Hydrogenation industrial plants

Ferreira-Aparicio, P., Benito, M.J., and Sanz, J.L. New trends in reforming technologies From hydrogen industrial plants to multifuel microreformers. Catalysis Reviews, 2005, 47, 491. 

This study investigated risks to the public from serious accidents which could occur at the industrial facilities in this part of Essex, U.K. Results are expressed as risk to an individual and societal risk from both existing and proposed installations. Risk indices were also determined for modified versions of the facilities to quantify the risk reduction from recommendations in the report. Nine industrial plants were analyzed along with hazardous material transport by water, road, rail and pipeline. The potential toxic, fire and explosion hazards were assessed for flammable liquids, ammonia, LPG, LNG, and hydrogen fluoride (HE). The 24 appendices to the report cover various aspects of the risk analysis. These include causes and effects of unconfined... 

In the minds of many, especially those who have not had the opportunity to use it, catalytic hydrogenation has acquired an aura of mystery the choice of catalyst seems capricious, operating conditions arbitrary, catalyst preparation secret, and the working of the catalyst unfathomable. It is the purpose of this work to meet these objections to provide rationale for choice of catalyst and conditions to acquaint the reader with catalysts, equipment, and procedure and to impart the conviction that hydrogenation is a powerful, readily handled, broad-scoped procedure of general utility for synthesis in both laboratory and industrial plant. 

In 1991 at Hanau, Frankfurt (Germany), a tank of 100 m3 hydrogen pressurized at 45 bars burst when stored outdoors in an industrial plant. The shock wave and the missiles of the tank shell caused heavy damage on the plant units. Investigations showed that welding in the metallic shell suffered from extensive cracks from the inner side to the outside. Likely, the comers along the welding caused concentration of stresses so that the first cracks... 

The intrusive hydrogen probe (IHP-200) shown in Fig. 29 can be placed in access fittings in industrial plants (pressure vessels, pipelines) and withstands pressures up to 200 bar. It is typically used to monitor the efficiency of measures taken to diminish the risks of hydrogen damage (use of inhibitors, H2S scavengers, etc.). 

Approximately 95% of the H2 produced in industry is synthesized and consumed in industrial plants that manufacture other chemicals. The largest single consumer of hydrogen is the Haber process for synthesizing ammonia (Sections 13.6-13.10) ... 

This contrasts with the man-made chemistry of the laboratory and the industrial plant, which often employs the more reactive, but less readily accessible, second- and third-row transition elements. For example, nature chose nickel for the active site of many hydrogenases. Catalytic hydrogenations in the laboratory, on the other hand, are usually performed with palladium or platinum on charcoal. 

Larger hydrogen-generating plants are marketed by Hydrogenics Corporation. These units have generating capacities from 1 to 120 Nm3/h (2-240 kg/d) of H2 at pressures from 10 to 25 bar (145-362 psi). The power consumption of these units is around 4.9 kWh/Nm3 (54.8 kWh/kg), and the transportable generator is suitable for industrial outdoor installations. 

Other applications include industrial safety monitoring, primarily in semiconductor plants, metals processing and hydrogen generation plants. A series of agreements for beta testing are in negotiation for these markets. 

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