Valorisation of alkanes and alkynes by transhydrogenation in petrochemical processes

The production of high premium fuel is an issue of priority to every refinery. The trans-hydrogenation process was devised to convert two low value refinery cracked products to premium products; the conversion processes involve the combination of dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions as a single step process. The low value refinery products (i.e. alkanes and alkynes or alkadienes) have been converted to alkenes (olefins) by trans-hydrogenation using catalysts system based on VOx, CrOx and Pt all supported on alumina. Although trans-hydrogenation has been disclosed in many patents over decades, only little academic literature is available. The success of the process over various catalysts has been claimed in many of these patents. However, further studies are still required to ascertain the actual reaction mechanism, mitigating carbon deposition and catalyst deactivation, and the role of different catalysts to optimize the reaction desired products. The current research work evaluates the potential of CrOx/Al2O3, K-CrOx/Al2O3, Pt/Al2O3 and K-Pt/Al2O3 to investigate the trans-hydrogenation of the pentane (P)/1-hexyne (1HY) system, the pentane (P)/1,5-hexadiene (1,5-HD) system and the pentane (P)/2,4-Hexadiene (2,4-HD) system over a range temperatures (523-773 K). The fresh catalysts were first characterised by N2 adsorption using the BET method, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, Temperature programme oxidation (TPO), Temperature programmed reduction (TPR), Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and colorimetric analysis. The Free energy (ΔG) for the reaction of pentane with 1-hexyne, 1,5-hexadiene and 2,4-hexadiene shows that trans-hydrogenation is thermodynamically favoured at most temperatures for the reaction of pentane with 1-hexyne, however this is not always the case when hexadienes are the hydrogen acceptors. When 2,4-HD is the acceptor, ΔG is +ve at all the reaction temperatures tested. When pentane or hexyne/hexadiene or a 5:1 mixture was passed over the catalyst, in the temperature range of 523K -773 K, it was found that trans-hydrogenation process had taken place but many of the products are alkylated olefinic and alkylated hydrocarbons. Regarding all systems previously mentioned above, the ratio of olefin to alkylated olefin products was ~50:50 at 773K, however, this ratio was found to vary at other temperatures. The lowest ratio of ~10:90 was obtained at 523K. Dissociation of the hydrocarbon reactant was also observed leading to production of cracked products such as CH4, C2H4 and subsequent formation of a carbonaceous overlayer on the catalyst surface. This was not the case with the 2,4-hexadiene reactant, the trans-hydrogenation is poor, as expected from the free energies. The trans-hydrogenation process was shown to improve the conversion of pentane when co-fed with the hexyne to ~26% and to ~90% when co-fed with 1,5HD using the chromia catalyst at 773K, both values are much higher than the equilibrium conversion of the pentane dehydrogenation. Higher conversions of the pentane were subsequently obtained with other catalysts, but the chromia/alumina and K-CrOx/Al2O3 catalyst exhibits greater trans-hydrogenation activity. With the 2,4HD acceptor, very low conversions of pentane were obtained with all the catalysts: in general conversions lower than when the pentane was run alone were obtained. The products observed were unique for each catalyst. However, it was observed that for each catalyst, only the distribution of the products changed with temperature. This also accounted for changes in both the cracking products and the carbon laydown on the catalyst. The deactivation regeneration cycles shows very similar conversion of both reactants. There is a small deactivation observed for the longer time run; however these were not very significant. It was observed that some of the major products were consumed with time, but are used for the formation of other major products. However, this is more prominent with pentane/hexyne run using the CrOx/Al2O3 catalyst

An Enhanced Performance Analysis of Software Using Architectural Feedback

The importance of software products and their quality attributes attainment has been a thing of concern in recent time to both academia and industry experts. This research work evaluated an enhanced performance analysis of software using architectural feedback. Data collected were, classified and analysed using SPSS reveal that the Relative Importance Index (RII) in relations to an enhance performance analysis of software using the architectural feedback was 0.83 which led to the proposal of a framework for an enhanced performance analysis of software using architectural feedback

