Described herein are two-stage catalytic heating systems and methods of operating thereof. A system comprises a first-stage catalytic reactor and a second-stage catalytic reactor, configured to operate in sequence and at different operating conditions, For example, the first-stage catalytic reactor is supplied with fuel and oxidant at fuel-rich conditions. The first-stage catalytic reactor generates syngas. The syngas is flown into the second-stage catalytic reactor together with some additional oxidant. The second-stage catalytic reactor operates at fuel-lean conditions and generates exhaust. Splitting the overall fuel oxidation process between the two catalytic reactors allows operating these reactors away from the stoichiometric fuel-oxidant ratio and avoiding excessive temperatures in these reactors. As a result, fewer pollutants are generated during the operation of two-stage catalytic heating systems. For example, the temperatures are maintained below 1.000° C. at all oxidation stages.

A carbon dioxide reduction system 1 comprises a transport path 4 that transports carbon dioxide and a reduction apparatus 5 that reduces heated carbon dioxide introduced through the transport path 4, wherein the carbon dioxide is heated in the transport path 4 by at least one of recycled energy and exhaust heat.

A method for thermal cracking of a hydrocarbon to produce hydrogen gas and carbon comprises heating a molten medium to an operating temperature sufficient to thermally crack the hydrocarbon. The operating temperature may, for example be in the range of 600° C. to 1100° C. The method mixes the hydrocarbon into the heated molten medium and pumping the mixed molten medium and hydrocarbon through a reactor. In the reactor, the hydrocarbon undergoes a thermal cracking reaction which forms hydrogen gas and carbon black. The method separates the carbon and hydrogen gas from the molten medium that has passed through the reactor. In some embodiments, the flow of the molten medium in the reactor is a turbulent flow.

A process for the efficient transfer of molecules between phases employing mesoporous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes is provided. The method addresses the controlled transfer of reactants into and removal of reaction products from a reaction media and the removal and separation of target molecules from process streams by membrane-assisted liquid-liquid extraction. A number of possible modes of liquid-liquid extraction are possible according to the invention by utilizing porous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes of Janus-like structure that exhibit a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface characteristics. The method of the present invention can address the continuous manufacture of chemicals in membrane reactors and is useful for a broad range of separation applications, including separation and recovery of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

A microwave-plasma system for generating fixed-nitrogen products comprises a microwave generator operably coupled with a gas chamber where the microwave generator provides microwave power to the gas chamber. The system further includes a source of gas, which may be for example oxygen, nitrogen and/or air, operably coupled with the plasma chamber. The microwave power produces a plasma of the gas within the chamber. The system further includes an absorber unit fluidically connected to the gas chamber to capture product from the plasma in the gas chamber. The captured product may include fixed nitrogen gaseous products.

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker.

Methods of heating a reactor system by providing electrical energy are described. A reactor system comprising at least one reactor tube having a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface is heated by providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface on the reactor tube and adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface to control the temperature of the reactor tube and the catalyst disposed therein. The reactor tube may be electrically isolated from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system.

A method for revamping an ammonia-urea plant wherein: the ammonia section is modernized to produce an extra amount of low pressure steam; condensation stage of the high-pressure urea synthesis loop is modified to use part of the condensation heat of the urea stripper vapours to produce medium-pressure steam, said medium-pressure steam is fed to one or more steam users of the urea section, particularly for carbamate decomposition, the input of low-pressure steam to the urea section is balanced by importing the extra low-pressure steam produced in the ammonia section.

Methods and a reactor system for producing acetic acid in a selective oxidation (SO) reactor are provided. An example method includes providing a fresh feed stream to the SO reactor, wherein the fresh feed stream includes a light hydrocarbon feed stream, a carbon dioxide feed stream, and a steam feed stream. Acetic acid is formed in the SO reactor. An acetic acid product stream is separated from a reactor effluent stream in a scrubber. A recycle gas stream is obtained from the scrubber. At least a portion of the recycle gas stream is combined into the fresh feed stream to the SO reactor.

The device for producing and treating a gas stream (F) includes an exchange enclosure (2) having at least a first discharge opening (2b) for a gas stream, means (3; 4) for supplying the enclosure with a liquid (L), means (3; 5) for discharging the liquid (L) contained in the exchange enclosure (2) and aeraulic means (6), which make it possible, during operation, to create, by means of suction or blowing, an incoming gas stream (F) coming from outside the exchange enclosure (2), so that said incoming gas stream (F) is introduced into the volume of liquid (V) contained in the exchange enclosure (2), and an outgoing gas stream (F′), treated by direct contact with said volume of liquid, rises inside the exchange enclosure and is discharged out of the exchange enclosure (2) through the discharge opening (2b).