Patents by Inventor William Allen Rogers, Jr.
William Allen Rogers, Jr. 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: 9452408Abstract: A method of starting up one or more units, the method comprising the steps of: (a) starting up a first unit including a microchannel reactor housing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst by initially feeding a carbon monoxide source and a hydrogen source to the first unit and through the microchannel reactor; (b) processing, within the microchannel reactor, at least a portion of the carbon monoxide source and the hydrogen source; (c) monitoring at least one of internal pressure, temperature, and concentration at least one of within the microchannel reactor and downstream from the microchannel reactor; (d) at least partially containing the microchannel reactor using a wall of a containment device, the wall cooperating with the microchannel reactor to delineate at least one of a first inlet cavity and a first outlet cavity of the microchannel reactor, where at least one of the first inlet cavity and the first outlet cavity is not in fluid communication with at least one of a second inlet cavity and a second outlet cavity;Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2013Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: William Allen Rogers, Jr., Christopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, George Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Patent number: 9403142Abstract: The present invention includes a removable microchannel unit including an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice in fluid communication with a plurality of microchannels distributed throughout the removable microchannel unit, and a pressurized vessel adapted have the removable microchannel unit mounted thereto, the pressurized vessel adapted to contain a pressurized fluid exerting a positive gauge pressure upon at least a portion of the exterior of the removable microchannel unit. The invention also includes a microchannel unit assembly comprising a microchannel unit operation carried out within a pressurized vessel, where pressurized vessel includes a pressurized fluid exerting a positive gauge pressure upon an exterior of the microchannel unit operation, and where the microchannel unit operation includes an outlet orifice in fluid communication with an interior of the pressurized vessel.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2013Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Inventors: William Allen Rogers, Jr., Paul William Neagle, Michael Alan Marchiando, Christopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, G. Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Publication number: 20140364518Abstract: A method of starting up one or more units, the method comprising the steps of: (a) starting up a first unit including a microchannel reactor housing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst by initially feeding a carbon monoxide source and a hydrogen source to the first unit and through the microchannel reactor; (b) processing, within the microchannel reactor, at least a portion of the carbon monoxide source and the hydrogen source; (c) monitoring at least one of internal pressure, temperature, and concentration at least one of within the microchannel reactor and downstream from the microchannel reactor; (d) at least partially containing the microchannel reactor using a wall of a containment device, the wall cooperating with the microchannel reactor to delineate at least one of a first inlet cavity and a first outlet cavity of the microchannel reactor, where at least one of the first inlet cavity and the first outlet cavity is not in fluid communication with at least one of a second inlet cavity and a second outlet cavity;Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2013Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventors: William Allen Rogers, JR., Christopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, George Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Publication number: 20140357738Abstract: The present invention includes a removable microchannel unit including an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice in fluid communication with a plurality of microchannels distributed throughout the removable microchannel unit, and a pressurized vessel adapted have the removable microchannel unit mounted thereto, the pressurized vessel adapted to contain a pressurized fluid exerting a positive gauge pressure upon at least a portion of the exterior of the removable microchannel unit. The invention also includes a microchannel unit assembly comprising a microchannel unit operation carried out within a pressurized vessel, where pressurized vessel includes a pressurized fluid exerting a positive gauge pressure upon an exterior of the microchannel unit operation, and where the microchannel unit operation includes an outlet orifice in fluid communication with an interior of the pressurized vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Inventors: William Allen Rogers, JR., Paul William Neagle, Michael Alan Marchiando, Christopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, G. Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Patent number: 8460411Abstract: A process unit comprising: (a) a first microchannel module comprising: (i) a first unit operation including microchannels, in which at least a portion of a unit operation takes place, adapted to be in fluid communication with a first inlet stream and a first outlet stream, and (ii) a second unit operation including microchannels adapted to be in thermal communication with the first unit operation, the second unit operation adapted to be in fluid communication with a second inlet stream and a second outlet stream; and (b) a pressurized vessel at least partially containing the first microchannel module adapted to be concurrently occupied by a compressive medium in thermal communication with the first microchannel module.