Patents by Inventor Tan Jen Chen

Tan Jen Chen 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: 20150099910
    Abstract: A process for activating a hydroalkylation catalyst in a first state comprising an acid component and a hydrogenating metal component, including: (i) treatment at a temperature of at least 120° C. in the presence of hydrogen for a first duration to produce a catalyst in a second state having a first hydroalkylation activity; (ii) contacting the catalyst in the second state with an aromatic compound and hydrogen under a hydroalkylation condition effective to convert at least part of the aromatic compound to a cycloalkylaromatic compound and produce a catalyst in a third state; and (iii) treating the catalyst in the third state at a temperature of at least 160° C. in the presence of hydrogen but advantageously in the substantial absence of the aromatic compound for a third duration to produce an activated catalyst in a fourth state having a third hydroalkylation activity greater than the first hydroalkylation activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Gabor Kiss, Tan-Jen Chen, Thomas E. Green
  • Publication number: 20150065754
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogenation processes including: contacting a first composition with hydrogen under hydrogenation conditions, in the presence of an eggshell hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the first composition has: (i) greater than about 50 wt % of cyclohexylbenzene, the wt % based upon the total weight of the first composition; and (ii) greater than about 0.3 wt % of cyclohexenylbenzene, the wt % based upon the total weight of the first composition; and thereby obtaining a second composition having less cyclohexenylbenzene than the first composition. Other hydrogenation processes are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Travis A. Reine, Keith H. Kuechler, Terry E. Helton, Jihad M. Dakka
  • Patent number: 8969639
    Abstract: In a dehydrogenation process a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound and at least one five-membered ring compound is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst produced by a method comprising treating the support with a liquid composition comprising the dehydrogenation component or a precursor thereof and at least one organic dispersant selected from an amino alcohol and an amino acid. The contacting is conducted under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to benzene and to convert at least a portion of the at least one five-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to paraffins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Teng Xu, Stuart L. Soled, Edward A. Lemon, Jr., Christine E. Kliewer, Tan-Jen Chen, Joseph E. Baumgartner, Sabato Miseo
  • Publication number: 20140371498
    Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene is contacted with hydrogen under hydroalkylation conditions effective to form a first effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, and unreacted benzene. At least a portion of the first effluent stream is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under dehydrogenation conditions to convert at least a portion of the cyclohexane to benzene thereby forming a second effluent stream. The amount of methylcyclopentane in the second effluent stream is different by no more than 65% of the total amount of the portion of the first effluent stream, said amounts being on a weight basis. A methylcyclopentane-containing stream is removed from either the first or the second effluent stream and at least a portion of the second effluent stream containing benzene is recycled to the hydroalkylation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Company - Law Technology
    Inventors: Keith H. Kuechler, James R. Lattner, Christopher L. Becker, Jihad M. Dakka, Tan-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 8884088
    Abstract: In a dehydrogenation process a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound and at least one five-membered ring compound is contacted with a first catalyst comprising at least one metal component and at least one support and a second catalyst. The first catalyst is utilized to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to at least one aromatic compound and the second catalyst is utilized to convert at least a portion of the at least one five-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to at least one paraffin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Smith, Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton, Teng Xu
  • Patent number: 8884065
    Abstract: In a process for producing a cycloalkylaromatic compound, an aromatic compound and a cyclic olefin are contacted with a first catalyst under conditions effective to produce a reaction product comprising the cycloalkylaromatic compound and at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product. The at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product is then contacted with a second catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product to a converted by-product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Wang, Jihad M. Dakka, Stephen Zushma, James R. Lattner, Christopher L. Becker, Tan-Jen Chen
  • Publication number: 20140323782
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for dehydrogenating a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound with a dehydrogenation catalyst. The dehydrogenation catalyst comprises: (i) 0.05 wt % to 5 wt % of a metal selected from Group 14 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (ii) 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a metal selected from Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements. The process is conducted under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate at least a portion saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Jihad Mohammed Dakka, Terry Eugene Helton, Francisco Manuel Benitez, Charles Morris Smith, Lorenzo Cophard DeCaul
  • Patent number: 8802907
    Abstract: A processes for producing a dehydrogenation reaction product stream comprising the step of contacting a hydrocarbon stream comprising cyclohexane and methyl cyclopentane with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising at least one metal or compound thereof and at least one molecular sieve and under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the cyclohexane to benzene and to convert at least a portion of the methyl cyclopentane to at least one paraffin. The hydrocarbon stream is produced by hydroalkylating benzene and hydrogen to form a hydroalkylation reaction product stream which is separated to yield the hydrocarbon stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Teng Xu, Edward A. Lemon, Jr., Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton
  • Publication number: 20140221710
    Abstract: A feedstream comprising paraxylene and styrene is contacted, in the presence of hydrogen, with a catalyst comprising at least one metal, selected from one or more metals selected from Groups 8-10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, John Di-Yi Ou, Jeevan S. Abichandani, Glenn Allen Heeter
  • Publication number: 20140187821
    Abstract: In a process for producing a cycloalkylaromatic compound, an aromatic compound and a cyclic olefin are contacted with a first catalyst under conditions effective to produce a reaction product comprising the cycloalkylaromatic compound and at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product. The at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product is then contacted with a second catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-fused bicyclic by-product to a converted by-product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Wang, Jihad M. Dakka, Stephen Zushma, James R. Lattner, Christopher L. Becker, Tan-Jen Chen
