Patents by Inventor Stephen Rhys Graville
Stephen Rhys Graville 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: 8663589Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering sulphur from a sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, comprising: oxidation of the sour gas, wherein a part of the hydrogen sulphide is oxidized to sulphur dioxide and water, reaction of the resulting sulphur dioxide with the residual hydrogen sulphide to elementary sulphur, and removal of elementary sulphur. According to the invention carbon dioxide and/or carbon dioxide generated by oxidation of the sour gas is compressed, and at least a part of the carbon dioxide is injected into an oil well. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plant suitable for performing the above method.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2012Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Linde AktiengesellschaftInventor: Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 7544344Abstract: A feed gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide is subjected to a Claus reaction in a Claus furnace (16). Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air containing at least 80% by volume oxygen is supplied to the furnace (16) to support combustion of the hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur vapour is condensed out of the resultant effluent gas in a sulfur condenser (3). The sulfur depleted effluent gas is subjected to a plurality of stages of catalytic reaction of hydrogen sulfide in order to form further sulfur vapour in catalytic reactors (36, 44) and (52) with the sulfur vapour being condensed out of the gas in sulfur condensers (38, 46) and (54). The sulfur dioxide content of the resulting tail gas is reduced to hydrogen sulfide in reactor (6).Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2004Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventor: Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 7354564Abstract: A method of conducting the partial oxidation to sulphur in at least one furnace of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a feed gas mixture containing from 10 to 60% by volume of hydrogen sulphide but including at least one aromatic hydrocarbon impurity typically selected from benzene, xylene, toluene and ethyl benzene. A flame is created in the furnace. All the feed gas mixture is fed to the flame. Oxygen molecules are also fed to the flame. At last some of the oxygen molecules are supplied from a source of oxygen-enriched air to pure oxygen, and there is created in the flame at least one hot aromatic hydrocarbon impurity destruction region in which a substantial proportion, typically at least 75% by volume, of the aromatic hydrocarbon impurity is destroyed.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2003Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: The BOC Group, plc.Inventors: Stephen Rhys Graville, Jason Scott Norman
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Patent number: 6919059Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnaces (16) and (26) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur vapour is extracted in condenser (32) from the resulting gas mixture so as to form a sulphur vapour depleted gas stream. The sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide is reduced to hydrogen sulphide. This reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted therefrom in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for treatment typically together with a second feed gas steam comprising hydrogen sulphide. Employing both furnaces (16) and (26) makes it possible to obtain effective conversions to sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide in the feed gas without having the recycle any of the water vapour depleted gas.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2001Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 6893620Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnace (16) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur is extracted from the resulting gas stream in a sulphur condenser (26). Catalyst Claus reaction between hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in the resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream takes place in a catalytic reactor (32). Sulphur is extracted in a further sulphur condenser (34). The resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide and any sulphur vapour are reduced to hydrogen sulphide. The resulting reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted there from in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for further treatment typically together with a second feed gas stream.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2001Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20040096381Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnaces (16) and (26) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur vapour is extracted in condenser (32) from the resulting gas mixture so as to form a sulphur vapour depleted gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen and water vapour. The sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide is reduced to hydrogen sulphide. The resulting reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted therefrom in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for further treatment typically together with a second geed gas steam comprising hydrogen sulphide. Employing both furnaces (16) and (26) makes it possible to obtain highly effective conversions to sulphur of the hydrogen sulphide on the feed gas without having the recycle any of the water vapour depleted gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20040022721Abstract: Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is employed to support combustion in furnace (16) of part of the hydrogen sulphide content of a first feed gas stream. Sulphur is extracted from the resulting gas stream in a sulphur condenser (26). Catalyst Claus reaction between hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in the resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream takes place in a catalytic reactor (32). Sulphur is extracted in a further sulphur condenser (34). The resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is passed into a catalytic reduction reactor (40) in which all the residual sulphur dioxide