Abstract:
Aspects of this disclosure enhance elimination problems that freezing sulfur creates with gas-liquid parallel plate separators by integrally heating the parallel plate gas-liquid separator assembly. Through integral heating the duration of time that the separator apparatus remains above the freezing temperature of elemental sulfur is prolonged, thereby, allowing the opportunity for residual liquid sulfur to drain from the parallel plate assembly during upsets in unit operations and after a sulfur recovery unit shutdown event, thereby reducing or eliminating the operation and maintenance problems that may occur with existing separator designs.
Abstract:
The invention is directed to a bimetallic catalyst system adapted for the manufacture of xylenes, a process for making said catalyst system, and to the process of manufacture of xylenes using said catalyst system, providing, in embodiments, improved selectivity by at least one of higher ethylene saturation and low xylene loss, decreased susceptibility to poisoning from feedstream impurities, and ability to operate at less severe conditions.
Abstract:
Aspects of this disclosure enhance elimination problems that freezing sulfur creates with gas-liquid parallel plate separators by integrally heating the parallel plate gas-liquid separator assembly. Through integral heating the duration of time that the separator apparatus remains above the freezing temperature of elemental sulfur is prolonged, thereby, allowing the opportunity for residual liquid sulfur to drain from the parallel plate assembly during upsets in unit operations and after a sulfur recovery unit shutdown event, thereby reducing or eliminating the operation and maintenance problems that may occur with existing separator designs.
Abstract:
A novel catalytic reactor is provided for controlling the contact of a limiting reactant with a catalyst surface. A first flow vessel defines an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the interior surface has a catalyst deposited on at least a portion thereof. A second flow vessel is positioned within the first flow vessel and the second flow vessel defines a porous surface designed to deliver a fluid uniformly to at least a portion of the interior surface of the first flow vessel.
Abstract:
Surface-active solid-phase catalyst activity may be substantially improved by creating deliberate repetitive surface-to-surface contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects. While they are immersed in reactant material such contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects can substantially activate the surfaces of many heterogeneous catalysts. Examples are given of such action employing a multitude of predetermined shapes, supported catalyst structures, etc. agitated or otherwise brought into contact to produce numerous surface collisions. One embodiment employs a gear pump mechanism with catalytically active-surfaced gear teeth to create the repetitive transient contacting action during pumping of a flow of reactant. The invention is applicable to many other forms for creating transient catalytic surface contacting action. Optionally catalytic output of such systems may be significantly further improved by employing radiant energy or vibration.
Abstract:
Chemical process accelerator systems comprising viscid fluid Taylor Vortex Flows (98, 50a) with high-shear-rate laminar Circular Couette Flows (58) in contact with catalysts (92, 92′, 30, 32, 32f, 32g, 36, 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48), catalytic compositions and structures in chemical reactors and electrochemical cells (e.g. fuel cells, fuel reformers) are disclosed.
Abstract:
Electrochemical cells (10), such as fuel cells (12) and fuel reformers (14), with rotating elements or electrodes (34, 24) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (28, 50) and Circular Couette Flows (58) in fluids such as electrolytes and fuels are disclosed.
Abstract:
A device for the thermal separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen, including a closed reaction chamber (1) containing water and, in said reaction chamber: —a heating system including one or several heat source elements (4,11), —one or several membranes (3), essentially impermeable to gas, to permit the selective passage of oxygen, —one or several membranes (2), essentially impermeable to gas, to permit the selective passage of hydrogen and —a mechanism (5) to permit the passage of water into said reaction chamber. According to the invention, —said heat source(s) (4, 11) is(are) placed in the water inside said reaction chamber (1), and, —said selective membranes (3) for oxygen are placed in said zones at high temperatures, —said selective membranes (2) for hydrogen are placed in said zones at lower temperatures. Preferably, the heating system is comprised of one or several concentrators (8, 9) of solar rays focusing the rays toward the inside of the reactor.
Abstract:
A method for continuously growing carbon nanotubes may include providing a melt comprising carbon and a catalyst at a temperature between about 1,200 degrees Celsius and about 2,500 degrees Celsius, selecting a carbon nanotube seed having at least one of a semiconductor electrical property and a metallic electrical property from a plurality of carbon nanotube seeds, contacting the selected carbon nanotube seed to a surface of the melt, and moving the selected carbon nanotube seed away from the surface of the melt at a rate operable to continuously grow a carbon nanotube, and continuously growing the carbon nanotube having the selected electrical property. Method for continuously growing a graphene sheet, and apparatus for continuously growing carbon nanotubes and graphene sheets are also disclosed.
Abstract:
Surface-active solid-phase catalyst activity may be substantially improved by creating deliberate repetitive surface-to-surface contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects. While they are immersed in reactant material such contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects can substantially activate the surfaces of many heterogeneous catalysts. Examples are given of such action employing a multitude of predetermined shapes, supported catalyst structures, etc. agitated or otherwise brought into contact to produce numerous surface collisions. One embodiment employs a gear pump mechanism with catalytically active-surfaced gear teeth to create the repetitive transient contacting action during pumping of a flow of reactant. The invention is applicable to many other forms for creating transient catalytic surface contacting action. Optionally catalytic output of such systems may be significantly further improved by employing radiant energy or vibration.