Abstract: This method of upgrading a biomass comprises: an upgrading step for performing upgrading treatment of a cellulose based biomass with an oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of at least 0.5, in presence of water and under a pressure of at least saturated water vapor pressure, and reducing said oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of said biomass to no more than 0.38, and a separation step for separating an upgraded reactant obtained from said upgrading step into a solid component and a liquid component.

Abstract: A gas liquefaction plant includes a pre-cooling exchanger which pre-cools a feed gas by means of indirect heat exchange with a first refrigerant; a first refrigerant compressor which compresses the first refrigerant which has been used for refrigerating the feed gas in the pre-cooling exchanger; a cryogenic heat exchanger which refrigerates and liquefies the feed gas which has been pre-cooled by the pre-cooling exchanger by means of indirect heat exchange with a second refrigerant; a second refrigerant compressor which refrigerates the second refrigerant which has been used for cooling and liquefying the feed gas in the cryogenic heat exchanger; and a piping complex which receives piping used in the gas liquefaction plant, wherein the pre-cooling exchanger, the first refrigerant compressor, the cryogenic heat exchanger, and the second refrigerant compressor are installed at one side of the piping complex.

Abstract: A solution of a chromium compound is impregnated into a silica-alumina carrier made of alumina and containing 1 to 5 weight % of silica relative to the weight of the carrier, thereby to obtain a decomposing catalyst carrying 10 to 15 weight % of chromium oxide relative to the weight of the catalyst in terms of Cr2O3. By contacting mixed gas obtained through partial oxidation of heavy oil and/or coal with the decomposing catalyst, COS and HCN contained in the mixed gas are decomposed/removed. In this case, transition of alumina into boehmite can be suppressed owing to coexistence of silica and chromium oxide, so that COS and HCN can be decomposed by highly active catalytic reactions over a long time.

Abstract: According to the method of manufacturing refined oil of the present invention, refined oil which has a viscosity of 20 cst or lower at 135° C., a pour point of 30° C. or lower, an alkali metal content of 1 wt ppm or less, a vanadium content of 10 wt ppm or less and a sulfur content of 0.3 wt % or lower can be prepared, by bringing feed oil into contact with hydrogen in the presence of the demetalizing/desulfurizing catalyst 3 and the hydrogenolysis catalyst 5. This method can decrease the viscosity, pour point and sulfur concentration of the refined oil to sufficiently low levels, and decreases the production cost.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method of subjecting a feed oil to a refining process. This method includes a fractional distillation step 1 in which a feed oil is separated into a distillate oil M1 and a bottom oil M2 by a distillation process, a separation step in which the bottom oil is separated into a bottom light oil and a residue, and a hydrorefining step 3 in which the obtained distillate oil M1 and the bottom oil M2 are subjected to hydrorefining in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst. In the hydrorefining step 3, the bottom light oil (deasphalted oil M3) is passed through a first catalyst layer 12 of a hydrorefining unit providing a plurality of catalyst layers 12, 13, and 13 filled with a hydrorefining catalyst, and a mixed oil comprising the distillate oil M1 and the bottom light oil (deasphalted oil M3) is passed through a downstream catalyst layer 13 and subject to a hydrogenation process.

Abstract: Feed oil is subject to atmospheric distillation, to thereby be separated into light oil or light distillate and atmospheric residue oil. The light distillate is catalytically contacted with pressurized hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in a first hydrotreating step being executed. In this instance, various fractions of the light distillate produced in the atmospheric distillation are subject to hydrotreating in a lump. The atmospheric residue oil is then separated into a light matter and a heavy matter. The light matter is subject to second hydrotreating in the presence of a catalyst to produce refined oil (light matter), which is mixed with refined oil produced in the first hydrotreating to prepare a mixture. The mixture is used as gas turbine fuel oil.

Abstract: The process for desulfurizing a gas oil fraction according to the invention comprises a low-boiling gas oil fraction hydrodesulfurization step (I) wherein a low-boiling gas oil fraction is desulsurized under the condition of a H2/Oil ratio of 70 to 200 Nm3/kl to obtain a treated oil, a high-boiling gas oil fraction hydrodesulfurization step (II) wherein a high-boiling gas oil fraction is desulsurized under the condition of a H2Oil ratio of 200 to 800 Nm3/kl to obtain a treated oil, and a step (III) wherein the treated oil obtained in the step (I) is mixed with the treated oil obtained in the step (II), and in this process, at least a part of a gas containing unreacted hydrogen in the step (II) is used for the hydrodesulfurization of the step (I).

