US 2018/0223236 A1 · HORIZONTALLY INCLINED TROUGH REACTOR AND USES THEREFOR

A trough reactor configured to catalyze a reaction between triacylglycerol and methanol to produce methylester and glycerol, said trough reactor comprises:

(a) an elongated trough shaped enclosure, wherein said elongated trough shaped enclosure being horizontally inclined at an angle sustaining a spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(b) a substrate stock feed inlet disposed at an upper terminal portion of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, said substrate stock feed inlet is configured to supply said a feed of said thacylglycerol for said reaction;
(c) a reactant feed-in and distribution system configured to supply and distribute a feed-in of said methanol for said reaction, said reactant feed-in and distribution system comprises:
(I) a conduit extending along a substantial length of un upper portion of said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(II) a plurality of nozzles disposed on said conduit configured to confer optimal spatial dispersal of said methanol within said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(d) at least one separation plate disposed essentially vertically in said elongated trough shaped enclosure, said at least one separation plate extends downwardly underneath a bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, wherein said at least one separation plate is configured to substantially obstruct said spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(e) at least one mixing point defined along said trough reactor, at an intersection of said at least one separation plate with said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
wherein at least two members selected from the group consisting of:
said triacylglycerol, said methanol, said methylester and said glycerol, are mixed in said at least one mixing point into a mixture;
(f) at least one separation column comprising an essentially hollow vertical structure, wherein said at least one separation plate extends downwardly underneath said bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, into said essentially hollow vertical structure of said at least one separation column;
(g) wherein said at least one separation column in combination with said at least one separation plate forming a continuous gravitational decanter, configured to separate at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said triacylglycerol, said methanol, said methylester and said glycerol, from said mixture, by a means of continuous gravitational decantati on process;
(h) at least one outlet, at a bottom portion of said at least one separation column, configured to drain an excessive portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said triacylglycerol, said methanol, said methylester and said glycerol, separated from said mixture in said continuous gravitational decanter by said continuous gravitational decantation process;
(i) a posterior outlet, disposed at a posterior end of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, configured to drain a portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said triacylglycerol, said methanol, said methylester and said glycerol, from said trough reactor;
(j) at least one template comprising a matrix selected from the group consisting of:
a porous matrix, membraneous matrix and fibrous matrix, characterized by a large surface area;
said at least one template configured to essentially obstruct said spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure, thereby forcing said spontaneous gravitational flow to pass through said at least one template matrix, while concurrently allowing said methanol to infiltrate from above and to intermix with said spontaneous gravitational flow;
(k) a catalyst selected from the group consisting of:
a chemical catalyst and biochemical catalyst, said catalyst being affixed to said at least one template matrix.

18 more elements

A gravitational trough reactor configured to catalyze a reaction between a substrate and a reactant to produce at least one product, said trough reactor comprises:

(a) an elongated trough shaped enclosure, wherein said elongated trough shaped enclosure being horizontally inclined at an angle sustaining a spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(b) a substrate stock feed inlet disposed at an upper terminal portion of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, said substrate stock feed inlet is configured to supply a feed of said substrate into said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(c) a reactant feed-in and distribution system configured to supply and distribute a feed-in of said reactant across said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(d) at least one separation plate disposed essentially vertically in said elongated trough shaped enclosure, said at least one separation plate extends downwardly underneath a bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, wherein said at least one separation plate is configured to substantially obstruct said spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(e) at least one separation column comprising an essentially hollow vertical structure, wherein said at least one separation plate extends downwardly underneath said bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, into said essentially hollow vertical structure of said at least one separation column;
wherein said at least one separation column in combination with said at least one separation plate forming a continuous gravitational decanter, configured to separate at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, from said mixture, by a means of continuous gravitational decantation process;
(f) at least one outlet, at a bottom portion of said at least one separation column, configured to drain an excessive portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, separated in said continuous gravitational decanter by said continuous gravitational decantation process;
(g) a posterior outlet, disposed at a posterior end of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, configured to drain a portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, from said elongated trough shaped enclosure.

8 more elements

A method of catalyzing a reaction between a substrate and reactant to produce at least one product, in a trough reactor, said method comprises:

(a) providing an elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(b) horizontally inclining said elongated trough shaped enclosure at an angle sustaining a spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(c) supplying a feed of said substrate into said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(d) supplying and distributing a feed-in of said reactant into said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(e) disposing at least one separation plate essentially vertically in said elongated trough shaped enclosure, extending downwardly underneath a bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure;
(f) substantially obstructing said spontaneous gravitational flow along said elongated trough shaped enclosure by said at least one separation plate;
(g) providing at least one separation column comprising an essentially hollow vertical structure and extending said at least one separation plate downwardly underneath said bottom face of said elongated trough shaped enclosure, into said essentially hollow vertical structure of said at least one separation column;
(h) separating at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, by a means of continuous gravitational decantation process conducted in said at least one separation column;
(i) draining from an outlet at a bottom portion of said at least one separation column an excessive portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, in said at least one separation column by said continuous gravitational decantation process;
(j) draining a portion of at least one member selected from the group consisting of:
said substrate, said reactant and said at least one product, from said trough reactor from a posterior outlet.

10 more elements

Horizontally inclined trough reactor and uses therefor

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Horizontally inclined trough reactor and uses therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29