text:
|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|May 6, 2014 07:05 PM EDT
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/06/14 -- Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM)(TSX: DPM.WT.A) -
(All monetary figures are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated)
Financial and Operating Highlights:
-- Mines - Lower overall metals production and higher costs during the quarter due to lower grades and recoveries in the areas mined at Chelopech. 2014 guidance to be achieved through higher balance of year production. -- Smelter - 42% production increase and higher tolls fuelled significantly higher EBITDA. Acid plant construction remains on track for completion by year end. -- Near term growth - Updated favourable project economics for Krumovgrad released in February 2014. Constructive dialogue with government and local officials is continuing to resolve outstanding community support issues. Kapan underground expansion conceptual study to be completed mid-year. -- Financial results - Adjusted net loss of $2.3 million due to lower metal prices and mine production offset by improved results from Tsumeb. Exited first quarter with approximately $139 million of cash resources, including undrawn portion of long-term revolving credit facility.
Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM" or the "Company") today reported first quarter 2014 net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $10.0 million ($0.07 per share) compared to $0.7 million ($0.01 per share) for the same period in 2013.
Net earnings attributable to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2014 were impacted by several items not reflective of the Company's underlying operating performance, including unrealized losses attributable to DPM's equity settled warrants, unrealized gains attributable to hedging future copper production, and unrealized gains on Sabina warrants. Excluding these items, adjusted net loss(1) during the first quarter of 2014 was $2.3 million ($0.02 per share) compared to adjusted net earnings of $6.6 million ($0.05 per share) for the corresponding period in 2013. This decrease was due primarily to lower metal prices, lower volumes of payable metals in concentrate sold and higher depreciation following the completion of Tsumeb's Project 2012 in the fourth quarter of 2013, partially offset by the favourable impact of a stronger U.S. dollar relative to the ZAR and higher volumes of concentrate smelted and toll rates at Tsumeb.
"We continue to focus on optimizing the performance of our existing operations. While Chelopech's metals production was lower than expected as a result of the areas mined during the quarter, it is not reflective of the balance of year production we expect to see. We have already recovered one third of the gold shortfall in April with improved grades and recoveries. Kapan is also making progress with rebuilding its development inventory and delivered metals production in line with our guidance," said Rick Howes, President and CEO. "Tsumeb continues to make improvements to its operating performance as it ramps up to full capacity, with first quarter concentrate volumes up 42% over last year. Overall, we remain on track to achieve our 2014 guidance and focused on further optimizing operational performance, reducing costs, and preparing for the commencement of construction on our Krumovgrad Gold Project."
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA(1) during the first quarter of 2014 was $16.7 million compared to $26.5 million in the corresponding period in 2013, driven by lower metal prices and lower volumes of payable metals in concentrate sold, partially offset by a stronger U.S. dollar and higher volumes of concentrate smelted and toll rates at Tsumeb.
All metals prices were down during the first quarter of 2014 relative to the corresponding period in 2013. The average market price for gold during the first quarter of 2014 decreased by 21% to $1,293 per ounce compared to $1,631 per ounce in the corresponding period in 2013. The average market price for copper during the first quarter of 2014 decreased by 11% to $3.19 per pound compared to $3.60 per pound in the corresponding period in 2013. The average realized copper price, including hedging gains, was $3.25 per pound (2013 - $3.64 per pound) in the first quarter of 2014.
Production and Deliveries
Copper and zinc concentrate production in the first quarter of 2014 of 29,061 tonnes was 22% lower than the corresponding period in 2013 due primarily to lower copper grades and recoveries at Chelopech and a mill relining it completed in the period. The lower grades and recoveries at Chelopech were due primarily to changes in the mine plan that resulted in the treatment of increased volumes of ore characterized by a higher sulphur to copper ratio than planned. Quarterly production over the balance of 2014 is expected to be higher with annual production within guidance.
The commissioning of the pyrite recovery circuit was completed in the first quarter of 2014. Gold contained in pyrite concentrate produced in the first quarter of 2014 was 4,792 ounces (2013 - 300 ounces).
Concentrate smelted at Tsumeb during the first quarter of 2014 of 49,150 tonnes was 42% higher than the corresponding period in 2013 supported by the introduction of the second oxygen plant in late January 2014 and first quarter 2013 production being affected by Project 2012 tie-ins and the associated downtime.
Deliveries of copper and zinc concentrates during the first quarter of 2014 of 31,192 tonnes was 14% lower than the corresponding period in 2013 due primarily to decreased copper concentrate production at Chelopech as a result of lower grades and recoveries.
Relative to the first quarter of 2013, payable gold in copper and zinc concentrates sold in the first quarter of 2014 decreased by 27% to 27,325 ounces, payable copper in concentrate sold decreased by 15% to 9.6 million pounds, payable silver in concentrate sold increased by 3% to 109,613 ounces and payable zinc in concentrate sold decreased by 34% to 2.0 million pounds. These decreases were consistent with the lower contained metals in concentrate produced in the period. Payable gold in pyrite concentrate sold totalled 2,878 ounces in the first quarter of 2014 (2013 - 987 ounces).
Cash cost of sales per ounce of gold sold
Consolidated cash cost of sales per ounce of gold sold, net of by-product credits(1), during the first quarter of 2014 was $563 compared to $273 for the corresponding period in 2013. This increase was due primarily to lower volumes of payable metals in concentrate sold as a result of lower grades and recoveries at Chelopech, and lower metal prices.
All-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold
Consolidated all-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold(1) during the first quarter of 2014 was $1,048 compared to $545 in the corresponding period in 2013. This increase was due primarily to lower volumes of payable metals in concentrate sold, lower metal prices and higher sustaining capital expenditures at Kapan.
Cash provided from operating activities
Cash provided from operating activities during the first quarter of 2014 of $11.6 million was $20.4 million lower than the corresponding period in 2013 due primarily to lower metal prices, lower volumes of payable metals in concentrate sold and an increase in working capital requirements, partially offset by higher volumes of concentrate smelted and toll rates at Tsumeb. Cash provided from operating activities, before changes in non-cash working capital(1), during the first quarter of 2014 was $16.9 million down $7.4 million from the corresponding prior year period due primarily to the same factors affecting adjusted EBITDA.
Capital expenditures
Cash outlays for capital expenditures during the first quarter of 2014 totalled $50.6 million compared to $61.2 million in the corresponding period in 2013 due primarily to timing of payments for work related to the construction of a new acid plant at Tsumeb.
Financial position
As at March 31, 2014, DPM maintained a solid financial position with minimal debt, representing 13% of total capitalization, a consolidated cash position of $38.7 million, an investment portfolio valued at $19.4 million and $100.0 million of additional liquidity under the Company's $150 million long-term committed revolving credit facility. These cash resources, together with the cash flow currently being generated, are expected to be sufficient to fund all non-discretionary capital projects through to completion. The Company's discretionary growth projects, which include the Krumovgrad Gold Project, a Kapan underground mine expansion and a holding furnace at Tsumeb, are expected to be staged over time based on their expected returns, market conditions, and DPM having sufficient capital resources in place to support any one or more of these projects. The Company is in the process of increasing its existing revolving credit facility with terms extending out five years. This facility is expected to be in place in the second quarter and will be used to support DPM's discretionary growth capital requirements as well as for general corporate purposes.
