Combined Operating License

Following a selection of a particular plant technology, a much more detailed site investigation is conducted to either update the ESP SAR or prepare a new S AR for a Combined Operating License Application (COLA). 

Nuclear reactors are to be sited in a manner that gives adequate protection for health and safety of the public and on-site workers and co-located workers at adjacent facilities in accordance with uniform standards, guides, and codes which are consistent with those applied to comparable licensed nuclear facilities and the non-nuclear industry. A DOE facility located near other facilities shall be designed to ensure that the cumulative effects of their combined operations will not constitute an unacceptable risk to health and safety of workers and the public. Specific site evaluation criteria are provided in DOE N 5480.6 (Article 128), DOE 5400.5, DOE 5480.6, and DOE 5480.28. 

Two options are being developed at the moment. The first is to produce 1,2-propanediol (propylene glycol) from glycerol. 1,2-Propanediol has a number of industrial uses, including as a less toxic alternative to ethylene glycol in anti-freeze. Conventionally, 1,2-propanediol is made from a petrochemical feedstock, propylene oxide. The new process uses a combination of a copper-chromite catalyst and reactive distillation. The catalyst operates at a lower temperature and pressure than alternative systems 220°C compared to 260°C and 10 bar compared to 150 bar. The process also produces fewer by-products, and should be cheaper than petrochemical routes at current prices for natural glycerol. The first commercial plant is under construction and the process is being actively licensed to other companies. 

CDHydro [Catalytic distillation hydrogenation] A process for hydrogenating diolefins in butylene feedstocks. It combines hydrogenation with fractional distillation. Developed by CDTECH, a partnership between Chemical Research Licensing Company and ABB Lummus Crest. The first plant was built at Shell s Norco, LA, site in 1994. Ten units were operating in 1997. 

Cumox [Cumene oxidation] A process for making acetone and phenol by oxidizing cumene, based on the Hock process. This version was further developed and licensed by UOR Three plants were operating in 1986. UOP now licenses the Allied-UOP Phenol process, which combines the best features of Cumox and a related process developed by the Allied Chemical Corporation. 

PACT [Powdered activated carbon treatment] A wastewater treatment process which combines activated carbon treatment with biological treatment, providing a single-stage treatment of toxic liquid wastes. Developed by DuPont in the 1970s at its Chambers Works, Deepwater, NJ, and now licensed by U.S. Filter/Zimpro. More than 50 units were operating in 1990. 

Remet [Reforming methanol] A process for making high-purity methanol by a combination of steam reforming and PSA. Licensed by Tokyo Gas Company and Tokyo Cryogenic Industries Company. Two units were operating in 1990. 

Total Isomerization Also called TIP. An integrated process which combines light paraffin isomerization, using a zeolite catalyst, with the IsoSiv process, which separates the unconverted normal paraffins so that they can be returned to the reactor. Developed by Union Carbide Corporation and now licensed by UOP. The first plant was operated in Japan in 1975 by 1992, more than 25 units had been licensed. 

Processes for the polymerization of hydrocarbon gases to motor fuel were developed to a commercial level in the early 1930 s. Thermal polymerization plants, employing temperatures of 900° to 1200° F. and pressures of 60 to 3000 pounds per square inch, were developed first, closely followed by catalytic units operating at temperatures of 280° to 475° F. and pressures of 200 to T 200 pounds per square inch. Currently, thermal polymerization finds its greatest application in combination with thermal reforming of naphtha. Catalytic polymerization has proved highly successful, as is indicated by the fact that one company alone has licensed over 150 plants to date. 

Developments Outside Germany, In the late 1930s experimental work in England (29—31) led to the erection of large pilot facilities for Fischer-Tropsch studies (32). In France, a commercial facility near Calais produced ca 150 m3 (940 bbl) of liquid hydrocarbons per day. In Japan, two full-scale plants were also operated under Ruhrchemie license. Combined capacity was ca 400 m3 (2500 bbl) of liquids per day. 

Traditionally, ethanol has been made from ethylene by sulfation followed by hydrolysis of the ethyl sulfate so produced. This type of process has the disadvantages of severe corrosion problems, the requirement for sulfuric acid reconcentration, and loss of yield caused by ethyl ether formation. Recently a successful direct catalytic hydration of ethylene has been accomplished on a commercial scale. This process, developed by Veba-Chemie in Germany, uses a fixed bed catalytic reaction system. Although direct hydration plants have been operated by Shell Chemical and Texas Eastman, Veba claims technical and economic superiority because of new catalyst developments. Because of its economic superiority, it is now replacing the sulfuric acid based process and has been licensed to British Petroleum in the United Kingdom, Publicker Industries in the United States, and others. By including ethanol dehydrogenation facilities, Veba claims that acetaldehyde can be produced indirectly from ethylene by this combined process at costs competitive with the catalytic oxidation of ethylene. 

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