and any sulphur vapour are reduced to hydrogen sulphide. The resulting reduced gas mixture has water vapour extracted there from in a quench tower (52). The resulting water vapour depleted gas stream flows to a Claus plant for further treatment typically together with a second feed gas stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 6638057Abstract: An air-oxygen hydrogen sulphide burner (108) fires into a furnace (102). The burner comprises a main passage for combustion-supporting gas containing air (112), a multiplicity of spaced apart outer elongate fluid-conducting open ended tubes extending in parallel with each other along the main passage, each of the outlet tubes surrounding at least at the distal end of the burner a respective inner elongate fluid-conducting open ended tube, the inner tubes extending in parallel with one another, a first inlet to the burner for oxygen or oxygen-enriched air, and a second inlet to the burner for feed gas containing hydrogen sulphide, the first inlet communicating with the inner tubs, and the second inlets communicating with the outer tubes.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, Jason Scott Norman
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Patent number: 6616908Abstract: Sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide has hydrogen sulphide absorbed therefrom in an absorbent in a vessel 4. A hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is formed by desorbing hydrogen sulphide from the absorbent in a vessel 12. The resulting hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is partially burned in a furnace 32. Resulting sulphur dioxide reacts therein with residual hydrogen sulphide to form sulphur vapor which is extracted in a condenser 44. Residual sulphur dioxide and sulphur vapor are reduced to hydrogen sulphide in catalyst stage 54 of a reactor 50. Water vapor is removed from the resulting reduced gas stream by direct contact with water in a quench tower 60. At least part of the resulting water vapor depleted gas stream is sent to the vessel 4 with the incoming sour gas stream.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2001Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20030133850Abstract: An air-oxygen hydrogen sulphide burner (108) fires into a furnace (102). The burner comprises a main passage for combustion-supporting gas containing air (112), a multiplicity of spaced apart outer elongate fluid-conducting open ended tubes extending in parallel with each other along the main passage, each of the outlet tubes surrounding at least at the distal end of the burner a respective inner elongate fluid-conducting open ended tube, the inner tubes extending in parallel with one another, a first inlet to the burner for oxygen or oxygen-enriched air, and a second inlet to the burner for feed gas containing hydrogen sulphide, one of the first and second inlets communicating with the outer tubes, and the other of the first and second inlets communicating with the inner tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, Jason Scott Norman
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Publication number: 20030108839Abstract: An air-oxygen hydrogen sulphide burner (108) fires into a furnace (102). The burner comprises a main passage for combustion-supporting gas containing air (112), a multiplicity of spaced apart outer elongate fluid-conducting open ended tubes extending in parallel with each other along the main passage, each of the outlet tubes surrounding at least at the distal end of the burner a respective inner elongate fluid-conducting open ended tube, the inner tubes extending in parallel with one another, a first inlet to the burner for oxygen or oxygen-enriched air, and a second inlet to the burner for feed gas containing hydrogen sulphide, the first inlet communicating with the inner tubs, and the second inlets communicating with the outer tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2002Publication date: June 12, 2003Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, Jason Scott Norman
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Patent number: 6531109Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering sulphur from a combustible gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide, air, commercially pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. The combustible gas stream are fed to a burner which fires into an elongate furnace. A longitudinally extending flame is created which as a relatively oxygen-poor endothermic hydrogen sulphide dissociation region, and a relatively oxygen-rich, intense hydrogen sulphide combustion region. Residual hydrogen sulphide reacts with sulphur dioxide formed by the combustion to produce sulphur vapor. The furnace has an aspect ratio of about 8:1. The flame diverges from its root to occupy at its maximum cross-sectional area at least about 80% of the cross-sectional area of the furnace interior coplanar therewith.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2001Date of Patent: March 11, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group, plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 6517801Abstract: A feed gas stream containing hydrogen sulphide is subjected in a furnace 6 to reactions in which part of the hydrogen sulphide is burned to form sulphur dioxide, and is which the sulphur dioxide reacts with residual hydrogen sulphide to form sulphur vapor. The sulphur vapor is condensed from the gas stream exiting the furnace 6 in a sulphur condenser 16. Residual sulphur dioxide is reduced back to hydrogen sulphide by hydrogen in a reactor 22. Water vapor is removed from the reduced gas in a quench tower 28 to form a water vapor-depleted gas stream. One part of the water vapor-depleted gas stream is sent to an adsorber vessel 30 in which hydrogen sulphide is absorbed in an absorbent. The resulting hydrogen sulphide-depleted gas stream is vented from the vessel 30 as a purge stream. Another part of the water vapor-depleted gas stream and a hydrogen sulphide-rich gas formed by desorbing hydrogen sulphide from the absorbent in a vessel 38 are returned as recycle streams to the furnace 6.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2001Date of Patent: February 11, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, Vijay Ramanand Balse
