Search Patents
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Patent number: 7404936Abstract: The present invention provides new microreactor systems, catalysts, and chemical processes. Methods of making novel catalysts and reaction apparatus are also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2002Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: VelocysInventors: Terry J. Mazanec, Yong Wang, Laura J. Silva, David P. VanderWiel
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Patent number: 8252245Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus and systems in which there is partial boiling of a liquid in a mini-channel or microchannel. The partial boiling removes heat from an exothermic process.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, David J. Hesse, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Bin Yang, Ravi Arora, Laura J. Silva, G. Bradley Chadwell, Kai Jarosch, Dongming Qiu
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Patent number: 7722833Abstract: A microchannel reactor is described which has at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchange zone. The microchannel reactor may be used for conducting a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Yong Wang, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Terry Mazanec, Francis P. Daly, Dave VanderWiel, Jianli Hu, Chunshe Cao, Charles Kibby, Xiaohong Shari Li, Michael D. Briscoe, Nathan Gano, Ya-Huei Chin
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Patent number: 7744829Abstract: The invention provides methods of oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH). Conducting ODH in microchannels has unexpectedly been found to yield superior performance when compared to the same reactions at the same conditions in larger reactors. ODH methods employing a Mo—V—Mg—O catalyst is also described. Microchannel apparatus for conducting ODH is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2008Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: VelocysInventors: John H. Brophy, Kai Jarosch, Terry J. Mazanec, Matthew B. Schmidt, Laura J. Silva, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Fred Pesa, David J. Hesse
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Patent number: 8703984Abstract: This invention relates to a process for converting ethylene to ethylene oxide comprising: flowing reactants comprising ethylene and oxygen or a source of oxygen in a microchannel reactor in contact with a catalyst to form a product comprising ethylene oxide, the reactants undergoing an exothermic reaction in the microchannel reactor; and transferring heat from the microchannel reactor to a heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Terry Mazanec, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Wayne W. Simmons, Francis P. Daly, Richard Q. Long, Laura J. Silva
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Patent number: 8029748Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus and chemical systems for making vinyl acetate from ethylene, oxygen, and acetic acid.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignees: Velocys, Inc, Celanese International CorporationInventors: Terry Mazanec, Victor J. Johnston, Michael Huckman, Sean P. Fitzgerald, James A. Foster, Daniel Lindley, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Francis P. Daly, Leslie Wade, Tony Hammock, Thomas Yuschak, Bin Yang, Kai Jarosch
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Patent number: 7220390Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus, comprising: at least one process microchannel having a height, width and length, the height being up to about 10 mm, the process microchannel having a base wall extending in one direction along the width of the process microchannel and in another direction along the length of the process microchannel; at least one fin projecting into the process microchannel from the base wall and extending along at least part of the length of the process microchannel; and a catalyst or sorption medium supported by the fin.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2003Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Dongming Qiu, Richard Q. Long, Barry L. Yang, Thomas Yuschak, Steven T. Perry
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Patent number: 7014835Abstract: The invention is a process and device for exchanging heat energy between three or more streams in a microchannel heat exchanger which can be integrated with a microchannel reactor to form an integrated microchannel processing unit. The invention enables the combining of a plurality of integrated microchannel devices to provide the benefits of large-scale operation. In particular, the microchannel heat exchanger of the present invention enables flexible heat transfer between multiple streams and total heat transfer rates of about 1 Watt or more per core unit volume expressed as W/cc.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: James Allen Mathias, G. Bradley Chadwell, Dongming Qiu, Anna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Steven T. Perry, Matthew B. Schmidt
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Patent number: 8048383Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process, comprising: conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Ravi Arora, David Kilanowski, Eric Daymo
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Patent number: 8721974Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process, comprising: conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Ravi Arora, David Kilanowski, Eric Daymo
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Patent number: 8298491Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a process, comprising: conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2011Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Ravi Arora, David Kilanowski, Eric Daymo
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Patent number: 8557186Abstract: Integrated Combustion Reactors (ICRs) and methods of making ICRs are described in which combustion chambers (or channels) are in direct thermal contact to reaction chambers for an endothermic reaction. Superior results were achieved for combustion chambers which contained a gap for free flow through the chamber. Particular reactor designs are also described. Processes of conducting reactions in integrated combustion reactors are described and results presented. Some of these processes are characterized by unexpected and superior results.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Gary Roberts, Steven T. Perry, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Robert S. Wegeng, Yong Wang, David Vanderwiel, Jennifer L. Marco
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Patent number: 7896935Abstract: A process of conducting a catalyst reaction or fluid separation in comprising: at least one process microchannel having a height, width and length, the height being up to about 10 mm, the process microchannel having a base wall extending in one direction along the width of the process microchannel and in another direction along the length of the process microchannel; at least one fin projecting into the process microchannel from the base wall and extending along at least part of the length of the process microchannel; and a catalyst or sorption medium supported by the fin.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2006Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Dongming Qiu, Richard Q. Long, Barry L. Yang, Thomas Yuschak, Steven T. Perry
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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
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Patent number: 8383054Abstract: Integrated Combustion Reactors (ICRs) and methods of making ICRs are described in which combustion chambers (or channels) are in direct thermal contact to reaction chambers for an endothermic reaction. Particular reactor designs are also described. Processes of conducting reactions in integrated combustion reactors are described and results presented. Some of these processes are characterized by unexpected and superior results, and/or results that can not be achieved with any prior art devices.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Gary Roberts, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Paul W. Neagle, Dongming Qiu, Matthew B. Schmidt, Steven T. Perry, David J. Hesse, Robert J. Luzenski, G. Bradley Chadwell, Ying Peng, James A. Mathias, Nathan P. Gano, Richard Q. Long, Wm. Allen Rogers, Ravi Arora, Wayne W. Simmons, Barry L. Yang, David J. Kuhlmann, Yong Wang, Thomas D. Yuschak, Thomas Forte, John Arthur Monahan, Robert Jetter
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Patent number: 8450381Abstract: 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: March 22, 2012Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: William Allen Rogers, Paul William Neagle, Michael Alan Marchiando, Christopher Paul Well, Robert Dwayne Litt, Ronald Chester Pasadyn, G. Bradley Smith, Charles Robert Miele, Thomas Peter Forte, Jimmy Glen Pelham