Abstract: A process has been developed for producing diesel boiling range fuel from renewable feedstocks such as plant and animal fats and oils. The process involves treating a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating i.e. decarboxylating, decarbonylating, and hydrodeoxygenating to provide a hydrocarbon fraction useful as a diesel boiling range fuel. A sulfur containing component is added to drive the conversion preferentially through carbonylation and carbonylation with reduced hydrodeoxygenation. If desired, the hydrocarbon fraction can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties.

Abstract: Processes and reactor systems are provided for the conversion of oxygenated hydrocarbons to hydrocarbons, ketones and alcohols useful as liquid fuels, such as gasoline, jet fuel or diesel fuel, and industrial chemicals. The process involves the conversion of mono-oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, furans, carboxylic acids, diols, triols, and/or other polyols, to C4+ hydrocarbons, alcohols and/or ketones, by condensation. The oxygenated hydrocarbons may originate from any source, but are preferably derived from biomass.

Abstract: A process and system for converting organic waste into reusable hydrocarbon is described wherein the process includes feeding an organic waste into a pyrocatalytic reactor which is essentially free of halogenated synthetic resinous material into a molten lead bath which is confined in a reactor in an substantially oxygen-free atmosphere which is admixed with a catalytic material comprising particulate aluminum oxide and aluminum powder. The waste is thermally and catalytically converted with at least 50% effectiveness to produce a reusable hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A mercury removal apparatus for a liquid hydrocarbon includes a conversion device which converts a mercury component in a raw liquid hydrocarbon into elemental mercury to obtain a first liquid hydrocarbon containing the elemental mercury. The apparatus also includes a first stripping device which brings the first liquid hydrocarbon into counter-current contact with a first stripping gas, thereby transferring the elemental mercury in the first liquid hydrocarbon to the first stripping gas to obtain (i) a second liquid hydrocarbon in which the amount of the elemental mercury decreases and (ii) a first gaseous hydrocarbon containing the elemental mercury.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of hydrocarbons that are solid or have a high boiling temperature and may be laden with metals, sulfur or sediments, into liquids (gasolines, gas oil, fuels) with the help of a jet of gas properly superheated between 600 and 800° C. The process comprises preheating a feed 5 in a heater 8 to a temperature below the selected temperature of a reactor 10. This feed is injected by injectors 4 into the empty reactor 10 (i.e., without catalyst.) The feed is treated with a jet of gas or superheated steam from superheater 2 to activate the feed. The activated products in the feed are allowed to stabilize at the selected temperature and at a selected pressure in the reactor and are then run through a series of extractors 13 to separate heavy and light hydrocarbons and to demetallize the feed. Useful products appearing in the form of water/hydrocarbon emulsions are generally demulsified in emulsion breaker 16 to form water laden with different impurities.

Abstract: A cracking furnace having a firebox provided with cracking coils is described. The cracking coils have at least one inlet, at least one inlet section, at least one outlet and at least one outlet section, and burners, and the parts of the coils are shielded. A process for cracking hydrocarbon feeds, and making use of a furnace with the thermal shielding are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing emissions of particulates from diesel engines. Exhaust is passed through a diesel particulate filter having at least two stages comprised of (a) a catalyst section having a platinum group metal catalyst on contact surfaces within the catalyst section and (b) a filter section comprised of passages effective to remove particulates from a moving stream of combustion gases generated by combusting the fuel in the engine and holding them therein to permit their oxidation. Carbon removal is enhanced by utilizing levels of platinum group metal composition, cerium compositions, fuels and/or optional chemical enhancers to generate NO2 in the catalyst section in amounts sufficient to form cerium nitrates in the filter section. The cerium oxide is associated with and maintains dispersion of the platinum in the filter section, and the cerium nitrates are available at the surface and within the soot particles to provide enhanced soot oxidation at a lower balance point.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods (processes) and systems for processing triglyceride-containing, biologically-derived oils to provide for base oils and transportation fuels, wherein partial oligomerization of fatty acids contained therein provide for an oligomerized mixture from which the base oils and transportation fuels can be extracted. Such methods and systems can involve an initial hydrotreating step or a direct isomerization of the oligomerized mixture.

Abstract: Methods for the thermolysis of lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, cellulose, lignin, and lignocellulose are provided. Some methods comprise combining the lignocellulosic material with an ionic liquid and subjecting the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the ionic media to thermolysis conditions to form a recoverable product, such as a commodity chemical.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods (processes) and systems for processing triglyceride-containing, biologically-derived oils to provide for base oils and transportation fuels, wherein partial oligomerization of fatty acids contained therein provide for an oligomerized mixture from which the base oils and transportation fuels can be extracted. Such methods and systems can involve an initial hydrotreating step or a direct isomerization of the oligomerized mixture.

