Abstract: A method can be utilized to startup into a normal operating state a steam reformer arrangement for the production of hydrogen, methanol, or ammonia. A plurality of burners that are coupled to at least one reactor having reformer tubes may be controlled and regulated. In particular, startup may be performed out and regulated in an automated manner by the burners ensuring normal operation, in particular non-startup burners, being ignited indirectly as a function of temperature by means of burners provided specifically for startup, in particular pilot burners and startup burners, as a function of automatically evaluated flame monitoring at least at the pilot burners. This method provides time savings and savings of outlay in terms of personnel and also high operational reliability.

Abstract: A process for performing the water gas shift reaction wherein raw synthesis gas is reacted in the presence of steam and at least one water gas shift catalyst to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and to form hydrogen. The raw synthesis gas is initially passed through at least one unit for high-temperature CO conversion and subsequently, downstream thereof, passed through at least one unit for low-temperature CO conversion. After passing through the at least one unit for high-temperature CO conversion the synthesis gas stream is divided into at least two substreams. The first substream is passed through a first unit for low-temperature CO conversion and the second substream is passed through a second unit for low-temperature CO conversion, wherein both units for low-temperature CO conversion are arranged in parallel relative to one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of operating a reformer, wherein the reformer is operated at least with a first hydrocarbon mixture and a second hydrocarbon mixture. The reformer has a primary reformer that is supplied with a first gas stream. The reformer also has a secondary reformer that is supplied with a semifinished product gas stream from the primary reformer and with an air stream. The first gas stream and the air stream are used to form the quotient of the first gas stream divided by the air stream. A threshold value is defined, wherein the reformer is shut down below the threshold value. The threshold value is compared with the product of the quotient of the first gas stream divided by the air stream multiplied by a factor H, wherein the factor is defined depending on the chemical composition of the gas stream.

Abstract: A method of producing ammonia includes heating, with a start-up oven, a first synthesis gas for a first ammonia synthesis in a first reactor; transferring the heated first synthesis gas to the first reactor for initiating a chemical reaction; heating, with the start-up oven, a second synthesis gas for a second ammonia synthesis in a second reactor; and transferring the heated second synthesis gas to the second reactor for initiating a chemical reaction, wherein a high-pressure synthesis of ammonia is carried out in the first reactor and a low-pressure synthesis of ammonia is carried out in the second reactor at a process pressure which is lower than the process pressure in the first reactor.

Abstract: The integrated plant for making propene oxide includes a unit for producing hydrogen peroxide by an anthraquinone process, which includes a hydrogenator, an oxidizer and an extraction column, and a unit for making propene oxide from propene and hydrogen peroxide. The unit for making propene oxide has an epoxidation reactor and a work-up section, as well as an air compressor driven by a backpressure steam turbine with a conduit connecting an outlet of the air compressor with the oxidizer and a conduit connecting the steam outlet of the backpressure steam turbine with a heat exchanger of a distillation column of the work-up section.

Abstract: A process for preparing methanol by a methanol synthesis reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen may involve a distillation step and a condensation step following the synthesis of a crude methanol. A volatile component and water may be separated off from a methanol-containing product stream, and a gas stream containing a volatile component that has been separated off may be discharged at least partially as offgas. At least part of the gas stream that has been separated off may be recirculated into the methanol synthesis reaction. A plant for preparing methanol can store or utilize electric power generated from renewable energy sources and provide facilities for discharging the offgas stream, which can be purified by catalytic after-combustion. Alternatively, the plant can be configured without discharge of an offgas substream, or the offgas streams are so small that they can be released without treatment into the environment at a suitable position.

Abstract: An exhaust air scrubber for removing dust, abraded product, and water-soluble constituents from process exhaust air may include in a single housing a cleaning stage that includes a droplet separator and a packing disposed below the droplet separator. The exhaust air scrubber may also include an inlet apparatus for process exhaust air disposed in a lower portion of the housing, a withdrawal apparatus for scrubbing solution, and a withdrawal conduit for cleaned exhaust air, with the withdrawal conduit beginning inside the housing above the cleaning stage, passing downward inside the housing, and passing out of the housing to an outside in the lower portion of the housing below the cleaning stage. The scrubber may further include a feed conduit for scrubbing solution in an upper portion of the housing above the cleaning stage.

