Preparation of Synthetic Banana Oil free essay sample

The main purpose of this experiment was to synthesize banana oil (isopentyl acetate. ) Ester are often prepared by the Fischer esterification method, which involves heating a carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst. Theory: Synthesize isopentyl acetate by combining isopentyl alcohol with acetic acid and sulfuric acid and then heating the reaction mixture under reflux for an hour. The alcohol is the limiting reactant, so it should be weighed/ the acids can be measured by volume. The esterification reaction is reversible, and it has an equilibrium constant of approximately 4. 2. A pure component can be obtained from a mixture by separating it from all other components of the mixture, using procedures that take advantage of differences in solubility, boiling points, acid-base properties, and other characteristics of the components. Because isopentyl acetate is a liquid, the separation and purification operations will differ from those used previously for solid products. We will write a custom essay sample on Preparation of Synthetic Banana Oil or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The water that forms during the reaction will be separated from the ester along with the wash liquids. Any traces of water that remain are then removed by a drying agent, either magnesium sulfate or sodium sulfate. Because isopentyl alcohol has a lower boiling point than that of isopentyl acetate, and the by-products have higher boiling points, it should be possible- in principle- to remove the alcohol and by-products from the ester by distillation. Isopentyl alcohol should distill first, followed by the ester, and any by-products should remain behind in the pot-the vessel in which the reaction mixture is boiled. Reaction: Reaction: Acetic acid + isopentyl alcohol isopentyl acetate + water 17 mL150 mmol Weigh 150 mmol of isopentyl alcohol into a round bottom flask of appropriate size, and add boiling chips. Under a hood, add 17 mL of glacial acetic acid, and then carefully mix in 1. 0 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid while stirring. Connect a West condenser to the reaction flask, turn on the cooling water, start the stirrer, and heat the reaction mixture under reflux for one hour after boiling begins. Reflux apparatus When the reaction time is up, allow the reaction mixture to cool to about room temperature. Turn off the cooling water and remove the reflux condenser. Transfer the reaction mixture to a separatory funnel. Leaving the boiling chips behind, and washes the mixture with 50 mL of water. Drain the aqueous layer, and leave the organic layer in the separatory funnel. Then carefully wash the organic layer with two successive portion of 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate, draining the aqueous layer after each washing. During the first washing, stir the layers until gas evolution subsides before you stopper the separatory funnel, and vent it frequently thereafter. Dry the crude isopentyl acetate with anhydrous magnesium sulfate or sodium sulfate, and filter I by gravity. Using standard-taper glassware, assemble an apparatus for standard scale simple distillation. Be sure the thermometer is straight up as shown in the picture below. Distill the crude product, collecting any liquid that distills between 137oC and 143oC. Record the actual boiling range. Wait until the entire thermometer bulb is moist with condensing vapors, liquid is distilling into the receiver, and the temperature is stable. The final weight obtained of the product is 4. 28 g because the reactant, both have one to one mole, and the percentage yield of the product is 32. 4%. Discussion/Conlusion: Isopentyl acetate was achieved through the method implemented in this experiment. With the use of isopentyl alcohol and acetic acid under the reaction method help to obtain the predicted product. One one this experiment could be developed is to specific precise amount of each compound need to be used in the reaction in order to obtain a better yield of the product. Procedure required circumspect handling while synthesizing, the sources of the errors that caused the discrepancy may have been from washing and drying the product. A few part of the organic layer might have been removed in the process of removing the aqueous layer, water and sodium bicarbonate. Too much anhydrous sodium sulfate might have been added because the procedure was not specific as to what quantity should be added. Exercise

