Patents by Inventor Torben Hofel

Torben Hofel 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).

  • Publication number: 20230399275
    Abstract: A process for producing olefins includes subjecting a first feed stream to dehydrogenation to obtain a first product stream, and subjecting part of the first product stream to a first separation sequence. The first separation sequence comprises a first separation step to which part of the first product stream is fed and in which a gas fraction and a liquid fraction are formed. The first separation sequence comprises a second separation step to which part of the liquid fraction is fed and in which the transfer fraction is formed. A second feed stream is subjected to steam cracking to obtain a second product stream. part of which is subjected to crude gas compression and thereafter to a second separation sequence. In the first separation sequence a transfer fraction is formed. At least part of the transfer fraction is transferred to the steam cracking or the crude gas compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Torben Hofel, Helmut Fritz
  • Patent number: 11781079
    Abstract: A process for separating a component mixture comprising essentially hydrocarbons having two or two or more carbon atoms, methane and hydrogen using a distillation apparatus (10) is proposed. Fluid (a, c, e, g, i) from the component mixture is cooled stepwise to a first pressure level, with separation of first condensates (b, d, f, h, j) out of the fluid (a, c, e, g, i) in each case. Fluid (k) from the component mixture that remains in gaseous form thereafter is expanded to a second pressure level in an expander, giving a second condensate (l). Fluid from the first condensates (b, d, f, h, j) is expanded from the first pressure level to the second pressure level and fed together with the fluid from the second condensates into the distillation apparatus (10) which is being operated at the second pressure level. The present invention likewise provides a corresponding separation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: LINDE GmbH
    Inventors: Torben Höfel, Duc Tuat Pham
  • Publication number: 20230279300
    Abstract: A process for producing hydrocarbons includes providing a component mixture containing hydrocarbons and a feed mixture containing hydrocarbons having two or more carbon atoms and lower boiling compounds using a portion of the component mixture, and forming a heavy fraction and a light fraction using the feed mixture. The heavy fraction contains a portion of the hydrocarbons from the feed mixture and is at least poor in the lower boiling components. The light fraction contains a portion of the lower boiling components from the feed mixture and is at least poor in the hydrocarbons from the feed mixture. The heavy fraction and a first intermediate fraction are formed using some of the feed mixture in low-temperature separation. Some of the first intermediate fraction is subjected to non-cryogenic separation while obtaining the light fraction and a second intermediate fraction. A portion of the second intermediate fraction is recycled to the process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Torben Hofel, Josef Kunkel
  • Publication number: 20230266060
    Abstract: A method and a system for separating a feed flow which contains at least hydrogen and a hydrocarbon with three or four carbon atoms per molecule, in particular propane, propylene, propadiene, butane, 1-butene, 2-butene, and/or 1,3-butadiene. The condensed feed flow is cooled over multiple cooling steps in at least two heat exchangers and is then separated into a condensate and a residual gas flow after each cooling step. The at least two heat exchangers are operated at least two different temperature levels, wherein a hot heat exchanger is operated at an average temperature level, and a cold heat exchanger is operated at a lower temperature level. An internal refrigerant which is made of a part of one of the condensate flows and a part of one of the residual gas flows, is used to dispense a part of the heat from the cold heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Bernd KLEIN, Torben HÖFEL
  • Patent number: 11492308
    Abstract: A process (100, 200, 300) for the production of ethylene is proposed in which a first feed gas (A) and a second feed gas (B) are fed to a reactor (1) and processed therein by vapour cracking to obtain a product mixture (C), the first feed gas (A) comprising more than 90 weight percent saturated hydrocarbons and more than 80 weight percent ethane, and wherein the product mixture (C) or a part thereof is subjected to a treatment (2, 3, 4) and the resulting mixture (F) or a part thereof is subjected to a separation (10) to obtain a resulting mixture (F) containing hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene and hydrocarbons having three, four and at least five carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: LINDE GmbH
