Patents by Inventor Timm SCHUHMANN

Timm SCHUHMANN 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: 11999678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol in which a compressed make-up gas stream which contains at least one carbon oxide and hydrogen is combined with a residual gas to afford a synthesis gas stream and reacted to afford methanol. According to the invention the residual gas stream and the make-up gas stream are combined using a jet pump, wherein the compressed make-up gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as motive medium via its motive media connection at a pressure p1 and the residual gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as suction medium via its suction port at a pressure p3 and wherein the synthesis gas stream is discharged from the jet pump via its pressure port at a pressure p2 and subsequently supplied to the synthesis stage and wherein p1>p2>p3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Marc Wagner, Timm Schuhmann, Frank Castillo-Welter, Tobias Oelmann
  • Publication number: 20240173690
    Abstract: A reactor including a reactor vessel and, inside the reactor vessel there is a plate assembly which is mounted in suspended form. There is also a distributor which is attached to the plate assembly, and at least one supply line, via which the distributor is connected to a respective cooling fluid inlet of the reactor vessel. There is also a collector which is attached to the plate assembly, and at least one discharge line, via which the collector is connected to a respective cooling fluid outlet of the reactor vessel. Wherein flow paths for the cooling fluid are formed, and wherein the at least one supply line is curved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Tobias OELMANN, Michael STROZYK, Wolfgang MAY, Timm SCHUHMANN
  • Publication number: 20240173689
    Abstract: A reactor having a reactor vessel and, inside the reactor vessel there is a plate assembly which is mounted upright, a distributor which is attached to the plate assembly, at least one supply line, via which the distributor is connected to a respective cooling fluid inlet of the reactor vessel, and a collector which is attached to the plate assembly, at least one discharge line, via which the collector is connected to a respective cooling fluid outlet of the reactor vessel. Wherein flow paths for the cooling fluid are formed, and wherein the at least one discharge line is curved in such a way that the discharge line runs around an axis of the reactor vessel by at least 180°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Tobias OELMANN, Michael STROZYK, Wolfgang MAY, Timm SCHUHMANN
  • Publication number: 20240066488
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for performing exothermic equilibrium reactions, especially for producing methanol from synthesis gas in a multistage synthesis with intermediate condensation of the reaction product. The reactor according to the invention has a reactor shell and a multitude of series-connected and mutually fluid-connected reactor cells disposed within the reactor shell, where each of the reactor cells includes a reaction apparatus, a cooling-down apparatus and a phase separation apparatus as reactor cell elements. The reactor has a multitude of reactor planes disposed in a mutually parallel arrangement within the reactor shell, where reactor cell elements of the same kind are disposed in the same reactor plane. The inventive arrangement of the reactor cell elements enables the building of a compact reactor and reduces material stresses within the reactor by the avoidance of large temperature differences within the reactor shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Michael STROZYK, Frank CASTILLO-WELTER, Tobias OELMANN, Timm SCHUHMANN
  • Publication number: 20240059637
    Abstract: Proposed according to the invention are a process and a plant for producing carbon dioxide-based methanol and synthesis gas, wherein the produced synthesis gas may be utilized process-internally for methanol synthesis. Hydrocarbons which are present in a carbon dioxide input gas stream as an impurity and are inert under the conditions of the methanol synthesis are chemically utilized through integration of a reforming unit, in particular a POX unit. This is done by supplying a purge gas stream diverted from the methanol synthesis loop to said reforming unit in which the hydrocarbons are converted into synthesis gas. In a preferred embodiment the purge gas stream is supplied to a hydrogen recovery unit, in particular a membrane unit. The hydrocarbons-enriched purge gas stream produced on the retentate side is subsequently supplied to the reforming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Tobias OELMANN, Timm Schuhmann, Matthias Linicus
  • Publication number: 20230357111
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing pure methanol from carbon dioxide-rich synthesis gas, the process including the following steps: at least partially reacting the carbon dioxide rich synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit, discharging a liquid crude methanol stream from the methanol synthesis unit, introducing the liquid crude methanol stream into a flash tank, discharging from the flash tank a liquid depressurized crude methanol stream as a bottoms product and a gaseous overhead product stream having synthesis gas components, introducing the liquid depressurized crude methanol stream into a distillation apparatus having of a single distillation column, separating the crude methanol stream in the distillation column, discharging an overhead product stream via an overhead product outlet, discharging a bottoms product stream via the bottoms product outlet, and discharging a pure methanol product stream via a first side draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Timm SCHUHMANN, Tobias OELMANN, Michael WILKEN
  • Publication number: 20230339831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing methanol, in which a synthesis gas comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen is provided, which is passed at elevated pressure and elevated temperature through a catalyst bed of a methanol synthesis catalyst for conversion of the synthesis gas to methanol to obtain a product stream comprising crude methanol and unreacted synthesis gas. Unreacted synthesis gas is recycled to the catalyst bed inlet and combined with the synthesis gas, resulting in a mixed synthesis gas. The mixed synthesis gas at the catalyst bed inlet has a stoichiometry number SN of ?0.80, the catalyst bed in the conversion of the mixed synthesis gas to methanol has a maximum catalyst bed temperature of ?280° C., and the mixed synthesis gas at the catalyst bed inlet has a carbon monoxide concentration of ?20% by volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Timm SCHUHMANN, Thomas WURZEL, Bryce WILLIAMS, Veronika GRONEMANN, Tobias OELMANN, Stéphane HAAG, Nga Thi Quynh DO
  • Publication number: 20230192576
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol in which a compressed make-up gas stream which contains at least one carbon oxide and hydrogen is combined with a residual gas to afford a synthesis gas stream and reacted to afford methanol. According to the invention the residual gas stream and the make-up gas stream are combined using a jet pump, wherein the compressed make-up gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as motive medium via its motive media connection at a pressure p1 and the residual gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as suction medium via its suction port at a pressure p3 and wherein the synthesis gas stream is discharged from the jet pump via its pressure port at a pressure p2 and subsequently supplied to the synthesis stage and wherein p1>p2>p3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Marc Wagner, Timm Schuhmann, Frank Castillo-Welter, Tobias Oelmann
  • Patent number: 11247957
    Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the methanol product formed in every synthesis stage is removed by condensation and the remaining residual gas is applied to the downstream synthesis stage or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Tobis Oelmann, Veronika Gronemann, Heiko Hofmann, Timm Schuhmann
  • Patent number: 11247954
    Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the product stream of a synthesis stage is applied to the downstream synthesis stage as a feed stream or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Tobias Oelmann, Veronika Gronemann, Heiko Hofmann, Timm Schuhmann
  • Patent number: 11180433
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol from an input gas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a pre-reactor stage and a main reactor stage. Input gas produced at and under elevated pressure is initially introduced into a pre-reactor stage for catalytic conversion into a first methanol-containing product stream. After separation of methanol from the first methanol-containing product stream and discharging from the pre-reactor stage a remaining gas stream is introduced into a main reactor stage as a residual gas stream after compression to reaction pressure for catalytic conversion into a second methanol-containing product stream, After separation from the second methanol-containing product stream methanol is discharged from the main reactor stage. Using an input gas having a carbon monoxide content of 25% to 36% by volume results in large savings in respect of the compressor output required for the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frank Castillo-Welter, Stephane Haag, Timm Schuhmann, Robert Frind
  • Patent number: 11078142
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing methanol and to a plant for producing methanol. A first fresh gas suitable for production of methanol and having a high carbon dioxide content is pre-compressed by a first compressor stage to obtain a second fresh gas. The second fresh gas is merged with a recycle gas stream and further compressed to synthesis pressure in a second compressor stage. Catalytic conversion of the thus obtained synthesis gas stream in a plurality of serially arranged reactor stages with intermediate condensation and separation of the crude methanol reduces the recycle gas amount in the synthesis circuit to such an extent that recycle gas may be directly recycled to the second fresh gas stream, thus ensuring that no recycle gas compressor stage is required and that the total compressor power may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Bryce Williams, Timm Schuhmann, Veronika Gronemann, Stephane Haag, Frank Castillo-Welter
  • Patent number: 11078141
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing methanol and to a plant for producing methanol. A first fresh gas suitable for production of methanol is precompressed by a first compressor stage to obtain a second fresh gas. The second fresh gas is merged with a recycle gas stream and further compressed to synthesis pressure in a second compressor stage. Catalytic conversion of the thus obtained synthesis gas stream in a plurality of serially arranged reactor stages with intermediate condensation and separation of the crude methanol reduces the recycle gas amount in the synthesis circuit to such an extent that recycle gas may be directly recycled to the second fresh gas stream, thus ensuring that no recycle gas compressor stage is required and that the total compressor power may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Socie,été Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Timm Schuhmann
