A system and method is provided for upgrading a continuously flowing process stream including heavy crude oil (HCO). A reactor receives the process stream in combination with water, at an inlet temperature within a range of about 60 C. to about 200 C. The reactor includes one or more process flow tubes having a combined length of about 30 times their aggregated transverse cross-sectional dimension, and progressively heats the process stream to an outlet temperature T(max)1 within a range of between about 260 C. to about 400 C. The reactor maintains the process stream at a pressure sufficient to ensure that it remains a single phase at T(max)1. A controller selectively adjusts the rate of flow of the process stream through the reactor to maintain a total residence time of greater than about 1 minute and less than about 25 minutes.

The invention relates to a device for synthesizing a polymer accompanied by separating a gaseous substance. Said device comprises: a reactor chamber (1) having a substantially circular cylinder-shaped upper section (11), which is delimited by two circular surfaces (111, 112) and a circumferential surface (113) and has a longitudinal cylinder axis, and a lower section (12), the upper section (11) and the lower section (12) being connected to one another via the first circular surface (111); an inlet opening (2); a first outlet opening (3), which is arranged in a wall of the lower section (12); a second outlet opening (4), which is arranged in the second circular surface (112) or in the circumferential surface (113) between the inlet opening (2) and the second circular surface (112); and a removal device (51), which is arranged so as to be movable along the longitudinal cylinder axis at least between the second circular surface (112) and the inlet opening (2), and contacts the circumferential surface (113). The invention further relates to a method comprising: feeding an oligomer melt (7) into a circular cylinder-shaped first section (11) of a reaction chamber (1) through an inlet opening (2) tangentially to a circumferential surface (113) of the first section (11); polymerizing the oligomer melt (7) to form a polymer melt (8); removing the polymer melt (8) from the reaction chamber (1) through a first outlet opening (3) of the reaction chamber (1); and removing a gaseous substance (9) from the reaction chamber (1) through a second outlet opening (4) of the reaction chamber (1) above the inlet opening (2). Deposits on at least one inner wall of the first section (11) of the reaction chamber (1) above the inlet opening (2) are removed by a removal device (51).

Systems and methods for detecting coking in a wash bed of a vacuum pipe still with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a first temperature profile at a plurality of sensor locations to determine a flow distribution. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element and the optical signal interrogator is configured to measure a second temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to detect coking by determining one or more properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the second temperature profile corresponding thereto.

Systems and processes for cracking hydrocarbons to produce olefins herein includes heating a hydrocarbon feedstock or a mixture comprising steam and hydrocarbons to a first temperature to form a preheated feed, and also include electrically heating steam to a second, higher, temperature to form a superheated reaction steam. The preheated feed is then mixed with the superheated reaction steam to form a reaction mixture at a cracking temperature, thereby cracking the hydrocarbons to form olefins, producing a reaction effluent. The reaction effluent is then quenched and separated effluent to recover the olefins.

A system and method is provided for upgrading a continuously flowing process stream including heavy crude oil (HCO). A reactor receives the process stream in combination with water, at an inlet temperature within a range of about 60 C. to about 200 C. The reactor includes one or more process flow tubes having a combined length of about 30 times their aggregated transverse cross-sectional dimension, and progressively heats the process stream to an outlet temperature T(max)1 within a range of between about 260 C. to about 400 C. The reactor maintains the process stream at a pressure sufficient to ensure that it remains a single phase at T(max)1. A controller selectively adjusts the rate of flow of the process stream through the reactor to maintain a total residence time of greater than about 1 minute and less than about 25 minutes.

A method of equipment decontamination may include: introducing a cleaning stream comprising hydrogen and a solvent comprising a fatty acid methyl ester and an oxygenated solvent, or alternatively comprising a carrier fluid and a hydrocarbon solvent, into the equipment; and introducing a stream comprising nitrogen into the equipment, wherein the equipment comprises deposits and other contaminants.

A system and method is provided for upgrading a continuously flowing process stream including heavy crude oil (HCO). A reactor receives the process stream in combination with water, at an inlet temperature within a range of about 60 C. to about 200 C. The reactor includes one or more process flow tubes having a combined length of about 30 times their aggregated transverse cross-sectional dimension, and progressively heats the process stream to an outlet temperature T(max)1 within a range of between about 260 C. to about 400 C. The reactor maintains the process stream at a pressure sufficient to ensure that it remains a single phase at T(max)1. A controller selectively adjusts the rate of flow of the process stream through the reactor to maintain a total residence time of greater than about 1 minute and less than about 25 minutes.

An apparatus for synthesis of a polymer with separation of a gaseous substance comprises a reaction space having an essentially circular cylindrical upper section which is bounded by two circular faces and one shell face and has a longitudinal cylinder axis, and a lower section, an inlet orifice disposed in a circular face or the shell face of the upper section, a first outlet orifice disposed in a wall of the lower section, a second outlet orifice disposed in the shell face of the upper section opposite the first outlet orifice, and a removal device which is disposed so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal cylinder axis and is in contact with both circular faces and the shell face. This apparatus can especially be used for performance of a process including the feeding of an oligomer melt into a reaction space through an inlet orifice, the polymerization of the oligomer melt to give a polymer melt, the removal of the polymer melt from the reaction space through a first outlet orifice of the reaction space, and the removal of a gaseous substance from the reaction space through a second outlet orifice of the reaction space, wherein deposits on at least one inner wall of the reaction space are removed by a removal device and transported into the oligomer melt.

In an apparatus comprising a chamber (3) of a reactor drops (8) of a to be converted liquid are generated by a nozzle (2) positioned in a space (7) separate from the chamber (3). The drops (8) make a free fall thought the space 7 and enter via an opening (7a) the chamber (3) where they fall onto an evaporator body (9) for evaporation, the evaporated liquid leaves a solid deposit (1), A gaseous reactant line (11) supplies a reactant gas for conversion of the solid deposit (1) on the surface of the evaporator body.

The invention provides a solution to the problem of transfecting non-adherent cells. Devices and delivery compositions containing ethanol and an isotonic salt solution are used for delivery of compounds and compositions to non-adherent cells.