HONDA Report Essays

HONDA Report Essays HONDA Report Essay HONDA Report Essay Introduction. Soichiro Honda was born on November 17, 1906, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. He was a racer, a businessman, and a manufacturer. He dreamed of a better way of making piston rings, founded a small company, and began production. He was also a Japanese engineer and industrialist, and founder of Honda Motor Company, Ltd, which is a Japanese multinational corporation primarily know as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Headquartered in Japan, Honda Motor Company is one of the major producers of quality motor vehicles around the world. Honda Motor Company is by far the worlds biggest motorcycle maker since 1959. Hondas quality, innovation and reliability have made it one of the most sought after car brands in the world. Its major car models such as Accord have occupied the leadership position in global sales for years now. Honda cars are also renowned for their fuel efficiency and have a loyal customer following all around the world. Hondas leadership position is sustained due to its enormous focus on RD, quality and innovation. Along with Toyota, its major competitor, Honda has ruled the US markets with its uccessful models and captured market share of American manufacturers such as GM and Ford. This success turned Hondas focus to another dream, the American Dream, and the company also moved away from other companies who relied upon distributors to sell their bikes when the company set up its headquarters in the west coast of America. Company overview 0 Honda has grown to become the worlds largest motorcycle manufacturer and one of the leading automakers. Honda develops, manufactures and markets a wide variety of products ranging from small general-purpose engines and scooters to pecialty sports cars, to earn the Honda Motor Company an outstanding reputation from customers worldwide. The Companys business is carried out through four segments: The Two-Wheel segment manufactures two-wheel vehicles All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) Personal watercrafts And other related products. The Four-Wheel segment offers four-wheel vehicles and other related products. The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck, which went on sale in August 1963. He was produced as a conventional rear wheel drive pickup truck, a flatbed with folding sides, and as a covered van. But, Hondas major car models include its best selling Accord, Civic, CRV, Hybrid car Insight and its luxury range of cars under the Acura brand. The Accord automobile followed in 1976, the same year that American Honda released its first automatic transmission motorcycle, the CB750A. The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars. On the automotive side, Honda became the first manufacturer to finish first, second and third in the Motor Trend Import Cars of the Year selections. The word ? « civic ? » means of, or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship or civil affairs. As its name suggests, the Civic incorporated Hondas wish to create a car for all people, a car for the world. The Financial segment in engaged in the provision of financial and insurance services. The General-purpose and Others segment is engaged in the manufacture of general-purpose products and its related products. Headquartered in Tokyo, the Company has over 400 subsidiaries and over 100 associated companies in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and other districts. It is essential that Honda Motor Company focused on making its cars more fuel- efficient. To make this idea work, Honda will need to spend heavily on continuous research and development. Such R process is an on-going activity at progressive and innovative organizations like Honda. Hondas engineers will need to think out of the box and come up with innovative technologies that can really set apart Honda from its compet itors. Focusing on high HP-to-weight ratio engines and environment friendly hybrid vehicles will help the company to protect its market share in the future. For example, the two seated Insight model, which derived its power from a ombination of a 3-cylinder gasoline engine, and a large battery pack providing power-assist during acceleration was a good start. Another innovation is the use of ethanol as an efficient and more environment friendly gas substitute. Honda Motor Company needs to create new models or redesign existing models to be more friendly and geared for comfort of the older generations, such as the baby boomers. This comfort should be teamed with a fashionable look, as baby boomers dont want to be reminded of their aging bodies. To come up with this range of product mix, Honda will need to make significant capital expenditure. However, this strategy can be dangerous as Honda might lose its focus. In an effort to capture this segment of the marketplace, Honda might lose its quality and strategic focus. However, if this option is pursued, Honda will need to raise capital in the form of equity as well debt in a suitable combination to fund this capital expenditure. 0 Honda is already expanding their U. S. production, today, 80% of the 1. 3 million cars Honda sells in North America are made at North American factories, and the parts in Hondas American cars increasingly come from local suppliers. Honda plans to increase its production from the current 1. 4 million units a year to 1. 62 million units within a year. This new growth should be put in areas where the cost of living is relatively low. This will ensure that Honda can pay workers fair wages for the area. Creating a loyalty to American made products is no t the only reason that Honda needs to expand its local production levels. Since over 70% of revenue for Honda is gained in America, it is important to make the vehicles where or close to where they are sold. With the ever-changing exchange rate between the United States and Japan, local production gives Honda stability. This helps Honda to be much more resistant to exchange fluctuations, says Satoshi Aoki, senior managing director at Honda in To Conclusion Unlike other global businesses that see size as the key to survival, Honda embraces the ideal that even as Honda operations expand around the globe, they want to maintain the qualities of a small company that is close to its customers. The ability to produce a worthwhile product with the speed, flexibility and efficiency of a small company and the essential elements of a large company global reach and echnological strength, is what drives them into the future and will continue to help them strategize their global efforts. Hondas global strategy is very simple put cost-effective plants in areas that best meet the needs of local customers. They integrate plants into markets with a Small Born manufacturing strategy, starting small and then expanding as local demand increases. This thinking has helped them establish more than 100 factories in 33 countries, an approach that allows Honda to achieve efficiency and profitability, even at low production volumes.

Entrepreneurship. Validity of Claim in Emerging Markets and Assignment

Entrepreneurship. Validity of Claim in Emerging Markets and Stakeholder contribution in making Claim Realizable - Assignment Example The market itself has also been a focus of discussion to identify key conditions and factors that make businesses succeed on emerging markets. Getting to the later part of the series of lessons, there was focus on the role that various non-governmental agencies play in emerging markets to ensure that businesses operating in these markets experience success. As Dr. Yunu makes this all important claim of how each person is a potential entrepreneur, the various ideas developed over the weeks can be summed up in reasoning with Dr. Yunu. In this integration paper, two major issues are discussed. The first is the potential that the statement of Dr. Yunu has in becoming a reality in emerging markets, and the level to which various stakeholders have played their role in facilitating entrepreneurship and Dr. Yunu’s idea. Validity of Claim in Emerging Markets Generally, there has been a realization that most people who are entrepreneurs in various emerging markets, particularly in N-11 countries are not people who are world acclaimed entrepreneurs with records of setting up blooming and flourishing multinational companies around the globe. Considering various business plans, it would be noticed that most of these entrepreneurs are ordinary degree holders in various subject areas, with some kind of zeal to succeed (Dib, da Rocha and da Silva, 2010). In relation to the statement of Dr. Yunu therefore, it can be said that as far as emerging markets are concerned, there is a huge level of possibility of the claims to be reality. Having said this however, lessons from previous weeks’ discussions on leadership qualities would also bring in a word of caution that as much as all people would want to attempt to be entrepreneurs, it is important that efforts are made on the need to learn and acquaint oneself with key leadership and entrepreneurship skills when operating in an emerging market (Naude and Rossouw, 2010). The fact that most emerging markets are not very developed must not be a reason or a cause for entrepreneurs to overlook the kind of competition they can present their businesses with. Stakeholder contribution in making Claim Realizable The weeks gone have also been very useful in understanding the roles that governments and other stakeholders such as nongovernmental organization have to play and have been playing in various emerging markets. As far as governments are concerned, a lot have been said as criticism against their actions and efforts so far. For example, most governments in emerging markets, particularly the Brazilian government has been criticized for doing virtually nothing to too little in ensuring that the form of support it gives to young entrepreneurs, especially those coming from foreign countries are financial support (Cahn, 2008). Meanwhile, as much as the other forms of support are important and relevant, even Dr. Yunu admits that financial constraints remain the most challenging obstacle to most young entrep reneurs who would have wanted to make the advocacy of his claim a reality by opening businesses in emerging markets. Currently, the commonest forms of support that exist for various entrepreneurs come in the form of political and environmental support as against economic support (Thukral et al, 2008). For the example, the likelihood that an entrepreneur will face opposition in the opening of a new venture in an emerging market such as Brazil is highly unlikely. But except one is an indigenous or local entrepreneur, the possibility of receiving support from the government is almost zero. The reason this is so is that government sees