2014 Guidance
The Company's production and cash cost guidance for 2014 is set out in the following table and is unchanged from the guidance issued in February 2014:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Production & Cash Cost Guidance ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chelopech Kapan Tsumeb Consolidated ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ore mined/milled ('000 tonnes) 1,900 - 2,050 475 - 525 - 2,375 - 2,575 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Concentrate smelted ('000 tonnes) - - 190 - 220 190 - 220 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metals contained in concentrate produced(1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold ('000 ounces) 126.0 - 138.0 29.0 - 36.0 - 155 - 174 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copper (million pounds) 42.7 - 46.2 2.8 - 3.8 - 45.5 - 50.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zinc (million pounds) - 11.6 - 15.9 - 11.6 - 15.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver ('000 ounces) 210 - 230 468 - 640 - 678 - 870 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash cost/tonne of ore processed ($)(2) 43 - 47 81 - 91 - 51 - 56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash cost/ounce of gold sold, net of by-product credits ($)(1),(2) 285 - 430 485 - 855 - 335 - 505 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- All-in-sustaining cost per ounce of gold ($)(1),(2) - - - 710 - 815 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash cost/tonne of concentrate smelted ($)(2) - - 280 - 350 280 - 350 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Payable gold in pyrite concentrate sold ('000 ounces) 27 - 33 - - 27 - 33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Excludes metals in pyrite concentrate and, where applicable, the treatment charges, transportation and other selling costs related to the sale of pyrite concentrate, which is reported separately. (2) Based on current exchange rates and, where applicable, a copper price of $3.28 per pound, a silver price of $20.00 per ounce and a zinc price of $0.90 per pound.
For 2014, the majority of the Company's growth capital expenditures(1) will be focused on the construction of an acid plant at Tsumeb. Other growth capital expenditures include the pyrite recovery circuit and margin improvement projects at Chelopech, securing the remaining permits and planning for the commencement of construction related to the Krumovgrad Gold Project, and exploration and development work to enhance underground operations and advance a potential expansion at Kapan. In aggregate, these expenditures are expected to range between $160 million and $175 million. Sustaining capital expenditures(1) are expected to range between $37 million and $45 million.
The 2014 guidance provided is not expected to occur evenly throughout the year as a result of variations associated with areas being mined from quarter to quarter, the timing of concentrate deliveries, planned outages, including the annual maintenance shutdown at Tsumeb, which is currently scheduled for the third quarter of 2014. Kapan has been successfully increasing the capital development rates required to resume normal production levels. Production rates are expected to range between 40,000 and 45,000 tonnes per month in the second quarter of 2014 and reach full production in the third quarter of 2014. The production guidance for Tsumeb assumed it would be capable of ramping up to full capacity in the first quarter of 2014, which occurred with the commissioning of the second oxygen plant in late January 2014. Despite lower metals in copper concentrate produced in the first quarter of 2014 related to the areas mined at Chelopech, quarterly production over the balance of the year is expected to be higher with annual production and costs within guidance. Also, the rate of capital expenditures may vary from quarter to quarter based on the schedule for, and execution of, each capital project and, where applicable, the receipt of necessary permits and approvals. In the case of the acid plant, 2014 capital expenditures could be lower than planned as a result of the recent report received from Outotec, which indicates that heavy rain during the first quarter and labour related shortages have resulted in some schedule delays. Further details can be found in the Company's MD&A under the section "2014 Guidance".
(1) Adjusted net (loss) earnings, adjusted basic (loss) earnings per share, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), cash from operating activities, before changes in non-cash working capital, cash cost per tonne of ore processed, cash cost per ounce of gold sold, net of by-product credits, all-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold, cash cost per tonne of concentrate smelted, and growth and sustaining capital expenditures are not defined measures under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Presenting these measures from period to period helps management and investors evaluate earnings and cash flow trends more readily in comparison with results from prior periods. Refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of the management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2014 (the "MD&A") for further discussion of these items, including reconciliations to net earnings attributable to common shareholders and earnings before income taxes.
Key Financial and Operational Highlights
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ millions, except where noted Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenue 76.4 88.0 Gross profit (1) 12.8 24.3 Earnings before income taxes 12.1 4.4 Net earnings attributable to common shareholders 10.0 0.7 Basic earnings per share ($) 0.07 0.01 Adjusted EBITDA (2) 16.7 26.5 Adjusted net (loss) earnings (2) (2.3) 6.6 Adjusted basic (loss) earnings per share ($) (2) (0.02) 0.05 Cash provided from operating activities 11.6 32.0 Cash provided from operating activities, before changes in non-cash working capital (2) 16.9 24.3 Copper and zinc concentrate produced (mt) 29,061 37,402 Metals in copper and zinc concentrate produced: Gold (ounces) 26,607 44,472 Copper ('000s pounds) 9,355 12,602 Zinc ('000s pounds) 3,134 3,358 Silver (ounces) 130,323 155,404 Tsumeb - concentrate smelted (mt) 49,150 34,493 Deliveries of copper and zinc concentrate (mt) 31,192 36,403 Payable metals in copper and zinc concentrate sold: Gold (ounces) 27,325 37,286 Copper ('000s pounds) 9,586 11,314 Zinc ('000s pounds) 1,980 3,003 Silver (ounces) 109,613 106,719 Deliveries of pyrite concentrate (mt) 16,468 7,738 Payable gold in pyrite concentrate sold (ounces) 2,878 987 Cash cost of sales per ounce of gold sold, net of by- product credits ($) (2) 563 273 All-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold ($) (2) 1,048 545 Cash cost/tonne of concentrate smelted at Tsumeb($) (2) 307 486 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Gross profit is regarded as an additional GAAP measure and is presented in the Company's condensed interim unaudited consolidated statements of earnings (loss). Gross profit represents revenue less cost of sales and is one of several measures used by management and investors to assess the underlying operating profitability of a business. (2) Adjusted EBITDA; adjusted net (loss) earnings; adjusted basic (loss) earnings per share; cash flow provided from operating activities, before changes in non-cash working capital; cash cost of sales per ounce of gold sold, net of by-product credits; all-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold; and cash cost per tonne of concentrate smelted, are not defined measures under IFRS. Refer to the MD&A for reconciliations to IFRS measures.
DPM's condensed interim unaudited consolidated financial statements, and MD&A for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014, are posted on the Company's website at www.dundeeprecious.com and have been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The Company will be holding a call to discuss its 2014 first quarter results on May 7, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. (E.S.T.). Participants are invited to join the live webcast (audio only) at: http://www.gowebcasting.com/5387. Alternatively participants can access a listen only telephone option at 416-340-2219 or North America Toll Free at 1-866-226-1798. A replay of the call will be available at 905-694-9451 or North America Toll Free at 1-800-408-3053, passcode 1408597. The audio webcast for this conference call will also be archived and available on the Company's website at www.dundeeprecious.com.
Dundee Precious Metals Inc. is a Canadian based, international gold mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, mining and processing of precious metals. The Company's principal operating assets include the Chelopech operation, which produces a copper concentrate containing gold and silver, located east of Sofia, Bulgaria; the Kapan operation, which produces a copper concentrate and a zinc concentrate, both containing gold and silver, located in southern Armenia; and the Tsumeb smelter, a concentrate processing facility located in Namibia. DPM also holds interests in a number of developing gold properties located in Bulgaria, Serbia, and northern Canada, including interests held through its 53.1% owned subsidiary, Avala Resources Ltd., its 45.5% interest in Dunav Resources Ltd. and its 12.1% interest in Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward looking statements" that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the future price of gold, copper, zinc and silver, the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, the realization of such mineral estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production and output, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, currency fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, reclamation expenses, the potential or anticipated outcome of title disputes or claims and timing and possible outcome of pending litigation. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or that state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any other future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of current reclamation activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold, copper, zinc and silver; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, uncertainties inherent with conducting business in foreign jurisdictions where corruption, civil unrest, political instability and uncertainties with the rule of law may impact the Company's activities; fluctuations in metal prices; unanticipated title disputes; claims or litigation; limitation on insurance coverage; as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's MD&A under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" and under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" which include further details on material assumptions used to develop such forward-looking statements and material risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, and other documents (including without limitation the Company's 2013 AIF) filed from time to time with the securities regulatory authorities in all provinces and territories of Canada and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that forward looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Unless required by securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements.
Dundee Precious Metals Inc.
