Mark D Shelton

US Patent:

6670505, Dec 30, 2003

Filed:

Mar 7, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/519936

Inventors:

Nick Allen Collins - Fall Branch TN
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN
George William Tindall - Church Hill TN
Steven Thomas Perri - Kingsport TN
Chester Wayne Sink - Kingsport TN
Bhaskar Krishna Arumugam - Kingsport TN
John Clark Hubbs - Kingsport TN

Assignee:

Eastman Chemical Company - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

C07C 5142

US Classification:

562580, 562582, 562584, 562585, 562589, 435138, 435803, 435896, 435876

Abstract:

A process for recovering a desired organic acid from a solution includes the steps of: providing an aqueous solution including at least one desired organic acid or its acid anion; adjusting the proton concentration in the aqueous solution to a desired level, with the desired proton concentration being selected, at least in part, by the amount of available protons needed to associate with the acid anions of the desired organic acid(s) to be recovered and/or acid anions that are weaker than the desired organic acids; and recovering at least a portion of the at least one desired organic acid from the aqueous phase. The desired proton concentration can be based on the amount of available protons being greater than, less than or substantially equal, to the amount of protons needed to associate with the anion of the desired organic acid(s) and acid anions that are weaker than the desired organic acid(s). Specific examples of suitable organic acids include, but are not limited to, ascorbic, succinic, tartaric, glyconic, gulonic, citric, lactic, hialic, maleic, acetic, formic, gluconic pyruvic, propionic, butyric, itaconic acids and mixtures thereof. One embodiment of the present invention relates to the recovery of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (KLG) from aqueous solutions such as fermentation baths.

US Patent:

20020026077, Feb 28, 2002

Filed:

Aug 3, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/921946

Inventors:

Nick Collins - Fall Branch TN, US
Mark Shelton - Kingsport TN, US
George Tindall - Church Hill TN, US
Steven Perri - Kingsport TN, US
Ruairi O'Meadhra - Kingsport TN, US
Chester Sink - Kingsport TN, US
Bhaskar Arumugam - Kingsport TN, US
John Hubbs - Kingsport TN, US

International Classification:

C07C051/42

US Classification:

562/608000, 562/593000

Abstract:

A process for recovering a desired organic acid from a solution includes the steps of: providing an aqueous solution including at least one desired organic acid or its acid anion; adjusting the proton concentration in the aqueous solution to a desired level, with the desired proton concentration being selected, at least in part, by the amount of available protons needed to associate with the acid anions of the desired organic acid(s) to be recovered and/or acid anions that are weaker than the desired organic acids; and recovering at least a portion of the at least one desired organic acid from the aqueous phase. The desired proton concentration can be based on the amount of available protons being greater than, less than or substantially equal, to the amount of protons needed to associate with the anion of the desired organic acid(s) and acid anions that are weaker than the desired organic acid(s). Specific examples of suitable organic acids include, but are not limited to, ascorbic, succinic, tartaric, glyconic, gulonic, citric, lactic, malic, maleic, acetic, formic, gluconic pyruvic, propionic, butyric, itaconic acids and mixtures thereof. One embodiment of the present invention relates to the recovery of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (KLG) from aqueous solutions such as fermentation baths.

US Patent:

20120160836, Jun 28, 2012

Filed:

Dec 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/323140

Inventors:

David Carl Attride - Jonesborough TN, US
Brad William Overturf - Kingsport TN, US
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

H05B 6/70

US Classification:

219690, 219745, 219761

Abstract:

A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for launching and/or dispersing microwave energy. The microwave launching system can include one or more split microwave launchers at least partly disposed in the interior of the heater. The microwave dispersing system can include one or more moving reflectors for rastering microwave energy emitted from the split launchers.

US Patent:

20120160837, Jun 28, 2012

Filed:

Dec 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/323219

Inventors:

David Carl Attride - Jonesborough TN, US
Brad William Overturf - Kingsport TN, US
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN, US
Jared Moore - Kingsport TN, US
James S. Nelson - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

H05B 6/70

US Classification:

219690

Abstract:

A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for introducing microwave energy into the heater. The system uses a high-efficiency elongated waveguide launcher having a plurality of launch openings defined in relatively thin walls. The waveguide launcher can exhibit a launch efficiency of at least 50 percent, thereby providing substantially energy savings over conventional waveguide launchers.

US Patent:

20120160838, Jun 28, 2012

Filed:

Dec 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/323239

Inventors:

David Carl Attride - Jonesborough TN, US
Brad William Overturf - Kingsport TN, US
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

H05B 6/70

US Classification:

219690, 219761

Abstract:

A microwave heater capable of heating a bundle of wood and equipped with an optimized system for introducing microwave energy into the heater is provided. Also provided is an enhanced system for launching and dispersing within the heater. The system uses one or more TMmicrowave launchers to emit microwave energy in the interior of the microwave heater in a TMmode, where a is 0 and b is an integer between 1 and 5. The TMlaunchers can be configured to emit microwave energy through an open outlet that faces generally parallel to the nearest wall of the heater. In certain situations, it can be advantageous to use at least two TMmicrowave launchers having open outlets that face towards one another. In certain situations, it can be advantageous to use at least two TMmicrowave launchers located on generally opposite sides of the microwave heater. In certain situations, the system can also include one or more moving reflectors for dispersing microwave energy emitted from the TMmicrowave launchers.

US Patent:

20120160840, Jun 28, 2012

Filed:

Dec 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/323194

Inventors:

David Carl Attride - Jonesborough TN, US
Brad William Overturf - Kingsport TN, US
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN, US

Assignee:

EASTMAN CHEMICAL COMPANY - Kingsport TN

International Classification:

H05B 6/68

US Classification:

219718, 219702

Abstract:

An optimized system and process for heating wood using a microwave heater. The optimized system/process directs microwave energy towards different regions of the wood at different times during heating. In certain situations, microwave energy is introduced into the heater using microwave launchers and the system includes one or more microwave switches that control distribution of microwave energy to the microwave launchers so that two adjacent and/or opposing microwave launchers do not simultaneously introduce microwave energy into the heater. The optimized heating process also includes heating wood using a plurality of sequential heating cycles carried out at different conditions. For example, at least one of the heating cycles can be carried out at a lower input rate of microwave energy and/or at a lower pressure than one of the previous heating cycles.

US Patent:

20160354948, Dec 8, 2016

Filed:

Aug 19, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/242090

Inventors:

- Kingsport TN, US
David Carl Attride - Jonesborough TN, US
Brad William Overturf - Kingsport TN, US
Andrew C. Hiester - Kingsport TN, US
Tyler Littrell - Lexington AL, US
Jared Moore - Kingsport TN, US
James S. Nelson - Kingsport TN, US
Mark Robert Shelton - Kingsport TN, US
John Peter Mykytka - Kingsport TN, US
Timothy Lee Guinn - Bluff City TN, US

International Classification:

B27K 5/00
H05B 6/70
B27K 3/34
F26B 5/04
C08H 8/00
H05B 6/80
H05B 6/76

Abstract:

A commercial scale system and process for chemically modifying wood and then heating the chemically-modified wood. The system/process separates the chemical modification step from the heating step by utilizing two different vessels for the modification and heating steps. The system and process can, in certain situations, include a containment room for preventing escape of vapors from a chemical wood modification reactor, a wood heater, and/or a chemically-modified bundle of wood as the bundle is transported from the wood modification reactor to the wood heater.