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US 6,616,909 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for obtaining enhanced production rate of thermal chemical reactions
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsAnna Lee Y. Tonkovich, Yong Wang, Robert S. Wegeng, Yufei Gao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Reactors and processes are disclosed that can utilize high heat fluxes to obtain fast, steady-state reaction rates. Porous catalysts used in conjunction with microchannel reactors to obtain high rates of heat transfer are also disclosed. Reactors and processes that utilize short contact times, high heat flux and low pressure drop are described. Improved methods of steam reforming are also provided.
Claims63
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady state, transfers at least 0.6 W/cc of total reactor volume, where total reactor volume is defined as the sum of the volume of the reaction chamber(s) and heat exchanger chamber(s) including the volume of chamber walls;
- wherein a contact time of the reactant with the catalyst is less than about 0.3 seconds;
- and
- wherein a pressure drop through the reaction chamber is less than about 15 psig.
6 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into said at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady-state, transfers at least 0.6 W of heat per cc of total reactor volume, such that, at steady state, the, catalyst is maintained within a temperature range that reduces the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product.
3 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a porous catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said porous catalyst comprises a metal support;
- and
- wherein a contact time of the reactant is less than about 0.3 seconds, and the step of transferring heat, at steady state, transfers at least about 0.6 W/cc of total reactor volume, thereby suppressing slow reactions and the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product.
5 more elements
A method for suppressing formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product in a thermal chemical reaction, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a porous catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said porous catalyst comprises a metal support;
- and
- comprising at least one of the following process steps:
- at steady-state, transferring at least 0.6 W of heat per cc of total reactor volume, such that, at steady state, the catalyst is maintained within a temperature range that reduces the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product;
- or
- maintaining a contact time of the reactant at less than about 0.3 seconds, thereby suppressing slow reactions and reducing the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction products.
8 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady state, transfers at least 0.6 W/cc of total reactor volume, where total reactor volume is defined as the sum of the volume of the reaction chamber(s) and heat exchanger chamber(s) including the volume of chamber walls;
- wherein a contact time of the reactant with the catalyst is less than about 0.3 seconds;
- wherein a pressure drop through the reaction chamber is less than about 15 psig;
- and
- wherein the catalyst comprises an interfacial layer on a porous support.
7 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- said passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into said at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady state, transfers at least 0.6 W of heat per cc of total reactor volume, such that, at steady state, the catalyst is maintained within a temperature range that reduces the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product;
- and
- wherein the catalyst comprises an interfacial layer on a porous support, and a thermal coefficient of expansion of the porous support is different from a thermal coefficient of the interfacial layer.
5 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into said at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady rate, transfers between about 10 and about 100 W/cc of total reactor volume, such that, at steady state, the catalyst is maintained within a temperature range that reduces the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product.
3 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a porous catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said porous catalyst comprises a metal support;
- wherein a contact time of the reactant is less than about 0.3 seconds, thereby suppressing slow reactions and the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product;
- and
- wherein the catalyst comprises an interfacial layer on a porous support, and a thermal coefficient of expansion of the porous support is different from a thermal coefficient of the interfacial layer.
6 more elements
A method for suppressing formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product in a thermal chemical reaction, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a porous catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into at least one heat exchanger;
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- and
- maintaining a contact time of the reactant at less than 0.01 seconds, thereby suppressing slow reactions and reducing the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction products;
- wherein the catalyst comprises an interfacial layer on a porous support, and a thermal coefficient of expansion of the porous support is different from a thermal coefficient of the interfacial layer;
- wherein a catalyst material is deposited on the interfacial layer;
- and
- wherein said porous catalyst comprises a metal support.
7 more elements
A process for the catalytic conversion of at least one reactant in a thermal chemical reaction, excluding deep oxidation, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a catalyst that catalyzes the reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber into at least one heat exchanger;
- and
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- wherein said step of transferring heat, at steady state, transfers at least 0.6 W/cc of total reactor volume, where total reactor volume is defined as the sum of the volume of the reaction chamber(s) and heat exchanger chamber(s) including the volume of chamber walls;
- wherein a contact time of the reactant with the catalyst is less than 0.01 seconds;
- and
- wherein a pressure drop through the reaction chamber is less than about 15 psig.
6 more elements
A method for suppressing formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product in a thermal chemical reaction, comprising:
- passing at least one reactant into at least one reaction chamber;
- said reaction chamber comprising a porous catalyst that catalyzes the fey reaction of said at least one reactant;
- transferring heat to or from said at least one reaction chamber from or into at least one heat exchanger;
- obtaining at least one product from said reaction chamber;
- at steady-state, transferring at least 0.6 W of heat per cc of total reactor volume, such that, at steady state, the catalyst is maintained within a temperature range that reduces the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction product;
- and
- maintaining a contact time of the reactant at less than 0.01 seconds, thereby suppressing slow reactions and reducing the formation of at least one undesirable chemical reaction products;
- wherein said porous catalyst comprises a metal support.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.