...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7399329 | Process for production of synthesis gas using an oxygen-containing gas A process for the production of a synthesis gas from a light hydrocarbon feed, steam and an oxygen-containing stream is provided in which the feed components are mixed to form a feed mixture. The process provides an inert disengaging zone separating the mixing zone ... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7371265 | Continuous hydrogen and alcohol generator from coal A gas generator with the sole input of air, water and coal that continuously produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide and further reacts these two gases into alcohol. This gas generator/reactor is using its own by-products and is therefore also self sustaining. ... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7361199 | Combined water gas shift reactor/carbon dioxide adsorber for use in a fuel cell system An apparatus removes CO from a hydrogen-rich gas stream in a hydrogen fuel cell system. CO fouls costly catalytic particles in the membrane electrode assemblies. Both a catalyst adapted to perform a water gas shift reaction, and a carbon dioxide adsorbent are dispos... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7358413 | Process for reducing fouling from flash/separation apparatus during cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating the hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/sepa... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7351872 | Process and draft control system for use in cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in a pyrolysis furnace A process and control system for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing non-volatile hydrocarbons comprising heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heated heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a dilution steam stream to form a mixture stream havin... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7311746 | Vapor/liquid separation apparatus for use in cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid A highly efficient vapor/liquid separation apparatus for treating a flow of vapor/liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons and steam comprises a substantially cylindrical vertical drum having an upper cap section, a middle section comprising a circular wall, a lower cap sect... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7312371 | Steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks containing non-volatile components and/or coke precursors A process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing non-volatile components and/or coke precursors, wherein a stripping agent is added to the feedstock to form an enhanced hydrocarbon blend which is thereafter separated into a vapor phase and a liquid ph... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7285697 | Reduction of total sulfur in crude and condensate cracking A process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock comprising at least one sulfur-containing compound comprising: heating the feedstock and a peroxide-containing compound, mixing the heated feedstock and peroxide-containing compound with a fluid and/or a primary dilution ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7279019 | Endothermic reaction process and an apparatus therefor A process for an endothermic reaction includes the steps of carrying out an exothermic reaction in which a fuel is combusted to generate heat for transfer to a feedstock subject to an endothermic reaction, the waste heat from the exothermic and endothermic reactions... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7247765 | Cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid utilizing partial condensation of vapor phase from vapor/liquid separation to mitigate fouling in a flash/separation vessel A process is provided for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, optionally further heating the mixture, flashing the mixtu... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7244871 | Process and apparatus for removing coke formed during steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks containing resids A process for decoking of a process that cracks hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid and coke precursors, wherein steam is added to the feedstock to form a mixture which is thereafter separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separatio... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7235705 | Process for reducing vapor condensation in flash/separation apparatus overhead during steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks A process for reducing fouling during cracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is provided which comprises: introducing a mixture stream of heated hydrocarbon feedstock mixed with steam to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase at its dew ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7220887 | Process and apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid A process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase which co... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7172638 | Staged air autothermal reformer for improved startup and operation An autothermal reformer according to the principles of the present invention comprises a first stage that selectively receives a fuel flow, a first oxidant flow, and a steam flow. The first stage has a first portion of a catalyst bed. The fluids within the first sta... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7166139 | Compact steam reformer A reformer which enables rapid load changes of up to 100% within a few seconds and is intended to produce hydrogen from hydrocarbons by steam reformation, comprises an evaporator cooler for cooling the reformate and for generating steam. The evaporator cooler is dis... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7138047 | Process for steam cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks A process for feeding or cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing non-volatile hydrocarbons comprising: heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flas... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7097676 | Process and device for producing hydrogen A process and a device are provided for producing hydrogen gas from water and carbon. The process includes introducing steam and powdered carbon in stoichiometric ratio of carbon to water into a preheated oxidization chamber in such a way that a gas plasma is produc... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7097758 | Converting mist flow to annular flow in thermal cracking application A process to increase the non-volatile removal efficiency in a flash drum in the steam cracking system. The gas flow from the convection section is converted from mist flow to annular flow before entering the flash drum to increase the removal efficiency. The conver... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7090765 | Process for cracking hydrocarbon feed with water substitution A process for treating hydrocarbon feed in a furnace, the process comprising: (a) heating hydrocarbon feed, (b) adding water to the heated feed, (c) adding dilution steam to the heated feed to form a mixture, (d) heating the resulting mixture and feeding the resulti... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7060118 | Synthesis gas production by steam reforming Process for the preparation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide rich gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon feedstock in presence of a steam reforming catalyst supported as thin film on the wall of a reactor, comprising steps of (a) optionally passing a process gas of hy... | 06/13/2006 |