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Patent number: 6506357Abstract: Sulphur is recovered from a first gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide and at least 50% by volume of ammonia and from a second gas stream comprising hydrogen sulphide but essentially no ammonia, the first gas stream, the second gas stream, and combustion supporting gas comprising at least one stream of essentially pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched air are fed to a single combustion zone or a plurality of combustion zones in parallel with each other without premixing of first gas stream or the second gas stream with oxygen or air, and creating in the or each combustion zone at least one region in which thermal cracking of ammonia takes place, and taking from the reactor an effluent gas stream including sulphur vapor, sulphur dioxide, and hydrogen sulphide, but essentially no residual ammonia.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Patent number: 6488905Abstract: A gas stream containing at least 50% by volume of ammonia but eventually no hydrogen sulphide is burned in a reaction region which is supplied with oxygen and oxygen-enriched air. Both combustion and thermal cracking of ammonia takes place in the reaction region. The rate of supplying oxygen moleculars to the reaction region is from 75 to 98% of the stoichiometric rate required for full combustion of all combustible fluids supplied to the reaction region. Under these conditions essentially no ammonia remains in the effluent gas but formation of oxides of nitrogen can be minimised.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventor: Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20020051743Abstract: Part of a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas is burnt in a furnace 6 in the presence of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. Sulphur dioxide is formed and reacts with remaining hydrogen sulphide to form sulphur vapour which is extracted by means of a condenser 16. The resulting sulphur vapour depleted gas stream is reduced to hydrogen sulphide in a reactor 22. Water vapour is removed from the gas mixture by condensation in a quench tower 32. A part of the resulting water-depleted gas stream is recycled to the furnace 6. Another part is sent for further treatment to form a purge stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, John Allen Wainford
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Patent number: 6352680Abstract: Sulfur vapor is formed by partial oxidation of hydrogen sulphide. A burner is operated so as to establish a flame in a furnace in or into which the burner fires. There is supplied to the flame from the first region of the mouth of the burner at least one flow of a first combustible gas comprising hydrogen sulfide. At least one second flow of a first oxidizing gas is caused to issue from the mouth of the burner and mix in the flame with the first combustible gas. There is supplied to the flame from a second region of the mouth of the burner surrounding and spaced from the said first region at least one third flow of a second combustible gas comprising hydrogen sulfide. At least one fourth flow of a second oxidizing gas is caused to issue from a region or regions of the mouth of the burner surrounded by said second region and mix in the flame with the second combustible gas. At least one fifth, outermost flow of a third oxidizing gas is caused to mix in the flame with the second combustible gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1999Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville, John Allen Wainford
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Publication number: 20020025284Abstract: Part of a hydrogen sulfide containing feed gas is burnt in a furnace 6 in the presence of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. Sulfur dioxide is formed and reacts with remaining hydrogen sulfide to form sulfur vapor which is extracted by means of a condenser 16. The resulting sulfur vapor depleted gas stream is reduced to hydrogen sulfide in stage 26 of a reactor 22. Water vapor is removed from the gas mixture condensation in a quench tower 32. A part of the resulting water-depleted gas stream is recycled to the furnace 6. Another part is sent for further treatment to form a purge stream. The sulfur vapor depleted gas stream is subjected to a step of catalytic reaction between hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide is stage 24 of the reactor 22 upstream of the stage 26.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2001Publication date: February 28, 2002Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20020025292Abstract: Sour gas containing hydrogen sulphide has hydrogen sulphide absorbed therefrom in an absorbent in a vessel 4. A hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is formed by desorbing hydrogen sulphide from the absorbent in a vessel 12. The resulting hydrogen sulphide rich gas stream is partially burned in a furnace 32. Resulting sulphur dioxide reacts therein with residual hydrogen sulphide to form sulphur vapor which is extracted in a condenser 44. Residual sulphur dioxide and sulphur vapor are reduced to hydrogen sulphide in catalyst stage 54 of a reactor 50. Water vapor is removed from the resulting reduced gas stream by direct contact with water in a quench tower 60. At least part of the resulting water vapor depleted gas stream is sent to the vessel 4 with the incoming sour gas stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2001Publication date: February 28, 2002Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville
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Publication number: 20020021993Abstract: Part of a hydrogen sulfide containing feed gas is burnt in a furnace 6 in the presence of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air. Sulfur dioxide is formed and reacts with remaining hydrogen sulfide to form sulfur vapor which is extracted by means of a condenser 16. The resulting sulfur vapor depleted gas stream is reduced to hydrogen sulfide in a reactor 22. Water vapor is removed from the gas mixture condensation in a quench tower 32. A part of the resulting water-depleted gas stream is recycled to the furnace 6. Another part is sent for further treatment to form a purge stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Inventors: Richard William Watson, Stephen Rhys Graville