Mixed reforming of heptane to syngas in the Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3 membrane reactor

Fuel cells are recognized as the most promising new power generation technology, but hydrogen supply is still a problem. In our previous work, we have developed a LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst, which is excellent not only for partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, but also for steam reforming and autothermal reforming. However, the reaction needs pure oxygen or air as oxidant. We have developed a dense oxygen permeable membrane Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3 which has an oxygen permeation flux around 11.5 ml/cm(2) min at reaction conditions. Therefore, this work is to combine the oxygen permeable membrane with the catalyst LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3 in a membrane reactor for hydrogen production by mixed reforming of heptane. Under optimized reaction conditions, a heptane conversion of 100%, a CO selectivity of 91-93% and a H-2 selectivity of 95-97% have been achieved. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gas phase catalytic partial oxidation of toluene in a microchannel reactor

Gas phase partial oxidation of toluene over V/Ti oxide catalysts has been successfully performed in a microchannel reactor, which provides very good mass and heat transfer conditions. With the elimination of hot spots, which are known as the most negative factors for partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, steady and uniform reaction conditions can be achieved in the catalyst bed by using, the microreactor. Since the best performance of the catalysts might be exploited, the selectivity of partial oxidation products of toluene has remarkably increased compared to the traditional packed fixed-bed reactor, even without the bother of modifying the catalysts, diluting the reactants or catalysts with inert contents to avoid hot spots or improve the diffusion and mixing. Furthermore, in virtue of its inherent safety features, when using pure oxygen as oxidant, the reactions were handled safety within the explosion limits in the microreactor. With TiO2 carried V2O5 as catalysts, the total selectivity of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid reaches around 60%, and the toluene conversion is about 10%. The conversion can go up without violent decline of selectivity, unlike most fixed bed reactors. Space time yield of 3.12 kg h(-1) L-1 calculated on the basis of the channel volume has been achieved. The influence of operating conditions has been investigated in detail in the microreactor. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safety issues with the South African Pebble Bed Modular Reactor: when were the issues apparent? A briefing paper

This is a briefing report on when the safety issues identified in a July 2008 report by Jülich should have become apparent In July 2008, the German Jülich nuclear research centre published a report entitled ‘A safety re-evaluation of the AVR pebble bed reactor operation and its consequences for future HTR concepts.’ It concluded: ‘pebble bed HTRs require additional safety related R&D effort and updating of safety analyses before construction.’

Treatment of effluents contaminated with prions. Chemical reactor design

The control and elimination of prionic infective agents that may be present in the effluents, turns out to be a complicated mechanism inside a High Containment bological Facility. There are two ways to carry out this neutralization: Installation of thermal systems to ensure achieve a minimum temperature of 134 ° C sterilization plateau for a residence time of 18 minutes, and the use of chemical reactors based on the addition of sodium hypochlorite so the mixture maintained 2% of free chlorine during the reaction period. This study presents the design phases, elements and benefits, of a chemical reactor that allows the treatment of prion effluents in order to serve as a model to biocontainment facilities with areas of animal experimentation, who want to develop their work with prions.

Use of a rotating disc reactor to investigate the heterogeneously catalysed oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol in toluene and ionic liquids

To evaluate the effect of mass transfer limitations in the three-phase oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol carried out in toluene and an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulphonyl)imide), studies have been performed in a rotating disc reactor and compared with those carried out in a stirred tank reactor where mass transfer effects are considered negligible. High catalyst efficiencies are found in the stirred tank reactor with the use of both ionic liquid and toluene, although there is a decrease in rate for the ionic liquid reactions. In contrast, internal pore diffusion limits the reaction in both solvents in the rotating disc reactor. This mass transfer resistance reduces the problem of overoxidation of the metal surface when the reaction is carried out in toluene, leading to significantly higher rates of reaction than expected, although at the cost of decreased selectivity.