Method for processing hydrocarbon fuels using microwave energy
AssigneeH Quest Partners, LP
InventorsGeorge L. Skoptsov, Alan A. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a hydrocarbon material processing system includes feeding a hydrocarbon feedstock from a hydrocarbon feedstock source into a reaction tube positioned within an opening of a waveguide, feeding a process gas from a process gas source into the reaction tube, receiving microwaves in the waveguide from a microwave generator, energy from the waveguide in the reaction tube to cause the feedstock and process gas to react and form into a product stream comprising a fuel product. The method also includes periodically delivering a cleaning gas into the reaction tube, without stopping the propagation of the energy and without pausing the feeding of the hydrocarbon feedstock and the process gas into the reaction tube.
Claims17
A system for processing hydrocarbon materials, comprising:
- a hydrocarbon feedstock source;
- a process gas source;
- a waveguide configured to receive microwaves from a microwave generator and propagate microwave energy in a reaction tube;
- a reaction tube, wherein when hydrocarbon feedstock from the feedstock source and process gas from the process gas source are fed into the reaction tube and microwave energy from the waveguide is propagated in the reaction tube, a first plasma is formed within the reaction tube and the first plasma causes the feedstock and process gas to react and form into a product stream;
- a cleaning gas source configured to periodically, without stopping the propagation of the microwave energy from the waveguide into the reaction tube, deliver a cleaning gas comprising oxygen into the reaction tube and form a second plasma from the cleaning gas in the presence of the microwave energy so that the second plasma causes burning off of a carbon residue film from the reaction tube;
- and
- an extraction unit configured to extract the cleaning gas from the product stream and deliver the extracted cleaning gas to the cleaning gas source.
A system for processing hydrocarbon materials, comprising:
- a hydrocarbon feedstock source;
- a process gas source;
- a coaxial transmitter configured to receive microwaves from a microwave generator and propagate microwave energy in a reaction chamber, wherein the coaxial transmitter further comprises an antenna;
- and
- a reaction chamber, wherein when hydrocarbon feedstock from the feedstock source and process gas from the process gas source are fed into the reaction chamber and microwave energy from the coaxial transmitter is propagated in the reaction chamber, a first plasma is formed within the reaction tube and the first plasma causes the feedstock and process gas to react and form into a product stream;
- a cleaning gas source configured to periodically, without stopping the propagation of the microwave energy from the coaxial transmitter into the reaction chamber, deliver a cleaning gas comprising oxygen into the reaction chamber and form a second plasma from the cleaning gas in the presence of the microwave energy so that the second plasma causes burning off of a carbon residue film from the reaction tube;
- and
- an extraction unit configured to extract the cleaning gas from the product stream and deliver the extracted cleaning gas to the cleaning gas source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.