Research Article
SRU TGTU Hydrogenation Catalyst Lifecycle Best Practices
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2024
Pages:
70-79
Received:
12 June 2024
Accepted:
28 June 2024
Published:
8 July 2024
Abstract: This report highlights the best practices captured in the management of Tail-Gas Treatment Unit (TGTU)’s hydrogenation CoMo catalyst throughout its lifecycle, these best practices were developed based on success story in operating the TGTU, which provides technical framework to manage TGTU unit performance throughout TGTU catalyst lifecycle. The aforementioned TGTU CoMo catalyst management best practices span across the whole catalyst lifecycle, starting from cradle stage of activating/sulphiding the fresh oxide-form catalyst up to grave stage of unloading & handling the spent catalyst to a safe location. Furthermore, stressing points have been provided to record special procedure to activate catalyst’s active sites (Cobalt & Molybdenum) in a process commonly known as “sulphiding”, as well as “passivation” procedure during TGTU catalyst unloading due to the presence of pyrophoric material such as Iron Sulphide (FeS) in the TGTU converter. This developed best practices provide solid reference point for future TGTU catalyst management throughout its lifecycle. Therefore, it can be adopted and consistently applied across other TGTU-based Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) plants in order to maintain the optimum Sulfur Recovery Efficiency (SRE), minimize plant downtime due to catalyst replacement and prevent unwanted environmental issues such as SOx emissions).
Abstract: This report highlights the best practices captured in the management of Tail-Gas Treatment Unit (TGTU)’s hydrogenation CoMo catalyst throughout its lifecycle, these best practices were developed based on success story in operating the TGTU, which provides technical framework to manage TGTU unit performance throughout TGTU catalyst lifecycle. The af...
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Research Article
Extraction of Aluminum Oxide from Local Kaolin Clay Deposits in Ethiopia
Workie Tsegaye Belay*,
Mengisst Kassaw Melesse,
Amha Betemariam Gizmu
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 3, September 2024
Pages:
80-93
Received:
10 August 2024
Accepted:
5 September 2024
Published:
18 October 2024
Abstract: The need for aluminum is growing worldwide, which has sparked interest in finding alternate ways to make alumina from materials other than bauxite, particularly clays. This article examines the use of sodium carbonate as a leaching agent in the lime sintering process to recover alumina from kaolin. Excavated from Tarmaber, Ethiopia, kaolin clay contains a content of 32.88%, which has a relatively good composition. Collecting and grounding raw kaolin to micrometer-level particle size is the first task. The recovery of kaolin alumina was studied at sintering temperatures of (T1=800°C, T2= 900°C & T3=1000°C) at different sintering times of (t1=1 hr, t2=2 hrs & t3=3 hrs). After the raw material was burned at the given temperatures and times, it was cooled for the night in the furnace and leached with different concentrations of sodium carbonate (M1=50 g/l, M2=60 g/l & M3=70 g/l). The response surface methodology (RSM) in combination with the central composite design was used to optimize the operating parameters. The optimization result shows that the optimal conditions were a calcination temperature of 953.84°C, a sintering time of 2.99 h, and a leaching agent concentration of 70 g/l. At this optimal condition, the yield of Alumina was 1.05 g of 20 g of Kaolin clay. The resulting Alumina was crystalline in structure (from XRD analysis), contains 89.05% Al2O3 (from silicate analysis) and a large broad band between 400-1000 cm-1 is attributed to Al-O-Al stretching of Alumina (from FT-IR analysis). So, it is possible to conclude that alumina production from no bauxite ores is possible.
Abstract: The need for aluminum is growing worldwide, which has sparked interest in finding alternate ways to make alumina from materials other than bauxite, particularly clays. This article examines the use of sodium carbonate as a leaching agent in the lime sintering process to recover alumina from kaolin. Excavated from Tarmaber, Ethiopia, kaolin clay con...
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