Patents by Inventor Steven Niewiedzial

Steven Niewiedzial 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: 7368090
    Abstract: An distributor arrangement introduces spent FCC catalyst more uniformly across the dense bed of the regenerator to provide more even contact with regeneration gas in order to avoid hot spots and zones of incomplete combustion. The invention forms a fluidized hopper to collect spent catalyst and a horizontally extended header with multiple horizontally extended outlet arms to place catalyst into the regenerator. The invention may use an aeration means to fluidize the header to further assist catalyst flow. Furthermore, the spent catalyst delivered to the top of the regenerator dense reduces NOx emissions in the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Daniel N. Myers, Mikhail Tretyak, Rusty M. Pittman, Steven Niewiedzial
  • Patent number: 7150860
    Abstract: An apparatus and process in which a catalyst nozzle and a feed nozzle are joined together at a joint in a reactor vessel that contains a disengaging transport conduit in communication with a separator. An inlet to the transport conduit is disposed vertically higher than the joint to reduce the quantity of catalyst that enters the transport conduit with the vapor product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Palmas, Steven Niewiedzial
  • Publication number: 20050019228
    Abstract: An distributor arrangement introduces spent FCC catalyst more uniformly across the dense bed of the regenerator to provide more even contact with regeneration gas in order to avoid hot spots and zones of incomplete combustion. The invention forms a fluidized hopper to collect spent catalyst and a horizontally extended header with multiple horizontally extended outlet arms to place catalyst into the regenerator. The invention may use an aeration means to fluidize the header to further assist catalyst flow. Furthermore, the spent catalyst delivered to the top of the regenerator dense reduces NOx emissions in the flue gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Daniel Myers, Mikhail Tretyak, Rusty Pittman, Steven Niewiedzial
  • Patent number: 6841133
    Abstract: An apparatus and process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a cyclone which has a curved outer wall and imparts a second swirling angular direction to the mixture. The second angular direction is counter to the first angular direction. The apparatus and method assures that a greater proportion of the mixture entering the cyclone is incorporated into the vortex to further enhance separation between the solids and gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Steven Niewiedzial, Daniel N. Myers
  • Patent number: 6809054
    Abstract: An distributor arrangement introduces spent FCC catalyst more uniformly across the dense bed of the regenerator to provide more even contact with regeneration gas in order to avoid hot spots and zones of incomplete combustion. The invention forms a fluidized hopper to collect spent catalyst and a horizontally extended header with multiple horizontally extended outlet arms to place catalyst into the regenerator. The invention may use an aeration means to fluidize the header to further assist catalyst flow. Furthermore, the spent catalyst delivered to the top of the regenerator dense reduces NOx emissions in the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Daniel N. Myers, Mikhail Tretyak, Rusty M. Pittman, Steven Niewiedzial
  • Publication number: 20030029774
    Abstract: An apparatus and process is disclosed for the separation of solids from gases in a mixture which is most particularly applicable to an FCC apparatus. The mixture of solids and gases are passed through a conduit and exit through a swirl arm that imparts a swirl motion having a first annular direction to centripetally separate the heavier solids from the lighter gases. The mixture then enters a cyclone which has a curved outer wall and imparts a second swirling angular direction to the mixture. The second angular direction is counter to the first angular direction. The apparatus and method assures that a greater proportion of the mixture entering the cyclone is incorporated into the vortex to further enhance separation between the solids and gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Steven Niewiedzial, Daniel N. Myers
  • Patent number: 5843377
    Abstract: An FCC separation arrangement for a catalyst and hydrocarbon contacting zone having a downcomer terminus section uses a compact separation vessel to provide a quick separation between catalyst and hydrocarbon gases in a compact area that also accommodates the use of cyclone separators for a further removal of catalyst from the hydrocarbon gases. The separation system uses a gas collection conduit that incorporates an expansion element for accommodating differential growth between the riser separation vessel and cyclones in the same compact area. The system is suitable for single downcomers or multiple downcomers. The system can be used with a closed containment vessel or in an entirely open system that eliminates the use of a containment vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: James A. Fandel, David A. Lomas, Steven Niewiedzial, Daniel R. Johnson, James Althoff
  • Patent number: 5565020
    Abstract: In this invention a cyclonic separation method and apparatus discharges particulate solids and gaseous fluids into a separation vessel from a discharge opening of a central conduit and withdraws separated gaseous fluids from the separation vessel with a recovery conduit having an inlet located below the discharge opening. Recovery of separated gases using cyclonic separation is improved by the specific location of the recovery piping inlet which reduces the entrainment of fine particles with the gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventor: Steven Niewiedzial