Search Patents
-
Patent number: 7566441Abstract: The invention provides methods of combusting a fuel in a reactor that includes at least 3 zones each of which contains a solid catalyst. A method of making a thermally-stable alumina support from fumed alumina is also described.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: VelocysInventors: Francis P. Daly, Junko M. Watson, Yong Wang, Jianli Hu, Chunshe Cao, Richard Long, Rachid Taha
-
Patent number: 6969505Abstract: This invention relates to a process for conducting an equilibrium limited chemical reaction in a single stage process channel. A process for conducting a water shift reaction is disclosed. A multichannel reactor with cross flow heat exchange is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, Wayne W. Simmons, Kai Tod Paul Jarosch, Terry Mazanec, Eric Daymo, Ying Peng, Jennifer Lynne Marco
-
Patent number: 8100996Abstract: This invention relates to a process for converting a carbonaceous material to a desired product comprising one or more hydrocarbons or one or more alcohols, the process comprising: (A) gasifying the carbonaceous material at a temperature in excess of about 700° C. to form synthesis gas; and (B) flowing the synthesis gas in a microchannel reactor in contact with a catalyst to convert the synthesis gas to the desired product.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Wayne W. Simmons, Robert Dwayne Litt, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Laura J. Silva, Daniel Francis Ryan, Bruce Stangeland, John Brophy, Jeffrey S. McDaniel
-
Patent number: 8062623Abstract: Catalysts containing 30 weight percent or more platinum have surprisingly been discovered to possess superior stability and activity for catalyzing combustion reactions. The addition of rhenium improves catalyst performance in fuel lean conditions but has undesirable effects in fuel rich conditions. The invention provides integrated combustion microreactors, chemical systems utilizing these integrated combustion microreactors, methods of combustion, and methods of providing heat to endothermic reactions in integrated combustion microreactors.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: VelocysInventors: Francis P. Daly, Junko M. Watson, Yong Wang, Jianli Hu, Chunshe Cao, Richard Long
-
Patent number: 7780944Abstract: 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: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: James A. Mathias, G. Bradley Chadwell, Dongming Qiu, Annalee Y. Tonkovich, Steven T. Perry, Matthew B. Schmidt, Sean P. Fitzgerald, David J. Hesse, Thomas D. Yuschak, Bin Yang
-
Patent number: 7250151Abstract: 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: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: July 31, 2007Assignee: VelocysInventors: Anna Lee Tonkovich, 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, Richard Q. Long, Wm. Allen Rogers, Ravi Arora, Wayne W. Simmons, Barry L. Yang, Yong Wang, Thomas Forte, Robert Jetter
-
Patent number: 7226574Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting a hydrocarbon reactant to a product comprising CO and H2. The process comprises: (A) flowing a reactant composition comprising the hydrocarbon reactant and oxygen or a source of oxygen through a microchannel reactor in contact with a catalyst under reaction conditions to form the product, the microchannel reactor comprising at least one process microchannel with the catalyst positioned within the process microchannel, the hydrocarbon reactant comprising methane, the contact time for the reactant composition within the process microchannel being up to about 500 milliseconds, the temperature of the reactant composition and product within the process microchannel being up to about 1150° C., the conversion of the hydrocarbon reactant to carbon oxide being at least about 50%. The product formed in step (A) may be converted to a product comprising CO2 and H2O in a microchannel reactor.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Velocys, Inc.Inventors: Richard Q. Long, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Eric Daymo, Barry L. Yang, Yong Wang, Francis P. Daly
-
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