Retail Marketing - John Lewis Company in the UK Essay

Retail Marketing - John Lewis Company in the UK - Essay Example Newer brands of retailing industries are also becoming more and more dependent on support activities such as online support sections, manufacturing and supply chain. The vulnerabilities posed by various facets of the retailing industry are myriad although currently the retailing industry in under great pressure due to lowered spending levels. Retailing has evolved and emerged over the years as an essential connection between the modern consumer culture and the supply chain mechanisms used to support the retailing in force. The domain of retail commodities spans all kinds of goods such as cosmetics, food products, homemade ups, textiles, draperies and the like. The size of retail outlets however depends on a number of other factors such as the consumer markets around the retail stores and outlets, the historical image of the retail outlet etc. The various retailing businesses around Great Britain have are also structured accordingly with small, medium and large retail outlets. The his tory of retailing in Great Britain has historically deep roots with large chains such as Harrods, John Lewis etc. spanning over decades. The drive to diversify and expand the domain of business activities as well as strong fiscal grounds has ensured that these historical businesses have remained strong in terms of performance. The resilience of these businesses has been evident from their dealing with large crises such as the Second World War or the economic depression of the seventies. 2. Chosen Company: John Lewis Partnership The chosen company John Lewis Partnership has also had deep historical roots as well. The company begun as a simple drapery store on Oxford Street, the historical shopping district in London but it soon emerged as a chain of stores around London. The move to obtain more stores around London went through before the First World War providing John Lewis a comprehensive retailing network. The John Lewis Partnership emerged with the novel idea of providing employe e led partnership. This idea ensured that after the death of the original owner’s son, the John Lewis Partnership was bequeathed to the employees in 1925. This trend has continued in the same spirit ever since and the John Lewis Partnership has been stewarded by a counsel of employees ever since. Over time the John Lewis partnership has diversified its business interests in order to augment its market standing. The John Lewis brand also supports other business interests such as the Waitrose supermarkets as well as the Greenbee range of products and services. In addition to the above, the John Lewis brand also provided support to the Ocando brand but it later absolved itself of any such business interests. It is evident from the facts presented above that John Lewis represents a major retailing business in the context of the United Kingdom. This contention is further strengthened by the argument that John Lewis Partnership is the third largest retailing business present within the boundaries of the United Kingdom. As mentioned before, the John Lewis Partnership is also distinct from other brands in the retailing industry due to its power sharing structure that stretches from the CEO to the person looking after the aisle in the stores around the United Kingdom. All employees of the John Lewis brand are considered partners of the company. The annual profit is also distributed amongst the partners and recent years have seen the distribution of such

Death Penalty Pro's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death Penalty Pro's - Essay Example A number of organizations have gone against death penalty, with convincing arguments surrounding its ineffectiveness in preventing future crimes, its cruelty and various other reasons. Listening to their arguments would make one think that the supporters of death penalty are nothing but cruel and inhumane individuals devoid of compassion and willing to kill, which is the very crime that they abhorred in the first place. One of the most vocal of all the activists is Amnesty International, which made a public declaration that "death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment." The group also believes that this type of punishment is a form of human rights violation, irrevocable, may be inflicted on the innocent, and does not certainly stop future crimes to be committed. Abolitionists back their claim with statistics and studies, although most of these studies have been misrepresentation of the truth. They have succeeded in their quest in a number of nations around the world. Amnesty International states that from the time that it started the movement against death penalty, the number of nations that have abolished death penalty from the judicial system has risen from 16 to 86 nations. Notwithstanding the strong opposition to death penalty, however, the American public continues to quietly support this form of punishment for heinous crimes. This support was even reinforced after the September 11 attack on the United States. It is reported that one-fifth of those who usually go against the death penalty feel that the terrorists who execute such crime against humanity deserve death sentence (Cable News Network). This goes to show that people feel that it is necessary to punish those who are willing to kill numerous others and still justify their murde rous actions. First among the arguments of opponents of the death penalty surrounds its ability to deter crime. They state that there is not enough statistical basis to say that the imposition of death penalty prevents further crimes from happening. Opponents even think that crime rates are higher for those states with death penalty statutes than those which do not adopt capital crime punishment. While it is difficult to convince people who have already made up their minds against death penalty, it should be emphasized that deterring crime is not solely the reason for exacting death penalty on those who committed heinous crimes. John McAdams aptly states that execution of murderers even without deterrent effect, would still be better as this will diminish the number of criminals in society than if they were left to live and with that inaction, people expect future crimes to be prevented (American Bar Association). Even as opponents of death penalty believe that the punishment does not ensure the d ecline in crime rates, they also do not provide enough evidence that inaction against doers of heinous crimes warrant the decrease the occurrence of crimes. George E. Pataki believes that death penalty is effective in preventing future crimes from happening, and that the government should use every action possible in order to protect

