This paper first describes an empirical model to characterize the deactivation of a catalyst used in the production of a specialty chemical based on actual plant data. This model is then used in a novel multiperiod MINLP optimization formulation that incorporates the empirical model in order to determine the optimal catalyst replacement policy and meet time varying product demand.

A novel generic method of silica supported catalyst system generation from a fluid state is presented. The technique is based on the combined flow and radiation (such as microwave, thermal or UV) induced co-assembly of the support and catalyst precursors forming nano-reactors, followed by catalyst precursor decomposition. The transformation from the precursor to supported catalyst oxide state c...

The activity of a Te-MgO catalyst prepared by adsorbing Te vapor onto MgO powder was determined by dehydrogenation of indane, 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene, cumene, and p-cymene. The activity of the Te-MgO catalyst was higher than that of the MgO catalyst in most of the cases investigated. The selectivity of the former catalyst was much higher than that of the later in all cases studied. The Te-MgO ...

A new catalyst derived from osmium has been prepared, fully characterized and tested in the dihydroxylation of alkenes. The catalyst was prepared by wet impregnation methodology of OsCl3•3H2O on a commercial micro-magnetite surface. The catalyst allowed the reaction with one of the lowest osmium loadings for a heterogeneous catalyst and was selective for the monodihydroxylation of 1,5-dienes. M...

The promoting effect of niobium in a Li/MgO catalyst for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) and for the oxidattve dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) has been studied in some detail. it has been found that a Li/Nb/MgO catalyst with 16 wt % niobium showed the highest activity for the C, production in the OCM reaction; the activity at 600 “C was ten times that of the Li/MgO catalyst at the same...

In the present work, the transformation of m-xylene was studied over fresh and pre-coked HZSM-5 catalyst in a riser simulator over the temperature range of 350-500C.Significant differences were observed in both the activity and product selectivity pattern for the two forms of the catalyst. While, the fresh catalyst generally gave higher m-xylene conversion, the pre-coked catalyst produced highe...

A triethylaluminium(TEAl)-modified Phillips ethylene polymerisation Cr/Ti/SiO2 catalyst has been developed with two distinct active regions positioned respectively in the inner core and outer shell of the catalyst particle. DRIFTS, EPR, UV-Vis-NIR DRS, STXM, SEM-EDX and GPC-IR studies revealed that the catalyst produces simultaneously two different polymers, i.e., low molecular weight linear-ch...

Platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalyst with different loadings was investigated in air breathing electrodes microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Firstly, the electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of the catalyst was investigated by rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) setup with different catalyst loadings. The results showed that higher loading led to an increased in ...

We report a new approach, termed "growth by nanopatterned host-medicated catalyst" (NHC growth), to solve nonuniformities of Si nanowires (NWs) grown on amorphous substrates. Rather than pure metal catalyst, the NHC uses a mixture of metal catalyst with the material to be grown (i.e., Si), nanopatterns them into desired locations and anneals them. The Si host ensures one catalyst-dot per-growth...