A process comprises feeding a stream of reactant compounds to a reactor and discharging a liquid plasma into the reactant stream in the reactor, wherein the plasma initiates or accelerates a reaction of the reactant compounds to form a product composition. The reactor can comprise one or more chambers, a high-voltage electrode positioned at a first portion of the one or more chambers, a ground electrode positioned at a second portion of the one or more chambers, and a dielectric plate between the ground electrode and the high-voltage electrode that comprises openings through which the reactant stream can pass from the first portion to the second portion or from the second portion to the first portion. Discharging the plasma can include supplying electrical power to the high-voltage electrode such that plasma is discharged where the reactant stream flows through the openings.

Methods and systems for performing transient processes may include: providing a path and path thresholds for an operational condition as a function of progress of a transient process based on historical data of previously performed transient processes; performing the transient process in a chemical reactor using operational parameters; measuring the operational condition of the transient process as a function of the progress of the transient process; and adjusting one or more of the operational parameters during the progress of the transient process to maintain the operational condition within the path thresholds.

A multi-stage product gas generation system converts a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas which may subsequently be converted into a liquid fuel or other material. One or more reactors containing bed material may be used to conduct reactions to effect the conversions. Unreacted inert feedstock contaminants present in the carbonaceous material may be separated from bed material using a portion of the product gas. A heat transfer medium collecting heat from a reaction in one stage may be applied as a reactant input in another, earlier stage.

The present invention relates to a process for producing butadiene from ethanol, in two reaction steps, comprising a step a) of converting ethanol into acetaldehyde and a step b) of conversion into butadiene, said step b) simultaneously implementing a reaction step and a regeneration step in (n+n/2) fixed-bed reactors, n being equal to 4 or a multiple thereof, comprising a catalyst, said regeneration step comprising four successive regeneration phases, said step b) also implementing three regeneration loops.

The present invention relates to a process for producing butadiene from ethanol, in two reaction steps, comprising a step a) of converting ethanol into acetaldehyde and a step b) of conversion into butadiene, said step b) simultaneously implementing a reaction step and a regeneration step in (n+n/2) fixed-bed reactors, n being equal to 4 or a multiple thereof, comprising a catalyst, said regeneration step comprising four successive regeneration phases, said step b) also implementing three regeneration loops.

An upflow reactor (1), includes a housing (20), a catalyst bed layer (30) and a pressing device (10). The housing (20) is internally provided with a reaction chamber (210), a reaction material inlet (220) and a reaction material outlet (230) which are in communication with the reaction chamber (210) are provided on the housing (20). The catalyst bed layer (30) is provided within the reaction chamber (210), the pressing device (10) is provided within the reaction chamber (210) and located above the catalyst bed layer (30). At least a part of the pressing device (10) is movable up and down so that the at least a part of the pressing device (10) can be pressed against the catalyst bed layer (30).

The invention relates to a device for the upflow of a single-phase fluid comprising at least two beds of solid particles and at least one bypass means for a portion of said fluid, and also to the use thereof.

A bi-modal radial flow reactor comprising a cylindrical outer housing surrounding at least five cylindrical, concentric zones, including at least three annulus vapor zones and at least two catalyst zones. The at least two catalyst zones comprise an outer catalyst zone and an inner catalyst zone. The at least three annulus vapor zones comprise an outer annulus vapor zone, a middle annulus vapor zone, and a central annulus vapor zone, wherein the central annulus vapor zone extends along a centerline of the bi-modal radial flow reactor. The outer catalyst zone is intercalated with the outer annulus vapor zone and the middle annulus vapor zone, and the inner catalyst zone is intercalated with the middle annulus vapor zone and the central annulus vapor zone. A removable head cover can be fixably coupled to a top of the cylindrical outer housing to seal a top of the bi-modal radial flow reactor.

A process for increasing the productivity of equilibrium-restricted reactions and for increasing the productivity of a target compound includes the steps of (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising reactants; (b) subjecting the reaction mixture to the equilibrium reaction in a reactor or sequence of reactors, to obtain a reactor outlet mixture comprising the target compound and at least one of the reactants; (c) regenerating the loaded sorbent obtained in step (e), by flushing the loaded sorbent with the reactor outlet mixture originating from step (b), to obtain regenerated sorbent and an effluent comprising desorbed product; (d) separating the effluent originating from step (c) into a product stream and a reactant stream; and (e) a sorption step to obtain a loaded sorbent and a depleted mixture.

An ammonia synthesis converter for small production units which provides full access for routine maintenance and catalyst replacement while providing adequate catalyst pressure drop to ensure kinetic performance and reduce heat leak from the catalyst beds. A shell has a removable top head and an annular basket is removably mounted in the shell. First and second catalyst beds are disposed in the annular zone of the basket for axial down-flow in series. A quench gas is introduced into effluent from the first catalyst bed and the resulting mixture into a top of the second catalyst bed. A feed-effluent interchanger in the inner basket zone is adapted to receive effluent from the second catalyst bed and indirectly heat a feed to the first catalyst bed. Also, methods of operating and servicing the converter.