Method and apparatus for achieving high reaction rates

• US 5,441,716 A
• Filed: 08/09/1993
• Issued: 08/15/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uwe Rockenfeller
• Original Assignee: Rocky Research (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Rockenfeller, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): LANGEL, WAYNE A
• Application Number:
  US08/104,427
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 423/210, 423/237, 423/299, 423/352, 423/437, 423/539, 423/659, 423/580.1, 422/129, 422/107, 422/221, 422/239, 564/463, 564/512, 568/700
• US Class Current: 423/299
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/34 Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/006 making use of solid ammonia storage materials, e.g. complex ammine salts
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/047 for absorption-type refrigeration systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 35/04 using a solid as sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/003 using thermochemical reactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A chemisorption reaction process is carried out under conditions in which the volumetric expansion of the complex compound reaction product is restricted, and at half-cycle reaction periods of less than 30 minutes each, and/or in a reaction chamber having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm, and/or a maximum heat diffusion path length of less than 1.5 mm.

Claims

1. An improved chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said process comprising

carrying out said reaction process at half-cycle reaction periods of less than about 30 minutes in a reactor having one or more reaction chambers having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 4.5 mm and a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm, and restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound formed during said chemisorption reaction.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

3. The process of claim 2 including controlling the volumetric expansion of said complex compound formed during at least the initial adsorption reaction of said polar gas on said metal salt to form at least a partially structurally immobilized, self-supporting, coherent, reaction product mass.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said metal salt is introduced into said one or more reaction chambers at a density of between about 0.2 and about 1.0 g/cc of reaction chamber volume.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is SrCl₂ •

1-8 (NH₃), said density is 0.4 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 7 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 2.5 mm.

6. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CaBr₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.4 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3.0 mm.

7. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CaCl₂ •

2-4, 4-8 (NH₃), said density is 0.2 to 0.6 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

8. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CaCl₂ •

0-1, 1-2 (NH₃), said density is between 0.2 to 0.7 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

9. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CoCl₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.2 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

10. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is NiCl₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.2 to 0.7 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is between 0.6 to 3 mm.

11. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is BaCl₂ •

0-8 (NH₃), said density is 0.4 to 0.9 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

12. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CoCl₂ •

0-1, 1-2 (NH₃), said density is 0.3 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

13. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is LiCl•

0-3 (NH₃), said density is 0.2 to 0.5 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 and 3 mm.

14. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is SrBr₂ •

2-8 (NH₃), said density is 0.4 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

15. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is MnCl₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.3 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

16. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is CaI₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.3 to 0.9 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

17. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is MgCl₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.3 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

18. The process of claim 4 wherein said complex compound is FeBr₂ •

2-6 (NH₃), said density is 0.4 to 0.8 g/cc, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 3 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein the complex compound is SrBr₂ •

2-8 (NH₃), the pressure in the reactor during said process is 45 psia or greater, the loading density of said salt is 0.5 to 1.8 g/cc of reaction chamber volume, said mean mass diffusion path length is between 2.5 and 6 mm, and said thermal diffusion path length is 0.6 to 3 mm.

20. The process of claim 1 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr for at least 6 minutes.

21. A chemisorption reaction process comprising repeatedly alternately adsorbing and desorbing a polar gas on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during said chemisorption reaction, and carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more reaction chambers having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 4.5 mm at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes, respectively.

22. The reaction process of claim 21 including carrying out said reaction process in a reactor having one or more reaction chambers having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm.

23. The reaction process of claim 22 wherein said polar gas is ammonia.

24. The reaction process of claim 22 wherein said metal salt comprises a mixture of two or more of said metal salts.

25. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said reaction is carried out in a reactor having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of between about 0.6 and about 3 mm.

26. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said reaction process is carried out in a reactor having one or more reaction chambers having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of between about 0.6 and about 3 mm, a maximum mass diffusion path length between about 2.5 and about 7 mm, and wherein said salt is introduced into said reaction chambers at a loading density of between about 0.2 and about 0.8 g/cc of reaction chamber volume.

