Patents by Inventor Sophia SCHMIDT

Sophia SCHMIDT 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: 20240100472
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas stream having reduced carbon dioxide emission by reacting a carbon-containing input gas stream in at least one synthesis gas production stage to produce a raw synthesis gas steam, producing a converted synthesis gas stream by converting the cooled raw synthesis gas steam in a CO conversion plant which includes at least one CO conversion stage, contacting the cooled converted synthesis gas stream in a carbon dioxide absorption column and discharging a first synthesis gas stream and utilizing at least a portion of the second synthesis gas stream depleted in carbon dioxide as a portion of fuel gas or process gas or forms the fuel gas or process gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Sophia SCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 11826694
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing carbon dioxide from synthesis gas using a hygroscopic, physical absorption medium. The process includes cooling the absorption medium and the synthesis gas; water is at least partially removed from the synthesis gas by condensation; carbon dioxide is removed from the cooled synthesis gas via the cooled absorption medium in a physical absorption step at elevated pressure; laden absorption medium is treated in a plurality of serially arranged flash stages, wherein co-absorbed carbon monoxide and hydrogen are removed from the laden absorption medium in at least one first flash stage, and carbon dioxide is removed from the laden absorption medium in a flash stage arranged downstream of the first flash stage. The process features a high rate of separated carbon dioxide and a pure and dry (anhydrous) carbon dioxide product. The invention further relates to a plant for performing the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Matthias Linicus, Sharon Corbet
  • Publication number: 20230321588
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing carbon dioxide from a synthesis gas having at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide in which the synthesis gas is at least partially freed of carbon dioxide in an absorption apparatus by physical absorption at elevated absorption pressure. The carbon dioxide is subsequently desorbed by pressure reduction relative to the absorption pressure in a plurality of serially arranged flash stages and an at least partially regenerated absorption medium is withdrawn from the last of the plurality of serially arranged flash stages, recompressed to absorption pressure and recycled into the absorption apparatus for use as absorption medium. It is also provided according to the invention that a partially regenerated absorption medium from a flash stage upstream of the last of the plurality of serially arranged flash stages is recompressed to absorption pressure and recycled into the absorption apparatus for use as absorption medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventor: Sophia SCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 11781082
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for removing thiols from synthesis gas. Thiols and optionally thiophene and carbon disulfide are absorbed in a dedicated absorption stage with methanol as physical absorption medium. Methanol laden with at least thiols is freed of thiols in a stripping stage with methanol vapours as stripping gas and the methanol vapours-containing thiols are freed of methanol in a scrubbing stage. The process according to the invention minimizes methanol losses and the amounts of coolant required for the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Matthias Linicus, Hincal Leichner
  • Publication number: 20230295527
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas scrubbing process and a plant for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) from synthesis gas, wherein the synthesis gas includes at least hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O), The invention features a dedicated circuit for water removal which comprises a scrubbing apparatus for removal of water by means of the physical absorption medium used in the gas scrubbing process. The absorption medium supplied to the scrubbing apparatus is withdrawn from a thermal separation apparatus for separation of water and absorption medium. The circuit is arranged such that water entrained via synthesis gas to be purified cannot pass into the main absorption medium circuit which is formed inter alia by an absorption apparatus and a regeneration apparatus. The energy cost and the apparatus complexity especially in respect of the thermal separation apparatus is thus reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Sophia SCHMIDT, Matthias LINICUS
  • Patent number: 11724229
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and plant for purifying a raw synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide as target components and carbon dioxide and sulfur components as disruptive components by gas scrubbing with a physically acting, liquid scrubbing medium selective for carbon dioxide and sulfur components. The process/the plant comprise an absorption apparatus, a hot regeneration apparatus, a preferably multistage flash regeneration apparatus and a reabsorber column supplied with the first portion of a stripping gas. According to the invention the flash regeneration apparatus is supplied with the second portion of the stripping gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Robert Szabo, Sophia Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11718796
