Abstract: Process for hydrogenating a carboxylic acid or derivative thereof by feeding a carboxylic acid or derivative thereof and hydrogen to a reactor, maintaining conditions therein such that hydrogen reacts with the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof to form a product stream including one or more hydrocarbons and one or more oxides of carbon and feeding the product stream to a flash separator. A vapor fraction including the one or more oxides of carbon is separated from a liquid fraction having the one or more hydrocarbons. The concentration of carbon oxides in the flash separator is at or below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Process for producing hydrocarbons from a carboxylic acid by feeding hydrogen and a reaction composition containing a carboxylic acid to a reactor, maintaining reaction conditions such that the hydrogen reacts with the carboxylic acid to produce a C1 compound including CO, CO2 and CH4, and one or more product hydrocarbons derived from the carboxylic acid. The reaction between hydrogen and the carboxylic acid is catalysed. A product stream is removed from the reactor including unreacted hydrogen, at least one C1 compound, and at least one product hydrocarbon. One or more parameters of the reaction are controlled such that the molar ratio of C1 compounds produced by the reaction to the carboxylate groups present in the carboxylic acid in the reaction composition is maintained above a value of 0.37:1, and the mole ratio of carbon dioxide to the sum of carbon monoxide and methane is maintained above a value of 0.58:1.

Abstract: Process for evaluating a plurality of refinery feedstocks, by providing an array of refinery feedstocks, the array having at least a plurality of different refinery feedstocks, and fractionating each of the refinery feedstocks in the array, either in parallel or in a rapid serial fashion, to produce a further array having a plurality of fractions with different chemical and/or physical properties, each fraction being representative of a process stream that might be present in a refinery. Each of the plurality of fractions is analyzed to determine one or more chemical and/or physical properties of the fractions, the analyzes being performed at least partially in parallel.

Abstract: Process for evaluating the effect of a refinery feedstock on a refinery process by (i) providing a refinery feedstock (ii) treating the refinery feedstock to produce a plurality of fractions each representative of a feedstock for the refinery process, the plurality of fractions having at least two fractions with different properties; (iii) treating each of the plurality of fractions under experimental conditions representative of those in the refinery process, the treatments being carried out in an essentially parallel manner; and (iv) determining one or more performance criteria for each fraction for the refinery process by analyzing the respective product streams produced from each fraction at least partially in parallel.

Abstract: The fouling caused by a refinery feedstock on one or more refinery processes, said process comprising: (i) providing a plurality of refinery feedstocks and/or a plurality of fractions of one or more refinery feedstocks, (ii) providing an array comprising a plurality of metal samples representative of metallurgy present in a refinery, (iii) contacting each of the plurality of metal samples with one or more of said (iv) refinery feedstocks or fractions under non-static conditions, and determining the fouling of said refinery feedstock or fraction thereof. Preferably, the metal samples are in the form of a microfabricated array and the testing is carried out in parallel using high throughput experimentation.

Abstract: A process comprising reacting hydrogen and a reaction composition comprising a carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof in a reactor to produce a reaction composition comprising one or more C1 compounds selected from one or more of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), and one or more product hydrocarbons derived from the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof, wherein the molar ratio of C1 compounds produced by the reaction to the carboxylate groups present in the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof in the reaction composition is maintained above a value of 0.37:1.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenating a carboxylic acid or derivative thereof comprising feeding a carboxylic acid or derivative thereof and hydrogen to a reactor, maintaining conditions therein such that hydrogen reacts with the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof to a product stream comprising one or more hydrocarbons and one or more oxides of carbon, feeding the product stream to a flash separator, wherein a vapour fraction comprising the one or more oxides of carbon is separated form a liquid fraction comprising the one or more hydrocarbons, wherein the concentration of carbon oxides in the flash separator is at or below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Process for evaluating the corrosive effect of a refinery feedstock on the metallurgy of one or more refinery processes, by (i) providing a plurality of refinery feedstocks and/or a plurality of fractions of one or more refinery feedstocks, (ii) providing an array having a plurality of metal samples representative of metallurgy present in a refinery, (iii) contacting each of the plurality of metal samples with one or more of the refinery feedstocks or fractions under non-static conditions, and (iv) determining the corrosive effect of the feedstock and/or fraction on the metal sample.

Abstract: A process for the production of a fuel composition comprising hydrocarbons derived from carboxylic acids and/or carboxylic acid esters, which process comprises feeding hydrogen and a hydrocarbon-containing stream to a first reactor to reduce levels of olefins and/or heteroatom-containing compounds in the hydrocarbon-containing stream, and feeding the so-treated hydrocarbon-containing stream to a second reactor together with hydrogen and a carboxylic acid and/or ester to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing stream in which at least some of the hydrocarbons are derived from the carboxylic acid and/or ester.

Abstract: The fouling caused by a refinery feedstock on one or more refinery processes, said process comprising: (i) providing a plurality of refinery feedstocks and/or a plurality of fractions of one or more refinery feedstocks, (ii) providing an array comprising a plurality of metal samples representative of metallurgy present in a refinery, (iii) contacting each of the plurality of metal samples with one or more of said (iv) refinery feedstocks or fractions under non-static conditions, and determining the fouling of said refinery feedstock or fraction thereof. Preferably, the metal samples are in the form of a microfabricated array and the testing is carried out in parallel using high throughput experimentation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable apparatus for analysis of a refinery feedstock or a product of a refinery process, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first analytical device for determination of the boiling point profile of a refinery feedstock or a product of a refinery process, and (b) at least two further analytical devices each of which contains or is associated with a database and an algorithm, at least one of said devices being adapted for determination of the density of the refinery feedstock or product of a refinery process, and at least one of said devices being adapted for determination of the total acid number of the refinery feedstock or product of a refinery process.

Abstract: A process for evaluating a refinery feedstock, said process comprising: (i) providing a refinery feedstock, (ii) treating said refinery feedstock to produce an array comprising a plurality of fractions having different chemical and/or physical properties, each fraction being representative of a process stream that might be present in a refinery, and (iii) analysing each of said plurality of fractions to determine one or more chemical and/or physical properties of the fractions, said analyses being performed at least partially in parallel. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of refinery feedstocks is evaluated, each being fractionated prior to analysis of the fractions.

Abstract: A process for evaluating the corrosive effect of a refinery feedstock on the metallurgy of one or more refinery processes, said process comprising: (i) providing a plurality of refinery feedstocks and/or a plurality of fractions of one or more refinery feedstocks, (ii) providing an array comprising a plurality of metal samples representative of metallurgy present in a refinery, (iii) contacting each of the plurality of metal samples with one or more of said refinery feedstocks or fractions under non-static conditions, and (iv) determining the corrosive effect of said feedstock and/or fraction on the metal sample.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for evaluating the effect of a refinery feedstock on a refinery process, said process comprising (i) providing a refinery feedstock; (ii) treating said refinery feedstock to produce a plurality of fractions each representative of the typical feedstock for the refinery process of interest, said plurality of fractions comprise at least two fractions with different properties; (iii) treating each of the plurality of fractions under experimental conditions representative of those in the refinery process, said treatments being carved out in an essentially parallel manner; and (iv) determining one or more performance criteria in respect of each fraction for the refinery process.