Rick Howes
President and Chief Executive Officer
(416) 365-2836
[email protected]
Dundee Precious Metals Inc.
Hume Kyle
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(416) 365-5091
[email protected]
Dundee Precious Metals Inc.
Lori Beak
Senior Vice President, Investor & Regulatory Affairs
and Corporate Secretary
(416) 365-5165
[email protected]
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|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|December 14, 2012 08:00 AM EST
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SYS-CON Events announced today that Peak 10, Inc., a national IT infrastructure and cloud services provider, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Peak 10 provides reliable, tailored data center and network services, cloud and managed services. Its solutions are designed to scale and adapt to customers' changing business needs, enabling them to lower costs, improve performance and focus inter...
May. 5, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,482
Much of the value of DevOps comes from a (renewed) focus on measurement, sharing, and continuous feedback loops. In increasingly complex DevOps workflows and environments, and especially in larger, regulated, or more crystallized organizations, these core concepts become even more critical. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 18th Cloud Expo, Andi Mann, Chief Technology Advocate at Splunk, will show how, by focusing on 'metrics that matter,' you can provide objective, transparent, and meaningfu...
May. 5, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,200
The demand for organizations to expand their infrastructure to multiple IT environments like the cloud, on-premise, mobile, bring your own device (BYOD) and the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow. As this hybrid infrastructure increases, the challenge to monitor the security of these systems increases in volume and complexity. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Stephen Coty, Chief Security Evangelist at Alert Logic, will show how properly configured and managed security architecture can...
May. 5, 2016 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 575
In the world of DevOps there are 'known good practices' – aka 'patterns' – and 'known bad practices' – aka 'anti-patterns.' Many of these patterns and anti-patterns have been developed from real world experience, especially by the early adopters of DevOps theory; but many are more feasible in theory than in practice, especially for more recent entrants to the DevOps scene. In this power panel at @DevOpsSummit at 18th Cloud Expo, moderated by DevOps Conference Chair Andi Mann, panelists will dis...
May. 5, 2016 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,130
There is an ever-growing explosion of new devices that are connected to the Internet using "cloud" solutions. This rapid growth is creating a massive new demand for efficient access to data. And it's not just about connecting to that data anymore. This new demand is bringing new issues and challenges and it is important for companies to scale for the coming growth. And with that scaling comes the need for greater security, gathering and data analysis, storage, connectivity and, of course, the...
May. 5, 2016 12:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,313
See storage differently! Storage performance problems have only gotten worse and harder to solve as applications have become largely virtualized and moved to a cloud-based infrastructure. Storage performance in a virtualized environment is not just about IOPS, it is about how well that potential performance is guaranteed to individual VMs for these apps as the number of VMs keep going up real time. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Dhiraj Sehgal, in product and marketing at Tintri, will discu...
May. 5, 2016 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,160
The IoTs will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, will demonstrate how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and share the must-have mindsets for removing complexity from the development proc...
May. 5, 2016 10:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,020
So, you bought into the current machine learning craze and went on to collect millions/billions of records from this promising new data source. Now, what do you do with them? Too often, the abundance of data quickly turns into an abundance of problems. How do you extract that "magic essence" from your data without falling into the common pitfalls? In her session at @ThingsExpo, Natalia Ponomareva, Software Engineer at Google, will provide tips on how to be successful in large scale machine lear...
May. 5, 2016 10:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,566
Increasing IoT connectivity is forcing enterprises to find elegant solutions to organize and visualize all incoming data from these connected devices with re-configurable dashboard widgets to effectively allow rapid decision-making for everything from immediate actions in tactical situations to strategic analysis and reporting. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Shikhir Singh, Senior Developer Relations Manager at Sencha, will discuss how to create HTML5 dashboards that interact with IoT devic...
May. 5, 2016 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,462
Artificial Intelligence has the potential to massively disrupt IoT. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, AJ Abdallat, CEO of Beyond AI, will discuss what the five main drivers are in Artificial Intelligence that could shape the future of the Internet of Things. AJ Abdallat is CEO of Beyond AI. He has over 20 years of management experience in the fields of artificial intelligence, sensors, instruments, devices and software for telecommunications, life sciences, environmental monitoring, process...
May. 5, 2016 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,487
You think you know what's in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
May. 5, 2016 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,275
SYS-CON Events announced today that Ericsson has been named "Gold Sponsor" of SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York, New York. Ericsson is a world leader in the rapidly changing environment of communications technology – providing equipment, software and services to enable transformation through mobility. Some 40 percent of global mobile traffic runs through networks we have supplied. More than 1 billion subscribers around the world re...
May. 5, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,392
In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Sagi Brody, Chief Technology Officer at Webair Internet Development Inc., will focus on real world deployments of DDoS mitigation strategies in every layer of the network. He will give an overview of methods to prevent these attacks and best practices on how to provide protection in complex cloud platforms. He will also outline what we have found in our experience managing and running thousands of Linux and Unix managed service platforms and what specifically c...
May. 5, 2016 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,364
Redis is not only the fastest database, but it has become the most popular among the new wave of applications running in containers. Redis speeds up just about every data interaction between your users or operational systems. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Dave Nielsen, Developer Relations at Redis Labs, will shares the functions and data structures used to solve everyday use cases that are driving Redis' popularity.
May. 5, 2016 01:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,260
The increasing popularity of the Internet of Things necessitates that our physical and cognitive relationship with wearable technology will change rapidly in the near future. This advent means logging has become a thing of the past. Before, it was on us to track our own data, but now that data is automatically available. What does this mean for mHealth and the "connected" body? In her session at @ThingsExpo, Lisa Calkins, CEO and co-founder of Amadeus Consulting, will discuss the impact of wea...
May. 5, 2016 12:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,236


text:
Looking for the best services for your Southern California wedding? We've got them right here. How do we know? We ask. And ask. And ask. The wedding photographers, caterers, videographers and so on that you find here have all been Certified By The Guide. That means we've asked dozens of people (other professionals who've worked with them and brides and grooms and mothers of the bride, etc.) for feedback on each one of them...and they passed with flying colors.
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MB Wedding Design and Events
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Everything But The Wedding Dress
Everything But The Wedding Dress isn't just a clever name…it's literally a one-stop-shop for ALL your wedding accessory needs. And we're not just talking gorgeous veils, garters an…
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Wedding Paper Divas
Part of Wedding Paper Divas flair comes from the stationery itself. Each piece starts with an expert designer who works exclusively with the site to craft ingenious designs that vary in style from ado…
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Pure Joy Catering's food is on another level. If they had a nickel for every time they've heard "that's the best food I've ever had at a wedding!"...Well, you catch…
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The folks at Magnolia Photo Booth put so much time and attention into engineering completely customized photo booths that they've even come up with a new word for it. Meet the Magbooth. From it&…
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Posh Peony is an event design firm specializing in floral design, specialty linen rental, stylish décor accents and even ambient lighting—creating completely custom and unforgettable enviro…
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Wolfgang Puck Catering
Wolfgang Puck offers creative catering with impeccable service. Because who doesn't want a fine dining experience at their wedding reception? Each menu features seasonal and sustainable ingredie…
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Luna Gardens Events
While Luna Gardens' specialty is creating "awe-inspiring and dreamlike events," they also bring wedding planning under control for their clients—streamlining the process to tak…
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Premiere Party Rents
Whatever the size, theme, budget or type of event you're planning, Premiere Party Rents' goal is to satisfy your every rental need with their ever-growing inventory. They stay on top of cu…
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Scratch Weddings
Scratch Weddings provides highly skilled, experienced and affordable DJ talent for weddings. Here are:3 Reasons You Want Scratch to DJ Your Wedding: 1. They put their DJs through the wringer. Obviousl…
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Dr. Kimber Lee Wilkes
Nondenominational and nonsectarian, Dr. Wilkes welcomes all religions. "Couples find this approach refreshing," says Kimber Lee. "They want someone who will be neutral. They apprecia…
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Kathy Wright & Co.
