Methods and systems for heating a reactor feed in a multi reactor hydrocarbon dehydrogenation process. The methods and systems are advantageously employed for the production of styrene by the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. The catalytic dehydrogenation process employs heating steam operating at a steam to oil ratio of about 1.0 or less and relatively low steam superheater furnace temperature, such that all components exposed to steam in the process (outside of the fired heaters) can be constructed with standard metallurgy.

The present disclosure relates to a process plant and a process for production of a hydrogen rich gas, comprising the steps of (a) directing an amount of a synthesis gas comprising at least 15%, 50% or 80% on dry basis of CO and H.sub.2 in combination, a gas comprising steam, and a recycled intermediate product gas to be combined into a first reactor feed gas, (b) directing said first reactor feed gas to contact a first material catalytically active in water gas shift reaction, producing an intermediate product gas, (c) splitting said intermediate product gas in the recycled intermediate product gas and a remaining intermediate product gas, (d) combining said remaining intermediate product gas with a further amount of synthesis gas forming a second reactor feed gas, (e) directing said second reactor feed gas to contact a second material catalytically active in the water gas shift reaction, producing a product gas, characterized in the H.sub.2O:CO ratio in said first reactor feed gas being from 0.5 to 2.0 and the H.sub.2O:CO ratio in said second reactor feed gas being from 0.5 to 2.0. with the associated benefit of distributing the heat development and thus reducing the maximum temperature in the reactors by limiting the extent of reaction of the reacting mixture, and thereby reducing the amount of steam required for limiting methanation.

Disclosed is a fuel processor. The fuel processor includes: a steam reformer unit configured to be disposed at an upper portion in a casing; a heat exchanger unit configured to be disposed at a lower portion of the steam reformer unit; a high temperature shift reforming unit configured to be disposed at a lower portion of the heat exchanger unit; a low temperature shift reforming unit configured to be disposed while enclosing an outer portion of the high temperature shift reforming unit; and a heat exchange chamber configured to be disposed at a lower portion of the high temperature shift reforming unit and exchange heat between reformed gas and a heat exchange fluid supplied through a channel part formed to drain the reformed gas and combustion gas and supply the heat exchange fluid.

Systems and methods are provided for performing hydrocarbon reforming within a reverse flow reactor environment (or another reactor environment with flows in opposing directions) while improving management of CO.sub.2 generated during operation of the reactor. The improved management of CO.sub.2 is achieved by making one or more changes to the operation of the reverse flow reactor. The changes can include using an air separation unit to provide an oxygen source with a reduced or minimized content of nitrogen and/or operating the reactor at elevated pressure during the regeneration stage. By operating the regeneration at elevated pressure, a regeneration flue gas can be generated that is enriched in CO.sub.2 at elevated pressure. The CO.sub.2-enriched stream can include primarily water as a contaminant, which can be removed by cooling while substantially maintaining the pressure of the stream. This can facilitate subsequent recovery and use of the CO.sub.2.

A method of maintaining a backpressure of a fluidic product is provided. The method includes pressurizing a first reservoir to a first predetermined pressure level using compressed air, delivering the fluidic product to the pressurized first reservoir until a current level of the fluidic product in the first reservoir reaches a first predetermined level, pressurizing a second reservoir to a second predetermined pressure level using the compressed air, delivering the fluidic product to the pressurized second reservoir until a current level of the fluidic product in the second reservoir reaches a second predetermined level, and controlling the backpressure of the fluidic product using the first reservoir and the second reservoir such that a discharge flow of the fluidic product is continuous.

A trickle bed reactor, comprising a plurality of catalyst beds connected in series and progressively increasing in catalyst mass in a direction from upstream to downstream; and a plurality of heat exchangers, wherein each of the heat exchangers is located between two of the plurality of catalyst beds, and wherein each of the heat exchangers does not exchange heat with an outer surface of a vessel that contains any of the catalyst beds.

Disclosed herein are reactors comprising: a) a first mixing zone, b) a first reaction zone, c) a first cooling zone, d) a first H.sub.2O separation zone, e) a second mixing zone, f) a second reaction zone, g) a second cooling zone, and h) a second H.sub.2O separation zone, wherein the first mixing zone is in fluid communication with the first reaction zone, wherein the first reaction zone is in fluid communication with the first cooling zone, wherein the first cooling zone is in fluid communication with the first H.sub.2O separation zone, wherein the first H.sub.2O separation zone is in fluid communication with the second mixing zone, wherein the second mixing zone is in fluid communication with the second reaction zone, wherein the second reaction zone is in fluid communication with the second cooling zone, and wherein the second cooling zone is in fluid communication with the second H.sub.2O separation zone.

The present disclosure relates to the field of reactor technologies and in particular to a solid-liquid phase reactor for preparing a powder product, which includes a vessel shell, a material-restricting partition net, a solid reactant charge opening, and a reaction solution make-up opening. The material-restricting partition net is disposed in a cavity of the vessel shell and connected to the vessel shell. The material-restricting partition net is enclosed to form a semi-closed material-restricting zone with an upward-facing opening itself or together with an inner wall of a vessel. A frame of the semi-closed material-restricting zone is rigid. The solid reactant charge opening is in communication with the facing-up opening of the semi-closed material-restricting zone, and the reaction solution make-up opening is in communication with an internal space of the semi-closed material-restricting zone.

The invention is concerned with the issue of how to produce n-pentanal by hydroformylation from feedstock mixtures comprising a small proportion of n-butene and a large proportion of n-butane. Specifically, solutions for further optimizing established processes for hydroformylation of such low-butene mixtures in terms of material utilization are sought. The present invention has for its object to enhance the material utilization of the feedstock mixture in the production of n-pentanal from feedstock mixtures having a small proportion of n-butene and a large proportion of n-butane. The process shall be capable of economic operation on an industrial scale. In particular an existing oxo plant shall be honed to achieve better raw material utilization. This object is achieved by a combination of a hydroformylation and a dehydrogenation, wherein said combination has the special feature that the dehydrogenation is arranged after the hydroformylation in the downstream direction and is thus markedly smaller than conventional dehydrogenations provided upstream. A skillful product removal effectively removes contaminants formed in the process.

The invention relates to Quench box assembly comprising quench pipe and quench box, to mix quench gas and vapor-liquid effluent from previous catalyst bed to achieve equilibrium temperature before entering the next bed. The quench pipe is in the form of ring having aperture while quench box consists of swirling section and a mixing chamber. The swirling section consists of inclined baffles to provide swirling action to incoming stream and the turbulence created by the swirling action increases the heat transfer rate thus requiring the smaller reactor volume to attain equilibrium temperature. The perforated plate being open from all the sides allowing the liquid to flow uniformly from all directions thus providing uniform distribution on the distributor tray. Hence, eliminates the requirement of rough liquid distributor before the distribution tray.