Abstract: This invention discloses a reaction system for producing fatty-acid alkyl esters using liquid film reactors, with countercurrent flow scheme based on the alcoholysis of fats and oils. Reaction system comprises a descending film reactor using semi-structured packing for generating interfacial area. It is fed through the bottom with oil or fat, and with a mixture containing alcohol, glycerol and catalyst through an intermediate stage. Products are a mixture of fatty-acid alkyl esters, alcohol and catalyst and alcohol, glycerol and catalyst, exit via the top and the bottom of the reactor, respectively. Volumetric packing fraction is between 2% and 50%, reaction temperature from 25 to 180° C., molar ratio alcohol to oil between 3:1 and 10:1, and CH3OH, NaOH, KOH, or their mixtures (0.5% to 3% based on the oil mass flow rate). Conversion and yield in a single reaction step are greater than 99.7% and 99.9%, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for recovering flash gas from an oil storage tank. In one example of the invention, the system may include a flexible storage tank that receives the flash gas and temporarily stores the flash gas; a compressor having an input receiving the flash gas from the flexible storage tank, the compressor compressing the flash gas to form compressed gas; and an oxygen reduction subsystem receiving the compressed gas, the oxygen reduction subsystem reducing an amount of oxygen from the compressed gas. In this manner, the resulting compressed oxygen-reduced gas that has been recovered can be injected into a sales gas line for use, under certain conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus is described, as including a reaction region for contacting a reactant gas with a reactive solid under conditions effective to form an intermediate product, and an opening for allowing an unreacted portion of the gaseous reagent and the intermediate product to exit the reaction region. The apparatus can be beneficially employed to form a final product as a reaction product of the intermediate product and the reactant gas. The reaction of the reactant gas and reactive solid can be conducted in a first reaction zone, with the reaction of the reactant gas and intermediate product conducted in a second reaction zone. In a specific implementation, the reaction of the reactant gas and intermediate product is reversible, and the reactant gas and intermediate product are flowed to the second reaction zone at a controlled rate or in a controlled manner, to suppress back reaction forming the reactive solid.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a continuous calcination vessel which can be used to prepare calcined chemically-treated solid oxides from solid oxides and chemically-treated solid oxides. A process for the continuous preparation of calcined chemically-treated solid oxides is also provided. Calcined chemically-treated solid oxides disclosed herein can be used in catalyst compositions for the polymerization of olefins.

Abstract: A device for converting carbon dioxide in flue gas into natural gas using dump energy. The device includes a transformer and rectifier device, an electrolytic cell, a turbine, a carbon dioxide heater, a primary fixed bed reactor, a secondary fixed bed reactor, a natural gas condenser, and a process water line. An outlet of the transformer and rectifier device is connected to a power interface of the electrolytic cell, a gas-liquid outlet of a cathode of the electrolytic cell is connected to a gas-liquid inlet of a hydrogen separator, and a liquid outlet of the hydrogen separator is connected to a liquid reflux port of the cathode of the electrolytic cell.

Abstract: A reactor for carrying out catalytic reactions. The reactor includes a reactor component optionally arranged on a central rod in a reactor tube. The reactor component can have fluid ducts for directing fluid flow through the reactor. The fluid ducts are effective for increasing heat transfer in the reactor. The reactor component can further have a washer attached to a top or bottom surface for directing fluid flow.

Abstract: A processing device and processing method that can perform processing of a starting material fluid while favorably controlling the processing temperature of same. The processing device includes: a processing member that leads in the starting material fluid and processes same therewithin; and a processing tank that houses the processing member and retains the processed processing products. The processing member includes: a minute duct provided therewithin and causes the flow-through of the starting material fluid; and a heat medium duct that causes the flow-through of a heat medium having a different temperature from that of the starting material fluid flowing through the minute duct. The minute duct and the heat medium duct are separated from each other so that heat exchange is possible between the starting material fluid and heat medium flowing through.

Abstract: The liquid feed nozzle assemblies for a circulating fluid bed reactor comprise (i) a throttle body premixer to combine liquid feed with atomization steam to form a liquid feed/steam mixture comprising gas bubbles in liquid; (ii) a conduit connected to the premixer and to a discharge nozzle to convey a flow of the liquid/steam mixture created by the premixer to the nozzle body; (iii) a discharge nozzle connected to the flow conduit to shear the liquid feed/steam mixture to create liquid feed droplets of reduced size and (iv) a disperser at the outlet of the discharge nozzle to provide a spray jet of liquid feed having an increased surface area relative to a cylindrical jet. The nozzle assembles are particularly useful in fluid coking units using heavy oil feeds such a tar sands bitumen.

Abstract: A pulse jet system and method is disclosed. In an example, the pulse jet system includes a combustion chamber, intake ports to deliver combustion agents to the combustion chamber, an expansion chamber to cool a combustion product following combustion of the combustion agents in the combustion chamber, and an exhaust to exit the cooled gas from the expansion chamber. In another example, the pulse jet system includes a combustion chamber with intake ports to deliver combustion agents to the combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber is part of a four cycle engine. The pulse jet system also includes an expansion chamber to cool a combustion product following combustion of the combustion agents in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to the conversion of high free fatty acid (“HFFA”) containing oils defined as oils containing 20-100% free fatty acids (“FFA”) and low free fatty acid (“LFFA”) containing oils defined as oils containing 1-20% free fatty acids (FFA) into oil with less than about 0.5-1% FFA. If the feedstock is HFFA oil, the process includes a combination of partial glycerolysis of HFFA oils to produce LFFA oils and subsequent stripping of LFFA oils to produce NFFA oils via steam distillation. If the feedstock is LFFA oil, the process includes stripping of LFFA oils to produce NFFA oils via steam distillation and subjecting FFA to partial glycerolysis to convert FFA to oil.

