# US 10,479,680 B2 · Electrically heated steam reforming reactor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,680 B2 - Document ID: US10479680B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/995,713 - Filed: 2016-01-14 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-14 - Assignees: Raven SR, Inc. - Applicants: Intellergy, Inc. - Inventors: Terry R. Galloway - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479680B2 ## CPC - C01B 3/34: by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents - C01B 2203/0216: containing a non-catalytic steam reforming step - C01B 2203/0222: containing a non-catalytic carbon dioxide reforming step - C01B 2203/085: by electric heating - C01B 2203/0883: by indirect heat exchange - C01B 2203/1235: Hydrocarbons - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} ## Abstract A method and design of providing high temperature heat for an endothermic gasifier without combustion includes flowing a stream of a first hydrocarbon gas sequentially through an annular plenum and a cylindrical plenum while heating the gas using electrical resistance immersion heating elements. These heating elements may be heated by three phase electrical power, minimizing the number of electrical leads emerging from the top of the heating elements. This method and design reduces the risk of extremely hot syngas exiting the gasifier damaging downstream fittings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for high temperature gasification, comprising: flowing a stream of a first hydrocarbon gas from an entrance of a bottom annular plenum region toward an inlet at a bottom of an annular plenum, the bottom annular plenum region being discrete from the annular plenum; flowing the stream of the first hydrocarbon gas from the bottom inlet toward a top outlet; electrically heating the flowing first gas along the axial length of the annular plenum; flowing the heated gas from the top outlet to a top inlet of a cylindrical plenum and toward a bottom outlet; electrically heating the flowing gas along the axial length of the cylindrical plenum; converting the first hydrocarbon gas to a syngas by said heating in at least one of the annular or cylindrical plenums; removing the syngas from the bottom outlet; and transferring heat from the syngas proximate the bottom outlet to the first gas in the bottom annular plenum region; wherein the annular plenum surrounds the cylindrical plenum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the bottom annular plenum region includes a plurality of heat transfer fins. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises flowing the removed syngas from the bottom outlet over a heat sink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the heat sink is a radiative heat sink. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the heat sink is aerodynamically shaped to minimize resistance to the flow of the syngas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 which further comprises transferring heat from the heat sink to the first hydrocarbon gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein said transferring heat is by radiation and convection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein said transferring heat is substantially by radiation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said electrically heating in the annular plenum is by a plurality of resistive heating elements each extending along substantially the entire axial length of the annular plenum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein each of the resistive heating elements is linear, having a rod-like shape and two opposing ends; and which further comprises supporting each element at only one end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first hydrocarbon gas includes steam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the syngas includes substantial hydrogen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises thermally insulating the outer diameter of the annular plenum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the outer cylindrical wall of said annular plenum includes a ceramic insulator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inner or outer cylindrical walls of said annular plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the annular flowpath. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 which further comprises generating turbulence by the strakes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the top outlet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein a wall of the cylindrical plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the flowpath. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the bottom outlet. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing a stream. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing the heated gas. ### Claim 22 A method for high temperature gasification, comprising: flowing a stream of a first hydrocarbon gas from an entrance of a bottom annular plenum region toward an inlet at the bottom of an annular plenum, the bottom annular plenum region including a plurality of heat transfer fins; flowing the stream of the first hydrocarbon gas from the bottom inlet toward a top outlet; electrically heating the flowing first gas along the axial length of the annular plenum; flowing the heated gas from the top outlet to a top inlet of a cylindrical plenum and toward a bottom outlet; electrically heating the flowing gas along the axial length of the cylindrical plenum; converting the first hydrocarbon gas to a syngas by said heating in at least one of the annular or cylindrical plenums; and removing the syngas from the bottom outlet; wherein the annular plenum surrounds the cylindrical plenum. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 which further comprises transferring heat from the syngas proximate the bottom outlet to the first gas in the bottom annular plenum region. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 which further comprises flowing the removed syngas from the bottom outlet over a heat sink. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the heat sink is a radiative heat sink. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the heat sink is aerodynamically shaped to minimize resistance to the flow of the syngas. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 which further comprises transferring heat from the heat sink to the first hydrocarbon gas. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein said transferring heat is by radiation and convection. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein said transferring heat is substantially by radiation. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said electrically heating in the annular plenum is by a plurality of resistive heating elements each extending along substantially the entire axial length of the annular plenum. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 wherein each of the resistive heating elements is linear, having a rod-like shape and two opposing ends; and which further comprises supporting each element at only one end. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the first hydrocarbon gas includes steam. ### Claim 33 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the syngas includes substantial hydrogen. ### Claim 34 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 which further comprises thermally insulating the outer diameter of the annular plenum. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the outer cylindrical wall of said annular plenum includes a ceramic insulator. ### Claim 36 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of the inner or outer cylindrical walls of said annular plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the annular flowpath. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 which further comprises generating turbulence by the strakes. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the top outlet. ### Claim 39 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein a wall of the cylindrical plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the flowpath. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39 which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the bottom outlet. ### Claim 41 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing a stream. ### Claim 42 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing the heated gas.