Methanation in Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) Production

Methanation in Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) Production Methanation is the process of producing methane from H2 and CO. Methane (an odourless and colourless gas, composed of four hydrogen molecules attached to one carbon molecule) is found in natural gas that we can use in our homes for energy. Methane found in natural gas is produced by anaerobic bacteria, which break down organic material and the waste product is the natural gas. The natural gas that is sought after by companies such as BP drilling for oil and gas was produced by anaerobic bacteria millions of years ago. Methane is used in many processes some of which are explained below. We will mainly consider methanation in the production of Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) as this can be used instead of natural gas which has limited resources and supply. Methanation is the reverse reaction of steam methane reforming. It is one of the most important steps in ammonia plants as the COx produced in the overall steam reforming process need to be separated from the H2, as the H2 is to be used for ammonia synthesis. This process is also referred to as purification methanation. The content of oxides of carbon in the production of ammonia must be reduced to a very low level to prevent catalyst poisoning2. After the low temperature shift (LTS) reaction and deduction of CO2, the methanation reaction is used to remove any residual COx from the process stream before ammonia synthesis. Trace amounts of CO and CO2 are reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a nickel oxide catalyst to produce a mixture of methane and water. This process removes the residual 0.2-0.5% CO and 0.1%-0.2% CO2 to about 5ppm (it is vital to in the production of ammonia to remove the COx as even a low level significantly reduces the methanation rate) by reduction to methane with hydrogen in a fixed-bed reactor, with a 15-35 wt% Ni/Al2O3 catalyst (2).This catalyst is usually prepared by impregnating high surface area ÃŽÂ ³- Al2O3 with a soluble Ni salt. MgO can be used to impede sintering of the active Ni crystallites. For this process methanation is normally carried out in an adiabatic, fixed-bed reactor at 30 atm, with an inlet temperature of 300 °C and an exit temperature of 365 °C. This reaction is highly exothermic and the temperatures of the bed are kept below 400 °C so that catalyst sintering and carbon deposition is prevented. 3 What is SNG? Substitute/Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) is similar to natural gas but produced from coal or biomass (e.g. wood, straw, waste). It is a manufactured product which is chemically similar to natural gas. Natural gas is the worldwide fuel of choice but there is limited supply, so SNG is one of the options to overcome this. Producing SNG from biomass is also considered to be thought of as green gas as it avoids extra CO2 emissions, because it is carbon neutral. SNG has many advantages some of which are: the already existing gas supply infrastructure (e.g. pipelines) which allow the gas to be distributed throughout a country such as the USA and also worldwide  high conversion efficiency Efficient final use technologies that are well-established e.g. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG cars), Combined Heat and Power (CHP), and Heating. What is the methanation process and how is it used in the production of SNG? CO + 3H2 † Ã¢â‚¬  CH4 + H2O The reaction between H2 and CO can produce a number of different products depending on the reaction conditions, the catalyst used and the stoichiometry of the reactants. The reaction of great interest to us is the one producing methane. This reaction over a nickel catalyst was first reported by Sabatier and Senderens (1902, 1905) and even though a lot of research has gone into which catalyst is the best for methanation, nickel has continued as the key catalyst for methanation because of its selectivity for the production of methane, high activity, and inexpensiveness compared to other catalysts. Catalysts involved in methanation operate for a long time in catalyst beds and for that reason catalyst life and strength are also of major importance. Many problems such as sulphur poisoning are involved with these catalysts; they are mentioned in a later section of this report.5 The above forward reaction is exothermic, releasing heat (the delta H values are negative showing this) and the forward reaction is favoured by low temperature and high pressure, Product gas with a high fraction of CH4 can only be generated at low temperature (300-350 °C) and high pressure > 20 bar.6 We also know from Le Chateliers Principle that pressure favours the side with fewer moles which in this case is the forward reaction producing methane and water, so a high pressure should be used. The production of methane is a fundamental step in the process of manufacturing that gas from coal to produce SNG. The typical methanation process involved in SNG consists of three fixed-bed methanating stages that are used in series with a fixed-bed of catalyst. A single stage process can and has also been used for methanation, such as the IRMA Methanation pilot plant KFA project, the conditions for this single stage were P = 30 bar; T = 250-700 °C (1 stage); Volumetric flow rate = 600m3 (STP)h -1, (synthesis gas); 1100 operating hours since 19817. The three stage methanation process consists of: Total Gasification of the coal in steam, possibly with oxygen, C+H2O† Ã¢â‚¬ H2+ CO Changing the ratio of H2 to CO in the product gas by the water gas shift reaction, and then removing any residual CO2. CO+H2O† Ã¢â‚¬ H2+CO2 The hydrogen and carbon monoxide are converted to methane (following the removal of damaging material to the process such as hydrogen sulphide) using a catalyst (nickel is the most common for this process as explained later in this report.). This final stage is a straight through reactor operating at lower temperature than that of the previous stages as shown in Fig.1 below. This gives methane which contains typically less than 3% H2, 0.1% CO and has a thermal efficiency of approximately 70% for the total process. This methane produced can then be use in the production of SNG. CO + 3H2 † Ã¢â‚¬  CH4 + H2O 8 As the temperature needs to be controlled the product gases are recycled over the first stages with interstage cooling which prevents the temperature from increasing and also means that the process is more efficient as the gases are recycled and you dont have to put extra cooling in to keep the temperature from rising which saves money. The avoiding of high temperatures also protects the catalysts, if the reaction temperature becomes too high not only is the equilibrium state of the hydrogenation reaction adversely affected but the catalyst life is shortened by sintering of the metal particles9. Fig. 1 shows the three-stage process with fixed-bed reactors and the corresponding thermodynamic equilibrium temperatures for the synthesis gas with 10% CH4 at stage one and the desired dry product gas with more than 80% CH4. This diagram also shows that after the first stages the temperature decreases again and this is to avoid high temperatures in order to protect the catalyst but also to reach thermodynamic equilibrium at low temperatures. This is done by product gas recycling cooling as explained before. It is also important to know that when producing SNG by methanation the CO and H2 (i.e. the reactants) will contain a lot more of the monoxide than in the methanation process used for ammonia synthesis. In ammonia synthesis only a small amount of monoxides (less than 1%) are found however in SNG production the methanation process reactants can have 30-50% of the monoxide. It is also important to know that in the purification methanation even a low amount of monoxides can seriously deteriorate the methanation process by catalyst poisoning.8 This picture shows the process of coal gasification, and then the products being cleaned and readied for methanation. Gasification is simply the process of producing coal gas, a mixture of CO and H2 which is known as syngas. This syngas can then be used in the methanation process producing SNG. How methanation is used in industry From the 1970s quite a few methanation processes have been developed which consist of fixed bed and fluidised bed methanation. Most of the methanation processes used in industry use fixed bed reactors (used for the methanation in ammonia production, described before) as they are the most common type of reactor used in industry for many reasons such as having the simplest multi-phase reactor configuration where the solid phase is stationary and complications arising from the second phases mixing mode are not present.10 However, some processes use fluidised bed reactors also as fluidized bed methanation presents the advantage of good heat transfer from the process gas side to the cooling medium and the advantage of particular simplicity when exchanging the catalyst in case of catalyst poisoning or catalyst deactivation.11 The choice of the reactor also depends on the size of the reactor needed and the costs of setup and operating (does it need to be cleaned regularly or not as this cos ts money ad stops production). One of the biggest plants to make SNG from coal-derived syngas was started up in 1984; the Great Plains Synfuels Plant of Dakota Gasification Co. which cost $2.1billion was the only SNG plant of that scale operating in the world. The plant uses Lurgi GmbH gasifiers (a steel construction where around each time 8 tons of coal is fed into a compartment at its top, known as a coal lock, which is then sealed with a gas being fed into it ahead of the bottom of the lock opening to feed