Abstract: Recycling a metal/organic laminate continuously involves providing a reactor having a first chamber with a first rotary stirrer, a second chamber with a second rotary stirrer, each chamber containing particulate microwave absorbing material, introducing laminate and additional absorbing material into the first chamber under a reducing or inert atmosphere, stirring and applying microwave energy sufficiently to pyrolyze organic material, transferring a portion of the mixture to the second chamber where it is stirred and microwave energy applied to pyrolyze remaining organic material, delaminate or delaminated metal migrating toward and floating on the upper surface of the mixture, where the second stirrer rotates in a horizontal plane and fluidizes the mixture to give the upper surface of the mixture a radial profile biasing metal floating to migrate radially outwardly, and recovering metal from an exit.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for recovery of energy and by-products from automobile and truck tires. The tires are heated in an oxygen poor environment, and the off gases are condensed to recover a liquid oil product and compressible natural gas. The tires are reduces to ash and steel, both of which can be feed streams for other processes. The apparatus includes a condenser with cooled plates, and oil recovery structures.

Abstract: A catalytic converter having an excellent purification efficiency and small pressure loss and a method for producing the same is provided. A catalytic converter comprises a catalyst coating layer which is coated on the surface of the partition walls of the honeycomb structural body having partition walls which divide and form a plurality of cells functioning as fluid passages.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for thermal processing of catalytically active biomass, the biomass is subjected in a receiving tank to a cracking temperature to undergo a cracking reaction. The biomass is transferred to a mixer pump to produce a reaction mixture which is directed into an outgassing chamber of an intermediate tank to produce an outgassed fraction and a non-outgassed liquid fraction. The outgassed fraction to produce fuel is cooled down, and a first portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is returned and subjected again to the cracking temperature in the receiving tank. A second portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is conducted in a bypass to the outgassing chamber of the intermediate tank for outgassing while fresh biomass is added. Residual matter settling in the intermediate tank is periodically removed.

Abstract: A nitric oxide delivery system, which includes a gas bottle having nitrogen dioxide in air, converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide and employs a surface-active material, such as silica gel, coated with an aqueous solution of antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid. A nitric oxide delivery system may be used to generate therapeutic gas including nitric oxide for use in delivering the therapeutic gas to a mammal.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for PM purification, where good PM purification performance can be achieved. The PM purification apparatus includes (a) a honeycomb support having an outer periphery-side region and an inner-side region, which carries a PM oxidation catalyst and in which the PM oxidation catalyst loading per unit volume of support in the outer periphery-side region is greater than the PM oxidation catalyst loading per unit volume of support in the inner-side region, (b) a center electrode passing through the center part of the honeycomb support and extending to the exhaust gas flow upstream side, and (c) an outer peripheral electrode disposed on the outer periphery of the honeycomb support and electrically insulated from the center electrode by the honeycomb support. The PM purification method can be performed using the PM purification apparatus.

Abstract: A method for collecting biomass, such as straw, and for producing a pyrolysis liquid, such as oil or tar, from the biomass, includes the step of collecting the biomass from a growth site, e.g. a field, by means of a mobile unit. The biomass is continuously fed into a pyrolysis apparatus accommodated by the mobile unit, as the mobile unit is moved across the growth site. While the biomass is processed in the pyrolysis apparatus, further biomass is simultaneously being collected. The pyrolysis apparatus may be a flash pyrolysis or fast pyrolysis apparatus relying on centrifugal forces for forcing biomass towards a reactive surface in a pyrolysis reactor. The mobile unit may be self-propelled.

Abstract: A fast pyrolysis apparatus (200) for producing pyrolysis liquid, such as oil or tar, char and pyrolysis gas from biomass, such as straw, comprises a centrifuge chamber (204) and a rotor (210) arranged to impart rotation on the biomass in the centrifuge chamber to force the biomass outwardly under the action of centrifugal forces. A furnace (206) arranged coaxially around the centrifuge chamber (204) maintains the temperature at an outer reactive wall of the centrifuge chamber at an elevated temperature to effect the pyrolysis process at or near the reactive wall. The apparatus comprises a condenser (218) arranged coaxially with and surrounded by the centrifuge chamber (204). The apparatus may be accommodated by a mobile unit for simultaneously collecting biomass from a field and processing the biomass in the apparatus.

Abstract: Herein is a three-layered catalyst system in which layers including predetermined precious metal components are sequentially layered on a substrate, and thus the conversion ratio of HC and CO is increased, thereby improving purification efficiency. The three-layered catalyst system includes a substrate, a lower layer containing a precious metal component of only platinum, an intermediate layer containing a precious metal component of only palladium, and an upper layer containing a precious metal component of only platinum, all of which are sequentially layered.

Abstract: A method for regenerating a solid reactant includes streaming the solid reactant into an inlet port of a contact or vessel and heating the solid reactant inside the contactor vessel, streaming a purge oxidant into an oxidant port of the contactor vessel to reduce a partial pressure of gas released from the solid reactant, venting the gas from a gas port of the contactor vessel, and removing the solid reactant from a discharge port of the contactor vessel.