With over 30 years of floral and event design under her belt, Kathy Wright still manages to be a visionary in her field—setting trends, defining traditions, and thinking beyond what has been se…
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City Connection Entertainment
City Connection Entertainment offers wedding bands, classical groups, corporate entertainment, disc jockeys, casino entertainment, lighting and more. From their live bands to classical or edgy trios f…
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Heald Wedding Consulting
Heald Wedding Consulting's mantra is to create, plan, and coordinate custom, well-rounded events, in all budgets and style, all over California! Brides tell us Cristina is the "perfect partner…
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Patina Catering
With an expert team of top chefs, esteemed sommeliers and mixologists, artistic pastry chefs, and highly skilled event planners, Patina Catering will take care of your every wedding wish—from fi…
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Elegant Weddings Marriage License Service
Elegant Weddings Marriage License Service gives engaged couples a hassle-free way to obtain their marriage license—without the trouble of endless paperwork or standing in line! Dr. Kimber Lee Wi…
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All You Need Is Love Events
Vikki and Shannon started All You Need Is Love Events out of a love for all things wedding and event related— with an understanding that one person truly cannot plan an event alone. With a lot o…
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Red Trolley Studio
Red Trolley Studio aims to capture your memories. Their photos are a return ticket to the moments and emotions you experienced on your wedding day. With an unobtrusive, photojournalistic approach, Ser…
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Hyegraph Invitations and Calligraphy
Hyegraph Invitations and Calligraphy offers luscious paper and color choices, printing by letterpress, silkscreen and thermography, calligraphy services, and the full ability to customize. They spec…
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Kerem Hanci Photography
Kerem Hanci brings a global perspective and masterful eye for detail to wedding photography. Born in Istanbul and based in LA, he is well traveled, greatly experienced, and enjoys photographing weddin…
|Los Angeles


text:
|By PR Newswire
Article Rating:
|January 9, 2013 08:01 AM EST
LONDON, January 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Following the successful launch of Sequence Kinetics Intelligent BPM Suite in Sept 2012, PNMsoft has seen a rapid increase in new business. In Q4 of 2012 many new customers have signed with PNMsoft including 11 blue chip organisations - leading names in utilities, financial services, professional services, and manufacturing fields.
Companies and Markets predicts that the global BPM software market revenues will rise from $2.6 billion in 2011 to $7 billion by 2018. Since the release of Sequence Kinetics PNMsoft has enjoyed a growth rate far higher than the general market.
James Luxford, Global Head of Product, explained that PNMsoft is the "smartphone" of BPM suites. "When you purchase a new phone, do you buy a classic model, or a smartphone? The answer is obvious - the smartphone. Among BPM software products, Sequence Kinetics is one of the only Microsoft-based BPM products classified by analysts as an Intelligent BPM suite, and the only one with HotChange™ technology. That means it includes features like mobility, social collaboration and intelligent analytics which other products simply can't offer."
PNMsoft is one of 13 vendors on Gartner's iBPMS Magic Quadrant for 2012. PNMsoft CEO Gal Horvitz said that, "Gartner recommends that, "all organisations should factor iBPMS into their BPM planning horizon", so it's not surprising that companies are turning to us, the leading Microsoft-based provider of iBPMS software, to take their business process applications to the next level. We welcome our new customers to the PNMsoft family, and into a world of collaboration, optimisation and process excellence."
About PNMsoft
At PNMsoft we believe IT professionals can be the driving force in any organisation's success. Using unique HotChange™ technology, Sequence Kinetics™ is an Intelligent BPM Suite that enables rapid build and change of high availability, mobile enabled workflow applications, while maintaining development lifecycle governance. Sequence Kinetics extends Microsoft platforms like SharePoint, Dynamics and Azure and provides unparalleled mobile and social collaboration capabilities. PNMsoft is a multinational company with headquarters in the UK and a global network of business partners. PNMsoft is on Gartner's iBPMS Magic Quadrant for 2012, is recognised by IDC as a BPM Major Player, and is a Microsoft Gold ISV. Visit http://www.pnmsoft.com to learn more.
Click to try Sequence Kinetics™ today!
For more information, contact Paul Sheridan: [email protected], +44(0)192-381-3420
SOURCE PNMsoft
So, you bought into the current machine learning craze and went on to collect millions/billions of records from this promising new data source. Now, what do you do with them? Too often, the abundance of data quickly turns into an abundance of problems. How do you extract that "magic essence" from your data without falling into the common pitfalls? In her session at @ThingsExpo, Natalia Ponomareva, Software Engineer at Google, will provide tips on how to be successful in large scale machine lear...
Apr. 30, 2016 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,044
In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Klein, CEO and Co-founder of Rachio, will discuss next generation communities that are using IoT to create more sustainable, intelligent communities. One example is Sterling Ranch, a 10,000 home development that – with the help of Siemens – will integrate IoT technology into the community to provide residents with energy and water savings as well as intelligent security. Everything from stop lights to sprinkler systems to building infrastructures will run ef...
Apr. 30, 2016 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 697
You think you know what's in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
Apr. 30, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 601
Whether your IoT service is connecting cars, homes, appliances, wearable, cameras or other devices, one question hangs in the balance – how do you actually make money from this service? The ability to turn your IoT service into profit requires the ability to create a monetization strategy that is flexible, scalable and working for you in real-time. It must be a transparent, smoothly implemented strategy that all stakeholders – from customers to the board – will be able to understand and comprehe...
Apr. 30, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,049
SYS-CON Events announced today that Peak 10, Inc., a national IT infrastructure and cloud services provider, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Peak 10 provides reliable, tailored data center and network services, cloud and managed services. Its solutions are designed to scale and adapt to customers' changing business needs, enabling them to lower costs, improve performance and focus inter...
Apr. 30, 2016 04:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,009
Machine Learning helps make complex systems more efficient. By applying advanced Machine Learning techniques such as Cognitive Fingerprinting, wind project operators can utilize these tools to learn from collected data, detect regular patterns, and optimize their own operations. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Stuart Gillen, Director of Business Development at SparkCognition, will discuss how research has demonstrated the value of Machine Learning in delivering next generation analytics to im...
Apr. 30, 2016 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,664
There is an ever-growing explosion of new devices that are connected to the Internet using "cloud" solutions. This rapid growth is creating a massive new demand for efficient access to data. And it's not just about connecting to that data anymore. This new demand is bringing new issues and challenges and it is important for companies to scale for the coming growth. And with that scaling comes the need for greater security, gathering and data analysis, storage, connectivity and, of course, the...
Apr. 30, 2016 03:15 PM EDT Reads: 740
This is not a small hotel event. It is also not a big vendor party where politicians and entertainers are more important than real content. This is Cloud Expo, the world's longest-running conference and exhibition focused on Cloud Computing and all that it entails. If you want serious presentations and valuable insight about Cloud Computing for three straight days, then register now for Cloud Expo.
Apr. 30, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,703
IoT device adoption is growing at staggering rates, and with it comes opportunity for developers to meet consumer demand for an ever more connected world. Wireless communication is the key part of the encompassing components of any IoT device. Wireless connectivity enhances the device utility at the expense of ease of use and deployment challenges. Since connectivity is fundamental for IoT device development, engineers must understand how to overcome the hurdles inherent in incorporating multipl...
Apr. 30, 2016 02:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,449
The increasing popularity of the Internet of Things necessitates that our physical and cognitive relationship with wearable technology will change rapidly in the near future. This advent means logging has become a thing of the past. Before, it was on us to track our own data, but now that data is automatically available. What does this mean for mHealth and the "connected" body? In her session at @ThingsExpo, Lisa Calkins, CEO and co-founder of Amadeus Consulting, will discuss the impact of wea...