Abstract: A reactor includes a reaction-side flow passage through which a reaction fluid being a fluid constituting a reaction object flows; a temperature controller (heat-medium side flow passage) configured to heat or cool the reaction fluid from outside the reaction-side flow passage; and a catalyst configured to promote a reaction of the reaction fluid, the catalyst provided in the reaction-side flow passage so that a contact area with the reaction fluid is larger on a downstream side than on an upstream side in the reaction-side flow passage.

Abstract: A chemical reactor including: a plurality of heat exchange plates which between them define reaction compartments, in which reactor each heat exchange plate includes two walls between them defining at least one heat exchange space, the respective walls being fixed together by joining regions, and the reactor also comprises at least one injection device for injecting substance into the reaction compartments, said substance-injection device passing through the heat-exchange plates in respective joining regions thereof. Also, a chemical reaction process that can be carried out in this reactor.

Abstract: System relating to the conversion of ethanol in a stripper unit of a fluidized catalytic cracking system. An ethanol stream comprising at least 4 volume percent water mixes with a catalyst in the stripper unit under conditions of temperature that favor conversion of the ethanol to hydrocarbons, thereby increasing incorporation of ethanol into liquid transportation fuels without exceeding regulatory limits on fuel vapor pressure. Certain embodiments additionally combine the ethanol stream with a hydrocarbon stream in the stripper and react in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrocarbons that may have an increased boiling point, increased octane rating, decreased vapor pressure, decreased benzene content, or combinations of these properties.

Abstract: A mobile system and method that reform flare gas, methane, or natural gas, using air without steam, to directly produce methanol, a clean burning gasoline blend, component, and/or substitute are disclosed. The system first reforms the air-methane mixture at ambient atmospheric pressure, then compresses the resulting CO-hydrogen-nitrogen gas mixture to about 600 psi, and feeds it through a methanol reactor which reacts the gas mixture directly into methanol. The nitrogen is returned by the system back to the atmosphere. Methanol is a clean burning gasoline substitute, and can be used to displace significantly costlier and dirtier petroleum-based fuel, while solving a critical problem with flaring. For example, the over 120 billion cubic feet per year that was flared in North Dakota in 2014 could be converted into over 6 million tons of methanol.

Abstract: A method and facility for the hydrothermal carbonization of pasty products or waste, or sewage sludge, in a pressurized reactor heated to carbonization temperature T0. Before entering the reactor, the products undergo: pressurization, and preheating in an exchanger, by a thermal fluid flowing in a closed loop, and receiving heat from products exiting the reactor; the thermal fluid is heated in the loop by an external heat source, downstream from the exchange with the products exiting the reactor, and upstream from the preheating of the products entering the reactor, and the temperature of the product to be treated, preheated by the thermal fluid, when it enters the reactor, is between the carbonization temperature T0 and T0-100° C. The product to be treated flows in at least one tube, where in at least one location therein, liquid is injected to create a liquid ring against the inner wall, and reduce pressure drops.

Abstract: The invention relates to continuous polymerization apparatus comprising a tubular reactor with a continuous loop section (32), a secondary line section (33) and a pigging system (39) that allows for cleaning of both sections of the reactor in a single continuous pass without manual removal of the pig.

Abstract: An integrated plant for the conversion of a hydrocarbon gas such as natural gas to useful hydrocarbon liquid fuels and feed-stocks comprises an H2+CO syn-gas generation system which provides feed gas to a Fischer-Tropsch catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis system with an associated power and heat energy system.

Abstract: A CO2 conversion system includes at least a first reactor including a gas mixing tube, a spark ignition system for generating sparks in the gas mixing tube coupled to a catalyst chamber having a catalyst therein coupled to a reaction chamber. Inlet tubes each with gas flow control valves are for injecting process gases including O2, H2 and CO2 into the gas mixing tube, wherein the process gases react in the reaction chamber in at least one chemical reaction to form reaction products including output gases including CH4 and reaction heat. A process controller utilizes at a process temperature setpoint or a criteria for an output gas to control a temperature in the catalyst chamber to maintain the process temperature setpoint or output gas criteria by adjusting gas flow control valves for changing the mass flow of at least one process gas to reduce a heat from the chemical reaction.

Abstract: The purpose is to produce inactivated coal in a short time while preventing spontaneous combustion. A coal inactivation processing apparatus for inactivating coal with an oxygen-containing process gas, wherein the coal inactivation processing apparatus comprises a kiln assembly (103) for passing coal (4) from the base-end side to the distal-end side therein, base-end-side process gas supply means (121-125) for supplying a process gas (13) to the base-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), distal-end-side process gas supply means (131-135) for supplying a process gas (14) to the distal-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), process gas oxygen concentration adjusting means (124a, 134a, 135, 136a) for adjusting the oxygen concentration of the process gases (13, 14) supplied into the kiln assembly (103), and a cooling device (160) for cooling the coal (4) inside the kiln assembly (103).

Abstract: During the production of methanol from inert-rich syngas, a catalytic pre-reactor is installed upstream of the single- or multi-stage synthesis loop, a first part of the syngas being converted to methanol in the catalytic pre-reactor. An inert gas separation stage, for example a pressure swing adsorption system or a membrane system, can be connected downstream of the synthesis loop, whereby a hydrogen-enriched syngas stream can be returned to the synthesis loop. In the processing of methane-rich syngas, the inert gas separation stage may also have an autothermal reformer in which methane is converted to carbon oxides and hydrogen, which are also returned into the synthesis loop.