Patents by Inventor Volker Hartjes

Volker Hartjes 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: 10689322
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series (MDA), a system for producing MDA and a process for operating a system for preparing MDA. The invention enables optimization of production standstills during operation of the MDA process with respect to time expenditure and optionally also with respect to energy and material consumption by means of a so-called recirculation mode for individual system components. During interruption of the process or interruption of the operation of individual system components, formaldehyde is not introduced into the reaction and the system components that are not affected by a revision, repair, or cleaning measure are operated in so-called recirculation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10689323
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, care being taken during the shutdown of the production process that an excess of aniline and respect to formalin is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Intellectual Property GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10640453
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities with alteration of the isomer composition in the resulting diamines of the diphenylmethane series (altering the 2,4?-MDA content). Adapting the molar ratios of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and of the total used acid catalyst to the total used aniline, and adapting the reaction temperature, allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity, and allows the formation of undesired by-products to be avoided as far as possible; the intended modification to binuclear content is likewise achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10640455
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities with alteration of the content of diamines of the diphenylmethane series (altering the binuclear content). Adapting the molar ratio of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and adapting the reaction temperature allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity, and allows the formation of undesired by-products to be avoided as far as possible; the intended modification to binuclear content is likewise achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10633327
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities. Adapting the respective molar ratios of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and of the total used acid catalyst to the total used aniline allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity and ensures that no undesired fundamental changes occur in the product composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Duetschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10626078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities. By adapting the temperatures in the acid-catalysed rearrangement step, the rearrangement reaction can be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with changed production capacity, with no undesired changes occurring in the product composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20200115319
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities. Adapting the respective molar ratios of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and of the total used acid catalyst to the total used aniline allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity and ensures that no undesired fundamental changes occur in the product composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Stefan WERSHOFEN, Klaus-Gerd GRUNER, Volker HARTJES
  • Publication number: 20200115318
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities with alteration of the content of diamines of the diphenylmethane series (altering the binuclear content). Adapting the molar ratio of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and adapting the reaction temperature allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity, and allows the formation of undesired by-products to be avoided as far as possible; the intended modification to binuclear content is likewise achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Stefan WERSHOFEN, Klaus-Gerd GRUNER, Volker HARTJES
  • Publication number: 20200087243
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities with alteration of the isomer composition in the resulting diamines of the diphenylmethane series (altering the 2,4?-MDA content). Adapting the molar ratios of the total used aniline to the total used formaldehyde and of the total used acid catalyst to the total used aniline, and adapting the reaction temperature, allows the rearrangement reaction to be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with a change in production capacity, and allows the formation of undesired by-products to be avoided as far as possible; the intended modification to binuclear content is likewise achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Stefan WERSHOFEN, Klaus-Gerd GRUNER, Volker HARTJES
  • Publication number: 20200087244
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing diamines and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, by condensing aniline and formaldehyde followed by an acid-catalysed rearrangement at different production capacities. By adapting the temperatures in the acid-catalysed rearrangement step, the rearrangement reaction can be fully completed despite the change in dwell time inevitably associated with changed production capacity, with no undesired changes occurring in the product composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Stefan WERSHOFEN, Klaus-Gerd GRUNER, Volker HARTJES
  • Patent number: 10513487
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for producing chemical products, wherein the one or more feed materials are reacted to form a chemical product or a chemical composition. The invention further relates to plants for performing such methods, said plants being designed in such a way that, during an interruption of the methods, no input of at least one feed material into the reaction occurs and the plant parts not affected by a revision measure, maintenance measure, repair measure, or cleaning measure are operated in so-called re-circulation mode. It is thereby achieved, among other things, that only the affected plant part needs to be shut down for the time of the measure, which can be advantageous with regard to the productivity and economy of the method and the quality of the produced products. Finally, the invention relates to methods for operating plants in the event that individual plant parts are taken out of service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Peter Drinda, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20190023647
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, care being taken during the shutdown of the production process that an excess of aniline and respect to formalin is ensured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10125090
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, care being taken during the shutdown of the production process that an excess of aniline and respect to formalin is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: COVESTRO DEUTSCHLAND AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Patent number: 10125091
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series (MDA) from aniline and formaldehyde, care being taken during the start up that a sufficient excess of aniline with respect to formaldehyde is ensured, said excess amounting to at least 105% of the desired molar ratio of aniline to formaldehyde for the target recipe of the MDA to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20170152210
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods for producing chemical products, wherein the one or more feed materials are reacted to form a chemical product or a chemical composition. The invention further relates to plants for performing such methods, said plants being designed in such a way that, during an interruption of the methods, no input of at least one feed material into the reaction occurs and the plant parts not affected by a revision measure, maintenance measure, repair measure, or cleaning measure are operated in so-called re-circulation mode. It is thereby achieved, among other things, that only the affected plant part needs to be shut down for the time of the measure, which can be advantageous with regard to the productivity and economy of the method and the quality of the produced products. Finally, the invention relates to methods for operating plants in the event that individual plant parts are taken out of service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas KNAUF, Peter DRINDA, Stefan WERSHOFEN, Klaus-Gerd GRUNER, Volker HARTJES
  • Publication number: 20170137367
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series (MDA), a system for producing MDA and a process for operating a system for preparing MDA. The invention enables optimization of production standstills during operation of the MDA process with respect to time expenditure and optionally also with respect to energy and material consumption by means of a so-called recirculation mode for individual system components. During interruption of the process or interruption of the operation of individual system components, formaldehyde is not introduced into the reaction and the system components that are not affected by a revision, repair, or cleaning measure are operated in so-called recirculation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20170114000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series, care being taken during the shutdown of the production process that an excess of aniline and respect to formalin is ensured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20170107171
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of di- and polyamines of the diphenylmethane series (MDA) from aniline and formaldehyde, care being taken during the start up that a sufficient excess of aniline with respect to formaldehyde is ensured, said excess amounting to at least 105% of the desired molar ratio of aniline to formaldehyde for the target recipe of the MDA to be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Knauf, Stefan Wershofen, Klaus-Gerd Gruner, Volker Hartjes