    Inventor: Torben Höfel
  • Publication number: 20210395168
    Abstract: A process (100, 200, 300) for the production of ethylene is proposed in which a first feed gas (A) and a second feed gas (B) are fed to a reactor (1) and processed therein by vapour cracking to obtain a product mixture (C), the first feed gas (A) comprising more than 90 weight percent saturated hydrocarbons and more than 80 weight percent ethane, and wherein the product mixture (C) or a part thereof is subjected to a treatment (2, 3, 4) and the resulting mixture (F) or a part thereof is subjected to a separation (10) to obtain a resulting mixture (F) containing hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene and hydrocarbons having three, four and at least five carbon atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventor: Torben HÖFEL
  • Patent number: 11104624
    Abstract: A method (100) is proposed for the manufacture of benzene, in which a first feedstock mixture is formed, which contains alkylated aromatics and hydrogen, and in which the alkylated aromatics contained in the first feedstock mixture are partially converted with the hydrogen contained in the first feedstock mixture to the benzene through hydrodealkylation (33), thereby obtaining a first product mixture, wherein the first product mixture contains the benzene, the unconverted alkylated aromatics, alkanes with one to three carbon atoms formed in the conversion of the alkylated aromatics to the benzene, and the unconverted hydrogen, and wherein at least a part of the alkanes with one to three carbon atoms and of the hydrogen are separated from the first product mixture, thereby obtaining a light-gas fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: David Bruder, Torben Hofel, Benedikt Kurz, Karlheinz Brudi, Matthias Andre, Anne Spindelndreher, Richard Koller, Heinz Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20210139797
    Abstract: A process for separating a component mixture comprising essentially hydrocarbons having two or two or more carbon atoms, methane and hydrogen using a distillation apparatus (10) is proposed. Fluid (a, c, e, g, i) from the component mixture is cooled stepwise to a first pressure level, with separation of first condensates (b, d, f, h, j) out of the fluid (a, c, e, g, i) in each case. Fluid (k) from the component mixture that remains in gaseous form thereafter is expanded to a second pressure level in an expander, giving a second condensate (I). Fluid from the first condensates (b, d, f, h, j) is expanded from the first pressure level to the second pressure level and fed together with the fluid from the second condensates into the distillation apparatus (10) which is being operated at the second pressure level. The present invention likewise provides a corresponding separation apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Torben HÖFEL, Duc TUAT PHAM
  • Patent number: 10954175
    Abstract: Proposed is a process (100) for producing ethylene in which ethane in a reaction input is partly catalytically converted by oxidative dehydrogenation (1) in the presence of oxygen to obtain a gaseous first component mixture containing at least ethane, ethylene, acetic acid and water. It is provided that at least a portion of the gaseous first component mixture is subjected to a scrubbing operation with a scrubbing liquid to obtain a liquid second component mixture containing water and acetic acid, that a first proportion of the second component mixture is used for forming the scrubbing liquid, that a second proportion of the second component mixture is subjected to a solvent extraction to obtain a liquid third component mixture containing at least one organic solvent and acetic acid and that at least a portion of the liquid third component mixture is heated and subjected to a distillation to obtain a liquid containing predominantly or exclusively acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Torben Höfel
  • Publication number: 20200231522
    Abstract: Proposed is a process (100) for producing ethylene in which ethane in a reaction input is partly catalytically converted by oxidative dehydrogenation (1) in the presence of oxygen to obtain a gaseous first component mixture containing at least ethane, ethylene, acetic acid and water. It is provided that at least a portion of the gaseous first component mixture is subjected to a scrubbing operation with a scrubbing liquid to obtain a liquid second component mixture containing water and acetic acid, that a first proportion of the second component mixture is used for forming the scrubbing liquid, that a second proportion of the second component mixture is subjected to a solvent extraction to obtain a liquid third component mixture containing at least one organic solvent and acetic acid and that at least a portion of the liquid third component mixture is heated and subjected to a distillation to obtain a liquid containing predominantly or exclusively acetic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventor: Torben HÖFEL
