Abstract: This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert.

Abstract: A regenerator in a FCC unit, with the reactor elevated above the regenerator and a side entry spent catalyst introduction to the regenerator, is modified by installing a spent catalyst distribution apparatus along a central vertical axis of the regenerator to radially discharge the spent catalyst and 10-50 percent of the regeneration air into the dense phase of the catalyst. The existing compressor may be used to supply the regeneration air to the spent catalyst distributor. The remaining 50-90 percent of the regeneration air is supplied to the air distribution grid. The retrofit improves spent catalyst distribution and mixing in the regenerator to avoid dilute phase CO combustion or afterburning in the offgas.

Abstract: A retrofit method for increasing production capacity of an ammonia plant having a front end including in series primary and secondary reformers and a shift converter for reacting a hydrocarbon feed, steam and air to form a make-up syngas stream comprising hydrogen and nitrogen at about design stoichiometry, and a synthesis loop wherein a recycle syngas stream is combined with the make-up gas to form a syngas feed to ammonia converters. The retrofit involves the installation of an air separation unit to supply oxygen and nitrogen streams. The oxygen is used to enrich air supplied to the secondary reformer and increase the hydrogen content of the make-up gas substantially above the design stoichiometry and capacity. The nitrogen stream is supplied to the synthesis loop to obtain a desired hydrogen to nitrogen ratio in the syngas feed to the ammonia converters and compensate for the excess hydrogen in the make-up gas.

Abstract: An integrated distillation column having a partitioned stripping or absorption section is presented. The integrated stripping/distillation column comprises a single shell housing a refluxed absorption section and a reboiled stripping section. The stripping section is partitioned by a vertical wall into first and second separate portions having upper end in fluid communication the absorption section. The stripping portions include fluid isolated lower ends having separate reboilers. In the integrated absorption/distillation column, the absorption section is partitioned and separate reflux loops are provided for each portion of the absorption section. In such a manner, a two column distillation process can be combined into one for achieving space and equipment savings.

Abstract: A thermal transition section for introducing a high temperature cracked process gas into a quench exchanger having an inlet end comprising inner and outer concentric pipes connected to a closure ring to define an annulus between the pipes and an interior exchanger surface having an inside diameter. The transition section has a metal outer wall extending from a downstream end connected to the closure ring to an upstream end connected to a metal transition cone. The transition cone is connected at an upstream end to a line for supplying the process gas. The downstream end of the inner sleeve has an outside diameter matching the inside diameter of the interior exchanger surface. A precast, pre-fired single-piece ceramic insert substantially fills the annulus between the outer wall and inner sleeve. By using the ceramic insert, particularly a relatively long insert, thermal stresses are reduced and coke formation in the annulus is inhibited.

Abstract: An enhanced method is disclosed for recovering olefins from a cracking furnace effluent stream in an olefins plant. In accordance with this method, a liquid hydrocarbon stream, preferably obtained from the compressor area drier liquids and/or from the deethanizer or depropanizer, is injected into the reaction effluent stream to condition the reaction effluent stream for enhanced condensation against propylene refrigeration. Also disclosed is an olefins plant utilizing liquid hydrocarbon injection and an improvement to existing olefins recovery process technology using liquid hydrocarbon injection for vapor stream conditioning.

Abstract: A method for recovering volatile components from reformer effluent condensate and fusel oil in a methanol plant is disclosed. The fusel oil is stripped with steam to produce an overhead vapor stream of steam and stripped organic components which is recycled to the feed to the reformer. Also disclosed are a methanol plant with a fusel oil stripper; and a unitized stripper column for treating fusel oil and process condensate wherein steam containing volatile gases stripped from the process condensate is used to strip the fusel oil. The present invention improves yield and reduces or eliminates liquid fusel oil waste by recycling volatile organic components contained in the fusel oil to the feed of the reformer.

Abstract: A separator apparatus and method for a hydrocarbon fluidized catalytic cracking process are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a main plenum in a disengagement vessel which connects a plurality of riser cyclones in a riser catalyst separation stage to a plurality of secondary cyclones in a secondary catalyst separation stage. The cyclones in the second and each succeeding stage receive a substantially equal amount of gas from the plenum. The effluent gas is substantially prevented from leaking into the interior space of the disengagement vessel. Also disclosed is a method for retrofitting an existing plant with the plenum design to provide a more compact arrangement of the catalyst separation equipment in the disengagement vessel.

Abstract: A high temperature heat exchanger having an improved support apparatus for suspending a tube bundle. The improved support comprises a skirt from which the tube sheet and the bundle are supported, and a lip on an upper end of the skirt engaged in a flange assembly receiving the lip. A first refractory lining on an inside face of the skirt extends downwardly from the lip, and overlaps a second refractory lining on an outside surface of the skirt extending upwardly from adjacent the tube sheet toward the lip. By securing the support apparatus in the cold flange assembly, the interior refractory is not used for supporting the tube bundle and can maintain its integrity, have a lower incidence of premature failure and yield an optimum refractory life.

Abstract: A methanol refining column and method using an intermediate reboiler. Use of the intermediate reboiler reduces methanol production energy requirements. A side stream at or near a fusel oil takeoff point is heated in an intermediate reboiler by a low temperature heating medium (relative to a bottoms reboiler) and returned to the column at or near the fusel oil take-off tray. The take-off tray is operated at 85.degree.-110.degree. C., and 70-90 percent of the reboiler duty is supplied through the intermediate reboiler. The remaining heat load is supplied by a bottoms steam reboiler.

