- Email: [email protected]
Supported catalysts made using supercritical solvents
F O C U S a wholly owned subsidiary of EFTI, the company has organized an international consortium of businesses involved with commercial scale production of biodiesel. Using proprietary thermal distillation technologies, EFA has demonstrated unique abilities with its Catalytic Activated Vacuum Distillation unit to extract oil from organic feedstock at much lower cost and greater production efficiency levels than is currently commercially available. Press release from: Elite Financial Communications Group LLC, Suite 124, Lake Mary, FL 32746, USA. Tel: +1 407 585 1080. Fax: +1 407 585 1081. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.efcg.net (3 Nov 2005)
ENVIRONMENT Cleaner diesels in EU after patent award Clean Diesel Technologies, USA, has received patent protection for its combined exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)/selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology in the EU. This means it can offer the technology in Europe. It reduces the emission of nitrogen oxides from diesel engines, improves fuel economy, and reduces urea consumption. European Chemical News, 7 Nov 2005, 83 (2170), 32
BASF cuts nitrous oxide emissions BASF Antwerp is to reduce its emissions of nitrous oxide in the short term by 60-70%. This is in line with the nitrous oxide covenant which the company entered into with the Flemish regional authorities. The reduction in emissions will be possible thanks to a newly developed catalyst for nitric acid reduction. At Antwerp, BASF produces nitric acid, as a raw material for fertilizers and polyurethane, from ammonia. The covenant will allow Flanders to comply with the 11% reduction in emissions which is its Kyoto target for 2012. In terms of tonnes BASF’s emission of nitrous oxide is not huge but the greenhouse effect of this substance is 310 greater than that of carbon dioxide. Chemisch2Weekblad, 22 Nov 2005 (Website: http://www.c2w.nl/) (in Dutch)
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Green Energy expands into Africa Green Energy Corp, jointly with BioConversion Technology LLC, has signed a Manufacturing and Sales License Agreement with Crestwave Technologies (Pty) Ltd (Crestwave) of Johannesburg. Green Energy holds a patent licence on the BCT Gasifier invented and developed by BioConversion Technology. BCT technology converts carbon-containing waste, including biomass, sewage sludge, and municipal solid waste, into syngas. This syngas can be burned in a micro turbine or internal combustion engine to generate electricity, or can further be catalytically converted into high-Btu synthetic natural gas or motor transportation fuel such as ethanol. Press release from: Green Energy Corp., Englewood, CO (7 Nov 2005)
Mean Green BioFuels releases video of new ethanol oil recovery technology GreenShift Corp announced that its portfolio company, Mean Green BioFuels Corp (Mean Green), released footage demonstrating the operation of Mean Green’s new patent-pending breakthrough technology for the cost-effective conversion of corn oil into biodiesel fuels Press release fromGreenShift Corp, USA. Website: http://www.greenshift.com (21 Nov 2005)
New fuel catalyst cuts diesel fuel use Oxonica has come up with a new fuel borne catalyst (Envirox) claimed to cut fuel consumption in diesel engines by up to 10%, varying on the application. Envirox has extremely low dosage level and concentration in diesel fuel is only 5 ppm. It also cuts harmful particulate emissions by up to 15%. Oxonica is a dominant European nanotechnology firm spun-out of the University of Oxford. Petroleum Review, Nov 2005, 59 (706), 11 (The Institute of Petroleum, 61 New Cavendish St, London W1M 8AR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)207 467 7118/9. Fax: +44 (0)207 637 0086. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.petroleum.co.uk)
PATENTS Immobilised ionic liquids as catalysts Either the cationic or anionic component of an ionic liquid is covalently bound to a porous inorganic solid such as silica or a zeotype, and the other component is added. Such immobilised ionic liquids can act as Friedel Crafts catalysts. US 6,969,693, Johnson Matthey PLC, London, UK, 29 Nov 2005
Supported catalysts made using supercritical solvents Olefin polymerisation catalysts, such as metallocenes, are dissolved in supercritical fluids (or very low-boiling solvents) and deposited on porous oxide supports. Supercritical solvents are preferred because they have low surface tensions, which facilitate uniform doping, and are easy to remove. US 6,972,271, Honeywell International Inc, Morristown, NJ, USA, 6 Dec 2005
Improved epoxidation catalysts Titanium silicalite, TS-1, and related materials are well known epoxidation catalysts. Their performance is improved if they are given two heat treatments and then heated with liquid water. The first heat treatment, in air, decomposes any template which may remain in the pores. The second heat treatment is done in an oxygen-free atmosphere. The water treatment is done at 65-95°. US 6,972,337, Lyondell Chemical Technology, LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 6 Dec 2005
