Patents by Inventor Thomas H. Colle

Thomas H. Colle 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: 8415518
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for producing olefin product from an oxygenate feed that includes dimethyl ether (DME). The process uses an olefin forming catalyst that contains a porous crystalline material, preferably a porous crystalline aluminosilicate molecular sieve material. The process produces high quantities of light olefin (i.e., ethylene, propylene, and mixtures thereof).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard B. Hall, Guang Cao, Christopher David William Jenkins, James R. Lattner, Michael J. Veraa, Thomas H. Colle
  • Patent number: 8178741
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of recovery of the activity of a molecular sieve catalyst following use of the catalyst in an OTO conversion process. This is achieved by a regeneration apparatus and a method of regenerating a molecular sieve catalyst, comprising two stages. In a pretreatment stage, the catalyst is pretreated under pretreatment conditions by heating the catalyst to a temperature of between 320° C. to 700° C. in an oxygen depleted medium for a residence time of between 1 minute to two hours; and, in a regeneration stage, the catalyst is regenerated under regeneration conditions by heating the catalyst at a temperature of between 200° C. to 700° C. in an oxidizing medium for a residence time of between 1 to 60 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Chunshe J. Cao, James H. Beech, Jr., Michael P. Nicoletti, Thomas H. Colle, Teng Xu, Stephen N. Vaughn
  • Patent number: 7923261
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for determining a source of carbon feed used in manufacturing product produced from the carbon feed. The invention further provides a method for tracking products, particularly MTO products, derived from a particular carbon feed. In general, the method involves a variety of steps that include one or more of determining, comparing, inventorying, and tracking the 13C:12C ratio (or HD:H2 ratio) of the product that is being tracked to the measured or predetermined 13C:12C ratio (or HD:H2 ratio) of the feed used to make the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20110054128
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling production of olefins in an oxygenates-to-olefins reaction by combining in a reactor methanol and a molecular sieve, a AlPO or SAPO in certain embodiments, under conditions to produce at least ethylene and propylene having a first ethylene/propylene ratio; adding to the reactor a first amount of a C1 to C5 aldehyde; and withdrawing from the reactor a first amount of ethylene and propylene having a second ethylene/propylene ratio, wherein the second ethylene/propylene ratio is greater than the first ethylene/propylene ratio. The aldehyde is added at the same time, or co-feed, with the methanol under the same reaction conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Guang CAO, Thomas H. Colle, Luc R.M. Martens, Stephen H. Brown, Teng Xu
  • Patent number: 7893310
    Abstract: This invention is to a process for separating condensed water and entrained solids from an olefin stream so that fouling of the separation equipment by the entrained solids is reduced or eliminated. The process involves injecting an antifouling agent into a water condensing or quench system in an amount to maintain a zeta potential of fouling liquid and a zeta potential of the surface of the quench system both in a positive range or both in a negative range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald G. McGlamery, Jr., Michael P. Nicoletti, Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20110021857
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of recovery of the activity of a molecular sieve catalyst following use of the catalyst in an OTO conversion process. This is achieved by a regeneration apparatus and a method of regenerating a molecular sieve catalyst, comprising two stages. In a pretreatment stage, the catalyst is pretreated under pretreatment conditions by heating the catalyst to a temperature of between 320° C. to 700° C. in an oxygen depleted medium for a residence time of between 1 minute to two hours; and, in a regeneration stage, the catalyst is regenerated under regeneration conditions by heating the catalyst at a temperature of between 200° C. to 700° C. in an oxidizing medium for a residence time of between 1 to 60 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Chunshe J. Cao, James H. Beech, JR., Michael P. Nicoletti, Thomas H. Colle, Teng Xu, Stephen N. Vaughn
  • Publication number: 20100331597
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of converting oxygenates to olefins comprising contacting an oxygenate stream with an acidic high silica chabazite catalyst in one or more oxygenate-to-olefins reactors; circulating greater than from 80% of the catalyst to one or more catalyst regenerators to form regenerated catalyst; circulating the regenerated catalyst, preferably the same amount of regenerated catalyst, back to the oxygenate-to-olefins reactor to contact an oxygenate stream; and isolating a stream of olefins from the one or more oxygenate-to-olefins reactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Guang Cao, Chunshe Cao, Richard B. Hall, Thomas H. Colle