  • Publication number: 20130289323
    Abstract: A hydroalkylation catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a compound of a hydrogenation metal is activated by treating the catalyst at a temperature of less than about 250° C. in the presence of hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: Exxon Mobil Chemical Company -Law Technology
    Inventors: Teng Xu, Edward Andrew Lemon, JR., Terry Eugene Helton, Tan-Jen Chen, Charles Morris Smith
  • Patent number: 8519194
    Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene and hydrogen are fed to at least one reaction zone comprising a catalyst system which comprises a molecular sieve and at least one hydrogenation metal. The MCM-22 family molecular sieve having an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07 Angstrom, and the hydrogenation metal is selected from the group consisting of palladium, ruthenium, nickel, zinc, tin, cobalt, and combinations of any two or more thereof. Hydroalkylation conditions of temperature and pressure are selected to produce a hydroalkylation conversion in a range of from about 15% to about 75% The benzene and hydrogen are then contacted in the at least one reaction zone under said selected hydroalkylation condition to produce an effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Francisco M. Benitez, John S. Buchanan, Jane C. Cheng, Jon E. Stanat
  • Publication number: 20130202522
    Abstract: The invention relates to hydroalkylation processes. In the processes, a hydrogen stream comprising hydrogen and an impurity is treated to reduce the amount of the impurity in the hydrogen stream. The hydrogen is then hydroalkylated with benzene to form at least some cyclohexylbenzene. The processes also relate to treating a benzene stream comprising benzene and an impurity with an adsorbent to reduce the amount of the impurity in the benzene stream. The hydroalkylation processes described herein may be used as part of a process to make phenol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Teng Xu, Terry Helton, Francisco M. Benitez, Charles M. Smith
  • Patent number: 8487140
    Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and then the resultant cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is cleaved to produce an effluent stream comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the effluent stream is then fed to at least one dehydrogenation reaction zone, where the effluent stream portion is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least part of the cyclohexanone in the effluent portion into phenol and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Buchanan, Jon E. Stanat, Tan-Jen Chen, Jihad M. Dakka, James R. Lattner
  • Publication number: 20130090499
    Abstract: A catalyst composition comprising: (i) a support; (ii) a first component comprising at least one metal component selected from Group 1 and Group 2 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (iii) a second component comprising at least one metal component selected from Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein the catalyst composition exhibits an oxygen chemisorption of greater than 50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventors: Teng Xu, Terry E. Helton, Jihad M. Bakka, Tan-Jen Chen, Sabato Miseo, Lorenzo C. Decaul, Edward A. Lemon, JR.
  • Patent number: 8329956
    Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene and hydrogen are contacted under hydroalkylation conditions with a catalyst system comprising a MCM-22 family molecular sieve and at least one hydrogenation metal. The conditions comprise a temperature of about 140° C. to about 175° C., a pressure of about 135 psig to about 175 psig (931 kPag to 1207 kPag), a hydrogen to benzene molar ratio of about 0.30 to about 0.65 and a weight hourly space velocity of benzene of about 0.26 to about 1.05 hr?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Jane C. Cheng, Tan-Jen Chen, Prasenjeet Ghosh
  • Publication number: 20120302798
    Abstract: A dehydrogenation process for the dehydrogenation of at least one dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon, the process comprising contacting a feed comprising the at least one dehydrogenatable hydrocarbon under dehydrogenation conditions with a catalyst composition comprising a support and at least one dehydrogenation component wherein said conditions include a temperature of from 400° C. to 750° C. and a pressure of at least 50 psig (345 kPag).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Jihad M. Dakka, Lorenzo C. Decaul, Sabato Miseo, James R. Lattner, Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton, Teng Xu
  • Publication number: 20120283494
    Abstract: In a dehydrogenation process a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound and at least one five-membered ring compound is contacted with a first catalyst comprising at least one metal component and at least one support and a second catalyst. The first catalyst is utilized to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to at least one aromatic compound and the second catalyst is utilized to convert at least a portion of the at least one five-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to at least one paraffin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Charles M. Smith, Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton, Teng Xu
  • Publication number: 20120271077
    Abstract: In a dehydrogenation process a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound and at least one five-membered ring compound is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst produced by a method comprising treating the support with a liquid composition comprising the dehydrogenation component or a precursor thereof and at least one organic dispersant selected from an amino alcohol and an amino acid. The contacting is conducted under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to benzene and to convert at least a portion of the at least one five-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to paraffins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Exxonmobile Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Teng Xu, Stuart L. Soled, Edward A. Lemon, JR., Christine E. Kliewer, Tan-Jen Chen, Joseph E. Baumgartner, Sabato Miseo
  • Publication number: 20120271078
    Abstract: In a dehydrogenation process a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound and at least one five-membered ring compound is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising: (i) a support; (ii) a first component comprising at least one metal component selected from Group 1 and Group 2 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (iii) a second component comprising at least one metal component selected from Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein the catalyst composition exhibits an oxygen chemisorption of greater than 50%. The contacting is conducted under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the at least one non-aromatic six-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to benzene and to convert at least a portion of the at least one five-membered ring compound in the hydrocarbon stream to paraffins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Tan-Jen Chen, Terry E. Helton, Teng Xu