Patents by Inventor Thomas Lloyd Yount

Thomas Lloyd Yount 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: 8309677
    Abstract: A system for processing large quantities of a reaction medium while maintaining the reaction medium in sheets. The system includes a reactor having a plurality of vertically-spaced downwardly-sloped trays over which the reaction medium flows while it is subjected to reaction conditions. The slope of the trays increases downwardly to accommodate for the increased viscosity of the reaction medium while the reaction medium flows downwardly through the reactor. An upper portion of the trays have a uni-directional configuration, while a lower portion of the trays have a bi-directional configuration. Further, the orientation of flow across the uni-directional trays is rotated by 90 degrees in at least one location as the reaction medium flows down the uni-directional trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cate Windes, Bruce Roger DeBruin
  • Patent number: 8227554
    Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Grupo Petrotemex, S.A. de C.V.
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Wesley Thomas Moyer
  • Publication number: 20110077353
    Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Wesley Thomas Moyer
  • Patent number: 7872089
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a horizontally elongated reactor segment containing a horizontally elongated tubular member and a tray disposed within the tubular member. The reaction medium can flow through the reactor segment on the tray and on the bottom of the tubular member in generally opposite directions. The reactor also can include a header and multiple horizontally elongated reactor segments coupled to the header and spaced vertically apart from one another. The reactor can be used to produce polyesters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Patent number: 7872090
    Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Wesley Thomas Moyer
  • Patent number: 7868130
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Patent number: 7858730
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced tubular members coupled to and extending between a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically elongated headers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Patent number: 7847053
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Patent number: 7829653
    Abstract: A horizontal trayed reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a plurality of vertically spaced trays disposed within the horizontally elongated vessel shell. The reaction medium can flow in generally opposite directions on vertically adjacent trays so that the reaction medium flows generally back-and-forth through the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Larry Cates Windes, Roy Douglas Flores, Alan Wayne White, Steven Paul Bellner
  • Patent number: 7718137
    Abstract: A system for processing large quantities of a reaction medium while maintaining the reaction medium in sheets. The system includes a reactor having a plurality of vertically-spaced downwardly-sloped trays over which the reaction medium flows while it is subjected to reaction conditions. The slope of the trays increases downwardly to accommodate for the increased viscosity of the reaction medium while the reaction medium flows downwardly through the reactor. An upper portion of the trays have a uni-directional configuration, while a lower portion of the trays have a bi-directional configuration. Further, the orientation of flow across the uni-directional trays is rotated by 90 degrees in at least one location as the reaction medium flows down the uni-directional trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Bruce Roger DeBruin
  • Publication number: 20100121001
    Abstract: A system for processing large quantities of a reaction medium while maintaining the reaction medium in sheets. The system includes a reactor having a plurality of vertically-spaced downwardly-sloped trays over which the reaction medium flows while it is subjected to reaction conditions. The slope of the trays increases downwardly to accommodate for the increased viscosity of the reaction medium while the reaction medium flows downwardly through the reactor. An upper portion of the trays have a uni-directional configuration, while a lower portion of the trays have a bi-directional configuration. Further, the orientation of flow across the uni-directional trays is rotated by 90 degrees in at least one location as the reaction medium flows down the uni-directional trays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Bruce Roger DeBruin
  • Patent number: 7622085
    Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly for use in vertical, gravity flow driven polymerization reactors for combinations of high viscosity, high throughput, and shallow polymer depths. The baffle assembly module of the invention includes a support structure having a plurality of side openings. The side openings allow the escape of vapor liberated from the polymeric melt. The assembly further includes a feed splitter followed by two or more vertically arranged rows of baffle plates with the feed splitter and baffles sequentially positioned in the support structure. The plurality of parallel baffles in a row are angled such that when a polymeric melt contacts a given baffle the polymeric melt moves in a downward direction under the force of gravity. The arrangement of the rows is such that each row (except the lowest row) transfers the polymeric melt to a lower vertically adjacent row until reaching the last row of baffles in the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Paul Keith Scherrer, Larry C Windes
  • Publication number: 20090018284
    Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, Wesley Thomas Moyer
  • Publication number: 20090018282
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Publication number: 20090018283
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced tubular members coupled to and extending between a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically elongated headers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Publication number: 20090018280
    Abstract: A horizontal trayed reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a plurality of vertically spaced trays disposed within the horizontally elongated vessel shell. The reaction medium can flow in generally opposite directions on vertically adjacent trays so that the reaction medium flows generally back-and-forth through the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Larry Cates Windes, Roy Douglas Flores, Alan Wayne White
  • Publication number: 20090018281
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a horizontally elongated reactor segment containing a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow through the upper and lower in generally opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Thomas Lloyd Yount, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Publication number: 20090016939
    Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Bruce Roger DeBruin, Michael Paul Ekart, Larry Cates Windes, David Allen Sliger
  • Publication number: 20080319158
    Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly for use in vertical, gravity flow driven polymerization reactors for combinations of high viscosity, high throughput, and shallow polymer depths. The baffle assembly module of the invention includes a support structure having a plurality of side openings. The side openings allow the escape of vapor liberated from the polymeric melt. The assembly further includes a feed splitter followed by two or more vertically arranged rows of baffle plates with the feed splitter and baffles sequentially positioned in the support structure. The plurality of parallel baffles in a row are angled such that when a polymeric melt contacts a given baffle the polymeric melt moves in a downward direction under the force of gravity. The arrangement of the rows is such that each row (except the lowest row) transfers the polymeric melt to a lower vertically adjacent row until reaching the last row of baffles in the module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Paul Keith Scherrer, Larry Cates Windes
  • Patent number: 7435393
    Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly for use in vertical, gravity flow driven polymerization reactors for combinations of high viscosity, high throughput, and shallow polymer depths. The baffle assembly module of the invention includes a support structure having a plurality of side openings. The side openings allow the escape of vapor liberated from the polymeric melt. The assembly further includes a feed splitter followed by two or more vertically arranged rows of baffle plates with the feed splitter and baffles sequentially positioned in the support structure. The plurality of parallel baffles in a row are angled such that when a polymeric melt contacts a given baffle the polymeric melt moves in a downward direction under the force of gravity. The arrangement of the rows is such that each row (except the lowest row) transfers the polymeric melt to a lower vertically adjacent row until reaching the last row of baffles in the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lloyd Yount, Paul Keith Scherrer, Larry Cates Windes