Petrochemicals

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have received great attention as an alternative power source for transportation and stationary applications. A membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) that generates electricity by electrochemical reactions consists of proton exchange membrane as an electrolyte...

Due to the complex morphology and small length scales of many fuel cell materials, experimental quantification of the key properties of these materials can be expensive and quite difficult to conduct, if not impossible. As a result, modeling efforts become an imperative approach to evaluate the...

Several carbons were evaluated for supporting sulfur in a lithium sulfur battery. The carbon properties had a significant impact on performance.

Whereas process mass spectrometers have been used as an alternative (lower cost) solution to multiple process gas chromatograph installations for many years, their use has been somewhat limited by their complexity - both real and perceived. The latest generation of process mass spectrometers has...

The bottom C4’s product specification could not be met on the Depropanizer tower during a plant start up. The olefins unit had been started with a new start up procedure, which involved significant reduction in feed rates to the unit until achieving on spec ethylene. C3 & C4’s product were to...

Extension of system run length and maximizing plant throughput will bring substantial profit to olefin producers. The fouling problem in the oil quench tower of the ethylene plant, however, has become a challenge to achieving long run length goals and has even led to unscheduled shutdown or reduced...

Cooling water driven condensers utilizing enhanced heat transfer technology deliver technical and economic advantages in both revamp and grassroots applications. Meeting equipment performance demands within the confinement of an existing unit structure can be accomplished with simple tube bundle or...

Chemical reaction fouling is principally controlled by two factors: wall temperature and local fluid shear stress. Computer programs for the design of shell-and-tube exchangers generally calculate a mean heat transfer coefficient for the tube bundle. In reality both heat transfer coefficient and...

Today, there is no excuse for not getting five years or more on the run length of refinery preheat exchangers without the need for cleaning. Among the many tools available for fouling mitigation of preheat exchangers, the most overlooked ones involve determining and eliminating the cause. Almost...

Braskem, a Brazilian player among petrochemical manufacturers, produces monomers, resins and chemicals specialties. The overall Ethylene capacity is 3,600 KTA, distributed in six Olefins plants. Naphtha is the main raw material of the petrochemical and plastic productive chain in Brazil, followed...