High frequency direct electrical heating

A method of heating a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises a reactor tube having a catalyst disposed therein and at least one electrically conductive surface, wherein the method comprises:

• galvanically isolating the reactor tube from the other electrically conductive components of the reactor system;
• providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of the reactor tube;
• and
• individually adjusting the frequency of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of the reactor tube to control the temperature of the reactor tube and the catalyst disposed therein.

A reactor system comprising a plurality of reactor tubes,

• wherein each of the plurality of reactor tubes has a catalyst disposed therein and at least one electrically conductive surface;
• wherein fluid enters each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes via an associated inflow pipe header and exits each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes via an associated outflow pipe header;
• wherein electrical energy is provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes, and wherein the frequency of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes is adjusted to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube and the catalyst disposed therein;
• and
• wherein the plurality of reactor tubes are galvanically isolated such that each of the plurality of reactor tubes can be directly connected to the inflow pipe header and the outflow pipe header.

A method of heating a tube, wherein the tube comprises at least one electrically conductive surface, wherein the method comprises:

• galvanically isolating the tube from the other electrically conductive components adjacent to the tube;
• providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of the tube;
• and
• individually adjusting the frequency of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of the tube to control the temperature of the tube.

A method of heating a system comprising a plurality of tubes, wherein each of the tubes comprises at least one electrically conductive surface;

• and
• wherein fluid enters each tube of the plurality of tubes via an associated inflow pipe header and exits each tube of the plurality of tubes via an associated outflow pipe header;
• and
• wherein the method comprises:
• galvanically isolating the plurality of tubes such that each of the plurality of tubes can be directly connected to the inflow pipe header and the outflow pipe header;
• providing electrical energy to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each tube of the plurality of reactor tubes;
• and
• individually adjusting the frequency of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each tube of the plurality of tubes to individually control the temperature of each tube.