Patents by Inventor Ronald D. Key
Ronald D. Key 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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Publication number: 20170336138Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for liquefaction of natural gas and recovery of natural gas liquids. In particular, the improved process and apparatus reduces the energy consumption of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) unit by using a portion of the already cooled overhead vapor from a fractionation column from an NGL (natural gas liquefaction) unit to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux for fractionation in the NGL unit and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, or by cooling, within the NGL unit, a residue gas originating from a fractionation column of the NGL unit and using the resultant cooled residue gas to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux/feed for fractionation in the NGL and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the LNG unit and rendering the process more energy-efficient.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Applicant: LINDE ENGINEERING NORTH AMERICA INC.Inventors: Stephan BURMBERGER, Danielle R. GOLDBECK, Christoph HERTEL, Aleisha MARTY, Heinz BAUER, Ronald D. KEY
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Patent number: 9803917Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for liquefaction of natural gas and recovery of natural gas liquids. In particular, the improved process and apparatus reduces the energy consumption of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) unit by using a portion of the already cooled overhead vapor from a fractionation column from an NGL (natural gas liquefaction) unit to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux for fractionation in the NGL unit and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, or by cooling, within the NGL unit, a residue gas originating from a fractionation column of the NGL unit and using the resultant cooled residue gas to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux/feed for fractionation in the NGL and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the LNG unit and rendering the process more energy-efficient.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: LINDE ENGINEERING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Stephan Burmberger, Danielle R. Goldbeck, Christoph Hertel, Aleisha Marty, Heinz Bauer, Ronald D. Key
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Publication number: 20140182331Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for liquefaction of natural gas and recovery of natural gas liquids. In particular, the improved process and apparatus reduces the energy consumption of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) unit by using a portion of the already cooled overhead vapor from a fractionation column from an NGL (natural gas liquefaction) unit to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux for fractionation in the NGL unit and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, or by cooling, within the NGL unit, a residue gas originating from a fractionation column of the NGL unit and using the resultant cooled residue gas to, depending upon composition, provide, for example, reflux/feed for fractionation in the NGL and/or a cold feed for the LNG unit, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the LNG unit and rendering the process more energy-efficient.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2013Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: LINDE PROCESS PLANTS, INC.Inventors: Stephan BURMBERGER, Danielle R. GOLDBECK, Christoph HERTEL, Aleisha MARTY, Heinz BAUER, Ronald D. KEY
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Publication number: 20140013796Abstract: A process for separating a hydrocarbon gas into a fraction containing a predominant portion of the methane or ethane and lighter components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the C2 or C3 and heavier components in which the feed gas is treated in one or more heat exchange and expansion steps; partly condensed feed gas is directed into a separator wherein a first residue vapor is separated from a C2 or C3-containing liquid; and C2 or C3-containing liquids at substantially the pressure of separation are directed into a distillation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second residue to recover a C2 or C3-containing product. A portion of the vapor and/or a portion of the liquid from the first hydrocarbon vapor/liquid separation is further cooled and introduced into a fractionation column to increase the C2 or C3 and heavier hydrocarbons recovery from the natural gas stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2012Publication date: January 16, 2014Inventors: Zaheer I. Malik, Ronald D. Key
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Patent number: 8093440Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Linde Process Plants, Inc.Inventors: Ronald D. Key, William G. Brown
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Publication number: 20110118524Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Inventors: Ronald D. KEY, William G. Brown
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Publication number: 20100087696Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Inventors: Ronald D. KEY, William G. Brown
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Patent number: 7544272Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: GrantFiled: August 16, 2001Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: Linde Process Plants, Inc.Inventors: Ronald D. Key, William G. Brown
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Publication number: 20020042551Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2001Publication date: April 11, 2002Applicant: PRO-QUIP CORPORATIONInventors: Ronald D. Key, William G. Brown
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Patent number: 6311516Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), C3 (propylene and/or propane) and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly C2 and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C3 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a C3 containing liquid, directing a portion of the C3 containing liquid into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue, a second C2 containing liquid stream, and a C3 containing product.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2000Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Inventors: Ronald D. Key, Steven C. Brantingham
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Patent number: 6278035Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C2 (ethylene and/or ethane), and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a first liquid containing C2, directing a first part of the first liquid containing C2 into a heavy-ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a second liquid product containing C2; further cooling the second part of the first liquid containing C2 and partially condensing the second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue; combining the cooled second part of the first liquid and partially condensed second hydrocarbon-bearing vapor residue and directing them to a second separator effecting a third residue and a third liType: GrantFiled: March 17, 2000Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Inventors: Ronald D. Key, William G. Brown
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Patent number: 4895584Abstract: An improved process for separating a hydrocarbon bearing feed gas containing methane and lighter, C.sub.2 (ethylene and ethane) and heavier components into a fraction containing predominantly methane and lighter components and a fraction containing predominantly C.sub.2 and heavier hydrocarbon components including the steps of cooling and partially condensing and delivering the feed stream to a separator to provide a first residue vapor and a C.sub.2 containing liquid, directing a portion of the C.sub.2 containing liquid into a heavy ends fractionation column wherein the liquid is separated into a second hydrocarbon bearing vapor residue and a C.sub.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1989Date of Patent: January 23, 1990Assignee: Pro-Quip CorporationInventors: Loren L. Buck, Ronald D. Key