Vol 10, No 1 (2018)

Results are presented from studying an iron–nickel catalyst for the steam reforming of methane, synthesized by epitaxial coating on the surface of spherical pellets of commercial γ-Al₂O₃. It is shown the catalyst is resistant to the presence of hydrogen sulfide in a steam–gas mixture. The degree of conversion of methane during reforming is close to equilibrium at a pressure of 2.0 MPa, a temperature of 800°C, a ratio of Н₂О: СН4 = 2: 1, a feedstock hourly space velocity (FHSV) of 6000 h⁻¹, and a H₂S concentration of 30 ppm. The structural evolution and phase state of the active components of the system are studied via X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The formation of paramagnetic iron oxide clusters tightly bound to the structure of the support, and of FeNi₃ iron–nickel alloy particles on the surface of the catalyst, is responsible for the polyfunctional properties of the catalyst, which displays high activity in both the steam reforming of methane and the oxidative decomposition of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur.

The effect of the W: (W + Mo) atomic ratio in NiMoW trimetallic catalysts on their catalytic and physicochemical properties is studied. The catalysts are prepared by impregnating a carrier containing amorphous aluminosilicate (AAS) and aluminium oxide with an aqueous solution containing Ni, Mo, W compounds, and citric acid. They are studied via XRF, TEM, NH₃ TPD, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and are tested in the hydrocracking of vacuum gasoil (VGO). The average length of a sulfide active component layer shrinks as the amount of Mo increases and the amount of W in the catalyst is reduced. XPS data indicate that the degree of sulfidation of tungsten in NiMoW trimetallic catalysts is lower than in NiW catalyst. Testing of the catalysts in hydrocracking of a straight-line VGO at 390–420°C, 16 MPa, a feedstock hourly space velocity (FHSV) of 0.71 h⁻¹, and a H₂: VGO ratio of 1200 L/L shows the activities of hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, hydrogenation, and hydrocracking grow along with the W: (W + Mo) ratio. When the process pressure is high and the amount of sulfur in the NiW feedstock is low, the catalysts have higher activity in the target reactions of VGO hydrocracking than NiMo catalyst.

Chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to produce terephthalic acid (TPA) was studied using in situ hydrolysis with sodium methoxide in methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent under microwave irradiation. The microwave-assisted reaction was carried out at different temperatures, and reaction time between 5 to 30 min. High degrees of depolymerization were examined at temperature near 70°C at microwave power 300 W. The reaction was carried out in a sealed microwave reactor in which the time and temperature were controlled and recorded. The products were mainly monomers such as TPA and ethylene glycol (EG) which were isolated and purified for further analysis. Monomethyl terephthalate, dimethyl terephthalate, and terephthalic acid were formed initially then converted to TPA as a single monomer product. Purified, TPA was analyzed and identified by NMR, TGA, DSC and FTIR. It was observed that the reaction greatly depends on the amount of sodium methoxide, the volume of methanol and DMSO used, the reaction time, and temperature. Compared to conventional heating methods, the time needed to achieve complete degradation of PET was significantly reduced to 5 min by using microwave irradiation and sodium methoxide catalyst. This has led to substantial saving in energy and cost supporting the conclusion that this proposed recycling process is very beneficial for the recycling of PET wastes.

The shape of adsorbent grains used for drying hydrocarbon gas flows at a reduced hydraulic resistance of their beds are theoretically optimized. A two-velocity model of gas flow in fixed beds consisting of differently shaped holed particles is used for calculations at typical parameters of the associated petroleum gas drying process. It is shown that the optimum shape of a grain is a four-spoke ring. At an equivalent diameter of 3 mm, such a grain is 6.154 × 6.154 mm in size, and its walls and baffles are 1.026 mm thick.

Part III of this work continues the study of the catalytic properties of new molybdenum carbide based hydroisomerization catalysts, which are resistant to sulfur compounds and allow the synthesis of waxy diesel fuels with the same quality characteristics as those of platinum-containing catalysts. The catalytic properties of such bifunctional catalysts as 7%Mo₂C/SAPO-31 (LCCH-2) and 7%Mo₂C/SAPO-11 (LCCH-2-2) in diesel fraction hydroisomerization in the temperature range of 320–400°C are compared. It is shown that LCCH-2 ensures a higher yield of the hydroisomerized diesel fraction with a lower freezing point as compared to LCCH-2-2 at temperatures above 320°C. The ratio between mono- and di-isomers in reaction products is analyzed. It is concluded that SAPO-31 based catalyst is more selective to the formation of terminal monosubstituted alkanes than SAPO-11 based catalyst. The resistance of both catalysts to deactivation with coke deposits (tests over 100 h at 320 and 360°C in hydroisomerization) is studied. It is established that LCCH-2-2 is less resistant to deactivation than LCCH-2. These findings are due to differences in acidity, the degree of uniformity in the distribution of acidic hydrogenating/dehydrogenating sites in the catalysts, and the structural type of their acidic supports.

Heterogeneous biocatalysts prepared by immobilizing a recombinant lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus on mesoporous inorganic supports—silica (SiO₂), alumina (Al₂O₃), and titania (TiO₂)—are comparatively studied in the esterification of fatty acids with aliphatic alcohols. It is found that the T. lanuginosus lipase adsorbed on silica has the highest esterifying activity, while the lipase adsorbed on titania is completely inactivated. SiO₂-based catalysts have high activity and stability in the esterification of saturated fatty acids containing 4–18 carbon atoms (C4–C18) with aliphatic alcohols (C5–C16) in organic solvents (hexane and diethyl ether). The catalysts operate in this reaction for several tens of reaction cycles (>40) without loss of activity. The recombinant rPichia/lip lipase immobilized on silica exhibits the most pronounced specificity for its first substrate, a fatty acid. For instance, the rate of synthesis for esters of low molecular weight acids (С4–С6) is three to four times slower than for the esters of acids with more than seven carbon atoms. The catalyst has a relatively broad specificity for the second substrate, an aliphatic alcohol. It is found that the ester of enanthic acid (C7:0) and butanol (C4) is synthesized at the maximum rate.

A mathematical model is proposed for describing the biotransformation of methyl phenyl sulfide to (R)-methyl phenyl sulfoxide by immobilized Gordonia terrae IEGM 136 cells. Kinetic patterns of the biotransformation of methyl phenyl sulfide are determined using experimental data on the initial concentration of sulfide and the amount of biocatalyst. The experimental data are compared to simulations of sulfide biotransformation scaling in a laboratory bioreactor. A mathematical model is developed for describing the biotransformation of methyl phenyl sulfide with repeated use of the biocatalyst. The resulting data can be used for optimizing the biotransformation of a wide range of organic aryl alkyl sulfides to optically active sulfoxides.