Nested-flow heat exchangers and chemical reactors
First Claim
1. A process of making hydrogen, the process comprising:
- flowing a first reactant comprising methane through a first flow path;
flowing a second reactant comprising air through a second flow path;
reacting air and methane to produce an exhaust and an amount of heat;
heating the first reactant and the second reactant with a first portion of the amount of heat;
flowing the exhaust through a third flow path;
flowing a third reactant through a fourth flow path, wherein the third reactant comprises water and methane;
heating the third reactant with a second portion of the amount of heat;
reacting the third reactant to produce a product comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
flowing the product through a fifth flow path; and
transferring heat from the product to the third reactant in the fourth flow path, wherein;
the first flow path, the second flow path, the third flow path, the fourth flow path, and the fifth flow path are coaxial about a longitudinal axis,the third flow path is in fluid communication with the first flow path and with the second flow path, andthe fourth flow path is in fluid communication with the fifth flow path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a technology based upon the nesting of tubes to provide chemical reactors or chemical reactors with built in heat exchanger. As a chemical reactor, the technology provides the ability to manage the temperature within a process flow for improved performance, control the location of reactions for corrosion control, or implement multiple process steps within the same piece of equipment. As a chemical reactor with built in heat exchanger, the technology can provide large surface areas per unit volume and large heat transfer coefficients. The technology can recover the thermal energy from the product flow to heat the reactant flow to the reactant temperature, significantly reducing the energy needs for accomplishment of a process.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process of making hydrogen, the process comprising:
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flowing a first reactant comprising methane through a first flow path; flowing a second reactant comprising air through a second flow path; reacting air and methane to produce an exhaust and an amount of heat; heating the first reactant and the second reactant with a first portion of the amount of heat; flowing the exhaust through a third flow path; flowing a third reactant through a fourth flow path, wherein the third reactant comprises water and methane; heating the third reactant with a second portion of the amount of heat; reacting the third reactant to produce a product comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; flowing the product through a fifth flow path; and transferring heat from the product to the third reactant in the fourth flow path, wherein; the first flow path, the second flow path, the third flow path, the fourth flow path, and the fifth flow path are coaxial about a longitudinal axis, the third flow path is in fluid communication with the first flow path and with the second flow path, and the fourth flow path is in fluid communication with the fifth flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A process of making hydrogen, the process comprising:
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reacting air and methane in a first flow path; flowing a reactant through an input, the reactant comprising water and methane; flowing the reactant through a second flow path; reacting the reactant to produce a product comprising hydrogen; flowing the product through a third flow path; and flowing the product through an outlet; wherein; a portion of the first flow path is defined by a first tube, a portion of the second flow path is defined by the first tube and a second tube, a portion of the third flow path is defined by the second tube and a third tube, the second flow path and the third flow path are annular flow paths, the first tube has a first end, the second tube has a second end, the third tube has a third end, the third end is the end of the third tube closest to the first end, a manifold system is in contact with the first end, the second end, and the third end, the manifold system comprises a plurality of plates, the manifold system defines the input and the outlet, the input is in fluid communication with the second flow path, and the outlet is in fluid communication with the third flow path.
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20. A process of making hydrogen, the process comprising:
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flowing a first reactant comprising methane through a first flow path; flowing a second reactant comprising air through a second flow path; reacting air and methane to produce an exhaust and an amount of heat; heating the first reactant and the second reactant with a first portion of the amount of heat; flowing the exhaust through a third flow path; flowing a third reactant through a fourth flow path, wherein the third reactant comprises water and methane; heating the third reactant with a second portion of the amount of heat; reacting the third reactant to produce a product comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; flowing the product through a fifth flow path; and transferring heat from the product to the third reactant in the fourth flow path, wherein; the first flow path, the second flow path, the third flow path, the fourth flow path, and the fifth flow path are coaxial about a longitudinal axis, a first tube defines a portion of the first flow path, a second tube and the first tube define a portion of the second flow path, a third tube and the second tube define a portion of the third flow path, a fourth tube and the third tube define a portion of the fourth flow path, and a fifth tube and the fourth tube define a portion of the fifth flow path.
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Specification