Potential feedstock

For example, in the case of light Arabian crude (Table 8.16), the sulfur content of the heavy gasoline, a potential feedstock for a catalytic reforming unit, is of 0.036 weight per cent while the maximum permissible sulfur content for maintaining catalyst service life is 1 ppm. It is therefore necessary to plan for a desulfurization pretreatment unit. Likewise, the sulfur content of the gas oil cut is 1.39% while the finished diesel motor fuel specification has been set for a maximum limit of 0.2% and 0.05% in 1996 (French specifications). 

The dominant role of petroleum in the chemical industry worldwide is reflected in the landscapes of, for example, the Ruhr Valley in Germany and the U.S. Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast, where petrochemical plants coimected by extensive and complex pipeline systems dot the countryside. Any movement to a different feedstock would require replacement not only of the chemical plants themselves, but of the expensive infrastmcture which has been built over the last half of the twentieth century. Moreover, because petroleum is a Hquid which can easily be pumped, change to any of the soHd potential feedstocks (like coal and biomass) would require drastic changes in feedstock handling systems. 

Synthesis Gas Generation Routes. Any hydrocarbon that can be converted into a synthesis gas by either reforming with steam (eq. 4) or gasification with oxygen (eq. 5) is a potential feedstock for methanol. 

It took a long time before Texaco considered plastic waste as a potential feedstock. However, with the... 

The preparation of polyester polyols from seed oils for the production of a variety of polyurethane products has been previously reported (1,2). The development of process and product technology that is sufficiently robust to compensate for inherent variability in products derived from natural resources is key to successful implementation. Product variability is primarily due to genetic variety in feedstocks and seasonal inconsistency, such as regional rainfall totals or pests and disease. Process technology that may be applied to a wide variety of potential feedstocks would be highly desirable. 

It is generally recognized that the best refining strategy involves the use of each potential feedstock and fraction in a way... 

Lignin is used in many industries. Unsulfonated lignins are used in the production of vanillin and dimethyl sulfoxide. Around 1.4 million tonnes of unsulfonated lignins are produced per annum and used in the polymer resin industry to manufacture plywood. Alkali treated lignins could also be a potential feedstock for polyurethane industries and used in the production of novel polyurethane composites. 

Alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) is a feedstock for the production of fuel, feed and other industrial materials. Alfalfa consists mainly of celluloses, hemicelluloses, lignin, pectin and proteins. Therefore, it is a potential feedstock for ethanol production and also other chemicals. 

Leonard et al. [43] have used a similar pseudo-kinetic model to predict yields from cracking coils under any operating conditions. Model parameters are obtained by means of bench scale experiments on the given feedstock. Thus, it is very easy both to evaluate a priori a potential feedstock and to determine simultaneously the corresponding optimum operating conditions. The first-order rate coefficient is calculated for the model compound n — Ci6H34. ... 

As animal fats are a potential feedstock for biodiesel production, Cummins et al. (142) assessed the danger of a human contracting CJD as a result of the use of tallow as a fuel in diesel engines. They concluded that the risk was several orders of magnitude less than the rate of spontaneous appearance of CJD. Thus, scientific analysis indicates that processed (i.e., rendered) animal fat is not an agent of transmission of BSE. Nonetheless, especially in the United Kingdom, the public remains skeptical. This has in some cases led to less use of animal fats in feed applications. Especially in the United Kingdom, the BSE epidemic has reduced the amount of domestically available tallow (because of condemnation) and increased the use of other lipids in place of animal fats. 

Many processes can be used to produce energy or gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels from virgin and waste biomass. In addition, chemicals can be produced from biomass by a wide range of processes. It is evident from the data and information presented in this chapter, however, that the characteristics of potential feedstocks, particularly their moisture and energy contents, can have profound effects on the utility of specific biomass species and waste biomass. Table 3.10 is a summary of the principal feedstock, process, and product types that are considered in developing a synfuel-from-biomass process. There are many interacting parameters and possible feedstock—process—product combinations, but not all are feasible from a practical standpoint. For example, the separation of small amounts of metals present in biomass and the direct... 

Since a large portion of a feedstock s equivalent energy content can be expended for drying, there is a balance between the cost of moisture removal, the incremental improvement in efficiency on conversion, and the advantages of handling drier feedstock. The key biomass property that should obviously be examined, in addition to conversion process requirements, is the moisture content of the fresh biomass, the methods available for its partial or total removal, and the effects, if any, on the properties of the remaining biomass. The moisture content of biomass is as variable as the multitude of biomass species available as potential feedstocks. 

Selected thermochemical syntheses are discussed here to show how the structural characteristics of biomass components can affect the methods chosen to manufacture a few specific commodity chemicals. The main components of biomass, the pentoses and hexoses from the polysaccharides and the lignins, lipids, and proteins, are examined as potential feedstocks. 

Reactor Type PDU Size Potential Feedstocks Product(s) Potential Applications Status... 

In addition to rayon, pitch, and PAN, many polymeric materials have been used to make carbon fibers. However, only the big three, rayon, pitch, and PAN, have endured the high-performance markets. Their price has dropped over the years, but remains high, accounting for over one-half of the production costs, too high for the GP markets. The literature supports that recycled petrochemical polymers and fibers and renewable cellulosics and lignins, which are inexpensive and widely available, may be potential feedstocks for GP carbon fibers. ... 

Another potential feedstock for ethanol production is the lignocellulosic biomass . Lignocellulosic biomass is the most plentiful of all naturally occurring organic compounds. It includes such materials as wood, herbaceous crops, agricultural and forestry residues, waste paper and paper products, pulp and paper mill waste, and municipal sohd waste. Unlike starchy materials, lignocellulosic biomass is structurally complex. The conversion of this material into ethanol has been the subject of intense study over the last 20 years. 

Production of orange and grapefruit juice generates large amounts of residues. These residues, mainly peel and segment membranes rich in carbohydrate, are potential feedstock for ethanol production. Upon hydrolysis, the residue gene-... 

Extensive performance testing has been carried out in pilot plants to determine the optimum process conditions, catalyst stability and product properties. A range of vegetable oils have been processed in the pilot plants, including soybean, rapeseed, palm and jatropha oil. Other potential feedstocks, including tallow and greases derived from animals, have been evaluated. 

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