Abstract: An improved process and system for the endothermic dehydrogenation of an alkane stream is described. The process and system of the present invention comprise a back-mixed fluidized bed reactor. The alkane stream is dehydrogenated in a single reactor stage by contacting the alkane stream with a back-mixed fluidized bed of catalyst. Deactivated catalyst is withdrawn from the back-mixed fluidized reactor and heated to produce hot regenerated catalyst. The hot regenerated catalyst is returned to the back-mixed fluidized bed reactor at a rate sufficient to maintain the back-mixed fluidized bed reactor at substantially isothermal conditions.

Abstract: A polyester production system employing a vertically elongated esterification reactor. The esterification reactor of the present invention is an improvement over conventional CSTR esterification reactors because, for example, in one embodiment, the reactor requires little or no mechanical agitation. Further, in one embodiment, the positioning of the inlets and outlets of the reactor provides improved operational performance and flexibility over CSTRs of the prior art.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the (co) polymerization of styrene. The process is carried out by employing a liquid polymerization reaction mixture that includes styrene, in a mechanically stirred reactor in the form of a vessel comprising a side wall having the shape of a cylinder of revolution with a vertical axis (A), a bottom head and a top head that are joined to the side wall. The vessel is provided with a mechanical stirring device comprising (i) a central shaft of vertical axis coincident with the axis (A), connected to a drive system comprising a motor for rotating the central shaft, (ii) at least one baffle attached to the vessel. The baffle is away from the side wall of the vessel and takes the form of a cylinder of vertical axis and of rhomboidal cross section.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a horizontally elongated reactor segment containing a horizontally elongated tubular member and a tray disposed within the tubular member. The reaction medium can flow through the reactor segment on the tray and on the bottom of the tubular member in generally opposite directions. The reactor also can include a header and multiple horizontally elongated reactor segments coupled to the header and spaced vertically apart from one another. The reactor can be used to produce polyesters.

Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.

Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.

Abstract: A sloped tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a plurality of spaced apart internal trays disposed at different elevations in a downwardly sloping elongated tubular member.

Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced tubular members coupled to and extending between a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically elongated headers.

Abstract: A process for the discontinuous production of granules from polycondensation polymers by precondensation of an oligomer at 5 to 400 mbar and subsequent polycondensation in a stirring reactor and subsequent granulation. In the vicinity of the outlet port, the density of the entraining surfaces lies between 1 and 8 m2 per m3 reactor space and constantly increases with increasing distance from the discharge region. Inside the reactor, there is a viscosity gradient between the region most remote from the discharge port and the zone of the discharge port. The thermal decomposition of the polymer melt flowing out of the reactor is compensated during granulation. The stirring reactor with horizontal longitudinal axis approximately has the shape of a single or double truncated cone. The reactor has rotatable, vertical product entraining surfaces and stationary scrapers between the same.

Abstract: A multi-level tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The tubular reactor can include a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically spaced reactor segments coupled to and extending outwardly from a common header. One or more of the reactor segments can contain a tray that divides the internal volume of the reactor segment into upper and lower chambers. The reaction medium can flow away from the header in the upper chambers and back to the header in the lower chambers.

Abstract: Various methods and systems of making inorganic fiber/flake reinforced composites having a thermoplastic matrix are disclosed. The methods use systems similar to those used to make inorganic fiber/flake reinforced products having a thermoset matrix, but the systems and methods are modified to use thermoplastic precursor monomer(s) followed by in situ polymerization of the monomer(s) during and/or following forming of the desired shape of the products. These methods permit the manufacture of superior inorganic fiber reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites in large and very large shapes heretofore not possible, or practical.

Abstract: A sloped tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a downwardly sloped tubular member, a flow divider disposed in the tubular member, and one or more internal trays disposed in the tubular member. The flow divider divides flow of the reaction medium among the trays and the bottom of the tubular member.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for preparing resorbable polyesters by bulk polymerization, wherein the reaction components are melted and homogenized in a reactor, the reaction mixture is then transferred into a polymerization reactor having a lumen defined by a reaction wall, wherein said reactor wall comprises at least two components which are releasably fitted to each other and wherein the shortest distance of any point within said lumen to the reaction wall is less than 8 cm, the reaction mixture is polymerized and the resulting polymer is removed from the polymerization reactor by releasing the components of the reactor wall exposing the resulting polymer lengthwise. The invention further relates to a polymerization reactor having a lumen defined by a reaction wall for performing said process.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for removing particulates from a cycle gas stream, e.g., in a reactor system, are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods are performed in conjunction with a polymerization reactor system such as a gas-phase reactor system for production of polyolefin polymers. The methods comprise the step of compressing a gas stream having particulates entrained therein.

