This specification discloses an operational continuous process to convert lignin as found in ligno-cellulosic biomass before or after converting at least some of the carbohydrates. The continuous process has been demonstrated to create a slurry comprised of lignin, raise the slurry comprised of lignin to ultra-high pressure, deoxygenate the lignin in a lignin conversion reactor over a catalyst which is not a fixed bed without producing char. The conversion products of the carbohydrates or lignin can be further processed into polyester intermediates for use in polyester preforms and bottles.

A method of producing a composite product is provided. The method includes providing a fluidized bed of metal oxide particles in a fluidized bed reactor, providing a catalyst or catalyst precursor in the fluidized bed reactor, providing a carbon source in the fluidized bed reactor for growing carbon nanotubes, growing carbon nanotubes in a carbon nanotube growth zone of the fluidized bed reactor, and collecting a composite product comprising metal oxide particles and carbon nanotubes.

A method of hydrating a dry powdered viscosifier such as a powdered polymer is disclosed. The method includes mixing the powdered viscosifier with a solvent such as water to form a mixture; moving the mixture through a cavitation zone; inducing energetic shock waves and pressure fluctuations in the mixture by mechanically inducing cavitation events within the mixture, the shock waves and pressure fluctuations untangling, separating, and straightening polymer molecule chains and distributing the chains throughout the mixture, and extracting the resulting hydrated viscosifier from the cavitation zone.

Metastable state spore incubation mixing systems are described. An example system includes a spore container to store spores, a nutrient container, an arrangement of valves and tubes, a reciprocating pump, a mixing tube, and a holding tank. In a drawing phase of the system, a controller can control the reciprocating pump to draw a ratioed volume of the spores, the nutrients, and water through the valves and tubes. During an expelling phase of the system, the controller can control flow control valves to direct the spores, nutrients, and water through the mixing tube and into the holding tank. The controller can also direct a heater to heat the mixture in the holding tank to a predetermined temperature. Once the mixture reaches the temperature, the controller can also direct the system through a number of other phases of operation, including cooling and purging phases.

The present invention provides an integrated process for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration and utilisation, which comprises: a) providing an aqueous slurry comprising an aqueous liquid and a particulate solid comprising an activated magnesium silicate mineral; b) in a dissolution stage, contacting a CO.sub.2-containing gas stream with the aqueous slurry at a first pressure to dissolve magnesium from the mineral to provide a slurry comprising a magnesium ion enriched carbonated aqueous liquid and a magnesium depleted solid residue; and c) in a precipitation stage, precipitating magnesium carbonate from magnesium ions dissolved in step b) by multiple successive stage-wise reductions in pressure, with each stage being at a lower pressure than the preceding stage;
wherein each successive stage-wise reduction in pressure releases CO.sub.2 which is correspondingly stage-wise compressed and recycled back into the dissolution stage.

A method of transferring a slurry is provided. The method involves transferring a slurry containing particles and a liquid using a transfer pump equipped with a ball type check valve. The transfer pump is operated under the condition satisfying the following formula: 7.8×10.sup.3<P≤5.0×10.sup.5. In the formula, P=W(ρ.sub.1/(ρ.sub.b−ρ.sub.1)).sup.0.5/(C.Math.d(d+R)R.sup.0.5). W represents the particle flow rate (kg/hr) in the slurry passing through the ball type check valve, C represents the particle concentration (kg/m3) in the slurry, d represents the maximum particle diameter (m) of the particles in the slurry, R represents the ball diameter (m) of the check valve, ρ.sub.1 represents the density (kg/m3) of the liquid, and ρ.sub.b represents the density (kg/m.sup.3) of the ball of the check valve.

A device for processing a flow of particulate material by contact with a gas flow includes a housing defining a processing chamber. This chamber includes a gas distribution plate having openings. The gas distribution plate separates a lower gas plenum from a solid-gas contact zone. The contact zone has at least one cylindrical partition upstanding from the gas distribution plate dividing an inner section from an adjacent annular outer section. The at least one partition is provided with a transfer opening for the particulate material. The housing is also provided with an inlet for supplying particulate material to the inner section and an outlet for discharging processed particulate material from the annular outer section.

This invention relates to a polymerization process for forming polymer comprising: contacting (typically in a solution or slurry phase), a monomer and a catalyst system in a reaction zone comprising at least one spiral heat exchanger and recovering polymer, wherein the monomer, the catalyst system and the polymer flow through the at least one spiral heat exchanger in a cross-flow direction relative to spirals of the at least one spiral heat exchanger.

A method for revamping a catalytic converter wherein: said catalytic converter comprises a pressure vessel and a catalytic cartridge containing at least one catalyst bed, the pressure vessel includes a cylindrical shell with a full aperture and includes a removable cover of said aperture, and the catalytic cartridge is removable through said upper aperture, and the method includes: installing an additional shell over the aperture of the original shell, thus obtaining an axially extended shell of the pressure vessel; providing an axially extended catalytic cartridge having an axially extended room for holding catalyst in the so obtained axially extended shell.

Disclosed are methods of assistance and documentation of a filling of tubular reactors including recording of filling materials and fill levels of filling materials and documenting the filling materials used, fill levels and results of a catalysis process of tubular reactors produced in such a way.