Systems and processes for transferring heat using molten salt during hydrocarbon upgrading
AssigneeDow Global Technologies LLC
InventorsCornelis Biesheuvel, Wim M. Kamperman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reactor system for thermally treating a hydrocarbon-containing stream includes a pressure containment vessel having an interior chamber defined by a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. A heat transfer medium converts electrical current to heat is positioned within the interior chamber of the pressure containment vessel, and the heat transfer medium has a first end face, a second end face, and channels extending between the first end face and the second end face. A heat sink reservoir includes molten salt, and at least one of a heater or heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer medium and thermally coupled to the heat sink reservoir.
Claims16
A reactor system for thermally treating a hydrocarbon-containing stream comprising:
- a heat sink reservoir comprising molten salt;
- a pressure containment vessel comprising:
- an interior chamber defined by a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall extending from the first end to the second end,
- a heat transfer medium that converts electrical current to heat and is positioned within the interior chamber of the pressure containment vessel, wherein the heat transfer medium comprises:
- a first end face;
- a second end face;
- and
- channels extending between the first end face and the second end face, and
- a heat exchanger positioned within the interior chamber of the pressure containment vessel and downstream from the heat transfer medium, wherein the heat exchanger:
- is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer medium;
- is thermally coupled to the heat sink reservoir;
- is configured to house the molten salt;
- and
- is configured to transfer heat to the molten salt;
- and
- a heater positioned upstream from the heat transfer medium, wherein the heater:
- is fluidly coupled to the heat transfer medium,
- is thermally coupled to the heat sink reservoir,
- is configured to house the molten salt, and
- is configured to transfer heat from the molten salt.
A process for thermally treating a hydrocarbon-containing stream comprising:
- introducing the hydrocarbon-containing stream to a heater, wherein the heater houses molten salt, and the molten salt is at a first temperature;
- heating the hydrocarbon-containing stream at the heater by transferring heat from the molten salt to the hydrocarbon-containing stream, thereby decreasing a temperature of the molten salt to a third temperature;
- transferring the molten salt at the third temperature to a heat sink reservoir comprising a supply of the molten salt;
- introducing the hydrocarbon-containing stream into channels of a heat transfer medium positioned downstream from the heater, wherein the heat transfer medium is positioned within an interior chamber of a pressure containment vessel, the heat transfer medium comprising a first end face, a second end face, and the channels extending between the first end face and the second end face;
- supplying electrical current to the heat transfer medium positioned within the interior chamber, the interior chamber defined by a first end, a second end, and at least one sidewall extending from the first end to the second end;
- converting the electrical current to heat, thereby heating the hydrocarbon-containing stream within the channels of the heat transfer medium;
- converting the hydrocarbon-containing stream to an effluent within the channels of the heat transfer medium;
- removing the effluent from the channels of the heat transfer medium;
- introducing the effluent into a heat exchanger positioned downstream from the heat transfer medium within the interior chamber, wherein the heat exchanger houses molten salt, and the molten salt is at the first temperature;
- transferring heat from the effluent to the molten salt and increasing a temperature of the molten salt to a second temperature;
- and
- transferring the molten salt at the second temperature to the heat sink reservoir comprising the supply of molten salt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.