# US 10,500,581 B1 · Separation method and assembly for process streams in component separation units

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,500,581 B1
- Document ID: US10500581B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/512,221
- Filed: 2019-07-15
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2003-03-25
- Assignees: Crystaphase International, Inc.
- Applicants: Crystaphase International, Inc.
- Inventors: John N. Glover
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500581B1

## CPC

- B01D 3/009: {in combination with chemical reactions}
- B01D 3/16: Fractionating columns in which vapour bubbles through liquid (packing elements B01J19/30, B01J19/32)
- B01D 3/38: Steam distillation
- B01D 39/06: Inorganic material, e.g. asbestos fibres, glass beads or fibres
- B01D 39/2051: {Metallic foam}
- B01D 39/2093: {Ceramic foam}
- B01D 46/10: Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
- B01D 53/02: by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography {(solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01)}
- B01D 53/0423: {Beds in columns}
- B01D 53/86: Catalytic processes
- B01J 8/006: {by filtration}
- B01J 8/0085: {promoting uninterrupted fluid flow, e.g. by filtering out particles in front of the catalyst layer}
- B01J 8/009: {Membranes, e.g. feeding or removing reactants or products to or from the catalyst bed through a membrane}
- B01J 8/0214: {in a cylindrical annular shaped bed}
- B01J 8/0453: {the beds being superimposed one above the other}
- B01J 8/0469: {the beds being superimposed one above the other}
- B01J 8/0492: {Feeding reactive fluids (for solid material, see B01J8/0015)}
- B01J 8/26: with two or more fluidised beds, e.g. reactor and regeneration installations
- B01J 19/2485: {Monolithic reactors}
- B01J 19/30: Loose or shaped packing elements, e.g. Raschig rings or Berl saddles, for pouring into the apparatus for mass or heat transfer
- B01J 19/305: {Supporting elements therefor, e.g. grids, perforated plates}
- B01J 35/56: Foraminous structures having flow-through passages or channels, e.g. grids or three-dimensional [3D] monoliths
- C10G 7/00: Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
- C10G 21/00: Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents (C10G17/00, C10G19/00 take precedence)
- C10G 25/003: {Specific sorbent material, not covered by C10G25/02 or C10G25/03}
- B01D 3/14: Fractional distillation {or use of a fractionation or rectification column}
- B01D 2253/106: Silica or silicates
- B01D 2253/112: Metals or metal compounds not provided for in B01D2253/104 or B01D2253/106
- B01D 2253/202: Polymeric adsorbents
- B01D 2253/306: Surface area, e.g. BET-specific surface
- B01D 2253/311: Porosity, e.g. pore volume
- B01D 2253/342: Monoliths
- B01D 2259/41: using plural beds of the same adsorbent in series
- B01D 2275/40: Porous blocks
- B01J 23/85: Chromium, molybdenum or tungsten
- B01J 2208/025: Two or more types of catalyst
- B01J 2219/00247: Fouling of the reactor or the process equipment
- B01J 2219/00252: Formation of deposits other than coke
- B01J 2219/30203: Saddle
- B01J 2219/30207: Sphere
- B01J 2219/30215: Toroid or ring
- B01J 2219/30219: Disk
- B01J 2219/30223: Cylinder
- B01J 2219/30246: Square or square-derived
- B01J 2219/30257: Wire
- B01J 2219/30276: Sheet
- B01J 2219/30408: Metal
- B01J 2219/30416: Ceramic
- B01J 2219/30475: comprising catalytically active material
- B01J 2219/3083: Random or dumped packing elements
- B01J 2219/3085: Ordered or stacked packing elements
- B01J 2219/32279: Tubes or cylinders
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES

## Abstract

A method for removing contaminants from an process stream that includes the use of reticulated material to filter the process stream. The reticulated material also facilitate process stream flow distribution in process units. The reticulated material can be packed with a void space between a substantial number of the reticulated material that can be varied to enhance filtration and flow distribution. The method of filtering also provides a method of removing contaminants leaving process equipment. The methods can be used on a variety of process streams and process equipment. The reticulated material can include ceramics, metallic materials, and chemical vapor deposition elements. The reticulated material can be of various shapes and sizes, and can also be catalytically active.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of removing contaminants from a contaminated process stream comprising:
a) providing a plurality of randomly packed reticulated elements within a process unit, wherein the reticulated elements are sized such that there is a significant and varied void space therebetween, and wherein the entire depth of the randomly packed reticulated elements is capable of filtering contaminants from the process stream; and
(b) contacting the contaminated process stream with the reticulated elements to filter contaminants from the contaminated process stream on a surface of the reticulated elements while allowing the process stream to pass through the significant and varied void space between the reticulated elements to produce a substantially decontaminated process stream,
wherein the process unit contains a bed of catalyst material, and wherein the pressure drop within the process vessel remains low for a predictable period of time based on the level of contaminants in the process stream and the amount of the reticulated elements provided in the process unit, and wherein the randomly packed reticulated elements in the process unit are provided in an amount such that during operations, the bed of catalyst material can be exhausted before the reticulated elements are saturated,
and wherein the reticulated elements have an internal surface area and an outer surface area, and the internal surface area is larger than the outer surface area,
and wherein the reticulated elements have a pore size in the range of about 2.5 millimeters to about 100 microns,
and wherein the randomly packed reticulated elements are capable of filtering contaminants from the contaminated process stream down to about 1 micron in size.

### Claim 2

A method of removing contaminants from a contaminated process stream comprising:
a) providing a plurality of reticulated elements within a process unit, wherein the reticulated elements are sized such that there is a significant and varied void space therebetween, and wherein the entire depth of the randomly packed reticulated elements is capable of filtering contaminants from the process stream; and
(b) contacting the contaminated process stream with the reticulated elements to filter contaminants from the contaminated process stream on a surface of the reticulated elements while allowing the process stream to pass through the significant and varied void space between the reticulated elements to produce a substantially decontaminated process stream,
wherein the process unit contains a bed of catalyst material, and wherein the reticulated elements are sized such that the catalyst bed has exhausted its catalytic activity before the reticulated elements become saturated and have exhausted their ability to filter out contaminant particles, and wherein the pressure drop within the process unit does not significantly increase over a period of continuous operation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the increase in pressure drop within the process unit is not greater than about 4% over 200 days of continuous operation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the increase in pressure drop within the process unit is not greater than about 27% over 450 days of continuous operation.