coal, in this plant the coal is Lignite which is 60-70%carbon, into the body of the gasifier, this builds up high pressure and the high pressure and temperature feed of steam and oxygen in the gasifier decompose the lignite to produce syngas). The syngas is then converted to SNG using DPT methanation catalysts. This plant produces approximately 153 million ft3/day of SNG which is piped throughout the US. This facility has also implemented CCS (carbon capture and storage) and as of the end of last year (31/12/ 2009) it has captured more than 17.4 million m.t. of CO2.12As you can imagine $2.1billion is a lot of money and was worth even more in 1984 showing that using methanation to produce SNG is not a small venture but a major player in the search for more fuel as the worlds gas and oil reserves are depleting. In 2009 the plant produced $264.7 million worth of SNG out of total revenue of $426.1 million. The operating costs for this plant (including maintenance) were $38,504,111.13This shows that the investment of $2.1billion was a really good decision not only in terms of producing SNG from methane but also a really great business return. FIGURE 3 DPTs methanation process is a refinement and further development of the Catalytic Rich Gas (CRG) process, which was first developed by British Gas Corp. in the late 1960s to convert naphtha into town gas. The process involves several methanator reactors in series, with heat recovered from the exothermic reaction (CO + 3H2 † Ã¢â‚¬  CH4 + H2O) used to raise high pressure superheated steam and to preheat the feed. Each reaction stage consists of a fixed bed of CRG catalyst operating adiabatically.12 However, new and more efficient processes are being implemented in industry, that especially focus on the conversion of biomass, such as the Milena process in the Netherlands. The ECN (Energy Research Center of the Netherlands) has developed a biomass gasification technology with high gas efficiency and a high methane yield which allows it to be used for gas-engine applications. This process has been given the name Milena, and the product gas can be upgraded to SNG and ECN has the ambition to turn this into large scale SNG production with an energy efficiency of 70%. This would be much needed as the Netherlands relies on 50% of its energy from natural gas (which is not renewable) so using SNG for biomass would be a substitute for this and the biomass is available in large quantities and it a lot cleaner and friendlier to the environment than natural gas.14 The biomass has to be converted into SNG by gasification and then methanation (theses processes and their outlines have been mentioned before). This allows it to reach efficiency, say from wood, up to 65% (this efficiency is calculated from the chemical energy output of SNG compared to the chemical energy input of wood). Biomass (e.g. wood and straw) being used to produce SNG has the advantage over coal based SNG of being almost CO2 neutral, without CCS. Production of synthetic natural gas (SNG) from coal and dry biomass.4 Catalyst Used The main catalysts that are used as methanation catalysts are nickel or nickel supported catalysts. This is because the key catalyst properties of nickel are excellent for methanation as it has long life, high activity, selectivity for the formation of methane in preference to other hydrocarbons and the low cost compared to other catalysts. One of the main disadvantages for nickel catalysts is the sensitivity to poisoning by sulphur, other catalysts are available that are sulphur-resistant and also catalyse the methanation reaction but these are much less active than nickel resulting in a slower rate of reaction. For example, one manufacturers catalysts are formulated on Ca aluminate base with the active nickel incorporated in a NiO/MgO solution, this leads to negligible nickel sintering.10In catalytic methanation many promoters for nickel have been studied such as copper, zinc oxide, magnesia, iron, calcium oxide, chromia and alumina. What was found was that alumina, chromia and magnesia were the best promoters in terms of activity and thermal stability. It was also found that for thermal and mechanical stability the best of a number of NiO methanation catalysts on supports of A12O3, a mixture of A12O3 and CaO, MgO, SiO2 and Cr2 O3 was NiO-AI2O3 containing 35% NiO.15 Many other factors are taken into consideration when choosing the catalyst for the methanation process. These are explained below: (i) Sulphur poisoning. Sulphur poisoning causes the methanation catalysts, to become inactive, this is because the reactants have brought in an alien molecule and this sits on the active site, the reactants now have to compete with this poison for the active sites and this results in a loss of the active surface area therefore decreasing the rate of reaction.10 (ii) Thermal stability. This reaction is highly exothermic it is very important to make sure that the reaction temperature does not become too high because it affects the equilibrium state of the reaction unfavourably and the catalyst life decreases due to sintering of the metal particles, where the particles come together, decreasing the surface area compared to when no sintering took place, thus less reaction is obtained. As mentioned previously the reaction temperature for this reaction is 300 °C-400 °Cfor which the nickel based catalysts used are sufficient in terms of longevity and activity. But there are catalysts tat are able to operate at higher temperatures than nickel based catalysts and these would be even more desirable as the higher the temperature at which the heat of methanation is released the more effectively can it contribute to overall thermal efficiency of the conversion process, for example of coal to SNG, it is also worthwhile to notice that at these higher temperatures the problem of sulphur poisoning decreases due to instability of the catalyst metal sulphide9. So why is it that in industry the use of catalysts that are suitable for operation at higher temperatures are not selected and for e.g. nickel catalysts are favoured? This is due to the fact that it is not always feasible to use the best catalyst for the process as it may cost too much to buy. (iii) Coke formation and fouling Carbon in its unreactive form, or as Ni3C produced on the Nickel catalyst, causes a loss of catalyst activity9. The coke formed blocks the reactants from reaching the active sites and the fouling is caused by the reaction forming a by-product which then sits on the active site, masking it. It is possible to avoid the unwanted carbon formation in the manufacture of SNG by controlling the water gas shift reaction. This is the 2nd step shown in figure 2 previously. The cost of nickel catalysts varies as the price of nickel fluctuates. The suppliers of these catalysts do not sell just a few kilograms of the catalyst they have a minimum orders quantity, e.g. 20 tons at the rate of $15000-$30000 per ton. An example of a Methanation catalyst used in industry is the SG-9701 (the name may be fancy but it is mostly nickel as shown in the table) produced by the global leader in catalysis, BASF who have found that although the catalysts operate at low temperature and show good conversion rates in the Methanation process, they eventually begin to age and lose their effectiveness, that is why through their current research they have identified that Methanation Catalyst relies on the mature combination of nickel oxide technology on an alumina matrix. However, through careful control of composition and geometry and the addition of a Rare Earth promoter, a number of performance improvements are achieved, these improvements are temperature resistance and long mechanical life. BASFs methanation catalyst also boasts a superior physical makeup reducing deterioration that can lead to increased pressure drop in the system16 For the future? Another SNG project was decided upon in this April between ConocoPhillips and POSCO (a Korean steel-manufacturing company) in which ConocoPhillips E-Gas technology is being used with POSCOs Gwangyang coal to SNG project. This facility has targeted production of 500,000 m.t. of SNG; I will not go further with this project as the methanation technology to be used has not yet been announced and a new technology to produce SNG using petroleum coke (petcoke) (an advanced technology that captures and sequesters CO2 emissions from an industrial source) is to be implemented with this at a further stage. 12 Hydromethanation-Peabody Energy and GreatPoint Energy Mass recently signed an agreement to produce SNG from coal, H2 from coal and also CCS projects. These are wanted to be developed with Bluegas technology, which uses catalytic Hydromethanation to produce H2 and SNG. The process is more efficient and cost effective than conventional gasification routes to SNG. In the bluegas process a propriety catalyst is dispersed with the feedstock (coal, petcoke, or biomass), and the mixture loaded into the reactor. Pressurized steam is injected from below to fluidize the mixture, which reacts to form CH4, CO2, H2 and CO.12 There is also a German-Austrian project that wants to produce methane from extra electrical energy that has been generated from solar or wind power and a process that combines methanation with electrolysis has been developed at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, Germany. Conclusion Methanation is a very important process especially in todays environment where we look to reduce CO2 emissions further and producing SNG from biomass using the methanation process does this rather than using natural gas. Methane is used in the gas that provides our homes with energy and heating. We need to find even more efficient processes like the ones described above that use methanation to produce SNG.

