IP Library Granted Patent US 12,607,352
Granted Patent B2
US 12,607,352 · App. 18/136,906 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Process and burner apparatus for acid regeneration

Inventors: Andrew Richardson (Clinton, NJ); Blake Stapper (Austin, TX); Guisu Liu (Naperville, IL)
Assignee: Messer Industries USA, Inc.
F23G7/008F23L7/007F23G2204/103
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,607,352
App. No.
18/136,906
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A burner, process and furnace are provided for regenerating a spent acid stream or other sulfur-containing stream by decomposing the spent sulfuric acid stream and/or other sulfur-containing stream to recover sulfur dioxide from the stream. The burner includes a burner body, and at least one spent acid feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body or other sulfur-containing feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body. At least one fuel feed passage may be positioned at least partially within the burner body. A related process and furnace are also provided.

Claims (37)

1 . A burner for a furnace, comprising:

a burner body;

at least one combustion fuel feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body;

an air inlet in fluid communication with the burner body; and

at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body.

2 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage comprises at least one spent sulfuric acid feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body.

3 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one combustion fuel feed passage comprises at least one combustion fuel feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body.

4 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet comprises an oxygen-enriched air inlet.

5 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage is positioned at least partially within the at least one combustion fuel feed passage.

6 . The burner of claim 5 , further comprising an air inlet in fluid communication with the burner body.

7 . The burner of claim 6 , wherein the air inlet comprises an oxygen-enriched air inlet.

8 . The burner of claim 5 , comprising more than one spent sulfuric acid feed injector at least partially positioned within the combustion fuel feed passage.

9 . The burner of claim 8 , further comprising at least one of (i) more than one spent sulfuric acid feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body, (ii) more than one combustion fuel feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body, or (iii) more than one air feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body.

10 . The burner of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet comprises an oxygen-enriched air inlet.

11 . The burner of claim 1 , further comprising at least one air feed passage at least partially positioned within the burner body.

12 . The burner of claim 11 , wherein the at least one air feed passage comprises at least one oxygen-enriched air injector.

13 . The burner of claim 11 , further comprising i) more than one spent sulfuric acid feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body, (ii) more than one combustion fuel feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body, and (iii) more than one air feed injector positioned at least partially within the burner body.

14 . The burner of claim 1 , further comprising a spent acid supply field adapted for use with the burner body for supplying at least one additional spent acid feed to the furnace.

15 . A process for decomposing at least one of a spent sulfuric acid feed comprising:

supplying a combustion fuel to a furnace interior through at least one combustion fuel feed passage that is at least partially positioned within a burner body, the at least one combustion fuel feed passage having an end opening into an atmosphere at the furnace interior;

supplying atmospheric combustion air or oxygen-enriched atmospheric combustion air into the furnace interior through an air feed passage at least partially positioned within the burner body; and

supplying at least one of the spent sulfuric acid feed into the furnace interior through a spent sulfuric acid feed passage that is at least partially positioned within the burner body, the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage having an end opening into the atmosphere at the furnace interior.

16 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising decomposing the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed in the furnace interior.

17 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the step of supplying the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed into the furnace interior comprises injecting the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed into the furnace interior with at least one spent sulfuric acid injector at least partially positioned within the burner body.

18 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising supplying at least one spent sulfuric acid feed into the furnace interior through the spent sulfuric acid feed passage, and supplying at least one combustion fuel feed into the interior of the furnace through the combustion fuel feed passage and that surrounds the spent sulfuric acid feed passage, wherein the combustion fuel feed supplied to the furnace interior forms a shroud surrounding the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed supplied to the furnace interior.

19 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising supplying at least one other sulfur-containing feed into the furnace interior through the other sulfur-containing feed passage, and supplying at least one combustion fuel feed into the interior of the furnace through the combustion fuel feed passage and that surrounds the other sulfur-containing feed passage, wherein the combustion fuel feed supplied to the furnace interior forms a shroud surrounding the at least one other sulfur-containing feed supplied to the furnace interior.