Abstract: A feed line to a pyrolysis furnace and a liquid injection apparatus for introducing a liquid coke inhibitor in the feed line are disclosed. The injection apparatus includes a central passageway for supplying the liquid coke inhibitor, an annular passageway for delivering an atomizing gas and a mixing reservoir for mixing the liquid and gas wherein the mixed fluid is atomized by passage through an orifice in a nozzle. A cooling jacket surrounding the annular passageway prevents decomposition of the coke inhibiting agent which products can plug the nozzle. The injection apparatus is typically installed in a bend of a process feedstock conduit with a discharge end aligned to an axis of the flow. A hot injection point close to the inlet of the pyrolysis furnace is preferred for best results. To help ensure complete evaporation of a carrier liquid prior to the furnace, the injection apparatus can include an evaporation shroud.

Abstract: A process for recovering CO.sub.2 from a mixture of light hydrocarbons, e.g. light hydrocarbons produced from a CO.sub.2 injection enhanced oil recovery. The mixture is distilled in a distributive zone with CO.sub.2 produced overhead and in the bottoms. The overhead and bottoms produced from the distributive zone are then fed to first and second concentrating distillation zones, respectively. The first concentrating zone produces a bottoms product rich in CO.sub.2 and an overhead product rich in methane and lean in CO.sub.2. The second concentrating zone is refluxed with lean oil and produces a CO.sub.2 distillate and a CO.sub.2 -lean bottoms product. In various embodiments, at least a section of each of the concentrating zones are placed in a single column, the CO.sub.

Abstract: A method for pretreating a natural gas stream using a single scrub column to remove freezable C.sub.5+ components and provide an LNG product which can be conveniently handled and shipped is disclosed. The method comprises feeding a natural gas stream to a feed point on a scrub column operated substantially as an absorption column wherein the heavy components are absorbed from the feed gas using a liquid reflux essentially free of such C.sub.5+ components. The feed can be vapor introduced at a low point on the column, or can be optionally split, cooled and/or expanded and introduced at one or more feed points on the column. The reflux stream can be overhead vapor condensate having a temperature of about - 40.degree. C., or methane-rich LNG or a combination of LNG and vapor condensate.

Abstract: A thermosiphon reboiler heat exchanger which integrates multiple parallel reboilers into a single unit and a heating method are disclosed. The present heat exchanger utilizes a compartmentalized shell for vaporizing a tube-side liquid with a plurality of hot shell-side fluids. The present apparatus is particularly useful for a fractionation system in a phenol manufacture process.

Abstract: A fixed bed, dual-zone radial flow catalytic reactor is disclosed. In particular, the catalyst bed configuration includes a first freeboard outwardly radial flow catalyst zone in series with a second inwardly radial flow zone separated by an interconnecting substantially impermeable catalyst chute to accommodate catalyst settling while preventing hot spots and/or fluidization in the freeboard area. A gas distributor divides the freeboard zone into segments including a bypass segment and one or more catalyst segments. The radial flow of gas through each segment is essentially unaffected by the level of catalyst so that the flow pattern is not adversely affected by catalyst setting in the freeboard zone.

Abstract: A process furnace and method of operating a furnace are disclosed. The furnace comprises a radiant heating chamber, a primary convection section leg, a secondary convection section leg with two or more parallel flow channels, convection burners to heat the primary and/or secondary convection sections and dampers to adjust flue gas flow and temperature through the parallel flow channels. Combustion air comprising a mixture of gas turbine exhaust and fresh air which has been preheated in one of the parallel flow channels s supplied to the burners. The split flue design facilitates greater control of the flue gas temperature for improved operating efficiency.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixing concurrently downwardly flowing fluids is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a tray extending horizontally across a cross-section of a mixing chamber and having an aperture in the middle. A cap having a pair of opposing openings covers the aperture. Fluids pass through the openings into a pan adjacent a downstream portion of the mixing chamber and spaced below the tray. A tube encircling the aperture is disposed between the cap and the pan. The tube has notches cut into the lower wall to allow the fluids to enter the pan. Radially spaced risers extending from the bottom of the pan provide fluid communication to a downstream portion of the mixing chamber. The risers have upper ends which are above the notches and spaced below the tray. The mixing apparatus can be used between two catalyst beds in a vertical, fixed-bed reactor, wherein a hot, mixed-phase effluent stream is quenched with a hydrogen-rich gas in hydrodesulfurization, hydrocracking, and like processes.

Abstract: There is disclosed a flange or pressure vessel closure device and method for deheading a coke drum. The coke drum deheading device has an annular retaining element spring biased from a lower flange of a coke drum, and a plurality of hooks which extend from the retaining element to engage a cradle holding the bottom head against the flange. When it is desired to disengage the head from the flange, the hook retaining element is moved by a first set of cylinders toward the flange to release tension from the hooks so that they can be disengaged from the bottom head by pivoting them outwardly using a second set of cylinders or other hook pivoting means. The bottom head can then be disengaged from the flange, lowered and moved laterally away from the coke drum on a hydraulic table.

Abstract: A method is described which enables ammonia plant process condensate contaminated with ammonia, carbon dioxide and methanol and urea plant condensate contaminated with urea, ammonia, carbon dioxide and other combined forms of ammonia and carbon dioxide to be simultaneously converted, in a single treatment vessel, substantially and continuously to a vaporous stream rich in ammonia, carbon dioxide and methanol and an liquid stream poor in ammonia, carbon dioxide, methanol and urea. The vaporous stream thus produced is recycled and employed as a feedstock in the reforming section in the ammonia plant.

Abstract: Synthesis gases are produced by reaction of steam, oxidant, and a major portion of fresh hydrocarbon feed in an exothermic catalytic reforming zone to a first reformed gas having very low methane content. The balance of the fresh feed is reacted with steam in an endothermic catalytic reforming zone to a second reformed gas having a low methane content. The first and second reformed gases are combined and passed in indirect heat exchange with reactants in the endothermic reforming zone to provide all of the heat required therein and are then recovered as product synthesis gases.