Abstract: A horizontal trayed reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a plurality of vertically spaced trays disposed within the horizontally elongated vessel shell. The reaction medium can flow in generally opposite directions on vertically adjacent trays so that the reaction medium flows generally back-and-forth through the reactor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for cooling a polymerization reaction for producing polyolefin comprising the steps of: (a) thermally contacting said polymerization reaction with a cooling fluid such that the cooling fluid removes thermal energy from said reaction, (b) thermally contacting said cooling fluid with a working fluid thereby recovering said thermal energy from said cooling fluid in said working fluid, and (c) thermally contacting the cooling fluid obtained in step (b) with the polymerization reaction thereby cooling said reaction, wherein the working fluid is phase converted thereby providing energy in the form of heat and/or electricity and/or mechanical power back to the polyolefin production process. Said invention also relates to a polymerization process for producing olefin polymers in a reactor, and also relates to a process for energy optimization of energy consumption in a polymerization process and to a polymerization unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optimization method in a polymerization system in which heat is generated during the polymerization with an initiator.

Abstract: A microchannel polymerization reactor comprising: (a) a first microchannel adapted to carry a reactant stream; (b) a fluid conduit adapted to carry a fluid in thermal communication with the first microchannel; and (c) a static mixer in fluid communication with the first microchannel adapted to provide a mixing zone operative to change the cross-sectional fluid flow profile at a predetermined point along the first microchannel without changing the primary direction of the reactant stream through the first microchannel.

Abstract: A polymerization method comprises, prior to polymerization of a monomer of the cyclic dimer of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid, a first mixture of a polymerization catalyst by bypassing a part of the monomer of the cyclic dimer is prepared. Then, the first mixture is mixed with a dominant amount of the monomer introduced into a polymerization reactor. The monomer of the cyclic dimer in the polymerization reactor is conducted in the presence of a polymerization initiator.

Abstract: A heat exchange reactor for carrying out endothermic or exothermic reactions comprising: a housing defining an external reactor wall (1), a plurality of heat transfer tubes (2) arranged within said housing for the supply or removal of heat in catalyst beds (3, 3?) disposed at least outside (3) said heat transfer tubes (2), and built-in elements (4) disposed in the outer periphery of said catalyst bed (3).

Abstract: One exemplary method for message suppression comprises: providing first and second rules, each having one or more preconditions and a conclusion, wherein the first rule also has a suppressed-by attribute and at least one of the second preconditions is suppressing; evaluating the one or more first and second preconditions; identifying the first rule as true or false; displaying the message of the second rule if all of the second preconditions are met; identifying the first rule as suppressed if the second rule is named in the suppressed-by attribute; and inhibiting the message display of the suppressed rule or routing the message to second display. The system can comprise: a database containing knowledge of the production unit; a user interface, and at least one precondition, a suppressed by attribute, and one or more rules each having a conclusion and at least one suppressing precondition; an inference engine; and a display.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polyester processes that utilizes a pipe reactor in the esterification, polycondensation, or both esterification and polycondensation processes. Pipe reactor processes of the present invention have a multitude of advantages over prior art processes including improved heat transfer, volume control, agitation and disengagement functions.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for providing a flow of particulate matter such as a catalyst to a reactor, comprising intermittently adding said particulate matter and a diluent to a mixing tank, and continuously withdrawing a slurry of particulate matter in diluent from the mixing tank for introduction into the reactor, wherein prior to each addition of particulate matter and diluent to the mixing tank, the concentration of particulate matter in the diluent already in the mixing tank is measured or calculated, and the amount of particulate matter and diluent subsequently added is measured so as to achieve the same concentration at the end of the addition as that measured or calculated prior to the addition. Preferably measurement of the amount of particulate mailer and diluent added to the mixing tank is carried out before any diluent is added to the particulate matter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing polystyrene. The method includes the steps: using at least one scrapped surface heat exchanger (160) to heat a solution of polystyrene dissolved in an organic solvent to provide a heated solution of polystyrene dissolved in the organic solvent, and separating the dissolved polystyrene from the organic solvent. The apparatus includes: a holding tank at least partly filled with a solution of polystyrene dissolved in an organic solvent, at least one scrapped surface heat exchanger (160), and a separator.

