Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Godry

Thomas J. Godry 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: 10281209
    Abstract: A reboiler in fluid communication with a fractionator column in an offshore low temperature process removing carbon dioxide from natural gas has a vessel volume. A carbon steel tubing bundle is disposed within the vessel volume. Each tube in the bundle has an outer surface with a porous granular metal layer deposited thereon. The granular metal layer comprises a pore size distribution which promotes bubble nucleation during vaporization of a nearly pure liquid carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Thomas J. Godry, Zhanping Xu
  • Publication number: 20180106535
    Abstract: A reboiler in fluid communication with a fractionator column in an offshore low temperature process removing carbon dioxide from natural gas has a vessel volume. A carbon steel tubing bundle is disposed within the vessel volume. Each tube in the bundle has an outer surface with a porous granular metal layer deposited thereon. The granular metal layer comprises a pore size distribution which promotes bubble nucleation during vaporization of a nearly pure liquid carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Thomas J. Godry, Zhanping Xu
  • Patent number: 8991480
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. It has been found that good quality brazed joints can be made by modifying the brazing thermal cycle to first employing a temperature of about 500° C. for an extended period of time and then elevating the temperature to about 590° to 600° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 8347503
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing brazed aluminum heat exchangers involved in boiling and condensing, including a high performance nucleate boiling surface bonded with the walls of fin-less boiling passages. One method includes providing a first heat exchanger core subassembly including a first joinable end, at least one cooling and one boiling passage, and a first partial finless passage arranged at the joinable end. A second heat exchanger core subassembly is provided similar to the first including a second joinable end. The first and second heat exchanger core subassemblies are brazed. The first joinable end is affixed, preferably by welding, to the second joinable end and the first partial finless passage is affixed to a second partial finless passage to form a coupled finless passage, and thereby a heat exchanger core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Thomas J. Godry, Dennis P. Held
  • Publication number: 20120152507
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. It has been found that good quality brazed joints can be made by modifying the brazing thermal cycle to first employing a temperature of about 500° C. for an extended period of time and then elevating the temperature to about 590° to 600° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 8123109
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. An enhanced boiling layer (EBL) comprising metal particles bonded to each other and to a boiling side of the metal wall provides nucleate boiling pores to improve heat transfer. The EBL has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the brazing material. Also disclosed is a process for assembling the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Dennis P. Held, Sr., Thomas J. Godry
  • Publication number: 20110139417
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. The heat exchanger is made with high strength alloys of aluminum that have improved creep resistance that maintain tensile strength and yield strength after use in this invention. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. An enhanced boiling layer (EBL) comprising metal particles bonded to each other and to a boiling side of the metal wall provides nucleate boiling pores to improve heat transfer. The EBL has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the brazing material. Also disclosed is a process for assembling the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Thomas J. Godry, Patrick S. O'Neill
  • Publication number: 20100088891
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. An enhanced boiling layer (EBL) comprising metal particles bonded to each other and to a boiling side of the metal wall provides nucleate boiling pores to improve heat transfer. The EBL has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the brazing material. Also disclosed is a process for assembling the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Dennis P. Held, SR., Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 7677300
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger comprising a boiling passage and cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. An enhanced boiling layer (EBL) comprising metal particles bonded to each other and to a boiling side of the metal wall provides nucleate boiling pores to improve heat transfer. The EBL has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the brazing material. Also disclosed is a process for assembling the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Dennis P. Held, Sr., Thomas J. Godry
  • Publication number: 20090320291
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing brazed aluminum heat exchangers involved in boiling and condensing, including a high performance nucleate boiling surface bonded with the walls of fin-less boiling passages. One method includes providing a first heat exchanger core subassembly including a first joinable end, at least one cooling and one boiling passage, and a first partial finless passage arranged at the joinable end. A second heat exchanger core subassembly is provided similar to the first including a second joinable end. The first and second heat exchanger core subassemblies are brazed. The first joinable end is affixed, preferably by welding, to the second joinable end and the first partial finless passage is affixed to a second partial finless passage to form a coupled finless passage, and thereby a heat exchanger core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Thomas J. Godry, Dennis P. Held
  • Publication number: 20040251008
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has a boiling passage and a cooling passage defined by opposite sides of metal walls. Layers of brazing material between the metal walls and a spacer member bond components of the heat exchanger together. An enhanced boiling layer (EBL) having metal particles bonded to each other and to a boiling side of the metal wall provides nucleate boiling pores to improve heat transfer. The EBL has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the brazing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Dennis P. Held, Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 5811625
    Abstract: The use of flow restrictors at the inlet of reactor cooling tubes significantly improves heat transfer and process performance in an acid catalyzed alkylation reaction process. Improved vaporization of the stream is achieved by equalizing the liquid distribution and the ratio of liquid and vapor entering each tube to overcome poor boiling film heat transfer. The invention relocates available pressure drop for equally subdividing the flow entering the heat exchanger into a plurality of heat exchanger inlet streams. Flow restrictors provide pressure drop at the inlets to each tube. This method and apparatus is particularly useful in contactors for the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of olefinic and isoparaffinic hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Elias G. Ragi, Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 5625112
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for indirectly heating a mixed phase stream by contact with a boiling surface located on the inside of the plurality of heat exchange tubes. Improved vaporization of the stream is achieved by equalizing the liquid distribution and the ratio of liquid and vapor entering each tube to overcome poor boiling film heat transfer. The invention uses a means for subdividing the flow entering the heat exchanger into a plurality of streams with each of the divided streams discharging directly into a heat exchange tube. The means for dividing the stream can include baffle arrangements or plugs providing pressure drop at the inlets to the tubes. This method and apparatus is particularly useful in contactors for the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Elias G. Ragi, Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 5531266
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for indirectly heating a mixed phase stream by contact with a boiling surface located on the inside of the plurality of heat exchange tubes. Improved vaporization of the stream is achieved by equalizing the liquid distribution and the ratio of liquid and vapor entering each tube to overcome poor boiling film heat transfer. The invention uses a means for subdividing the flow entering the heat exchanger into a plurality of streams with each of the divided streams discharging directly into a heat exchange tube. The means for dividing the stream can include baffle arrangements or plugs providing pressure drop at the inlets to the tubes. This method and apparatus is particularly useful in contactors for the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Elias G. Ragi, Thomas J. Godry
  • Patent number: 5091075
    Abstract: A process for the reforming of hydrocarbons is improved by the use of an enhanced nucleate boiling surface in a selected portion of the feed effluent heat exchanger. In a vertical type heat exchanger where the reforming feedstream enters at a lower end of the heat exchanger and is at least partially vaporized in the heat exchanger by contact with a reforming effluent stream that enters an upper end of the heat exchanger and is at least partially condensed therein, an enhanced nucleate boiling surface is formed on the heat exchange surface that is in contact with the entering liquid phase portion of the stream feed. The enhanced nucleate boiling surface increases the amount of condensing that takes place on the opposite side of the heat exchange surface in a boiling-condensing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1992
    Assignee: UOP
    Inventors: Patrick S. O'Neill, Elias G. Ragi, Thomas J. Godry