The present disclosure relates to converting equilibrium-limited reactions. Various embodiments may include methods and apparatus for such reactions, such as a method for converting equilibrium-limited reactions comprising: delivering a catalyst material to a reaction zone of a reactor; delivering starting materials into the reaction zone; reacting the materials to form a product; introducing a sorbent into the reactor; taking up the products with the sorbent; and collecting the sorbent once it is loaded with products in a collection zone of the reactor. In some embodiment, the reaction zone is separated from the collection zone in the reactor.

The present disclosure relates to settling devices for separating particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields. The particle settling devices of the present disclosure may include a stack of truncoconical cones that may be arranged in opposite orientation, apex to base. Other embodiments include several concentric vertical tubes attached to conical surfaces at the bottom, with inclined settling strips attached to the vertical tubes in annular regions between the tubes. These devices are useful for separating small (millimeter or micron sized) particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields, such as biological (microbial, mammalian, plant, insect or algal) cell cultures, solid catalyst particle separation from a liquid or gas and waste water treatment.

A method for charging a catalyst into a reactor (40) comprising a separation loop (21), comprising the following steps: a) filling the reactor (40) with a solvent S1; b) filling the separation loop (21) with said solvent S1; c) causing said solvent S1 to move in the synthesis reactor (40) and the separation loop (21); d) heating the reactor (40) to a temperature of 100 C. or less; e) injecting an inert gas into the bottom of the reactor (40); f) mixing said catalyst with a solvent S2 in a vessel (30) in order to obtain a liquid/solid mixture; g) increasing the pressure in the vessel (30) then sending the liquid/solid mixture to the reactor (40); h) withdrawing said solvent S1 and/or S2.

Settling devices for separating particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields. The particle settling devices include a first stack of cones with a small opening oriented upwardly or downwardly. Optionally, the settling devices may include a second stack of cones with a small opening oriented downwardly or upwardly. The cones may be concave or convex. These devices are useful for separating small (millimeter or micron sized) particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields, such as biological (microbial, mammalian, plant, insect or algal) cell cultures, solid catalyst particle separation from a liquid or gas and waste water treatment.

A chemical looping reactor is provided. The reactor comprises a first reduction reactor, a second reduction reactor and a shared oxidation reactor. The shared oxidation reactor is set between the first and second reduction reactors. Therein, the present invention applies interconnected fluidized beds in chemical looping combustion. Single redox is processed with oxygen carrier (oxide of metal like nickel or copper). The first and second reduction reactors individually handle their own reactions and reactants. Thus, in a chemical looping reactor, two different source materials can be handled at the same time. The oxygen carrier can be cycled separately as well for fully releasing oxygen contained within. High-purity carbon dioxide is further obtained. The application can be extended to hydrogen generation. Hence, the present invention simplifies the reaction mechanism, enhances the yield, improves the operation efficiency and reduces the cost.

Aspects of the invention provide a process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a hydrocarbon feed and a utility fluid. Then selectively extracting from the feed at least a portion of particulates to produce a raffinate and an extract. Third hydroprocessing at least a portion of the raffinate.

A process for producing an olefin polymer employs a gas phase polymerization reactor in fluid communication with a vent column and a product discharge system. The discharge system can include first and second pairs of lock hoppers, where each pair includes an upstream lock hopper connected by a valve to the reactor and a downstream lock hopper connected by a valve to the upstream lock hopper and by a further valve to a product recovery system, and where a first cross-tie can be provided between the upstream lock hoppers of the first and second pairs of lock hoppers and a second cross-tie can be provided between the downstream lock hoppers of the first and second pairs of lock hoppers. Upon reaching the vent column's maximum removal capacity, additional gas can be removed from the reactor by reducing the frequency of opening the second cross-tie between the downstream lock hoppers.

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.

Settling devices for separating particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields. The particle settling devices include a first stack of cones with a small opening oriented upwardly or downwardly. Optionally, the settling devices may include a second stack of cones with a small opening oriented downwardly or upwardly. The cones may be concave or convex. These devices are useful for separating small (millimeter or micron sized) particles from a bulk fluid with applications in numerous fields, such as biological (microbial, mammalian, plant, insect or algal) cell cultures, solid catalyst particle separation from a liquid or gas and waste water treatment.

An internal loop airlift reactor (ILAR) for process intensification integrating reaction and separation includes a riser, a downcomer, a hydrocyclone, internals preventing occurrence of dead zone, a gas guide cone, vent holes, and a gas-liquid integrated distributor. The hydrocyclone is arranged at the bottom of the ILAR downcomer; the gas guide cone and the vent holes in the downcomer prevent the gas from entering the hydrocyclone; after the slurry enters the hydrocyclone, the solid-containing slurry enters the riser again from the hydrocyclone underflow, and the solid-free clean product flows out through the hydrocyclone overflow. The ILAR in the present invention has a simple structure and low cost and requires no special liquid-solid separation device. It can achieve gas-liquid-solid three-phase reaction, interphase mass transfer, and solid-liquid separation simultaneously, and is suitable for a gas-liquid-solid three-phase reaction in which the catalyst is solid particles.