An Apolitical Blues Essays -- Economic Systems, Capitalism, Problems

An Apolitical Blues Ever since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, capitalism has had both positive and negative effects on society and its people. With Capitalism’s goal to amass as much wealth possible comes technological change. Moreover, as wealth accumulates and technology becomes increasingly more sophisticated, this allows nations to become more advanced. However, with advancement comes unrest, for all the progress capitalism seems to cause, it also comes with criticisms for the effects it has on society. In their books, Michael Baumann and Tony Judt both find that capitalism has been a culprit in the problems that society faces today. Capitalism causes problems in society, because it creates labor issues, individualism, mistrust and isolation. The reactions to these problems are different from each other in both books, raising questions about history’s role in the changing attitudes of society and how people in society deal with problems in response to capita lism. In both accounts, the authors blame capitalism for the labor issues it causes. Baumann expresses frustration towards the decreasing value of craftsmanship in society. He explains that work is able to give one a sort of satisfaction, writing that the ability to â€Å"create something with your hands that serves a purpose† is the way one can find satisfaction in their work (Baumann 23). Working as a carpenter to avoid working in a factory, Baumann explains that even carpentry has been reduced to mindless screwdriver operation, making it no different from working in a factory (Baumann 23). Therefore, Baumann’s frustration is a result of him becoming an unskilled worker. Baumann’s eventual participation in terrorism links to the frustration he fel... ...unities, still benefit and use services which fall into the public sector, such as highways, police, and schools (127). This leads to a contradiction, Judt explains, â€Å"people who live in private spaces contribute to the dilution and corrosion of the public space.† What he means by this is that the very problems that people try to avoid through isolation actually cause the problems to persist, creating a cycle that seems inescapable to Judt, unless the mindset of the people changes (129). In conclusion, the actions of Baumann in response to capitalism and the inaction of the people in today’s society that Judt describes stem from the labor issues, individualism, mistrust and isolation that capitalism causes. The different reactions towards the same problem expressed in both accounts illustrate that as times change, methods for addressing conflict change as well.

Pricing Decision Essay

Companies in their endeavor to succeed in the highly competitive and dynamic market are now considering a clear focus on their marketing strategies. This is in order that they may remain relevant in the fast changing business environment, market conditions and consumer preferences. It is important that a company considers the effects of the changes in the business environment including price variations initiated by its competitors This is best done by first analyzing the prices offered by the competitors visa vie the company’s cost structure and the competitor’s chances to change in response to the company’s new price offers (Kotler 2003. p 66). Pricing Strategies The company needs to figure out the best strategy to implement in order to achieve the optimum prices for its products. To initiate cost-cutting with a view to improve on the profitability of the company the company must have an understanding of the type of cost that it needs to manage. This will be to a large extent influenced by its style of management, sources of professional advice, the broader vision of the company’s goals, communication strategy, and company’s capitalization in relation to debt-equity ratio and the cost of borrowing (Sherman 2007. p 3-4). The company also needs to understand the several types of costs that it incurs. The various types of costs are research and development costs, the overheads and administrative costs, human capital costs including health care costs, salaries and employee benefits, infrastructure and system costs, advertising and promotional costs, fixed and variable costs, and debt-servicing costs. The bottom line is to thoroughly examine each of these cost categories and weigh their importance to the company’s business operations, consider more efficient available alternatives, and the possible implications of the cost reduction strategy (Sherman 2007. p5 &9). A company such as Wal-Mart that has for years been ahead of its competitors by offering the lowest prices for its goods. Wal-Mart is able to manage favorable price cuts by implementing price cut strategies such as endeavoring to reduce its costs by pursuing a tax reduction strategy. This has been through its investments in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in order to exploit tax loopholes and avoid some of the taxes levied in particular states (Moore 2007. p. 2). Having accomplished the above cost reduction strategy, the company may the come up with appropriate pricing for its products. This is done by first understanding pricing methods. There are six pricing methods that would lead to an informed decision in fixing prices. These are markup pricing method, the target return pricing method, perceived value method of pricing, value based pricing, the going-rate method of pricing and the sealed-bid method of pricing (Kotler 2003. p 66). Implications of Price Cuts and Conclusion The price of the product or service is a major factor that influences customer’s purchase decision is the marketing mix. A combination of the cost reduction strategy and an appropriate pricing strategy is more likely to benefit the company and enable it attain a competitive advantage over its competitors. By adopting market responsive cost cutting strategies in the communication industry, companies in turn helped create a better way of life whereby customers are now able to communicate more often and at lower prices Salazar 2007. p. 1). This translates to increased profits to the service providers as they are able to sell more units than before. References Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing Management. 11th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Moore, M. (2007). Taxing Strategies: Always Cutting Prices, Wal-Mart Attempts to Rollback Taxes. Retrieved March 8, 2009 from http://walmartwatch. com/img/blog/NIMSP_tax_strategies. pdf Salazar, L. C. Cost Cutting Strategies at the Bottom of the Pyramid. Retrieved March 8, 2009 from http://www. lirneasia. net/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/2-lcs-shoestrings-sing-28feb07. pps Sherman, A. J. (2007). Strategies for Cutting Costs and Improving Profitability. Retrieved March 8, 2009 from http://www. sbecouncil. org/uploads/PPT%20Cost%20Cutting%20for%20Growth%20and%20Profitability. ppt

