Reactors
Utilizing pilot plant operations for new chemical process technology development: A roadmap to scale up success and commercial plant safety
To demonstrate a new chemical process technology (flowsheet, raw materials, product) or improve an existing one, pilot plants are designed and operated at a scale between laboratory benchtop and commercial scale—often with specific goals for operability, product quality, economics and process safety. Identifying where potential safety, technical risks or uncertainties may occur is always a key goal in evaluating a new process.
The purification of benzoic acid using dividing wall columns
In one recent project for a customer based in Asia, the authors’ company suggested the combination of distillation and crystallization techniques to obtain high-quality purified benzoic acid. Encouraged by the successful startup of this processing train, the customer began to schedule a second project. The authors’ company was asked to optimize the purification process to improve cost and operational efficiencies. The two existing columns, which remove lights and heavies, respectively, from the crude benzoic acid feedstock were investigated to identify key opportunities. The feasibility study based on the feed composition confirmed that the existing columns could be converted into a single dividing wall column (DWC).
The attractive market opportunity for synthetic graphite: Graphite as an energy transition material (4)
Given the attractive demand projection, investors must understand the benefits and return on investment for natural and synthetic graphite routes. This article establishes the pros and cons for each, and specifically highlights the emerging opportunity for upgrading and repurposing smaller petcoke units to needle coke units, therefore contributing to fulfilling the rising demand for synthetic graphite.
Utilize a hydrogen reactions lab to optimize renewable fuels processing
Leading technology developers in the refining space are utilizing various catalysts to enhance the adjusted reaction chemistry, but this does not directly address how to optimize hydrogen utilization for the hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization/cracking processing steps. To ensure the right equipment outlay and calibration for these hydrogenation applications, replicating the process in a lab setting can help identify efficiencies and yield improvements for a fraction of the cost that a refiner would incur attempting to achieve that optimization through modifications at commercial scale.
Meet gasoline quality and process safety requirements through new alkylation technologies
The catalytic alkylation process is very attractive to countries with high gasoline consumption and a sizable availability of LPG. This process can produce high-octane gasoline with low levels of contaminants, although there are high capital investment and operational costs associated with this technology.
Digital Feature: Truly effective reliability requires predictive maintenance
To navigate this new world, organizations must find ways to bring in new technologies to support the limited personnel they have, but without increasing the complexity of those people’s jobs or overwhelming them with raw data they are not trained to use. The solution is to implement a predictive maintenance technology plan founded on a boundless automation vision of seamlessly moving contextualized data wherever it is needed.
Mitsubishi Chemical to conduct studies on chemical recycling of tires using coke ovens
The Mitsubishi Chemical Group has launched studies to perform chemical recycling of end-of-life (ELT) tires by utilizing the coke ovens at its Kagawa plant (Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture). The MCG Group aims to begin marketing sustainable carbon black made from ELTs by March 2026.
EDL awarded contract for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash using a new process technology
EDL Anlagenbau Gesellschaft mbH has been awarded a contract for project management and engineering services for a phosphorus recovery plant by Phosphorgewinnung Schkopau GmbH. The company is developing the world's first plant for phosphorus recovery using the innovative Ash2®Phos process developed by EasyMining.
Petronet LNG selects Lummus' Novolen Technology for new, large-scale plant in India
Petronet LNG will license Lummus' Novolen® polypropylene technology for a new 500.000-tpy plant in Dahej, Gujarat, India.
VTT opens a pilot plant in Finland utilizing captured CO2 to produce recyclable plastics
VTT, LUT University and companies have opened a pilot plant in Espoo, Finland, to process captured CO2 into compounds that can replace fossil raw materials in plastic products and chemicals.
- ExxonMobil plans 1 Blbs/yr of advanced recycling by 2027 11/22
- Gauging the likely Trump effect on U.S. energy and power sectors 11/22
- Russia's Lukoil restoring cracker at NORSI refinery, gasoline output rising 11/22
- Nigeria's local currency crude sales fall short of target, Dangote refinery says 11/22
- U.S. October gasoline imports hit post-pandemic low on slump in European shipments 11/22
- Clean Hydrogen Works awards McDermott FEED contract for Ascension Clean Energy (ACE) project 11/21
