Patents by Inventor Vincent White

Vincent White 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: 20150114033
    Abstract: In a process for separating at least one “heavy” impurity such as hydrogen sulfide from crude carbon dioxide comprising significant quantities of at least one “light” impurity such as non-condensable gases, involving at least one heat pump cycle using carbon dioxide-containing fluid from the process as the working fluid, the “light” impurity is removed from the crude carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide is subsequently recovered from the removed “light” impurity, thereby improving overall carbon dioxide recovery and efficiency in terms of energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Paul Higginbotham, Galip Hakan Guvelioglu, John Eugene Palamara, Vincent White
  • Patent number: 8900355
    Abstract: Impure carbon dioxide (“CO2”) comprising a first contaminant selected from the group consisting of oxygen (“O2”) and carbon monoxide (“CO”) is purified by separating expanded impure carbon dioxide liquid in a mass transfer separation column system. The impure carbon dioxide may be derived from, for example, flue gas from an oxyfuel combustion process or waste gas from a hydrogen (“H2”) PSA system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent White, Rodney John Allam
  • Patent number: 8752390
    Abstract: Both power and H2 are produced from a gaseous mixture, comprising H2 and CO2, using first and second pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems in series. The gaseous mixture is fed at super-atmospheric pressure to the first PSA system, which comprises adsorbent that selectively adsorbs CO2 at said pressure, and CO2 is adsorbed, thereby providing an H2-enriched mixture at super-atmospheric pressure. A fuel stream is formed from a portion of the H2-enriched mixture, which is combusted and the combustion effluent expanded to generate power. Another portion of the H2-enriched mixture is sent to the second PSA system, which comprises adsorbent that selectively adsorbs CO2 at super-atmospheric pressure, and CO2 is adsorbed, thereby providing a high purity H2 product. In preferred embodiments, the division of H2-enriched mixture between forming the fuel stream and being fed to the second PSA system is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Wright, Jeffrey Raymond Hufton, Vincent White, Timothy Christopher Golden
  • Publication number: 20140033764
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for recovering helium from a feed comprising helium, carbon dioxide, and at least one intermediate component having a volatility between those of helium and carbon dioxide. In particular, processes of the present invention comprise separating the carbon dioxide and the components of intermediate volatility from the helium at a temperature greater than ?82.7° C. to form a helium-rich product stream, wherein the concentration of at least one of the intermediate components in the helium-rich product stream is lower than its concentration in the feed stream, and wherein at least part of the separation is effected by contacting a vapor with a liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Higginbotham, Vincent White, John Eugene Palamara
  • Patent number: 8636500
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method of operating an oxy/fuel system and an oxy/fuel system circulate a support gas in the combustion system prior to activating at least one burner, produce the combustion fluid including CO2, wherein a level of the CO2 in the combustion fluid increases as a function of time, and continue production of the combustion fluid to exceed a predetermined level of the CO2 in the combustion fluid, for a period of time, the predetermined level being sufficient to permit the CO2 to be purified by a CO2 purification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey William Kloosterman, Vincent White
  • Patent number: 8580206
    Abstract: SO2 and/or NOx are removed from gaseous CO2 at elevated pressure(s) in the presence of molecular oxygen and water and, when SO2 is to be removed, NOx, to convert SO2 to sulfuric acid and/or NOx to nitric acid. The sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid is/are then removed from the gaseous carbon dioxide to produce SO2-free, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas. The invention has particular application in the removal of SO2 and/or NOx from carbon dioxide flue gas produced in an oxyfuel combustion process, for example, in a pulverized coal fired power station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney John Allam, Vincent White, Edwin John Miller
  • Patent number: 8455555
    Abstract: Higher molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds or oxygenates are produced from a gas comprising methane in a process comprising the steps of generating synthesis gas (“syngas”) comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reaction of a gas comprising methane with steam and/or an oxidant gas comprising oxygen, producing higher molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds or oxygenates in a syngas conversion process, removing offgas comprising unreacted hydrogen and unreacted carbon monoxide from said syngas conversion process and separating cryogenically unreacted hydrogen from said offgas or from a gas derived therefrom to produce separated hydrogen product that is substantially free of unreacted carbon monoxide and a first cryogenic liquid comprising unreacted carbon monoxide. The unreacted hydrogen is preferably separated from the offgas in a liquid methane wash column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: GTLpetrol LLC
