Patents by Inventor William C. Behrmann

William C. Behrmann 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: 6319960
    Abstract: A method for hydrocarbon synthesis reactions from carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a catalyst pellet which includes a solid core and a coated layer of porous support impregnated with a catalyst which optimizes the CO conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Kym B. Arcuri, Charles H. Mauldin, Mordechay Herskowitz
  • Patent number: 6284807
    Abstract: A slurry catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis process which employs a catalyst comprising a supported cobalt component achieves a short term catalyst half life of more than 10 days, by using a syngas feed which contains less than fifty parts per billion of a combined total amount of HCN and NH3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. Leviness, Charles J. Mart, William C. Behrmann, Stephen J. Hsia, Daniel R. Neskora
  • Patent number: 5973012
    Abstract: A reversibly deactivated, particulate catalyst in a slurry hydrocarbon synthesis slurry is rejuvenated by circulating the slurry from a slurry body through (i) a gas disengaging zone to remove gas bubbles from the slurry, (ii) a catalyst rejuvenation zone in which a catalyst rejuvenating gas contacts the catalyst in the slurry to rejuvenate it and form a rejuvenated catalyst slurry and, (iii) back into the slurry body. Removing at least a portion of the gas bubbles improves the rejuvenation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Stephen C. Leviness
  • Patent number: 5866621
    Abstract: Particulate solids and gas are removed from a three phase hydrocarbon synthesis slurry of solid catalyst particles, gas and liquid, by successively passing slurry from a slurry body through solids and gas disengaging zones in fluid communication, with the solids disengaging zone upstream of the gas disengaging zone. This is accomplished using a solids and gas disengaging downcomer immersed in the slurry wherein solids are disengaged in a quiescent zone adjacent the slurry body, from which the solids reduced slurry passes through an enclosed cup in which gas is disengaged and removed. The bottom of the cup terminates in a downwardly depending downcomer which hydraulically feeds the densified, solids and gas reduced slurry to the bottom of the reactor or to filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Charles J. Mart
  • Patent number: 5817702
    Abstract: A reversibly deactivated, particulate catalyst in a slurry hydrocarbon synthesis slurry is rejuvenated by circulating the slurry from a slurry body through (i) a gas disengaging zone to remove gas bubbles from the slurry, (ii) a catalyst rejuvenation zone in which a catalyst rejuvenating gas contacts the catalyst in the slurry to rejuvenate it and form a rejuvenated catalyst slurry and, (iii) back into the slurry body. Removing at least a portion of the gas bubbles improves the rejuvenation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Exxon Research And Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Stephen C. Leviness
  • Patent number: 5545674
    Abstract: A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate support, especially a silica or titania support. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10+ distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Kym B. Arcuri, Charles H. Mauldin
  • Patent number: 5382748
    Abstract: The operation of a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor and catalyst distributed in the reaction slurry therein are improved by the presence in said reactor of one or more vertical downcomers open at both ends with gas disengaging areas located at their top end. The downcomer which circulates catalyst from the top of the reaction slurry to the bottom of said slurry is fully immersed in the reaction slurry and preferably extends from just above the bottom of the reaction zone of the reaction vessel to just below the top surface of the reaction slurry. The bottom end of said downcomer is shielded from intrusion of rising synthesis gas by the placement of a baffle which blocks rising gas entry but facilitates the exit of catalyst and liquid from the bottom of said downcomer and distributes them radially throughout the adjacent reactor slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Charles H. Mauldin, Larry E. Pedrick
  • Patent number: 5288673
    Abstract: Catalyst in a slurry phase reactor is rejuvenated in said reactor using a substantially vertical draft tube fully immersed in the slurry which utilizes a rejuvenating gas injected substantially near the bottom of the substantially vertical draft tube whereby catalyst near the bottom of the slurry phase reactor is drawn up the draft tube and discharged from the top of the draft tube near the top of the slurry phase in said reactor, control over the rejuvenation temperature in the substantially vertical draft tube being achieved by means of insulating the draft tube and/or fitting the draft tube with heating or cooling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Stephen C. Leviness
  • Patent number: 5268344
    Abstract: Catalyst in a slurry phase reactor is rejuvenated and uniformly distributed in said reactor using a substantially vertical draft tube fully immersed in the slurry which utilizes a rejuvenating gas injected substantially near the bottom of the substantially vertical draft tube whereby catalyst near the bottom of the slurry phase reactor is drawn up the draft tube and discharged from the top of the draft tube near the top of the slurry phase in said reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Larry E. Pedrick, Charles H. Mauldin, William C. Behrmann
  • Patent number: 5258411
    Abstract: The activity of supported cobalt catalysts for hydrocarbon synthesis is maximized by carrying out the reduction at conditions that keep both the partial pressure of water vapor and the maximum reduction temperature below critical maximum values. For titania supported cobalt catalysts, the preferred maximum water partial pressure is one atmosphere and the preferred maximum reduction temperature is 375.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Stephen M. Davis, Charles H. Mauldin
  • Patent number: 5168091
