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US 11,286,169 B2Granted
Chemical reactor with integrated heat exchanger, heater, and high conductance catalyst holder
AssigneeStarfire Energy
InventorsJoseph D. Beach, Jonathan D. Kinter, Adam W. Welch
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Abstract
A chemical reactor that combines a pressure vessel, heat exchanger, heater, and catalyst holder into a single device is disclosed. The chemical reactor described herein reduces the cost of the reactor and reduces its parasitic heat losses. The disclosed chemical reactor is suitable for use in ammonia (NH3) synthesis.
Claims15
A chemical reactor, comprising:
- a pressure vessel;
- a spiral heat exchanger disposed within the pressure vessel, the spiral heat exchanger comprising:
- a central region;
- a reactant-in spiral passageway configured to pass reactant from an inlet port of the spiral heat exchanger to the central region;
- and
- a reactant-out spiral passageway configured to pass reactant from the central region to an outlet port of the spiral heat exchanger;
- a heater disposed within the pressure vessel and positioned in the central region of the spiral heat exchanger;
- and
- a catalyst holder disposed within the pressure vessel and positioned in the central region of the spiral heat exchanger;
- wherein the heater is positioned at one axial end of the central region and the catalyst holder is positioned at an opposite axial end of the central region;
- and
- an exit end of the reactant-in spiral passageway is located proximate an upstream side of the heater and an entrance end of the reactant-out spiral passageway is located proximate a downstream side of the catalyst holder.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.