Abstract: A plant complex may include a unit that produces CO2-containing gases, a gas conducting system for CO2-containing gases, a gas/liquid separation system, a reformer that is connected to the gas conducting system and where the CO2-containing gas reacts with H2 and/or hydrocarbons to give a CO— and H2-containing synthesis gas mixture. The reformer is connected to a reactor for producing higher alcohols in which the synthesis gas mixture reacts with H2 to give a gas/liquid mixture containing higher alcohols. For separating off the alcohols of the gas/liquid mixture, the gas/liquid separation system is connected to the reactor for producing higher alcohols.

Abstract: A process can be used to prepare alkenes by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to a first mixture comprising alkenes and alcohols. The alcohols present in the first mixture are converted to the corresponding alkenes by dehydration in a subsequent step. At least one alkene having two to four carbon atoms is obtained as isolated product from a product mixture by processing thereof and/or separation steps. In the catalytic conversion, a catalyst is preferably used that comprises grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter dp of 1-20 nm. An average distance D between individual cobalt nanoparticles in the grains is 2-150 nm. A combined total mass fraction ? of metal in the grains is from 30%-70% by weight of a total mass of the grains such that 4.5 dp/?>D?0.25 dp/?.

Abstract: A process can treat a gaseous material mixture obtained by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas that contains at least alkenes, possibly alcohols and possibly alkanes, and also possibly nitrogen as inert gas and unconverted components of the synthesis gas, comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide. After catalytic conversion of synthesis gas, separation of the product mixture obtained in this reaction into a gas phase and a liquid phase is performed by at least partial absorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, in a high boiling point hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture as an absorption medium, separation as the gas phase of the gases not absorbed into the absorption medium, separating an aqueous phase from the organic phase of the absorption medium, preferably by decanting, and desorption of the alkenes, possibly of the alcohols and possibly of the alkanes, from the absorption medium.

Abstract: A process can produce alcohols having at least two carbon atoms by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas into a mixture containing alkanes, alkenes, and alcohols. Alkenes are converted into corresponding alcohols in a subsequent step by hydration of the alkanes. Before the hydration and after the catalytic conversion, gas and liquid phases may be separated. Specific catalysts can be employed that have a markedly higher selectivity for alkenes than for alkanes. These catalysts comprise grains of non-graphitic carbon having cobalt nanoparticles dispersed therein. The cobalt nanoparticles have an average diameter dp from 1 to 20 nm, and an average distance D between nanoparticles is from 2 to 150 nm. The combined total mass fraction of metal ? in the grains ranges from 30% to 70% by weight of the total mass of the grains of non-graphitic carbon, wherein 4.5 dp/?>D?0.25 dp/?.

Abstract: A process for preparing urea comprises preparing formamide based on carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and ammonia, forming methyl formate or ammonium formate as an intermediate in a catalytic reaction, and preparing urea by reacting the formamide and possibly ammonia in the presence of a catalyst. The source of carbon dioxide is a liquid laden with chemically and/or physically bound carbon dioxide and selected from a methanol phase or an aqueous ammonia solution obtained by gas scrubbing of a syngas for removing carbon dioxide using a scrubbing fluid. The scrubbing fluid can be a methanol phase, or carbon dioxide is desorbed from the scrubbing fluid and absorbed into a methanol phase to give a carbon dioxide-laden methanol phase that is then reacted as carbon dioxide-containing stream with a hydrogen-containing stream in the presence of a catalyst to form methyl formate. The methyl formate is reacted with an ammonia-containing stream to form formamide.

Abstract: A ruthenium-phosphine complex can be used as a catalyst in a method for the catalytic synthesis of urea. The method may comprise more particularly a reaction of formamide or of formamide with ammonia in the presence of the catalyst to form urea and hydrogen. Through the use of the ruthenium-phosphine complex as the catalyst, catalytic preparation of urea from formamide or from formamide with ammonia is provided for the first time. This allows for synthesis under mild conditions and virtually no formation of byproducts. Further, using an acid as a cocatalyst in the catalytic synthesis or the reaction can lead to an improvement in urea yield.

Abstract: A plant complex for producing steel, having a blast furnace for producing pig iron; a converter steel works for producing crude steel; a gas pipeline system for gases that occur in the production of pig iron and/or the production of crude steel; a chemical plant and/or a biotechnology plant which are/is connected to the gas pipeline system, wherein the plant complex additionally includes a biogas plant which is connected to the gas pipeline system.

Abstract: A method for determining a charge state of a vanadium redox flow cell may comprise indirectly determining concentrations of V4+ and V5+ in a positive electrolyte by mixing positive and negative electrolytes with one another in particular proportions to reduce V5+ present in the positive electrolyte. In this way, CT complexes of V4+/V5+ may be avoided, the concentration of which is not determinable directly owing to the strong UV/vis absorption. Furthermore, the method enables determination of the concentrations of the negative electrolyte and positive electrolyte via UV/vis absorptions, which enables simple monitoring of the charge state of a vanadium redox flow battery.