Catalytic upgrading of refinery cracked products by trans-hydrogenation: a review

The production of high premium fuel is an issue of priority to every refinery. The trans-hydrogenation process is devised to convert two low valued refinery cracked products to premium products; the conversion processes involve the combination of dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reaction as a single step process. The paper reviews the recent literature on the use of catalysts to convert low value refinery products (i.e. alkanes and alkynes or alkadienes) to alkenes (olefins) by trans-hydrogenation. Catalysts based on VOx, CrOx and Pt all supported on alumina have been used for the process. However, further studies are still required to ascertain the actual reaction mechanism, mitigating carbon deposition and catalyst deactivation, and the role of different catalysts to optimize the reaction desired products

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigenaemia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at General Hospital Aliero, Kebbi State, Northern-Nigeria

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Bacterial Isolates and Antibiotic Sensitivity among Gambian Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition

Background. Establishing the pattern of infection and antimicrobial sensitivities in the local environment is critical to rational use of antibiotics and the development of management algorithms. Methods. Morbidity history and physical examination of 140 children with severe acute malnutrition were recorded. Their blood, stool, and urine samples were cultured and antibiotic sensitivity patterns determined for any bacterial pathogens isolated. Results. Thirty-eight children had a pathogen isolated from blood culture, 60% of which were considered contaminants. Coagulase negative staphylococcus was the predominant contaminant, while the major causes of bacteraemia were nontyphoidal Salmonella (13%), S. pneumoniae (10%), and E. coli (8%). E. coli accounted for 58% of the urinary isolates. No pathogen was isolated from stool. In vitro sensitivity by disk diffusion showed that 87.5% of the isolates were sensitive to ampicillin and/or gentamicin and 84.4% (27/32) to penicillin and/or gentamicin. Conclusions. A combination of ampicillin and gentamicin provides adequate antibiotic cover for severely malnourished children in The Gambia

Breaking the cycle of the COVID-19 transmission: a challenge for Nigeria

COVID-19 has already spread to almost every country in the world, including the arctic. The impact on human health has been severe, with an increasing number of fatalities. With the spread comes economic hardship due to the preventive strategies adopted. Movement restrictions imposed in Nigeria as a result of the outbreak have generated controversies among the poor masses that depend on daily hustles to fend for themselves and their families. Nigeria being a very populous country with a high number of low-income earners who depend on their daily efforts to get food for their families, control measures like the movement restrictions and closure of business premises would have a devastating impact on them. Although the government has responded with some palliative measures, it is evident that these interventions may not be sufficient, mainly due to potential malpractices that will end up denying many supposed beneficiaries

Etiology of Kidney Diseases With Proteinuria in the Gambia/West Africa

In West Africa, kidney diseases are frequently seen, but diagnostic and therapeutic options are poor due to limited access to specialized facilities. To unravel the etiology and develop clinical guidelines, we collected clinical data and results of kidney biopsies in 121 pediatric and mostly young adult patients with edema and proteinuria in The Gambia. Workup included clinical examination, urine and serum analysis, and kidney biopsy findings. Selected cases were treated with steroids. Results The median age was 14.9 years (range 1.8–52.0) at presentation. The most frequent underlying histologies were post-infectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN) in 38%, focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in 30%, minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) in 15%, and membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) in 10% of cases. Patients with PIGN were significantly younger and had less proteinuria and higher serum albumin levels than the other three. Infected scabies was seen more often in cases with PIGN. Clinical parameters could not distinguish patients with FSGS, MCNS, and MGN. Steroid response was prompt in patients with MCNS (remission in 10/10 cases) compared to FSGS (4/19) and MGN (0/4). In summary, the clinical histopathological correlation allows a better approach to therapy and can be the basis for urgently needed interventional studies in steroid-resistant cases