Slurry-phase systems

With slurry-phase systems, the mixing capability is increased until the reaction rate is independent of mixing - external gradients are then assumed to be gone. With gas/solid reactions in a CSTR, the internal recycle rate or the spinning speed of the catalyst basket can be increased to eliminate external gradients [9-11]. A Damkohler number can then be estimated to see if fj is sufficiently close to unity. 

The use of a fluidized-bed reactor is possible only when the reactants are essentiaUy in the gaseous phase. Eluidized-beds are not suitable for middle distiUate synthesis, where a heavy wax is formed. Eor gasoline synthesis processes like the MobU MTG process and the Synthol process, such reactors are especiaUy suitable when frequent or continuous regeneration of the catalyst is required. Slurry reactors and ebuUiating-bed reactors comprising a three-phase system with very fine catalyst are, in principle, suitable for middle distiUate and wax synthesis, but have not been appHed on a commercial scale. 

The terminal R groups can be aromatic or aliphatic. Typically, they are derivatives of monohydric phenoHc compounds including phenol and alkylated phenols, eg, /-butylphenol. In iaterfacial polymerization, bisphenol A and a monofunctional terminator are dissolved in aqueous caustic. Methylene chloride containing a phase-transfer catalyst is added. The two-phase system is stirred and phosgene is added. The bisphenol A salt reacts with the phosgene at the interface of the two solutions and the polymer "grows" into the methylene chloride. The sodium chloride by-product enters the aqueous phase. Chain length is controlled by the amount of monohydric terminator. The methylene chloride—polymer solution is separated from the aqueous brine-laden by-products. The facile separation of a pure polymer solution is the key to the interfacial process. The methylene chloride solvent is removed, and the polymer is isolated in the form of pellets, powder, or slurries. 

The effect of physical processes on reactor performance is more complex than for two-phase systems because both gas-liquid and liquid-solid interphase transport effects may be coupled with the intrinsic rate. The most common types of three-phase reactors are the slurry and trickle-bed reactors. These have found wide applications in the petroleum industry. A slurry reactor is a multi-phase flow reactor in which the reactant gas is bubbled through a solution containing solid catalyst particles. The reactor may operate continuously as a steady flow system with respect to both gas and liquid phases. Alternatively, a fixed charge of liquid is initially added to the stirred vessel, and the gas is continuously added such that the reactor is batch with respect to the liquid phase. This method is used in some hydrogenation reactions such as hydrogenation of oils in a slurry of nickel catalyst particles. Figure 4-15 shows a slurry-type reactor used for polymerization of ethylene in a sluiTy of solid catalyst particles in a solvent of cyclohexane. 

Dr. Blum As a further comment on pressure optimization, and as it relates to our system, I think the response of the slurry methanation system to pressure is somewhat different from that of dry methanation. It relates to the ability of the catalyst to methanate a given amount of gas. In our system, the effective pressure is the total pressure minus the vapor pressure of the liquid phase. This doesn t hold for the standard methanation catalyst in the dry system. There is a different pressure relationship so the optimum just might not work quite the same way. 

Bubble-column slurries have much in common with two-phase bubble columns containing no solid particles, which have also been studied in great detail. Reference will be made in the following to a number of those studies considered to be of relevance with respect to the analysis and design of corresponding three-phase systems containing suspended solids. 

These reactors contain suspended solid particles. A discontinuous gas phase is sparged into the reactor. Coal liquefaction is an example where the solid is consumed by the reaction. The three phases are hydrogen, a hydrocarbon-solvent/ product mixture, and solid coal. Microbial cells immobilized on a particulate substrate are an example of a three-phase system where the slurried phase is catalytic. The liquid phase is water that contains the organic substrate. The gas phase supplies oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. The solid phase consists of microbial cells grown on the surface of a nonconsumable solid such as activated carbon. 

Bubble columns and mechanically stirred reactors are the most common reactor types for slurry systems in laboratories, but they have many disadvantages from an industrialization perspective. Mechanically stirred reactors usually used for laboratorial studies are difficult to scale-up. In order to achieve good mixing and mass transfer between the gas and slurry phases, bubble column must be operated at a high space velocity, which leads to a relative low one-through conversion of the syngas. 

Another recent new application of a microporous materials in oil refining is the use of zeolite beta as a solid acid system for paraffin alkylation [3]. This zeolite based catalyst, which is operated in a slurry phase reactor, also contains small amounts of Pt or Pd to facilitate catalyst regeneration. Although promising, this novel solid acid catalyst system, has not as yet been applied commercially. 

Slurry reactors. For three-phase systems the definition of conditions at which (catalyst) particles are in motion is important. Two limiting states with respect to particle behaviour can be distinguished (1) complete suspension, i.e. all particles just move, and (2) uniform suspension, i.e. the particles are evenly distributed over the whole reaction zone. The power required to reach the second state is much higher, while uniform suspension is not often necessary. Circulation of the liquid with the dissolved gas is usually sufficiently fast to provide reactants to the surface of catalyst particles if they are suspended at all. 

In this study butyl acetate (AcOBu) was hydrogenolysed to butanol over alumina supported Pt, Re, RePt and Re modified SnPt naphtha reforming catalysts both in a conventional autoclave and a high throughput (HT) slurry phase reactor system (AMTEC SPR 16). The oxide precursors of catalysts were characterized by Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR). The aim of this work was to study the role and efficiency of Sn and Re in the activation of the carbonyl group of esters. 

The fungal treatment showed a high efficiency, by completely removing the estrogens (El, E2, and E3), either in biopile or slurry reactors. On the contrary the removal of BFRs in both systems shows differences. Removal after the fungal slurry treatment was rather low compared to the removal obtained in solid-phase system. These results need more research because they are in contradiction with those stated by some researchers that point to the low solubility of these compounds as the limiting factor in its biodegradation. 

The solids analysis described above can be taken to yet another level by correlating the color measurement to chemical properties. An excellent model system is vanadium pyrophosphate (VPO), which is a well-known catalyst for butane oxidation to maleic anhydride. During the synthesis of the catalyst precursor, solid V2O5 particles are dispersed in a mixture of benzyl alcohol and i-butanol. In this slurry phase, the vanadium is partly reduced. Addition of phosphoric acid leads to a further reduction and the formation of the VPO structure. With a diffuse reflectance (DR) UV-vis probe by Fiberguide Ind., the surface of the suspended solid particles could be monitored during this slurry reaction. Four points can be noted from Figure 4.4 ... 

T0498 Matrix Photocatalytic, Inc., Ti02 Photocatalytic Treatment System T0690 SBP Technologies, Inc., Slurry-Phase Bioremediation T0691 SBP Technologies, Inc., Solid-Phase Bioremediation... 

T0564 North East Environmental Products, Inc., ShallowTray Air Stripper T0585 Oxidation Systems, Inc., HYDROX Oxidation Process T0598 Pelorus EnBiotech Corporation, Slurry-Phase Bioremediation T0641 Radian International, L.L.C., Aquadetox/Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE)... 

T0585 Oxidation Systems, Inc., HYDROX Oxidation Process T0598 Pelorus EnBiotech Corporation, Slurry-Phase Bioremediation T0613 Plasma Vitrification—General... 

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