Abstract: A container for thermal conditioning of a fluid under pressure, use of the container for thermally conditioning a fluid under pressure, a chemical reactor including the container and a polymerization process using the reactor, and a method of producing the container and the reactor. The container is bounded over at least part of its surface facing the outside by at least one external plate and facing the inside by at least one internal plate, the external plate being thicker than the internal plate, the external plate and the internal plate being joined together in places to define a space between joints for circulation of a heat-transfer fluid and the container including a mechanism to adjust the pressure of the heat-transfer fluid to that of the fluid under pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for cooling a polymerization reactor having at least four leg jackets. In the four leg jacket embodiment, the process comprises pumping a first coolant through a first pair of leg jackets, and pumping a second coolant through a different pair of leg jackets. In this process, the first coolant does not contact the second coolant while inside the leg jackets.

Abstract: A flash chamber sized to receive the effluent discharged from a polyolefin reactor during normal operation of the reactor and during a reactor dump, advantageously eliminating a reactor dump tank or alternate flash tank from the equipment outlay of a polyolefin manufacturing process. The flash chamber is sized to hold at least the polyolefin solids discharged from the reactor. A condenser fluidically coupled to an overhead portion of the flash chamber is sized to condense the flow rate of vaporized hydrocarbon (e.g., diluent, monomer, etc.) discharged overhead from the flash chamber during normal operation and during the reactor dump.

Abstract: Process and apparatus to form vinyl chloride monomer from ethylene dichloride in a cracking furnace, including a firebox chamber having a thermal protective layer disposed on refractory walls and/or process tubes disposed within the chamber, a quencher to form vinyl chloride monomer, and fractionator separate products. The thermal protective layer which contains an inorganic adhesive for metal/alloy tubes or colloidal silica and/or colloidal alumina for refractory walls or ceramic tubes, a filler, and one or more emissivity agents.

Abstract: Methods and system for in-situ measurement of polymer growth within an olefin polymerization reactor are provided. The method includes polymerizing one or more olefins within a reactor at a first temperature sufficient to deposit a polymer coating therein. A second temperature is created within the reactor, and a rate of temperature change is measured from the first temperature to the second temperature. The rate of temperature change is correlated to a thickness of the polymer coating deposited within the reactor.

Abstract: A material gas and a catalyst are introduced through a material supplying tube path and a catalyst supplying tube path together with a carrier gas into a reactor equipped on its outer periphery with a heat applicator for thermally decomposing the material gas. The reactor has a convention regulator fitted to the discharge end of the catalyst supplying tube path. The convection regulator covers an edge side of the reactor to regulate gas flow in the reactor so that the flow does not reach the edge side. Due to this, a convection state can be efficiently produced in a reaction region. Consequently, it becomes possible to prevent contamination defect caused by accumulation/adherence of concretion of catalyst, which was generated by aggregation of cooled catalyst in the low-temperature region of the reactor and a decomposition product of the material gas. Thus the efficiency of carbon nanostructure production can be improved.

Abstract: A process for the solution polymerization of olefins with improved on-stream time is provided. The solution polymerization process of the current invention comprises a method for the on-line removal of foulant material from one or more heat exchangers downstream of a polymerization reactor. Removal of foulant material is accomplished by deliberately applying a positive pressure differential across a heat exchanger. In the process of the current invention, reactor shut down is not required for the purpose of cleaning foulant material from a heat exchanger.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nucleic acid sequence amplification method and apparatuses thereof that are simple in the design and easy to miniaturize and integrate into complex apparatuses, with capability of using DNA polymerases that are not thermostable. In the present invention, a plurality of heat sources are combined to supply heat to, or remove heat from specific regions of the sample such that a specific spatial temperature distribution is maintained inside the sample by locating a relatively high temperature region lower in height than a relatively low temperature region.

