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Conversion of glycerol to acrolein
FOCUS times the life duration of its firstgeneration catalysts introduced in 2004. Hyper III also extends the replacement cycles of earlier versions by a reaction temperature that is lower by around 300°C. The endresults are higher propylene output and lower energy use and running costs. The firm plans to evaluate the viability of the new catalysts under actual operating conditions. Japan Chemical Web, 26 Aug 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
A new olefins process: SK Energy SK Energy will open in Oct 2010 a 40,000 tonne/y demonstration plant in Ulsan, South Korea, for a new olefins production process. Developed in collaboration with KBR, the Advanced Catalytic Olefin (ACO) technology enables olefins manufacture via catalytic cracking of paraffins-rich naphtha. ACO has an olefins yield of around 65% and propylene-toethylene ratio of 1:1, as against around 50% and 0.5:1 for naphtha steam crackers. KBR is the sole worldwide licensor of the technology. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jun 2010, 117 (6), 11 & ICIS Chemical Business, 9 Aug 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Biomass to SNG Haldor Topsoe S/A will supply gas conditioning and its TREMP methanation technology in a project to design the first plant in the world to make substitute natural gas (SNG) from biomass. The plant, located beside the Rya District Heating Plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, is owned by the Gothenburg Biomass Gasification consortium, with primary owner Sweden’s Göteborg Energi AB. The project’s aim is to manufacture 20 MW of BIO-SNG to be supplied into the existing gas grid. Roughly 300 ton/day of wet forest residues will be gasified. Finland’s Metso Power will provide the gasifier while Austrian company Repotec GmbH will contribute its indirect gasification technology. Chemical Engineering (New York), May 2010, 117 (5), 16,20
Microreactor GTL demo A 5-10 bbl/day gas-to-liquids (GTL) demonstration unit at Petrobras
OCTOBER 2010
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Brasileiro SA’s Fortaleza facility in Brazil will be operational by early 2011. The unit will include a microchannel steam-methane reformer (SMR) and a microchannel FischerTropsch (F-T) reactor based on Velocys’ technology. It will be constructed by Toyo Engineering Corp supported by Modec. The SMR and F-T will be fabricated by Kobe Steel Ltd. After a successful demonstration, Modec, Toyo and Velocys are expected to use the technology to produce fuels from gas. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2010, 117 (4), 16
ENVIRONMENT Japan government gives nod to CDM project Syria A Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project jointly planned by Shimizu Corp, Osumi Co, and Climate Experts for the catalytic degradation of nitrous oxide gas present in tail gas emissions from a nitric acid plant in the Syrian suburbs of Homs has been approved by Japan’s Kyoto Mechanism Promotion Council. The project, which will capture 199,000 tonne/y of carbon dioxide, will supply carbon credit for seven years commencing in Jul 2011. Shimizu will supply technical know-how and secure the credit. Osumi will be in charge of the monitoring technology and portion of the funds while Climate Experts will be responsible for the legalities of the project’s design specifications and CDM. Japan Chemical Web, 31 Aug 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Catalytic process cuts the cost of biodiesel fuel Ever Cat Fuels’ catalytic process reduces the cost of biodiesel fuel by using waste products, particularly waste corn oil from bioethanol plants and waste cooking oil, in the production of the fuels. Using the continuous process, the plant can yield 4 M gallon/y of fuel from two 6 ft by 6 inchdiameter reactors. The reaction takes approximately 6 seconds, compared to around 6 hrs for the traditional batch process. The company has been using a zirconia catalyst of 2-
micrometer particles, but may switch to Rockwood Holdings Inc’s catalyst of titania particles. Ever Cat plans to raise production to 30 M gallon/y within two years by installing additional parallel reactors similar to those currently in use. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2010, 117 (4), 14
PATENTS Olefin oligomerization process This is a two-stage process by which C2 – C6 olefins are converted to higher olefins. The first uses a zeolite such as ZSM-22, ZSM-48, or SAPO11. The second uses a “solid phosphoric acid” – ie a siliceous carrier containing a phosphoric acid. US 7,786,337, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 31 Aug 2010
Process for epoxidizing propylene This is a variation of the well-known process in which propylene is epoxidised by hydrogen peroxide using a titanium-containing zeolite catalyst, but methanol is used as a solvent and recirculated under conditions which minimise the production of oxygen-containing byproducts. US 7,786,317, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Dow Chemical Co, Midland, MI, USA, 31 Aug 2010
Conversion of glycerol to acrolein Aqueous solutions containing between 5 and 40% of crude glycerol can be used. The reaction can be conducted between 180° and 350°, in either the gas- or liquid-phase, but the gas-phase is preferred. The catalyst is a supported tungsten compound containing promoters, and can be regenerated under oxidising or reducing conditions. US 7,790,934, Evonik Degussa GmbH, Essen, Germany, 7 Sep 2010