Apr. 30, 2016 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 656
SYS-CON Events announced today that Stratoscale, the software company developing the next generation data center operating system, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Stratoscale is revolutionizing the data center with a zero-to-cloud-in-minutes solution. With Stratoscale's hardware-agnostic, Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) solution to store everything, run anything and scale everywhere...
Apr. 30, 2016 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,527
Angular 2 is a complete re-write of the popular framework AngularJS. Programming in Angular 2 is greatly simplified – now it's a component-based well-performing framework. This immersive one-day workshop at 18th Cloud Expo, led by Yakov Fain, a Java Champion and a co-founder of the IT consultancy Farata Systems and the product company SuranceBay, will provide you with everything you wanted to know about Angular 2.
Apr. 30, 2016 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,696
SYS-CON Events announced today that Men & Mice, the leading global provider of DNS, DHCP and IP address management overlay solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The Men & Mice Suite overlay solution is already known for its powerful application in heterogeneous operating environments, enabling enterprises to scale without fuss. Building on a solid range of diverse platform support,...
Apr. 30, 2016 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,289
You deployed your app with the Bluemix PaaS and it's gaining some serious traction, so it's time to make some tweaks. Did you design your application in a way that it can scale in the cloud? Were you even thinking about the cloud when you built the app? If not, chances are your app is going to break. Check out this webcast to learn various techniques for designing applications that will scale successfully in Bluemix, for the confidence you need to take your apps to the next level and beyond.
Apr. 30, 2016 11:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,465
We've worked with dozens of early adopters across numerous industries and will debunk common misperceptions, which starts with understanding that many of the connected products we'll use over the next 5 years are already products, they're just not yet connected. With an IoT product, time-in-market provides much more essential feedback than ever before. Innovation comes from what you do with the data that the connected product provides in order to enhance the customer experience and optimize busi...
Apr. 30, 2016 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 883
Artificial Intelligence has the potential to massively disrupt IoT. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, AJ Abdallat, CEO of Beyond AI, will discuss what the five main drivers are in Artificial Intelligence that could shape the future of the Internet of Things. AJ Abdallat is CEO of Beyond AI. He has over 20 years of management experience in the fields of artificial intelligence, sensors, instruments, devices and software for telecommunications, life sciences, environmental monitoring, process...
Apr. 30, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 881
SYS-CON Events announced today that Ericsson has been named "Gold Sponsor" of SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York, New York. Ericsson is a world leader in the rapidly changing environment of communications technology – providing equipment, software and services to enable transformation through mobility. Some 40 percent of global mobile traffic runs through networks we have supplied. More than 1 billion subscribers around the world re...
Apr. 30, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 865
Increasing IoT connectivity is forcing enterprises to find elegant solutions to organize and visualize all incoming data from these connected devices with re-configurable dashboard widgets to effectively allow rapid decision-making for everything from immediate actions in tactical situations to strategic analysis and reporting. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Shikhir Singh, Senior Developer Relations Manager at Sencha, will discuss how to create HTML5 dashboards that interact with IoT devic...
Apr. 30, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 913
Digital payments using wearable devices such as smart watches, fitness trackers, and payment wristbands are an increasing area of focus for industry participants, and consumer acceptance from early trials and deployments has encouraged some of the biggest names in technology and banking to continue their push to drive growth in this nascent market. Wearable payment systems may utilize near field communication (NFC), radio frequency identification (RFID), or quick response (QR) codes and barcodes...
Apr. 30, 2016 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 703
SYS-CON Events announced today that Fusion, a leading provider of cloud services, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Fusion, a leading provider of integrated cloud solutions to small, medium and large businesses, is the industry's single source for the cloud. Fusion's advanced, proprietary cloud service platform enables the integration of leading edge solutions in the cloud, including cloud...
Apr. 30, 2016 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,553


text:
This great product in white from our department Men and Apron category can be printed just for you in the size and style you like. The design grill was created by Pixelbob and uploaded to Spreadshirt for you to have printed on a Apron. Next to a host of other great designs, you can find this grill design in Spreadshirt's Cook category. If you are interested in topics like Grill or Grillen, then you'll love grill designs by Pixelbob. Spreadshirt also offers a huge selection of personalised T-shirts, hoodies and accessories for the category Cook as well as top Grillzange clothing. Pixelbob's designs have already impressed many of our customers, so we are sure that we've got right stuff for you! Spreadshirt is your shop for great designs of all kinds – whether it's Grill, Grillen or Grillzange. We are sure that you will find something nice in our shop, there are many amazing personalised Cook T-shirts, jumpers or accessories for you to find! Tags: Design ID: 12397083
PROPERTY OF MY BOYFRIEND Underwear Designed by PTITMYTHO
Weiß Prosecco Club © T-Shirts Designed by shirtrecycler
There is no Cloud Men's T-Shirt Designed by Chris Watterston
Happy is the new rich Designed by happystartups
jubilaeum_50 T-Shirts Designed by Judith83
Navy wasn't me! oh.... wait... T-Shirts Designed by SweptUp
Boss the kitchen with ready-made meals and 5 course menus: this apron gets the chef out of you when you work your magic on the hobs or the BBQ grill.
still to fill


text:
Tom Sawyer's portrait-performing photo of Masterventions
While enjoying this revolving monstrosity, the ignorant will find two sections of entertainment. The first showcases bleeding-edge technology from exploiters of third-world labor. On the second, folks can learn about becoming a better consumer, play numbingly familiar games, or explore online communities like Club Rail.
Avoid Zombie Mode
© copyright 2011–2016
A Pants Aflame production


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Dec 29, 1981
|Filing date
|Nov 26, 1980
|Priority date
|Jul 24, 1978
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Primo Pastormerlo
|Original Assignee
|Stamicarbon, B.V.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (2), Classifications (17), Legal Events (1)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 56,551, filed July 11, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,997.
The present invention relates to the treatment of urea solutions which come from synthesis reactors where ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are reacted under pressure and at high temperature to form urea, and which contain, in addition to the formed urea, free ammonia, unreacted ammonium carbamate and water together with other by-products, the treatment consisting of:
(a) a first phase or step in which an important amount of NH3 is distilled from the urea solution while decomposing only a reduced amount of carbamate; and (b) a second phase in which the major part of the undecomposed carbamate present in the so treated solution is decomposed preferably under the contemporaneous stripping action of fresh CO2.
The invention concerns also a device for the embodiment of the above treatment.
In the industrial urea production by NH3 and CO2 synthesis, the so-called "stripping" technologies have been mostly used. According to such conventional technologies, the residual unreacted carbamate in the urea melt coming from the reactor, is decomposed at high pressure (decomposer or stripper operating at the reactor pressure), because of NH3 or CO2 which is present in large excess in the decomposer vapor phase. According to the German Auslegeschrift 1468628 (I) and Dutch Patent Application No. 7019056 (II) such excess is obtained by external supply at the stripper bottom of gaseous NH3 (reference I) or CO2 (Reference II), countercurrently with the urea melt.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,696 (III) the NH3 excess is ensured by the fact that the urea solution feeding the stripper, is already rich in NH3 and the carbamate decomposition takes place in an exchanger in which the liquid falls as a thin film.
Finally, according to the Italian Pat. No. 770,241 (IV) carbamate decomposition is achieved, at a pressure considerably lower than that of the synthesis reactor, in two stages in the second stage of which external ammonia is introduced countercurrently. With this system the residual NH3 content in the treated urea melt is very high (35.7 wt.%) and expensive NH3 recovery stages are required; pumping devices are also required to recycle to the reactor the carbamate solution available at lower pressure.
In the processes and plants operating according to reference patents I, II, III, all vapors produced in the carbamate decomposition, together with the distilled free ammonia, and together with all NH3 (reference I) or CO2 (reference II) introduced at the decomposer bottom, flow upwards counter currently with the urea melt, which leaves the decomposer from the bottom.