Artistic Influence Essay essays

Artistic Influence Essay essays I have numerous artistic influences that date back to when I was a child. My mothers family is so creative and crafty; I remember my aunt would always think of little projects for us kids to get our hands messy. My mother always encouraged me in everything that I did and do even if it was the worst thing that she had ever saw, she still found some good in it. My father was in a band, I would always be in the garage while they practiced and I would sit with him and listen to records of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and other old artists. I always loved to draw when I was younger, even though I am not that great of an artist now. Whenever I need some inspiration, I like to go to the beach, to the park, or just simply to lie on my mothers bed. I like the beach because there is always something happening there always so many people but at the same time the ocean is so calming. I always have to take a deep breath in order to take in how vast the ocean really is, its a beautiful place to collect yourself. The park is also a great place to lay and relax, or play on the playground; I enjoy observing people running around at the park. People watching anywhere can inspire tons of ideas for so many different projects. My mothers bedroom is so quiet and peaceful, I can go to her closet and look through old family picture albums while lying my head down comfortably on the bed. My mother to me symbolizes everything comforting, just a picture of her brings a smile to my face. I enjoy listening to a range of different styles of music. The music that I most listen to is Drum and Bass or Jungle, it is always linked to the rave scene because that is the only place that it used to be played. I dont think that this music is as appreciated as other types of music because of its roots, but I enjoy hearing it because it can be really upbeat sometimes and a minute later it can totally break and slow down. It usua...

Ahmed Sékou Touré Biography

Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà © Biography Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà © (born January 9, 1922, died March 26, 1984)  was one of the foremost figures in the struggle for West African independence, the first President of Guinea, and a leading Pan-African. He was initially considered a moderate Islamic African leader  but became one of Africas most oppressive Big Men. Early Life Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà ©s was born in Faranah, central   Guinà ©e Franà §aise (French Guinea, now the Republic of Guinea), near the source of the River Niger. His parents were poor, uneducated peasant farmers, though he claimed to be a direct descendant of Samory Tourà © (aka Samori Ture), the regions 19th-century anti-colonialist military leader, who had been based in Faranah for a while. Tourà ©s family were Muslim, and he was initially educated at the Koranic School in Faranah, before transferring to a school in Kissidougou. In 1936 he moved on to a French technical college, the Ecole Georges Poiret, in Conakry, but was expelled after less than a year for initiating a food strike. Over the next few years, Sà ©kou Tourà © passed through a series of menial jobs, while attempting to complete his education through correspondence courses. His lack of formal education was an issue throughout his life, and his lack of qualifications left him suspicious of anyone who had attended tertiary education. Entering Politics In 1940 Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà © obtained a post as a  clerk for the   Compagnie du Niger Franà §ais while also working to complete an examination course which would allow him to join the Post and Telecommunications Department (Postes, Tà ©là ©graphes et Tà ©là ©phones) of colonys French administration. In 1941 he joined the post office and started to take an interest in labor movements, encouraging his fellow workers to hold a successful two-month long strike (the first in French West Africa). In 1945 Sà ©kou Tourà © formed French Guineas first trade union, the Post and Telecommunications Workers Union, becoming its general-secretary the following year. He affiliated the postal workers union to the French labor federation, the Confà ©dà ©ration Gà ©nà ©rale du Travail (CGT, General Confederation of Labor) which was in turn affiliated to the French Communist party. He also set up French Gunieas first trade union center: the Federation of Workers Unions of Guinea. In 1946 Sà ©kou Tourà © attended a CGT congress in Paris, before moving to the Treasury Department, where he became the general-secretary of the Treasury Workers Union. In October that year, he attended a West African congress in Bamako, Mali, where he became one of the founding members of the Rassemblement Dà ©mocratique Africain (RDA, African Democratic Rally) along with Fà ©lix Houphouà «t-Boigny of Cà ´te dIvoire. The RDA was a Pan-Africanist party which looked towards independence for French colonies in West Africa. He founded the Parti Dà ©mocratique de Guinà ©e (PDG, Democratic Party of Guinea), the local affiliate of the RDA in Guinea. Trade Unions in West Africa Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà © was dismissed from the treasury department for his political activities, and in 1947 was briefly sent to prison by the French colonial administration. He decided to devote his time to developing workers movements in Guinea and to campaign for independence. In 1948 he became the secretary-general of the CGT for French West Africa, and in 1952 Sà ©kou Tourà © became secretary-general of the PDG. In 1953 Sà ©kou Tourà © called a general strike which lasted for two months. The government capitulated. He campaigned during the strike for unity between ethnic groups, opposing the tribalism which the French authorities were promulgating, and was explicitly anti-colonial in his approach. Sà ©kou Tourà © was elected to the territorial assembly in 1953 but failed to win the election for the seat in the Assemblà ©e Constituante, the French National Assembly, after conspicuous vote-tampering by the French administration in Guinea. Two years later he became mayor of Conakry, Guineas capital. With such a high political profile, Sà ©kou Tourà © was finally elected as the Guinean delegate to the French National Assembly in 1956. Furthering his political credentials, Sà ©kou Tourà © led a break by Guineas trade unions from the CGT, and formed the Confà ©dà ©ration Gà ©nà ©rale du Travail Africaine (CGTA, General Confederation of African Labor). A renewed relationship between the leadership of the CGTA and CGT the following year led to the creation of the Union Gà ©nà ©rale des Travailleurs dAfrique Noire (UGTAN, General Union of Black African Laborers), a pan-African movement which became an important player in the struggle for West African independence. Independence and One-Party State The Democratic Party of Guinea won the plebiscite elections in 1958 and rejected membership in the proposed French Community.  Ahmed Sà ©kou Tourà © became the first president of the independent republic of Guinea on October 2, 1958. However, the state was a one-party socialist dictatorship with restrictions on human rights and suppression of political opposition.  Sà ©kou Tourà © promoted mostly his own Malinke ethnic group rather than maintaining his cross-ethnic nationalism ethic. He drove more than a million people into exile to escape his prison camps. An estimated 50,000 people were killed in concentration camps, including the notorious Camp Boiro Guard Barracks. Death and Legacy He died  March 26, 1984, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he had been sent for cardiac treatment after becoming ill in Saudi Arabia. A coup detat by the armed forces on April 5, 1984, installed a military junta that denounced  Sà ©kou Tourà © as a bloody and ruthless dictator. They released about 1,000 political prisoners and installed  Lansana Contà ©Ã‚  as president. The country was not to have a truly free and fair election until 2010, and politics remain troubled.

