A universal chemical processor (UCP) including a reactor vessel with a main chamber, comprises inlets for feedstock, a fluidizing medium and reactants. The UCP further includes a reactive X-ray chemical processor (RXCP) having a large area hollow cylindrical cold cathode in the main chamber, a grid positioned concentrically with respect to the cathode, and an anode positioned concentrically with respect to the cathode and grid. In operation, when activated, the cathode of the RXCP emits electrodes onto the anode, which then emits X-rays into a radiation zone within the main chamber capable of ionizing feedstock and reactants, inducing chemical reactions, and sterilizing and decomposing organic materials within the radiation zone, and wherein, a fluidized bed is supported in the main chamber when the fluidizing medium and feedstock are supplied. The RXCP and the fluidized bed portions can be operated separately or in conjunction to achieve unanticipated results.

Spent catalyst (500) is removed from process microchannels (310) of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor by directing a jet of air (4) from an air knife (1) through slots of a protecting member (2). The air knife is traversed across successive rows of process microchannels (310) in direction A. The spacer member (2) protects an internal microchannel architecture (315) of the process microchannels against damage by the air jet (4) which may approach or exceed sonic velocity as it is directed into the process microchannels.

This invention relates to a robotic device 10.1, 10.2 and method for handling catalyst material 106, 206 in a reactor 100 by removing spent catalyst from the reactor and/or loading the reactor with fresh catalyst without an operator having to enter an interior of the reactor which increases operator safety. The robotic device includes a body 12, which is configured to engage a flange 104 of the reactor, and a handling arm which is configured for use both as a cleaning arm 18 and a loading arm 218. The handling arm is connected to the body and is angularly and longitudinally displaceable relative to the body. The handling arm has a segment which is telescopically extendible/retractable relative to the body. When used as a cleaning arm, the arm receives a vacuum line for removing catalyst. When used as a loading arm, a telescopic loading sleeve is connected to the segment.

An air lance for removing pellets from tubes includes a conduit body having an inlet end and a bottommost discharge opening, and a poker fixed relative to the conduit body and projecting beyond the bottommost discharge opening to serve as a spacer and poker; wherein a rigid member extends along said conduit body, such that that a hammering force applied to said rigid member where it extends outside of the tube will be transmitted through said rigid member to said poker for dislodging and breaking pellets.

A process for the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oils includes the step of contacting a hydrocarbon oil feedstock with a catalytic cracking catalyst in a reactor having one or more fast fluidized reaction zones for reaction. At least one of the fast fluidized reaction zones of the reactor is a full dense-phase reaction zone, and the axial solid fraction ε of the catalyst is controlled within a range of about 0.1 to about 0.2 throughout the full dense-phase reaction zone. When used for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oils, particularly heavy feedstock oils, the process, reactor and system show a high contact efficiency between oil and catalyst, a selectivity of the catalytic reaction, an effectively reduced yield of dry gas and coke, and an improved yield of high value-added products such as ethylene and propylene.

A universal chemical processor (UCP) including a reactor vessel having a central longitudinal axis and main chamber comprises a first inlet port for a main feedstock, a second inlet port for a fluidizing medium and a third inlet port for one or more reactants. The UCP also includes a reactive radioactive chemical processor (R.sup.2CP) that contains a radioactive element positioned extending along the longitudinal axis in the main chamber. In operation, a fluidized bed can be supported in the main chamber when a fluidizing medium and feedstock are supplied to the main chamber through the first and second inlet ports and the radioactive element of the R.sup.2CP emits ionizing radiation that is capable of ionizing feedstock and reactants, inducing chemical reactions, and sterilizing and decomposing any organic materials within a radiation zone.

A catalytic reactor comprises a floating particle catcher unit and a particle catching surface which extracts particles from the fluid flow stream above the catalyst bed whereby at least a part of the particles settles on the particle catching surface instead of clogging the catalyst bed.

A universal chemical processor (UCP) including a reactor vessel having a central longitudinal axis and main chamber comprises a first inlet port for a main feedstock, a second inlet port for a fluidizing medium and a third inlet port for one or more reactants. The UCP also includes a reactive radioactive chemical processor (R.sup.2CP) that contains a radioactive element positioned extending along the longitudinal axis in the main chamber. In operation, a fluidized bed can be supported in the main chamber when a fluidizing medium and feedstock are supplied to the main chamber through the first and second inlet ports and the radioactive element of the R.sup.2CP emits ionizing radiation that is capable of ionizing feedstock and reactants, inducing chemical reactions, and sterilizing and decomposing any organic materials within a radiation zone.

The present invention is generally directed to a reactor for the production of low-carbon syngas from captured carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. The hydrogen is generated from water using an electrolyzer powered by renewable electricity or from any other method of low-carbon hydrogen production. The improved catalytic reactor is energy efficient and robust when operating at temperatures up to 1800° F. Carbon dioxide conversion efficiencies are greater than 75% with carbon monoxide selectivity of greater than 98%. The catalytic reactor is constructed of materials that are physically and chemically robust up to 1800° F. As a result, these materials are not reactive with the mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide or the carbon monoxide and steam products. The reactor materials do not have catalytic activity or modify the physical and chemical composition of the conversion catalyst. Electrical resistive heating elements are integrated into the catalytic bed of the reactor so that the internal temperature decreases by no more than 100° F. from the entrance at any point within the reactor. The catalytic process exhibits a reduction in performance of less than 0.5% per 1000 operational hours.

Disclosed is a method for preparing ammonia gas through a reaction between an ammonium salt and a silicate. An aqueous solution of the ammonium salt in the form of atomized droplets is contacted with a silicate at a high temperature for a reaction to generate ammonia gas and a solid substance. The silicate can be solid particles, and forms a bed. The generated ammonia gas is collected, the solid substance is extracted, part of the same solid substance is mixed with a fresh silicate solid particle, and the mixture continuously reacts with the atomized droplets of the aqueous solution of the ammonium salt.