Academia.eduAcademia.edu

Process& Petrochemicals

description8 papers
group20 followers
lightbulbAbout this topic
Process and Petrochemicals is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the chemical processes involved in the production and transformation of petrochemical products derived from fossil fuels. It encompasses the study of chemical engineering, reaction mechanisms, and the design of processes for the efficient and sustainable conversion of raw materials into valuable chemical products.
lightbulbAbout this topic
Process and Petrochemicals is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the chemical processes involved in the production and transformation of petrochemical products derived from fossil fuels. It encompasses the study of chemical engineering, reaction mechanisms, and the design of processes for the efficient and sustainable conversion of raw materials into valuable chemical products.

Key research themes

1. How do chemical reaction mechanisms and catalysts influence the design and optimization of petrochemical production processes?

This research area focuses on understanding the fundamental chemical reactions and catalysis that underpin petrochemical manufacturing. It investigates how reaction chemistry guides process design choices such as reactor type, operating conditions, catalyst selection, and how advances in catalyst development enhance selectivity, yield, and process economics. Insights in this theme enable the improvement of existing petrochemical production technologies and the development of innovative methods, thus impacting industrial scale efficiency and product quality.

Key finding: Provides detailed elucidation of key industrial chemical conversions, emphasizing how chemical reaction characteristics dictate reactor selection and design within petrochemical processes. Specifically, it explains alkylation... Read more
Key finding: Explores the mechanisms and operational parameters of petrochemical reactions, highlighting advances in catalyst design such as water-soluble rhodium and cobalt clusters that improve selectivity in hydroformylation. It also... Read more
Key finding: Mirrors and augments insights from the previous work by emphasizing catalytic process improvements, including metallocene catalysts enabling novel polymerization modes, and alternative feedstock conversion technologies such... Read more
Key finding: Reinforces the critical role of catalyst research in petrochemical reactions, presenting updated methodologies for olefin production and polymerization strategies. It underscores the impact of catalytic selectivity on overall... Read more
Key finding: Provides historical and technical context on petrochemical transformations, detailing how the understanding of reaction pathways, thermo-chemical considerations, and catalyst functionality shaped the evolution of... Read more

2. What engineering design and operational practices optimize steam reforming processes for hydrogen and petrochemical feedstock production?

This theme investigates the engineering principles, catalyst loading methodologies, and operational monitoring techniques critical to steam reforming—a major industrial process for producing synthesis gas and light olefin feedstocks. The focus encompasses catalyst packing strategies to prevent flow irregularities, carbon formation mechanisms and their mitigation, material and tube design parameters to extend service life, and temperature/pressure control to optimize reaction equilibrium and safety.

Key finding: Introduces best practices in catalyst loading such as ‘sock loading’ and uniform catalyst distribution within tubes, which minimize pressure drop variations and flow maldistribution, directly impacting reformer efficiency and... Read more
Key finding: Details carbon deposition mechanisms including methane cracking and Boudouard reactions within reformer tubes, quantifying how they reduce catalyst activity and tube longevity. It further discusses prevention strategies using... Read more
Key finding: Although focused primarily on oleochemicals, this work also addresses the critical roles of catalysts in industrial reforming and their operational constraints, thus providing ancillary insights into catalyst performance... Read more
Key finding: Analyzes plant operation with respect to key controlled variables including exit gas temperature, steam-to-carbon ratio, and catalyst activity, demonstrating how these parameters influence methane slip, catalyst life... Read more
Key finding: Provides design principles based on metallurgy and creep life prediction through Larson-Miller correlations, offering critical data for material selection and operational limits to prevent tube failure under high-temperature... Read more

3. How can waste materials and end-of-life products be effectively processed for resource recovery and environmental sustainability in petrochemical practice?

This research area explores processing techniques for industrial wastes and end-of-life materials to recover valuable metals and chemical constituents, promote sustainable resource utilization, and reduce environmental impact. It encompasses characterization methods, thermochemical valorization, green oxidation treatments, and reuse within petrochemical contexts, addressing the circular economy imperative.

Key finding: Synthesizes diverse methodologies including roasting with alkali metal reagents for slag metal recovery (chromium and molybdenum >96%), incorporation of livestock waste with calcium peroxide for soil remediation, and the... Read more
Key finding: Describes advanced catalytic processes and fluidized bed reactor designs used in acrylonitrile production alongside solvent recovery and catalyst separation systems, highlighting efficient waste minimization and byproduct... Read more
Key finding: Although primarily focused on heat exchanger design, this work contributes by detailing shell and tube exchanger types often used in waste heat recovery and process integration in petrochemical plants, thereby indirectly... Read more

All papers in Process& Petrochemicals

The primary reformers are widely adopted in fertilizers, petrochemical s and oil refining industries. They produce hydrogen with endothermic reaction at elevated temperature above 800°C in pressuriz ed condition. The challenge for the... more
The use of triglycerides as an important class of biomass is an effective strategy to realize a more sustainable society. Herein, three heterogeneous catalytic methods are reported for the selective one-pot transformation of triglycerides... more
This case study investigates the behaviour of a plug flow surfactant reactor. The reaction involves adding ethylene oxide to fatty amine to form ethoxylated amines with the assistance of water acting as a catalyst. The reactor was... more
Fatty nitriles are widely used as intermediate molecules in the pharmaceutical and polymer industries. In addition, hydrogenation of fatty nitriles produces fatty amines that are common surfactants. In the conventional fatty nitrile... more
This case study investigates the behaviour of a plug flow surfactant reactor. The reaction involves adding ethylene oxide to fatty amine to form ethoxylated amines with the assistance of water acting as a catalyst. The reactor was... more
Ammonia plant in Razi petrochemical complex has been recently revamped by M.W. Kellogg. This work involved the replacement of HK-40 tubes with HP Modified (Manaurite XM) supplied by Manoir industries, France. After 18 months of operation,... more
The paper describes the excellent performance of the catalyst tubes of the Kaltim-3, Topsoe primary reformer that has been in operation since 1988 and the factors that have contributed to this achievement. The tubes have run for over... more
Oleochemicals and Catalysts Used
Chemical intermediates and products derived from natural triglycerides
5 basic oleochemicals:
fatty acids
fatty alcohols
fatty methyl esters
fatty amines
glycerine
Steam Reforming - Catalyst Loading
The aim of this presentation is to
Give an understanding of
Best practices
Sock Loading
Unidense
Pressure Drop Measurement
Common Problems
Steam Reforming: Tube Design
The aim of this presentation is to
Give an understanding of
Tube design principles
Tube manufacture
Failure mechanisms
Inspection techniques
Steam Reforming - Carbon Formation
The aim of this presentation is to
Give an understanding of the reasons for carbon formation
Look at two main types
Explain mechanisms
Explain prevention of cracking
Normal Operation of Steam Reformers on Hydrogen Plants
Typical controlled variables
Plant data analysis
Approach to equilibrium
Prediction of remaining catalyst life
Tube wall temperature measurement
Gas Heated Reforming - An Overview
Fatty Amines – A Commercial Overview
This case study investigates the behaviour of a plug flow surfactant reactor. The reaction involves adding ethylene oxide to fatty amine to form ethoxylated amines with the assistance of water acting as a catalyst. The reactor was... more
Download research papers for free!