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Ceramic advances syngas production
News and Views determined in a range of 2 nm up to more than 0.5 pm and the membrane structure can be studied by electron and atomic force microscopy. EM1 Twente also provides industry with information on membrane research activities within the University of Twente and carries out market studies and assessments on technical, commercial and legal aspects of membrane technology. The EM1 Twente also coordinates membrane courses, e.g. “Basic Course on Membrane Technology” and “Application of Membrane Processes in Solving Environmental Problems”, which are provided by the Membrane Technology Group. Forfurther information please contact : Dr. Geert-Henk Koops, European Membrane Institute Twente, University of Twente, Chemical Technology, P.O.Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 53 489 4185/295O;fax +31 53 489 4611; E-mail: [email protected]; w.w.w.: http:// utctl029.ct.utwente.nl/documents/emi.html.
Ceramic advances syngas production A relatively inexpensive ceramic membrane is the key to a cost-effective new method of converting natural gas to synthesis gas (syngas). The strontium-iron-cobalt oxide membrane selectively removes oxygen from air during high temperature processing, replacing the use of 02 obtained using cryogenic or pressure swing adsorption technologies. By providing oxygen at a lower cost, the new material promises to reduce the cost of syngas production. Syngas is used to produce high value-added products from environmentally superior liquid fuels to important chemical feedstocks. The world’s natural gas reserves are estimated to be more than 5000 trillion cubic feet (TCF). In 1993 worldwide consumption was about 70 TCF, of which only 1 TCF was used to produce liquid fuel. The reason so little natural gas is converted is the high cost of conversion technologies. Partial oxygenation using pure oxygen is expensive because of the costly oxygen plant required. The new process is energy efficient, environmentally responsible and significantly reduces the cost of syngas generation, according to its joint developers the new technology is the result of cooperative research between the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Amoco Corporation. The ceramics are produced using plastic extrusion to produce the material in both hollow tube and honeycomb configurations. Only pure oxygen has been found to be transported across the membrane from the air side. Amoco and Argonne have operated ceramic membrane reactors in excess of 1000 hours in the natural gas conversion process, achieving selective conversion efficiencies greater than 98%.
4
Forfurther information, contact: U. (Balu) Balachandran, Ceramics Section, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Tel : + 1 708 252 4250; fax: +1 708 252
3604.
High quality water for CHP A water treatment system supplying low silica, high quality water for a combined heat and power (CHP) plant at SCM Chemical’s Humberside, UK site has been successfully installed and commissioned by Memcor. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of water, the plant which is normally supplied feed by an existing demineraliser, has been designed to treat mains water in an emergency. High quality water is needed in the CHP plant for the waste heat boiler and for the injection of steam into the gas turbine, a method of reducing NOx emissions and increasing power output. In normal operation, the plant will polish deionised water with a conductivity of 5-29 micro Siemens / cm and silica content of 0.1 - 0.3 mg/litre to a quality of 0.2 micro Siemens/cm and 0.02 mg/litre of silica. Memcor has installed two model AMB 54 skid-mounted mixed bed demineralisation units designed for an average service flow of 47 m3/hr and a maximum flow of 86m3/hr. The mixed beds can operate in three modes: 2 x 100% duty/standby; 2 x 100% parallel operation at maximum flow in an emergency; and series operation in a lead-lag so that untreated mains water can be processed in an emergency. For-further information, contact: Memcor Limited, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4BG, UK. Tel: +44 1629 82381l;fax: +44 1629825169.
Further Egyptian orders for Zenon Zenon Environmental of Ontario, Canada, has received an order valued at $2.7 million from the Egyptian government, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail. The system will supply four million litres a day of drinking water from the Nile river. The company said that it would realise the majority of the contract revenue, in the first quarter of 1996. Zenon was awarded an earlier contract to supply a membrane-based water purification plant with a one hundred thousand litres per day capacity in 1995. Forfurther information, contact: Zenon Environmental Inc., 845 Hanington Court, Burlington, Ontario, L7N 3P3, Canada. Tel : +I 905 639 6320.
Membrcme
Technology
No. 69
Ceramic advances syngas production A relatively inexpensive ceramic membrane is the key to a cost-effective new method of converting natural gas to synthesis gas (syngas). The strontium-iron-cobalt oxide membrane selectively removes oxygen from air during high temperature processing, replacing the use of 02 obtained using cryogenic or pressure swing adsorption technologies. By providing oxygen at a lower cost, the new material promises to reduce the cost of syngas production. Syngas is used to produce high value-added products from environmentally superior liquid fuels to important chemical feedstocks. The world’s natural gas reserves are estimated to be more than 5000 trillion cubic feet (TCF). In 1993 worldwide consumption was about 70 TCF, of which only 1 TCF was used to produce liquid fuel. The reason so little natural gas is converted is the high cost of conversion technologies. Partial oxygenation using pure oxygen is expensive because of the costly oxygen plant required. The new process is energy efficient, environmentally responsible and significantly reduces the cost of syngas generation, according to its joint developers the new technology is the result of cooperative research between the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Amoco Corporation. The ceramics are produced using plastic extrusion to produce the material in both hollow tube and honeycomb configurations. Only pure oxygen has been found to be transported across the membrane from the air side. Amoco and Argonne have operated ceramic membrane reactors in excess of 1000 hours in the natural gas conversion process, achieving selective conversion efficiencies greater than 98%.
4
Forfurther information, contact: U. (Balu) Balachandran, Ceramics Section, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Tel : + 1 708 252 4250; fax: +1 708 252
3604.
High quality water for CHP A water treatment system supplying low silica, high quality water for a combined heat and power (CHP) plant at SCM Chemical’s Humberside, UK site has been successfully installed and commissioned by Memcor. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of water, the plant which is normally supplied feed by an existing demineraliser, has been designed to treat mains water in an emergency. High quality water is needed in the CHP plant for the waste heat boiler and for the injection of steam into the gas turbine, a method of reducing NOx emissions and increasing power output. In normal operation, the plant will polish deionised water with a conductivity of 5-29 micro Siemens / cm and silica content of 0.1 - 0.3 mg/litre to a quality of 0.2 micro Siemens/cm and 0.02 mg/litre of silica. Memcor has installed two model AMB 54 skid-mounted mixed bed demineralisation units designed for an average service flow of 47 m3/hr and a maximum flow of 86m3/hr. The mixed beds can operate in three modes: 2 x 100% duty/standby; 2 x 100% parallel operation at maximum flow in an emergency; and series operation in a lead-lag so that untreated mains water can be processed in an emergency. For-further information, contact: Memcor Limited, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4BG, UK. Tel: +44 1629 82381l;fax: +44 1629825169.
Further Egyptian orders for Zenon Zenon Environmental of Ontario, Canada, has received an order valued at $2.7 million from the Egyptian government, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail. The system will supply four million litres a day of drinking water from the Nile river. The company said that it would realise the majority of the contract revenue, in the first quarter of 1996. Zenon was awarded an earlier contract to supply a membrane-based water purification plant with a one hundred thousand litres per day capacity in 1995. Forfurther information, contact: Zenon Environmental Inc., 845 Hanington Court, Burlington, Ontario, L7N 3P3, Canada. Tel : +I 905 639 6320.
Membrcme
Technology
No. 69