SwRI will be exhibiting at the AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process Safety.
We specialize in many areas of research, including chemical engineering. We:
- accelerate process development with the design, building, and operation of pilot plants
- conduct proof-of-concept processing experiments
- operate our standard refinery pilot plants to produce test quantities of fuels or refinery products
- help our clients troubleshoot and optimize chemical and petroleum processes
- independently test samples for the oil and gas industry
Please join us for the following presentations.
Monday, March 25
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Process Development Division
“Improvements in Process Design and Development for Scaling Sustainable Processes,” Robert T. Oslin
At SwRI, we engage in process development and improvement for a variety of sustainable fuels and chemicals from lab to pilot scales. The applied research, development, testing, and evaluation methods undertaken help bridge the gap between fundamental science and commercialization. Technologies developed include but are not limited to hydrogen production; CCUS; renewable fuels; chemicals and materials production; and conventional thermo-, photo-, and electro-chemical conversions. Over the years, we have gained a great deal of knowledge from the design, build up, and operations of such processes at various scales. Many limitations, such as feedstock preprocessing and feeding, reactor optimization, downstream processing, and troubleshooting of pilot scale systems, have been overcome and understood. Systems have been developed to ensure process safety, enhanced conversion efficiencies, improved energy and mass transfer, as well as overall emissions reductions and carbon neutrality. This session will help transfer this knowledge to the industry and professionals to enable a smooth and sustainable energy transition while bringing fundamental technologies towards commercialization.
Tuesday, March 26
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Emerging Technologies in Clean Energy
“High-Pressure Fluidized Bed Reactors,” Eloy Flores
At SwRI, we engage in process development and improvement for a variety of sustainable fuels and chemicals from lab to pilot scales. The applied research, development, testing and evaluation methods undertaken help bridge the gap between fundamental science and commercialization. Technologies developed include but are not limited to hydrogen production; CCUS; renewable fuels; chemicals and materials production; and conventional thermo-, photo-, and electro-chemical conversions. One such technology is the High Pressure Circulating Fluidized bed (HPCFB) reactors. HPCFB reactors have recently showcased itself as a promising technology for sustainable fuel and chemical conversions. These reactors have several advantages over conventional reactors, including higher rates of heat and mass transfer, improved mixing of reactants, and the ability to recycle catalysts with high recirculating solid flow rates for heat recovery. HPCFBs are particularly suitable for high-temperature, high-pressure processes such as gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrotreating. At SwRI, we have developed HPCFBs and the supporting infrastructure for practical applications, ranging from small-scale laboratory experiments to larger pilot-scale CFBs. These reactors can efficiently convert both renewable and petrochemical feedstocks into valuable end products. The reactor system has also shown promise for the one-step cracking, deoxygenation, and hydro-isomerization of biogenic feedstocks into specific fuels and chemicals.
1:30 p.m. – 1:52 p.m.
24th Topical Conference on Gas Utilization
Gas Utilization (Methan, Ethane, and CO2) panel
“Enhanced Gas Utilization at Pilot Scales,” Veshal Venkat
At SwRI, we engage in the process development and improvement for a variety of sustainable fuels and chemicals from lab to pilot scales. The applied research, development, testing, and evaluation methods undertaken help bridge the gap between fundamental science and commercialization. Technologies developed include but are not limited to hydrogen production; CCUS; renewable fuels; chemicals and materials production; and conventional thermo-, photo-, and electro-chemical conversions. Over the years, we have gained a great deal of knowledge from the design, build up, and operations of such processes at various scales. Many limitations, such as feedstock preprocessing and feeding, reactor optimization, downstream processing, and troubleshooting of pilot scale systems, have been overcome and understood. Systems have been developed to ensure process safety, enhanced conversion efficiencies, improved energy and mass transfer, as well as overall emissions reductions and carbon neutrality. One such system is the production of turquoise hydrogen and value-added carbon from natural gas. Current pilot-scale systems have been engineered for improved hydrogen production in circulating fluidized bed reactors. These systems are continually being screened for process improvement to bring hydrogen costs below $2/kg. Other gas conversion systems developed include CO2 conversion to olefins and alcohols as well as oxidative coupling reactions for ethylene through novel catalyst and reactor systems. This presentation will include different approaches to the utilization of value addition of various gases.
Wednesday, March 27
8:00 a.m. – 8:22 a.m.