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 low-temperature heat utilization assembly may be configured to decouple low-temperature heat from process gas at temperatures below 200° C. and to provide the process gas at a lowered intermediate temperature or at a still further lowered final temperature for at least one subsequent process. In the low-temperature heat utilization assembly the process gas may be fed to a first unit, by means of which the temperature may be lowered to the intermediate temperature. The process gas may in some cases be provided to a heat exchanger stage for further lowering to the final temperature. The first unit is an ORC unit for energy transformation of the heat energy into electrical energy and may be coupled to an electrical consumer unit. The ORC unit may be configured for energy feedback of electrical energy within the low-temperature heat utilization assembly or to a process upstream of the ORC unit.

Abstract: A reactor and a method at least for pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids are disclosed, where the reactor has a reactor shell and a reactor shaft disposed within the reactor shell, and a reactor lining at least for thermal sealing of the reactor shaft with respect to the reactor shell is disposed between the reactor shell and the reactor shaft, and wherein the reactor shaft has an at least tetragonal geometry in cross section, wherein at least one electrode for generation of thermal energy is disposed on each of two mutually opposite side walls of the reactor shaft.

Abstract: A method for operating a plant for synthesizing methanol, wherein a synthesis gas flow having hydrogen and carbon oxides is supplied to a synthesis gas compressor of the plant to increase the pressure of the synthesis gas flow. The pressure-increased synthesis gas flow is supplied to a methanol reactor arrangement of the plant for partial conversion to methanol. The plant has a hydrogen recovery arrangement which obtains an H-recycling flow including hydrogen from a recovery flow supplied from the methanol reactor arrangement, which hydrogen is converted at least in part to methanol. Upon failure of the synthesis gas compressor, the synthesis gas flow continues to be supplied to the methanol reactor arrangement for partial conversion to methanol. Following failure of the synthesis gas compressor, a line arrangement of the plant is switched such that the H-recycling flow is adjusted to compensate for a pressure loss in the methanol reactor arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing ammonia or hydrogen may include a) a gas stream feed conduit having a connecting conduit to a steam reformer with a waste heat section; b) a heat exchanger downstream of the gas stream feed conduit; c) a gas stream preheater downstream of the heat exchanger; d) a recirculation conduit which is located downstream of the gas stream preheater and leads to the gas stream feed conduit or, upstream of the heat exchanger, to the connecting conduit; and e) the steam reformer with the waste heat section, where the waste heat section may be in thermal contact with the gas stream preheater and the flow of the gas stream which has been heated in the gas stream preheater through the recirculation conduit can be regulated. A process for producing ammonia or hydrogen may employ such an apparatus.

Abstract: An ammonia plant having a first and second reactor and a start-up oven having at least one first heat exchanger. The first reactor operates under a higher internal pressure than the second reactor. The start-up oven is connected via a piping system for at least one synthesis gas to the first and second reactor. Ammonia is produced by heating synthesis gas in the start-up oven and transferring the heated synthesis gas to the first reactor for initiating the chemical reaction. Synthesis gas is heated with the same start-up oven and is transferred to the second reactor for initiating the chemical reaction, wherein high-pressure synthesis of ammonia occurs in the first reactor and low-pressure synthesis of ammonia occurs in the second reactor at a lower process pressure than in the first reactor.

Abstract: A process for the epoxidation of propene involves reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of a methanol solvent and a shaped titanium zeolite epoxidation catalyst in a fixed bed reactor. The process then involves recovering methanol from the reaction mixture, treatment of the recovered methanol by passing it through a bed of an acidic ion exchange resin, and recycling the treated methanol to the epoxidation reaction; as well as regeneration of the acidic ion exchange resin. Catalyst breakage can be reduced or avoided by washing the regenerated bed of an acidic ion exchange resin with methanol until the methanol exiting the resin bed has an apparent pH higher than 1.8, before methanol treated with the acidic ion exchange resin is recycled to the epoxidation reaction.