27. The reaction process of claim 26 wherein said reaction time of each adsorption and desorption cycle is less than about 20 minutes, respectively.

28. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above about 6 moles/mol-hr for at least about 6 minutes.

29. The process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

30. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 20 milligrams of ammonia per cc per minute of adsorption or desorption cycle time, respectively.

31. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 10 milligrams of ammonia per minute per cc of total reaction chamber volume.

32. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

33. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

34. The reaction process of claim 21 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, where=in rates of reaction are determined by the formula

35. The reaction process of claim 21 including carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more gas permeable heat exchange surfaces and distributing said polar gas along at least a portion of said heat exchange surface.

36. The reaction process of claim 21 including carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more gas permeable surfaces in contact with said salt and said complex compound and distributing said polar gas to said salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

37. The reaction process of claim 36 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 10 milligrams of ammonia per minute per cc of total reaction chamber volume.

38. The reaction process of claim 21 including mixing said metal salt with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface and carrying out said adsorption and desorption reactions using said mixture whereby said gas permeable admixture composition distributes said polar gas in said complex compound mass.

48. The reaction process of claim 38 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

51. The reaction process of claim 38 including carrying out said reaction in a reactor containing one or more gas permeable surfaces in contact with said salt and said complex compound and distributing said polar gas to said salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

39. An improved chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said process comprising,

carrying out said reaction process in a reactor having one or more reaction chambers having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm, and restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during said chemisorption reaction.

40. The reaction process of claim 39 including carrying out said reaction process at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes each, respectively.

41. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr.

42. The reaction process of claim 40 wherein the said reaction cycle time periods are each between about 3 and about 20 minutes.

43. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said reaction is carried out in a reactor having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 3 mm.

44. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

45. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 20 milligrams of ammonia per minute per cc of total reaction chamber volume.

46. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

47. The reaction process of claim 39 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

49. The reaction process of claim 39 including carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more gas permeable heat exchange surfaces and distributing said polar gas along at least a portion of said heat exchange surface.

50. The reaction process of claim 39 including mixing said metal salt with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface and carrying out said adsorption and desorption reactions using said mixture whereby said gas permeable admixture composition distributes said polar gas in said complex compound mass.

52. An improved chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said process comprising

loading said metal salt in a reactor whereby at least about 60% of the mass of said salt is within 25 mm or less of a gas distribution means in said reactor, and restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during said chemisorption reaction.

53. The reaction process of claim 52 including carrying out said reaction process at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes each, respectively.

54. The reaction process of claim 53 wherein the said reaction cycle time periods are each of between about 3 and about 20 minutes duration.

55. The reaction process of claim 52 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr.

56. The reaction process of claim 52 wherein said reaction is carried out in a reaction having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 3 mm.

57. The reaction process of claim 52 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

58. The reaction process of claim 52 including carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more gas permeable heat exchange surfaces and distributing said polar gas along at least a portion of said heat exchange surface.

59. The reaction process of claim 52 including mixing said metal salt with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface and carrying out said adsorption and desorption reactions using said mixture whereby said gas distribution admixture composition distributes said polar gas in said complex compound mass.

60. The reaction process of claim 52 including carrying out said reaction in a reactor containing one or more gas permeable surfaces in contact with said salt and said complex compound and distributing said polar gas to said salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

61. An improved chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is repeatedly alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said polar gas on a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride or double metal chloride, said process comprising

carrying out said reaction process in a reactor having a maximum heat diffusion path length of less than 1.5 mm, and restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound during said chemisorption reaction.

62. The reaction process of claim 61 including carrying out said reaction process at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes each, respectively.

63. The reaction process of claim 62 wherein the said reaction cycle time periods are each of between about 3 and about 20 minutes duration.

64. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr.

65. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said reaction is carried out in a reactor having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of between about 0.5 mm and about 1.4 mm.

66. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

67. The reaction process of claim 61 including carrying out said process in a reactor having one or more gas permeable heat exchange surfaces and distributing said polar gas along at least a portion of said heat exchange surface.

68. The reaction process of claim 61 including mixing said metal salt with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface and carrying out said adsorption and desorption reactions using said mixture whereby said gas distribution admixture composition distributes said polar gas in said complex compound mass.

69. The reaction process of claim 68 including carrying out said reaction process at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes each, respectively.

70. The reaction process of claim 61 including carrying out said reaction in a reactor containing one or more gas permeable surfaces in contact with said salt and said complex compound and distributing said polar gas to said salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

71. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 20 milligrams of ammonia per cc per minute of adsorption or desorption cycle time, respectively.

72. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 10 milligrams of ammonia per minute per cc of total reaction chamber volume.

73. The reaction process of claim 72 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 20 milligrams of ammonia per cc per minute of adsorption or desorption cycle time, respectively.

74. The reaction process of claim 72 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and wherein said complex compound adsorbs and/or desorbs at least 10 milligrams of ammonia per minute per cc of total reaction chamber volume.

75. The reaction process of claim 72 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

76. The reaction process of claim 72 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

77. The reaction process of claim 72 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

78. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

79. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

80. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said polar gas is ammonia, wherein rates of reaction are determined by the formula

81. The reaction process of claim 61 wherein said reaction is carried out in a reactor having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm.

87. The reaction process of claim 70 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

82. In a chemisorption reaction process in which a polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction product of zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said polar gas, a method of improving the chemisorption reaction rates of said reaction process comprising:

mixing said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride,

introducing the mixture of said zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel and said metal salt in a reaction chamber having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm, and

adsorbing said polar gas on said mixture while limiting the volumetric expansion of the reaction product during the chemisorption reaction.

83. The reaction process of claim 82 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr for at least about 6 minutes.

84. The reaction process of claim 83 wherein the said reaction cycle time periods are each of between 3 and 20 minutes duration.

85. The reaction process of claim 82 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr.

86. The reaction process of claim 82 wherein said reactor has a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 3 mm.

88. A sorption reaction process in which a non-polar gas is alternately adsorbed and desorbed on a reaction product of said gas and an adsorbent comprising zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina, silica gel or a metal hydride, said process comprising:

mixing said adsorbent with a metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride,

introducing said mixture in a reaction chamber having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm,

adsorbing a polar gas on said mixture and forming a complex compound of said polar gas and said metal salt while limiting the volumetric expansion of the complex compound during the sorption reaction,

desorbing said polar gas from said complex compound and purging said polar gas from said reaction chamber, and introducing said non-polar gas into said reaction chamber and carrying out said sorption reaction.

89. The process of claim 88 wherein said non-polar gas comprises hydrogen and said adsorbent comprises a metal hydride.

90. The process of claim 88 wherein said non-polar gas comprises a C₁ to C₆ lower alkane or mixtures thereof, helium, argon, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, NO_x or a fluorocarbon refrigerant and said adsorbent comprises zeolite, activated carbon, activated alumina or silica gel.

91. The reaction process of claim 88 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr for at least about 6 minutes.

92. The reaction process of claim 88 including carrying out said reaction process at adsorption and desorption reaction cycle time periods of less than about 30 minutes each, respectively.

93. The reaction process of claim 92 wherein said reaction process is carried out at an average reaction rate of above 6 moles/mol-hr.

94. The reaction process of claim 88 wherein the said reaction cycle time periods are each of between 3 and 20 minutes duration.

95. The reaction process of claim 88 wherein said reactor has a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 3 mm.

96. The reaction process of claim 88 wherein said polar gas is ammonia and said metal salt comprises SrCl₂, SrBr₂, CaCl₂, CaBr₂, CaI₂, CoCl₂, CoBr₂, BaCl₂, BaBr₂, MgCl₂, MgBr₂, FeCl₂, FeBr₂, NiCl₂, ZnCl₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, MnCl₂, MnBr₂, CrCl₂, LiCl or mixtures thereof.

