Cross-flow electrochemical reactor cells, cross-flow reactors, and use of cross-flow reactors for oxidation reactions

An electrochemical reactor for reacting oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas stream with hydrocarbyl compounds in another gas stream which comprises;

• a vessel having an entrance port, an exit port, and a passageway therebetween for stream flow of one or more gases from the entrance port to the exit port defining a direction of stream flow, and
• at least one electrochemical reactor cell positioned within the vessel comprising a ceramic core having an outer surface including a flat entrance surface and a flat exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the entrance surface, and at least one core channel therebetween for flow of one or more gases from the entrance surface to the exit surface and defining a direction of channel flow which direction is non parallel to the direction of stream flow, wherein each channel has at least one channel wall disposed between the channel and a portion of the outer surface of the ceramic core comprising a gas-impervious mixed metal oxide material of a perovskite structure having electron conductivity and oxygen ion conductivity. and wherein the reactor cell is free of means for completion of an external electric circuit, the electrochemical reactor cell further comprising an entrance manifold means in flow communication with the channel or channels at the entrance surface of at least one ceramic core and an exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channel or channels at one or more exit surface and thereby in flow communication with entrance manifold means, and
• wherein the vessel and the electrochemical reactor cell together form a first zone for introducing, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a first gas or gas mixture and wherein the entrance manifold means, the core channel or channels and the exit manifold means form a second zone within the electrochemical reactor for introducing, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a second gas or gas mixture.

An electrochemical reactor for reacting oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas stream with hydrocarbyl compounds in another gas stream which comprises;

• at least one electrochemical reactor cell comprising a ceramic core having a flat first entrance surface, a flat first exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the first entrance surface, and a first plurality of core channels therebetween for flow of an oxygen-containing gas stream from the first entrance surface to the first exit surface operable to define a first direction of channel flow, the ceramic core also having a flat second entrance surface, a flat second exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the second entrance surface, and a second plurality of core channels therebetween for flow of the other gas stream from the second entrance surface to the second exit surface operable to define a second direction of channel flow which direction is non parallel to the first direction of channel flow, wherein each channel has a portion of channel wall disposed between the oxygen-containing gas stream and the other gas stream comprising a gas-impervious mixed metal oxide material of a perovskite structure having electron conductivity and oxygen ion conductivity. and wherein the reactor cell is free of means for completion of an external electric circuit, and the electrochemical reactor cell further comprising a first entrance manifold means in flow communication with first plurality of core channels at the first entrance surface and a first exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channels at the first exit surface, thereby in flow communication with first entrance manifold means, and a second entrance manifold means in flow communication with second plurality of core channels at the second entrance surface and a second exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channels at the second exit surface, thereby in flow communication with second entrance manifold means, and
• wherein the first entrance manifold means, plurality of core channels and exit manifold means together form a first zone for introducing a first gas or gas mixture, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a first gas or gas mixture and the second entrance manifold means, plurality of core channels and exit manifold means together form a second zone for introducing it second gas or gas mixture, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a second gas or gas mixture.

An electrochemical process for partial oxidation of at least one hydrocarbyl compound in a gas stream with oxygen from another gas stream which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrochemical reactor which comprises;
• a vessel having an entrance port, an exit port, and a passageway therebetween for stream flow of one or more gases from the entrance port to the exit port and defining a direction of stream flow, and
• at least one electrochemical reactor cell positioned within the vessel comprising a ceramic core having an outer surface including a flat entrance surface and a flat exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the entrance surface, and at least one core channel therebetween for flow of one or more gases from the entrance surface to the exit surface and defining a direction of channel flow which direction is non parallel to the direction of stream flow, wherein each channel has at least one channel wall disposed between the channel and a portion of the outer surface of the ceramic core comprising a gas-impervious mixed metal oxide material of a perovskite structure having electron conductivity and oxygen ion conductivity. and wherein the reactor cell is free of means for completion of an external electric circuit, the electrochemical reactor cell further comprising an entrance manifold means in flow communication with the channel or channels at the entrance surface of at least one ceramic core and an exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channel or channels at one or more exit surface and thereby in flow communication with entrance manifold means, and
• wherein the vessel and the electrochemical reactor cell together form a first zone for introducing, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a first gas or gas mixture and wherein the entrance manifold means, the core channel or channels and the exit manifold means form a second zone within the electrochemical reactor for introducing, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a second gas or gas mixture,
• (B) controlling temperatures within the electrochemical reactor to temperatures in a range from about 400.degree. C. to about 1400.degree. C.,
• (C) introducing an oxygen-containing gas stream into either the first or second zone, reacting and transferring oxygen through the ceramic into the other zone, and expelling a residue of the oxygen-containing gas stream, and
• (D) introducing a gas stream containing a hydrocarbyl compound or compounds into the other zone, reacting at least one of the hydrocarbyl compounds with the oxygen transferred into the zone to form partial oxidation products, and expelling a product-containing gas mixture.

An electrochemical process for partial oxidation of at least one hydrocarbyl compound in a gas stream with oxygen from another gas stream which comprises the steps of

• (A) providing an electrochemical reactor which comprises at least one electrochemical reactor cell comprising a ceramic core having a flat first entrance surface, a flat first exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the first entrance surface, and a first plurality of core channels therebetween for flow of an oxygen-containing gas stream from the first entrance surface to the first exit surface operable to define a first direction of channel flow, the ceramic core also having a flat second entrance surface, a flat second exit surface spaced apart from and parallel to the second entrance surface, and a second plurality of core channels therebetween for flow of the other gas stream from the second entrance surface to the second exit surface operable to define a second direction of channel flow which direction is non parallel to the first direction of channel flow, wherein each channel has a portion of channel wall disposed between the oxygen-containing gas stream and the other gas stream comprising a gas-impervious mixed metal oxide material of a perovskite structure having electron conductivity and oxygen ion conductivity, and wherein the reactor cell is free of means for completion of an external electric circuit, and the electrochemical reactor cell further comprising a first entrance manifold means in flow communication with the first plurality of core channels at the first entrance surface and a first exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channels at the first exit surface, thereby in flow communication with first entrance manifold means, and a second entrance manifold means in flow communication with second plurality of core channels at the second entrance surface and a second exit manifold means in flow communication with the same channels at the second exit surface, thereby in flow communication with second entrance manifold means, and
• wherein the first entrance manifold means, plurality of core channels and exit manifold means together form a first zone for introducing, reacting oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas and expelling a residue gas or gas mixture and the second entrance manifold means, plurality of core channels and exit manifold means together form a second zone for introducing, reacting at least one compound therein and expelling a residue of the oxygen-containing gas stream,
• (B) controlling temperatures within the electrochemical reactor to temperatures in a range from about 400.degree. C. to about 1400.degree. C.,
• (C) introducing an oxygen-containing gas stream into the first zone, reacting and transferring oxygen through the ceramic into the other zone, and expelling a residue of the oxygen-containing gas stream, and
• (D) introducing a gas stream containing a hydrocarbyl compound or compounds into the other zone, reacting at least one of the compounds with the oxygen transferred into the zone to form partial oxidation products, and expelling a product-containing gas mixture.