Patents by Inventor Tom Kalnes

Tom Kalnes 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: 9074159
    Abstract: Embodiments of a process for improving a re-refined lube oil stream are provided. The process comprises the steps of introducing a gas stream comprising hydrogen (H2) and the re-refined lube oil stream comprising hydroprocessed used lube oil to a hydrogenation reactor that contain Group VIII catalyst. A gas to oil feed ratio rate of from about 30 to about 100 Nm3 H2/m3 is used to introduce the streams to the reactor. The hydroprocessed used lube oil is hydrogenated with the H2 in the reactor such that an effluent is formed containing hydrogenated re-refined lube oil having about 2 wt. % or less of aromatics and about 55 wt. % or less of naphthenes. The reactor is operating at a temperature of from about 250 to about 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Zink, Tom Kalnes, Mark VanWees
  • Publication number: 20120088702
    Abstract: Embodiments of a process for improving a re-refined lube oil stream are provided. The process comprises the steps of introducing a gas stream comprising hydrogen (H2) and the re-refined lube oil stream comprising hydroprocessed used lube oil to a hydrogenation reactor that contain Group VIII catalyst. A gas to oil feed ratio rate of from about 30 to about 100 Nm3 H2/m3 is used to introduce the streams to the reactor. The hydroprocessed used lube oil is hydrogenated with the H2 in the reactor such that an effluent is formed containing hydrogenated re-refined lube oil having about 2 wt. % or less of aromatics and about 55 wt. % or less of naphthenes. The reactor is operating at a temperature of from about 250 to about 300° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Zink, Tom Kalnes, Mark VanWees
  • Publication number: 20110312051
    Abstract: A process for generating at least one polyol from a feedstock comprising saccharide is performed in a continuous or batch manner. The process involves, contacting hydrogen, water, and a feedstock comprising saccharide, with a catalyst system to generate an effluent stream comprising at least one polyol and recovering the polyol from the effluent stream. The catalyst system comprises at least one metal component with an oxidation state greater than or equal to 2+.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Tom A. Kalnes, Joseph A. Kocal, John Q. Chen
  • Publication number: 20070131584
    Abstract: A process for the production of low sulfur diesel and a residual hydrocarbon stream containing a reduced concentration of sulfur. A residual hydrocarbon feedstock and a heavy distillate hydrocarbon feedstock are used in the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventor: Tom Kalnes
  • Publication number: 20070129588
    Abstract: Improved processing of an oxygenate-containing feedstock for increased production or yield of light olefins. Such processing involves oxygenate conversion to olefins and subsequent cracking of heavier olefins wherein at least a portion of the products from each of the reactors is elevated in pressure, using a common compressor, prior to being routed to a common product fractionation and recovery section. In one particular embodiment, the cracked product gas can be treated to remove acid gas therefrom. In another embodiment, the olefin cracking reactor is a moving bed reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Tom Kalnes, Robert James, Daniel Wei, Bryan Glover
  • Publication number: 20060186022
    Abstract: A catalytic hydrocracking process for the production of ultra low sulfur diesel wherein a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is hydrocracked at elevated temperature and pressure to obtain conversion to diesel boiling range hydrocarbons. The resulting hydrocracking zone effluent is hydrogen stripped in a stripping zone maintained at essentially the same pressure as the hydrocracking zone to produce a first gaseous hydrocarbonaceous stream and a first liquid hydrocarbonaceous stream. The first gaseous hydrocarbonaceous stream containing diesel boiling range hydrocarbons is introduced into a desulfurization zone and subsequently partially condensed to produce a hydrogen-rich gaseous stream and a second liquid hydrocarbonaceous stream containing diesel boiling range hydrocarbons. At least a portion of the first liquid stream is thermal cracked to produce diesel boiling range hydrocarbons. An ultra low sulfur diesel product stream is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventor: Tom Kalnes
  • Publication number: 20060161035
    Abstract: The average propylene cycle yield of an oxygenate to propylene (OTP) process using a dual-function oxygenate conversion catalyst is substantially enhanced by the use of a combination of: 1) moving bed reactor technology in the catalytic OTP reaction step in lieu of the fixed bed technology of the prior art; 2) a separate heavy olefin interconversion step using moving bed technology and operating at an inlet temperature at least 15° C. higher than the maximum temperature utilized in the OTP reaction step; 3) C2 olefin recycle to the OTP reaction step; and 4) a catalyst on-stream cycle time of 700 hours or less. These provisions hold the build-up of coke deposits on the catalyst to a level which does not substantially degrade dual-function catalyst activity, oxygenate conversion and propylene selectivity, thereby enabling maintenance of average propylene cycle yield for each cycle near or at essentially start-of-cycle levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventors: Tom Kalnes, Timur Voskoboynikov
  • Publication number: 20060118464
    Abstract: A process for the conversion of a feedstock containing light cycle oil and vacuum gas oil to produce naphtha boiling range hydrocarbons and a higher boiling range hydrocarbonaceous stream having a reduced concentration of sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventor: Tom Kalnes
  • Publication number: 20060063956
    Abstract: The average cycle propylene selectivity of an oxygenate to propylene (OTP) process using one or more fixed or moving beds of a dual-function oxygenate conversion catalyst with recycle of one or more C4+ olefin-rich fractions is substantially enhanced by the use of selective hydrotreating technology on these C4+ olefin-rich recycle streams to substantially eliminate detrimental coke precursors such as dienes and acetylenic hydrocarbons. This hydrotreating step helps hold the build-up of detrimental coke deposits on the catalyst to a level which does not substantially degrade dual-function catalyst activity, oxygenate conversion and propylene selectivity, thereby enabling a substantial improvement in propylene average cycle yield. The propylene average cycle yield improvement enabled by the present invention over that achieved by the prior art using the same or a similar catalyst system but without the use of the hydrotreating step on the C4+ olefin-rich recycle stream is of the order of about 1.5 to 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Tom Kalnes, Daniel Wei, Bryan Glover
  • Publication number: 20050218039
    Abstract: A process for the production of low sulfur hydrocarbonaceous products. The hydrocarbonaceous feedstock containing sulfur compounds is separated into a first hydrocarbonaceous stream containing the most refractory sulfur compounds and a second hydrocarbonaceous stream containing the least refractory sulfur compounds. The first stream desulfurized in a first desulfurization zone and the effluent along with the second hydrocarbonaceous stream is introduced into a second desulfurization zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventor: Tom Kalnes