Patents by Inventor Timothy C Merkel

Timothy C Merkel 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: 8114192
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating off-gas streams from reaction processes, and reaction processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the off-gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, and passing the permeate/sweep gas mixture to the reaction. The process recovers unreacted feedstock that would otherwise be lost in the waste gases in an energy efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Membrane Technology & Research, Inc
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel
  • Publication number: 20110260112
    Abstract: The invention is a process involving membrane-based gas separation for separating and recovering carbon dioxide emissions from combustion processes in partially concentrated form, and then transporting the carbon dioxide and using or storing it in a confined manner without concentrating it to high purity. The process of the invention involves building up the concentration of carbon dioxide in a gas flow loop between the combustion step and a membrane separation step. A portion of the carbon dioxide-enriched gas can then be withdrawn from this loop and transported, without the need to liquefy the gas or otherwise create a high-purity stream, to a destination where it is used or confined, preferably in an environmentally benign manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel
  • Publication number: 20110262328
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the flue gas stream to be treated to an absorption-based carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the flue gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel
  • Patent number: 8034168
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems and power plants that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In both of these embodiments, the carbon dioxide capture unit and the sweep-based membrane separation unit are configured to be operated in parallel, by which we mean that each unit is adapted to receive exhaust gases from the combustion unit without such gases first passing through the other unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology & Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Patent number: 8025715
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the flue gas stream to be treated to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the flue gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110219778
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power generation process in which a portion of the carbon dioxide generated by gaseous fuel combustion is recycled back to the power generation process, either pre-combustion, post-combustion, or both. The power generation process of the invention may be a combined cycle process or a traditional power generation process. The process utilizes sweep-based membrane separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110219777
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power generation process in which a portion of the carbon dioxide generated by gaseous fuel combustion is recycled back to the power generation process, either pre-combustion, post-combustion, or both. The power generation process of the invention may be a combined cycle process or a traditional power generation process. The process utilizes sweep-based membrane separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110219949
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from the combustion of gaseous fuels, and gaseous fuel combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Patent number: 8016923
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems, power plants, and flue gas treatment systems that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In yet another embodiment, the invention is a flue gas treatment system that incorporates three membrane separation units with a carbon dioxide liquefaction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G Wijmans, Timothy C Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Ramin Daniels, Scott Thompson
  • Publication number: 20110200491
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems and power plants that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In both of these embodiments, the carbon dioxide capture unit and the sweep-based membrane separation unit are configured to be operated in parallel, by which we mean that each unit is adapted to receive exhaust gases from the combustion unit without such gases first passing through the other unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110167821
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems, power plants, and flue gas treatment systems that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In yet another embodiment, the invention is a flue gas treatment system that incorporates three membrane separation units with a carbon dioxide liquefaction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Ramin Deniels, Scott Thompson
  • Patent number: 7964020
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the flue gas stream to be treated across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology & Research, Inc
    Inventors: Richard W Baker, Johannes G Wijmans, Timothy C Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Ramin Daniels, Scott Thompson
  • Publication number: 20110005272
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the flue gas stream to be treated to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the flue gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20100236404
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the flue gas stream to be treated across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Ramin Daniels, Scott Thompson
  • Publication number: 20090277328
    Abstract: A membrane-based gas separation process for treating gas streams that contain methane in low concentrations. The invention involves flowing the stream to be treated across the feed side of a membrane and flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side. Carbon dioxide permeates the membrane preferentially and is picked up in the sweep air stream on the permeate side; oxygen permeates in the other direction and is picked up in the methane-containing stream. The resulting residue stream is enriched in methane as well as oxygen and has an EMC value enabling it to be either flared or combusted by mixing with ordinary air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Scott Thompson, Ramin Daniels
  • Publication number: 20090277326
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating off-gas streams from reaction processes, and reaction processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the off-gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, and passing the permeate/sweep gas mixture to the reaction. The process recovers unreacted feedstock that would otherwise be lost in the waste gases in an energy efficient manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel