An apparatus for controlling flow of a material includes an inlet for receiving the material from a source, and a seal mechanism connected to the inlet, the seal mechanism having a fluidizing bed configured to receive the material from the inlet, a first discharge passageway and a second discharge passageway. The fluidizing bed includes a first transport zone associated with the first discharge passageway and a second transport zone associated with the second discharge passageway, wherein the first and second transport zones are configured to receive transport gas from a transport gas source. The transport gas is controllable to selectively divert a flow of the material into the first discharge passageway and the second discharge passageway.

A multi-tubular chemical reactor (400) includes an igniter (435) for the initiation of gas phase exothermic reaction within the gas phase reaction zones (409) of the tubular reactor units (408). A method of carrying out a gas phase exothermic reaction within the multi-tubular chemical reactor comprising: introducing gaseous reactants into a tubular reactor unit (408); initiating with radiant heat an exothermic reaction of the gaseous reactants within the reactor unit; and transferring heat produced by the exothermic reaction occurring within the gas phase reaction zone of the reactor unit to the gas phase reaction zone of one or more adjacent reactor units (408), thereby initiating an exothermic reaction within at least one adjacent reactor unit (408) until in such manner an exothermic reaction has been initiated in each of the plurality of spaced-apart reactor units (408).

A method of determining multimodal polyethylene quality comprising the steps of (a) providing a multimodal polyethylene resin sample; (b) determining, in any sequence, the following: that the multimodal polyethylene resin sample has a melt index within 30% of a target melt index; that the multimodal polyethylene resin sample has a density within 2.5% of a target density; that the multimodal polyethylene resin sample has a dynamic viscosity deviation (% MVD) from a target dynamic viscosity of less than about 100%; that the multimodal polyethylene resin sample has a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) deviation (% M.sub.wD) from a target M.sub.w of less than about 20%; and that the multimodal polyethylene resin sample has a gel permeation chromatography (GPC) curve profile deviation (% GPCD) from a target GPC curve profile of less than about 15%; and (c) responsive to step (b), designating the multimodal polyethylene resin sample as a high quality resin.

A reactor system for partial oxidation gasification includes a reactor vessel that has a defined reaction zone with a reaction zone inlet and a reaction zone outlet. An injector section is operable to inject reactants to the reaction zone inlet. A coolant injector is operable to inject a coolant adjacent a reaction zone outlet. A reactor vessel outlet is located downstream of the coolant injector. A controller is configured to operate the coolant injector with respect to cooling a synthesis gas discharged from the reaction zone outlet and upwardly shifting a ratio H.sub.2:CO to a target ratio.

A dual utilization liquid and gaseous fuel CPOX reformer that includes reaction zones for the CPOX reforming of liquid and gaseous reformable fuels. A reforming method is also provided. The method comprises reforming a first gaseous reformable reaction mixture comprising oxygen-containing gas and vaporized liquid fuel and before or after this step, reforming second gaseous reformable reaction mixture comprising oxygen-containing gas and gaseous fuel to produce a hydrogen-rich reformate.

A system and method combine a first reactant with a second reactant to create a reaction product. A first pump is in fluid communication with a reaction vessel and a source of the first reactant. A second pump is in fluid communication with the reaction vessel and a source of the second reactant. A gas sparger is located in the reaction vessel, and the gas sparger is in fluid communication with a gas source for providing gas to the reaction vessel. A controller is configured to execute a program stored in the controller to: (i) receive a sensor signal based on a force exerted by the reaction vessel in a direction toward the sensor, and (ii) operate the first pump and the second pump to deliver to the reaction vessel the first reactant and the second reactant thereby causing a reaction that creates the reaction product.

The invention relates to a neutralization plant (100) comprising at least one reaction chamber (102) having a first feed (114) for an acid-containing product and at least one further feed (116) for a base-containing product, wherein at least one of the feeds (114, 116) comprises at least one valve means (118, 120) for controlling the inflow amount into the reaction chamber (102), wherein the ion controller apparatus (104, 204, 205) comprises at least one evaluation device (106, 206) set up for determining at least one actual ion concentration based on an actual pH of the mixture (122) present in the reaction chamber (102) and wherein the ion controller apparatus (104, 204) comprises at least one ion controller device (108, 208) comprising at least one ion controller (110, 210.1, 210.2, 211) set up for controlling the valve means (118, 120) according to the actual ion concentration and a target ion concentration.

A plant or refinery may include equipment such as reactors, heaters, heat exchangers, regenerators, separators, or the like. Types of heat exchangers include shell and tube, plate, plate and shell, plate fin, air cooled, wetted-surface air cooled, or the like. Operating methods may impact deterioration in equipment condition, prolong equipment life, extend production operating time, or provide other benefits. Mechanical or digital sensors may be used for monitoring equipment, and sensor data may be programmatically analyzed to identify developing problems. For example, sensors may be used in conjunction with one or more system components to detect and correct maldistribution, cross-leakage, strain, pre-leakage, thermal stresses, fouling, vibration, problems in liquid lifting, conditions that can affect air-cooled exchangers, conditions that can affect a wetted-surface air-cooled heat exchanger, or the like. An operating condition or mode may be adjusted to prolong equipment life or avoid equipment failure.

A solid powder reactor includes: a reaction kettle, including a hollow kettle body and covers; an agitating device, including an agitating shaft and blades, wherein the agitating shaft is arranged in the kettle body and the blades are fixed on the agitating shaft; and a heating system, including a kettle body heater and an agitating heater, wherein the kettle body heater is fixed on the kettle body and the agitating heater is arranged on the agitating device. While the agitating device and the kettle body are driven to agitate, by a driving device fixedly arranged outside the reaction kettle, the heating system heats materials in the reactor. The present invention is applicable to solid reaction of solid powders. The materials containing attached water or not are both feasible, and the materials can directly enter the reactor and react. Compared with conventional solid reactors, the present invention increases the production efficiency.

A carbonylation process for producing acetic acid including: (a) carbonylating methanol or its reactive derivatives in the presence of a Group VIII metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter to produce a liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, water, methyl acetate and methyl iodide; (b) feeding the liquid reaction mixture at a feed temperature to a flash vessel which is maintained at a reduced pressure; (c) heating the flash vessel while concurrently flashing the reaction mixture to produce a crude product vapor stream, wherein the reaction mixture is selected and the flow rate of the reaction mixture fed to the flash vessel as well as the amount of heat supplied to the flash vessel is controlled such that the temperature of the crude product vapor stream is maintained at a temperature less than 90 F. cooler than the feed temperature of the liquid reaction mixture to the flasher and the concentration of acetic acid in the crude product vapor stream is greater than 70% by weight of the crude product vapor stream.