Patents by Inventor William A. Summers

William A. Summers 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: 10590061
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BENEFUEL, INC.
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca Williams, Danny Gulledge, Robert Barrie Tripp
  • Patent number: 10526564
    Abstract: Processes and system for producing biofuels and coproducts are described herein. The system includes a heterogeneous acid catalyst and reactors for reacting a) an alcohol and b) a mixture of a fatty acid glyceride and a fatty acid. The system may further include a pretreatment system and a purification system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: FLINT HILLS RESOURCES, LP
    Inventors: Matthew Wesley Phillips, Megan Christina Fry Nitz, Erich Charles Pfalzgraf, Rebecca Williams, William A. Summers
  • Publication number: 20190153355
    Abstract: Processes and system for producing biofuels and coproducts are described herein. The system includes a heterogeneous acid catalyst and reactors for reacting a) an alcohol and b) a mixture of a fatty acid glyceride and a fatty acid. The system may further include a pretreatment system and a purification system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Flint Hills Resources, LP
    Inventors: Matthew Wesley Phillips, Megan Christina Fry Nitz, Erich Charles Pfalzgraf, Rebecca Williams, William A. Summers
  • Publication number: 20180319733
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca WILLIAMS, Danny GULLEDGE, Robert Barrie TRIPP
  • Patent number: 10087397
    Abstract: Processes and system for producing biofuels and coproducts are described herein. The processes include pretreating a feedstock comprising fatty acid glycerides and free fatty acids to remove contaminants, contacting the feedstock with alcohols and a solid acidic catalyst to produce a biofuel comprising fatty acid alkyl esters, and purifying the biofuel and coproducts from the resulting reaction mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FLINT HILLS RESOURCES, LP
    Inventors: Matthew Wesley Phillips, Megan Christina Fry Nitz, Erich Charles Pfalzgraf, Rebecca Williams, William A. Summers
  • Patent number: 10023523
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Benefuel, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca Williams, Danny Gulledge, Robert Barrie Tripp
  • Publication number: 20160199755
    Abstract: A vertical electrostatic coalescer comprises a first and second electrode surface and a horizontally disposed foraminous surface. The first electrode surface and horizontally disposed foraminous surface are at ground potential. The first and second electrode surfaces share the same planar orientation relative to the central longitudinal axis of the vessel. The unique arrangement of the vessel and opposing pairs of first and second electrode surfaces provides for a substantially uniform voltage field around a perimeter of the vessel and an effective voltage field for coalescence within a center of the vessel. A circular-shaped distributor pipe or a distributor housing serves to absorb momentum of the incoming emulsion stream and distribute the stream into an interior of the vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Gary W. Sams, William A. Summers, Sarabjit S. Randhava, Harry G. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20160194581
    Abstract: Processes and system for producing biofuels and coproducts are described herein. The processes include pretreating a feedstock comprising fatty acid glycerides and free fatty acids to remove contaminants, contacting the feedstock with alcohols and a solid acidic catalyst to produce a biofuel comprising fatty acid alkyl esters, and purifying the biofuel and coproducts from the resulting reaction mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew Wesley Phillips, Megan Christina Fry Nitz, Erich Charles Pfalzgraf, Rebecca Williams, William A. Summers
  • Publication number: 20150105570
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca Williams, Danny Gulledge, Robert Barrie Tripp
  • Patent number: 8962873
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Benefuel, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca Williams, Danny Gulledge, Robert Barrie Tripp
  • Patent number: 8414756
    Abstract: A vertical electrostatic coalescer comprises a first and second electrode surface and a horizontally disposed foraminous surface. The first electrode surface and horizontally disposed foraminous surface are at ground potential. The first and second electrode surfaces share the same planar orientation relative to the central longitudinal axis of the vessel. The unique arrangement of the vessel and opposing pairs of first and second electrode surfaces provides for a substantially uniform voltage field around a perimeter of the vessel and an effective voltage field for coalescence within a center of the vessel. A circular-shaped distributor pipe or a distributor housing serves to absorb momentum of the incoming emulsion stream and distribute the stream into an interior of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: National Tank Company
    Inventors: Gary W. Sams, William A. Summers, Sarabjit S. Randhava, Harry G. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20120232300
    Abstract: Processes for continuous preparation of bioproducts are described herein. The processes include contacting fatty acid glycerides with alcohols in the presence of an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and separating the fatty acid alkyl esters from the reaction products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Rebecca Williams, Danny Gulledge, Robert Barrie Tripp
  • Publication number: 20100108523
    Abstract: A vertical electrostatic coalescer comprises a first and second electrode surface and a horizontally disposed foraminous surface. The first electrode surface and horizontally disposed foraminous surface are at ground potential. The first and second electrode surfaces share the same planar orientation relative to the central longitudinal axis of the vessel. The unique arrangement of the vessel and opposing pairs of first and second electrode surfaces provides for a substantially uniform voltage field around a perimeter of the vessel and an effective voltage field for coalescence within a center of the vessel. A circular-shaped distributor pipe or a distributor housing serves to absorb momentum of the incoming emulsion stream and distribute the stream into an interior of the vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Gary W. Sams, William A. Summers, Sarabjit S. Randhava, Harry G. Wallace
  • Patent number: 4977840
    Abstract: Industrial, municipal, sanitary, marine, and infectious waste materials are thermally and chemically converted principally to steam, fuels and environmentally acceptable solids by dehydration, pyrolysis of the solid residue therefrom, and finally gasification of the pyrolysis char residue. In contrast to incineration processes, the products have significant market value and present no atmospheric pollution problems. Temperatures employed range up to about 3000.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: American Waste Reduction Corporation
    Inventor: William A. Summers
  • Patent number: 4303415
    Abstract: Coal is gasified, to yield a fuel gas having a medium-B.T.U. heating value, in the presence of air and steam in a plurality of reaction stages having different reaction temperatures. Reaction heat is principally supplied directly by recycle of char particles from a separate combustion zone to higher-temperature reaction zones and indirectly by combustion flue gas to lower-temperature reaction zones. Hydrogen sulfide, from product fuel gas, and flue gas are directly contacted to provide elemental sulfur. The only other product is a substantially non-combustible ash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Assignee: Lubille Energy Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: William A. Summers
  • Patent number: 4297443
    Abstract: A method of catalyzing the curing of polyurethane foams formed by reacting a polyol with a diisocyanate in the presence of a blowing agent and a catalyst comprising using as the catalyst a compound of the formula ##STR1## where n is 0 or 1, R is methyl or ethyl and R' is hydrogen, methyl of dimethylamino.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: International Minerals & chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Eckler, William A. Summers, Ollie W. Chandler
  • Patent number: 4275310
    Abstract: Electric power is provided during periods of peak demand, employing a turbine generator facility activated by the expansion of compressed air, withdrawn from an underground air storage reservoir, in a substantially isothermal system. A generator system, which may comprise a steam boiler or a fuel gasifier, is employed for isothermal compression of air into reservoir storage during periods of low power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1981
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Robert L. Longardner
  • Patent number: 4210609
    Abstract: A process for decolorizing 1-nitropropane containing color bodies by passing it through a bed of alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: International Minerals & Chemical Corp.
    Inventors: William A. Summers, Peter C. Markunas, Lois V. Faulkner