A combined reforming apparatus is provided. The combined reforming apparatus includes a body, a first catalyst tube disposed inside the body and reacting at a first temperature to reform hydrocarbons (C.sub.xH.sub.y) having two or more carbon atoms into methane (CH.sub.4), a second catalyst tube disposed inside the body, connected to the first catalyst tube, and reacting at a second temperature higher than the first temperature to reform methane (CH.sub.4) into synthesis gas comprising hydrogen (H.sub.2) and carbon monoxide (CO), and a combustion unit configured to supply heat to the first and second catalyst tubes.

A method for enhancing the heat transfer performance of a vertical tubular reactor by adding heat transfer elements inside the reactor tubes. Such heat transfer elements have two or more substantially curved legs of equal length with no cross fins, each with a foot that engages the inside wall of the tube, and can optionally have two or more substantially curved sub-legs that do not engage the wall of the tube.

A chemical reactor that combines a pressure vessel, heat exchanger, heater, and catalyst holder into a single device is disclosed. The chemical reactor described herein reduces the cost of the reactor and reduces its parasitic heat losses. The disclosed chemical reactor is suitable for use in ammonia (NH.sub.3) synthesis.

The present invention relates to a method to prevent the fluidization of a catalytic fixed bed present in a tubular reactor operated in upward-flow configuration by estimating a pressure drop margin remaining before fluidization of the catalytic bed and adjusting the reactant gas flow in response. It relates also to a method to operate safely a furnace suitable for performing endothermic reactions containing a plurality of catalytic fixed bed reactors operated in upward-flow configuration, and to a method to debottleneck safely a catalytic fixed bed reactor involving a gas flowing in up flow direction.

A solar reactor useful in reaction processes, more particularly, useful in endothermic reaction processes, such as a catalyzed process or an adsorption-desorption process. The reactor comprises a reaction pathway defined by an exterior wall and an interior wall, the exterior wall comprising a solar radiation receiver capable of converting solar radiation into heat and transmitting the heat to the reaction pathway. The reaction pathway has disposed therein, in alternating fashion, a plurality of reactive elements comprised of a catalyst or a sorbent and a plurality of heat transfer elements.

In a hydrocarbon-fed steam methane reformer hydrogen-production process and system, carbon dioxide is recovered in a pre-combustion context, and optionally additional amounts of carbon dioxide are recovered in a post-combustion carbon dioxide removal, to provide the improved carbon dioxide recovery or capture disclosed herein.

A method for producing (meth)acrolein by vapor-phase catalytic oxidation of propylene or isobutylene in a multitubular reactor including a plurality of reaction tubes, the reaction tubes each including a reaction zone filled with a catalyst including molybdenum oxide and a cooling zone filled with an inert substance, wherein a temperature of a heat medium that flows outside the cooling zone is lower than a temperature of a heat medium that flows outside the reaction zone, and wherein the inert substance includes an inert substance having a major-axis length that is equal to or more than 1.7 times a major-axis length of the catalyst. A method for producing (meth)acrylic acid in which (meth)acrolein thus produced is converted to (meth)acrylic acid by vapor-phase catalytic oxidation.

A chemical reactor that combines a pressure vessel, heat exchanger, heater, and catalyst holder into a single device is disclosed. The chemical reactor described herein reduces the cost of the reactor and reduces its parasitic heat losses. The disclosed chemical reactor is suitable for use in ammonia (NH.sub.3) synthesis.

The present invention provides a process of catalytic depolymerization of polystyrene involving a spherical catalyst, an apparatus for carrying out the depolymerization, recovering the aromatic rich liquid product and recycling the catalyst without any decrease in the catalytic performance. Further, the present invention provides that the aromatic rich liquid product includes styrene, xylene, benzene, ethyl benzene, with styrene content greater than 65%. Additionally, the catalyst involved in the depolymerization process is a spherical catalyst that is easily recovered from coke/char formed during the process and is recycled and reused without any decrease in the catalytic performance.

Shell-and-tube strippers for stripping a urea/carbamate mixture, related systems, methods, and uses. The stripper includes a shell, a plurality of tubes disposed within the shell, and a heating fluid distributor for homogenizing the flow of a heating fluid near a heating fluid inlet. The heating fluid distributor includes an edge wall and a laterally disposed heating fluid distribution plate. Related systems, methods, and uses are also provided.