High heat transfer tubular reactor
AssigneeSaudi Basic Industries Corporation
InventorVinh N. Le
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Abstract
A vapor-phase tubular reactor in a shell heat exchanger for removal of the heat of reaction at essentially isothermal conditions has porous wicking surface applied to the external surface of reactor tubes. The porous wicking surface on the reactor tubes draws liquid heat transfer fluid from a reservoir at the bottom of the wicked tube section and provides enhanced evaporative cooling. The invention is particularly useful for highly exothermic reactions or when reaction selectivity is negatively affected by high temperature excursions.
Claims14
A tubular reactor for conducting chemical reactions having exothermic heat of reaction comprising:
- at least one thermally conductive reactor tube extending between at least two tube plates in a heat exchanger shell;
- said reactor tube having an open feed end for introducing reactants to a reaction zone in the interior of said reactor tube and an open exit end for conducting reaction products from said reactor tube;
- said thermally conductive reactor tube having an exterior heat transfer tube surface between said tube plates and within said heat exchanger shell;
- and
- said exterior heat transfer tube surface having at least one heat pipe heat transfer device on it for conducting said exothermic heat of reaction from said thermally conductive reactor tube at essentially isothermal conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.