Cover page of Fuel Processing TechnologyLogo of The University of UtahIn Fuel Processing Technology, researchers at University of Utah have published today online a paper where they are making use of a MATLAB CAPE-OPEN Unit Operation plugged in Aspen Plus. They have developed a catalytic membrane reactor model in MATLAB and they study the economics of the methane to benzene process as a possibility to monetize natural gas through non-oxidative dehydroaromatization of methane.

The same researchers have previously reported in 2016 on the plug-flow, isothermal membrane reactor model that they developed for the conversion of methane to aromatics over Mo/H-ZSM5. It appears they are capitalizing on their investment in CAPE-OPEN technology and, through this recent paper, they are showing renewed confidence in that technology .

It is worth noting that they are using this CAPE-OPEN Unit Operation in a study on process economics. CO-LaN Methods & Tools Special Interest Group has already recognized the need to add an economic dimension to the dimensionality of any Public Unit Parameter. When the additional dimension related to monetization will be supported by both CAPE-OPEN PMCs and PMEs, a study like the one reported in this paper will be much simplified.