Various methods and apparatuses for an ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor

An integrated chemical plant with an ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor located inside a thermal receiver, comprising:

• a cavity made of highly reflective material that distributes radiant energy, where the thermal receiver encloses multiple reactor tubes of the ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor, and where the reactor tubes are configured to pass chemical reactants including 1) methane, 2) natural gas, 3) steam, 4) biomass particles, and 5) any combination of the four to pass through a heat transfer aid to cause a steam methane reaction and a gasification reaction of the biomass particles using thermal energy from the radiant energy;
• wherein the heat transfer aid is used to heat the chemical reactants, where the heat transfer aid is one or more of the following located inside each reactor tube:
• a fluidized bed or entrained flow of biomass particles, a fluidized bed or entrained flow of chemically inert particles, reticulate porous ceramic (RPC) foam, a ceramic monolith, ceramic tubes or aerogels, open structured packed rings including Raschig rings, gauze or wire constructed of a high temperature-resistant material, and any combination of these;
• wherein radiation is a primary mode of heat transfer to the heat transfer aids and the chemical reactants from the reactor tube walls, and conduction, convection, or some combination of the two are a secondary mode of heat transfer from a wall of the cavity and the reactor tubes;
• a length and diameter dimensions of a gasification reaction zone of each of the reactor tubes is sized to give a residence time of at least 0.01 second at a gasification temperature of at least 900 degrees C., and an exit of the gasification zone in the multiple reactor tubes, wherein reaction products have a temperature from the exit of the gasification zone that equals or exceeds 900 degrees C., and the multiple reactor tubes increase available reactor surface area for radiative exchange to the biomass particles, as well as inter-tube radiation exchange, where a source of the radiant heat is one or more of gas-fired burners, nuclear power, and electric heaters, and any combination of these;
• and
• wherein an operational temperature of the ultra-high heat flux chemical reactor is maintained at greater than 900 degrees C.