97. A reactor for alternately adsorbing and desorbing a polar gas on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said gas on metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said reactor comprising one or .more reaction chambers having a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm, said reactor containing said metal salt or said complex compound therein, and wherein the reaction chamber includes means for restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound.

98. The reactor of claim 97 wherein said one or more reaction chambers have a maximum thermal diffusion path length of between about 0.6 and about 3 mm, a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of between about 2.5 and about 7 mm, and wherein said salt or said complex compound has a density of between about 0.2 and about 0.8 g/cc of reaction chamber volume.

99. The reactor of claim 97 including a plurality of heat transfer fins extending along said reactor and in heat transfer communication with said metal salt, wherein the distance between said fins is 2.8 mm or less.

100. The reactor of claim 97 wherein said one or more reaction chambers has a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than about 4.5 mm.

101. The reactor of claim 97 wherein said complex compound or said metal salt has a density in said reactor of between about 0.2 and about 1.0 g/cc of reaction chamber volume.

102. The reactor of claim 97 including gas distribution means for directing said polar gas to and from said metal salt or said complex compound in said one or more reaction chambers, and wherein at least 60% of said metal salt or said complex compound, by weight, is within 25 mm or less of a gas distribution means.

103. The reactor of claim 97 including one or more heat exchange surfaces in thermal contact with said metal salt and said complex compound and comprising a gas permeable material.

104. The reactor of claim 97 including one or more gas permeable surfaces extending into said reaction chamber in contact with said metal salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

105. The reactor of claim 97 wherein said metal salt and said complex compound comprise a mixture thereof, respectively, with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface for distributing said polar gas in said mixture.

106. A reactor for alternately adsorbing and desorbing a polar gas on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said gas on metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said reactor comprising one or more reaction chambers having a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than 1.5 mm, and said reactor containing said metal salt or said complex compound therein, and wherein the reaction chamber includes means for restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound.

107. The reactor of claim 106 including gas distribution means for directing said polar gas to and from said metal salt or said complex compound in said reaction chambers, and wherein at least 60% of said metal salt or said complex compound, by weight, is within 25 mm or less of a gas distribution means.

108. The reactor of claim 106 wherein said one or more reaction chambers have a maximum mean mass diffusion path length of less than about 15 mm.

109. The reactor of claim 106 including one or more heat exchange surfaces in thermal contact with said metal salt and said complex compound and comprising a gas permeable material.

110. The reactor of claim 106 including one or more gas permeable surfaces extending into said reaction chamber in contact with said metal salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

111. The reactor of claim 106 wherein said metal salt and said complex compound comprise a mixture thereof, respectively, with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface for distributing said polar gas in said mixture.

112. A reactor for alternately adsorbing and desorbing a polar gas on a complex compound formed by adsorbing said gas on metal salt comprising a halide, nitrate, nitrite, oxalate, perchlorate, sulfate or sulfite of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, zinc, cadmium, tin, aluminum, sodium borofluoride, or double metal chloride, said reactor comprising one or more reaction chambers having means for directing said polar gas to and from said metal salt or said complex compound in said reaction chambers, and wherein at least 60% of said metal salt or said complex compound, by weight, is within 25 mm or less of a gas distribution means, said reactor containing said metal salt or said complex compound therein, and wherein the reaction chamber includes means for restricting the volumetric expansion of said complex compound.

113. The reactor of claim 112 wherein said one or more reaction chambers have a maximum thermal diffusion path length of less than 1.5 mm.

114. The reactor of claim 112 including one or more heat exchange surfaces in thermal contact with said metal salt and said complex compound and comprising a gas permeable material.

115. The reactor of claim 112 including one or more gas permeable surfaces extending into said reaction chamber in contact with said metal salt and said complex compound along at least a portion of said gas permeable surface.

116. The reactor of claim 112 wherein said metal salt and said complex compound, respectively, comprise a mixture thereof with a gas permeable admixture composition having a microporous surface for distributing said polar gas in said mixture.