Method for producing a sintered porous body
First Claim
1. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
- dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration, the applying step including spraying the slurry onto the mesh sheet and simultaneously de-watering the sprayed sheet to form a de-watered fibrous body;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shaped sintered fibrous porous body exhibits a structure with a three-dimensional corrugated or undulating shape and porosity. The structure includes inorganic fibers joined as a sintered structure and is produced in one embodiment by: dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture including inorganic fibers and organic binder, such as cellulose fibers, or other organic compounds, in a liquid to form a fibrous slurry; forming a body including the fiber mixture by depositing the slurry on a shaped screen to thereby shape the fibrous body to a three-dimensional configuration simultaneously with the formation of the body; removing at least a part of the liquid from the fibrous body through the screen by a vacuum; drying the fibrous body in the ambient atmosphere or in a furnace; heating the dried fibrous body to a first elevated temperature where the organic binder is removed from the body; subsequently heating the dried body to a second elevated temperature where the inorganic fibers are partly fused to form a sintered porous fibrous body with a three-dimensional corrugated or undulating configuration. The body is suitable for use as or included in reactor elements to provide gas/condensed phase mass transfer areas in a system involving processing or teatment of gases and/or vapors through distillation, absorption and/or catalytic reactions or the like requiring gas/condensed phase mass transfer, The body is also for enhancing fluid-catalyst mass transfer at low pressure drop and contacting between fluids or combinations thereof in single phase catalytic reactors.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
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dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration, the applying step including spraying the slurry onto the mesh sheet and simultaneously de-watering the sprayed sheet to form a de-watered fibrous body;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration.
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2. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
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dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration;
the applying the slurry step including dipping the mesh sheet into the slurry, applying a suction to the mesh sheet such that the slurry is de-watered through said mesh sheet forming the fibrous body on the sheet;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration.
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3. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
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dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration;
said applying said slurry comprising injecting the slurry into a cavity including at least one surface formed by said mesh sheet to form the fibrous body within the cavity on the at least one surface and then dewatering the slurry contained in the cavity on the sheet with a suction;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration.
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4. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
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dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body;
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration;
and then coating the sintered fibrous body with a catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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8. The method according to claim wherein the inorganic fibers are selected from the group consisting of any one or more of metallic fibers, ceramic fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers and coated fibers.
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17. A method for producing a shaped three-dimensional sintered porous body comprising the steps of:
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dispersing and suspending a fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder to form a fibrous slurry;
dispersing and suspending a catalytic material in the slurry applying the slurry to a three dimensional configured mesh sheet comprising through openings distributed throughout and over the surface of the mesh sheet forming from the slurry a wet fibrous three dimensional configured fibrous body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the sheet and complementary to the sheet configuration;
drying the fibrous body attached to the sheet;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the three-dimensional configuration.
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18. A method for producing a sintered porous body comprising the steps off:
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forming a fibrous slurry of dispersed and suspended fiber mixture comprising inorganic fibers and a liquid containing an organic binder;
applying the slurry to a porous sheet member support of a given configuration to simultaneously form the slurry into a wet fibrous sheet member body comprising the fiber mixture attached to the support and complementary to the support configuration;
the applying step including applying a vacuum to one side of the sheet member, dipping the sheet member in the slurry to attract a layer of the slurry to a side of the sheet member opposite the one side with the vacuum and then withdrawing the sheet member from the slurry;
drying the fibrous body attached to the support;
removing the binder from the dried fibrous body; and
subsequently fusing the inorganic fibers to form a sintered porous fibrous body with the sheet member configuration.
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Specification