20 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising supplying pure oxygen directly into the furnace interior through a pure oxygen injector in direct fluid communication with the furnace interior.

21 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising supplying additional spent acid feed directly into the furnace interior through an injector field in direct fluid communication with the furnace interior.

22 . A furnace, comprising:

a housing having at least one side wall and an interior; and at least one burner engaged with a side wall of the furnace and in fluid communication with the interior of the furnace, the at least one burner comprising:

a burner body;

at least one combustion fuel feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body;

at least one atmospheric air passage positioned at least partially within the burner body or at least one oxygen-enriched atmospheric air passage at least partially positioned within the burner body; and

at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage positioned at least partially within the burner body.

23 . The furnace of claim 22 , wherein the at least one spent sulfuric acid feed passage comprises at least one spent sulfuric acid feed injector at least partially positioned within the burner body.

24 . The furnace of claim 22 , further comprising at least one pure oxygen injector in direct fluid communication with the interior of the furnace.

25 . The furnace of claim 22 , further comprising a spent sulfuric acid injector field in direct fluid communication with the interior of the furnace.

Assignments (1)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded May 11, 2023
From: RICHARDSON, ANDREW; STAPPER, BLAKE; LIU, GUISU
To: MESSER INDUSTRIES USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 063609/0987 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240353100A1 · Oct 24, 2024
References Cited (49)
US 2042058A · Jefferson · 1936 [cited by examiner]
US 2406930A · Titlestad · 1946 [cited by applicant]
US 3993429A · Archer · 1976 [cited by examiner]
US 4046866A · Hurlburt et al. · 1977 [cited by applicant]
US 4376107A · Morgenthaler · 1983 [cited by applicant]
US 4490347A · Gelblum · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4748919A · Campobenedetto et al. · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 5022332A · Ding · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5498790A · Grendel et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5531169A · Mole et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6399040B1 · Dafft et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6572835B1 · MacArthur et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6979430B2 · Fan et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 10829376B2 · Lykke et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10995949B2 · Schreiner et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20080063593A1 · Smith et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080145290A1 · Daum et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080226540A1 · Felthouse et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090068088A1 · Daum et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090226353A1 · Tekie et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090226362A1 · Randolph, III · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100092374A1 · Erkes et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100284899A1 · Kita et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20130028821A1 · Suchak · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140294719A1 · Schreiner · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20190152780A1 · O'Connell · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200182459A1 · Schreiner · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200280058A1 · Shen et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210147234A1 · Daum et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220227625A1 · Thellefsen et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 104876190A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
EP 0091679A1 · 1983 [cited by applicant]
EP 0972746A1 · 2000 [cited by applicant]
GB 1527661A1 · 1978 [cited by applicant]
GB 1602621A1 · 1981 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022053176A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022083737A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/US2023/019522, Date of Mailing: Oct. 30, 2025, Authorized Officer: Xiaofan Tang, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report from ISA/US for PCT/US2022/81734 filed Dec. 16, 2022, Date of Mailing: May 3, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 7 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion from ISA/US for PCT/US2022/81734 filed Dec. 16, 2022, Date of Mailing: May 3, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 8 pgs. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/US2022/081734, Date of Mailing: Nov. 7, 2024, Authorized Officer: Agnes Wittmann-Regis, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19522 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 13, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 9 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19522 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 13, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriguez, 11 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19530 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 21, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 10 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19530 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 21, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriguez, 9 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19558 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 27, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 12 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19558 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Sep. 27, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriguez, 12 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19561 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Aug. 15, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriquez, 8 pgs. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion from ISA/US for PCT/US2023/19561 filed Apr. 24, 2023, Date of Mailing: Aug. 15, 2023, Authorized Officer: Kari Rodriguez, 6 pgs. [cited by applicant]