A system for promoting endothermic conversions includes a first and second portion, a first and second supply, a first outlet, and a heat exchanger. The first portion defines a first inner volume containing an oxygen transfer agent. The first supply contains a reducing agent and is fluidly connected to the first inner volume. The first outlet conveys one or more of carbon dioxide, water, and an unsaturated hydrocarbon from the first inner volume. The second portion and the heat exchanger positioned within the second portion define a second inner volume containing reduced oxygen transfer agent. The second supply contains an oxidizing agent fluidly connected to the second inner volume. The heat exchanger also defines a third inner volume segregated from the second inner volume, and the heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat resulting from the oxidation of the reduced oxygen transfer agent to the third inner volume.

A process for conducting exothermic equilibrium reactions, especially for the performance of methanol synthesis by heterogeneously catalysed conversion of synthesis gas, is proposed, which enables readjustment and hence optimization of the reaction conditions along the longitudinal coordinate of the reactor. For this purpose, in the process according to the invention, a reactor is used which is divided into a multitude of series-connected reaction cells, each of which comprises a preheating zone, a cooled reaction zone, one or more cooling zones and a deposition zone for condensable reaction products. In this way, the reaction conditions are adjustable to the respective, local composition of the reaction mixture and variable over the reactor length.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon conversion, to equipment and materials useful for hydrocarbon conversion, and to processes for carrying out hydrocarbon conversion, e.g., hydrocarbon pyrolysis processes. The hydrocarbon conversion is carried out in a reactor which includes at least one channeled member that comprises refractory and has an open frontal area 55%. The refractory can include non-oxide ceramic.

There are provided systems and methods for using partial oxidation to produce an end product from hydrocarbon gases, such as flare gas. There are provided methods and systems to minimize the amount of compression work needed for an air breathing engine reformer in a gas-to-liquid system and method by one or more of: (a) reducing the amount of nitrogen; (b) increasing back-pressure of the engine reformer from standard 1 or 2 bar, to up to 5 bar; (c) use of a turbo-expander to recover much of the compression work, thus lowering the cost, among other efficiencies, to operate a plant; and (d) utilizing an intensified synthesis loop to achieve acceptable methanol synthesis at lower overall pressure. In an embodiment, the end product is methanol.

Disclosed is a technology based upon the nesting of tubes to provide chemical reactors or chemical reactors with built in heat exchanger. As a chemical reactor, the technology provides the ability to manage the temperature within a process flow for improved performance, control the location of reactions for corrosion control, or implement multiple process steps within the same piece of equipment. As a chemical reactor with built in heat exchanger, the technology can provide large surface areas per unit volume and large heat transfer coefficients. The technology can recover the thermal energy from the product flow to heat the reactant flow to the reactant temperature, significantly reducing the energy needs for accomplishment of a process.

Processes and associated reaction systems for the preparation of ethylene carbonate and ethylene glycol from ethylene oxide are provided, particularly processes and associated reaction systems directed to heat integration in the treatment of recycle gas streams.

A reforming catalyst with improved surface area is provided by using high surface area alumina doped with a stabilizer metal as a catalyst support. The surface area of the catalyst can be higher than a typical reforming catalyst, and the surface area can also be maintained under high temperature operation. This can allow use of the catalyst for reforming in a higher temperature environment while maintaining a higher surface area, which can allow for improved dispersion and/or activity of an active metal such as rhodium on the catalyst support. The catalyst can be suitable for production of syngas from natural gas or other hydrocarbon-containing feeds.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon conversion, to equipment and materials useful for hydrocarbon conversion, and to processes for carrying out hydrocarbon conversion, e.g., hydrocarbon pyrolysis processes. The hydrocarbon conversion is carried out in a reactor which includes at least one channeled member that comprises refractory and has an open frontal area 55%. The refractory can include non-oxide ceramic.

The invention relates to hydrocarbon pyrolysis, to equipment and materials useful for hydrocarbon pyrolysis, to processes for carrying out hydrocarbon pyrolysis, and to the use of hydrocarbon pyrolysis for, e.g., hydrocarbon upgrading.

A process and system that use the heat produced in the generation of Syngas to provide heat to an endothermic reaction zone are disclosed. A method for providing heat to an endothermic reaction may comprise producing Syngas in a reforming reactor. The method may further comprise recovering heat from the producing the Syngas to heat an endothermic reaction stream in a heat transfer zone. The method may further comprise allowing reactants in the endothermic reaction stream to react to form an endothermic reaction product stream. The method may further comprise withdrawing the endothermic reaction product stream from the heat transfer zone.