Abstract: A process for making propene oxide involves reacting propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of methanol, a titanium zeolite epoxidation catalyst, and nitrogen containing compounds present in an amount of from 100 to 3000 mg/kg of hydrogen peroxide. Non-reacted propene is separated from the reaction mixture; the propene depleted reaction mixture is continuously distilled in a distillation column providing an overhead product stream containing propene oxide and methanol and a bottoms product stream; and propene oxide is separated from the overhead product stream. An acid is added to the propane depleted reaction mixture and/or to the distillation column at the same level or above the feed point for the propene depleted reaction mixture and/or contacted to the feed to the distillation column to provide an apparent pH in the bottoms product stream of from 3 to 4.5, which reduces the nitrogen content of the separated propene oxide.

Abstract: A device for increasing the interior surface of a compact coke charge in a receiving trough, which device increases the interior surface of a coke cake or coke leaving the coking chamber by mechanically breaking apart or roughening it, resulting in a break-up of the coke structure and the formation of crevice-type cavities in the compacted coke charge so that an increased amount of water can flow into the interior of the coke charge during the subsequent quenching step through these crevices, resulting in a high profitability of the method due to reduced quenching times and lower water consumption. A method for increasing the interior surface of a compact coke charge in a receiving trough, which serves to break up a fresh coke cake or to roughen the coke in order to reduce water consumption during quenching is disclosed.

Abstract: Method of concentrating aqueous alkali and apparatus suitable for this purpose. A very energy-saving method of concentrating aqueous alkali originating, for example, from a chloralkali electrolysis plant and an apparatus suitable for this purpose are described. The method/the apparatus utilizes heat of reaction from the formation of 1,2-dichloroethane and includes multistage concentration of the aqueous alkali, where at least part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from the plant for preparing 1,2-dichloroethane and at least a further part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from at least one of the higher stages of the plant for concentrating the aqueous alkali and is used for partial heating of the first stage. The apparatus can be used for retrofitting existing integrated plants made up of a DCE plant and chloralkali electrolysis or in the erection of new plants.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) and method for drying polymer powders is described. The apparatus has an inlet (2) and an outlet (3) for the polymer powder, heat registers (5) installed in the interior space (4) and lines (7) for a heated gas (6a) for drying the polymer powder. The lines open into the interior space (4) and are connected to heat exchangers (9) for heating gas (6). The heat exchangers (9) are connected to a plant for the preparation of 1,2-dichloroethane (15) and/or for the preparation of vinyl chloride from 1,2-dichloroethane so that thermal energy from the plant can be utilized for heating the gas (6). The method comprises treatment of a polymer powder with a heated gas (6a) in the drying apparatus (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for preparing nitric acid by catalytic oxidation of NH3 by means of oxygen and subsequent reaction of the NOx formed with an absorption medium in an absorption tower, which comprises a catalyst bed for N2O decomposition arranged in the process gas downstream of the catalytic NH3 oxidation and upstream of the absorption tower in the flow direction and a catalyst bed for NOx reduction and effecting a further decrease in the amount of N2O arranged in the tailgas downstream of the absorption tower in the flow direction, wherein the amount of N2O removed in the catalyst bed for N2O removal arranged in the process gas is not more than that which results in an N2O content of >100 ppmv and a molar N2O/NOx ratio of >0.

Abstract: An adjustable chargehole closure for adjusting the closure cover of a charging hole in a coking oven chamber. The adjustable chargehole closure has as an inner frame for a closure cover, and the frame can be rotated both with respect to the closure cover and with respect to an outer frame, designed asymmetrically with respect to a vertical plane, so that the closure cover is displaced along a longitudinal axis when the inner frame is rotated in the horizontal plane. The position of the charging hole opening and the closure cover present therein on the ceiling of a coking oven chamber can thereby be changed without requiring construction measures on the ceiling of a coking oven chamber. The capability is in particular advantageous in order to match the position of the charging hole cover to the precise charging position of the charging machine.