Abstract: Herein disclosed in a method comprising: shearing a feed comprising a solid component in a high shear device to produce a product, at least a portion of which comprises sheared solids; and separating at least some of the sheared solids from the product to produce a component-reduced product, wherein the solid component in the feed stream comprises a first particle density, and wherein the sheared solids in the product comprise a second particle density greater than the first particle density. In some embodiments, the solid component of the feed comprises gas trapped therein, and wherein at least a portion of said gas is released from the solid component upon shearing. Herein also is disclosed a method of comminuting solids in a feed stream comprising a solid component by processing the feed stream in a high shear device to produce a product stream comprising comminuted solids.

Abstract: Method of producing glycerol that includes mixing a peroxide stream with an olefenic alcohol stream to form a feed stream; processing the feed stream in a high shear device to produce a high shear dispersion of peroxide and olefinic alcohol, wherein the high shear device is configured with a rotor and a stator separated by a shear gap; and contacting the high shear dispersion with a catalyst in a reactor to produce glycerol.

Abstract: A catalyst and process for formation of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers of two or greater, the result of both oxidative coupling of methane (“OCM”), and other reforming reactions of OCM end products. An OCM catalyst has a structure represented by formula ABTiO3, wherein A is samarium or tin, B is barium; the reforming catalysts a composition represented by formula XYZ, wherein X is a metal from Group IA, Group IIA or Group VIIIA, or not present, Y a metal from Group VA, Group VIA, Group VIIA or Group VIIIA, Z chosen from oxygen, silica, silicalite and alumina. The inventive catalyst comprises an OCM catalyst and a reforming catalyst blended together; when used in a reactor effects an increased yield of hydrocarbons having a carbon number greater than 2 (in excess of 27%-30%, first pass rate of methane conversion about 50%) than occurs under OCM conditions alone.

Abstract: A process and catalyst for the partial oxidation of low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane, propane, naphtha, and natural gas condensates to form alkenes, such as ethylene, propylene and other valuable by-products. The process involves contacting the low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbon with the catalyst in the presence of oxygen or air and optionally steam. The catalyst has a perovskite-type crystalline structure, and lends itself to fixed and fluidized bed reactor configurations. The conversion process is less costly than conventional processes due to low pressure operation, the use of air and steam as a source of oxygen, and lower operating temperatures resulting in less coking, downtime, and reduced cost for materials of construction. Catalyst activity is extended and reactor downtime for catalyst regeneration is minimized by addition of chlorides and/or amines.