This method causes high process flows (vapor and liquid flows) through the carbamate decomposer tubes. Sizing of decomposer tubes (tube number and diameter) becomes very critical and selection cannot be optimised in relation to the process performance, because of the limitations imposed by the necessity to avoid flooding phenomena. Such phenomena adversely affect the decomposer performance and might damage it, thus reducing its operating life. Furthermore, large quantities of passivating agent are generally needed to prevent corrosion of the large heated stainless steel surfaces of the above-mentioned fallingfilm decomposers. Air is generally injected into the decomposers, thus utilizing the passivating action of oxygen. However, the introduction of large amounts of air into the system is detrimental to conversion in the reactor. Inert material also cause ammonia and CO2 losses through urea plant units, while oxygen is a potential source of explosions.
An object of the present invention is a new treatment which does not show the above-mentioned draw-backs of the conventional systems.
Another object of the invention is a treatment process which can be put into effect by a particularly simple and efficient device.
The treatment process and related devices are conceived so as: to be free from sizing limitations and flooding phenomena and requiring small amounts of passivating agent; to be suitable for the treatment of urea melts produced in a reactor operating with high NH3 /CO2 molar ratios and in consequence with high yields; to have long operating life; to produce urea melts with low carbamate residual content, using a small quantity of fresh stripping agent, if any.
Even if by preference the process is used according to the invention, with the two treatment steps at the same or lower pressure than the synthesis pressure, it is equally possible to operate the two stages at different pressures which also differ, if necessary, from the synthesis pressure.
This embodiment may be found suitable for those plants or processes where carbamate decomposition and synthesis are carried out at different pressures.
All the above-mentioned objects are achieved with the new process according to the invention which consists of: (a) a first phase or step in which mainly NH3 is distilled from the urea solution and a reduced amount of ammonium carbamate is decomposed and (b) a second step in which the so-treated solution the carbamate is decomposed and the residual NH3 is distilled.
In an advantageous embodiment, the first step is carried out by heating the urea solution at a temperature of from 190� to 230� during a time period of less than 50 seconds, preferably from 3 to 12 seconds, the second step is carried out by heating the urea solution coming from the first treatment step at a temperature of from 190� C. to 230� C. for a time period of less than 60 seconds, preferably from 10 to 20 seconds.
According to a particular feature of the invention, the second step is carried out in the presence of a countercurrent of fresh CO2. Such stripping agent can even be eliminated obtaining still better performances than with known art. In fact, the two decomposition zones with intermediate NH3 +CO2 vapors separation zone still ensure a sufficient high NH3 excess in second zone vapor phase where carbamate decomposition reaches very high yields without any stripping agent.
According to a particular embodiment of the invention the two phases of the treatment process can be performed in a new device (decomposer) formed by a central body with an upper head piece and a lower bottom piece, said central body including two zones: a first zone being formed by a heated tube bundle fed at the bottom by the urea melt coming from the synthesis reactor, such melt flowing upwards inside the tubes from the lower bottom piece to the upper head piece, concurrently with the vapors produced in this first zone by at least partial NH3 distillation and reduced carbamate decomposition, caused by the tubes external heating; a second zone being also formed by a heated tube bundle fed at the top by the urea melt treated in the first zone and coming from the upper head piece, such melt flowing as thin liquid film downwards inside the tubes to the lower bottom piece, countercurrently with externally introduced CO2 stripping agent from the bottom piece or countercurrently with the NH3 rich vapors produced in this second zone only, if no stripping agent is used; the treated urea melt coming from the bottom of said second zone being collected in the lower bottom piece, while vapors coming from the top of both first and second zone, are collected in the upper head piece.
In a first embodiment of the invention the first and second zone tube sheets or walls are concentrical while in a second embodiment the tube plate sheets are located side by side.
The different aspects and advantages of the invention will better appear from the description of the preferred embodiments represented in the attached drawing, where:
FIG. 1 is a schematic flow sheet illustrating the two-step treatment process of the invention;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are two schematic frontal views of the relative apparatus; and
FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3a, 3b are schematic partial horizontal cross sections along lines A--A and B--B in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.
The flow-sheet of FIG. 1 shows schematically the main feature of the treatment according to the invention. In a synthesis reactor 20, NH3 fed through line 22 and CO2 fed through line 21 are reacted under pressure and a high temperature and a urea melt UM (containing urea, ammonium carbamate, free NH3 and other by-products) is obtained. Because generally the reactor 20 is fed through 22 with an excess of NH3 over the stochiometric ratio, the urea solution UM issuing in 20' from the reactor 20 contains significant amounts of free NH3 and of ammonium carbamate to be decomposed by thermal splitting into its single components, NH3 and CO2, which can then by recycled to the synthesis reactor 20. Conventionally this last is operated at high temperatures, (for example, 160�-250� C.) at a pressure of, for instance, 100-300 bars and with high NH3 :CO2 ratios, for example, of from 2.5 to 10. The synthesis reaction is outside the scope of this invention which is concerned with the treatment of said urea melts UM. The treatment is schematically shown in the flow-sheet of FIG. 1 and consists in a thermal splitting carried out in two steps under critical conditions whereby:
(a) in step I a significant substantial amount of NH3 is distilled from the urea solution UM, while decomposing only a small amount of carbamate. This step I is indicated with the diagram block 24 to which UM is fed from reactor 20 and from which the distilled vapors 28 are recovered and recycled to the reactor by conventional means.
(b) the so-treated urea solution UM' is passed through line 25 to the second treatment step II shown as block 26, where the bulk of carbamate is now decomposed and the residual free NH3 is distilled preferably by stripping UM' in counter current with fresh CO2 introduced in 21'; from step II are recovered through line 28' and recycled to the reactor by conventional means the gases of the carbamate decomposition and the residual distilled NH3, and through line 27 an urea solution UM" having practically no free NH3 and no carbamate is collected. The solution UM" obtained from the process of the invention requires generally no further important treatment for NH3 and CO2 recovery.
The advantageous features of the treatment according to the invention will be better emphasized with the aid of the examples reported herebelow. It is, however, important to anticipate that in a particular application, the treatment can be carried out in very simple, efficient and cheap treating devices TD like the ones of FIGS. 2 and 3.
In the non-limiting embodiment of said figures, a treating device TD is shown which consists of a central body CC (generally cylindrical with main size axial) included between a lower bottom piece F and an upper head piece T. The lower bottom piece F includes a liquid collector RL (urea melt free from carbamate and excess NH3) and the let-down valve 5, while the upper head piece T includes a vapor collector RG with vapor let-down valve 4.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the central body CC is divided in two main zones, I Z and II Z (each zone being formed for example by a tube bundle containing a high number of long thin tubes). The central body CC, with the tube of Zones I Z and II Z, included within the side longitudinal walls P1 1 and P1 2, is separated from the lower bottom piece F by lower tube sheet Pi and from the upper head piece T by upper tube sheet Ps.
As it can be seen from the schematic section (FIG. 2b) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the zone I Z is formed by an external tube bundle FTE of annular area shape inside of which the second zone II Z is located (internal tube bundle FTI). The tube bundle FTE of main zone I Z and FTI of main zone II Z lies between lower tube sheet Pi and upper tube sheet Ps. In the upper head piece T the baffle ST (with or without slits) located on the internal annular edge of tube sheet FTE, forms a liquid distribution path for the urea melt coming from the first zone I Z.
The urea melt UM coming from the urea reactor (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) is fed through a urea feed means shown as nozzles 3--3' to the annular feed manifold CO (corresponding to line 23 in FIG. 1) located in the treating device bottom F and then flows upwards through tubes TU 1 of the first zone I Z to the upper head piece T where it is distributed by baffle ST into the tubes TU 2 of second zone tubes bundle FT I. The decomposer central body CC of the treating device TD is heated by first and second heat means (for example with steam) and in FIGS. 2 and 3, 1 and 2 are the heating medium inlet and outlet.
