Alkylation is a basic chemical process where an alkyl group is added to another molecule. One example would be the combining of gaseous ethylene and liquid benzene to create ethylbenzene. In more specialty applications, a more complex molecule can then be circulated as the catalyst for other reactions. The reaction takes place in a chemical reactor. This mixture may then be sent to the Alkylation Distillation plant via storage in the tank farm.

This process can be applied to all types and mixtures of C3/C4 LPG feedstocks and employs a chromium oxide on alumina catalyst. Dehydrogenation of propane to polymer-grade propylene takes place in a fixed-bed tubular reactor, in steam reformer based designs. The separation section derives from its ethylene technology.

Centrifugation is separation by means of high velocity rotation.

Dehydrogenation involves the elimination of hydrogen from a compound to produce a less saturated analog and can be effected thermally or catalytically. Thermal dehydrogenation is best exemplified by the pyrolysis of hydrocarbons to produce olefins, usually in the presence of steam, in pyrolysis furnaces or steam crackers at elevated temperatures.

Distillation is the most commonly used method of recovering and purifying petrochemicals and chemicals in the processing industry. The difference between boiling points between the key components to be separated is the means for separation.

Many processes in the chemical industry require the vaporization or boiling of multi-component fluids. With Evaporation, (unlike distillation), the vapors are either exhausted or discarded, instead of harvested.

A Fermentor is a vessel in which various organic compounds, bacteria and other microbials are introduced to promote fermentation of materials into various usable elements and waste.

Generally, any pipe or tank system transporting or containing fluids, liquid or gas would be considered a Fluid Handler.

High-Severity Fluid Catalytic Cracking (HS-FCC) is a newer process for the conversion of heavy oils into lighter hydrocarbon products and petrochemical feedstocks. The process combines mechanical modifications to conventional FCC with changes in process variables and catalyst formulations. The main operating regime of the process is a special down-flow reactor system, high reaction temperature, short contact time, and high catalyst/oil ratio. HS-FCC processes can yield up to 25% more than conventional riser-type reactor systems.

A Kiln is a furnace or oven for burning, baking or drying something, especially one for firing pottery, calcining limestone or baking bricks.

Methanol is an important multipurpose base chemical which can be recovered from many resources, predominantly natural gas. By tradition, methanol is principally used to produce formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and acetic acid. It is occasionally used as a general solvent. Today, methanol is projected to be increasingly used as a fuel, so a comparison to LNG could be made. Like LNG, methanol is manufactured from natural gas, but with higher capital costs per unit of energy. However, it is easier and cheaper to transport.

Naptha Reforming is the most widespread process for rearranging hydrocarbon molecules. One method, thermal reforming, employs temperatures of 510°–565°C (950°–1,050°F) at moderate pressures (about 43 kg per sq cm, or 600 psi) to obtain gasolines with higher octane numbers.

Petrochemical plants and refineries use distillation to separate olefins, e.g., ethane/ethylene, propane/propylene, and butane/butene. The columns used for olefin separation are often referred to as splitters.

Formerly an unrecovered bi-product of ethylene production, propylene now accounts for 30% to 40% of production depending on the feedstock. Increased consumer demand is increasing the production, however modifying processes to maximize propylene production typically decreases gasoline quality.

Generally, any process whereby a secondary product can be harvested during the production of a primary material and be used or sold is classified as a recovery process, and the secondary product is a recovered item.

Smeltering introduces heat necessary to extract metal from an ore and, in some cases, remove oxygen. Secondary materials may be used as a catalyst.

Two phases of Steam Cracking technology include cracking furnaces and separation. Cracking furnaces are the most important process units within ethylene plants. Here the thermal cracking reactions take place and the product yield of the entire plant is defined. The process to produce ethylene is one of the most complex processes in industry. Due to the huge number of components produced by thermal cracking the feedstock, various separation steps are required to produce the desired quality of ethylene and other possible byproducts.

Solvents are used in Aromatic Recovery from petroleum streams. Aromatic Recovery is performed as part of the Extractive Distillation process to facilitate Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE).

The Catalytic Condensation process is the preferred route to olefin dimers and oligemers and is also widely used for the production of cumene. Successful operation of a Catalytic Condensation unit with an SPA catalyst requires a close control on the water balance going into the reactor, both in order to obtain the desired level of activity and to achieve long catalyst life.

This process gives crystals the desired shape and structure without the usual problems of polymorphism. One technique involves placing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of molecules on a substrate to act as a nucleation catalyst for a specific polymorph.

A digester is a vessel in which various organic compounds, bacteria and other microbials are introduced to promote breakdown and separation of materials into various usable elements and waste.

Drying is the removal of moisture from product using flash dryers, ring dryers, fluidized bed dryers, coolers, rotary dryers and calciners.

Extraction in chemistry is a separation process involving the separation of a substance from a matrix. It most often refers to Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Solid Phase Extraction but may also include other techniques such as supercritical extraction, ultrasonic extraction, heat reflux extraction or microwave-assisted extraction.

Filtration and Separation technologies have a broad range of applications in the material, chemical and hydrocarbon processing and allied industries. Depending on the type and purpose of the process streams being treated, there are diverse devices and process strategies that can be considered.

Heat Transfer is the process whereby heat moves from one body or substance to another by radiation, conduction, convection or any combination of these methods.

The chemical process by which a compound is transformed into any of its isomeric forms, i.e., forms with the same chemical composition but with different structure or configuration and, hence, generally with different physical and chemical properties. An example is the conversion of butane, a hydrocarbon with four carbon atoms joined in a straight chain, to its branched-chain isomer, isobutane, by heating the butane to 100°C or higher in the presence of a catalyst.

Rotating equipment used throughout a facility has Lubrication Systems for bearings and the many types of mechanical seals employed.

Mixing is the combining of multiple fluids (liquid or gas) in various ways to achieve a desired solution, mixture, or blend. Mixing can be done within pipe lines, tanks, reactors and other vessels.

Olefin Cracking and interconversion processes are being developed to boost light olefins output. Typically, they can convert C4-C8 olefins and light pyrolysis gasoline into ethylene and propylene. Newer catalytic processes are under development that provide enhanced control of the cracking process or permit catalytic dehydrogenation of ethane.

Power Boilers are used to generate the steam required for plant processes or for the production of plant power. These Power Boilers are generally designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of the ASME Boiler Code or applicable Boiler Code for the country of installation.

Catalytic Reforming is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery napthas, typically having low-octane ratings, into high-octane liquid products called reformates, which are components of high-octane gasoline.

There are two main categories of Size Reduction, crushing and grinding. One or the other is practiced in almost every segment of the chemical processing industry. This is done to expose the grains of the material in the ore.

Splitting is another term for distillation in petrochemical processing. The separation of naptha from low-sulfur gasoil is one example.

The scope of Waste Management and Treatment now includes both hazardous and non-hazardous waste. The processes may include stabilization, neutralization, dilution, solidification, evaporation, storage, handling, transportation and disposal.