Abstract: This method of upgrading a biomass comprises: an upgrading step for performing upgrading treatment of a cellulose based biomass with an oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of at least 0.5, in presence of water and under a pressure of at least saturated water vapor pressure, and reducing said oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of said biomass to no more than 0.38, and a separation step for separating an upgraded reactant obtained from said upgrading step into a solid component and a liquid component.

Abstract: This method of upgrading a biomass comprises: an upgrading step for performing upgrading treatment of a cellulose based biomass with an oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of at least 0.5, in presence of water and under a pressure of at least saturated water vapor pressure, and reducing said oxygen/carbon atomic ratio of said biomass to no more than 0.38, and a separation step for separating an upgraded reactant obtained from said upgrading step into a solid component and a liquid component.

Abstract: A method for removing sulfur compounds including transferring the impurity gas to a concentration process in which the impurity gas is separated into a concentrated gas containing hydrogen sulfide and a residual gas containing carbon dioxide, mercaptans and aromatic hydrocarbons: transferring the concentrated gas to a Claus reaction process in which hydrogen sulfide is recovered as an elementary sulfur, and an off-gas discharged from the Claus reaction process is heated to a temperature between the discharge temperature and 700° C.; introducing the heated off-gas into a mixing unit provided downstream of the heating means to be mixed with the residual gas; transferring a resultant mixed gas to a hydrogenation reaction process in which sulfur compounds are converted into hydrogen sulfide under the presence of a reduction catalyst; and separating the converted hydrogen sulfide and returning the separated hydrogen sulfide to the Claus reaction process.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method of subjecting a feed oil to a refining process. This method includes a fractional distillation step 1 in which a feed oil is separated into a distillate oil M1 and a bottom oil M2 by a distillation process, a separation step in which the bottom oil is separated into a bottom light oil and a residue, and a hydrorefining step 3 in which the obtained distillate oil M1 and the bottom oil M2 are subjected to hydrorefining in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst. In the hydrorefining step 3, the bottom light oil (deasphalted oil M3) is passed through a first catalyst layer 12 of a hydrorefining unit providing a plurality of catalyst layers 12, 13, and 13 filled with a hydrorefining catalyst, and a mixed oil comprising the distillate oil M1 and the bottom light oil (deasphalted oil M3) is passed through a downstream catalyst layer 13 and subject to a hydrogenation process.

Abstract: Feed oil is subject to atmospheric distillation, to thereby be separated into light oil or light distillate and atmospheric residue oil. The light distillate is catalytically contacted with pressurized hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, resulting in a first hydrotreating step being executed. In this instance, various fractions of the light distillate produced in the atmospheric distillation are subject to hydrotreating in a lump. The atmospheric residue oil is then separated into a light matter and a heavy matter. The light matter is subject to second hydrotreating in the presence of a catalyst to produce refined oil (light matter), which is mixed with refined oil produced in the first hydrotreating to prepare a mixture. The mixture is used as gas turbine fuel oil.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of lower olefins which comprises the step (A) of separating in a high-pressure state a mixed fluid (I) containing dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol at a specified ratio into a gas component (II) and a liquid component (III), separating the gas component (II) into an off-gas and DME, and then making this DME join the liquid component (III) to obtain a liquid component (IV) containing DME and methanol at a specified ratio and the step (B) of subjecting the liquid component (IV) to depressurization and then introducing it into a reactor for the preparation of olefins to form a lower olefin fraction (V). Lower olefins are prepared from a mixed fluid (I) containing DME and methanol at a specified ratio.

Abstract: A light portion is extracted from feed oil by a separation system. The light portion is then subject to a hydrotreatment to obtain impurity-removed fuel oil which is stored in an intermediate tank. A residue of the feed oil after extraction of the light portion is gasified to obtain syngas (H2 gas+CO gas) which is used as basic fuel for power generation in a power generation system. The fuel oil is fed to the power generation system as auxiliary fuel for supplementing the power generation based on the syngas. The power generation system includes a plurality of gas turbines and generators. The number of the gas turbines to be driven by the fuel oil is controlled to adjust the power generation amount depending on demand.

