Plasma torch reactor and reaction method
AssigneeHiiROC-X Developments Limited
InventorAte WIEKAMP
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Abstract
A chemical reactor comprises a plasma torch reactor and a liquid metal system. The plasma torch reactor receives at least one feedstock gas and provides a plasma torch output comprising reaction products. The liquid metal system receives the plasma torch output of the plasma torch reactor and separates the reaction products received from the plasma torch reactor and to provide them as output products to the chemical reactor. A method of decomposing a hydrocarbon provided as input to a chemical reactor comprising a plasma torch reactor and a liquid torch system is also described.
Claims40
A chemical reactor, comprising:
- a plasma torch reactor, adapted to receive at least one hydrocarbon feedstock gas and to provide a plasma torch output comprising hydrogen and carbon as reaction products from the plasma torch reactor;
- a non-reactive liquid system, adapted to receive the plasma torch output of the plasma torch reactor, wherein the non-reactive liquid system is adapted to move the reaction products away from the plasma torch reactor and to provide them as output products to the chemical reactor;
- and
- a pressure vessel housing the chemical reactor, wherein the chemical reactor is adapted for operation at substantially above ambient pressure.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, wherein the non-reactive liquid system is adapted to transform contaminants from the plasma torch output.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, wherein the non-reactive liquid system is adapted for extraction of gaseous output products from above the liquid metal system.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, in which the non-reactive liquid system is a liquid system reactor, and in which a further feedstock gas is provided to the liquid system reactor.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, further comprising a heat exchanger to bring feedstock gases up to a reaction temperature using heat from gaseous output products.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, wherein the plasma torch reactor is adapted for decomposition of methane.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, wherein the plasma torch is adapted to be partially flooded by non-reactive liquid from the non-reactive liquid system when the plasma torch is stopped.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, wherein the non-reactive liquid is a substance which is a liquid at an operating temperature for the reactor and a solid at ambient temperature.
The chemical reactor of any preceding claim, where the non-reactive liquid is a metal, a metal alloy or a salt.
A method of decomposing a hydrocarbon in a reaction process, comprising providing a hydrocarbon as input to a chemical reactor comprising a plasma torch reactor and a non-reactive liquid system disposed within a pressure vessel, wherein the reaction process operates at substantially above atmospheric pressure and wherein:
- the plasma torch reactor receives the hydrocarbon as a feedstock gas and provides a plasma torch output comprising carbon and hydrogen as reaction products;
- the non-reactive liquid system receives the plasma torch output of the plasma torch reactor, and
- the non-reactive liquid system receives the reaction products and moves them away from the plasma torch reactor to provide them as output products from the chemical reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.