Disclosed herein are systems and processes involving the catalyzed cleavage reaction of dimethyl sulfide to methyl mercaptan. The catalyzed cleavage reaction can be a standalone system or process, or can be integrated with a methyl mercaptan production plant.

Disclosed herein are methods of producing a gas at a controlled rate, the methods comprising directing air through a layered bed to produce a gas. The layered bed comprises alternating layers of a layer of dry particles comprising a precursor and a layer of dry particles comprising a proton-generating species. The gas is produced at a rate that is controlled by controlling the presence or absence of air flowing though the layered bed, the amount of time the air flows through the layered bed, the total number of layers in the layered bed, the average thickness of each of the layers of dry particles comprising the precursor in the layered bed, the average thickness of each of the layers of dry particles comprising the proton-generating species in the layered bed, the temperature the method is performed at, or a combination thereof.

A system for continuously treating recycled polymeric material includes a hopper configured to feed the recycled polymeric material into the system. An extruder can turn the recycled polymeric material in a molten material. In some embodiments, the extruder uses thermal fluids, electric heaters, and/or a separate heater. The molten material is depolymerized in a reactor. In some embodiments, a catalyst is used to aid in depolymerizing the material. In certain embodiments, the catalyst is contained in a permeable container. The depolymerized molten material can then be cooled via a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, multiple reactors are used. In certain embodiments, these reactors are connected in series. In some embodiments, the reactor(s) contain removable static mixer(s) and/or removable annular inserts.

A stacked zone vertical tubular reactor for conducting an exothermic reaction. The reactor may comprise two or more stacked catalyst zones in each reactor tube. Each reactor tube may contain internal feed and discharge tubes, transition zones comprising a catalyst support plate and a zone separator plate, and a heat transfer element located in each catalyst zone.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A process for producing a cyclic acetal is disclosed. According to the process, a formaldehyde source is combined with an aprotic compound and contacted with a heterogeneous catalyst which causes the formaldehyde source to convert into a cyclic acetal such as trioxane. The catalyst, for instance, may comprise a solid catalyst such as an ion exchange resin. In one embodiment, the process is used for converting anhydrous formaldehyde gas to trioxane. The anhydrous formaldehyde gas may be produced form an aqueous formaldehyde solution by an extractive distillation. The aprotic compound and the formaldehyde solution may be extracted from the reaction product and recycled into the process.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

Disclosed herein are methods of producing a gas at a controlled rate, the methods comprising directing air through a layered bed to produce a gas. The layered bed comprises alternating layers of a layer of dry particles comprising a precursor and a layer of dry particles comprising a proton-generating species. The gas is produced at a rate that is controlled by controlling the presence or absence of air flowing though the layered bed, the amount of time the air flows through the layered bed, the total number of layers in the layered bed, the average thickness of each of the layers of dry particles comprising the precursor in the layered bed, the average thickness of each of the layers of dry particles comprising the proton-generating species in the layered bed, the temperature the method is performed at, or a combination thereof.

A reformer tube for producing synthesis gas by steam reforming of hydrocarbon-containing feed gases, in which a structured stream reforming catalyst is used, is proposed. According to the invention, a heat exchanger tube is arranged in the interior of the structured catalyst, with the feed gas stream flowing firstly through the structured catalyst and subsequently in countercurrent through the heat exchanger tube. This improves the heat exchange between the synthesis gas product stream and the structured catalyst and the feed gas stream flowing through it, especially in the radial direction.