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.

A system and method for a first reactor to produce a transfer slurry having a first polyolefin polymerized in the first reactor, a heat-removal zone to remove heat from the transfer slurry, and a second reactor to receive the transfer slurry cooled by the heat-removal zone, the second reactor to produce a product slurry having a product polyolefin which includes the first polyolefin and a second polyolefin polymerized in the second reactor.

There is disclosed a method for cleaning a component of a plasma processing apparatus, a surface of the component being included in a surface that defines an inner space formed in a chamber of the plasma processing apparatus. The cleaning method comprises: forming a film on the surface of the component by supplying a first gas and a second gas into the inner space, wherein a compound forming the film is generated by polymerization of a first compound contained in the first gas and a second compound contained in the second gas, the first compound being isocyanate and the second compound being amine or a compound having a hydroxyl group; and removing, after substrate treatment is performed in the inner space, a deposit formed on the film during the substrate treatment by heating the component so that depolymerization of the compound forming the film occurs.

Devices and methods for controlling the properties of chemical species during time-dependent processes. A device includes a reactor for containing one or more chemical species of a time-dependent process, an extraction pump for automatically and continuously extracting an amount of the one or more chemical species from the reactor, one or more detectors for measuring property changes of the one or more extracted chemical species and generating a continuous stream of data related to the one or more property changes to the one or more chemical species during a time interval, and a process controller configured to fit the continuous stream of data to a mathematical function to predict one or more properties of the one or more chemical species at a future time point and make one or more process decisions based on the prediction of one or more properties at the future time point.

Systems and methods for molten media pyrolysis for the conversion of methane into hydrogen and carbon-containing particles are disclosed. The systems and methods include the introduction of seed particles into the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger, more manageable carbon-containing particles. Additionally or alternatively, the systems and methods can include increasing the residence time of carbon-containing particles within the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger carbon-containing particles.

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.

In the thermochemical water splitting process by the CuCl cycle, oxygen gas is produced by a thermolysis process in a three-phase reactor. A precise knowledge of the hydrodynamic and heat transfer analyses is required for the scale-up of the thermolysis reactor. However, in the experimental studies of the scale up analysis, there are some challenges in using the actual materials of the thermolysis reactor products (i.e. molten salt CuCl and oxygen gas). In accordance with the teachings herein, alternative materials are defined, by using dimensional analyses, to simulate the hydrodynamic and heat transfer behaviors of the actual materials. It has been found that these alternative materials are liquid water at 222 C. and helium gas at 902 C. The alternative materials provide safe environment for the experimental runs as well as lower operating temperature. Furthermore, these alternative materials are more readily available and are low cost.

Systems for hydrocarbon pyrolysis are provided, which may comprise a reactor configured to contain a liquid metal; a heater operably coupled to the reactor to form a heating zone; a cooler operably coupled to the reactor to form a cooling zone; a gas delivery assembly comprising an inlet and configured to deliver a feed gas comprising a hydrocarbon as a plurality of bubbles through the liquid metal; an outlet configured to deliver a product gas to a separation assembly, the product gas formed from pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon in the liquid metal, the product gas comprising H.sub.2 and carbon; and the separation assembly configured to separate the carbon from other components of the product gas. The reactor is configured to entrain the carbon from pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon in the liquid metal into the product gas without accumulating the carbon in the interior chamber during pyrolysis.

A method of continuously recovering hydrocarbons from carbon ores can include providing first and second vessels containing rubblized carbon ore. A cooling fuel gas can be introduced into the first vessel. The cooling fuel gas can include oxygen and a recycle gas from the second vessel, which includes hydrocarbons and oxidation products. The oxygen can be consumed through oxidation in an oxidation zone in the first vessel. The temperature of the oxidation zone can be controlled by limiting the oxygen concentration in the cooling fuel gas. This can produce a hot oxidation product gas that heats rubblized carbon ore in a pyrolysis zone downstream of the oxidation zone. Gaseous and vapor hydrocarbons can be produced in the pyrolysis zone. The vapor hydrocarbons can be condensed in a condensing zone downstream of the pyrolysis zone and then collected. The remaining gaseous hydrocarbons and oxidation products can be recycled as the recycle gas. The oxidation zone and the pyrolysis zone can continuously move through the rubblized carbon ore in a downstream direction. Optionally, by using nitrogen free oxygen for the oxidation, a nitrogen free stream of carbon dioxide is produced suitable for carbon dioxide capture and management. This can also eliminate the production of NOx in the oxidation process.