A furnace and a process for temperature control of a material stream, wherein the furnace has a first combustion chamber, at least one reactor tube for receiving the material stream to be heated, and at least one second combustion chamber. The at least one reactor tube extends through the first combustion chamber and through the at least one second combustion chamber. The furnace is designed to establish a first temperature in the first combustion chamber and a second temperature in the at least one second combustion chamber, wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are separately adjustable.

Systems and methods for monitoring a particle/fluid mixture are provided. The method can include flowing a mixture comprising charged particles and a fluid past a particle accumulation probe. The method can also include measuring electrical signals detected by the probe as some charged particles pass the probe without contacting the probe while other charged particles contact the probe. The measured electrical signals can be manipulated to provide an output. The method can also include determining from the output if the charged particles contacting the probe have, on average, a different charge than the charged particles that pass the probe without contacting the probe.

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.

Polyolefin polymerization performed by contacting in a reactor an olefin monomer and optionally a comonomer with a catalyst system in the presence of induced condensing agents (ICA) and optionally hydrogen. The ICA may include two or more ICA components where the composition of the ICA (i.e., the concentration of each ICA component) may affect the polyolefin production rate. Changes to the relative concentration of the two or more ICA components may be according to ICA equivalency factors that allow for increasing the polyolefin production rate while maintain a sticking temperature, increasing polyolefin production rate while increasing the dew point approach temperature of the ICA, or a combination thereof.

The systems and method of the invention involve hydrochlorination by providing feed streams with suitable reaction conditions through reactant stream conditioning systems and components. The conditioning systems facilitate vaporization of silicon tetrachloride in gaseous hydrogen to produce a reactant stream comprising hydrogen that is saturated with silicon tetrachloride. Saturation can be effected without the use of superheated steam or hot oil by utilizing saturated steam that is less than about 15 bar. The saturated reactant stream can be further heated to reaction conditions that effect conversion to trichlorosilane.

In a method for monitoring a chemical reaction in a continuously operated reactor with at least one tube section, wherein the reactor has an intake, an outlet and a main flow direction running between the intake and the outlet, substances are supplied to the reactor via the intake and a product mixture made up of these substances and the solidified products thereof is created in the reactor. The reaction is monitored and measures are taken to prevent an uncontrolled reaction process, wherein these measures comprise at least the following steps: interruption of the intake and outlet, active pressure relief of the reactor and flushing of the reactor with an inert substance. This facilitates a safe and efficient interruption of the chemical reaction.

A device for carrying out a chemical reaction by a continuous method has a reactor with at least two reactor sections which define a direction of flow. The reactor has plug flow properties along the direction of flow. A recirculation line is present to withdraw a partial flow from the reactor at a first point and return it to the reactor at a second point located above the first point in the direction of flow. Means are provided which prevent a temperature increase in the reactor over a predetermined temperature range, for example change of more than approximately 50 K.

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; and (b) feeding the liquid reaction mixture at a feed temperature to a flash vessel which is maintained at a reduced pressure.

The number of small gels that form in polyolefin thin films may be reduced by altering certain production parameters of the polyolefin. In some instances, the number of small gels may be influenced by the melt index of the polyolefin. However, in many instances, melt index is a critical part of the polyolefin product specification and, therefore, is not manipulated. Two parameters that may be manipulated to mitigate small gel count while maintaining the melt index are polyolefin residence time in the reactor and ICA concentration in the reactor.

A chemical reactor (e.g. reformer reactor) system includes a manifold (126) for management of a flow of gaseous reaction medium thereto. Manifold (126) includes manifold housing (128) defining manifold chamber (129) and having at least one additional component selected from: a gas distributor (127); a heater; and a cavity having a seal within or adjacent to it.