The present invention provides a method for starting up a reactor for producing a hydrogen containing gas and subsequently maintaining the reactor at a working temperature, wherein a fuel cell is fluidly connected to the reactor downstream thereof and to a catalytic afterburner upstream thereof, the method comprising storing a hydrogen containing gas in a vessel; opening the vessel and releasing the hydrogen containing gas from the vessel; reacting the released hydrogen containing gas intermixed with an oxygen containing gas, preferably air, in a catalytic afterburner to create heat and a heated exhaust gas; introducing the heat and/or the heated exhaust gas to the reactor in order to heat the reactor to the working temperature; when the temperature of the reactor is higher than or equal to a predetermined temperature, feeding fuel to the reactor to generate hydrogen containing gas and introducing the generated hydrogen containing gas to the catalytic afterburner to further heat the reactor, wherein during start-up hydrogen containing gas bypasses the fuel cell and subsequently when the reactor has reached the working temperature the hydrogen containing gas flows through the fuel cell prior to being introduced into the catalytic afterburner. It furthermore provides a system for reforming a fuel.

A process of controlling hydroformylation reaction fluid temperature involves controlling the flow rate of reaction fluid through an external heat exchanger.

A process for reducing coke formation during hydrocarbon upgrading reactions using a double-wall reactor comprising the steps of feeding a heated feed water to a shell-side volume of the double-wall reactor to produce a heat transfer stream, the double-wall reactor comprising an exterior wall and an interior wall, a reaction section volume, a heating element configured to heat the heat transfer stream, wherein heat is transferred from the heat transfer stream to the reaction section volume, feeding the hot water return exiting the shell-side volume through a filter; mixing the filtered water stream with a heated hydrocarbon feedstock; feeding the mixed stream to the reaction section volume in a configuration counter-current to the heat transfer stream; reacting the reaction flow stream at a reaction temperature, wherein the heat transferred to the reaction section volume is operable to maintain the reaction temperature above the critical temperature of water.

A method and a system for producing synthesis gas, wherein process condensate is used to produce steam. To this end, steam is used to strip volatile impurities, in particular carbon dioxide, from the process condensate and then preferably convert the impurities together with flue gas and discharge them. Then a pH of at least 7.0 is preferably set by adding additives, the process condensate being evaporated and recycled as output steam for producing synthesis gas. In this way, it is possible to suppress the corrosive effect of the process condensate such that no, or less, corrosion-resistant stainless-steel must be used in the manufacture of the system components that come into contact with the process condensate. The steam used to strip the volatile impurities is preferably generated by heat from the synthesis gas and/or flue gas.

A system for hydrothermal reaction comprises a heater (3) including a circulating component for fluid flowing across and a heat source for heating fluid, and a reactor (4, 5) including a heat preserving container in communication with the circulating component via pipes. A method for hydrothermal reaction comprises heating the fluid including the reactant and water for hydrothermal reaction, and feeding the heated fluid to the heat preserving container to perform the hydrothermal reaction.

A system and method is provided for upgrading a continuously flowing process stream including heavy crude oil (HCO). A reactor receives the process stream in combination with water, at an inlet temperature within a range of about 60 C. to about 200 C. The reactor includes one or more process flow tubes having a combined length of about 30 times their aggregated transverse cross-sectional dimension, and progressively heats the process stream to an outlet temperature T(max)1 within a range of between about 260 C. to about 400 C. The reactor maintains the process stream at a pressure sufficient to ensure that it remains a single phase at T(max)1. A controller selectively adjusts the rate of flow of the process stream through the reactor to maintain a total residence time of greater than about 1 minute and less than about 25 minutes.

A process for reducing coke formation during hydrocarbon upgrading reactions using a double-wall reactor comprising the steps of feeding a heated feed water to a shell-side volume of the double-wall reactor to produce a heat transfer stream, the double-wall reactor comprising an exterior wall and an interior wall, a reaction section volume, a heating element configured to heat the heat transfer stream, wherein heat is transferred from the heat transfer stream to the reaction section volume, feeding the hot water return exiting the shell-side volume through a filter; mixing the filtered water stream with a heated hydrocarbon feedstock; feeding the mixed stream to the reaction section volume in a configuration counter-current to the heat transfer stream; reacting the reaction flow stream at a reaction temperature, wherein the heat transferred to the reaction section volume is operable to maintain the reaction temperature above the critical temperature of water.

A methane microporous carbon adsorbent comprising a thermally-treated CVD carbon having a shape in the form of a negative replica of a crystalline zeolite has a BET specific surface area, a micropore volume, a micropore to mesopore volume ratio, a stored methane value and a methane delivered value and a sequential carbon synthesis method for forming the methane microporous carbon adsorbent. Introducing an organic precursor gas for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) period to a crystalline zeolite that is maintained at a CVD temperature forms the carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing a non-reactive gas for a thermal treatment period to the carbon-zeolite composite maintained at a thermal treatment temperature forms the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing an aqueous strong mineral acid mixture to the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite forms the methane microporous carbon adsorbent.

A process includes periodically or continuously introducing an olefin monomer and periodically or continuously introducing a catalyst system or catalyst system components into a reaction mixture within a reaction system, oligomerizing the olefin monomer within the reaction mixture to form an oligomer product, and periodically or continuously discharging a reaction system effluent comprising the oligomer product from the reaction system. The reaction system includes a total reaction mixture volume and a heat exchanged portion of the reaction system comprising a heat exchanged reaction mixture volume and a total heat exchanged surface area providing indirect contact between the reaction mixture and a heat exchange medium. A ratio of the total heat exchanged surface area to the total reaction mixture volume within the reaction system is in a range from 0.75 in.sup.1 to 5 in.sup.1, and an oligomer product discharge rate from the reaction system is between 1.0 (lb)(hr.sup.1)(gal.sup.1) to 6.0 (lb)(hr.sup.1)(gal.sup.1).

A reservoir for one or more chemical reactants has means for heating the reactants and optional means for stirring the reactants. A pumped reactant feed line and a return line provide fluid communication between the reservoir and a 4-way valve system. The 4-way valve system is also in fluid communication with a reactor vessel and a source of inert gas for purging the system. In a first state, the 4-way valve provides fluid communication between the reservoir and the reactor. In a second state, the 4-way valve provides a continuous circulation path for the heated reactants from the reservoir, to the valve system, and back to the reservoir via the return line. In a third state, the 4-way valve provides a fluid pathway for purging the reactor with inert gas. In a fourth state, the 4-way valve provides a fluid pathway for purging the reservoir with inert gas.