Fluidized bed reactors including conical gas distributors and related methods of fluorination
OwnerTerris Yang, Robert Johnson +1inventors
InventorsTerris Yang, Robert Johnson, Hsueh Sung Harry Tung
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a fluidized bed fluorination reactor are provided, as are embodiments of a fluidized bed reactor and embodiments of a fluorination method carried-out utilizing a fluidized bed fluorination reactor. In one embodiment, the fluidized bed fluorination reactor includes a source of fluorine gas, a reaction vessel, a windbox fluidly coupled to the source of fluorine gas, and a conical gas distributor fluidly coupled between the reaction vessel and the windbox. The conical gas distributor has a plurality of gas flow openings directing fluorine gas flow from the windbox into the fluorination reaction vessel during the fluorination process.
Claims20
A fluidized bed fluorination reactor, comprising:
- a source of fluorine gas;
- a reaction vessel;
- a windbox fluidly coupled to the source of fluorine gas;
- and
- a conical gas distributor fluidly coupled between the reaction vessel and the windbox, the conical gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings directing fluorine gas flow from the windbox and into the reaction vessel during the fluorination process.
A fluidized bed reactor, comprising:
- a gaseous reactant;
- a reaction vessel;
- a windbox fluidly coupled to a source of the gaseous reactant;
- and
- a conical gas distributor fluidly coupled between the reaction vessel and the windbox, the conical gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings directing gaseous reactant flow from the windbox and into the reaction vessel during the reaction.
A fluorination process carried-out utilizing a fluidized bed fluorination reactor of the type that includes a reaction vessel and a conical gas distributor having a plurality of gas flow openings formed therein, the fluorination process comprising the steps of:
- supplying uranium tetrafluoride to the reaction vessel;
- and
- directing fluorine gas into the reaction vessel through the conical gas distributor and along a plurality of gas flow paths that are non-parallel with the longitudinal axis of the reaction vessel to support a fluorination reaction yielding uranium hexafluoride.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.