A process for producing olefins by cracking paraffins in the presence of methane. In the conventional steam cracking processes for olefin production, steam is used as a diluent in the feed mixture to the thermal cracker. In the processes provided herein, methane replaces steam as a diluent in the feed mixture to the thermal cracker. Replacing steam with methane as a diluent has a potential for cost savings in the construction and operation of a thermal cracking plant for olefin production. In addition, it leads to a much simpler cracking process compared to the conventional steam cracking technology as in the state of the art.

A method for carrying out catalytic gas phase reactions including providing a tube bundle reactor which has a bundle of reaction tubes that are filled with a catalyst charge and are cooled by a heat transfer medium, conveying a reaction gas through the catalyst charge, the reaction gas flowing into each reaction tube divided into two part flows introduced in the axial direction of the reaction tube at different points in the catalyst charge the catalyst charge has at least two catalyst layers of different activity, wherein the activity of the first catalyst layer, in the flow direction of the reaction gas, is lower than the activity of the at least one other catalyst layer and in step a first part flow is introduced into the first catalyst layer and each further part flow is introduced past the first catalyst layer into the at least one further catalyst layer.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon conversion, to equipment and materials useful for hydrocarbon conversion, and to processes for carrying out hydrocarbon conversion, e.g., hydrocarbon pyrolysis processes. The hydrocarbon conversion is carried out in a reactor which includes at least one channeled member that comprises refractory and has an open frontal area≤55%. The refractory can include non-oxide ceramic.

A top-fired reformer box is provided. The top-fired reformer box includes a burner row, a tube row, a reformer tunnel including a closed end, an open end, and a plurality of tunnel ports formed along a side wall of the reformer tunnel, the plurality of tunnel ports including a one or more tunnel port located along the side of the tunnel, and a flow resistor positioned at least one tunnel port applying a flow resistance for flue gas entering the reformer tunnel via the at least one tunnel port such that uniform flow is achieved within the reformer tunnel.

A refractory block for a steam reformer furnace tunnel includes a hollow main body, at least one first mechanical mating member defining a protruded portion extending from an upper surface of the main body, at least one second corresponding mechanical mating member defining an opening corresponding to the protruded portion formed in a portion of a lower surface of the main body, at least one third mechanical mating member defining a tab provided in a portion one of a first end and an opposed second end or a first side and an opposed second side of the main body, at least one fourth mechanical mating member comprising a groove formed in the other of the first end and the second end or the first side and the opposed second side of the main body, and at least one cavity formed in the lower surface of the main body.

Moulded insulation bodies, processes for the production thereof and use thereof consisting essentially of ceramic material comprising SiO.sub.2 fibers and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 fibers which has been produced using Al.sub.2O.sub.3 sol as a binder and kilned at a temperature of above 800° C. for insulation of the ends of cracking tubes of a tubular reactor for performing a steam reforming process for generating synthesis gas which project out of the reactor heating space.

A top-fired reformer box is provided. The top-fired reformer box includes a burner row, a tube row, a reformer tunnel including a closed end, an open end, and a plurality of tunnel ports formed along a side wall of the reformer tunnel, the plurality of tunnel ports including a one or more tunnel port located along the side of the tunnel, and a flow resistor positioned at least one tunnel port applying a flow resistance for flue gas entering the reformer tunnel via the at least one tunnel port such that uniform flow is achieved within the reformer tunnel.

A process for producing olefins may include dehydrogenating a first alkane in a first reactor to produce a first effluent comprising at least one of a first n-olefin or a first diolefin; removing the first effluent from the first reactor; and regenerating the first reactor. The first reactor may include a first dehydrogenation catalyst and a first phase change material.

Disclosed herein is a solar reactor comprising a reactor member; an aperture for receiving solar radiation, the aperture being disposed in a plane on a wall of the reactor member, where the plane is oriented at any angle other than parallel relative to the centerline of the reactor member; a plurality of absorber tubes, wherein the absorber tubes are oriented such that their respective centerlines are at an angle other than 90° relative to the centerline of the reactor member; and wherein the aperture has a hydraulic diameter that is from 0.2 to 4 times a hydraulic diameter of at least one absorber tube in the plurality of absorber tubes; and a reactive material, the reactive material being disposed in the plurality of absorber tubes.

The present technology is directed to processes for conversion of synthesis gas in a tubular reactor to produce a synthetic product that utilizes high activity carbon monoxide hydrogenation catalysts and a heat transfer structure that surprisingly provides for higher per pass conversion with high selectivity for the desired synthetic product without thermal runaway.