Method and Apparatus for Inductively Heating Micro- and Meso-Channel Process Systems
AssigneeStars Technology Ltd.
InventorsRobert S. Wegeng, Dennis Walters
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Abstract
Induction heating is applied to thermochemical processes in specially adapted chemical processing units comprising heat exchange channels. Collections of components are housed in portable units adapted for easy setup and maintenance.
Claims46
A chemical processor, comprising:
- a process layer having a top wall that is adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the process layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and outlet adapted for fluid flow into and out of the process layer;
- a heat transfer layer adjacent the bottom wall of the process layer;
- the heat transfer layer having a top wall, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the heat transfer layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and an outlet such that a fluid can flow into and out of the heat transfer layer;
- wherein the outlet of the process layer is connected to the inlet of the heat transfer layer such that a fluid can flow out of the process layer and into the heat transfer layer;
- wherein the bottom wall of the process layer is the top wall of the heat transfer layer or where the walls are in thermal contact;
- and
- an inductor configured to generate an alternating magnetic field in the top wall of the process layer.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims wherein, during operation, flow in the heat transfer layer is counter to the direction of flow in the process layer.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims wherein, during operation, flow is cross flow such that the plurality of microchannels or mesochannels in the heat transfer layer overlap with the plurality of microchannels or mesochannels in the process layer such that the channels cross, so that flow is both counter-flow and cross-flow.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims wherein the inductor is a pancake induction coil, or a toroidal induction coil.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims further comprising an induction enhancer.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims further comprising an induction susceptor placed within the process channel.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims wherein the top wall is ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic at room temperature.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims wherein the top wall is paramagnetic at room temperature.
The chemical processor of any of the preceding claims further comprising a recuperative heat exchanger in which there is heat transfer between the process stream flowing toward the process layer and the product stream flowing away from the heat transfer layer.
A method of conducting an endothermic chemical process, comprising:
- passing a process stream into an apparatus comprising:
- a process layer having a top wall that is adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the process layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and outlet adapted for fluid flow into and out of the process layer;
- the process stream flowing through the channel of the process layer;
- a heat transfer layer adjacent the bottom wall of the process layer;
- the heat transfer layer having a top wall, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the heat transfer layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and an outlet such that a fluid can flow into and out of the heat transfer layer;
- passing a heat transfer fluid flowing through the channel of the heat transfer layer;
- wherein the bottom wall of the process layer is the top wall of the heat transfer layer or where the walls are in thermal contact;
- wherein heat transfers between the heat transfer fluid in the heat transfer channel and the process stream in the process channel;
- and
- generating an alternating magnetic field in the top wall of the process layer via an inductor;
- wherein the top wall is heated by the alternating magnetic field and heat from the top wall transfers into the process stream.
A chemical processing system, comprising:
- a process layer having a top wall that is adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the process layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and outlet adapted for fluid flow into and out of the process layer;
- a process stream flowing through the channel of the process layer;
- a heat transfer layer adjacent the bottom wall of the process layer;
- the heat transfer layer having a top wall, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the heat transfer layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and an outlet such that a fluid can flow into and out of the heat transfer layer;
- a heat transfer fluid flowing through the channel of the heat transfer layer;
- wherein the bottom wall of the process layer is the top wall of the heat transfer layer or where the walls are in thermal contact;
- wherein heat transfers between the heat transfer fluid in the heat transfer channel and the process stream in the process channel;
- and
- an inductor to generating an alternating magnetic field in the top wall of the process layer;
- wherein the top wall is heated by the alternating magnetic field and heat from the top wall transfers into the process stream.
A toroidal chemical processor, comprising:
- a toroidal-shaped processor defined by toroidal-shaped reactor wall adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field and comprising an inductor coil disposed around the toroidal-shaped reactor wall;
- a chemical processing channel disposed inside the toroidal-shaped reactor wall;
- and
- the chemical processing channel comprising an inlet and an outlet.
A pancake-shaped chemical processor, comprising in order:
- a first pancake-shaped inductor configured to generate an alternating magnetic field in the top wall of the first process layer;
- a first process layer having a top wall that is adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the process layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and outlet adapted for fluid flow into and out of the process layer;
- a heat transfer layer adjacent the bottom wall of the first process layer;
- the heat transfer layer having a top wall, a bottom wall opposite the top wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the heat transfer layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and an outlet such that a fluid can flow into and out of the heat transfer layer;
- wherein the bottom wall of the first process layer is the top wall of the heat transfer layer or where the walls are otherwise in thermal contact;
- a second process layer having a bottom wall that is adapted to heat in response to an alternating magnetic field, a top wall opposite the bottom wall, and side walls disposed between the top and bottom walls;
- the second process layer comprising a channel adapted for fluid flow and an inlet and outlet adapted for fluid flow into and out of the process layer;
- and
- wherein the top wall of the second process layer is the bottom wall of the heat transfer layer or where the walls are otherwise in thermal contact.
A method of passively controlling the temperature of an inductively heated endothermic unit operation, comprising:
- heating a receiving body of a chemical processor by applying an alternating magnetic field from an inductor;
- wherein the receiving body is ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic at room temperature;
- wherein a process stream is heated by the receiving body;
- wherein the receiving body comprises a Curie temperature;
- wherein a temperature of the process stream approaches within at least 50° C. of the Curie temperature and wherein, as a result of approaching within at least 50° C. of the Curie temperature, the magnetic susceptibility of adjacent portions of the receiving body to the chemical reactants is reduced by at least 10% or by at least 20%. In this description, magnetic susceptibility refers to volume magnetic susceptibility.
A method of passively controlling the temperature of an inductively heated chemical reaction, comprising:
- heating a receiving body of a chemical reactor by applying an alternating magnetic field from an inductor;
- wherein the receiving body is ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic at room temperature;
- wherein chemical reactants are heated by the receiving body;
- wherein the receiving body comprises a Curie temperature;
- wherein the chemical reactants reach the Curie temperature and wherein, as a result of reaching the Curie temperature, heat transfer from the receiving body to the chemical reactants is reduced.
A chemical transformer, comprising:
- a plurality of steam reformers;
- a plurality of recuperative heat exchangers;
- wherein the plurality of steam reformers and plurality of recuperative heat exchangers are disposed in a half-hexagonal or half cylindrical housing or hexagonal housing that is openable to form half hexagons or cylindrical housing that is openable to form half cylinders. In the context of this aspect, the terms hexagonal and cylindrical do not require exact geometric dimensions, but are identifiable shapes that allow the assembly to be transported and opened for access during setup, maintenance or repair.
A chemical transformer system, comprising:
- a plurality of steam reformers comprising a catalyst and a stream containing steam and a hydrocarbon;
- a plurality of recuperative heat exchangers comprising hydrogen;
- wherein the plurality of steam reformers and plurality of recuperative heat exchangers are disposed in a half-hexagonal or half cylindrical housing or hexagonal housing that is openable to form half hexagons or cylindrical housing that is openable to form half cylinders. In the context of this aspect, the terms hexagonal and cylindrical do not require exact geometric dimensions, but are identifiable shapes that allow the assembly to be transported and opened for access during setup, maintenance or repair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.