A process for increasing alcohol yield from biomass (the form or agro- or forest residue, grains, hops, etc.), involving multiple hydrodynamic cavitation treatments of biomass filtrateboth before and after fermentation. Carbohydrates extracted from biomass are subjected to a first cavitation treatment to promote additional conversion into carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are then combined with bacterial species and nutrients, and allowed to ferment. The fermentation product is subjected to a second hydrodynamic cavitation treatment to promote further conversion of carbohydrates into bioalcohol. After distillation, the bioalcohol is subjected to a second hydrodynamic cavitation treatment to increase its purity.

An energy storage system is provided. The energy storage system includes a vessel made of a refractory material and containing a phase change material, a thermally insulating cover at least partially surrounding the vessel, an emitter, made of a refractory material, having a first side arranged to be heated by the phase change material and a second side intended to radiate thermal power, at least one photovoltaic cell arranged to receive the thermal power emitted by the second side of the emitter, and electric means for heating the phase change material.

A unit for processing a liquid/gas phase mixture, a mercaptan oxidation apparatus, and a method of processing a liquid/gas phase mixture are provided. In an embodiment, a unit for processing a liquid/gas phase mixture includes a vessel that is adapted to receive the liquid/gas phase mixture and a distributor that is disposed in the vessel. The distributor is adapted for flow of the liquid/gas phase mixture into the vessel, and the distributor includes a first outlet pipe that is horizontally disposed within the vessel. The first outlet pipe includes top orifices and bottom orifices that are spaced along the first outlet pipe, and the first outlet pipe is in fluid communication with the vessel through the top orifices and the bottom orifices. The top orifices have a smaller cross-sectional area than the bottom orifices.

A reactor is provided for the preparation of modified bitumen, which reactor comprises a horizontal housing comprising a cylindrical wall and two side walls, wherein a bitumen inlet has been provided at or near one of the side walls of the housing and a bitumen product outlet has been provided at or near the opposite side wall of the housing, wherein a plurality of inlets for the provision of oxygen-containing gas has been provided in the cylindrical wall of the housing between the bitumen inlet and the bitumen product outlet, which multi-purpose reactor is further provided with a mixer arranged inside the housing comprising at least one rotor rotating within at least one stator having a plurality of openings. The reaction is used to prepare modified bitumen by contacting bitumen in the reactor with a modified elevated temperature and pressure.

A process for extracting carbohydrates from biomass and creating bioalcohol from the extracted carbohydrates. Subjecting the biomass to acid or alkali hydrolysis in a first hydrodynamic cavitation process. Filtering the first cavitated biomass to separate a first filtrate containing extracted carbohydrates. Fermenting the first filtrate to create a bioalcohol and separating the bioalcohol by distillation or similar process. Subjecting the biomass to enzymatic hydrolysis in a second hydrodynamic cavitation process. Filtering the second cavitated biomass to separate a second filtrate containing extracted carbohydrates. Fermenting the second filtrate to create a bioalcohol and separating the bioalcohol by distillation or similar process. The first and second filtrates may be combined and fermented in a single step.

Disclosed is an oxidation process to produce a crude carboxylic acid product carboxylic acid product. The process comprises oxidizing a feed stream comprising at least one oxidizable compound to generate a crude carboxylic acid slurry comprising furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and compositions thereof. Also disclosed is a process to produce a dry purified carboxylic acid product by utilizing various purification methods on the crude carboxylic acid.

An improved ebullated bed reactor, a method for modifying an existing ebullated bed reactor to improve performance, and associated processes for improving the performance of ebullated reactors during hydroprocessing operation. In one aspect, the addition of a catalyst withdrawal outlet located at the top of the ebullated bed reactor allows for fine spent catalyst to be withdrawn during reactor operation and for certain performance improvements to be realized.

A process for purifying a solid that has a contaminant adhered to a surface of the solid includes passing the solid through a mechanical agitator, agitating the solid comprising the contaminant adhered to the surface of the solid in the mechanical agitator, removing at least a portion of the contaminant from the surface of the solid based on the agitating to form a purified solid, and removing the purified solid from the mechanical agitator.

An example of a method and apparatus to remove a waste element from a brine solution is provided. The method involves receiving the brine solution comprising dissolved lithium and a waste element. The method further involves pumping the brine solution into a cavitation chamber. In addition, the method involves adding a combining ion to the brine solution. The method involves reducing a pressure of the brine solution in the cavitation chamber as the brine solution moves away from an inlet. The pressure is reduced to below a fluid vapor pressure of the brine solution to create micro-bubbles. Furthermore, the method involves collapsing the micro-bubbles to generate a localized energy release to accelerate the formation of a waste precipitate to provide a mixture of the brine solution and the waste precipitate. The method involves filtering the waste precipitate to remove the waste element from the mixture.

A method for preparing an aliphatic isocyanate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first step of introducing an aliphatic amine and an organic solvent into a reactor, a second step of supplying gaseous hydrogen chloride into the reactor through a sparger, and a third step of stirring the aliphatic amine and the organic solvent, and the hydrogen chloride with a stirrer installed in the reactor, wherein in the third step, a stirring force of the stirrer is controlled to 500 to 4,000 W/m.sup.3.