A shell-and-tube equipment has a cylindrical geometry and is arranged along a vertical axis. The shell-and-tube equipment comprises an upper chamber and a lower chamber connected to a common tube bundle on opposite sides. The upper chamber is provided with at least an inlet nozzle for inletting a first fluid. The tube bundle is surrounded by a shell provided with nozzles for inletting and outletting a second fluid which exchanges heat with the first fluid through the tube bundle. The upper chamber encloses at least a distribution device configured for uniformly delivering the first fluid towards the tube bundle. The distribution device comprises an annular channel which is arranged around the vertical axis and is in fluid communication with the inlet nozzle. The distribution device comprises a plurality of channel modules of circular trapezoid shape, tightly joined together at their respective vertical edges for forming the annular channel.

Methods and systems for separating a first metal from a metal-containing feed stream are provided. The method can include applying solar energy, for example, by focusing one or more mirrors in one or more heliostats, to heat a metal-containing feed stream in a heating zone to a first temperature to produce a first vapor including the first metal. The first vapor can be condensed in a condensation zone to produce a first liquid including the first metal, and the first liquid can be collected. The system can include a separation unit include a heating zone in fluid communication with a condensation zone and a means for applying solar energy to heat a metal-containing feed stream disposed in the heating zone.

A method of obtaining ketones from a fermentation process may include collecting an off-gas and a fermented broth from a fermenter, transferring the off-gas from the fermenter to a ketone recuperation module and the fermented broth to a fluid separating module, and isolating the ketones from both the off-gas and the fermented broth. The off-gas and the fermented broth may both comprise a ketone

A shell-and-tube stripper for carbamate decomposition and ammonia recovery from a urea solution comprising a bundle of heated tubes, said tubes being fed with said urea solution and carbon dioxide as stripping medium, the urea solutions forming a liquid falling film on the internal surface of the tubes and the carbon dioxide forming a counter-current gaseous flow; said tubes comprise an external layer made of super austenitic or super duplex stainless steel and an internal layer made of zirconium, said internal layer reaching temperatures higher than 220 C.

Processes for removing carbon disulfide from product streams containing a sulfide compound are performed by contacting the product stream with an alkanolamine and converting the carbon disulfide to a higher boiling point product, thereby reducing or eliminating carbon disulfide from the product stream. Subsequent removal of the higher boiling point product via distillation can lead to a purified sulfide stream with high purity.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for processing to improve the properties of pyrolysis oil and, as a result, the commercial value of the same. The net result is creation of an oil with a much lighter color in lieu of the black color, reducing or elimination the undesired sulfury/amine aroma and reducing the amount of PAH which is believed to be a carcinogen.

A process of purifying acetic acid is provided. The process includes feeding a stream of acetic acid into a distillation column and distilling acetic acid in the presence of an oxidizing agent in the distillation column, to oxidize oxidizable impurities in the acetic acid, wherein the oxidizing agent is an oxidant capable of cleaving CC bonds. The process further includes removing a distilled acetic acid stream from the distillation column. Further processes for purifying acetic acid and systems for purifying acetic acid are also provided.

Provided are industrial processes for producing a fatty acid alkyl ester from a natural oil feedstock or a mixed lipid feedstock, wherein the natural oil feedstock comprises a free (un-esterified) organic acid such as a free fatty acid, comprising: producing fatty acid alkyl esters using an alcoholysis reaction such as a vapor phase alcoholysis reaction or a supercritical alcoholysis reaction, wherein the alcoholysis reaction takes place under conditions comprising: mixing the natural oil feedstock and/or mixed lipid feedstock and alcohol into an alcoholysis reactor or equivalent, and then depressurizing, and then recovering the fatty acid alkyl esters from the alcoholysis reactor or equivalent by distillation in a distillation column, leaving a still pitch or distillation bottoms in the distillation column or equivalent, wherein the fatty acid alkyl esters can be removed from the alcoholysis reactor or equivalent with or without cooling of the reaction mixture prior to depressurization.

A process and apparatus for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon stream and with heat integration between two stripping columns. Both stripping columns use a reboiler for heat input to avoid steam recovery and dew point issues in the overhead. A hot stripped stream can provide heat to the cold stripping column by heat exchange. Additionally, as few as two heaters that rely on external utilities may be required for reboiling fractionator column bottoms.

The present invention relates to a process for energy recovery in a process for the preparation of 1,3,5-trioxane.