The invention relates to a method of closed-loop control of the temperature in a chemical engineering apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401), in which, in a primary circuit (102, 202, 302, 402), a liquid is conveyed out of the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401), fed at least partly to a heat transferer (103, 203, 303, 403) and recycled at least partly back to the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401), where the heat transferer (103, 203, 303, 403) is cooled or heated by a heat transfer medium in a secondary circuit (104, 204, 304, 404), comprising the steps of: providing a target value for the temperature of the liquid in the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401), detecting an actual value for the temperature of the liquid in the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401) and calculating the temperature difference between the actual value and the target value of the liquid in the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401).
According to the invention, a heat flow taken from or added to the liquid in the primary circuit (102, 202, 302, 402) by the heat transferer (103, 203, 303, 403) is ascertained, a control signal is calculated on the basis of a defined closed-loop control algorithm, where the closed-loop control algorithm is configured such that the control signal is dependent on the heat flow and the temperature difference between the actual value and the target value of the liquid in the apparatus (101, 201, 301, 401), and the flow rate of the stream of liquid through the heat transferer (103, 203, 303, 403) in the primary circuit (102, 202, 302, 402) and/or a flow rate of the heat transfer medium through the heat transferer in the secondary circuit (104, 204, 304, 404) is/are manipulated on the basis of the control signal.

A liquid fuel reformer (400) includes a fuel vaporizer (415) which utilizes heat from an upstream source of heat, specifically, an electric heater (406), operable in the start-up mode of the reformer (400), and therefore independent of the reforming reaction zone of the reformer, to vaporize fuel in a downstream vaporization zone.

Systems and methods conducive to the formation of one or more alkene hydrocarbons using a methane source and an oxidant in an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reaction are provided. One or more vessels each containing one or more catalyst beds containing one or more catalysts each having similar or differing chemical composition or physical form may be used. The one or more catalyst beds may be operated under a variety of conditions. At least a portion of the catalyst beds may be operated under substantially adiabatic conditions. At least a portion of the catalyst beds may be operated under substantially isothermal conditions.

Integrated liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer and fuel cell systems can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer also can include a vaporizer, one or more igniters, and a source of liquid reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the liquid fuel CPOX reactor unit.

System and methods for plasma treatment of a fluidized bed of particles are disclosed. The systems include an energy coupling zone configured to generate a plasma from microwave radiation and an interface element configured to propagate the plasma from the energy coupling zone to a reaction zone. The reaction zone is configured to receive the plasma, receive a plurality of reactant particles in a fluidization plane direction from a fluidization assembly positioned below the reaction zone, and form a product in presence of the plasma. The fluidization plane is substantially perpendicular to the propagated plasma.

A controllable, continuous-feed system and process for the reduction or depolymerization of organic materials using microwave energy in a reducing, substantially oxygen-reduced atmosphere. The microwave energy is generated by a plurality of magnetrons in a microwave tunnel. Gaseous products may be extracted from the microwave tunnel for recycling and/or analysis. A collector such as a liquid trap may be used to separately collect floating and sinking constituents of the solid products while preventing the escape of the reducing atmosphere from the system.

The invention provides a process for endothermic gas phase reaction in a reactor, in which reactant gases are introduced into the reactor via a gas inlet apparatus and distributed homogeneously into a heating zone by means of a gas distribution apparatus, wherein the reactant gases are heated in the heating zone to a mean temperature of 500-1500 C. by means of heating elements and then conducted into a reaction zone, the reactant gases reacting in the reaction zone to give a product gas which is conducted out of the reactor via a gas outlet apparatus. Further subject matter of the invention relates to a process for endothermic gas phase reaction in a reactor, wherein the heating of the heating elements is controlled by temperature measurements in the reaction zone, at least two temperature sensors being present in the reaction zone for this purpose, and reactor for performance of the process.

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include methods of improving the activity of an at least partially non-active Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalyst in a tubular FT reactor, which includes heating a heat transfer fluid (HTF) to a vapor state, using the heated HTF in the vapor state to achieve and maintain the at least partially non-active FT catalyst at a predetermined stage temperature; and exposing the at least partially non-active FT catalyst to at least one stage FT catalyst activity-related gas for a stage duration of time to increase the activity of the FT catalyst to a desired level. Other methods, systems and apparatuses are also disclosed.

Integrated liquid fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer and fuel cell systems can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. The liquid fuel CPOX reformer also can include a vaporizer, one or more igniters, and a source of liquid reformable fuel. The hydrogen-rich reformate can be converted to electricity within a fuel cell unit integrated with the liquid fuel CPOX reactor unit.

A gaseous fuel catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reformer can include a plurality or an array of spaced-apart CPOX reactor units, each reactor unit including an elongate tube having a wall with internal and external surfaces, the wall enclosing an open gaseous flow passageway with at least a portion of the wall having CPOX catalyst disposed therein and/or comprising its structure. The catalyst-containing wall structure and open gaseous flow passageway enclosed thereby define a gaseous phase CPOX reaction zone, the catalyst-containing wall section being gas-permeable to allow gaseous CPOX reaction mixture to diffuse therein and hydrogen-rich product reformate to diffuse therefrom. At least the exterior surface of a CPOX reaction zone of a CPOX reactor unit can include a hydrogen barrier. The gaseous fuel CPOX reformer also can include one or more igniters, and a source of gaseous reformable fuel.