  • Publication number: 20200224968
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process (100) for separatory processing of a starting mixture containing predominantly hydrogen, methane and hydrocarbons having two or two or more carbon atoms, wherein at least a portion of the starting mixture is cooled to form one or more condensates using one or more heat exchangers (101, 103, 105, 107) and at least a portion of the condensate(s) is subjected to a rectification to form a gaseous methane-rich fraction. It is provided that the gaseous methane-rich fraction is used to form a first fluid stream which is at least partly compressed, in an unchanged composition with respect to the gaseous methane-rich fraction, to a liquefaction pressure level of 35 to 45 bar, and at least partly liquefied by cooling, and in that the first fluid stream, or a second fluid stream formed using the first fluid stream, is expanded to a delivery pressure and heated in the or at least one of the heat exchanger(s) (101, 103, 105, 107).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Tuat PHAM DUC, Torben HÖFEL
  • Publication number: 20200181044
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process (10) for the production of propylene which comprises carrying out a process (1) for propane dehydrogenation to obtain a first component mixture (A), carrying out a further propylene production method (2) to obtain a second component mixture (B), and forming a separation product (P2) containing predominantly propane using one or more propane separation steps (S1), wherein at least part of the first component mixture (A) is supplied to the propane separation step or steps (S1). It is envisaged that the separation product (P2), which mainly contains propane, will at least partly be returned to the further propylene production method (2). A corresponding plant and a process for converting a steam cracking plant are also the subject of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Torben HÖFEL, Christine TÖGEL, Mathieu ZELLHUBER, Heinrich LAIB, Stefan KOTREL, Martin DIETERLE, Florina Corina PATCAS, Sonja GIESA
  • Patent number: 10677525
    Abstract: A method for separating a hydrogen-containing hydrocarbon mixture (C2minus), which in addition to the hydrogen essentially contains hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms and methane, using a distillation column (10). Fluid (a, c, e) of the hydrocarbon mixture (C2minus) is cooled stepwise at a first pressure level, during which time first condensates (b, d) are separated from the fluid (a, c, e). Fluid (e) from the hydrocarbon mixture (C2minus) which remains gaseous after this is fed at the first pressure level into a C2 absorber (7), to which a liquid reflux (r) is added at the top, while a second condensate (f) is drawn off from the sump of the C2 absorber (7) and a gaseous top stream (g) containing predominantly methane and hydrogen is drawn off at the top of the C2 absorber (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Helmut Fritz, Torben Höfel
  • Publication number: 20200165177
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process (10) for the production of propylene, which comprises carrying out a process (1) for propane dehydrogenation to obtain a first component mixture (A), carrying out a steam cracking process (2) to obtain a second component mixture (B), forming a first separation product (P1) which contains at least predominantly propylene using one or more first separation steps (S1), forming a second separation product (P2) containing at least predominantly propane using the first separation step(s) (S1), forming a third separation product (P3) containing at least predominantly ethylene using one or more second separation steps (S2) and forming a fourth separation product (P4) containing at least predominantly ethane using the second separation step(s) (S1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Torben HÖFEL, Christine TÖGEL, Mathieu ZELLHUBER, Heinrich LAIB, Stefan KOTREL, Martin DIETERLE, Florina Corina PATCAS, Sonja GIESA
  • Publication number: 20190367430
    Abstract: A method (100) is proposed for the manufacture of benzene, in which a first feedstock mixture is formed, which contains alkylated aromatics and hydrogen, and in which the alkylated aromatics contained in the first feedstock mixture are partially converted with the hydrogen contained in the first feedstock mixture to the benzene through hydrodealkylation (33), thereby obtaining a first product mixture, wherein the first product mixture contains the benzene, the unconverted alkylated aromatics, alkanes with one to three carbon atoms formed in the conversion of the alkylated aromatics to the benzene, and the unconverted hydrogen, and wherein at least a part of the alkanes with one to three carbon atoms and of the hydrogen are separated from the first product mixture, thereby obtaining a light-gas fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: DAVID BRUDER, Torben HOFEL, Benedikt KURZ, Karlheinz BRUDI, Matthias ANDRE, Anne SPINDELNDREHER, Richard KOLLER, Heinz ZIMMERMANN