Abstract: An installation for increasing the intrinsic viscosity of a polyester material by solid phase polycondensation (SSP) comprises a heatable reaction container (2, 2?) in which the polyester material (P) can be left to reside at a predetermined thermal treatment temperature for a predetermined residence time until it has reached a desired intrinsic viscosity, and a cooling container (6, 6?) arranged downstream of the reaction container, the cooling container (6, 6?) being designed for cooling the polyester material discharged from the reaction container to a first cooling temperature which is lower than the reaction temperature. Downstream of the cooling container (6, 6?), a polyester material separator (7) is arranged which is designed for diverting the polyester material flow to a polyester material processing machine (8) and/or to an intermediate storage container (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a tower reactor and the use thereof for producing high-molecular weight polyesters, such as e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polynaphthalene terephthalate (PEN), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and/or polyesters of other dicarboxylic acids and diols including copolymers thereof. It thereby concerns a single-stage tower reactor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing polystyrene. The method includes the steps of: receiving a solution in the form of polystyrene polymer dissolved in an organic solvent; and separating the polystyrene from the solvent by applying heat to the solution to provide a heated solution and then spraying the heated solution to separate the polystyrene from the solvent. The apparatus includes: a holding tank at least partly filled with a solution of polystyrene dissolved in an organic solvent; at least one heat exchanger (170); and a separator in the form of a sprayer unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of ethylene polymers and copolymers in which ethylene is compressed in a primary compressor at a throughput of at least 55 tonnes/hour, mixed with recycled ethylene and further compressed in a two-stage reciprocating secondary compressor having at least 14 cylinders to a pressure of at least 2300 bar at a throughput of at least 120 tonnes/hour, heating at least a portion of that ethylene to a temperature of at least 95° C. and introducing it into a tubular reactor of diameter at least 65 mm and a length of at least 1500 m, introducing initiator in at least three reaction zones to give a conversion of at least 28% and maintaining a pressure drop over the reactor to maintain a flow velocity of at least 6 m/s.

Abstract: A chemical reaction chamber system that combines devices such as doped polysilicon for heating, bulk silicon for convective cooling, and thermoelectric (TE) coolers to augment the heating and cooling rates of the reaction chamber or chambers. In addition the system includes non-silicon-based reaction chambers such as any high thermal conductivity material used in combination with a thermoelectric cooling mechanism (i.e., Peltier device). The heat contained in the thermally conductive part of the system can be used/reused to heat the device, thereby conserving energy and expediting the heating/cooling rates. The system combines a micromachined silicon reaction chamber, for example, with an additional module/device for augmented heating/cooling using the Peltier effect. This additional module is particularly useful in extreme environments (very hot or extremely cold) where augmented heating/cooling would be useful to speed up the thermal cycling rates.

Abstract: An organic compound synthesizer for synthesizing organic compounds contains at least one type of polymerizable repeat unit and includes a substrate for organic compound synthesis. A liquid supply unit is configured to supply a reaction liquid containing compounds necessary for the synthesis of organic compounds and a reaction liquid containing a thermal acid generator for generating protons by heating. A substrate heater is configured to selectively heat a specific portion of said substrate for organic compound synthesis to thereby heat the reaction liquid containing a thermal acid generator.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coil comprising a first helical tube segment (511) and a second helical tube segment (512, 513) extending, parallel to the first helical segment (511), between a distributor (53) and a manifold (54), said first and second helical segments (511, 512, 513) being centred on a common geometrical axis (X5), with substantially the same bending radius (R1) and nested, such that they form together a globally cylindrical bundle (51). The method comprises a step which consists in interleaving the helical tube segments (511-513) so as to form a globally cylindrical bundle. The invention also concerns a reactor equipped with such a coil which can be used for treating a viscous medium or for carrying out chemical reactions, such as 6-6 polyamide polymerization.

Abstract: A polyester production facility capable of producing an esterified product stream having a low impurity concentration relative to product streams produced in conventional polyester production facilities.

