Catalytic Alloy Hydrogen Sensor Apparatus and Process

• US 20090291026A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas B. Galloway, Patrick J. Bullen, Randall E. Holt
• Original Assignee: Douglas B. Galloway, Patrick J. Bullen, Randall E. Holt
• Inventors: Bullen, Patrick J., Galloway, Douglas B., Holt, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US12/478,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/005 for H2

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a processing unit; a feed conduit and an effluent conduit connected to the processing unit; at least one operating parameter device associated with the processing unit, the feed conduit, the effluent conduit or a combination thereof; a catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor in fluid communication with the processing unit, the feed conduit, the effluent conduit or a combination thereof; and a computer processor electrically connected to the catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor, has been developed. A pressure indicator may be positioned to indicate the pressure of fluid passing through the catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor and there may be an electrical connection between the computer processor and the pressure indicator. The catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor may be a palladium-nickel catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the virtually complete isomerization of normal paraffin hydrocarbons in a feed stream containing normal and non-normal hydrocarbons, comprising:

(a) an isomerization reactor containing an isomerization catalyst;

(b) a reactor feed conduit for introducing reactor feed into the isomerization reactor to convert at least a portion of the normal hydrocarbons in said reactor feed to non-normal hydrocarbons;

(c) a reactor effluent conduit for withdrawing non-normal hydrocarbons from the reactor in a reactor effluent;

(d) a separator for separating reactor effluent into a hydrogen-rich gas stream conduit and an adsorber feed stream conduit;

(e) an adsorber section containing at least one adsorber bed capable of adsorbing normal hydrocarbons;

(f) a first manifold and first set of conduits for passing the adsorber feed stream to said adsorption section to adsorb normal hydrocarbons from said reactor effluent and for passing desorption effluent comprising hydrogen and normal hydrocarbons from the adsorption section;

(g) a second manifold and second set conduits for passing non-normal hydrocarbons out of said adsorption section as adsorber effluent containing an isomerate product and for passing hydrogen recycle to the adsorption section;

(h) a hydrogen conduit for a hydrogen recycle stream comprising a mixture of essentially pure hydrogen and the hydrogen-rich gas stream in fluid communication with the second manifold;

(i) a desorption effluent conduit for passing said desorption effluent to said isomerization reactor in fluid communication with both the isomerization reactor and the first manifold;

(j) at least one catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor assembly in fluid communication with at least one of the first set of conduits or at least one of the second set of conduits, said catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor assembly in electrical connection with a computer;

(k) at least one first operating parameter control device working in association with the first manifold and first set of conduits;

(l) at least one second operating parameter control device working in association with the second manifold and second set of conduits; and

(m) a feed conduit in fluid communication with a conduit selected from the group consisting of the reactor feed conduit, the adsorber effluent conduit, and the combination thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection between the computer and the at least one first operating parameter control device working in association with the first manifold and first set of conduits.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection between the computer and the at least one second operating parameter control device working in association with the second manifold and second set of conduits.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pressure indicator positioned to indicate the pressure of fluid passing through the catalytic alloy hydrogen sensor and an electrical connection between the computer processor and the pressure indicator.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conduit for the hydrogen recycle stream in fluid communication with an effluent conduit of a pressure swing adsorption apparatus which is fed by a conduit for reformer offgas and provides essentially pure hydrogen in the effluent conduit of the pressure swing adsorption apparatus.