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US 2004/0105812 A1Published application
Chemical reactor and method for gas phase reactant catalytic reactions
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsAnna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Yong Wang, Sean P. Fitzgerald, Jennifer L. Marco, Gary L. Roberts, David P. VanderWiel, Robert S. Wegeng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides chemical reactors and reaction chambers and methods for conducting catalytic chemical reactions having gas phase reactants. In preferred embodiments, these reaction chambers and methods include at least one porous catalyst material that has pore sizes large enough to permit molecular diffusion within the porous catalyst material.
Claims40
A chemical reactor comprising:
- at least one reaction chamber comprising at least one porous catalyst material and at least one open area wherein each of said at least one reaction chamber has an internal volume defined by reaction chamber walls;
- wherein said internal volume has dimensions of chamber height, chamber width and chamber length;
- wherein said at least one reaction chamber comprises a chamber height or chamber width that is about 2 mm or less;
- wherein, at a point wherein said chamber height or chamber width is about 2 mm or less, said chamber height and said chamber width define a cross-sectional area;
- said cross-sectional area comprising a porous catalyst material and an open area, wherein said porous catalyst material occupies 5% to 95% of the cross-sectional area and wherein said open area occupies 5% to 95% of the cross-sectional area;
- wherein said open area in said cross-sectional area occupies a contiguous area of 5×10−8 to 1×10−2 m2 and wherein said porous catalyst material has a pore volume of 5 to 98% and more than 20% of the pore volume comprises pores having sizes of from 0.1 to 300 microns.
3 more elements
A chemical reactor comprising:
- at least one reaction chamber comprising catalyst rods, plates or baffles having a length to thickness ratio of at least 10, and wherein each of said at least one reaction chamber has an internal volume defined by reaction chamber walls;
- wherein said internal volume has dimensions of chamber height, chamber width and chamber length;
- wherein said at least one reaction chamber comprises a chamber height or chamber width that is about 2 mm or less;
- and
- wherein said catalyst rods, plates or baffles are disposed in said reaction chamber such that the pressure drop across the reaction chamber is less than 20% of the total system inlet pressure.
2 more elements
A chemical reactor comprising:
- at least one reaction chamber comprising at least three layers:
- a first layer comprising a first porous catalyst material;
- a second layer comprising a heat exchanger and at least one fluid flow path through said second layer, said second layer disposed in the reaction chamber such that fluid passing through the first layer can pass through said at least one fluid flow path, and
- a third layer comprising a second porous catalyst material said third layer disposed in the reaction chamber such that fluid passing through the second layer can pass into said second porous catalyst material;
- wherein said first layer has contiguous channels having dimensions of channel height, channel width and channel length;
- wherein said at least one of said contiguous channel comprises a channel height or channel width that is 0.1 micrometers to about 2 mm;
- wherein at least part of said at least one of said contiguous channels comprises said first porous catalyst material;
- and
- wherein said first porous catalyst material has a pore volume of 5 to 98% and more than 20% of the pore volume comprises pores having sizes of from 0.1 to 300 microns.
6 more elements
A method of hydrocarbon steam reforming comprising:
- passing a reactant stream comprising steam and hydrocarbon into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber having an internal volume wherein said internal volume has dimensions of chamber height, chamber width and chamber length;
- wherein said at least one reaction chamber comprises a chamber height or chamber width that is 2 mm or less;
- wherein said at least one reaction chamber has a beginning and an end and wherein said chamber length is the distance from the beginning to the end of the reaction chamber;
- wherein said reactant stream entering the beginning of the reaction chamber is converted to a product stream exiting the reaction chamber;
- said product stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide;
- wherein at least 70% of said equilibrium conversion of the hydrocarbon entering the beginning of said at least one reaction chamber is converted to hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide;
- and
- wherein said hydrocarbon has a contact time of less than 300 milliseconds.
6 more elements
A method of conducting a chemical reaction in a chemical reactor comprising:
- passing a gaseous reactant into a first compartment of a reaction chamber;
- wherein said reaction chamber comprises a porous catalyst material, a first compartment and a second compartment;
- wherein said first compartment has an internal volume wherein said internal volume has dimensions of compartment height, compartment width and compartment length;
- wherein said first compartment comprises a compartment height or chamber compartment that is about 2 mm or less;
- wherein said porous catalyst material is disposed between said first compartment and said second compartment;
- wherein said gaseous reactant reacts within said porous catalyst material to form at least one product;
- and
- wherein said first compartment and said second compartment comprise open spaces that permit bulk flow of a gas.
5 more elements
A method of conducting a chemical reaction in a chemical reactor comprising:
- passing a gaseous reactant into a first and/or second compartment;
- wherein a partition is disposed between the first compartment and the second compartment;
- wherein said partition comprises a fluid distribution layer or a separating agent;
- wherein said first compartment has an internal volume wherein said internal volume has dimensions of compartment height, compartment width and compartment length;
- wherein said first compartment comprises a compartment height or compartment width that is about 2 mm or less;
- wherein said first compartment comprises a porous catalyst material;
- wherein a gas travels through said partition;
- and
- wherein said first compartment comprises at least one open space that permits bulk flow of a gas.
6 more elements
A method of conducting a chemical reaction comprising:
- passing a gaseous reactant into a bulk flow path of a reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber having an internal volume wherein said internal volume has dimensions of chamber height, chamber width and chamber length;
- wherein said at least one reaction chamber comprises a chamber height or chamber width that is about 2 mm or less;
- wherein a porous catalyst material is disposed within said internal volume, wherein said porous catalyst material has a porous internal structure such that the gaseous reactant can diffuse molecularly within the material;
- wherein the gaseous reactant reacts in the porous catalyst material to form at least one product;
- and
- wherein said bulk flow path is contiguous throughout said chamber length.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.