Patents by Inventor Steve Yanik

Steve Yanik 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: 20110154720
    Abstract: A process for producing fuel from biomass is disclosed herein. The process includes torrefying biomass material at a temperature between 80° C. to 400° C. to form particulated biomass having a mean average particle size between 1 ?m and 1000 ?m. The particulated biomass is mixed with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a suspension, wherein the suspension includes from 1 weight percent to 40 weight percent particulated biomass. The suspension is fed into a unit selected from the group consisting of a pyrolysis reactor, a fluid catalytic cracking unit, a delayed coker, a fluid coker, a hydroprocessing unit, and a hydrocracking unit, and then at least a portion of the particulated biomass of the suspension is converted into fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: KiOR, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Bartek, Michael Brady, Dennis Stamires, Steve Yanik, Paul O'Connor, Jacobus C. Rasser
  • Publication number: 20110094147
    Abstract: A process for producing bio-fuel from biomass is disclosed herein. The process includes processing the mean particle diameter of the biomass by mechanical processing to a size ranging from 1 ?m to 1000 ?m to form particulated biomass. The particulated biomass is mixed with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a suspension, wherein the suspension includes between 1 weight percent to 40 weight percent particulated biomass. The suspension is heated to a temperature between 50° C. and 550° C. The heated suspension is fed into a unit selected from the group consisting of a pyrolysis reactor, a fluid catalytic cracking unit, a delayed coker, a fluid coker, a hydroprocessing unit, and a hydrocracking unit; and then at least a portion of the particulated biomass of the heated suspension is converted into fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: KiOR, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Bartek, Steve Yanik
  • Publication number: 20110023565
    Abstract: A method for producing biomass and sequestering greenhouse gas includes providing a greenhouse gas, providing light energy, and growing algae in a growth container with the greenhouse gas and the light energy. The algae can be processed into a biomass feedstock. The biomass feedstock can be converted into a fuel or specialty chemical. At least a portion of the algae can be used as a fertilizer for a biomass growth source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: KiOR Inc.
    Inventors: STEVE YANIK, Robert Bartek
  • Publication number: 20100281759
    Abstract: A modular biomass treatment unit includes a first module having a pretreater and a first frame for transportation to and operation at a site adjacent to a solid biomass growth source. The pretreater is operable to process solid biomass to produce a plurality of solid biomass particles for conversion into a fuel or specialty chemical. The first frame supports the pretreater during transportation to and operation at the site adjacent to the solid biomass growth source. The modular biomass treatment unit can also include additional modules each comprising a reactor, a separator, and a frame for transportation to and operation at a site such as the site adjacent to the solid biomass growth source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: KiOR INC.
    Inventors: Steve Yanik, Paul O'Connor, Robert Bartek
  • Publication number: 20100113849
    Abstract: A process is disclosed including: contacting solid biomass with a first catalyst stream in a first reaction zone operated at a temperature T1 (from about 250 to about 400° C.), for conversion of a portion of the solid biomass and forming a first gaseous product stream; downwardly passing unconverted biomass to a second reaction zone for contact with a second catalyst stream charged to the second reaction zone operated at a temperature T2, for conversion to form a second gaseous product stream and a spent catalyst; burning coke off the spent catalyst in a regenerator to form a regenerated catalyst; charging a portion of the regenerated catalyst to each of the first and second reaction zones, as the first and second catalyst streams, respectively; upwardly passing the second gaseous product stream to the first reaction zone; and removing both first and second gaseous product streams from the first reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: KIOR INC.
    Inventors: Robert Bartek, Steve Yanik, Paul O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20100105970
    Abstract: A method for converting solid biomass into hydrocarbons includes contacting the solid biomass with a catalyst in a first riser operated at a temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 200° C. to thereby produce a first biomass-catalyst mixture and a first product comprising hydrocarbons; a) separating the first product from the first biomass-catalyst mixture; c) charging the first biomass-catalyst mixture to a second riser operated at a temperature in the range of from about 200° C. to about 400° C. to thereby produce a second biomass-catalyst mixture and a second product comprising hydrocarbons; d) separating the second product from the second biomass-catalyst mixture; e) charging the second biomass-catalyst mixture to a third riser operated at a temperature greater than about 450° C. to thereby produce a spent catalyst and a third product comprising hydrocarbons; and f) separating the third effluent from the spent catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: KiOR INC.
    Inventors: STEVE YANIK, ROBERT BARTEK, PAUL O'CONNOR, DENNIS STAMIRES, MICHAEL BRADY