In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as preferred embodiments of the invention, the treatment process according to the invention operates as follows:
(A) The urea melt containing ammonium carbamate, free ammonia, water, produced in the synthesis reactor (advantageously in a high yield reactor) is fed through nozzles 3--3' to the annular feed manifold CO, located in the bottom F and connected with the first zone tube sheet FTE.
(B) Characteristically said solution flows upwards inside the tubes TU 1 of the first zone sheet FTE, being those tubes heated by steam introduced through connection 1. According to the main feature of the invention such heating and the flow speed (or residence time) of the urea solution are critically selected so that along tubes TU 1 only a small portion of carbamate is decomposed and an important portion of free ammonia is distilled from the urea melt UM: consequently said urea melt UM flows inside the tube TU 1 (up to the upper head piece T) concurrently with the vapors coming substantially from the NH3 distillation and from the decomposition of carbamate. At this end, the temperature of tubes TU 1 is from 190� to 220� C., the residence time of the urea solution UM is below 50 seconds and preferably from 3 to 12 seconds.
(C) In the upper head piece T at the first zone tubes TI 1 exit, separation takes place of vapors (NH3, CO2, H2 O) produced from the treated urea melt UM'; while said vapors are collected in the collector RG, the urea melt UM' builds up a level in the annular zone between the external wall Pl 1--Pl 2 and internal baffle ST and when the melt level reaches the ST upper edge it overflows into the central zone PC feeding the internal tube bundle FT 1 of zone II Z.
(D) Characteristically the urea melt UM' treated in I Z, feeds the tubes TU 2 of the second distillation zone II Z and, distributed as thin liquid-film inside such tubes TU 2, flows from top (upper head piece T) to bottom (lower bottom piece F) countercurrently with either fresh gaseous CO2 flow introduced from outside in F through nozzles 6 (corresponding to line 21' in FIG. 1) or with the vapors produced in this second zone II Z only in the absence of any other fresh stripping agent. Because of the thin film distribution of the urea melt UM' inside tubes TU 2 and the second heat means (steam introduced through 1), a good contact between the urea melt UM' and the countercurrently moving fresh CO2 flow or countercurrently moving vapors in the absence of fresh CO2 is ensured and consequently a good stripping action takes place. Because of the good contact the distillation of carbamate and ammonia (still present in the urea melt UM' after the treatment in the first zone I Z) is completed in this second zone II Z.
According to a feature of the invention, the temperature of the second zone tubes is from 190� C. to 230� C. while the residence time of UM' there is from 10 to 20 seconds.
(E) The urea melt, which is introduced in the treating device TD through distributor CO of the bottom piece F, and after the first treatment achieved by upward transport through tubes TU 1 of the first zone I Z (concurrently with distilled vapors) and a second treatment achieved by downward transport through tube TU 2 of the second zone II Z as thin film countercurrently with vapor phase, is collected in the lower collector RL as urea solution UM" of high purity so as not to require further important treatment.
In FIGS. 2, 2a and 2b, the first and second zone I Z and II Z are concentrical so the arrows f' indicating the upwards flow of the urea melt in the first zone I Z are located left and right of the arrow f" indicating the downwards flow of the urea melt in the second zone II Z.
FIGS. 3-3a and 3b show the decomposer treating device embodiment where the two zones I Z and II Z are not concentrical, but placed side-to-side, the first zone I Z is a portion of the left half of the decomposer body CC while the second zone II Z is all the residual portion of the body CC.
For both the described embodiments we have now purposely given a detailed constructive description of the treating device (decomposer) according to the invention, in fact the decomposer main parts can be built with conventional pieces (tube bundle tube sheet, feed manifold, etc.) of the type largely used in reactors, strippers, decomposers and the alike, conventionally used in urea production and in chemical industries in general. The invention concerns therefore, besides the treating process, the new decomposer structure, which may then be formed by the assembling of known pieces.
The decomposer or stripper used in the conventional technology, according to the reference II, is fed with the urea melt having the following averaged characteristics.
______________________________________Composition:______________________________________NH3 45.33 kg.CO2 29.33 kg.Urea 60 kg. (1 k mole)H2 O 36 kgTotal 170.66 kg.______________________________________ *operating conditions of the synthesis reactor: molar ratio of NH3 /CO2 = 2.8 urea reactor yield 60%
According to the article by Kaasenbrood in Fertilizers Society Proceeding No. 166, December 77 the decomposer according to reference II is sized with the following criterion: Two tubes each K mole of treated urea are used, each tube having an internal diameter Di=25 mm and length L=6 m. It is important to mention that in order to improve the yield in the synthesis reactor that produces the urea melt fed to the above-mentioned stripper, the reactor should be operated with a molar ratio NH3 :CO2 higher than 2.8 and equal, for example, to 4. But in this case with NH3 /CO2 ratio=4 the vapor flow in the decomposer would have an increase and require the use of tubes having a diameter greater than 25 mm (approximately Di=30 mm) and a shorter length, approximately L=4.3 m (to avoid flooding and to reduce the total surface of the decomposer proportionally to the increased yield 60/70).
According to reference II for a 1000 MT/d (metric Tons/Day) urea plant, that is 41,666 kg/h=694.4 K moles/h urea, a decomposer with 694.4�2=1388 tubes should be required with Di=25 mm (NH3 /CO2 =2.8) or Di=30 mm (NH3 /CO2 =4). The decomposer weight increase in this last case (Di=30 mm) would be 25 tons (total estimated weight 100 t), with equipment cost increase of 25,000 kg�7,500 lit/kg=187.5 million Lire (ca. US $225,000).
When the two step process according to the present invention is used, it is possible to operate with a decomposer of the type of FIGS. 2 or 3 whereby the first decomposition zone I Z is fed with a urea melt showing the following characteristics:
______________________________________CompositionI Zone______________________________________NH3 63.13 kg.CO2 18.85 kg.Urea 60 kg. (1k mole)H2 O 33.42 kg.Total 175.40 kg.______________________________________ *Operating conditions of the synthesis reactor: molar ratio of NH3 /CO2 = 4 Urea reactor yield 70% Pressure: 160 bar Temperature: 190
With a urea flow of 1000 kg. in each tube (having, for example, a diameter Di=20 mm and a length L=6 m) the tube number (N'T) of the treating device decomposer TD first zone I Z for a 1000 MT/d plant (694.4 urea K moles/h) is ##EQU1## The first zone I Z is heated with steam at a temperature of 200� C. The urea solution UM residence time in this I Z is of 3 seconds. The compositions CI of the urea melt UM' that, after the first zone treatment, enters ST of the second zone II Z of the decomposer is:
______________________________________NH3 39 kg.CO2 15.5 kg.Urea 60 kg. (1 k mole)H2 O 29.3 kg.Total 143.8 kg.______________________________________
Feeding into the treating device TD (decomposer) 22 kg. of fresh stripping CO2 through nozzle 6 (about 1/2 k mole CO2 each k mole urea) upwards countercurrently with the urea melt flowing downwards into the second zone tubes (heated at 200� C.), a urea melt with the following composition expressed in weight percent is collected in the lower bottom piece and discharged from nozzle 5:
NH3 =4 kg. (5 wt.%), CO2 =1.6 kg. (2 wt.%), urea=60 kg. (75 wt.%) H2 O=14.4 kg. (18 wt.%).
The residence time of the melt in the second zone was 15 seconds.
In the decomposer upper head piece through nozzle 4 a vapor flow with the following composition is discharged:
NH3 =59.13 kg.; CO2 17.25+22 kg.; H2 O=19 kg. With a design flow for the second zone of 100 kg. each tube having inside diameter Di=20 mm and length L=6 m the number of tubes (N'T) is: ##EQU2## The total tubes number for first and second zone is N'T+N"T122+999=1121.
