US 8,075,856 B2 · Multiple reactor chemical production system

Abstract

The present invention is a multiple reaction set for the production of chemicals by equilibrium limited reactions utilizing plate-type or extended surface heat exchangers. The heat exchangers effectively cool the reaction products in order to condense the methanol contained within the reaction products for separation, and also to warm incoming feed reactants prior to entrance of the reactants into a reactor utilized for the production of methanol. The various reactors, heat exchangers, and separators can be formed as separated zones within the enclosed vessels, thereby eliminating the need for separately constructed reactors, heat exchangers, and separators. Multi-stream plate-type of extended surface heat exchangers can be utilized to allow efficient cooling and methanol separation. The multiple reaction set can also be used for the recovery of methanol from a waste or purge gas stream utilizing multiple reactors, multiple plate-type or extended surface heat exchangers and multiple separators as a substitute for or in conjunction with a conventional methanol synthesis loop.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A product synthesis apparatus for the production of a product formed by an equilibrium-limited reaction, the apparatus comprising:

a) a reactor vessel adapted to withstand the operating temperatures and pressures of the product-forming reaction, the reactor vessel including a number of reaction zones formed within the reactor vessel by dividing walls extending across the reactor vessel to define the reaction zones, the dividing walls configured to withstand the temperature and pressure differentials across each adjacent reaction zones;
b) a separation vessel adapted to withstand the operating temperatures and pressures of the product-forming reaction, the separation vessel including a number of separation zones formed within the separation vessel by dividing walls extending across the separation vessel to define the separation zones, each dividing wall configured to withstand the temperature and pressure differentials across adjacent separation zones;
and
c) a heat exchanger block including a number of feed/effluent heat exchanger units, each unit operably connected to at least one of the reaction zones and to at least two of the separation zones.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiple reactor chemical production system

Life of this patent

Multiple reactor chemical production system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18