Catalytic conversion of polycyclic hydrocarbons to xylenes The purpose is to convert aromatic hydrocarbon streams containing naphthalene, indane, and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons into the more valuable xylenes. The catalyst is rhenium, or a platinum group metal, on a zeotype. The preferred composition is rhenium on mordenite. US 6,972,348, UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL, USA, 6 Dec 2005
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ENVIRONMENT Cleaner diesels in EU after patent award Clean Diesel Technologies, USA, has received patent protection for its combined exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)/selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology in the EU. This means it can offer the technology in Europe. It reduces the emission of nitrogen oxides from diesel engines, improves fuel economy, and reduces urea consumption. European Chemical News, 7 Nov 2005, 83 (2170), 32
BASF cuts nitrous oxide emissions BASF Antwerp is to reduce its emissions of nitrous oxide in the short term by 60-70%. This is in line with the nitrous oxide covenant which the company entered into with the Flemish regional authorities. The reduction in emissions will be possible thanks to a newly developed catalyst for nitric acid reduction. At Antwerp, BASF produces nitric acid, as a raw material for fertilizers and polyurethane, from ammonia. The covenant will allow Flanders to comply with the 11% reduction in emissions which is its Kyoto target for 2012. In terms of tonnes BASF’s emission of nitrous oxide is not huge but the greenhouse effect of this substance is 310 greater than that of carbon dioxide. Chemisch2Weekblad, 22 Nov 2005 (Website: http://www.c2w.nl/) (in Dutch)
JANUARY 2006
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Green Energy expands into Africa Green Energy Corp, jointly with BioConversion Technology LLC, has signed a Manufacturing and Sales License Agreement with Crestwave Technologies (Pty) Ltd (Crestwave) of Johannesburg. Green Energy holds a patent licence on the BCT Gasifier invented and developed by BioConversion Technology. BCT technology converts carbon-containing waste, including biomass, sewage sludge, and municipal solid waste, into syngas. This syngas can be burned in a micro turbine or internal combustion engine to generate electricity, or can further be catalytically converted into high-Btu synthetic natural gas or motor transportation fuel such as ethanol. Press release from: Green Energy Corp., Englewood, CO (7 Nov 2005)
Mean Green BioFuels releases video of new ethanol oil recovery technology GreenShift Corp announced that its portfolio company, Mean Green BioFuels Corp (Mean Green), released footage demonstrating the operation of Mean Green’s new patent-pending breakthrough technology for the cost-effective conversion of corn oil into biodiesel fuels Press release fromGreenShift Corp, USA. Website: http://www.greenshift.com (21 Nov 2005)
New fuel catalyst cuts diesel fuel use Oxonica has come up with a new fuel borne catalyst (Envirox) claimed to cut fuel consumption in diesel engines by up to 10%, varying on the application. Envirox has extremely low dosage level and concentration in diesel fuel is only 5 ppm. It also cuts harmful particulate emissions by up to 15%. Oxonica is a dominant European nanotechnology firm spun-out of the University of Oxford. Petroleum Review, Nov 2005, 59 (706), 11 (The Institute of Petroleum, 61 New Cavendish St, London W1M 8AR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)207 467 7118/9. Fax: +44 (0)207 637 0086. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.petroleum.co.uk)
PATENTS Immobilised ionic liquids as catalysts Either the cationic or anionic component of an ionic liquid is covalently bound to a porous inorganic solid such as silica or a zeotype, and the other component is added. Such immobilised ionic liquids can act as Friedel Crafts catalysts. US 6,969,693, Johnson Matthey PLC, London, UK, 29 Nov 2005
Supported catalysts made using supercritical solvents Olefin polymerisation catalysts, such as metallocenes, are dissolved in supercritical fluids (or very low-boiling solvents) and deposited on porous oxide supports. Supercritical solvents are preferred because they have low surface tensions, which facilitate uniform doping, and are easy to remove. US 6,972,271, Honeywell International Inc, Morristown, NJ, USA, 6 Dec 2005
Improved epoxidation catalysts Titanium silicalite, TS-1, and related materials are well known epoxidation catalysts. Their performance is improved if they are given two heat treatments and then heated with liquid water. The first heat treatment, in air, decomposes any template which may remain in the pores. The second heat treatment is done in an oxygen-free atmosphere. The water treatment is done at 65-95°. US 6,972,337, Lyondell Chemical Technology, LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 6 Dec 2005
Catalytic conversion of polycyclic hydrocarbons to xylenes The purpose is to convert aromatic hydrocarbon streams containing naphthalene, indane, and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons into the more valuable xylenes. The catalyst is rhenium, or a platinum group metal, on a zeotype. The preferred composition is rhenium on mordenite. US 6,972,348, UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL, USA, 6 Dec 2005
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