A method for producing N-vinylacetamide includes a feeding step of feeding a raw material containing N-(1-methoxyethyl)acetamide (MEA) to an evaporator, an evaporation step of evaporating, by the evaporator, the raw material, to form a vaporized raw material, a superheating step of feeding the vaporized raw material to a superheater, and superheating the vaporized raw material such that a superheating temperature of the vaporized raw material is equal to or more than a temperature higher by 5° C. than a boiling point of the N-(1-methoxyethyl)acetamide (MEA) under an inner pressure of the superheater and equal to or less than 200° C., and a thermal decomposition step of feeding the superheated vaporized raw material to a thermal decomposition reactor, to thermally decompose the superheated vaporized raw material, and a content of the N-(1-methoxyethyl)acetamide in the raw material is from 80 to 100 mass %.

An apparatus and method for manufacturing solid particles based on inert gas evaporation. The method includes forming a continuous gaseous feed flow, and injecting the continuous gaseous feed flow through an inlet into a free-space region of a reactor chamber in the form of a feed jet flow, and forming at least one continuous jet flow of a cooling fluid and injecting the at least one jet flow of cooling fluid into the reaction chamber. The feed jet flow is made by passing the feed flow at a pressure above the reactor chamber pressure in the range from 0.01.Math.10.sup.5 to 20.Math.10.sup.5 Pa through an injection nozzle. The jet flow of cooling fluid is made by passing the cooling fluid through an injection nozzle which directs the jet flow of cooling fluid such that it intersects the feed jet flow with an intersection angle between 30 and 150°.

A process for dehydrating an ethanol feedstock to give ethylene, includes:

a) a vaporization stage;

b) a heating stage;

c) a dehydration stage in a multitubular reactor comprising tubes having a length of between 2 and 4 m, said tubes comprising a, preferably zeolitic, dehydration catalyst, the feedstock having an inlet temperature of greater than 400° C. and less than 550° C. and an inlet pressure of between 0.8 and 1.8 MPa, the heat transfer fluid having an inlet temperature of greater than 430° C. and less than 550° C. and a mass flow rate such that the ratio of the mass flow rates of the heat transfer fluid relative to the feedstock is greater than or equal to 10;

d) separation into an effluent comprising ethylene and an aqueous effluent;

e) purification of the aqueous effluent and separation of a stream of purified water and a stream of unconverted ethanol.

A process for dehydrating an ethanol feedstock to give ethylene, includes: a) a vaporization stage; b) a heating stage; c) a dehydration stage in a multitubular reactor comprising tubes having a length of between 2 and 4 m, said tubes comprising a, preferably zeolitic, dehydration catalyst, the feedstock having an inlet temperature of greater than 400° C. and less than 550° C. and an inlet pressure of between 0.8 and 1.8 MPa, the heat transfer fluid having an inlet temperature of greater than 430° C. and less than 550° C. and a mass flow rate such that the ratio of the mass flow rates of the heat transfer fluid relative to the feedstock is greater than or equal to 10; d) separation into an effluent comprising ethylene and an aqueous effluent; e) purification of the aqueous effluent and separation of a stream of purified water and a stream of unconverted ethanol.

The invention relates to a method for polymerizing acrylates using a reactor (50). Reaction heat produced in the reactor (50) is discharged via a boiling cooler (40) in that gaseous vapors produced in the reactor (50) are supplied to the boiling cooler (40), and condensed vapors are returned to the reactor (50) from the boiling cooler (40). At least one component containing acrylate is at least partly added via the boiling cooler (40) and reaches the reactor (50) via the boiling cooler (40). The invention additionally relates to a system for polymerizing an acrylate, comprising a reactor (50) and a boiling cooler (40) for discharging reaction heat produced in the reactor (50). The boiling cooler (40) has at least one filling opening (46) for supplying at least one component containing acrylate.

The invention relates to a process for the start-up of an autothermal reformer, wherein syngas is produced in the autothermal reformer during start-up through steam reforming. To facilitate autoignition in the autothermal reformer reactor of the autothermal reformer, the reformed syngas is recycled to an upstream section of the autothermal reformer reactor and is mixed with process steam and a hydrocarbon containing process stream. As soon as a minimum hydrogen threshold concentration at the upstream section of the autothermal reformer reactor is reached in the mixed process stream, oxygen is added to the burner of the ATR reactor to obtain autoignition of the mixed process stream. Due to the process of the invention, an external hydrogen source for facilitating autoignition of the mixed stream can be omitted. The invention further relates to a plant configured to carry out the process of the invention.

Described herein are catalytic heating systems, comprising catalytic reactors and dual-mode fuel evaporators, and methods of operating such systems. A dual-mode fuel evaporator is thermally coupled to a catalytic reactor and comprises an electric heater used for preheating the evaporator to at least a fuel-flow threshold temperature. Upon reaching this threshold, the liquid fuel, such as ethanol or methanol, is flown into the evaporator and evaporates therein, forming vaporized fuel. The vaporized fuel is mixed with oxidant, and the mixture is flown into the catalytic reactor where the vaporized fuel undergoes catalytic exothermic oxidation. At least some heat, generated in the catalytic reactor, is transferred to the evaporator and used for the evaporation of additional fuel. When the evaporator reaches or exceeds its operating threshold, the electric heater can be turned off and all heat is supplied to the evaporator from the catalytic reactor.

The present invention proposes a plant (110) for producing reaction products. The plant (110) comprises at least a preheater (114). The plant (110) comprises at least one raw material supply (118) which is adapted for supplying at least one raw material to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for preheating the raw material to a predetermined temperature. The plant (110) comprises at least one electrically heatable reactor (122). The electrically heatable reactor (122) is adapted for at least partially converting the preheated raw material into reaction products and byproducts. The plant (110) comprises at least one heat integration apparatus (132) which is adapted for at least partially supplying the byproducts to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for at least partially utilizing energy required for preheating the raw material from the byproducts.

A method for determining polymer concentration can include synthesizing a polymer in a reactor under a set of parameters, wherein the reactor comprises a solution mixture having a refractive index, and wherein the solution mixture comprises a solvent, a polymer, and optionally a monomer, wherein the solution mixture has a polymer concentration; measuring the refractive index of the solution mixture; comparing the refractive index of the solution mixture with a calibration curve; and identifying the polymer concentration in the solution mixture. A system for determining polymer concentration can include a reactor containing a solution mixture comprising a solvent, a polymer, and optionally a monomer; a flash vessel fluidly coupled to the reactor to receive the solution mixture from the reactor; and a first refractometer fluidly coupled to the reactor, placed between the reactor and the flash vessel, and configured to measure a refractive index of the solution mixture.

The invention relates to a use of a fluorination gas, and the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is preferably present in a high concentration, for example, in a concentration of elemental fluorine (F.sub.2), especially of equal to much higher than 15% or even 20% by volume, and to a process for the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene derivative starting from benzoic acid derivative by direct fluorination employing a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is preferably present in a high concentration, and subsequent decarboxylation of the benzoic acid hypofluorite derivative obtained by direct fluorination. The process of the invention is also directed to the manufacture of a benzoic acid hypofluorite derivative by direct fluorination of benzoic acid derivative. Especially the invention is of interest in the preparation of fluorinated benzene derivative, final products and as well intermediates, for usage in agro-, pharma-, electronics-, catalyst, solvent and other functional chemical applications.