Methods and systems for acoustically-assisted hydroprocessing at low pressure
Hydroprocessing can be performed at low pressure using acoustic energy. For example, hydroprocessing a feedstock having one or more hydrocarbon compounds carried in, or mixed with, a transport gas involves flowing the feedstock through a reaction zone in a reactor that has a bulk pressure less than 68 atm and applying acoustic energy through the reaction zone. The hydrocarbon compounds are chemically reacted with a hydrogen source in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the reacting occurs in the reaction zone.
Grid Regulation Services for Energy Storage Devices Based on Grid Frequency
Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for charging and discharging an energy storage device connected to an electrical power distribution system. In one exemplary embodiment, a controller monitors electrical characteristics of an electrical power distribution system and provides an output to a bi-directional charger causing the charger to charge or discharge an energy storage device (e.g., a battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)). The controller can help stabilize the electrical power distribution system by increasing the charging rate when there is excess power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid exceeds an average value), or by discharging power from the energy storage device to stabilize the grid when there is a shortage of power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid is below an average value).
Preventing Conflicts Among Bid Curves Used with Transactive Controllers in A Market-Based Resource Allocation System
This controller is designed to bid in the price and quantity of an HVAC system as a function of the indoor air temperature, and respond to price by adjusting its temperature set point. However, when using the "auto" setting on a thermostat and pre-cooling and pre-heating functions, it is possible for the two set points to overlap, causing a conflict within the thermostat. To resolve this, a "double ramp" mode was developed to determine the dominant mode within the thermostat and resolve the pricing conflict.
Polymer-Sulfur Composite Materials for Electrodes In Li-S Energy Storage Devices
The high capacity Li/S battery with low cost and improved safety is one of the most promising technologies for the next generation of energy storage systems. However, its practical application has been plagued by a poor cycling ability caused by soluble polysulfide intermediates. Herein, a flexible interwoven sulfurized polyaniline (referred as SPANI hereafter) is designed to imbed sulfur in the form of S/SPANI composite. The soluble long chain polysulphides produced during repeated cycling are effectively constrained within the SPANI spatial network through both physical and chemical interactions. Even after 500 cycles a capacity retention rate of 68% is observed in the S/SPANI composite with a reversible capacity of around 600 mAh g-1. Compared with the conventional carbon matrix the framework of the elastic SPANI polymer functions very differently in that the volume of SPANI varies in the same pace as that of S addressing the dislocation issue of sulfur appropriately. The amine groups and/or imine groups decorated on SPANI surface further interacts or attracts the soluble polysulfides anions leading to the superior electrochemical performances. The attractive behavior exhibited by the SPANI/S composite not only underlies a new concept for designing sulfur-based electrode material but can be applied into many other different applications.
Surface Modification to Prevent Oxide Scale Spallation
Applying a shot-peening surface treatment technique of metallic IC used in SOFCs, consists of utilizing shot beads to impact the surface of the metallic IC at some velocity. The shot-peening surface treatment technique changes surface characteristics of metallic ICs to achieve a reliable oxide scale on the metallic ICs. This technique creates a novel mechanism of improvement of the reliability of the metallic ICs for long-term performance at high SOFC operating temperatures. It creates a waving surface of the metallic ICs and prevents/delay the delamination/spallation of the oxide scale.
Using Bi-Directional Communications in a Market-Based Resource Allocation System
A hierarchical system of market-like structures are assembled in which producers and consumers of resources negotiate for delivery and access to these resources at various points in time. The system described here provides a single conceptual framework for assemble a wide-area system for managing the allocation and distribution of multiple resources over time.
Method and System for Managing Power Grid Data
Smart grids promise to improve the efficiency of power grid systems and reduce green house emissions through incorporating power generation from renewable sources and shaping demand to match supply. Power generation from renewable resources such as solar and wind is affected by weather factors that can be highly fluctuating. To ensure these energy sources can be utilized efficiently, smart grid systems must shape demand through incentives to match the supply. As a result, the whole system becomes highly dynamic and requires constant adjustment. How to adjust the system can have a great impact on the efficiency and reliability of power grid systems, which offer many opportunities for innovation. We have designed a scalable data middleware specialized for smart grids.
CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF ETHANOL TO 1-/2-BUTENES
This invention relates to the single step conversion of ethanol (either aqueous or neat) to 1- and 2-butenes. 1-Butene itself a commodity chemical can be converted into polybutene, its main application is as a comonomer in the production of certain kinds of polyethylene, such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). 1-Butene has also been used as a precursor to polypropylene resins, butylene oxide, and butanone. Mixtures of 1-butene and 2-butene, as produced by the methods disclosed in this invention, can be oligomerized into gasoline, jet, and diesel fuels and/or into valuable fuel additives and lubricants. Currently, producing 1- and 2-butene from ethanol is performed by first dehydrating ethanol into ethylene and then ethylene can be dimerized into 1- and 2-butene in a second step. Here we disclose the methods for producing 1- and 2-butene mixtures directly from ethanol using specially tailored polyfunctional catalysts comprising metal component with relatively weak hydrogenation ability (e.g., Ag) with mildly acidic support materials (e.g., ZrO2 supported on SiO2). In previous work, including the filing of a separate patent, we demonstrated such catalytic materials to be active for converting ethanol into 1,3-butadiene in one reactor. In this disclosure we report these catalysts to be active and selective for converting ethanol to 1- and 2-butenes in one single reactor under mild reducing conditions (e.g., under H2, T = 325 degrees C, P = 7 bar). Furthermore, parameters such as H2 concentration, H2O concentration, space velocity and pressure were demonstrated to have significant effect on conversion, selectivity, and stability. H2-addition to the feed favors the formation of 1- and 2-butene at the expense of butadiene (see Table 1 in Slide 2 of the attached PPT file). For example, for a 4Ag/4ZrO2/SiO2 catalyst operating at 325 degrees C, P = 7 bar, WHSV= 0.23 hr-1, incremental addition of H2 to the feed gas from 0% to 100% (carrier gas content) leads to a decrease of conversion from 99 to 85% accompanied by an increase of the 1- and 2-butene combined selectivity from ~ 16 to 51%. Meanwhile the ethylene selectivity increases from ~ 8.6 to 26% while the butadiene selectivity decreases from 63.7% to 0%. Thus, in general 1- and 2-butene is formed at the expense of 1,3-butadiene when H2 content is added to the feed. We also demonstrated how catalytic stability is enhanced when H2 is added to N2 as the carrier gas for the process (see Slide 9 in the attached PPT summary). Thus, the addition of H2 (to the ethanol feed) not only alters the product distribution favoring a butene product slate but it also significantly suppresses coking resulting in enhanced catalytic stability. We also note that while H2 addition to the feed may add cost to the overall process, hydrogen is usually needed anyhow for fuels production as the final olefin product after oligomerization needs to be hydrotreated. Thus, the added hydrogen can be used in the latter hydrotreatment step and unconverted hydrogen can be recycled to the front end of the process. We further investigated process parameters that affect catalytic performance. For example, higher contact time favors the formation of 1- and 2-butenes (see Table 2 in Slide 3 of the attached PPT file). As shown in Table 2 decreasing the space velocity from 14.6 to 0.23 hr-1 while operating under H2 gas leads to an increase of the conversion from ~ 11 to 85% and an increase of both 1- and 2-butenes and ethylene selectivities from ~13 to 51% and ~15 to 26%, respectively. Meanwhile, both acetaldehyde and butyraldehyde selectivities decrease whereas butadiene selectivity remains negligible. This suggests that the mechanism for butene formation involves the conversion of acetaldehyde to crotyl alcohol, isomerization of crotyl alcohol to butyraldehyde, and butenes formation from butyraldehyde deoxygenation. The effect of operating pressure was also investigated and it was found that higher pressure favors the formation of butenes at the expense of butadiene (see Table 3 in Slide 4 in the attached PPT file). For example, increasing the pressure from atmospheric to 14 bar while operating under H2 gas leads to an increase of the conversion from 52 to 83% and an increase of the C4+ olefins selectivity from 8.1 to 44% while the selectivity toward butadiene and ethylene decreases from 43 to 0% and 22 to 7%, respectively. Addition of water to the feed also leads to a decrease of the conversion, from 94.0%, with 100 % ethanol as a feedstock, and to 76%, with 35% ethanol in H2O as a feedstock (see Table 4 in Slide 5 in the PPT file). The butenes selectivity is only slightly affected by the presence of water since it decreases from 58% to 55%. However, this demonstrates that diluted feeds of ethanol can be used as feedstock and separation of water and ethanol is not required prior to conversion. The product from the ethanol conversion contains primarily butenes and ethylene olefins mixed with H2. Thus, for purpose of producing fuels from the olefin precursors we also demonstrated feasibility for oligomerization by co-feeding ethylene and/or H2 with butene mixtures over zeolite catalysts. Oligomerization of butenes in the presence of H2 was found to be feasible (see Slide 6 in the attached file). Adding H2 to the feed leads to about 20% lower C8+ olefins production. Oligomerization of butenes + ethylene mixture was also investigated to determine the effect of ethylene on the oligomerization of butenes (see Slide 7 in the attached PPT file). Adding ethylene to the feed was also demonstrated to lead to higher paraffins/olefins ratio due to hydrogenation activity but does not affect the production of C8+ olefins since the same quantity of product was obtained w and w/o ethylene addition to the feed. Oligomerization of butenes in the presence of H2 and ethylene was also examined (see Slide 8 in the attached PPT file). The ratio paraffins/olefins is equal to about 0.4 in the presence of H2 + ethylene as opposed to < 0.5 without H 2 + ethylene indicating a significant hydrogenation activity. The quantity of C 8 + olefins produced is about 10% higher in the presence of H 2 and ethylene and is likely due to ethylene oligomerization to C 8 + product occurring in the meantime as butenes oligomerization. Thus, we demonstrate that oligomerization of 1-butene is feasible in the presence of H 2 and/or ethylene co-feed. We also note that in separate experiments (not shown) we show the product distribution for 2-butene oligomerization to be very similar to that of 1-butene. Thus, a feed containing mixtures and 1- and 2-butene would produce a similar product distribution.
THIN-SHEET ZEOLITE MEMBRANE AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME
Zeolite membrane sheets for separation of mixtures containing water are provided, as well as methods for making the same. Thin, but robust, zeolite membrane sheets having an inter-grown zeolite crystal film directly on a thin, less than 200 micron thick, porous support sheet free of any surface pores with a size above 10 microns. The zeolite membrane film thickness is less than about 10 microns above the support surface and less than about 5 microns below the support surface. Methods of preparing the membrane are disclosed which include coating of the support sheet surface with a seed coating solution containing the parent zeolite crystals with mean particle sizes from about 0.5 to 2.0 microns at loading of 0.05-0.5 mg/cm2 and subsequent growth of the seeded sheet in a growth reactor loaded with a growth solution over a temperature range of about 45° C. to about 120° C.