A method for controlling temperature of a chemical reaction without measuring a temperature of the chemical reaction. Changes in mass of a chemical reaction are monitored and are used to calculate the temperature of the system. The reaction can be maintained at a desired temperature (T) without measuring the temperature. The disclosed method is useful for reactions that occur at non-equilibrium conditions where any measured temperature would presume steady-state conditions.

The present invention relates to a catalyst bed comprising silver catalyst bodies and a reactor comprising such a catalyst bed. Further, the invention relates to the use of the catalyst bed and the reactor for gas phase reactions, in particular for the oxidative dehydrogenation of organic compounds under exothermic conditions. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to the preparation of olefinically unsaturated carbonyl compounds from olefinically unsaturated alcohols by oxidative dehydrogenation utilizing a catalyst bed comprising metallic silver catalyst bodies.

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 producing a catalyst for a fuel cell comprising: a) injecting carbon particles into a fluidized bed reactor; b) evacuating the fluidized bed reactor to form a base pressure; c) introducing a catalytic metal precursor together with a carrier gas into the fluidized bed reactor to contact the catalytic metal precursor with the carbon particles; d d) purging a purge gas into the fluidized bed reactor; e) introducing a reaction gas into the fluidized bed reactor to attach the catalytic metal precursor to the carbon particles; and f) purging a purge gas into the fluidized bed reactor, wherein, the catalytic metal is attached to the carbon particles in a form of nano-sized spot.

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 enabling gas exchange and chemical reactions with one or more liquid streams contained in a reactive process vessel are provided. One or more exchange layers within the process vessel can be composed of both collector media and releaser media. The exchange layers allow elements to facilitate increased performance of vessel operations by promoting gas component mixing and diffusion. Improved rates of gas component exchange mean less coking and more gas components available for reaction.

The present invention refers to a method for the preparation of a shell type catalyst for mercury oxidation, the catalyst and the use of the catalyst. The catalyst is prepared by a method comprising mixing titanium dioxide, a compound of a promoter selected from molybdenum and tungsten, and a binder, to prepare a paste; shaping the paste, to obtain a shaped paste; drying and optionally calcining the shaped paste, to obtain a support material; impregnating the support material with an aqueous alkaline impregnation solution comprising a vanadium compound; drying and calcining the impregnated support material, to obtain the catalyst. The catalyst is useful for purifying exhaust gases from coal plants and other power plants where mercury emissions occurs.

A cooling tower (2) for cooling a liquid (4) with a gas (6), which cooling tower (2) comprises: (i) a vessel (8) for receiving the gas (6) passing upwardly and the liquid (4) passing downwardly, with the liquid (4) being hotter than the gas (6); (ii) a gas outlet (4) which is at a top portion (16) of the vessel (8) and which is for allowing the gas (6) to pass out of the vessel (8), (iii) a support member (20) which is positioned across a bottom portion (22) of the vessel (8): (iv) a plurality of apertures (24) which are in the support member (20) and through which the gas (6) and the liquid (4) are able to pass; (v) a fluidised bed (26) of packing elements (28) on the support member (20); (vi) liquid emitting means (30) which is positioned in the vessel (8) above the fluidised bed (26), and which is for emitting alas liquid (4) to be cooled such the liquid (4) passes downwardly towards the fluidised bed (26); (vii) pump means (32) for pumping the liquid to the liquid emitting means (30); and (viii) a fan (34) for blowing the pas upwardly through the fluidised bed (26), and the cooling tower (2) being such that it includes (ix) control means (31) for controlling (a) the velocity of the gas through die vessel (8), and (b) the liquid to gas ratio in the vessel (8), whereby the fluidised bed (26) is caused to operate at a tumbling rate which when combined with selected pre-fluidised packing height causes an approach temperature of below 10° F. (5.6° C.); (x) wherein the tumbling rate is controlled by a combination of controlled gas velocity and liquid to gas ratio creating turbulent mixing and tumbling of packing elements (28) in the fluidised bed (26); (xi) and wherein the pre-fluidised height of the fluidised bed (26) is from 0.15-1.0 m.

A method for enabling gas exchange and chemical reactions with one or more liquid streams contained in a reactive process vessel are provided. One or more exchange layers within the process vessel can be composed of both collector media and releaser media. The exchange layers allow elements to facilitate increased performance of vessel operations by promoting gas component mixing and diffusion. Improved rates of gas component exchange mean less coking and more gas components available for reaction.

Structured elements with capabilities for stream flow division and distribution and mitigation of undesired species that exceed those of conventionally available materials are provided. The structured elements provide increased opportunities for surface attraction, retention and coalescence of undesired species in a process stream. The functional contact surfaces of the structured elements can include one or more of the faces of cells, the surfaces of struts connecting cells, the surfaces of nodes connecting struts, and the surfaces of asperities or irregularities caused by channels, flutes, spikes, fibrils or filaments in or on the material surfaces.