NESTED-FLOW HEAT EXCHANGERS AND CHEMICAL REACTORS

• US 20200132383A1
• Filed: 11/01/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BayoTech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BayoTech, Inc.
• Inventors: Vernon, Milton E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,775,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 12/007 in the presence of catalytically active bodies, e.g. porous plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00212 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00309 with two or more reactions in heat exchange with each other, such as an endothermic reaction in heat exchange with an exothermic reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0053 Controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/025 Two or more types of catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0072 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00745 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/008 Details of the reactor or of the particulate material; Processes to increase or to retard the rate of reaction B01J8/0285, B01J8/067, B01J8/087, B01J8/1836 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0257 in a cylindrical annular shaped bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0278 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0285 Heating or cooling the reactor for tubular reactors in furnaces B01J8/062
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0465 the beds being concentric
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/068 Ammonia synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/82 Several process steps of C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/08 integrated into a single apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/384 the catalyst being continuously externally heated
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/48 : followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/0417 : characterised by the synthesis reactor, e.g. arrangement of catalyst beds and heat exchangers in the reactor arrangement of several reactors C01C1/0405; fixed-bed reactors in general B01J8/02
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/0482 : Process control; Start-up or cooling-down procedures
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/00 : Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 273/04 : from carbon dioxide and ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0022 : for chemical reactors
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/103 : consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/12 : the surrounding tube being closed at one end, e.g. return type F28D7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/122 : and being formed of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 : Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 : Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/141 : Feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

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.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A chemical reactor comprising:

a first tube;

a second tube positioned in the first tube and defining an annular space between the first tube and the second tube; and

a manifold assembly coupled to a first end of the first tube and a first end of the second tube, wherein the manifold assembly defines a first opening in direct fluid communication with the annular space between the first tube and the second tube and a second opening in direct fluid communication with a channel along the length of the second tube,

wherein a second end of the second tube is open proximate a second end of the first tube.

3. The chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein the first tube and the second tube are coaxial.

4. The chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein a bayonet flow path is defined by the annular space, the first and second openings, and the channel, and comprising a catalyst disposed along the bayonet flow path.

5. The chemical reactor of claim 2, comprising a heating assembly disposed around the manifold assembly.

6. The chemical reactor of claim 2, comprising a water shift reaction (WSR) unit configured to receive a product gas generated in the chemical reactor.

7. The chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein a length of each of the first tube and the second tube is at least 10 feet.

8. The chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein the first tube is formed of a metal.

9. The chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein the second tube is formed of a metal.

10. A method comprising:

flowing a gas along a bayonet flow path of a chemical reactor, the bayonet flow path being defined by;

an annular space defined between a first tube and a second tube positioned in the first tube;

a channel along the length of the second tube;

a first opening defined in a manifold assembly coupled to a first end of the first tube and a first end of the second tube, wherein the first opening is in direct fluid communication with the annular space between the first tube and the second tube; and

a second opening defined in the manifold assembly, wherein the second opening is in direct fluid communication with the channel along the length of the second tube.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising exchanging heat between gas flowing in the annular space and gas flowing in the channel along the length of the second tube.

12. The method of claim 10, in which flowing a gas along a bayonet flow path comprises flowing the gas in a first direction in the annular space and flowing the gas in a second direction opposite the first direction in the channel along the length of the second tube.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising producing hydrogen, in the chemical reactor, from the gas flowing along the bayonet flow path.

14. The method of claim 10, in which flowing a gas along a bayonet flow path comprises flowing a gas containing steam and methane.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising reacting the steam and the methane along the bayonet flow path to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

16. The method of claim 10, comprising exposing the flowing gas to a catalyst disposed along the bayonet flow path.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a temperature of the flowing gas in the manifold assembly is higher than a temperature of the flowing gas at the first end of the first tube.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a temperature in the chemical reactor at the manifold assembly is greater than 800°

C.

19. The method of claim 10, comprising heating the flowing gas in the manifold assembly using heat generated by combustion.

20. The method of claim 10, in which flowing a gas along a bayonet flow path comprises flowing the gas in turbulent flow along at least a portion of the bayonet flow path.

21. The method of claim 10, comprising cooling a product gas generated in the chemical reactor in a WSR unit.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising producing hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the WSR unit.