Method and apparatus for carrying out catalyzed chemical reactions and for studying catalysts

• US 4,626,412 A
• Filed: 12/14/1984
• Issued: 12/02/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huntsman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Company (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Ebner, Jerry R., Gleaves, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schor, Kenneth M.
• Application Number:
  US06/682,028
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/68, 422/83, 422/78, 436/37, 436/52, 436/173
• US Class Current: 422/50
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00061 of the reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/0007 Pressure measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00132 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00176 outside the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00212 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00345 Cryogenic coolants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00407 outside the reactor bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00415 electric resistance heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/006 Processes utilising sub-atmospheric pressure; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/02 Feed or outlet devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/03 Pressure vessels, or vacuum vessels, having closure members or seals specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/001 Controlling catalytic processes B01J8/1809 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0278 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/067 Heating or cooling the reactor B01J8/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/10 using catalysis

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for carrying out and studying catalysis and catalyzed chemical reactions. Disclosed is a reactor with a catalyst zone, under vacuum, into which a very rapid pulse of reactant gas is pulsed. The products are analyzed by a real-time method of analysis, such as mass spectrometry. The apparatus and method can detect reaction intermediates and products, and can indicate their sequence of production.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) an enclosed housing and means for producing a vacuum within the housing;

(b) within said housing, a reactor having a zone defined in the reactor containing a packed particulate reaction catalyst, said reactor being structured to allow a reactant gas to pass through the packed particles of the catalyst to produce a product gas by a slow reaction;

(c) means for introducing a rapid pulse of said reactant gas to said reactor and means for controling conditions such that a given molecule of said gas will collide with the surfaces of said catalyst from about 100 to 10⁶ times and with other gas molecules about 10³ or less;

(d) means for withdrawing from said reactor a pulse of product gas;

(e) within said housing, means for resolving said pulse of product gas to produce a resolved pulse of product gas in which molecules of product gas move in substantially parallel paths;

(f) means for providing real time analysis of said resolve pulse of product gas; and

(g) means for coordinating the actions of said rapid pulse introducing means and said analysis means so that scanning by said analysis means coincides with the arrival of a resolved pulse of product gas.