Alan E Richards

US Patent:

20050287057, Dec 29, 2005

Filed:

Jun 21, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/157695

Inventors:

Alan Richards - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

C01B017/00

US Classification:

423242100

Abstract:

Methods, devices, and materials are disclosed for efficient high-volume oxidation of SOto SO, for bulk manufacturing rather than exhaust scrubber operations. Activated carbon, with vanadium or other catalytic dopants, is used, and an anhydrous solvent with a low dielectric constant, minimal hydrogen bonding, and potent SOstripping ability is used. Vanadium compounds such as vanadium diformate, and catalyst formulations using metals that can alternate back and forth between +4 and +6 oxidation states (such as tungsten or molybdenum), can increase efficiency. A process that uses hydroxy radicals to initiate a chain reaction that converts SOto SOalso is disclosed.

US Patent:

20070282151, Dec 6, 2007

Filed:

May 19, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/438103

Inventors:

Alan K. Richards - Houston TX, US

International Classification:

C07C 43/00
C07C 1/00

US Classification:

585733, 585638, 568618

Abstract:

Hydrocarbon liquids and olefins can be made from methane with greater efficiency than previously available, by converting methane into methanesulfonic acid (MSA), then converting the MSA into a reactive anhydride called sulfene, HC═SO. Sulfene will exothermically form ethylene, an olefin. It also can insert methylene groups (—CH—) into hydrocarbon liquids, to make heavier and more valuable liquids. Other options are disclosed for improved methods of making MSA (such as by using di(methyl-sulfonyl) peroxide as a radical initiator), for converting MSA into products such as dimethyl ether (DME), and for using DME as a “peak shaving” gas that can be injected into natural gas supply pipelines with no disruptions to end-use burners.