Product Digest - Catalysts and Process Aids
This Full-Service Catalyst Refiner Now Offers Pickup and Delivery
Most precious-metals refiners use third-party logistics companies, freight forwarders and brokers to transport spent catalysts to their facilities for reclamation of the valuable metals. This firm’s recently created subsidiary, Sabin International Logistics Corp. (SILC), specializes in moving materials properly in compliance with the rules and regulations of the exporting country, as well as internationally and through the materials’ importation into the U.S. SILC operates in all 50 states and on every continent except Antarctica. It holds all the required federal, state, local and international permits needed to transport materials to and from its refining facilities in the U.S. and Canada. With the addition of transportation logistics to its pre-burning, sampling, analysis, recovery and refining capabilities, the company now offers the full range of services from pickup of spent catalyst at the user’s facility to return of high-quality refined precious metal.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Sabin Metal Corp.
www.sabinmetal.com
Non-Spherical Catalyst Support Media Improves Operating Performance
Denstone deltaP is a novel bed-support technology that offers added value in fixed-bed applications for the refining, petrochemical, chemical and gas processing industries. Unlike traditional support media, which are typically spherical in shape and available in various sizes ranging from 1/8 in. to 2 in., Denstone deltaP media features a unique, nonspherical shape that was engineered to provide specific properties, yielding improved operating performance and bottom-line results. Denstone deltaP media improves pressure drop performance across the support bed and can be easily installed. It also does not require as many layers to retain the catalyst bed. In some cases, only one layer of support media is required, whereas traditional spherical media can require several graded layers.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Saint-Gobain NorPro
www.norpro.saint-gobain.com
Process Heavy Feeds with High Metal Content with this Vanadium-Trapping Catalyst
The ReVolution family of catalysts incorporates the unique vanadium-scavenging properties of Albermarle’s improved metals-capturing system (IMCS). ReVolution catalysts enable refiners to reduce costs by processing heavier, cheaper feeds through the enhanced vanadium-trapping capability, which also offers greater resistance to the dehydrogenation reactions that often limit operational performance. Typical applications for this family of catalysts include high-severity operations and the processing of heavy feeds with high metals content, such as heavy vacuum gas oil (VGO) with atmospheric or even vacuum resids, or deasphalted oil.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Albermarle
www.albermarle.com
Substitute Antimony Catalysts with these Titanium-Based Catalysts in Polyester Production
Based on novel organo titanium chemistry, the Vertec family of catalysts adds value through improved polymer performance, reduction in the unit cost of polyester production and more options for polyester catalysis. Compared to conventional antimony catalysts, the Vertec catalysts offers better clarity, enabling the manufacture of polymers that are virtually haze-free. The catalysts also show higher activity and have been shown to increase plant capacity by more than 15%. Furthermore, the low concentration of the Vertec catalysts decreases catalyst metal requirements by up to 90%. This leads to higher tensile strength and lower risk of breakage during high-speed spinning, as well as improved brightness.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Johnson Matthey Catalysts
www.jmcatalysts.com/pct
Powdered Antifoam Smooths Process Flows, Won’t Clog Or Freeze
The Taylor Powdered Antifoam (TPA) line — made from silicone on a sodium acetate base — effectively knocks down foam in a wide variety of industrial and food processes. TPA is a free flowing powder that is completely water dispersible. Its non-hygroscopic properties prevent it from lumping and becoming non free-flowing. The TPA line features excellent long-term shelf stability, and are non-toxic. Users may add TPA directly to foaming systems as is, or specialty formulators can pre-blend the antifoams with other solid products and expect them to retain all their properties. A food grade version, TPA-FG, and custom formulations that incorporate color and fragrance modifications may be special ordered. This version complies with regulations of the Food and Drug Administration as cited in 21 CFR, Section 173.340.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Taylor Chemical Co.
www.taylorchemical.com
Silicone Antifoam for Pulp Processing Delivers Good Knockdown and Persistence
The Dow Corning AF-3258 PulpAid compound is a 100% active silicone antifoam designed to control foam in aggressive foaming environments typically encountered in chemical pulping, such as kraft and sulfite pulp washing. Compared to mineral-oil-based defoamers, this product provides excellent foam knockdown and persistence at lower use levels. The AF-3258 PulpAid compound must be formulated into a dispersion or emulsion prior to addition to the foaming media. Formulators can prepare AF-3258 PulpAid compound aqueous emulsions using many common commercially available emulsifiers and preservatives. Other ingredients that can be formulated with the product include siloxylated polyethers, hydrophobic silica and organic glycols.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Dow Corning Corp.
www.dowcorning.com
Addition of Polymeric Process Aid Enhances Plastics Processing
The Plastistrength 810 (P810) polymeric process aid was designed to address some of the key technical issues encountered with engineering plastic compositions, such as those based on polycarbonate (PC) and styrenic matrices (e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene [ABS]). Low loadings of P810 allow fast extrusion throughput owing to a strong antisticking performance without any significant impact on melt viscosity. This additive could be substituted for any of the organic fatty esters currently used as mold-release agents. P810 also maximizes the dispersion of other additives, such as color pigments, and stabilizes the matrix morphology thanks to its high molecular weight entanglement mechanism. Furthermore, it reduces the anisotropy phenomenon and improves the impact strength retention of the finished part in abusive thermal environments.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Arkema, Inc.
www.arkema-inc.com
This Silica Dispersant Minimizes Silica Fouling in Cooling Systems
Extensive studies show that the Versaflex Si silica dispersant is able to increase silica solubility by more than 2.5 times, allowing cooling systems to run at higher cycles of concentration without experiencing troublesome silica fouling. Because silica exists in so many different forms, however, the firm recommends that a program of actual field trials be implemented in order to determine the optimum concentrations and system conditions for use of the silica dispersant. Versaflex Si products are available in bulk, intermediate bulk and 55-gal drums. They have very low toxicity and should be shipped and stored in Type 304 stainless steel or better, fiberglass or plastic tanks.
Appeared In Issue: June 2007
Alco Chemical
www.alcochemical.com