Synthesis of glyceryl carbonate by transesterification Glycerol is transesterified using a dialkyl carbonate and a lithiumcontaining basic catalyst. US 7,790,908, Evonik Roehm GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany, 7 Sep 2010
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A new olefins process: SK Energy SK Energy will open in Oct 2010 a 40,000 tonne/y demonstration plant in Ulsan, South Korea, for a new olefins production process. Developed in collaboration with KBR, the Advanced Catalytic Olefin (ACO) technology enables olefins manufacture via catalytic cracking of paraffins-rich naphtha. ACO has an olefins yield of around 65% and propylene-toethylene ratio of 1:1, as against around 50% and 0.5:1 for naphtha steam crackers. KBR is the sole worldwide licensor of the technology. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jun 2010, 117 (6), 11 & ICIS Chemical Business, 9 Aug 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Biomass to SNG Haldor Topsoe S/A will supply gas conditioning and its TREMP methanation technology in a project to design the first plant in the world to make substitute natural gas (SNG) from biomass. The plant, located beside the Rya District Heating Plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, is owned by the Gothenburg Biomass Gasification consortium, with primary owner Sweden’s Göteborg Energi AB. The project’s aim is to manufacture 20 MW of BIO-SNG to be supplied into the existing gas grid. Roughly 300 ton/day of wet forest residues will be gasified. Finland’s Metso Power will provide the gasifier while Austrian company Repotec GmbH will contribute its indirect gasification technology. Chemical Engineering (New York), May 2010, 117 (5), 16,20
Microreactor GTL demo A 5-10 bbl/day gas-to-liquids (GTL) demonstration unit at Petrobras
OCTOBER 2010
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Brasileiro SA’s Fortaleza facility in Brazil will be operational by early 2011. The unit will include a microchannel steam-methane reformer (SMR) and a microchannel FischerTropsch (F-T) reactor based on Velocys’ technology. It will be constructed by Toyo Engineering Corp supported by Modec. The SMR and F-T will be fabricated by Kobe Steel Ltd. After a successful demonstration, Modec, Toyo and Velocys are expected to use the technology to produce fuels from gas. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2010, 117 (4), 16
ENVIRONMENT Japan government gives nod to CDM project Syria A Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project jointly planned by Shimizu Corp, Osumi Co, and Climate Experts for the catalytic degradation of nitrous oxide gas present in tail gas emissions from a nitric acid plant in the Syrian suburbs of Homs has been approved by Japan’s Kyoto Mechanism Promotion Council. The project, which will capture 199,000 tonne/y of carbon dioxide, will supply carbon credit for seven years commencing in Jul 2011. Shimizu will supply technical know-how and secure the credit. Osumi will be in charge of the monitoring technology and portion of the funds while Climate Experts will be responsible for the legalities of the project’s design specifications and CDM. Japan Chemical Web, 31 Aug 2010 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Catalytic process cuts the cost of biodiesel fuel Ever Cat Fuels’ catalytic process reduces the cost of biodiesel fuel by using waste products, particularly waste corn oil from bioethanol plants and waste cooking oil, in the production of the fuels. Using the continuous process, the plant can yield 4 M gallon/y of fuel from two 6 ft by 6 inchdiameter reactors. The reaction takes approximately 6 seconds, compared to around 6 hrs for the traditional batch process. The company has been using a zirconia catalyst of 2-
micrometer particles, but may switch to Rockwood Holdings Inc’s catalyst of titania particles. Ever Cat plans to raise production to 30 M gallon/y within two years by installing additional parallel reactors similar to those currently in use. Chemical Engineering (New York), Apr 2010, 117 (4), 14
PATENTS Olefin oligomerization process This is a two-stage process by which C2 – C6 olefins are converted to higher olefins. The first uses a zeolite such as ZSM-22, ZSM-48, or SAPO11. The second uses a “solid phosphoric acid” – ie a siliceous carrier containing a phosphoric acid. US 7,786,337, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 31 Aug 2010
Process for epoxidizing propylene This is a variation of the well-known process in which propylene is epoxidised by hydrogen peroxide using a titanium-containing zeolite catalyst, but methanol is used as a solvent and recirculated under conditions which minimise the production of oxygen-containing byproducts. US 7,786,317, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Dow Chemical Co, Midland, MI, USA, 31 Aug 2010
Conversion of glycerol to acrolein Aqueous solutions containing between 5 and 40% of crude glycerol can be used. The reaction can be conducted between 180° and 350°, in either the gas- or liquid-phase, but the gas-phase is preferred. The catalyst is a supported tungsten compound containing promoters, and can be regenerated under oxidising or reducing conditions. US 7,790,934, Evonik Degussa GmbH, Essen, Germany, 7 Sep 2010
Synthesis of glyceryl carbonate by transesterification Glycerol is transesterified using a dialkyl carbonate and a lithiumcontaining basic catalyst. US 7,790,908, Evonik Roehm GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany, 7 Sep 2010
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