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for staged separation of concomitants from a raw synthesis gas stream to produce synthesis gas and a sulfur-free naphtha product as a by-product, To remove naphtha compounds and sulfur-containing concomitants, raw synthesis gas is treated with a scrubbing medium in a prescrubbing stage and withdrawn from the prescrubbing stage, and the laden scrubbing medium is mixed with water to bring about a phase separation into a scrubbing medium-water mixture and naphtha, wherein sulfur-containing concomitants are in solution in naphtha. To remove the sulfur-containing concomitants the naphtha is heated to obtain sulfur-free naphtha as a by-product of the gas scrubbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Sharon Corbet
  • Patent number: 11673805
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing hydrogen by reforming hydrocarbons with steam, and for separation of carbon dioxide. The process includes one endothermic and one autothermal reforming step for production of a synthesis gas stream, wherein heat generated in the autothermal reforming step is utilized for heating in the endothermic reforming step. The process also includes a step of converting the synthesis gas stream obtained for enrichment with hydrogen, a step of separating the hydrogen thus prepared by pressure swing adsorption, and a step of separation of carbon dioxide from the residual gas obtained in the pressure swing adsorption. The reforming units for the endothermal and autothermal reforming steps are arranged parallel to one another or in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Teja Schmid McGuinness
  • Patent number: 11628392
    Abstract: An absorption column including at least one external heat exchange circuit for cooling or heating the absorption liquid, including one or more serially connected heat exchangers, wherein the junction of the pipeline for withdrawal of the absorption liquid from the column is disposed above the junction of the pipeline into the first heat exchanger in the flow direction, wherein the pipeline also includes a dumped bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claide
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Dorit Rappold, Christian Frey, Sharon Corbet, Alfred Gubrinski
  • Patent number: 11484826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas scrubbing process for purifying crude synthesis gas with methanol as a physical absorption medium, wherein an acid gas comprising at least hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced. The acid gas is produced in a hot regenerator arranged downstream of an absorption apparatus and subsequently separated from gaseous methanol in an acid gas separator by cooling and condensation. The acid gas separator has a condensation region and an absorption region, wherein both regions are separated from one another by a gas-permeable tray. This has the result that impurities such as hydrogen cyanide and/or ammonia outgassing from a first acid gas substream are not reabsorbed in the condensation region of the acid gas separator, thus avoiding an accumulation of impurities in the hot regenerator or other parts of the gas scrubbing plant. The invention further relates to an acid gas separator and to the use of the acid gas separator according to the invention in a process according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sharon Corbet, Alfred Gubrinski, Pankaj Puri, Dorit Rappold, Sophia Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20220315434
    Abstract: What is proposed is a process and a plant for parallel production of methanol and ammonia by heterogeneously catalyzed reaction of hydrogen and carbon oxides on the one hand and hydrogen and nitrogen on the other hand. This includes producing a raw synthesis gas stream and dividing it into two portions. A first raw synthesis gas substream is used as input for a methanol synthesis to obtain raw methanol and a methanol synthesis purge stream. A second raw synthesis gas substream is subjected to a CO conversion, a carbon dioxide separation and a liquid nitrogen scrubbing and then sent to an ammonia synthesis. According to the invention at least a portion of the methanol synthesis purge stream is sent to the ammonia synthesis and at least one substream obtained from the second raw synthesis gas substream is passed to the methanol synthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan WALTER, Stephan HAASE, Manon CORTALE, Sophia SCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 11426677
    Abstract: Plant and process for separation of sulfur-containing components, H2S, COS and mercaptans from methanol which is used as absorbent within the Rectisol process by hot regeneration of the methanol laden in the absorption and an additional step for separation of the mercaptans from the methanol by stripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Alfred Gubrinski, Sharon Corbet, Hincal Leichner
  • Patent number: 11400409
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for aftertreatment of gas streams in which unwanted components are present in an amount that varies irregularly in a periodic manner or over time and/or in a varying concentration, by means of an absorption or gas scrubbing process. For this purpose, during the entry of the desorption peak into the gas scrubbing apparatus, the amount of scrubbing medium is increased proceeding from a normal value during a first phase and, after the end of the desorption peak, the amount of scrubbing medium is returned back to the normal value during a second phase, wherein the laden scrubbing media are collected in different intermediate vessels during the two phases, mixed and released as a mixture to a downstream scrubbing medium regeneration apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alfred Gubrinski, Dorit Rappold, Michael Strozyk, Sophia Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11389762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removal of metal carbonyls from crude synthesis gas in a gas scrubbing process with a physical scrubbing medium. Scrubbing medium laden with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and metal carbonyls is sent to a treatment vessel having a residence time region and a scrubbing region. Metal carbonyls are precipitated from the laden scrubbing medium as metal sulfides in the residence time region. The scrubbing region is supplied with a regenerated scrubbing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sharon Corbet, Alfred Gubrinski, Sophia Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20220177793
