Direct electrical heating of catalytic reactive system
AssigneeSchneider Electric Systems USA, Inc.
InventorsLanyon Carr, Gregoire Quere
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of heating a reactor system by providing electrical energy are described. A reactor system comprising at least one reactor tube having a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface is heated by providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface on the reactor tube and adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface to control the temperature of the reactor tube and the catalyst disposed therein. The reactor tube may be electrically isolated from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system.
Claims26
A method of heating a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises a plurality of reactor tubes, and wherein each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes has a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface, the method comprising:
- electrically isolating the reactor tubes from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system;
- providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes;
- and
- individually adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein;
- wherein the difference in temperature between two points on the surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes is about 50° C. or less;
- and
- wherein fluid enters each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes via an associated inflow pipe arrangement and exits each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes via an associated outflow pipe arrangement, and wherein electrically isolating the plurality of reactor tubes from the other electrically conductive components of the reactor system comprises placing an insulative gasket between each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the associated inflow pipe arrangement and placing an insulative gasket between each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the associated outflow pipe.
A method of heating a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises a plurality of reactor tubes, and wherein each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes has a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface, the method comprising:
- electrically isolating the reactor tubes from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system;
- providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes;
- and
- individually adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein;
- wherein the difference in temperature between two points on the surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes is about 50° C. or less;
- and
- wherein at least one reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes differs in temperature from the temperature of another reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and wherein the temperature difference between a hottest reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and a coolest reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes is about 50° C. or less.
A method of heating a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises a plurality of reactor tubes, and wherein each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes has a catalyst disposed therein and comprises at least one electrically conductive surface, the method comprising:
- electrically isolating the reactor tubes from other electrically conductive components of the reactor system;
- providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes;
- and
- individually adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein;
- wherein the difference in temperature between two points on the surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes is about 50° C. or less;
- and
- wherein fluid enters the plurality of reactor tubes via an inflow pipe arrangement and exits the reactor tubes via an outflow pipe arrangement, and wherein electrically isolating the reactor tubes from the other electrically conductive components of the reactor system comprises placing an insulative gasket between the inflow pipe arrangement and the other electrically conductive components of the reactor system and placing an insulative gasket between the outflow pipe arrangement and the other electrically conductive components of the reactor system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.