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Pilot plant agreement advances FT technology
FOCUS organometallic methods. A test was conducted where a mixture of methane and propane was converted to ethane at 250°, with almost 100% selectivity. The results indicated that methane can replace hydrogen to cleave carbon-carbon bonds, saving costs and providing environmental benefits. The new catalyst may impart a process for the converting methane to more valuable products. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jan 2005, 101 (1), 14
1-Octene via selective tetramerization of ethylene Sasol Technology has come up with a variety of Cr(III) catalysts with diphosphine ligands to make 1-octene, producing various combinations that provide almost 70% selectivity for the olefin. Optimization has allowed production rates exceeding 500 kg/hour of product/kg/hour of catalyst. The company is raising production of 1-octene to address worldwide demand, which is expected to increase by 6-8%/y. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jan 2005, 101 (1), 11
Pilot plant agreement advances FT technology FT Solutions LLC, a jv between Rentech Inc and Headwaters Technology Innovation (HTI), is completing the initial design of a Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids pilot plant, which can manufacture up to 10 bbl/day of liquid hydrocarbon products. The pilot plant will be located at the Gas Technology Institute’s coal gasification test facility in Des Plaines, IL, and will use iron-based catalysts from Rentech Inc and HTI. Commissioning is due in 3Q 2005. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jan 2005, 101 (1), 16-17
Genencor makes strides in the conversion of biomass to ethanol Genencor International Inc and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have completed a fouryear collaboration that will reduce the costs of enzymes, allowing a commercially viable cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol technology. Genencor has obtained an estimated cellulase cost of $0.10-$0.20/gal of
MARCH 2005
ON
C ATA LY S T S
ethanol, as per NREL’s cost model, demonstrating an approximately thirtyfold improvement in enzyme cost in that model. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2004, 100 (12), 15
More active photocatalyst developed by Ishihara Sangyo The visible light response of MPT623, a new photocatalyst from Ishihara Sangyo, is three times that of conventional products. By expanding its end-uses, the company aims to achieve sales of Yen 500 M-1 bn within a few years. The new material displays the highest level of activity in products of its kind. Japan Chemical Week, 6 Jan 2005, 46 (2300), 3
Scaleup for living controlled polymerisation Warwick Effect Polymers Ltd’s (WEP) living controlled polymerisation technology has been successfully scaled up, allowing many kilogram batches of an undisclosed polymer to be made for possible use in Unilever’s hair products. The catalysts are based on a series of N-alkyl pyridylmethanimide ligands, which can be utilised with copper halides in the patented, transition-metal-mediated living radical polymerization technology. They are easy to prepare and readily adapt to individual applications. Chemical Engineering (New York), Dec 2004, 111 (13), 13
ENVIRONMENT New auto catalyst uses no precious metals Workers at the University of Delaware have formulated a new type of catalyst for ‘lean burn’ gasoline engines. It incorporates cobalt and barium on alumina, and catalyses the NSR (NOx Storage and Reduction) process. Chemical and Engineering News, 31 Jan 2005, 83 (5), 9
Gas alternatives: capturing carbon dioxide from power generation The Department of Trade and Industry
will finance a 1 year project to assess the capture of carbon dioxide from power stations. The project will be led by Jacobs Consultancy, UK, with 6 companies and a university in the UK. This will involve ways of gasifying coal and trapping carbon dioxide from syngas. This may lead to cheaper alternatives to imported natural gas. European Chemical News, 31 Jan 2005, 82 (2132), 25
Desulfurization catalyst for sulfur-free diesel fuel Catalysts and Chemicals Ind Co aims to commercialise LX-NC1, a new desulfurization catalyst for generating non-sulfur diesel fuel. LX-NC1 is hoped to help petroleum refiners comply with Japan’s proposed 10 ppm sulfur ruling, which is slated for 2007. LX-NC1 is based on technology created by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. It can be utilised to generate diesel fuel having less than 10 ppm in a traditional hydrotreating unit. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jan 2005, 112 (1), 18
PATENTS Novel Fischer Tropsch reactor configuration The F-T process, in which syngas is converted into liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, was originally conducted in fixed bed reactors and more recently in slurry bubble column reactors. The latter have now been improved by dividing them into reaction zones followed by gas separation zones, with partial recycle of the gas and liquid phases. US 6,855,737, BP Exploration Operation Company Ltd, London, UK, 15 Feb 2005
