Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving control of the temperature profile in a cyclic flow reactor, such as a reverse flow reactor, during operation. The improved temperature control is achieved in part based on inclusion of regions having reduced or minimized catalyst density with increased volumetric heat capacity within the reaction zone of the reactor. This improved control over the temperature profile is achieved while reducing or minimizing any loss of reaction capacity due to lowering the amount of catalyst in the reaction zone.

Abstract: Ceramic monolith compositions are provided with improved stability under reaction conditions involving elevated temperatures. Such monoliths can be used, for example, in reverse flow reactors under high temperature reforming conditions, where the interior components of the reaction zone can be exposed to average temperatures of 1000° C. or higher while also being exposed to rapid oscillations in temperature of 100° C. or more in the presence of alternating oxidizing and reducing chemistries. The ceramic monolith compositions can be composed of materials that have improved ability to withstand conditions in severe reaction environments. Additionally or alternately, the ceramic monolith compositions can have structural features that reduce or minimize the tendency for the monolith to suffer structural failure under the conditions in severe reaction environments.

Abstract: A method of producing bifunctional catalysts by extrusion may include mixing an acid catalyst, a metal catalyst, optionally a binder, and a fluid to produce a dough; extruding the dough to form an extrudate; producing a powder from the extrudate; and calcining the powder to produce an acid/metal bifunctional catalyst. Such acid/metal bifunctional catalysts may be useful in, among other things, converting syngas to dimethyl ether in a single reactor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport.

Abstract: An upgraded crude composition is provided, along with systems and methods for making such a composition. The upgraded crude composition can include an unexpectedly high percentage of vacuum gas oil boiling range components while having a reduce or minimized amount of components boiling above 593° C. (1100° F.). In some aspects, based in part on the hydroprocessing used to form the upgraded crude composition, the composition can include unexpectedly high contents of nitrogen. Still other unexpected features of the composition can include, but are not limited to, an unexpectedly high nitrogen content in the naphtha fraction; and an unexpected vacuum gas oil fraction including an unexpectedly high content of polynuclear aromatics, an unexpectedly high content of waxy, paraffinic compounds, and/or an unexpectedly high content of n-pentane asphaltenes.

Abstract: A method of producing bifunctional catalyst systems that include a carbon-coated metal catalyst may comprise: coating a metal catalyst particle with a carbon-containing small molecule to produce a coated metal catalyst particle; carbonizing the carbon-containing small molecule on the coated metal catalyst particle to produce a carbon-coated metal catalyst particle; and mixing the carbon-coated metal catalyst particle with an acid catalyst particle to produce an acid/metal bifunctional catalyst system.

Abstract: Methods of producing metal catalysts can include mixing two or more metal salts and an aluminum salt in water to produce a metal catalyst precursor solution; mixing the metal catalyst precursor solution and an alkali metal buffer solution to produce a precipitate; ion exchanging the alkali metal in the precipitate for a non-alkali cation to produce a low-alkali metal precipitate comprising 3 wt % or less alkali metal by weight of the precipitate on a dry basis; producing a powder from the low-alkali metal precipitate; and calcining the powder to produce a metal catalyst. Such metal catalysts may be useful in producing bifunctional catalyst systems that are useful in, among other things, converting syngas to dimethyl ether in a single reactor.

Abstract: A method of producing a acid/metal bifunctional catalyst may include: mixing an acid catalyst, a metal catalyst, and a fluid to produce a slurry, wherein the acid catalyst is present at 50 wt % or less relative to a total catalyst weight in the slurry; heating the slurry; producing a powder from the slurry; and calcining the powder to produce the acid/metal bifunctional catalyst. Such acid/metal bifunctional catalyst would be useful in the direct conversion of syngas to dimethyl ether as well as other reactions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport.