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2010Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: William Allen Rogers, Jr., Christopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, George Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Patent number: 7959880Abstract: The present invention includes methods and apparatuses for producing hydrogen peroxide using microchannel technology. An exemplary process for producing hydrogen peroxide comprises flowing feed streams into intimate fluid communication with one another within a process microchannel to form a reactant mixture stream comprising a hydrogen source and an oxygen source such as, without limitation, hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. Thereafter, a catalyst is contacted by the reactant mixture and is operative to convert a majority of the reactant mixture to hydrogen peroxide that is withdrawn via an egressing product stream. During the hydrogen peroxide chemical reaction, exothermic energy is generated and absorbed by the fluid within the microchannel as well as the microchannel itself.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2008Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Bin Yang, William Allen Rogers, Jr., Paul William Neagle, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Kai Tod Paul Jarosch, Dongming Qiu, David J. Hesse, Micheal Lamont
-
Publication number: 20110004345Abstract: A process unit comprising: (a) a first microchannel module comprising: (i) a first unit operation including microchannels, in which at least a portion of a unit operation takes place, adapted to be in fluid communication with a first inlet stream and a first outlet stream, and (ii) a second unit operation including microchannels adapted to be in thermal communication with the first unit operation, the second unit operation adapted to be in fluid communication with a second inlet stream and a second outlet stream; and (b) a pressurized vessel at least partially containing the first microchannel module adapted to be concurrently occupied by a compressive medium in thermal communication with the first microchannel module.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Inventors: William Allen Rogers, JR., Chistopher Paul Weil, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, George Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham
-
Publication number: 20090004074Abstract: The present invention includes methods and apparatuses that utilize microchannel technology and, more specifically in exemplary form, producing hydrogen peroxide using microchannel technology. An exemplary process for producing hydrogen peroxide comprises flowing feed streams into intimate fluid communication with one another within a process microchannel to form a reactant mixture stream comprising a hydrogen source and an oxygen source such as, without limitation, hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. Thereafter, a catalyst is contacted by the reactant mixture and is operative to convert a majority of the reactant mixture to hydrogen peroxide that is withdrawn via an egressing product stream. During the hydrogen peroxide chemical reaction, exothermic energy is generated. This exothermic energy is absorbed by the fluid within the microchannel as well as the microchannel itself.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2008Publication date: January 1, 2009Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Bin Yang, William Allen Rogers, JR., Paul William Neagle, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Kai Tod Jarosch, Dongming Qiu, David J. Hesse, Micheal Lamont
-
Patent number: 7445650Abstract: A method of starting up and shutting down a microchannel process is provided. Included are the steps of providing a first multi-planar process unit, preferably adapted to process an endothermic reaction, a second multi-planar process unit, preferably adapted to process an exothermic reaction, providing a containment vessel, the containment vessel containing at least a portion of the first, and preferably the second, process unit. In startup, the microchannel process is first checked for pressure integrity by pressurizing and checking the important components of the process for leaks. Subsequently, the process units are heated by introducing a dilute low-thermal energy density material, preferably to the second process unit, followed by the introduction of a dilute high-thermal energy density material, and adjusting the proportion of high-thermal energy density material as required. In shutdown, a purge material from the containment vessel is introduced into the first, and preferably the second, process unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Christopher P. Weil, Robert D. Litt, William Allen Rogers, Jr., Richard K. Bennett, Elizabeth A. De Lucia
-
Patent number: 7442360Abstract: The present invention includes methods and apparatuses that utilize microchannel technology and, more specifically in exemplary form, producing hydrogen peroxide using microchannel technology. An exemplary process for producing hydrogen peroxide comprises flowing feed streams into intimate fluid communication with one another within a process microchannel to form a reactant mixture stream comprising a hydrogen source and an oxygen source such as, without limitation, hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. Thereafter, a catalyst is contacted by the reactant mixture and is operative to convert a majority of the reactant mixture to hydrogen peroxide that is withdrawn via an egressing product stream. During the hydrogen peroxide chemical reaction, exothermic energy is generated. This exothermic energy is absorbed by the fluid within the microchannel as well as the microchannel itself.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2005Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Bin Yang, William Allen Rogers, Jr., Paul William Neagle, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Kai Tod Paul Jarosch, Dongming Qiu, David J. Hesse, Michael Lamont