Reverse flow reactor for ammonia cracking
AssigneeExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
InventorsEverett J. O'NEAL, David C. DANKWORTH, Sarah E. FEICHT
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for performing ammonia cracking as the endothermic reaction step of a reaction cycle in a cyclic reaction environment, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. In such aspects, heat for the endothermic reaction can be provided by direct heating during a regeneration step. Optionally, the fuel for the regeneration step can correspond to additional ammonia and/or can include hydrogen generated during the ammonia cracking reaction step. Optionally, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) zone can be included as part of the reactor, to reduce or minimize the amount of nitrogen oxides in the regeneration effluent from the reactor.
Claims20
A method for cracking ammonia in a cyclic flow reaction system, comprising:
- mixing a fuel flow comprising ammonia and a first O2-containing flow in a reaction system to form a mixture comprising an O2 content of 0.1 vol % or more, the reaction system comprising a reaction zone and a recuperation zone;
- reacting the mixture to heat one or more surfaces in the reaction zone to a cracking temperature, at least a portion of the reaction zone comprising a cracking catalyst;
- and
- exposing a reactant stream comprising ammonia to the cracking catalyst in the reaction zone under cracking conditions to form a hydrogen-containing effluent, a direction of flow of the reactant stream being reversed relative to a direction of flow for the mixture.
A reverse flow reactor system, comprising:
- a reaction zone comprising a cracking catalyst;
- a recuperation zone comprising a fuel inlet, an oxidant inlet, and a reaction effluent outlet;
- a mixer at an interface between the recuperation zone and the reaction zone, the recuperation zone comprising at least one recuperation zone flow path providing fluid communication between the fuel inlet and the mixer;
- and
- a selective catalytic reduction zone comprising a catalytic reduction catalyst, an ammonia reactant inlet, and a flue gas outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.