The decomposer weight reduction with reference to Example IA (1388 tubes Di=25 mm) is 27,000 kg. with a saving of 27,000 kg.�7500 lit/kg.=202.5 million lire (about 243,000 US $). This saving is calculated without taking into account the reactor yield difference (70% in the example according to the invention and 60% according to the conventional technology in Example 1A); if this improvement is also considered another saving of 187.5 million lire should be added to the 202.5 million lire. The above-mentioned results are also true when no stripping agent is used (CO2 =0). The urea melt discharged from nozzle 5 will be in the absence of fresh CO2 :
NH3 =8 kg. (9.4 wt.%) CO2 =2.6 kg. (3 wt.%); urea 60 kg. (70.1 wt.%) H2 O 15 kg. (17.5 wt.%).
(2A) According to the Italian Pat. No. 770,241 (reference IV) the urea melt composition after the two stages decomposer is:
______________________________________ NH3 36.7 wt. % CO2 -- Urea 46 H2 O 17.3 Total 100 wt. %______________________________________
(2B) According to the Auslegeschrift 1,468,628 (I) the urea melt (UM') composition issuing from the decomposer is:
______________________________________ NH3 47.79 wt. % CO2 0.95 wt. % Urea 39.41 wt. % H2 O 11.85 wt. % Total 100 wt. %______________________________________
With the use of the treatment process and of a decomposer according to the present invention (operating at the reactor pressure of 160 bar and at 200� C. temperature: isobaric loop), the urea melt composition (expressed in wt.%) at the outlet of the decomposer second zone (II Z heated at 200� C.) is: (a) using a CO2 stripping of 22 kg. (b) using no CO2 stripping
______________________________________ (a) (b)______________________________________NH3 5 wt. % NH3 9.4 wt. %CO2 2 wt. % CO2 3 wt. %Urea 75 wt. % Urea 70.1 wt. %H2 O 18 wt. % H2 O 17.5 wt. %Total 100______________________________________
The residence time in the first and second zones were 11 seconds and 15 seconds, respectively.
By comparing the figures according to Example 2C (use of the invention) with those of the comparison Examples 2A and 2B (use of the conventional systems), the advantages of the invention are clearly apparent and consist substantially in that the expensive devices required, for example, in reference I downstream the stripper to purify and recycle the high excess residual ammonia in the urea melt are avoided.
The important advantages of the process and treating device according to the present invention can be summarized as follows:
(1) Because in the first process step in the relative decomposer first zone I Z, the urea solution and the distillaed gas are flowing upwards cocurrently, the first step space or first zone can be designed (sized) in an optimal manner even in the presence of heavy amounts of gas developed in the solution distillation, particularly when the urea solution UM comes from a synthesis reactor containing a large excess of free NH3 : accordingly all problems of flooding are avoided. The first concurrent treatment step will not require external passivation air injection since the heating surface is passivated by the air already contained in the urea solution coming from the reactor. If a countercurrent is used as in conventional processes the air would be "stripped off" before reaching the lower and hottest part of the equipment.
(2) Sizing of the second step space, particularly of the decomposer second zone (II Z) is no more critical, not even when a stripping agent CO2 is used countercurrently with the urea melt because a heavy amount of vapors has been separated in the first zone (I Z). The reduced second step surface will minimize the quantity of passivating air required to prevent corrosion.
(3) First and second zone sizing can be optimized for best process performances.
(4) Urea melts containing high quantities of free ammonia and coming from high yield reactors (high NH3 /CO2 molar ratios) can be treated in the process, respectively, in the decomposer according to the invention. In such cases, by operating the decomposer at pressures which can be below those of the synthesis reactors, the invention offers the ideal means for the best treatment of the urea melts very rich in free ammonia because its decomposer is just designed to eliminate the maximum of NH3 in its first step while the largest quantity of carbamate is decomposed more easily only in the second step.
(5) The final urea melts (UM") which have undergone the treatment of the invention and come out from the relative decomposers of FIGS. 2 and 3 show a very low residual content of carbamate and free NH3 whereby they require no important further treatment with consequent important savings in plant treatment down-stream from the decomposer.
(6) Lower quantities of stripping agent (CO2) can be used, compared with those necessary in the prior art.
(7) The two step treatment and the relative decomposer can be operated at reactor pressure.
With reference to the above items and in particular to the advantages of item (4), the following considerations are usefully added: it is not possible to use the carbamate decomposer according to reference (II) of the prior art for treating a urea melt having a high NH3 content, due to the very high vapor (NH3) flow in the stripper operated with a countercurrent of stripping CO2 (plus NH3 vapor, etc.) whereby a very large decomposer tube cross section would be required and as a consequence a very high equipment cost would be involved.
Furthermore, the high NH3 vapor content would reduce the carbamate decomposition efficiency, the NH3 excess having a diluting effect on the CO2 content of the vapor phase; in this case CO2 vapor concentration should be maximum, CO2 being the stripping agent. According to reference II a low NH3 /CO2 ratio must be kept in the synthesis reactor with low urea yield (Max. NH3 /CO2 =2.85 at 140 bar); to the contrary the process and the decomposer according to the present invention can be operated economically in combination with high NH3 /CO2 ratio reactors and high urea yields are achieved without problems in the carbamate decomposition step.
We wish finally to point out that a technician skilled in the art, starting from the available teaching in the literature, (reference III and II) would have conceived the two-step treatment so that the bulk of carbamate is decomposed in step I, while step II is used only for the distillation of residual ammonia and carbamate (the functions of the two steps are inverted in respect to the present invention).
This solution would have been very impractical, requiring two countercurrent steps in series (when operating a high pressure a high carbamate decomposition can only be achieved using the known countercurrent "stripping technique"). A two-step countercurrent treatment implies the use of costly falling film apparatus, and the first step treatment would present the flooding problems described, especially when ammonia rich urea solutions have to be treated. A high quantity of passivating air would also be required with the disadvantages already described. If the bulk of carbamate is decomposed in the first step the free ammonia still contained in the second step feeding solution would react with the CO2 stripping agent to form carbamate again. This parasite reaction, that could be avoided by operating at high temperatures with corrosion danger, would cause an increase in the stripping agent flow. Obviously when the treatment of the invention is carried out at pressures lower than the synthesis pressure, the first step can be carried out without heat supply but only by flashing separation.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Apr 28, 1942
|Mar 28, 1944
|Pfeifer Alfred G
|Combination gauge
|Jul 19, 1971
|Dec 18, 1973
|V Gryaznov
|Catalytic reactor designed for carrying out conjugate chemical reactions
|Apr 25, 1977
|Jun 27, 1978
|Standard Oil Company
|System for steam-cracking hydrocarbons and transfer-line exchanger therefor
|Jul 17, 1978
|Oct 28, 1980
|Pullman Incorporated
|Radial ammonia converter
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Apr 30, 1985
|Jul 1, 1986
|Uop Inc.
|Vertical tube reactor with serial downward flow through a plurality of sets of particulate containing tubes
|Jun 25, 1998
|Jul 4, 2000
|Urea Casale S.A.
|Process for reducing the residual free ammonia emissions from an urea production plant
|U.S. Classification
|422/610, 422/200, 422/646
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 27, 1994
Owner name: DSM N.V., NETHERLANDS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:STAMICARBON B.V.;REEL/FRAME:007000/0747
Effective date: 19931209


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Here's the question you clicked on:
The above illustration was created about 1879 and is entitled "The New Fighting The Old in Early Meiji Japan." Based on this image, which of the following statements is accurate about the Meiji Restoration? Most Japanese supported the reforms of the Meiji Restoration. The Meiji Restoration denied the rights of elderly people. The Meiji Restoration was a smooth process toward reform. Many Japanese resisted the reforms of the Meiji Restoration
I think its A
I believe the Meiji Restoration was highly supported by the people of Japan at the time, so I'd go with A. Make sure to check though because I might be wrong.
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Nice i try to look things up before i give answers.
yeaa i look em up before i ask. i want a second opinion though
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