Patents by Inventor Zhanping Xu

Zhanping Xu 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).

  • SCALE COLLECTION DEVICE FOR DOWNFLOW REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190232199
    Abstract: The invention involves a scale collection device that is located within downflow reactor head for removing solids from feed streams to increase reactor operating cycle time without impact on effective reactor space for catalyst loading. More particularly, a filtering zone is located in an upper portion of a reactor vessel above a rough liquid distribution tray and a distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Steven J. Lesniak, Robert L. Bunting, JR.
  • SCALE COLLECTION DEVICE FOR DOWNFLOW REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190232244
    Abstract: The invention involves a scale collection device that is located within downflow reactor head for removing solids from feed streams to increase reactor operating cycle time without impact on effective reactor space for catalyst loading. More particularly, a filtering zone is located in an upper portion of a reactor vessel above a rough liquid distribution tray and a distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Steven J. Lesniak, Robert L. Bunting, JR.
  • SCALE COLLECTION DEVICE FOR DOWNFLOW REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190232243
    Abstract: The invention involves a scale collection device that is located within downflow reactor head for removing solids from feed streams to increase reactor operating cycle time without impact on effective reactor space for catalyst loading. More particularly, a filtering zone is located in an upper portion of a reactor vessel above a rough liquid distribution tray and a distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Robert L. Bunting, JR., Steven J. Lesniak, Zhanping Xu
  • TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA
    Publication number: 20190219696
    Abstract: A method of determining distances to features in a scene comprising transmitting structured light modulated at a modulation frequency to illuminate the scene with a structured illumination pattern and for each combination of a sampling phase offset ?k and a perturbation phase shift ?n, modulating sensitivity of a photo sensor at the frequency of modulation of the transmitted light, but phase shifted relative to phase of the transmitted light by a phase ?k,n=(?k+?n), and for each value of ?k,n modulo 360°, registering light reflected by features in the scene during a different exposure and using the registered light to provide a range image of the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • SCALE COLLECTION DEVICE FOR DOWNFLOW REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190193038
    Abstract: The invention involves a scale collection device that is located within downflow reactor head for removing solids from feed streams to increase reactor operating cycle time without impact on effective reactor space for catalyst loading and reactor pressure drop. More particularly, a scale collection device is located in an upper portion of a reactor vessel above a rough liquid distribution tray and a vapor-liquid distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Pengfei Chen, Robert L. Bunting, JR.
  • SCALE COLLECTION DEVICE FOR DOWNFLOW REACTORS
    Publication number: 20190193039
    Abstract: The invention involves a scale collection device that is located within downflow reactor head for removing solids from feed streams to increase reactor operating cycle time without impact on effective reactor space for catalyst loading. More particularly, a filtering zone is located in an upper portion of a reactor vessel above a rough liquid distribution tray and a distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • Heat exchangers for low temperature carbon dioxide separation from natural gas
    Patent number: 10281209
    Abstract: A reboiler in fluid communication with a fractionator column in an offshore low temperature process removing carbon dioxide from natural gas has a vessel volume. A carbon steel tubing bundle is disposed within the vessel volume. Each tube in the bundle has an outer surface with a porous granular metal layer deposited thereon. The granular metal layer comprises a pore size distribution which promotes bubble nucleation during vaporization of a nearly pure liquid carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Lubo Zhou, Thomas J. Godry, Zhanping Xu
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID CONTACTING IN A DOWNFLOW VESSEL
    Publication number: 20190105629
    Abstract: A contacting device and method are presented for the collection, contacting, and distribution of fluids between particulate beds of a downflow vessel, which may operate in co-current flow. By one approach, the contacting device includes a liquid collection tray, a mixing channel in fluid communication with the liquid collection tray, and a liquid distribution zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Christopher Naunheimer, Pengfei Chen, Steven J. Lesniak
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID CONTACTING IN A DOWNFLOW VESSEL
    Publication number: 20190105627
    Abstract: A contacting device and method are presented for the collection, contacting, and distribution of fluids between particulate beds of a downflow vessel, which may operate in co-current flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Christopher Naunheimer, Pengfei Chen
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID CONTACTING IN A DOWNFLOW VESSEL
    Publication number: 20190076806
    Abstract: A contacting device and method are presented for the collection, contacting, and distribution of fluids between particulate beds of a downflow vessel, which may operate in co-current flow. By one approach, the contacting device includes a liquid collection tray, a mixing channel in fluid communication with the liquid collection tray, and a liquid distribution zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Christopher Naunheimer, Pengfei Chen, Peter H. Shafe
  • Time of flight camera
    Patent number: 10215856
