specht
  • Publication number: 20130287652
    Abstract: A tube bundle reactor for carrying out catalytic gas phase reactions, particularly methanation reactions, has a bundle of catalyst-filled reaction tubes through which reaction gas flows and around which heat carrier flows during operation. In the region of the catalyst filling, the reaction tubes run through at least two heat carrier zones which are separated from one another, the first of which heat carrier zones extends over the starting region of the catalyst filling. The reaction tubes each have a first reaction tube portion with a first hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling and, downstream thereof in flow direction of the reaction gas, at least a second reaction tube portion with a second hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling that is greater than the first hydraulic diameter of the catalyst filling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Manfred Lehr, Josef Dachs, Franz Egner, Rolf Bank, Bernd Stürmer, Volkmar Frick, Michael Specht
  • Patent number: 8524156
    Abstract: A tube bundle reactor carries out endothermic or exothermic gas phase reactions. The tube bundle of reactor tubes are filled with catalyst, and have their ends fastened tightly in tube sheets (3, 4). A fluid heat carrier (10) flows around the tubes during operation. A shell (5) encloses the tube bundle. A gas inlet head (6) spans one of the tube sheets, and a gas outlet head (7) spans the other tube sheet. The reactor tubes are in fluid communication with the gas inlet and outlet heads (6, 7), and further include at least one stage thermometer (9) installed in a thermometer tube (2) disposed in the tube bundle. The at least one stage thermometer (9) is axially movable inside the thermometer tube (2), and the tube bundle reactor (1) includes a mechanical positioning means (8) to effect the axial movement of the stage thermometer (9). Moreover, a method is proposed for measuring a temperature profile in tube bundle reactors of the kind specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Man DWE GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Bank, Dieter Verbeek, Alfons Berndl
  • Publication number: 20090163748
    Abstract: In a tube bundle reactor for carrying out endothermic or exothermic gas phase reactions, comprising a tube bundle of reactor tubes filled with catalyst, having their ends fastened tightly in tube sheets (3, 4), a fluid heat carrier (10) flowing around the tubes during operation, a shell (5) enclosing the tube bundle, a gas inlet head (6) spanning one of the tube sheets, a gas outlet head (7) spanning the other tube sheet, the reactor tubes being in fluid communication with the gas inlet and outlet heads (6, 7), further comprising at least one stage thermometer (9) installed in a thermometer tube (2) disposed in the tube bundle, the at least one stage thermometer (9) is axially movable inside the thermometer tube (2), and the tube bundle reactor (1) comprises a mechanical positioning means (8) to effect the axial movement of the stage thermometer (9). Moreover, a method is proposed for measuring a temperature profile in tube bundle reactors of the kind specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: MAN DWE GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Bank, Dieter Verbeek, Alfons Berndl
  • Publication number: 20060024222
    Abstract: With a method for operating a tube bundle reactor for exothermic gas phase reactions having a tube bundle with catalyst-filled reaction tubes (2), wherein the one ends of the reaction tubes are spanned by a gas inlet hood and the other ends are spanned by a gas outlet hood and wherein around the outside of the reaction tubes a heat transfer medium flows to carry off reaction heat. An explosive gas mixture (G) is introduced into the reaction tubes (2) via the gas inlet hood and after reaction the gas mixture (G), that may still be explosive, it is led off from the reaction tubes via the gas outlet hood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Josef Dachs, Wolfgang Schuster, Rolf Bank, Manfred Lehr