Recycle rate

Of the 200 million tons of municipal solid waste collected in the United States in 1993 (1), 22% was recycled while 62% was placed in landfills and 16% incinerated (2). Plastics comprised 9.3% of these materials. The number of U.S. residential collection programs increased from 1,000 in 1988 to more than 7,000 involving more than 100 million people in 1993 (2). Approximate 1994 U.S. recycling rates are given in Table 1. 

The future success of recyling largely depends on how governments respond to the problems described above. There are serious questions as to whether it is wise for the government to interefere further in recycling markets. Indeed, in many instances, collection programs should be scaled back to collect only those materials for which there is demand. Moreover, recycling rates should not be the proxy for how well society utilizes its resources. The... 

Shredding operations may also include apphances (white goods) which are being recycled in increasing quantities at least partiy because of the banning of apphances from landfills in many states. The recycling rate for apphances in 1994 was 70% compared to 62% in 1993 when 1.4 million t of ferrous scrap was recovered from 36 million apphances. The recycling rate was 55% in 1992 (10,11). 

The State of New Jersey s Mandatory Recycling Act requked counties and municipalities to recycle 60% of the municipal soUd waste stream by 1995 (1). Although the law does not requke curbside collection systems, this is by far the most popular recycling collection method in New Jersey. By 1993, New Jersey reached a 46% recycling rate and led the United States in recycling. 

The variety of designs in use for MRFs in the United States results in different quality products. As recycling rates increase, new facilities are buUt. For glass separation, the foUowing devices are typically utilized. 

Consider other methods if recycle rates are high, ie, >3-5 times feed rate. 

C, 0.356—1.069 m H2/L (2000—6000 fU/bbl) of Hquid feed, and a space velocity (wt feed per wt catalyst) of 1—5 h. Operation of reformers at low pressure, high temperature, and low hydrogen recycle rates favors the kinetics and the thermodynamics for aromatics production and reduces operating costs. However, all three of these factors, which tend to increase coking, increase the deactivation rate of the catalyst therefore, operating conditions are a compromise. More detailed treatment of the catalysis and chemistry of catalytic reforming is available (33—35). Typical reformate compositions are shown in Table 6. 

These processes are aH characterized by low isobutane conversion to achieve high isobutylene selectivity. The catalytic processes operate at conversions of 45—55% for isobutane. The Coastal process also operates at 45—55% isobutane conversion to minimize the production of light ends. This results in significant raw material recycle rates and imposing product separation sections. 

The older internal recycle reactors of Berty et al (1969), and Berty (1974) are shown on Figures 2.4.3 a, b. The reactor of Romer and Luft (1974) uses no mechanical moving parts. The recirculation is generated by the feed gas as it expands through a nozzle. A major disadvantage of using a jet is that feed rate and recirculation rate are not independent. Due to the low efficiency of jet pumps, recycle rates are quite low. 

The RR developed by the author at UCC was the only one that had a high recycle rate with a reasonably known internal flow (Berty, 1969). This original reactor was named later after the author as the Berty Reactor . Over five hundred of these have been in use around the world over the last 30 years. The use of Berty reactors for ethylene oxide process improvement alone has resulted in 300 million pounds per year increase in production, without addition of new facilities (Mason, 1966). Similar improvements are possible with many other catalytic processes. In recent years a new blower design, a labyrinth seal between the blower and catalyst basket, and a better drive resulted in an even better reactor that has the registered trade name of ROTOBERTY . ... 

Another important use of correlations is the optimization of existing unit operations. Cat cracking correlations can provide the refiner with valuable information for optimizing reactor temperature level, gasoline/distillate cut point, and feed and recycle rates. The practical application of this information can mean increased profitability for the cat cracking operation. 

The extent to which each of the above reactions occur is strongly influenced by feed quality and the levels selected for the major process variables pressure, temperature, recycle rate, and frequency of regeneration. From a process viewpoint, these variables affect catalyst requirement, gasoline yield, and coke make. 

A large quantity of hydrogen-rich separator gas is normally recycled with the feed stream. Recycle rates may vary from 2,000 to 10,000 MSCF/B. The recycle gas serves to suppress catalyst coke make but normally has relatively little direct effect on gasoline yields or catalyst requirement. However, at lower recycle levels, where an increase in recycle rate may significantly increase reactor hydrogen partial pressure, the effect is similar to a small increase in total... 

In another example Newby et al. [6] calculated a cycle with the reformer operating at comparable pressure and temperature but with a higher recycling rate of 1.7, leading to a conversion rate of a = 0.56 (this is closer to the conversion rate of Lloyd s steam/TCR cycle, a = 0.373, described in the last section). A thermal efficiency of 38.7% is claimed for this FG/TCR cycle, slightly greater than the simple CBT cycle efficiency of 35.7% but much less than the calculated efficiency for the steam/TCR cycle (48.7%) and a comparable STIG cycle (45.6%). 

The primary process variables affecting the economics of sulfuric acid alkylation are the reaction temperature, isobutane recycle rate, reactor space velocity, and spent acid strength. To control fresh acid makeup, spent acid could be monitored by continuously measuring its density, the flow rate, and its temperature. This can reduce the acid usage in alkyla-tion units. 

Early FCC units had soft catalyst and inefficient cyclones with substantial carryover of catalyst to the main column where it was absorbed in the bottoms. Those FCC units controlled catalyst losses two ways. First, they used high recycle rates to return slurry to the reactor. Second, the slurry product was routed through slurry settlers. 

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