Abstract: A catalyst structure suitable for use in an ammonia oxidation process is described including a plurality of shaped catalyst units supported on one or more members in a spaced relationship that allows the structure to flex.

Abstract: A method for preparing a silica-modified catalyst support is described including: (I) applying an alkyl silicate to the surface of a porous support material in an amount to produce a silica content of the silica-modified catalyst support, expressed as Si, in the range 0.25 to 15% by weight, (ii) optionally drying the resulting silicate-modified support, (iii) treating the support with water, (iv) drying the resulting water-treated support, and (v) calcining the dried material to form the silica-modified catalyst support.

Abstract: A process for reducing CO2 emissions from combined cycle power generation processes utilizing a gaseous hydrocarbon feed, which includes splitting the hydrocarbon feed into two portions; a first portion?45% by volume of the feed and a larger portion?55% by volume of the feed, feeding the first portion to an autothermal reforming process to generate a hydrogen-containing gas and a carbon dioxide stream, combining the hydrogen-containing stream with the second portion, combusting the resulting hydrogen-containing fuel stream with oxygen containing gas in a gas turbine to generate electrical power and passing the exhaust gas mixture from the gas turbine to a heat recovery steam generation system that feeds one or more steam turbines to generate additional electrical power. The captured carbon dioxide stream may be fed to storage or enhanced oil recovery processes. The process may be retrofitted into existing combined cycle processes.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of a hydrocarbon to CO2 and electrical power is described which includes subjecting a gas mixture of a hydrocarbon feed stream and steam to an integrated reforming process including stages of steam reforming in a gas-heated reformer and secondary reforming to generate a reformed gas mixture, increasing the hydrogen content of the reformed gas mixture by subjecting it to one or more water-gas-shift stages, cooling the resulting hydrogen-enriched reformed gas and separating condensed water therefrom, passing the resulting de-watered hydrogen-enriched reformed gas to one or more stages of carbon dioxide separation to recover carbon dioxide, combusting the remaining hydrogen-containing fuel stream with an oxygen containing gas in a gas turbine to generate electrical power and passing the exhaust gas mixture from the gas turbine to a heat recovery steam generation system that feeds one or more steam turbines to generate additional electrical power.

Abstract: A process for desulfurizing a process fluid includes contacting a sulphur compound containing feed stream with an absorbent including an iron, copper or nickel compound capable of forming a metal sulphide, a support material, a first binder and a second binder where the first binder is a cement binder and the second binder is a high aspect ratio aluminosilicate clay binder having an aspect ratio >2 and a ratio of the first binder to the second binder is in the range 2:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: The invention comprises a radiation and contamination monitor for the monitoring of radiation and contamination. The instrument is intrinsically safe and comprises a radiation detector, a power source, a signal processor and a display, said power source, signal processor and display being housed within a sealed instrument housing formed from a non-metallic material which is resistant to static discharge. The detector may be housed in a detachable housing for contamination monitoring.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a desulfurization material includes: (i) forming a zinc/aluminium hydrotalcite composition, and (ii) calcining the composition to form a zinc oxide/alumina material, in which one or more nickel compounds are included in the hydrotalcite formation step, and/or are impregnated onto the hydrotalcite composition and/or the calcined zinc oxide/alumina material, and the resulting composition dried and recovered.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for measuring a property of a gas, such as the amount of liquid in a stream of the gas. The apparatus comprises a source of beta particles (20), a detector (23) capable of detecting beta particles, means (18) to support said source and said detector spaced apart from each other such that gas may enter the space between the source and detector and that the source is positioned to emit beta particles towards said detector; wherein said detector comprises a scintillation material in optical communication with a photodetector (26), and means (24) to physically isolate said photodetector from said gas.

Abstract: The invention is a process for the production of a hydrocarbon product including contacting an oxygenated aromatic feedstock, in the presence of hydrogen, with a catalyst composition including: a) a metal hydrogenation catalyst and b) a solid acid catalyst which is active for the deoxygenation of oxygenated hydrocarbons. The process is useful for the conversion of pyrolysis oils and other products derived from biomass and plastics recycling etc, into fuels and chemical feedstocks.

Abstract: A process for desulphurising hydrocarbons includes the steps of (i) passing a mixture of hydrocarbon and hydrogen over a hydrodesulphurisation catalyst to convert organosulphur compounds present in the hydrocarbon to hydrogen sulphide, (ii) passing the resulting mixture over a hydrogen sulphide sorbent including zinc oxide to reduce the hydrogen sulphide content of the mixture and (iii) passing the hydrogen sulphide-depleted mixture over a further desulphurisation material, where the further desulphurisation material includes one or more nickel compounds, a zinc oxide support material, and optionally one or more promoter metal compounds selected from one or more compounds of iron, cobalt, copper and precious metals, the desulphurisation material having a nickel content in the range 0.3 to 20% by weight and a promoter metal content in the range 0 to 10% by weight.