Deltic Timber Corporation Credit Analysis Research Paper

Deltic Timber Corporation Credit Analysis - Research Paper Example In line with this, it is recommended for the company to take up proactive strategic management options that will push its fortunes higher, especially when it comes to dealings with competitors. Currently, the company finds itself in a business environment where talks of monopoly are far from the argument. Due to this, the greatest hindrance faced by the company has been found to be that of the creation of a competitive advantage. Using a strategic management option that will make the company the focus of customers is thus the saving path for the company in years to come. Indicative with the ratios of the company given in the paper, it would be realised that the company continue to have high debt financing, which creates a decline for profit utilisation. This means that even though revenues are high, these are hardly translated into profits because of higher debts and other expenses. 1.0 Organizational Overview Listed on the New York Stock Excahnge, Deltic Timber Corporation engages i n forestry industry where its major activities include the ownership and management of timberland. The specialisation that the company gives to this venture has resulted in the useful management of 445,800 acres of timberland over the past years. As a means of gaining diversification in its core business operation, which is the ownership and management of timberland, the company also owns two sawmills and is actively involved in real estate1. This said diversification has been the main source of financial capitalisation for the company because it has always been offered the opportunity of internally funding the running of its parent operations using revenues from diversified business. Currently, the company is headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas. The market segment of the company has largely been focused on Arkansas and north Louisiana with very limited external and international markets. This situation comes with its own advantages and disadvantages for the company but the company has largely tried to live within its means of operations. This report is thus focused on critiquing the current credit situation of the company and offer recommendations. 2.0 Corporate Segment Deltic Timber Corporation’s corporate segment is reflected in its total asset as represented in the graph below. Generally, there are four segments that the company emphasises on. These are manufacturing segment, which takes 9% of total asset, corporate business, which is responsible for 7% of total asset, real estate, which accounts for 17% of the total asset, and woodlands, which take the highest portion of 68% of total revenue2. It is important to establish that the percentage gain of total assets as given above is not a direct reflection of the percentage of focus or corporate segment that the company gives to the various segment. Rather, the figures given above are a result of the contributions of gains that the various segments make to the company’s total asset. For instan ce in the 2012 Annual Report of the company, it was established that even though manufacturing is responsible for 9% of total assets, the company actually gives higher corporate segmentation focus to that segment than it gives to real estate, which earns the company 17% of its total assets. 3.0 SWOT Analysis 3.1 Strengths The company has an effective internally generated funding policy that is motivated by the fact that there are diversifying businesses that are managed under the franchise of Deltic Timber Corporation. The company has kept a very steady rise in revenues and operating incomes, making it have a very strong competitive engagement with its key competitions. 3.2 Weaknesses The company lacks

How does the rise of ethical consumers effect corporate social Essay

How does the rise of ethical consumers effect corporate social responsibility - Essay Example While taking price and quality into consideration, ethical consumers apply to the decision making process some additional criteria, which may be their priority issues in some cases. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) encompasses the relationship between corporations or other large organizations and the societies with which they interact. CSR also includes all the responsibilities which are a part of these relationships, for both the organizations and the societies. All stakeholders and constituent groups that have an interest in the organization’s operations are included in CSR’s wide and multiple-level definition of society. Corporate social responsibility can be defined as â€Å"the broad concept that businesses are more than just profit-seeking entities and therefore also have an obligation to benefit society† (Werther & Chandler, 2006: 6-7). Strategic corporate social responsibility is the concept that for long-term benefits to the organization, CSR should be made a part of the firm’s strategic perspective and operations. It has been recognized that the activities of an organization influence the external environment, hence it is important that the organization should be accountable to not only its stakeholders, but also to a wider community. This concept initially took root in the 1970s, and grew as a concern for the company as a member of society, with a wider view of company performance including its social performance (Crowther & Rayman-Bacchus, 2004: 3). Though community accountability was acknowledged as essential, the focus of big business on financial results was observed to be an impediment to social responsiveness, especially in the early years of the accountability concept taking shape. There is now an increasing move towards accountability of companies towards all participants, and this recent phenomenon is getting established as the