  • Patent number: 10457617
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an ethylene product in a supercritical state is proposed, in which method a gas mixture containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and ethane is separated in a distillation column (1), which is operated at a distillation pressure level of from 5 to 15 bar, into an overhead product containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and a bottom product containing predominantly or exclusively ethane, the overhead product being withdrawn in the gaseous state from the head of the distillation column (1) and a first portion thereof being liquefied and returned as reflux to the distillation column (1) and a second portion thereof being converted into a supercritical state and being used as the ethylene product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Torben Hofel, Martin Kamann, Michael Scholch, Sean McCracken, Josef Kunkel, Gunther Kracker-Semler
  • Publication number: 20190145703
    Abstract: A method is proposed for compressing a gas in stages in a compressor arrangement (100, 200, 300, 400) having a plurality of compression stages (I-VI) which are connected together sequentially by a main line (1) and in which the gas, guided through the main line (1), is respectively compressed from a suction-side pressure level to a pressure-side pressure level and is heated by this compression from a suction-side temperature level to a pressure-side temperature level, wherein a feedback amount of the gas, guided through the main line (1), is at least temporarily removed from the main line (1) downstream of one of the compression stages (V), is fed to an expansion process, and is fed back into the main line (1) upstream of the same compression stage (V).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Torben HOFEL, Sean McCracken, Martin Kamann, Eva-Maria Katzur, Jorg Matthes, Thomas Bretschneider
  • Publication number: 20190144363
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an ethylene product in a supercritical state is proposed, in which method a gas mixture containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and ethane is separated in a distillation column (1), which is operated at a distillation pressure level of from 5 to 15 bar, into an overhead product containing predominantly or exclusively ethylene and a bottom product containing predominantly or exclusively ethane, the overhead product being withdrawn in the gaseous state from the head of the distillation column (1) and a first portion thereof being liquefied and returned as reflux to the distillation column (1) and a second portion thereof being converted into a supercritical state and being used as the ethylene product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Torben Hofel, Martin Kamann, Michael Scholch, Sean McCracken, Josef Kunkel, Gunther Kracker-Semler
  • Publication number: 20170253540
    Abstract: A method for preparing hydrocarbons is proposed, which comprises, in a catalysis unit (1) using one or more catalysis feed streams (a) containing oxygenates and/or olefins, producing a catalysis product stream (b) containing n-butane, isobutane, 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene and hydrocarbons with more than four and/or less than four carbon atoms, and which further comprises producing a steam cracking product stream (s) in a steam cracking unit (2) using one or more steam cracking feed streams (g, n, l, r).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Torben Höfel, Helmut Fritz
  • Publication number: 20170253541
    Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons is proposed wherein a catalysis product stream (b) rich in n-butane, isobutane, 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene and hydrocarbons with more than four and/or less than four carbon atoms is produced in a catalysis unit (1), using one or more catalyst feed streams containing oxygenates and/or olefins (a) and wherein additionally a steam cracking product stream (h) is produced in a steam cracking unit (2) using one or more steam cracking feed streams (g, r, s). It is provided that using the catalysis product stream (b) a skeletal isomerisation feed stream (f, q) poor in 1-butene, 2-butene and isobutene and containing at least isobutane is produced, in which the isobutane is at least predominantly reacted by skeletal isomerisation to form n-butane, and which is subsequently used at least partly as the, or one of the, steam cracking feed streams (g, r). The invention also relates to an apparatus (100, 200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Torben Höfel, Helmut Fritz