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for removing thiols from synthesis gas. Thiols and optionally thiophene and carbon disulfide are absorbed in a dedicated absorption stage with methanol as physical absorption medium. Methanol laden with at least thiols is freed of thiols in a stripping stage with methanol vapours as stripping gas and the methanol vapours-containing thiols are freed of methanol in a scrubbing stage. The process according to the invention minimizes methanol losses and the amounts of coolant required for the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Sophia SCHMIDT, Matthias LINICUS, Hincal LEICHNER
  • Publication number: 20220144634
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing hydrogen and for separating carbon dioxide from synthesis gas using a physical absorption medium. The process comprises the steps where the synthesis gas and the absorption medium are cooled; carbon dioxide is removed from the cooled synthesis gas via the cooled absorption medium in a physical absorption step at elevated pressure; laden absorption medium is treated in a plurality of flash stages, wherein co-absorbed carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide are separately removed from the laden absorption medium; hydrogen is separated from synthesis gas freed of carbon dioxide in a physical separation step, wherein hydrogen as product gas and an offgas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are obtained; product gas hydrogen and carbon dioxide are discharged from the process. The invention further relates to a plant for performing the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Sophia SCHMIDT, Matthias Linicus
  • Publication number: 20220143546
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for removing carbon dioxide from synthesis gas using a hygroscopic, physical absorption medium. The process includes cooling the absorption medium and the synthesis gas; water is at least partially removed from the synthesis gas by condensation; carbon dioxide is removed from the cooled synthesis gas via the cooled absorption medium in a physical absorption step at elevated pressure; laden absorption medium is treated in a plurality of serially arranged flash stages, wherein co-absorbed carbon monoxide and hydrogen are removed from the laden absorption medium in at least one first flash stage, and carbon dioxide is removed from the laden absorption medium in a flash stage arranged downstream of the first flash stage. The process features a high rate of separated carbon dioxide and a pure and dry (anhydrous) carbon dioxide product. The invention further relates to a plant for performing the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Sophia SCHMIDT, Matthias Linicus, Sharon Corbet
  • Patent number: 11285433
    Abstract: The invention provides a scrubbing column for cleaning gas streams laden with absorbent residues, for example with methanol, and also with solid particles, for example with fuel dust. The gas scrubbing is effected by means of a random packing disposed in the lower region of the scrubbing column and the gas scrubbing of the gas stream laden solely with absorbent residues but not with solid particles by means of a structured packing disposed in the upper region of the scrubbing column. The use of the scrubbing column according to the invention in the integrated plant system between a gasification plant and a plant for gas scrubbing which is operated by the Rectisol process, for example, offers particular advantages with regard to its industrial employability owing to the possible connections described, which bring synergies for efficient operation of the integrated plant system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Hincal Leichner, Christian Frey, Sharon Corbet
  • Publication number: 20220048768
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing hydrogen by reforming hydrocarbons with steam, and for separation of carbon dioxide. The process includes one endothermic and one autothermal reforming step for production of a synthesis gas stream, wherein heat generated in the autothermal reforming step is utilized for heating in the endothermic reforming step. The process also includes a step of converting the synthesis gas stream obtained for enrichment with hydrogen, a step of separating the hydrogen thus prepared by pressure swing adsorption, and a step of separation of carbon dioxide from the residual gas obtained in the pressure swing adsorption. The reforming units for the endothermal and autothermal reforming steps are arranged parallel to one another or in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Sophia SCHMIDT, Teja SCHMID McGUIINESS
  • Publication number: 20210402347
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and plant for purifying a raw synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide as target components and carbon dioxide and sulfur components as disruptive components by gas scrubbing with a physically acting, liquid scrubbing medium selective for carbon dioxide and sulfur components. The process/the plant comprise an absorption apparatus, a hot regeneration apparatus, a preferably multistage flash regeneration apparatus and a reabsorber column supplied with the first portion of a stripping gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Robert Szabo, Sophia Schmidt