Abstract: An upgraded crude composition is provided, along with systems and methods for making such a composition. The upgraded crude composition can include an unexpectedly high percentage of vacuum gas oil boiling range components while having a reduce or minimized amount of components boiling above 593° C. (1100° F.). In some aspects, based in part on the hydroprocessing used to form the upgraded crude composition, the composition can include unexpectedly high contents of nitrogen. Still other unexpected features of the composition can include, but are not limited to, an unexpectedly high nitrogen content in the naphtha fraction; and an unexpected vacuum gas oil fraction including an unexpectedly high content of polynuclear aromatics, an unexpectedly high content of waxy, paraffinic compounds, and/or an unexpectedly high content of n-pentane asphaltenes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conversion of oxygenate feeds to distillate boiling range products using multiple moving bed reactor stages. The systems and methods allow for multiple stages to be used while avoiding the need for distillation or other boiling point based separation as the mixture of feed and effluent is passed between stages. Instead, a stripping gas is used to disengage the feed and effluent from the catalyst solids. In combination with an improved moving bed reactor design, this can allow substantially all of the feed and effluent from a first moving bed reactor stage to be passed into a second moving bed reactor stage, even when the feed and effluent include both vapor and liquid phase portions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving thermal management and/or efficiency of reaction systems including a reverse flow reactor for performance of at least one endothermic reaction and at least one supplemental exothermic reaction. The supplemental exothermic reaction can be performed in the recuperation zone of the reverse flow reactor system. By integrating the supplemental exothermic reaction into the recuperation zone, the heat generated from the supplemental exothermic reaction can be absorbed by heat transfer surfaces in the recuperation zone. The adsorbed heat can then be used to heat at least one of the fuel and the oxidant for the combustion reaction performed during regeneration, thus reducing the amount of combustion that is needed to achieve a desired temperature profile at the end of the regeneration step.

Abstract: A feed distribution apparatus and method of using such an apparatus are provided for introducing a three-phase flow into a moving bed reactor that is operated under co-current flow conditions. The feed distribution apparatus can allow for separate introduction of liquid and solids in a manner that allows for even distribution of liquid within the solids. The gas portion of the flow can be introduced in any of a variety of convenient manners for distributing gas into a liquid or solid flow.

Abstract: A moving bed reactor is provided that can allow facilitate performing a reaction involving a three-phase flow under co-axial flow conditions for the solid and liquid portions of the three phase flow, while the gas portion of the three-phase flow is exposed to the solids under radial flow conditions. Methods for using such a moving bed reactor to perform a reaction, such as upgrading of a feed to distillate products, are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conversion of methane and/or other hydrocarbons to hydrogen by pyrolysis while reducing or minimizing production of carbon oxides. The conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen is performed in one or more pyrolysis or conversion reactors that contain a plurality of sequential fluidized beds. The fluidized beds are arranged so that the coke particles forming the fluidized bed move in a counter-current direction relative to the gas phase flow of feed (e.g., methane) and/or product (H2) in the fluidized beds. By using a plurality of sequential fluidized beds, the heat transfer and management benefits of fluidized beds can be realized while also at least partially achieving the improved reaction rates that are associated with a plug flow or moving bed reactor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for upgrading of methane and/or small alkanes to distillate boiling range hydrocarbons. The upgrading is performed using a reaction system where various types of integration are provided from downstream reaction stages to upstream reaction stages. Such integration can include recycle of various reaction products as well as thermal integration. Having a reaction system that begins with reforming of hydrocarbons and finishes with production of distillate can enable unexpected synergies between downstream reaction stages and upstream reaction stages.

Abstract: A submersible device submersible within an algae slurry contained within a pond of an algae bioreactor, the submersible device including a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond, a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device, and a computer system that controls operation of the drive motor and the circulation device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for integration of use deasphalted resid as a feed for fuels and/or lubricant base stock production with use of the corresponding deasphalter rock for gasification to generate hydrogen and/or fuel for the fuels and/or lubricant production process. The integration can include using hydrogen generated during gasification as a fuel to provide heat for solvent processing and/or using the hydrogen for hydroprocessing of deasphalted oil.