  • Patent number: 7842640
    Abstract: In a method of synthesizing an aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve, a synthesis mixture is prepared by mixing a plurality of starting materials including at least a source of water, a source of phosphorus, a source of aluminum, optionally, a source of silicon and, and at least one organic directing agent for directing the formation of said molecular sieve. The starting materials are maintained at a temperature between 25° C. and 50° C., preferably between 30° C. and 45° C., during the mixing and until preparation of the starting mixture is complete, whereafter the synthesis mixture is heated to a crystallization temperature between about 100° C. and about 350° C. until crystals of the molecular sieve are produced. When crystallization is complete, the molecular sieve is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Machteld Maria Mertens, Thomas H. Colle
  • Patent number: 7781633
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for converting a feed including an oxygenate to a product including a light olefin. In particular, this invention relates to converting an oxygenate feedstock with a silicoaluminophosphate catalyst to a product including a light olefin in a reaction apparatus. More particularly, this invention provides a means by which an optimum level of coke can be determined and utilized to generate an optimum or near-optimum yield of light olefins such as ethylene and propylene in a oxygenates to olefins system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen N. Vaughn, Keith H. Kuechler, Thomas H. Colle, Teng Xu
  • Patent number: 7741528
    Abstract: This invention is to a process for separating condensed water and entrained solids from an olefin stream so that fouling of the separation equipment by the entrained solids is reduced or eliminated. The process involves injecting an antifouling agent into a water condensing or quench system in an amount to maintain a zeta potential of fouling liquid and a zeta potential of the surface of the quench system both in a positive range or both in a negative range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Yun-Feng Chang, Patricia A. O'Neill-Burn, Julia E. Steinheider, Kenneth R. Clem, Thomas H. Colle, Gerald G. McGlamery, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100087610
    Abstract: A crystalline microporous silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve is prepared by: (a) providing a reaction mixture having a molar composition within the following ranges: P:Al from 0.75 to 1.25, Si:Al2 from 0.01 to 0.32, H2O:Al2 from 25 to 50, and R:Al2 from 1 to 3, where R designates a structure directing agent (template), and wherein the molar ratios for the aluminum, phosphorus, and silicon sources are calculated based on the oxide forms; (b) heating the mixture to a crystallization temperature of between 150° C. to 250° C. to form the crystalline molecular sieve within the reaction mixture; and (c) following crystallization in step (b), aging the crystalline molecular sieve in an alkaline liquid at a temperature below the crystallization temperature from 0.5 hour for up to 120 hours. Aging can affect both catalyst life and catalyst activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Stephen N. Vaughn, Machteld M. Mertens, Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20090239737
    Abstract: In a method of synthesizing an aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve, a synthesis mixture is prepared by mixing a plurality of starting materials including at least a source of water, a source of phosphorus, a source of aluminum, optionally, a source of silicon and, and at least one organic directing agent for directing the formation of said molecular sieve. The starting materials are maintained at a temperature between 25° C. and 50° C., preferably between 30° C. and 45° C., during the mixing and until preparation of the starting mixture is complete, whereafter the synthesis mixture is heated to a crystallization temperature between about 100° C. and about 350° C. until crystals of the molecular sieve are produced. When crystallization is complete, the molecular sieve is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Machteld Maria Mertens, Thomas H. Colle
  • Patent number: 7544851
    Abstract: In a method of synthesizing an aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve, a synthesis mixture is prepared by mixing a plurality of starting materials including at least a source of water, a source of phosphorus, a source of aluminum, optionally, a source of silicon and, and at least one organic directing agent for directing the formation of said molecular sieve. The starting materials are maintained at a temperature between 25° C. and 50° C., preferably between 30° C. and 45° C., during the mixing and until preparation of the starting mixture is complete, whereafter the synthesis mixture is heated to a crystallization temperature between about 100° C. and about 350° C. until crystals of the molecular sieve are produced. When crystallization is complete, the molecular sieve is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Machteld Maria Mertens, Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20090017550