Abstract: New methods of operating surface reactors, and such reactors, particularly spinning disk reactors, require that a first reactant is fed to a reactor surface (20) and forms a thin radially outward moving film (60) thereon in a reaction passage (42) formed between the reaction surface (20) and a parallel, closely spaced (less than 1 mm) retaining surface (40). The passage thickness is precisely controllable and the surfaces (20, 40) move relative to one another so that strong shear is applied to the material between them. A second reactant is fed to the surface (20) as a second thin film (65) that as it enters the first film (60), preferably perpendicularly, it is immediately merged therewith along a correspondingly very narrow interaction line (66) by the shear at a rate such as to break up molecular clusters in the films, so that their molecules can aggressively and completely interact by forced interdiffusion.

Abstract: A reactor for the thermal cleavage of monofunctional and/or polyfunctional carbamic esters into the corresponding isocyanate and hydroxyl components in the liquid phase having devices for introduction of heat into the reactor, where the devices are heat exchanger plates through which a heat transfer medium flows and have a geometry defined by the ratio of the degassing area to the volume and arrangement of the heating surfaces which makes it possible for the cleavage to be carried out in a two-phase mixture which has a gas content of over 50% by volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the polymerisation of monomeric vinyl halides in a polymerisation reactor, especially using a reflux condenser, and also to a polymerisation reactor for carrying out the process according to the invention. As a result, the space-time yield (STY) of an exothermal reaction can be substantially improved whilst the product quality remains almost the same.

Abstract: A mobile polymer system. The system includes a mobile platform and a heat generating device mounted to the mobile platform. The system also includes a polymer expansion unit mounted to the mobile platform, wherein the polymer expansion unit is adapted to expand a polymer, using heat generated by the heat generating device, at a location of the mobile polymer expansion system to create an expanded polymer that can be used to create an expanded polymeric product that is comprised of the expanded polymer.

Abstract: A thermalcycler includes a first thermalcycler body section having a first face and a second thermalcycler body section having a second face. A cavity is formed by the first face and the second face. A thermalcycling unit is positioned in the cavity. A heater trace unit is connected to a support section, to the first thermalcycler body section, to the second thermalcycler body section, and to the thermalcycling unit. The first thermalcycler body section and the second thermalcycler body section are positioned together against the support section to enclose the thermalcycling unit and the heater trace unit.

Abstract: Methods and devices for performing chemical reactions under controlled temperatures are described. In one embodiment, the devices provided by the invention comprise a housing dimensioned to hold a reaction chamber disposed within an interior volume of the housing. The reaction chamber has thermally conductive interior and exterior surfaces defining an internal volume therein at a first temperature. The device also includes at least one thermally conductive temperature-control bladder disposed therein, which bladder is configured to receive a temperature-control substance at a second temperature into said bladder and expel said temperature-control substance from said bladder. The bladder is further configured such that upon receiving the temperature-control substance, the bladder expands to abut substantially at least a portion of said exterior surfaces of said reaction chamber to enable thermal exchange between said temperature-control substance the said internal volume of reaction chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleic acid synthesizers and methods of using and modifying nucleic acid synthesizers. For example, the present invention provides highly efficient, reliable, and safe synthesizers that find use, for example, in high throughput and automated nucleic acid synthesis, as well as methods of modifying pre-existing synthesizers to improve efficiency, reliability, and safety.

Abstract: A reactor system operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor system includes a heat exchanger for heating the reaction medium and a disengagement vessel for disengaging vapor from the heated reaction medium.

Abstract: A method for producing a polyethylene or polypropylene polymer, or co-polymer thereof, comprises contacting a monomer-containing medium with polymerization catalyst particles in at least one high shear mixing device to form a nanodispersion, wherein the particles have a mean diameter less than 1 micron. The monomer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, and combinations thereof. The method further includes subjecting the nanodispersion to polymerization conditions comprising pressure in the range of about 203 kPa to about 6080 kPa (about 2 atm to about 60 atm) and temperature in the range of about 20° C. to about 230° C., whereby at least a portion of the monomer is polymerized. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to polyester processes that utilizes a pipe reactor in the esterification, polycondensation, or both esterification and polycondensation processes. Pipe reactor processes of the present invention have a multitude of advantages over prior art processes including improved heat transfer, volume control, agitation and disengagement functions.