    Abstract: A method for determining whether a distance that a CW-TOF range camera provides for a scene is degraded by multipath interference (MPI) comprising operating the camera to determine a propagation phase delay and a phase delay coefficient for each of a plurality of modulation frequencies of light that illuminates the scene and using the phase delay coefficient and/or the phase delay to determine whether a distance provided by the camera is compromised by MPI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • METHODS FOR FLUID CONTACTING IN A DOWNFLOW VESSEL
    Publication number: 20190030495
    Abstract: A contacting device and method are presented for the collection, contacting, and distribution of fluids between particulate beds of a downflow vessel, which may operate in co-current flow. By one approach, the contacting device includes a liquid collection tray, a mixing channel in fluid communication with the liquid collection tray, and a liquid distribution zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Christopher Naunheimer, Pengfei Chen, Peter H. Shafe, Steven J. Lesniak
  • APPARATUS FOR VAPOR-LIQUID DISTRIBUTION
    Publication number: 20190001292
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for gas-liquid distribution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gas-liquid distribution device that may be used in an ionic liquid co-current gas and liquid up-flow reactor designed to distribute gas uniformly across the reactor cross section through restriction orifices on distributors located across the distribution tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Daniel A. Kauff, Robert J. Sanger, Sathit Kulprathipanja, Emadoddin Abbasi
  • Reactor for use with an ionic liquid catalyst
    Patent number: 10159953
    Abstract: A combined heat exchanger and reactor for use with an ionic liquid catalyst reaction. The reactor includes an outer shell configured to receive a cooling fluid which may remove heat from reactions occurring within hollow members disposed inside of the outer shell. The hollow members preferably include one or more static mixers for mixing fluids and dispersing ionic liquid into droplets. A separation zone may be disposed beneath the hollow members which will separate the effluent and provide a hydrocarbon stream and an ionic liquid stream. Multiple combined heat exchanger and reactor may be arranged in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • Imaging sensor with shared pixel readout circuitry
    Patent number: 10151838
    Abstract: Imaging sensors that detect infrared and visible light are provided herein. In one example, an imaging sensor is presented that includes a semiconductor substrate comprising an array of pixel structures for concurrently sensing infrared light and visible light. Each of the pixel structures include a first pixel element configured to detect the infrared light and a second pixel element configured to detect the visible light. Each of the pixel structures further include a shared output circuit that couples the first pixel element and the second pixel element such that a first output state presents a first signal corresponding to detected infrared light of the first pixel element and a second output state presents a second signal corresponding to detected visible light of the second pixel element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA
    Publication number: 20180313955
    Abstract: A continuous wave time of flight (CW-TOF) camera operable to determine distances to features in a scene that are corrected for light that the camera transmits that is back scattered to a photosensor in the camera by structural features of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA
    Publication number: 20180292516
    Abstract: A continuous wave time of flight (CW-TOF) camera that modulates sensitivity of its photosensor during an exposure period at a frequency of modulation of structured light that the camera transmits to illuminate a scene that it images but phase shifted relative to phase of the transmitted light by a sampling phase offset modified by a sequence of N perturbation phase shifts ?n=2?(n?1)/N, (1?n?N), and modifies the structured light in synchrony with the sequence of perturbation phase shifts to reduce error due to multipath interference in determining distances to features in the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu
  • REACTOR SYSTEM FOR USE WITH AN IONIC LIQUID CATALYST
    Publication number: 20180264431
    Abstract: Reactor systems for use with ionic liquid catalyst. The reactor systems include one or more stages, which include a reactor and a heat exchanger, and a separation zone. The reactor and the heat exchanger may have a vertical orientation. Additionally, a separation vessel may also include a vertical orientation. The heat exchanger may allow for linear flow of process fluid to control residence time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Eric Leeton, Kurt Detrick, Christian D. Freet, David S. Lafyatis, Robert Mehlberg, Sean G. Mueller, Gregory J. Schrad, Zhanping Xu
  • PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING COOLING FLUID IN AN IONIC LIQUID REACTOR SYSTEM WITH A HEAT EXCHANGER
    Publication number: 20180128560
    Abstract: Processes for controlling the rate and temperature of cooling fluid through a heat exchange zone in, for example, an alkylation reactor using an ionic liquid catalyst. A cooling fluid system may be used to provide the cooling fluid which includes a chiller and a reservoir. The cooling fluid may pass from the reservoir through the heat exchange zone. A bypass line may be used to pass a portion of the cooling fluid around the heat exchange zone. The amount of cooling fluid may be adjusted, with a valve, based upon the temperature of the cooled process fluid flowing out of the heat exchange zone. Some of the cooling fluid from the chiller may be circulated back to the chiller in a chiller loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Gregory J. Schrad, James G. Hagen, Sean G. Mueller, Trung Pham, Zhanping Xu
  • Ionic liquid reactor with heat exchanger
    Patent number: 9950970
    Abstract: An ionic liquid reactor and a process for controlling heat generation from an ionic liquid reactor unit. The ionic liquid reactor includes an internal heat exchanger. Impellers break the ionic liquid into small droplets to ensure reactions and mix the fluids to ensure reactions and enhance heat exchanger. Baffles may be used to direct the flow of the fluids within the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Zhanping Xu