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US 5,817,286 AGranted
Processes for the synthesis of hydrogen cyanide
AssigneeThermatrix, Inc.
InventorsRichard J. Martin, John D. Stilger, John D. Young
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Processes for the production of hydrogen cyanide from the reaction of methane with ammonia at temperatures above about 800.degree. C. where the reactor contains a matrix bed of heat resistant materials. The product stream produced within the reactor is preferably routed in a countercurrent fashion to the feed stream entering the reactor to preheat the feed stream and to lower the exit temperature of the product stream. Reactors capable of being used to practice such processes are also provided by the invention.
Claims25
A process for producing hydrogen cyanide, comprising:
- (a) directing a gaseous feed stream comprising methane and ammonia to an inlet of a matrix bed reactor, wherein the concentration of the methane and ammonia is at least 50% by volume of the feed stream;
- (b) directing the feed stream into a plenum within said reactor;
- (c) directing the feed stream from the plenum through an inside portion of a plurality of feeding tubes, the feeding tubes having an entrance end and an exit end, the feeding tubes extending through a gas impermeable barrier such that the entrance end of the feeding tubes is located within the plenum and the exit end of the feeding tubes is positioned either within a matrix bed of heat resistant materials that is located within the reactor or within a void located adjacent to the matrix bed within the reactor at a position remote from the gas impermeable barrier;
- (d) maintaining a reaction temperature of at least 800.degree. C. within at least a portion of the reactor;
- (e) reacting the methane with the ammonia to form a product gas stream comprising hydrogen cyanide;
- and
- (f) exiting the product gas stream from the reactor by passing the product gas around the outside portion of the feeding tubes and through a reactor outlet, whereby the feed stream is recuperatively preheated within the feeding tubes by the thermal energy possessed by the product gas stream.
4 more elements
A process for producing hydrogen cyanide, comprising:
- (a) providing a matrix bed reactor comprising:
- (i) a reactor inlet for a feed stream and a reactor outlet for a product stream;
- (ii) a portion of the reactor containing a matrix bed of heat resistant material located between the reactor inlet and the reactor outlet;
- (iii) a plenum located between the reactor inlet and a gas impermeable barrier, where the gas impermeable barrier is located between the matrix bed and the plenum;
- (iv) a plurality of feeding tubes, the feeding tubes having an inside portion, an outside portion, an entrance end, and an exit end, the feeding tubes extending through the gas impermeable barrier such that the entrance end of the feeding tubes is located within the plenum and the exit end of the feeding tubes is positioned either within the matrix bed of heat resistant material or within a reactor void located adjacent to the matrix bed within the reactor at a position remote from the gas impermeable barrier;
- and
- (v) means for heating the matrix bed;
- (b) directing a gaseous feed stream comprising methane and ammonia through the reactor inlet and into the plenum, wherein the concentration of the methane and ammonia is at least 80% by volume of the feed stream;
- (c) directing the feed stream from the plenum through the inside portion of the plurality of feeding tubes;
- (d) activating the heating means so as to maintain a reaction temperature of at least 800.degree. C. within at least a portion of the reactor;
- (e) reacting the methane with the ammonia to form a product gas stream comprising hydrogen cyanide;
- and
- (f) exiting the product gas stream from the reactor through the reactor outlet, whereby the product stream flows in a countercurrent fashion along the outside portion of the feeding tubes prior to exiting the reactor to thereby preheat the feed stream flowing through the inside portion of the feeding tubes.
10 more elements
A process for the production of hydrogen cyanide, comprising
- (a) directing a gaseous feed stream comprising methane and ammonia to an inlet of a matrix bed reactor, wherein the concentration of the methane and ammonia is at least 80% by volume of the feed stream;
- (b) directing the feed stream into a matrix bed of heat resistant materials that is located within the reactor;
- (c) maintaining a reaction temperature of at least 800.degree. C. within at least a portion of the matrix bed;
- (d) reacting the methane with the ammonia to form a product gas stream comprising hydrogen cyanide;
- and
- (e) exiting the product gas stream from the reactor by flowing the product gas stream in a countercurrent fashion to the direction of flow of the incoming feed stream within the reactor, and subsequently flowing the product gas stream through a reactor outlet, whereby the feed stream is recuperatively preheated within the reactor by the thermal energy possessed by the product gas stream.
3 more elements
A process for the production of hydrogen cyanide, comprising
- (a) directing a gaseous feed stream comprising methane and ammonia to an inlet of a matrix bed reactor, wherein the concentration of the methane and ammonia is at least 80% by volume of the feed stream;
- (b) directing the feed stream into a matrix bed of non-catalytic, heat resistant materials that is located within the reactor;
- (c) maintaining a reaction temperature of at least 800.degree. C. and a reaction pressure below 1 atmosphere within at least a portion of the matrix bed;
- (d) reacting the methane with the ammonia to form a product gas stream comprising hydrogen cyanide;
- and
- (e) exiting the product gas stream from the reactor.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.