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for determining a source of carbon feed used in manufacturing product produced from the carbon feed. The invention further provides a method for tracking products, particularly MTO products, derived from a particular carbon feed. In general, the method involves a variety of steps that include one or more of determining, comparing, inventorying, and tracking the 13C:12C ratio (or HD:H2 ratio) of the product that is being tracked to the measured or predetermined 13C:12C ratio (or HD:H2 ratio) of the feed used to make the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20080188699
    Abstract: This invention is to a process for separating condensed water and entrained solids from an olefin stream so that fouling of the separation equipment by the entrained solids is reduced or eliminated. The process involves injecting an antifouling agent into a water condensing or quench system in an amount to maintain a zeta potential of fouling liquid and a zeta potential of the surface of the quench system both in a positive range or both in a negative range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Yun-Feng Chang, Patricia A. O'Neill-Burn, Julia E. Steinheider, Kenneth R. Clem, Thomas H. Colle, Gerald G. McGlamery
  • Publication number: 20080188700
    Abstract: This invention is to a process for separating condensed water and entrained solids from an olefin stream so that fouling of the separation equipment by the entrained solids is reduced or eliminated. The process involves injecting an antifouling agent into a water condensing or quench system in an amount to maintain a zeta potential of fouling liquid and a zeta potential of the surface of the quench system both in a positive range or both in a negative range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Gerald G. McGlamery, Michael P. Nicoletti, Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20080033225
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for producing olefin product from an oxygenate feed that includes dimethyl ether (DME). The process uses an olefin forming catalyst that contains a porous crystalline material, preferably a porous crystalline aluminosilicate molecular sieve material. The process produces high quantities of light olefin (i.e., ethylene, propylene, and mixtures thereof).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Richard B. Hall, Guang Cao, Christopher David William Jenkins, James R. Lattner, Michael J. Veraa, Thomas H. Colle
  • Publication number: 20070249492
    Abstract: In a method of synthesizing an aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve, a synthesis mixture is prepared by mixing a plurality of starting materials including at least a source of water, a source of phosphorus, a source of aluminum, optionally, a source of silicon and, and at least one organic directing agent for directing the formation of said molecular sieve. The starting materials are maintained at a temperature between 25° C. and 50° C., preferably between 30° C. and 45° C., during the mixing and until preparation of the starting mixture is complete, whereafter the synthesis mixture is heated to a crystallization temperature between about 100° C. and about 350° C. until crystals of the molecular sieve are produced. When crystallization is complete, the molecular sieve is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Machteld Maria Mertens, Thomas H. Colle
  • Patent number: 7067052
    Abstract: A process for reforming a hydrocarbon feed containing precursors of ethylbenzene, e.g., C8 isoalkane and/or C8 isoalkene precursors of ethylbenzene, that results in the formation of reduced amounts of ethylbenzene. The process is carried out in a catalytic reforming unit comprised of a plurality of operatively connected reactors comprising at least one lead reforming reactor and a tail reforming reactor. The process is carried out by reforming the feed in at least one lead reactor which contains a first reforming catalyst and a catalyst effective for converting ethylbenzene and further reforming the product of the lead reactor in the tail reactor that contains a second reforming catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Jain-Kai Hung, Thomas H. Colle, Xiaobing Feng, Gary D. Mohr, Krishna Kulai Rao
  • Patent number: 6946583
    Abstract: A process for selectively producing para-xylene from a feedstock enriched in C8 isoalkanes and/or isoalkenes is disclosed. The feed is contacted with Group VIII metal loaded molecular sieve catalyst of low acidity under dehydrocyclization conditions wherein the molecular sieve has a channel size ranging from about 5-8 Angstroms and a 10 to 12 membered ring structure containing at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, P, Ge, Ga and Ti.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaobing Feng, Thomas H. Colle, Gary D. Mohr