Nam V Le

7414149, Aug 19, 2008

Nov 7, 2005

11/268152

Michael Stanley DeCourcy - Houston TX, US
Nam Quoc Le - Friendswood TX, US

Rohm and Haas Company - Philadelphia PA

C07C 51/16
C07C 51/21

562532

The non-routine (e. g. , emergency) shutdown of a chemical reaction process is achieved by a method of safely operating a chemical reaction process which comprises the steps of detecting an undesirable condition capable of affecting the process, minimizing the reaction of the reactants, and maintaining a flow of materials through the reaction zones of the process such that the reaction mixture is displaced from the reaction zones. The flow of materials may be maintained for a period of time such that the substantially all of the reaction mixture is displaced from the reaction zones, thereby flushing the reaction zones. The reaction mixture may then be purged to an ancillary vessel, such as an absorber.

8002047, Aug 23, 2011

Mar 30, 2009

12/383909

Michael S. DeCourcy - Houston TX, US
James E. Elder - Houston TX, US
Timothy Allen Hale - Houston TX, US
Nam Quoc Le - Friendswood TX, US
Patrick Kevin Pugh - Kingwood TX, US
John Somson - Moorestown NJ, US

Rohm and Haas Company - Philadelphia PA

A62C 2/00

169 46, 169 43

A method for attenuating deflagration pressure produced by combustion of combustible gas in a defined region of a process vessel. The method generally comprises selecting and placing attenuating material in the defined region of the process vessel, wherein the selected attenuating material maintains its physical shape under the operating conditions. The attenuating material should occupy at least 20% of the volume of the defined region of the process vessel. Use of the inventive method may be beneficially applied for the safe operation of oxidation reactors with flammable, high hydrocarbon concentration feeds in order to attain increased productivity. The invention also provides a tubular reactor adapted for attenuation of deflagration pressure resulting from combustion of combustible gas in a defined region therein, wherein the defined region of the tubular reactor comprises attenuating material selected in accordance with the aforesaid method for attenuating deflagration pressure and which have a plurality of components which are placed such that void spaces and open pathways between the components are minimized. A method for performing gas phase reactions safely under flammable operating conditions is also provided, wherein a gas feed composition comprising a hydrocarbon and oxygen is subjected reaction in a reaction vessel having attenuating materials therein and the reaction is conducted at a temperature and a pressure which render the reaction system flammable. By using the inventive apparatus, full pressure containment may be achieved, thereby eliminating the need for emergency pressure relief devices.

20090112367, Apr 30, 2009

Feb 29, 2008

12/074145

Michael Stanley DeCourcy - Houston TX, US
Nam Quoc Le - Friendswood TX, US
Scott Mark Swann - Deer Park TX, US

G05B 15/00
B02C 17/16
B02C 23/00

700275, 241 27, 241 38

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for efficiently dislodging and extracting at least a portion of solid materials from one or more reactor tubes of shell-and-tube reactors without damage to at least a portion of the solid materials which would otherwise render the solid materials unsuitable for re-use. The apparatus has at least one rod, a rotator assembly for rotating the rod, and a transmission assembly for applying an axially-directed force to insert the rod into a corresponding reactor tube and dislodging solid materials therein. The rod is also in fluid communication with an aspirator for extraction of dislodged solid materials. When the apparatus has more than one rod, they are arranged in a configuration matching the pattern of the reactor tubes and each rod is in axial alignment with a corresponding reactor tube. The method involves the steps of inserting one or more rods into corresponding reactor tubes, dislodging at least a portion of the solid materials, while minimizing damage to the solid materials or the tubes by rotating and applying an axially directed force to the rods as they contact the solid materials. The dislodged solid materials are then extracted from the reactor tubes. The method may further involve tracking and communicating the completed steps for each reactor tube by placing and replacing indicators on the reactor tubes, thereby enabling an operator to determine which step to perform next.