Carnegie Mellon University

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Other

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Master Chemical Corporation

American Intell-sensors Corporation

Capital Technologies, Inc.

David A Purta

Marc A Portnoff

Faiz Pourarian

Margaret A Nasta

Jingfeng Zhang

Alberto M Guzman

Richard L Grace

Heather A Elsen

Patricia A Bielenberg

Paul D Runco

John G Tabacchi

H Keith Florig

The present invention relates to new processes for regenerating oxidized interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts prior to the use of such catalysts in a hydroprocessing process. Interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts are easily oxidized in the environment and once oxidized, the hydroprocessing activity of the interstitial metal hydrides is most often severely diminished and this lost activity due to oxidization of the iMeH is not susceptible to recovery under hydroprocessing conditions. As a result, these catalysts in the present art require considerable special handling in inert environments all through processes from fabrication, shipping, loading, use, and maintenance of the catalyst systems to protect the activity of the interstitial metal hydride components. The present invention embodies a process regenerating oxidized interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts prior to their use in a hydroprocessing environment, thereby eliminating the requirement for maintaining the interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts in an inert environment, and allowing the handling of such catalysts in an oxidized condition prior to use.

Interstitial metal hydride catalyst activity regeneration process

Transesterification, esterification, and esterification-transesterification (both one-step and two-step) for producing biofuels. The process may be enhanced by one or more of the following: 1) applying microwave or RF energy; 2) passing reactants over a heterogeneous catalyst at sufficiently high velocity to achieve high shear conditions; 3) emulsifying reactants with a homogeneous catalyst; or 4) maintaining the reaction at a pressure at or above autogeneous pressure. Enhanced processes using one or more of these steps can result in higher process rates, higher conversion levels, or both.

Methods for producing biodiesel

A catalyst for the hydroprocessing of organic compounds, composed of an interstitial metal hydride having a reaction surface at which monatomic hydrogen is available. The activity of the catalyst is maximized by avoiding surface oxide formation. Transition metals and lanthanide metals compose the compound from which the interstitial metal hydride is formed. The catalyst's capabilities can be further enhanced using radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy.

Catalyst for the treatment of organic compounds

A processing apparatus, such as a microwave-based processing apparatus. The apparatus includes a vessel having an inner surface defining a chamber configured to hold a reaction mixture, a guide, and a launch coupled to the guide. The guide can be at least partially disposed in the vessel, and is configured to propagate electromagnetic energy. The launch is configured to couple at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy from the guide to the reaction mixture. Example launches include a dielectric window and a projection. Example projections include a metallic projection and a dielectric projection.

Processing apparatus with an electromagnetic launch

A process for the catalytic reaction of organic compounds, in which the organic compounds are contacted with a catalyst comprising an interstitial metal hydride, having a reaction surface, to produce a catalyst-organic compound mixture, energy is applied, monatomic hydrogen is produced at the reaction surface of the interstitial metal hydride, and the organic compounds are reacted with the monatomic hydrogen. Reactions accomplished by this process include petroleum hydrocracking and hydrotreating processes. The method's performance can be further enhanced using radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy.

Catalytic process for the treatment of organic compounds

The present invention provides a process and apparatus for cleaning and reclamation of an industrial waste containing oily metallic solids by magnetically concentrating the oily magnetic solids, mixing the concentrated solids with a chemical release agent, applying microwave radiation to the mixture, and separately collecting the clean metallic solids and recovered oil components.

Microwave assisted cleaning and reclamation of industrial wastes

A CO based, Diesel discriminating, fire detection system and method is disclosed which significantly reduces the threshold of CO needed to detect a fire in a mine that also contains CO from Diesel equipment without a corresponding increase in the number of false alarms. The system measures both the CO and NO levels at many points throughout the mine and calculates a CO/NO ratio for each of these locations. A long term average concentration (4 hours) and a short term average concentration (1 hour) for both CO and NO are continually updated to reflect the changing dynamics of the mine environment. Using the CO/NO ratio, the detection system can effectively differentiate between CO produced by a Diesel and CO produced from a fire and can activate an alarm when the CO level resulting from a fire exceeds a predetermined threshold level.

Method and system for detecting underground mine fires

A gas sensing instrument provides programmable control of the operating temperatures of an array of gas sensors for the detection of target gases in air. The control facilitates precise temperature setpoint resolution. The gas sensors in the array have an improved construction density with reduction in size and an extended operating life provided by reduced power consumption. A programmable circuit functions as a programmable-resistor temperature controller in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. A multiplying digital to analog converter circuit controls the ratio of voltage to current that functions as a resistance equivalent. The programmable circuit is interfaced with a computer to provide selectable temperature control for at least 256 setpoints.

Gas sensing instrument

A system and method of measuring the concentration of each component of a two component liquid by passing a microwave signal through a flowing liquid sample. A waveguide is used between a microwave source and detector, and a sample tube passes through the central portion of the wave guide.

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Gibsonia, PA, United States of America

David A Purta