The invention relates to a catalyst system for producing maleic anhydride by means of the catalytic oxidation of n-butane, comprising at least one reactor tube, which has two catalyst layers consisting of different catalyst particles, characterized in that the geometric surface area per catalyst particle is greater in the catalyst layer that is first in the gas flow direction than in the second catalyst layer. The invention further relates to a process for producing maleic anhydride by means of the catalytic oxidation of n-butane, wherein a mixture of oxygen and n-butane is fed through the catalyst system according to the invention and the at least one reactor tube is at elevated temperature.

A hierarchical catalyst composition comprising a continuous or particulate macroporous scaffold in which is incorporated mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles, wherein an enzyme is embedded in mesopores of the mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles. Methods for synthesizing the hierarchical catalyst composition are also described. Also described are processes that use the recoverable hierarchical catalyst composition for depolymerizing lignin, remediation of water contaminated with aromatic substances, polymerizing monomers by a free-radical mechanism, epoxidation of alkenes, halogenation of phenols, inhibiting growth and function of microorganisms in a solution, and carbon dioxide conversion to methanol. Further described are methods for increasing the space time yield and/or total turnover number of a liquid-phase chemical reaction that includes magnetic particles to facilitate the chemical reaction, the method comprising subjecting the chemical reaction to a plurality of magnetic fields of selected magnetic strength, relative position in the chemical reaction, and relative motion.

A method of hydrating a dry powdered viscosifier such as a powdered polymer is disclosed. The method includes mixing the powdered viscosifier with a solvent such as water to form a mixture; moving the mixture through a cavitation zone; inducing energetic shock waves and pressure fluctuations in the mixture by mechanically inducing cavitation events within the mixture, the shock waves and pressure fluctuations untangling, separating, and straightening polymer molecule chains and distributing the chains throughout the mixture, and extracting the resulting hydrated viscosifier from the cavitation zone.

An oxygen transfer agent comprising a metal-boron oxide is provided. The average oxidation state of the metal in the metal-boron oxide is about 3+, and has 10% or less of a stoichiometric excess in moles of Mn with respect to the boron. The oxygen transfer agent may further comprise a magnesia-phosphate cement. The oxygen transfer agent is capable of oxidatively dehydrogenating a hydrocarbon feed at reaction conditions to produce a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon product and water. The oxidative dehydrogenation can take place under reaction conditions of less than 1000 ppm weight molecular oxygen, or in the presence of more than 1000 ppm weight of molecular oxygen. Also provided are methods of using the oxygen transfer agents, and an apparatus for effecting the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbon feed.

An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded and operated at modified conditions using a dual catalyst system to produce less fouling sediment. The less fouling sediment produced by the upgraded ebullated bed reactor reduces the rate of equipment fouling at any given sediment production rate and/or concentration compared to the sediment produced by the ebullated bed reactor prior to upgrading. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are maintained or increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, while equipment fouling is reduced. In other cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, without increasing equipment fouling. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are decreased by a given percentage, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, and the rate of equipment fouling is decreased by a substantially greater percentage.

A process for large scale and energy efficient production of oxygenates from sugar is disclosed in which a sugar feedstock is introduced into a thermolytic fragmentation reactor comprising a fluidized stream of heat carrying particles which are separated from the reaction product and directed to a reheater comprising a resistance heating system.

The invention relates to an integrated process for assessing one or more properties of a catalyst. In the method, a standard chemical reactor or reactors is/are provided, and a bypass means is also provided, to transport a sample of whatever is added to the industrial reactor, to the test reactor. Both gases and liquids are transferred to the test reactor.

The disclosure relates to a process to perform an endothermic steam reforming of hydrocarbons, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state to obtain a fluidized bed; heating the fluidized bed to a temperature ranging from 500° C. to 1200° C. by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed to conduct the endothermic reaction. The process is remarkable in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity ranging from 0.001 to 500 Ohm.Math.cm at 800° C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.

The disclosure relates to a process to perform a catalytic cracking reaction of hydrocarbons having at least four carbons, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state to obtain a fluidized bed; heating said bed to a temperature between 500° C. and 850° C. by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed to conduct the reaction. The process is remarkable in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity from 0.001 to 500 Ohm.cm at 500° C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.

The present specification relates to a method comprising: (A) mixing a ferrite-based catalyst molded article with diluent material particles; and (B) adding the mixture to a catalyst reactor, and a method for preparing butadiene using the same.