    Inventors: Rodney Allam, Andrew Weaver, Vincent White, David B. Byard
  • Patent number: 8447494
    Abstract: A control module for an engine of a vehicle includes a mode determination module that determines whether the vehicle is in a fuel-saving mode based on an acceleration of the vehicle. A diurnal control valve (DCV) control module selectively closes a DCV a predetermined time after at least one of determining that the vehicle is in the fuel-saving mode and determining that the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventors: Zhong Wang, Brian Spohn, Miles K. Maxey, Jonathan J Stec, Timothy E. McCarthy, Vincent A. White, John F. Van Gilder, Lan Wang, Jun Lu
  • Patent number: 8323602
    Abstract: Carbon monoxide (CO) may be removed from flue gas generated by oxyfuel combustion of a hydrocarbon or carbonaceous fuel, by contacting the flue gas, or a CO-containing gas derived therefrom, at a first elevated temperature, e.g. at least 80° C., and at a first elevated pressure, e.g. at least 2 bar (0.2 MPa), with at least one catalyst bed comprising a CO-oxidation catalyst in the presence of oxygen (O2) to convert CO to carbon dioxide and produce carbon dioxide-enriched gas. The carbon dioxide produced from the CO may be recovered from the carbon dioxide-enriched gas using conventional carbon dioxide recovery techniques. NO in the flue gas may also be oxidized to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and removed using conventional NO2 removal techniques, or may be reduced in the presence of a reducing gas to nitrogen (N2) which does not have to be removed from the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Wright, Vincent White, Timothy Christopher Golden
  • Patent number: 8282901
    Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) may be removed from carbon dioxide feed gas by contacting the carbon dioxide at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure with a catalyst for oxidizing SO2, in the presence of oxygen (O2) to convert SO2 to sulfur trioxide (SO3); contacting SO3 in the resultant SO3-enriched carbon dioxide gas with water to produce sulfuric acid and SO2-depleted carbon dioxide gas; and separating the sulfuric acid from the SO2-depleted carbon dioxide gas. If present, NOx is also removed from the carbon dioxide feed gas as nitric acid to produce SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas. The method has particular application in the removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas produced by oxyfuel combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel or carbonaceous fuel, within or downstream of the CO2 compression train of a CO2 recovery and purification system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Peter Petrocelli, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Vincent White
  • Publication number: 20120237407
    Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is removed from a carbon dioxide feed gas by maintaining the feed gas at elevated pressure(s) in the presence of oxygen (O2), water and NOx for a period of time sufficient to convert SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid and produce SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas. The invention resides in separating the sulfuric and nitric acids from said SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas, and then neutralizing the acids by reaction with an alkaline sorbent in an acid/sorbent reactor system to produce sorbent-derive sulfate. The method has particular application in the removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas produced by oxyfuel combustion of a carbonaceous fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent White, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Francis Peter Petrocelli
  • Patent number: 8268044
    Abstract: A feed stream, comprising hydrogen sulphide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2) and, optionally, carbon monoxide (CO), is separated into at least a CO2 product stream and an H2 or H2 and CO product stream. The stream is separated using a pressure swing adsorption system, an H2S removal system and a further separation system, which systems are used in series to separate the stream. The method has particular application in the separation of a sour (i.e. sulphur containing) syngas, as for example produced from the gasification of solid or heavy liquid carbonaceous feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Wright, Vincent White, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Jeffrey William Kloosterman, Jeffrey Raymond Hufton, Charles Linford Schaffer
  • Patent number: 8257476
    Abstract: A first contaminant selected from oxygen and carbon monoxide is removed from impure liquid carbon dioxide using a mass transfer separation column system which is reboiled by indirect heat exchange against crude carbon dioxide fluid, the impure liquid carbon dioxide having a greater concentration of carbon dioxide than the crude carbon dioxide fluid. The invention has particular application in the recovery of carbon dioxide from flue gas generated in an oxyfuel combustion process or waste gas from a hydrogen PSA process. Advantages include reducing the level of the first contaminant to not more than 1000 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent White, Rodney John Allam
  • Publication number: 20120213690
    Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) may be removed from carbon dioxide feed gas by contacting the carbon dioxide at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure with a catalyst for oxidizing SO2, in the presence of oxygen (O2) to convert SO2 to sulfur trioxide (SO3); contacting SO3 in the resultant SO3-enriched carbon dioxide gas with water to produce sulfuric acid and SO2-depleted carbon dioxide gas; and separating the sulfuric acid from the SO2-depleted carbon dioxide gas. If present, NOx is also removed from the carbon dioxide feed gas as nitric acid to produce SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas. The method has particular application in the removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas produced by oxyfuel combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel or carbonaceous fuel, within or downstream of the CO2 compression train of a CO2 recovery and purification system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Francis Peter Petrocelli, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Vincent White
  • Patent number: 8220322
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises a model pressure determination module and a sensor diagnostic module. The model pressure determination module determines a modeled fuel rail pressure based on a fuel pump flow rate and an engine fuel flow rate. The sensor diagnostic module generates a status of a fuel rail pressure sensor based on a comparison of the modeled fuel rail pressure and a sensed fuel rail pressure sensed by the fuel rail pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Michael J. Lucido, Vincent A. White
  • Patent number: 8206669
    Abstract: A feed gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 is treated to produce an H2-enriched product and a CO2 product. The feed gas is separated by pressure swing adsorption to provide a stream of the H2-enriched product, and two streams of sour gas depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas. One of the streams of sour gas is processed in an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, in which H2S in the sour gas is converted to elemental sulfur order to obtain a stream of sweetened gas, from which the CO2 product is formed. The other of said streams of sour gas is processed in an oxidation system, in which H2S in the sour gas is oxidized to SOx(SO2 and SO3) which is introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Linford Schaffer, Andrew David Wright, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Jeffrey William Kloosterman, Vincent White
  • Patent number: 8197778
    Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is removed from a carbon dioxide feed gas by maintaining the feed gas at elevated pressure(s) in the presence of oxygen (O2), water and NOx for a period of time sufficient to convert SO2 to sulfuric acid and NOx to nitric acid and produce SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas. The invention resides in separating the sulfuric and nitric acids from said SO2-depleted, NOx-lean carbon dioxide gas, and then neutralizing the acids by reaction with an alkaline sorbent in an acid/sorbent reactor system to produce sorbent-derive sulfate. The method has particular application in the removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas produced by oxyfuel combustion of a carbonaceous fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent White, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Francis Peter Petrocelli
  • Patent number: 8173090
    Abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is removed from carbon dioxide feed gas comprising SO2 as a contaminant by maintaining the carbon dioxide feed gas at an elevated pressure in contact with an alkaline sorbent for a period of time sufficient to react said alkaline sorbent with SO2. Where NOx, oxygen (O2) and water are also present, not only is the rate of reaction with the sorbent increased, but also additional SO2 is removed by conversion to sulfuric acid, and NOx is removed as nitric acid. The method has particular application in the removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gas produced by oxyfuel combustion of a hydrocarbon or carbonaceous fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Peter Petrocelli, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Vincent White
  • Publication number: 20120027656
    Abstract: A feed gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 is treated to produce an H2-enriched product and a CO2 product. The feed gas is separated by pressure swing adsorption to provide a stream of the H2-enriched product, and two streams of sour gas depleted in H2 and enriched in H2S and CO2 relative to the feed gas. One of the streams of sour gas is processed in an H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system, in which H2S in the sour gas is converted to elemental sulfur order to obtain a stream of sweetened gas, from which the CO2 product is formed. The other of said streams of sour gas is processed in an oxidation system, in which H2S in the sour gas is oxidized to SOx (SO2 and SO3), the SO2 from the oxidation effluent or sulfuric/sulfurous acid obtained therefrom being introduced into the H2S to elemental sulfur conversion system as a reagent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Linford Schaffer, Andrew David Wright, Kevin Boyle Fogash, Jeffrey William Kloosterman, Vincent White
  • Patent number: 8104334
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises a model pressure determination module and a sensor diagnostic module. The model pressure determination module determines a modeled fuel rail pressure based on an injection duration of a fuel injector and a desired fuel mass injected by the fuel injector. The sensor diagnostic module generates a status of a fuel rail pressure sensor based on a comparison of the modeled fuel rail pressure and a sensed fuel rail pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Michael J. Lucido, Vincent A. White, Ian J. Mac Ewen, Jon C. Miller