  • Publication number: 20210114959
    Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the methanol product formed in every synthesis stage is removed by condensation and the remaining residual gas is applied to the downstream synthesis stage or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Tobis OELMANN, Veronika GRONEMANN, Heiko HOFMANN, Timm SCHUHMANN
  • Publication number: 20210114956
    Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the product stream of a synthesis stage is applied to the downstream synthesis stage as a feed stream or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Tobias OELMANN, Veronika GRONEMANN, Heiko HOFMANN, Timm SCHUHMANN
  • Publication number: 20210053897
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing methanol and to a plant for producing methanol. A first fresh gas suitable for production of methanol is precompressed by a first compressor stage to obtain a second fresh gas. The second fresh gas is merged with a recycle gas stream and further compressed to synthesis pressure in a second compressor stage. Catalytic conversion of the thus obtained synthesis gas stream in a plurality of serially arranged reactor stages with intermediate condensation and separation of the crude methanol reduces the recycle gas amount in the synthesis circuit to such an extent that recycle gas may be directly recycled to the second fresh gas stream, thus ensuring that no recycle gas compressor stage is required and that the total compressor power may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: Timm Schuhmann
  • Publication number: 20210053898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing methanol and to a plant for producing methanol. A first fresh gas suitable for production of methanol and having a high carbon dioxide content is pre-compressed by a first compressor stage to obtain a second fresh gas. The second fresh gas is merged with a recycle gas stream and further compressed to synthesis pressure in a second compressor stage. Catalytic conversion of the thus obtained synthesis gas stream in a plurality of serially arranged reactor stages with intermediate condensation and separation of the crude methanol reduces the recycle gas amount in the synthesis circuit to such an extent that recycle gas may be directly recycled to the second fresh gas stream, thus ensuring that no recycle gas compressor stage is required and that the total compressor power may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Bryce Williams, Timm Schuhmann, Veronika Gronemann, Stephane Haag, Frank Castillo-Welter
  • Patent number: 10913698
    Abstract: A process for conducting exothermic equilibrium reactions, especially for the performance of methanol synthesis by heterogeneously catalysed conversion of synthesis gas, is proposed, which enables readjustment and hence optimization of the reaction conditions along the longitudinal coordinate of the reactor. For this purpose, in the process according to the invention, a reactor is used which is divided into a multitude of series-connected reaction cells, each of which comprises a preheating zone, a cooled reaction zone, one or more cooling zones and a deposition zone for condensable reaction products. In this way, the reaction conditions are adjustable to the respective, local composition of the reaction mixture and variable over the reactor length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frank Castillo-Welter, Stephane Haag, Robert Frind, Timm Schuhmann, Andreas Ochs, Marc Wagner, Solene Valentin
  • Patent number: 10898874
    Abstract: A reactor for conducting exothermic equilibrium reactions, especially for the performance of methanol synthesis by heterogeneously catalysed conversion of synthesis gas, is proposed, which enables readjustment and hence optimization of the reaction conditions along the longitudinal coordinate of the reactor. For this purpose, in accordance with the invention, the reactor is divided into a multitude of series-connected reaction cells, each of which comprises a preheating zone, a cooled reaction zone, one or more cooling zones and a deposition zone for condensable reaction products. In this way, the reaction conditions are adjustable to the respective, local composition of the reaction mixture and variable over the reactor length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frank Castillo-Welter, Stephane Haag, Robert Frind, Timm Schuhmann, Andreas Ochs, Marc Wagner, Solene Valentin
  • Publication number: 20200369585
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol from an input gas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a pre-reactor stage and a main reactor stage. Input gas produced at and under elevated pressure is initially intraduced into a pre-reactor stage for catalytic conversion into a first methanol-containing product stream. After separation of methanol from the first methanol-containing product stream and discharging from the pre-reactor stage a remaining gas stream is introduced into a main reactor stage as a residual gas stream after compression to reaction pressure for catalytic conversion into a second methanol-containing product stream, After separation from the second methanol-containing product stream methanol is discharged from the main reactor stage. Using an input gas having a carbon monoxide content of 25% to 36% by volume results in large savings in respect of the compressor output required for the production process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Frank CASTILLO-WELTER, Stephane HAAG, Timm SCHUHMANN, Robert FRIND