Patents by Inventor Terry D. Pruitt
Terry D. Pruitt 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: 8075866Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2011Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D. Smith
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Publication number: 20110266135Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANYInventors: Alfred E. KELLER, Nathan A. HATCHER, Sriram RAMANI, Terry D. PRUITT, Michael D SMITH
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Patent number: 7998451Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2008Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D Smith
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Publication number: 20100163401Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing hydrogen sulfide from liquid sulfur including: passing a liquid sulfur feed comprising liquid sulfur and hydrogen sulfide to a vaporizer; vaporizing at least a portion of the liquid sulfur feed in the vaporizer to thereby form a first vapor stream comprising gaseous sulfur and gaseous hydrogen sulfide; partially condensing the first vapor stream in a condenser to form a liquid product stream comprising liquid sulfur and a second vapor stream comprising hydrogen sulfide; wherein the liquid product stream has a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the liquid sulfur feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2008Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Nathan A. Hatcher, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt, Michael D. Smith
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Patent number: 7560088Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which includes an upflow orientation for the gases through a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. The upward flow of the gases puts the hottest gases in contact with the tubes and tube sheet in the waste heat boiler where there is greater confidence in having liquid water in most continuous therewith.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2007Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Nathan A. Hatcher, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Larry D. Swinney, Kerri J. Kirkendall, Gilbert E. Torres, Paul D. Stewart, Terry D. Pruitt
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Patent number: 7226572Abstract: A compact sulfur recovery system is disclosed which comprises a primary structure including a catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone, a first temperature-control zone, a first Claus catalytic reaction zone, a second temperature-control zone, a first liquid sulfur outlet, and a first effluent gas outlet. In some embodiments, a secondary structure follows the primary structure and comprises a second Claus catalytic reaction zone, a third temperature-control zone, a second liquid sulfur outlet, and a second effluent gas outlet. One or more components of the system employ heat transfer enhancement material in the temperature-control zones, and one or more components deter accumulation of liquid sulfur in the Claus catalytic reaction zones.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: ConocoPhillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Steven E. Lusk, Nathan A. Hatcher, Larry D. Swinney, Kerri J. Kirkendall, Gilbert E. Torres, Paul D. Stewart, Terry D. Pruitt
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Patent number: 6946111Abstract: A process for removing sulfur from a H2S-containing gas stream is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the process comprises incorporating a short contact time catalytic partial oxidation reactor, a cooling zone, and a condenser into a conventional refinery or gas plant process, such as a natural gas desulfurizer, a hydrotreater, coker or fluid catalytic cracker, in which sulfur removal is needed in order to produce a more desirable product. An H2S-containing gas stream is fed into a short contact time reactor where the H2S is partially oxidized over a suitable catalyst in the presence of O2 to elemental sulfur and water.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2001Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: ConocoPhilips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Joe D. Allison, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt
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Patent number: 6800269Abstract: An apparatus and process for recovering elemental sulfur from a H2S-containing waste gas stream are disclosed, along with a method of making a preferred catalyst for catalyzing the process. The apparatus preferably comprises a short contact time catalytic partial oxidation reactor, a cooling zone, and a sulfur condenser. According to a preferred embodiment of the process, a mixture of H2S and O2 contacts the catalyst very briefly (i.e, less than about 200 milliseconds). Some preferred catalyst devices comprise a reduced metal such as Pt, Rh, or Pt—Rh, and a lanthanide metal oxide, or a pre-carbided form of the metal. The preferred apparatus and process are capable of operating at superatmospheric pressure and improve the efficiency of converting H2S to sulfur, which will reduce the cost and complexity of construction and operation of a sulfur recovery plant used for waste gas cleanup.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2001Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Conocophillips CompanyInventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Terry D. Pruitt
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Publication number: 20020134706Abstract: A process for removing sulfur from a H2S-containing gas stream is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the process comprises incorporating a short contact time catalytic partial oxidation reactor, a cooling zone, and a condenser into a conventional refinery or gas plant process, such as a natural gas desulfurizer, a hydrotreater, coker or fluid catalytic cracker, in which sulfur removal is needed in order to produce a more desirable product. An H2S-containing gas stream is fed into a short contact time reactor where the H2S is partially oxidized over a suitable catalyst in the presence of O2 to elemental sulfur and water.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2001Publication date: September 26, 2002Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Joe D. Allison, Sriram Ramani, Terry D. Pruitt
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Publication number: 20020131928Abstract: An apparatus and process for recovering elemental sulfur from a H2S-containing waste gas stream are disclosed, along with a method of making a preferred catalyst for catalyzing the process. The apparatus preferably comprises a short contact time catalytic partial oxidation reactor, a cooling zone, and a sulfur condenser. According to a preferred embodiment of the process, a mixture of H2S and O2 contacts the catalyst very briefly (i.e, less than about 200 milliseconds). Some preferred catalyst devices comprise a reduced metal such as Pt, Rh, or Pt—Rh, and a lanthanide metal oxide, or a pre-carbided form of the metal. The preferred apparatus and process are capable of operating at superatmospheric pressure and improve the efficiency of converting H2S to sulfur, which will reduce the cost and complexity of construction and operation of a sulfur recovery plant used for waste gas cleanup.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2001Publication date: September 19, 2002Inventors: Alfred E. Keller, Sriram Ramani, Joe D. Allison, Terry D. Pruitt