Patents by Inventor Theodore W. WALKER

Theodore W. WALKER 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: 12662635
    Abstract: Processes and systems for hydrocarbon pyrolysis. In some embodiments, a hydrocarbon can be heated within a convection section of a steam cracking furnace and combined with an aqueous fluid to produce a heated mixture. A heavy feed that includes a plastic material can be introduced into a vessel and a portion of the plastic material can be cracked therein. Liquid and vapor effluents exiting the vessel can be obtained. At least a portion of the liquid effluent can be heated to produce a heated fluid stream that can be recycled to the vessel. The vapor effluent can be combined with the heated mixture to produce a combined mixture that can be heated within the convection section to produce a heated combined mixture. At least a portion of the heated combined mixture can be cracked within a radiant section of the steam cracking furnace to produce a steam cracker effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: ExxonMobile Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Kara R. Radford, David Spicer, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Theodore W. Walker, Alison M. Miller, Steven M. Slack
  • Patent number: 12612559
    Abstract: Processes for removing deposits from a pump-around loop or simply loop. The process can include isolating a first and a second end of the loop in fluid communication with a vessel to provide an isolated section. The isolated section can include a first conduit disposed within a convection section of a steam cracking furnace or a heat exchanger that is external to the steam cracking furnace that can include char therein. The first end can be connected to an aqueous fluid/oxidant source. The second end can be connected to a second conduit disposed within the convection section. An aqueous fluid/oxidant mixture can be introduced into the first end that can be heated by flowing through the isolated section. The heated mixture can flow through the second conduit to produce a second heated mixture that can be introduced into a radiant section of the steam cracking furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Kara R. Radford, David Spicer, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Theodore W. Walker, Alison M. Miller, Steven M. Slack
  • Publication number: 20250361446
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for integrated coking and gasification of a biomass feed in a three-vessel fluidized coking system under co-processing conditions so that biomass is co-fed with a conventional and/or mineral coker feed, such as a feed containing resid or heavy crude oil. It has been discovered that co-processing of a biomass feed can unexpectedly increase the reaction rate for coking of the conventional/mineral coker feed. This unexpected increase in reaction rate can allow for modification of how the three-vessel fluidized coking reaction system is operated. The resulting modification in operating conditions can allow for production of a modified and/or improved product slate from the fluidized coker. The modifications in the product slate can include an increase in total liquid products as well as a decrease in micro carbon residue and/or n-heptane insolubles in the total liquid products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: November 27, 2025
    Inventors: JAMES R. BIELENBERG, Theodore W. WALKER, Ashish B. MHADESHWAR, Scott R. HORTON, Stephen H. BROWN, Brenda A. RAICH, Fritz A. BERNATZ, Arun K. SHARMA
  • Patent number: 12060527
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for co-processing a hydrocarbon feed in an FCC system with a second feed of a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil and a third feed of a plastic-derived pyrolysis oil and/or lubricant. A method of co-processing fluid catalytic cracking feeds, includes: introducing a hydrocarbon feed to a fluid catalytic cracking reactor, wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises hydrocarbons; introducing a biomass feed to the fluid catalytic cracking reactor wherein the biomass feed comprises a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil; introducing a waste feed to the fluid catalytic cracking reactor, wherein the waste feed comprises a plastic, a plastic-derived pyrolysis oil, a lubricant, or a combination thereof; and reacting at least the hydrocarbon feed, the biomass feed, and the waste feed in the presence of one or more fluid catalytic cracking catalysts in the fluid catalytic cracking reactor to produce cracked products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Aaron Sattler, Hyung Rae Kim, Theodore W. Walker, Ethan G. Dacosta, Xiaochun Xu
  • Publication number: 20240247193
    Abstract: Processes and systems for hydrocarbon pyrolysis. In some embodiments, a hydrocarbon can be heated within a convection section of a steam cracking furnace and combined with an aqueous fluid to produce a heated mixture. A heavy feed that includes a plastic material can be introduced into a vessel and a portion of the plastic material can be cracked therein. Liquid and vapor effluents exiting the vessel can be obtained. At least a portion of the liquid effluent can be heated to produce a heated fluid stream that can be recycled to the vessel. The vapor effluent can be combined with the heated mixture to produce a combined mixture that can be heated within the convection section to produce a heated combined mixture. At least a portion of the heated combined mixture can be cracked within a radiant section of the steam cracking furnace to produce a steam cracker effluent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kara R. Radford, David Spicer, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Theodore W. Walker, Alison M. Miller, Steven M. Slack
  • Publication number: 20240247194
    Abstract: Processes for removing deposits from a pump-around loop or simply loop. The process can include isolating a first and a second end of the loop in fluid communication with a vessel to provide an isolated section. The isolated section can include a first conduit disposed within a convection section of a steam cracking furnace or a heat exchanger that is external to the steam cracking furnace that can include char therein. The first end can be connected to an aqueous fluid/oxidant source. The second end can be connected to a second conduit disposed within the convection section. An aqueous fluid/oxidant mixture can be introduced into the first end that can be heated by flowing through the isolated section. The heated mixture can flow through the second conduit to produce a second heated mixture that can be introduced into a radiant section of the steam cracking furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kara R. Radford, David Spicer, Saurabh S. Maduskar, Theodore W. Walker, Alison M. Miller, Steven M. Slack
  • Publication number: 20230257664
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for co-processing a hydrocarbon feed in an FCC system with a second feed of a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil and a third feed of a plastic-derived pyrolysis oil and/or lubricant. A method of co-processing fluid catalytic cracking feeds, includes: introducing a hydrocarbon feed to a fluid catalytic cracking reactor, wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises hydrocarbons; introducing a biomass feed to the fluid catalytic cracking reactor wherein the biomass feed comprises a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil; introducing a waste feed to the fluid catalytic cracking reactor, wherein the waste feed comprises a plastic, a plastic-derived pyrolysis oil, a lubricant, or a combination thereof; and reacting at least the hydrocarbon feed, the biomass feed, and the waste feed in the presence of one or more fluid catalytic cracking catalysts in the fluid catalytic cracking reactor to produce cracked products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron Sattler, Hyung Rae KIM, Theodore W. WALKER, Ethan G. DACOSTA, Xiaochun XU