Abstract: A method for converting a supported metal nitrate into the corresponding supported metal oxide comprises heating the metal nitrate to effect its decomposition under a gas mixture that contains nitrous oxide and has an oxygen content of <5% by volume. The method provides very highly dispersed metal oxide on the support material. The metal oxide is useful as a catalyst or as a catalyst precursor.

Abstract: A process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon oxides and having a carbon monoxide content ?45 mole % on a dry-gas basis, including the steps of: (i) combining the synthesis gas with steam to form a steam-enriched feed gas mixture (ii) passing the feed gas mixture at an inlet temperature in the range 220-370° C. over an iron-based water-gas shift catalyst to form a hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture having a carbon monoxide content ?10 mole % on a dry gas basis, and (iii) recovering the hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture, where a portion of the hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture is recycled to the feed gas mixture.

Abstract: A carbon oxides conversion process includes reacting a carbon oxide containing process gas containing hydrogen and/or steam and containing at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder, the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, wherein said shaped units have a reduced to as-made mean horizontal crush strength ratio of ?0.5:1 and a copper surface area above 60 m2/g Cu.

Abstract: A process for desulfurizing a process fluid includes contacting a sulphur compound containing feed stream with an absorbent including an iron, copper or nickel compound capable of forming a metal sulphide, a support material, a first binder and a second binder where the first binder is a cement binder and the second binder is a high aspect ratio aluminosilicate clay binder having an aspect ratio >2 and a ratio of the first binder to the second binder is in the range 2:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: A particulate desulfurization material includes one or more nickel compounds, a zinc oxide support material, and one or more alkali metal compounds wherein the nickel content of the material is in the range 0.3 to 10% by weight and the alkali metal content of the material is in the range 0.2 to 10% by weight. A method of making the desulfurization material includes the steps: (i) contacting a nickel compound with a particulate zinc support material and an alkali metal compound to form an alkali-doped composition, (ii) shaping the alkali-doped composition, and (iii) drying, calcining, and optionally reducing the resulting material. The desulfurization material may be used to desulfurize hydrocarbon gas streams with reduced levels of hydrocarbon hydrogenolysis.

Abstract: A process for the synthesis of hydrocarbons by the Fisher Tropsch process includes reacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalyst including 15-50% wt cobalt at least partially in elemental form, supported on an oxidic support of aluminium, oxygen and 0.5-10% wt lithium, where the oxidic support includes lithium oxides and >75% wt of the lithium oxides are lithium aluminate spinel, LiAl5O8.

Abstract: A method of tracing an aqueous liquid, particularly an aqueous urea used for addition to a selective catalytic reduction system to remove NOx from diesel exhaust, includes adding a tracer comprising a pre-determined amount of a phenol to the liquid. The liquid can subsequently be identified by reacting a sample with a reagent containing a predetermined amount of 4-aminoantipyrine in the presence of an initiating compound such that the reaction between the reagent and a phenol in the liquid produces a chromophore and measuring the absorbance of the resulting solution of the chromophore.

Abstract: A catalyst unit suitable for loading into a tube in a reactor includes a plurality of catalyst particles incorporated within a removable solid matrix, said unit in the form of an elongate body in which the particles are packed together such that the volume shrinkage upon removal of the removable matrix is ?20%. The catalyst particles preferably comprise one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Fe and Co in oxidic or reduced form. The units are particularly suitable for loading catalyst into tubes in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

Abstract: A methanol synthesis process includes reacting a process gas containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide over a catalyst including shaped units formed from a reduced and passivated catalyst powder the powder including copper in the range 10-80% by weight, zinc oxide in the range 20-90% by weight, alumina in the range 5-60% by weight and optionally one or more oxidic promoter compounds selected from compounds of Mg, Cr, Mn, V, Ti, Zr, Ta, Mo, W, Si and rare earths in the range 0.01-10% by weight, to form a product gas, and condensing methanol, water and oxygenate by-products therefrom, wherein the total oxygenate by-product level in the condensate is below 500 ppm.

Abstract: An absorbent composition suitable for removing mercury, arsenic or antimony from fluid streams includes 5-50% by weight of a particulate sulphided copper compound, 30-90% by weight of a particulate support material, and the remainder one or more binders, wherein the metal sulphide content of the absorbent, other than copper sulphide, is below 5% by weight.