| 6964696 | Method and apparatus for treating synthesis gas and recovering a clean liquid condensate An apparatus and method for recovering a clean liquid condensate from a synthesis gas at elevated temperatures and pressures. The apparatus includes at least one heat exchanger for reducing the temperature of the synthesis gas down to below 200° F. (93° C.) so as ... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6955695 | Conversion of petroleum residua to methane This invention discloses improvements on previous inventions for catalytic conversion of coal and steam to methane. The disclosed improvements permit conversion of petroleum residua or heavy crude petroleum to methane and carbon dioxide such that nearly all of the h... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6935283 | Fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine A fuel supply system 10 for an internal combustion engine includes a housing 12 defining a chamber 14 and provided with an inlet opening 16 upstream of the chamber 14 and an outlet opening 18 downstream of the chamber 14 | 08/30/2005 |
| 6887436 | Fast light-off catalytic reformer A fast light-off catalytic reformer and method includes at least one preferably substantially cylindrical reactor tube having an inlet for receiving a flow of fuel and a flow of air, a reforming catalyst disposed within the reactor tube for converting the fuel and a... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6811578 | Fuel reforming apparatus and method of controlling same In a fuel reforming apparatus having a reformer for reforming a raw fuel containing a hydrocarbon-containing compound so as to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel gas for use in a fuel cell, a carbon removal process for removing carbon deposited on a reforming catalyst con... | 11/02/2004 |
| 6790247 | Compact fuel processor An apparatus for carrying out a multi-step process of converting hydrocarbon fuel to a substantially pure hydrogen gas feed includes a plurality of reaction zones arranged in an insulated, box-shaped, compact fuel processor. The multi-step process includes preheatin... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6790383 | Method of gasifying carbonaceous materials A method of gasifying organic materials (carbonaceous compounds) such as coal, shredded waste tire or waste oil into gaseous fuel, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and an apparatus therefore are provided. The method comprises the steps of supplying initial fuel gas and... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6733552 | Hydrogen generating apparatus A hydrogen generating apparatus having a fuel feeding part, a water feeding part for fuel reforming, an oxidant gas feeding part, a reforming catalyst body, a heating part for the reforming catalyst, a CO shifting catalyst body and a CO purification catalyst body is... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6676716 | Method and apparatus for treating wastes by gasification A method and apparatus for treating wastes by gasification recovers useful resources including energy, valuables such as metals, and gases for use as synthesis gas for chemical industries or fuel. The wastes are gasified in a fluidized-bed reactor at a re... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6669744 | Process and apparatus for the production of synthesis gas A process for the production of synthesis gas from a hydrocarbon fuel and steam and/or oxygen gas wherein at least part of any steam requirement is provided by heat exchange against exhaust gas from a gas turbine driving an air separation unit supplying a... | 12/30/2003 |
| 6635094 | Soot filter cake disposal The present invention provides a method for the recovery of elemental carbon or soot produced during the partial oxidation reaction of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel and oxygen. An effluent stream of raw synthesis gas or syngas with entrained carbon soot is pro... | 10/21/2003 |
| 6623537 | Removal of soot in gasification system The raw syngas generated in a partial oxidation gasifier also includes carbon soot which is removed and recovered from the syngas by scrubbing with water. The scrubbing water contains one or more high temperature surfactants which allow greater soot conce... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6610112 | Method for oil gasification The present invention relates to a method for oil gasification. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for oil gasification while reducing wastewater and costly purification systems. The method comprises providing feedstock and water to ... | 08/26/2003 |
| 5362453 | Reformer for the generation of synthesis gas A device for the generation of synthesis gas with a plurality of catalyst-filled reformer tubes suspended in a pressure vessel, the reformer tubes being at least partially enveloped by jacket tubes intended to conduct product gas in an upward direction fr... | 11/08/1994 |
| 4854944 | Method for gasifying toxic and hazardous waste oil A method for treating carbonaceous material, e.g. waste oil containing PCB toxic materials, by effecting the pyrolytic gasification thereof to produce a relatively high BTU content gas that is substantially free of the toxic materials to supplement or sub... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4642272 | Integrated fuel cell and fuel conversion apparatus An apparatus, process and use for making hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam using heat stored in a vessel followed by the regeneration of the vessel to restore the heat. Regeneration is done by preheating within the vessel a hydrogen purge ga... | 02/10/1987 |
| 4555328 | Method and apparatus for injecting liquid hydrocarbon feed and steam into a catalytic cracking zone A process and an apparatus for atomizing a liquid hydrocarbon feed and injecting it into a reaction zone, such as a riser conversion zone or a dense fluid bed reactor of a fluid catalytic cracking unit, is disclosed. The hydrocarbon feed passes through a ... | 11/26/1985 |
| 4526903 | Process for the production of synthesis gas from coal The overall conversion of coal to synthesis gas by pressurized counter-current gasification is improved by steam reforming the methane values in the gas and heating the steam reformer by means of a fluidized bed combustor fuelled by the coal fines which a... | 07/02/1985 |
| 4473490 | Control of a reforming furnace A reforming furnace having a radiant section containing cracking tubes, a convection section and a stack is controlled so as to maintain a desired synthesis gas temperature unless such maintenance would result in the violation of a process constraint. The... | 09/25/1984 |
| 4414001 | Method for thermally decomposing and gasifying combustible material in a single fluidized reactor A method for thermally decomposing and gasifying either liquid or solid combustible material in a single reactor filled with working medium in a high active fluidization, said reactor being provided with two partitions, one of which is extended downwards ... | 11/08/1983 |