    Abstract: The activity of supported cobalt catalysts for hydrocarbon synthesis is maximized by carrying out the reduction at conditions that keep both the partial pressure of water vapor and the maximum reduction temperature below critical maximum values. For titania supported cobalt catalysts, the preferred maximum water partial pressure is one atmosphere and the preferred maximum reduction temperature is 375.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Stephen M. Davis, Charles H. Mauldin
  • Patent number: 5128377
    Abstract: A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate titania or titania-containing support, especially one wherein the rutile:anatase ratio of the support is at least about 3:2. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10 + distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Charles H. Mauldin, Kym B. Arcuri
  • Patent number: 4962078
    Abstract: A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate titania or titania-containing support, especially one wherein the rutile:anatase ratio of the support is at least about 3:2. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C.sub.10+ distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Charles H. Mauldin, Kym B. Arcuri
  • Patent number: 4479926
    Abstract: A method for treating a waste stream from an alkylation process is disclosed, where the waste stream comprises a fluoride, sulfuric acid, and an acid soluble oil. The method comprises combusting the waste stream, scrubbing the combustion products to remove, fluorine, and recovering sulfur from the combustion products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Thomas G. Jones
  • Patent number: 4096199
    Abstract: A process for regenerating an alkylation catalyst comprising fluorosulfuric acid, said catalyst being at least partially deactivated, which comprises:(1) contacting at least a portion of the fluorosulfuric acid with water to form an acid-water mixture, thereby converting at least a portion of the fluorosulfuric acid therein to hydrogen fluoride and sulfuric acid;(2) removing at least a portion of the hydrogen fluoride from said acid-water mixture formed in step (1) by contacting same with a stripping agent to form a gaseous phase containing hydrogen fluoride and said stripping agent and a liquid phase containing sulfuric acid and sludge;(3) cooling the gas phase formed in step (2) to a temperature sufficient to form a mixed phase comprising at least a liquid phase containing hydrogen fluoride; and(4) treating the mixed phase formed in step (3) with sulfur trioxide under substantially liquid phase conditions so as to regenerate the fluorosulfuric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Donald L. Green, William C. Behrmann, David E. Allan
  • Patent number: 4071576
    Abstract: The deactivated fluorosulfuric acid catalyst in olefin-paraffin alkylation is regenerated by (1) contacting the acid phase with water to form an acid-water mixture (2) stripping the acid-water mixture with a paraffin to form a gaseous phase of hydrogen fluoride and paraffin (3) cooling the gaseous phase with liquid paraffin to form a liquid fluorosulfuric acid and a vapor containing fluorosulfuric acid, hydrogen fluoride and paraffin (4) treating the vapor with liquid SO.sub.3, and utilizing liquid fluorosulfuric acid in the treating step in countercurrent flow to the vapor to convert the hydrogen fluoride to regenerated fluorosulfuric acid, (5) the remaining gas phase containing paraffin and a minor amount of fluorosulfuric acid is cooled to condense all the fluorosulfuric acid to liquid and (6) the regenerated liquid fluorosulfuric acid is used as the countercurrent flowing liquid fluorosulfuric acid in treating step (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Robert H. Caulk
  • Patent number: 4065516
    Abstract: Alkylates of enhanced product quality are prepared by isomerizing a mixed butenes-containing feed prior to alkylating said feed with a saturated hydrocarbon, preferably an isoparaffin, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a strong acid such as halosulfuric acid, trihalomethanesulfonic acid or mixtures thereof and a moderator containing at least one oxygen atom per molecule. A preferred catalyst is fluorosulfuric acid and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: John F. Moser, Jr., William C. Behrmann
  • Patent number: RE37229
    Abstract: The operation of a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor and catalyst distributed in the reaction slurry therein are improved by the presence in said reactor of one or more vertical downcomers open at both ends with gas disengaging areas located at their top end. The downcomer which circulates catalyst from the top of the reaction slurry to the bottom of said slurry is fully immersed in the reaction slurry and preferably extends from just above the bottom of the reaction zone of the reaction vessel to just below the top surface of the reaction slurry. The bottom end of said downcomer is shielded from intrusion of rising synthesis gas by the placement of a baffle which blocks rising gas entry but facilitates the exit of catalyst and liquid from the bottom of said downcomer and distributes them radially throughout the adjacent reactor slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Charles H. Mauldin, Larry E. Pedrick
  • Patent number: RE37406
    Abstract: A supported particulate cobalt catalyst is formed by dispersing cobalt, alone or with a metal promoter, particularly rhenium, as a thin catalytically active film upon a particulate support, especially a silica or titania support. This catalyst can be used to convert an admixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a distillate fuel constituted principally of an admixture of linear paraffins and olefins, particularly a C10+ distillate, at high productivity, with low methane selectivity. A process is also disclosed for the preparation of these catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: William C. Behrmann, Kym B. Arcuri, Charles H. Mauldin
  • Patent number: RE37649
    Abstract: Catalyst in a slurry phase reactor is rejuvenated and uniformly distributed in said reactor using a substantially vertical draft tube fully immersed in the slurry which utilizes a rejuvenating gas injected substantially near the bottom of the substantially vertical draft tube whereby catalyst near the bottom of the slurry phase reactor is drawn up the draft tube and discharged from the top of the draft tube near the top of the slurry phase in said reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Larry E. Pedrick, Charles H. Mauldin, William C. Behrmann