Systems and methods are provided for performing the initial heating phase for a thick wall reactor, such as a hydroprocessing reactor, by using heat tracing to heat the exterior walls of the reactor. Instead of attempting to initially heat the reactor by passing a low pressure heat transfer gas through the interior of the reactor, external heater(s) placed under the reactor insulation can be used to heat the exterior of the reactor. An example of a suitable external heater is a heat tracing blanket, where heat is provided by passing steam through pipes in contact with the external surface or by electrical heaters in contact with the external surface. This can allow for more rapid heating of the reactor, so that a target temperature can be achieved in a time of 5.0 hours or less.

A process and apparatus is disclosed for gradually starting fluidization in a bed of particulate from the top down so as to avoid thrusting the entire mass of particulates upwardly in the bed at the same time which may damage internals in the bed. The particulate bed may comprise a catalyst cooler for an FCC unit containing internals such as cooling, fluidization and support equipment.

A temperature-controlling measure for a hydrogenation slurry bed reactor has three control points that are set from low to high: cold hydrogen is injected automatically when the system reaches control point 1; cold oil in injected automatically when the system reaches control point 2; each pressure relief is opened automatically when the system reaches control point 3. The pressure relief point is set before and/or after the circulation pump of the reactor if internal circulation is set in the reactor; the pressure relief point is set at the reactor bottom if the internal circulation is not set; at least one pressure relief valve is set at each pressure relief point.

A reactor layout for a process of methanol production from low quality synthesis gas, in which relatively smaller adiabatic reactors can be operated more efficiently, some of the inherent disadvantages of adiabatic reactors for methanol production are avoided. This is done by controlling the outlet temperature in the pre-converter by rapid adjustment of the recycle gas, i.e. by manipulating the gas hourly space velocity in the pre-converter.

A process for commencing a continuous reaction in a reactor system includes introducing a catalyst to a catalyst processing portion of the reactor system, the catalyst initially having a first temperature of 500 C or less, and contacting the catalyst at the first temperature with a commencement fuel gas stream, which includes at least 80 mol % commencement fuel gas, in the catalyst processing portion. Contacting of the catalyst with the commencement fuel gas stream causes combustion of the commencement fuel gas. The process includes maintaining the contacting of the catalyst with the commencement fuel gas stream until the temperature of the catalyst increases from the first temperature to a second temperature at which combustion of a regenerator fuel source maintains an operating temperature range in the catalyst processing portion.

The present invention relates to a preheating process and a start-up process for the ammoxidation reaction. The preheating process or the start-up process at least includes the step of heating the catalyst bed in the ammoxidation reactor while controlling the reactor operation linear speed to 0.03-0.15 m/s. The start-up process of the present invention has the advantages such as the significantly reduced launch time compared with the prior art and the operation safety.

Systems and methods are provided for performing the initial heating phase for a thick wall reactor, such as a hydroprocessing reactor, by using heat tracing to heat the exterior walls of the reactor. Instead of attempting to initially heat the reactor by passing a low pressure heat transfer gas through the interior of the reactor, external heater(s) placed under the reactor insulation can be used to heat the exterior of the reactor. An example of a suitable external heater is a heat tracing blanket, where heat is provided by passing steam through pipes in contact with the external surface or by electrical heaters in contact with the external surface. This can allow for more rapid heating of the reactor, so that a target temperature can be achieved in a time of 5.0 hours or less.

The invention relates to a fuel processor component for a propylene glycol fuel processor, comprising at least one housing (G) having at least two inlets (E1, E2) and two outlets (A1, A2), wherein there is a multitude of first plates (P1) having a first side (S1) and a second side (S2) and second plates (P2) having a third side (S3) and a fourth side (S4) arranged as a stack in the housing (G), wherein the stacked first and second plates (P1, P2) form at least first cavities (H1) and second cavities (H2), wherein the first inlet (E1) has fluid connection to the first outlet (A1) via first cavities (H1) and the second inlet (E2) has fluid connection to the second outlet (A2) via second cavities (H2). The invention further relates to a propylene glycol fuel processor.

Processes for activating precious metal-containing catalysts. The processes can decrease the amount of high purity hydrogen required for starting up a catalytic conversion process such as transalkylation of heavy aromatics, without detrimental impact to the metal activity. The processes can include a low temperature treatment step with a high purity first gas, such as hydrogen generated by electrolysis and/or reformer hydrogen diluted with high purity inert gas, and a high temperature treatment step with a low purity second gas such as the reformer hydrogen. Also, the processes can include mixing a hydrogen gas of high or low purity with a high purity inert gas to form a gas mixture with a proportion of hydrogen no less than 2% and a reduced carbon monoxide concentration relative to the low purity hydrogen, and contacting the catalyst with the gas mixture.

A gas phase polymerization process is described that includes contacting a polymer seed bed with a desiccant. The gas phase polymerization process further includes introducing a polymer seed bed into a gas phase polymerization reactor, contacting the polymer seed bed with a desiccant, and introducing a polymerization catalyst into the gas phase polymerization reactor. Also described is a gas phase polymerization process in accordance with the present disclosure that includes subjecting a polymer seed bed to startup conditions in a gas phase polymerization reactor, monitoring a moisture content of a vapor in contact with the polymer seed bed, and introducing a desiccant into the gas phase polymerization reactor to maintain the moisture content below a desired moisture content, to reduce a moisture content that is above a desired moisture content, or both.