Devices and methods for controlling the properties of chemical species during time-dependent processes. A device includes a reactor for containing one or more chemical species of a time-dependent process, an extraction pump for automatically and continuously extracting an amount of the one or more chemical species from the reactor, one or more detectors for measuring property changes of the one or more extracted chemical species and generating a continuous stream of data related to the one or more property changes to the one or more chemical species during a time interval, and a process controller configured to fit the continuous stream of data to a mathematical function to predict one or more properties of the one or more chemical species at a future time point and make one or more process decisions based on the prediction of one or more properties at the future time point.

An actuator is provided that includes a housing, a linear actuating shaft disposed within the housing, a piston coupled with the shaft, and a fluid barrier disposed on an end of the shaft and encircled by the piston. The piston is movable longitudinally between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration upon rotation of the shaft. The fluid barrier engages an inner surface of the piston preventing fluid communication across the fluid barrier. The fluid barrier has a shaft engaging side which receives the shaft and a fluid facing side. A cavity is formed between the piston and the fluid facing side and expands when the piston moves to the extended configuration and contracts when the piston moves to the retracted configuration. A port is disposed in the piston and extends from the cavity to external the piston thereby permitting fluid communication between the cavity and external the piston.

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 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).

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.

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.

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 elongated tube having a gas-permeable wall with internal and external surfaces. The wall encloses an unobstructed gaseous flow passageway. At least a portion of the wall has 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 CPOX reactor unit.

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 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 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.