Stable aqueous solutions of Ti and Zn for catalysing ester reactions The catalyst is an aqueous solution of a titanium salt of a hydrox-acid (eg lactic acid) plus a zinc salt. This will catalyse esterification, transesterification, and polycondensation. It is used for making polyalkylene terephthalate resins. US 6,855,797, E I Du Pont de Nemours & Co, Wilmington, DE, USA, 15 Feb 2005
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1-Octene via selective tetramerization of ethylene Sasol Technology has come up with a variety of Cr(III) catalysts with diphosphine ligands to make 1-octene, producing various combinations that provide almost 70% selectivity for the olefin. Optimization has allowed production rates exceeding 500 kg/hour of product/kg/hour of catalyst. The company is raising production of 1-octene to address worldwide demand, which is expected to increase by 6-8%/y. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jan 2005, 101 (1), 11
Pilot plant agreement advances FT technology FT Solutions LLC, a jv between Rentech Inc and Headwaters Technology Innovation (HTI), is completing the initial design of a Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids pilot plant, which can manufacture up to 10 bbl/day of liquid hydrocarbon products. The pilot plant will be located at the Gas Technology Institute’s coal gasification test facility in Des Plaines, IL, and will use iron-based catalysts from Rentech Inc and HTI. Commissioning is due in 3Q 2005. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jan 2005, 101 (1), 16-17
Genencor makes strides in the conversion of biomass to ethanol Genencor International Inc and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have completed a fouryear collaboration that will reduce the costs of enzymes, allowing a commercially viable cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol technology. Genencor has obtained an estimated cellulase cost of $0.10-$0.20/gal of
MARCH 2005
ON
C ATA LY S T S
ethanol, as per NREL’s cost model, demonstrating an approximately thirtyfold improvement in enzyme cost in that model. Chemical Engineering Progress, Dec 2004, 100 (12), 15
More active photocatalyst developed by Ishihara Sangyo The visible light response of MPT623, a new photocatalyst from Ishihara Sangyo, is three times that of conventional products. By expanding its end-uses, the company aims to achieve sales of Yen 500 M-1 bn within a few years. The new material displays the highest level of activity in products of its kind. Japan Chemical Week, 6 Jan 2005, 46 (2300), 3
Scaleup for living controlled polymerisation Warwick Effect Polymers Ltd’s (WEP) living controlled polymerisation technology has been successfully scaled up, allowing many kilogram batches of an undisclosed polymer to be made for possible use in Unilever’s hair products. The catalysts are based on a series of N-alkyl pyridylmethanimide ligands, which can be utilised with copper halides in the patented, transition-metal-mediated living radical polymerization technology. They are easy to prepare and readily adapt to individual applications. Chemical Engineering (New York), Dec 2004, 111 (13), 13
ENVIRONMENT New auto catalyst uses no precious metals Workers at the University of Delaware have formulated a new type of catalyst for ‘lean burn’ gasoline engines. It incorporates cobalt and barium on alumina, and catalyses the NSR (NOx Storage and Reduction) process. Chemical and Engineering News, 31 Jan 2005, 83 (5), 9
Gas alternatives: capturing carbon dioxide from power generation The Department of Trade and Industry
will finance a 1 year project to assess the capture of carbon dioxide from power stations. The project will be led by Jacobs Consultancy, UK, with 6 companies and a university in the UK. This will involve ways of gasifying coal and trapping carbon dioxide from syngas. This may lead to cheaper alternatives to imported natural gas. European Chemical News, 31 Jan 2005, 82 (2132), 25
Desulfurization catalyst for sulfur-free diesel fuel Catalysts and Chemicals Ind Co aims to commercialise LX-NC1, a new desulfurization catalyst for generating non-sulfur diesel fuel. LX-NC1 is hoped to help petroleum refiners comply with Japan’s proposed 10 ppm sulfur ruling, which is slated for 2007. LX-NC1 is based on technology created by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. It can be utilised to generate diesel fuel having less than 10 ppm in a traditional hydrotreating unit. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jan 2005, 112 (1), 18
PATENTS Novel Fischer Tropsch reactor configuration The F-T process, in which syngas is converted into liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, was originally conducted in fixed bed reactors and more recently in slurry bubble column reactors. The latter have now been improved by dividing them into reaction zones followed by gas separation zones, with partial recycle of the gas and liquid phases. US 6,855,737, BP Exploration Operation Company Ltd, London, UK, 15 Feb 2005
Stable aqueous solutions of Ti and Zn for catalysing ester reactions The catalyst is an aqueous solution of a titanium salt of a hydrox-acid (eg lactic acid) plus a zinc salt. This will catalyse esterification, transesterification, and polycondensation. It is used for making polyalkylene terephthalate resins. US 6,855,797, E I Du Pont de Nemours & Co, Wilmington, DE, USA, 15 Feb 2005
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