This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C.sub.5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes heating an electrically-conductive reaction zone by applying an electrical current to the first electrically-conductive reaction zone; and contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material in the electrically-conductive reaction zone under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to an effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

A reactor for hydrocarbon production that separates wax reaction products from lightweight gaseous reaction products. The reactor has a housing, a catalyst bed, a product recovery zone, and a stripping zone. The catalyst bed can be provided in multi-tubular and other fixed bed configurations. The stripping zone receives light-weight gas reaction products from the product recovery zone, while a gas outlet of the housing receives non-lightweight gaseous hydrocarbon reaction products from the product recovery zone. A wax outlet of the housing receives wax products from the product recovery zone.

A fluid mixing and distribution device for a catalytic downflow reactor, said device comprising a collection zone (A), a mixing zone (B) comprising a mixing chamber (15) for fluids and an exchange chamber (16) for fluids, a distribution zone (C), said exchange chamber (16) comprising at least one upper lateral cross-section of flow (17a) and at least one lower lateral cross-section of flow (17b) through which fluids can pass from said exchange chamber (16) to said distribution zone (C), characterized in that said exchange chamber (16) comprises a fluid deflection means (24) fixed to said exchange chamber (16) and located downstream of the upper lateral cross-section of flow (17a), said fluid deflection means (24) forming with said exchange chamber (16) a space (26) in the shape of a pan.

A method for providing .sup.11C-labeled cyanides from .sup.11C labeled oxides in a target gas stream retrieved from an irradiated high pressure gaseous target containing O.sub.2, wherein .sup.11C labeled oxides are reduced with H.sub.2 in the presence of a nickel catalyst under a pressure and a temperature sufficient to form a product stream comprising at least about 95% .sup.11CH.sub.4, the .sup.11CH.sub.4 is then combined with an excess of NH.sub.3 in a carrier/reaction stream flowing at an accelerated velocity and the combined .sup.11CH4 carrier/reaction stream is then contacted with a platinum (Pt) catalyst particulate supported on a substantially-chemically-nonreactive heat-stable support at a temperature of at least about 900° C., whereby a product stream comprising at least about 60% H.sup.11CN is provided in less than 10 minutes from retrieval of the .sup.11C labeled oxide.

A device for mixing fluids for a downflow catalytic reactor (1): at least one substantially horizontal collector (5) provided with a substantially vertical collection conduit (7) receiving fluids collected by (5); at least one injector (8) of a quench fluid opening into (7); a mixing chamber (9) downstream of (5) having an inlet end connected directly to (7) and an outlet end (10) evacuating the fluids; and a pre-distribution plate (11) having a plurality of perforations and at least one riser (13), located downstream of (9);
the section of said mixing chamber (9) is a parallelogram and has at least one means (15) deflecting over at least one of the four internal walls of mixing chamber (9) with a parallelogram section.

A reactor suitable for a reaction containing an exothermic reaction is provided. The reactor includes the following components. A reaction channel has an inlet and an outlet, and has a front-end reaction zone, middle-end reaction zones, and a back-end reaction zone from the inlet to the outlet. A front-end catalyst support and a front-end catalyst are located in the front-end reaction zone, a middle-end catalyst support and a middle-end catalyst are respectively located in the middle-end reaction zones, and a back-end catalyst support and a back-end catalyst are located in the back-end reaction zone. The concentration of the front-end catalyst is less than the concentration of the back-end catalyst, and the concentration of the middle-end catalyst is decided via a computer simulation of reaction parameters. The reaction parameters include size and geometric shape of the reaction channel.

A heat recovery system for plasma reformers is comprised of a cascade of regenerators and recuperators that are arranged to transfer in stages the heat at high temperatures for storage, transport, and recirculation. Recirculation of heat increases the efficiency of plasma reformers and heat exchanging reduces temperature of the product for downstream applications.

A system for reducing dioxygen (O.sub.2) present in vapors from oil storage tanks. The system may include an inlet that receives vapors from the tanks; a heating device coupled with the inlet that heats vapors to a first temperature to form heated vapor; and a vessel coupled receiving heated vapor and containing at least one catalyst to reduce dioxygen from the heated vapor. The catalyst may include palladium, and the vessel may include zinc oxide to remove sulfur from the heated vapor. A compressor may be used to compress the vapors. A controller may be provided to monitor O.sub.2 concentration in heated vapor, and the controller directs flow of heated vapor to a gas pipeline if the O.sub.2 concentration is below a predetermined level; or if the O.sub.2 concentration is unacceptably high, the controller directs flow of vapor to be re-circulated within the system to further reduce O.sub.2 concentration therein.

In one embodiment, an ammonia synthesis system comprising, an ammonia synthesis reactor, a waste heat boiler, a supply water heat exchanger, a recycle gas heat exchanger, a water cooler, an ammonia chiller and refrigeration exchanger, a secondary ammonia chiller, an ammonia separator, a liquid ammonia tank, a recycle compressor and a start-up heater, and wherein, a process gas is heated in the recycle gas heat exchanger and enters the ammonia synthesis reactor and the waste heat boiler, a reacted gas stream exits from a bottom of the waste heat boiler and is cooled in the supply water heat exchanger, a gas stream enters the recycle gas heat exchanger, the water cooler, the ammonia chiller and refrigeration exchanger, the secondary ammonia chiller, and is cooled, the gas stream enters the ammonia separator to form a separate liquid ammonia and the separated liquid ammonia enters the liquid ammonia tank.

A multi-stage product gas generation system converts a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas which may subsequently be converted into a liquid fuel or other material. One or more reactors containing bed material may be used to conduct reactions to effect the conversions. Unreacted inert feedstock contaminants present in the carbonaceous material may be separated from bed material using a portion of the product gas. A heat transfer medium collecting heat from a reaction in one stage may be applied as a reactant input in another, earlier stage.