The Energy Transition
“Design and Development of Novel Sustainable Technologies,” Alexandria Dahl
This discussion will provide SwRI's knowledge and experience gained from the design, build up, and operations of such processes at various scales. At SwRI, we engage in process development and improvement for a variety of sustainable fuels and chemicals from lab to pilot scales. The applied research, development, testing, and evaluation methods undertaken help bridge the gap between fundamental science and commercialization. Technologies developed include but are not limited to hydrogen production; CCUS; renewable fuels; chemicals and materials production; and conventional thermo-, photo-, and electro-chemical conversions. The systems have been developed to ensure process safety, enhanced conversion efficiencies, improved energy and mass transfer, as well as overall emissions reductions and carbon neutrality.
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Petrochemicals
“Unconventional Feedstock Processing,” Heather Bonduris
At SwRI, we engage in process development and improvement for a variety of sustainable fuels and chemicals from lab to pilot scales. The applied research, development, testing, and evaluation methods undertaken help bridge the gap between fundamental science and commercialization. Technologies developed include but are not limited to hydrogen production; CCUS; renewable fuels; chemicals and materials production; and conventional thermo-, photo-, and electro-chemical conversions. One such technology is High Pressure Circulating Fluidized Bed (HPCFB) reactors. HPCFB reactors have recently showcased themselves as a promising technology for sustainable fuel and chemical conversions. These reactors have several advantages over conventional reactors, including higher rates of heat and mass transfer, improved mixing of reactants, and the ability to recycle catalysts with high recirculating solid flow rates for heat recovery. HPCFBs are particularly suitable for high-temperature, high-pressure processes such as gasification, pyrolysis, and hydrotreating. At SwRI, we have developed HPCFBs and the supporting infrastructure for practical applications ranging from small-scale laboratory experiments to larger pilot-scale CFBs. These reactors can efficiently convert both renewable and petrochemical feedstocks into valuable end products. The reactor system has also shown promise for the one-step cracking, deoxygenation, and hydro-isomerization of biogenic feedstocks into specific fuels and chemicals.
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Emerging Technologies in Clean Energy
“Strategies for Decarbonizing the Chemical Process Industry,” Jose Aguilar
The growing demand for technologies to capture, utilize, and sequester CO2, bolstered by government and public realization of meeting global energy demands and climate goals, is an opportunity for the chemical and process industries. Existing facilities around the world have the potential to capture more than 40 MtCO2 every year with the advent of capture technologies in the 1970s for use in enhanced oil recovery. Momentum has been building in the field arising from investment incentives and the civic value of meeting climate targets. The technologies implemented the most involve chemical absorption or physical separation, which have worked successfully for decades now. At SwRI, we have integrated teams working on all facets of CCUS and related infrastructure developed for real-world CO2 producers. Our expertise ranges over chemisorption, membrane and oxy-fuel separations, chemical and calcium looping, direct air capture, infrastructure and logistics, and supercritical CO2 power cycles. SwRI has a notable share in the development of technologies for the approaching net-zero carbon economy by 2050 and a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035.
We also work in direct decarbonization of natural gas streams to hydrogen and value-added carbon-containing product fractions. Most of the ongoing work involving low-carbon fuels, sustainable aviation fuels, and hydrogen from feedstocks like biomass, waste plastics. and municipal waste comprise directly and indirectly SwRI CCUS advancements. We also have expertise in syngas production and upgradation, CO2 conversion to fuels and chemicals, fermentation, and electrolysis. We strive to advance CCUS technologies through fundamental research, process development, and industrial application. Through numerous and diverse projects completed over decades, SwRI promotes an achievable and sustainable energy and material economy. This presentation will cover the different approaches to decarbonization in the industry.
3:30 p.m. – 3:52 p.m.
Topical Conference on Refinery Processing
“Improved Refinery Processing Strategies,” Jate Cox
At SwRI, we have integrated teams working on all facets of renewable petrochemicals and related infrastructure developed for real-world fuel producers. Our expertise ranges across thermochemical methods for conventional and unconventional feedstock cracking, conversions facilitated by scaled-up isomerization, and hydrotreating technologies to obtain refined fuels while achieving the desired properties and quality standards. Simultaneously, SwRI also works on engine testing and required adaptations for such renewable fuels. Renewable gasoline and diesel are characteristically like their fossil fuel counterparts and thus can be used as standalone fuels or blended with fossil fuels in internal combustion engines. Another growing field with competent demand is the production of SAF from various sustainable sources. Through numerous and diverse projects completed over decades, SwRI promotes an achievable and sustainable energy and material economy. This presentation will cover the different facets of scaling up and upgrading different feedstocks to renewable petrochemicals while competing with and learning from fossil-based petrochemicals.
For more information, please contact HsiangYee Hoekstra.