# US 2014/0190080 A1 · Chemical reactors with annularly positioned delivery and removal devices, and associated systems and methods

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- Number: US 2014/0190080 A1
- Document ID: US20140190080A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/148,534
- Filed: 2014-01-06
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2010-02-13
- Assignees: McAlister Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Roy Edward McAlister
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190080A1

## CPC

- B01J 19/127: {Sunlight; Visible light}
- B01J 19/0006: {Controlling or regulating processes (controlling or regulating in general G05)}
- B01J 19/0013: {Controlling the temperature of the process}
- B01J 19/1812: {Tubular reactors}
- B01J 19/20: in the form of helices, e.g. screw reactors
- B01J 19/245: {placed in series}
- C01B 3/02: Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
- C01B 3/24: of hydrocarbons
- C01B 3/26: using catalysts
- C10B 23/00: Other methods of heating coke ovens
- C10B 53/02: of cellulose-containing material (production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00)
- C10J 3/20: Apparatus; Plants
- C10J 3/72: Other features
- C10J 3/723: {Controlling or regulating the gasification process}
- F23G 5/02: with pretreatment
- F23G 7/00: Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals (incinerator closets A47K11/02; oxidation of sludge C02F11/06; burners in general, burner details F23D; incinerating radioactive waste G21F9/00)
- F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
- F24S 20/61: Passive solar heat collectors, e.g. operated without external energy source
- G01M 3/223: {for pipe joints or seals}
- G01N 35/00871: {Communications between instruments or with remote terminals}
- B01J 2219/00074: by indirect heating or cooling employing heat exchange fluids
- B01J 2219/00085: Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
- B01J 2219/00144: Sunlight; Visible light
- B01J 2219/00162: controlling the pressure
- B01J 2219/00164: controlling the flow
- B01J 2219/0801: Controlling the process
- B01J 2219/0871: Heating or cooling of the reactor
- B01J 2219/0875: Gas
- B01J 2219/1203: Incoherent waves
- B01J 2219/187: inclined at an angle to the horizontal or to the vertical plane
- B01J 2219/24: Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
- C01B 2203/0266: containing a decomposition step
- C01B 2203/04: containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
- C01B 2203/0465: Composition of the impurity
- C01B 2203/0485: the impurity being a sulfur compound
- C01B 2203/0811: by combustion of fuel
- C01B 2203/0822: the fuel containing hydrogen
- C01B 2203/0872: Methods of cooling
- C01B 2203/0883: by indirect heat exchange
- C10J 2300/1284: by renewable energy, e.g. solar energy, photovoltaic cells, wind
- C10J 2300/1665: to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol
- C10J 2300/1884: with one stream being synthesis gas
- C10J 2300/1892: with one stream being water/steam
- F24S 20/40: Solar heat collectors combined with other heat sources, e.g. using electrical heating or heat from ambient air
- F24S 23/00: Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
- G01N 1/405: {by adsorption or absorption}
- G01N 35/00613: {Quality control}
- G01N 2001/021: {Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS}
- Y02B 10/20: Solar thermal
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 20/12: Heat utilisation in combustion or incineration of waste
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y02E 60/36: Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
- Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency
- Y02P 20/129: Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
- Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- C10B: DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS (cracking oils C10G; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295)
- C10J: PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES (synthesis gas from liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons C01B; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295); CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Chemical reactors with annularly positioned delivery and removal devices, and associated systems and methods. A reactor in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone, and a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel. The reactor can further include a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system. A solar concentrator is positioned to direct solar radiation through the light-transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A chemical reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone;
a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel;
a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system; and
a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reactor of claim 1 wherein the product removal system is positioned in close thermal communication with the reactant delivery system to transfer heat to the reactant delivery system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The reactor of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery system includes a rotatable screw having an outwardly-extending helical thread positioned to convey reactants to the reaction zone.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The reactor of claim 3 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a pitch of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The reactor of claim 3 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a radial width of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The reactor of claim 1 wherein the product removal system includes a rotatable screw having an outwardly-extending helical thread positioned to convey products from the reaction zone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The reactor of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery system includes a piston that is incrementally movable toward the reaction zone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a combustor operatively coupled to the reaction zone to direct heat to the reaction zone;
a sensor positioned to detect incident solar radiation; and
a controller operatively coupled to the combustor and the sensor to activate the combustor when the incident solar radiation falls below a threshold level.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of solid reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of gaseous reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of hydrocarbon reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of reactants, and wherein the source includes nitrogen.

### Claim 13

A chemical reactor, comprising:
a cylindrical reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to and bounding a reaction zone positioned within the vessel;
a reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel, the reactant delivery system including a first screw shaft having an outwardly extending first spiral thread and being rotatable about a rotation axis, the first spiral thread having a volume between neighboring threads that is smaller proximate to the reaction zone than distal from the reaction zone, the first screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a first axial opening extending along the rotation axis;
a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel, the product removal system including a second screw shaft positioned concentrically within the first axial opening of the first screw shaft in close thermal communication with the first screw shaft, the second screw shaft having an outwardly extending second spiral thread and being rotatable about the rotation axis, the second screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a second axial opening extending along the rotation axis, the second screw shaft further having perforations at the reaction zone to receive gaseous products from the reaction zone;
a combustor zone operatively coupled to the reaction zone to direct heat to the reaction zone;
a gas supply conduit positioned in the second axial opening of the second screw shaft to deliver at least one of a fuel and an oxidant to the combustor zone via the perforations of the second screw shaft;
a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone;
a sensor positioned to detect incident solar radiation; and
a controller operatively coupled to the combustor and the sensor to activate the combustor when the incident solar radiation falls below a threshold level.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The reactor of claim 13 wherein a radial width of the spiral thread decreases as a function of position along the rotation axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The reactor of claim 13 wherein a pitch of the spiral thread decreases as a function of position along the rotation axis.

### Claim 16

A method for performing a chemical reaction, comprising:
concentrating solar radiation;
directing the concentrated solar radiation through a light-transmissive surface of a reaction vessel and to a reaction zone within the reaction vessel;
actuating a reactant delivery system to direct a reactant to the reaction zone;
performing an endothermic reaction at the reaction zone to produce a product; and
actuating a product removal system positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the reactant delivery system to remove a product from the reaction zone.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising compacting the reactant as the reactant approaches the reaction zone.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising transferring heat from the product leaving the reaction zone to the reactant approaching the reaction zone.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the reactant includes at least one solid reactant.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the reactant includes at least one gaseous reactant.

### Claim 21

(canceled)

### Claim 22

(canceled)

### Claim 23

(canceled)