Abstract: A heating furnace tube, a method of using the same and a method of manufacturing the same which have been developed with a view to eliminating inconveniences occurring when a carbon-containing fluid is made to flow in the heating furnace tube. The heating furnace tube which comprises a rare earth oxide particle distributed iron alloy containing 17-26 wt. % of Cr and 2-6 wt. % of Al. The method of manufacturing this heating furnace tube which comprises the steps of forming or inserting an insert metal on or into at least one of a joint end portion of one heating furnace tube element and that of the other heating furnace tube element, bringing these two joint end portions into pressure contact with each other directly or via an intermediate member, and diffusion welding the two heating furnace tube elements to each other by heating the insert metal.

Abstract: A petroleum processing method comprising the steps of: performing an atmospheric distillation of crude oil; collectively hydrodesulfurizing the resultant distillates consisting of gas oil and fractions whose boiling point is lower than that of gas oil in a reactor in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst at 310 to 370° C. under 30 to 70 kg/cm2G (first hydrogenation step); and further performing hydrodesulfurization at lower temperatures (second hydrogenation step). When the second hydrogenation step is carried out only for the heavy naphtha obtained by separating the distillates after the first hydrogenation step, the second hydrogenation temperature can be in the range of 250 to 400° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cleaning heavy hydrocarbon scale from a shell and tube heat exchanger or other such equipment incorporated in a device in a petroleum refining plant or the like that processes petroleum hydrocarbons as a raw material. A mixture of petroleum-derived hydrocarbon A which can dissolve the oil component of the heavy hydrocarbon scale and an oxygen-containing polar organic compound B that promotes dissolution and dispersion is employed as the organic cleaning solvent. As a result, the heavy hydrocarbon scale can be removed with surety within a short period of time at low cost.

Abstract: Carbonyl sulfide and/or hydrogen cyanide contained in a mixed gas are/is converted by contacting the mixed gas with an alkalized chromium oxide-aluminum oxide catalyst in the presence of steam, wherein the mixed gas and the steam at a volume ratio of 0.05≦steam/mixed gas≦0.3 are contacted with the alkalized chromium oxide-aluminum oxide catalyst at a gas hourly space velocity no less than 2000 h−1 at a temperature in the range of 150° C. through 250° C. In this case, the alkalized chromium oxide-aluminum oxide catalyst is set to have a grain size in the range of 1 mm through 4.5 mm. With this arrangement, since the surface area of a catalyst can be increased to a certain degree, the activity of the catalyst is increased to achieve the high processing speed, while since generation of a side reaction can be suppressed, lowering of the conversion rate of COS and/or HCN caused by the side reaction can be suppressed.

Abstract: Use is made of a high-speed agitator comprising vessel 2 rotated at a low speed and bladed agitating element 3 rotated at a high speed in direction reverse to that of the vessel 2, the bladed agitating element 3 having a rotary axis arranged parallel to, and located apart from, the rotary axis of the vessel 2. Petroleum residuum such as solvent deasphalting residuum is agitated together with a grinding auxiliary and water in the high-speed agitator so that the petroleum residuum is ground. Thereafter, a dispersant is added thereto to form a slurry and the viscosity thereof is adjusted to a given value. A stabilizer is further added thereto to obtain a stable slurry. The dispersant and the stabilizer may be placed in the high-speed agitator prior to the grinding of the petroleum residuum. Thus, there is provided a process in which a high-concentration petroleum residuum-water slurry with a desirable particle size distribution, being cheap and highly stable, can easily be obtained by a one-stage grinding.

Abstract: A pure steam-related apparatus, which is one of apparatus in the group of pure steam generators generating pure steam from purified water, pipelines for pure steam and sterilizers using pure steam, is protected from discoloration, so-called "fouling", to red or black caused by contact with the pure steam. The apparatus is manufactured by using an austenitic stainless steel sheet as the material, by taking the blanks from the material which received no mechanical surface polishing, by deforming and welding, without electrolytic polishing customarily done, and by passivating the surface to contact pure water to increase Cr-content in the passivation film to such extent as 45 atomic % or higher, preferably 55 atomic % or higher. Better results will be obtained by ensuring Cr/Fe ratio in the passivation film at the level of 1.45 or higher, preferably, 1.70 or higher.