Chemical reactors with annularly positioned delivery and removal devices, and associated systems and methods

• US 8,187,549 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/026,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186, 422/186.3, 422/105, 422/108, 422/233, 126/600, 204/157.43
• US Class Current: 422/186
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/127 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1812 Tubular reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/20 in the form of helices, e.g. screw reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00085 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00135 Electric resistance heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00159 controlling multiple zones along the direction of flow, e.g. pre-heating and after-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/187 inclined at an angle to the horizontal or to the vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0266 containing a decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/04 containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0485 the impurity being a sulfur compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0822 the fuel containing hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0872 Methods of cooling
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0883 by indirect heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/24 of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 23/00 Other methods of heating coke ovens
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/00 Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form wet carbonising of peat C10F
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/07 of solid raw materials consisting of synthetic polymeric materials, e.g. tyres waste in general, e.g. household waste C10B53/00; recovery or working-up of waste materials of organic macromolecular compounds or compositions based thereon by dry-heat treatment for obtaining partially depolymerised materials C08J11/10; production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from rubber or rubber waste C10G1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 : Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1292 : mSolar energy
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/007 : Screw type gasifiers
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 : Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 : by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 : Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00613 : Quality control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 : Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 : Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/143 : the feedstock being recycled material, e.g. plastics

Abstract

Chemical reactors with annularly positioned delivery and removal devices, and associated systems and methods. A reactor in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone, and a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel. The reactor can further include a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system. A solar concentrator is positioned to direct solar radiation through the light-transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

Claims

1. A chemical reactor, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone;

a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel;

a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system, wherein the product removal system includes a rotatable screw having an outwardly-extending helical thread positioned to convey products from the reaction zone; and

a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

2. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the product removal system is positioned in close thermal communication with the reactant delivery system to transfer heat to the reactant delivery system.

3. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a pitch of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.

4. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a radial width of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.

5. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the product removal system includes a rotatable screw having an outwardly-extending helical thread positioned to convey products from the reaction zone.

6. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the reactant delivery system includes a piston that is incrementally movable toward the reaction zone.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a combustor operatively coupled to the reaction zone to direct heat to the reaction zone;

a sensor positioned to detect incident solar radiation; and

a controller operatively coupled to the combustor and the sensor to activate the combustor when the incident solar radiation falls below a threshold level.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of solid reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of gaseous reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of hydrocarbon reactants, and wherein the product delivery system extends between the source and the reaction zone.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source of reactants, and wherein the source includes nitrogen.

12. A chemical reactor, comprising:

a cylindrical reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to and bounding a reaction zone positioned within the vessel;

a reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel, the reactant delivery system including a first screw shaft having an outwardly extending first spiral thread and being rotatable about a rotation axis, the first screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a first axial opening extending along the rotation axis;

a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel, the product removal system including a second screw shaft positioned concentrically within the first axial opening of the first screw shaft in close thermal communication with the first screw shaft, the second screw shaft having an outwardly extending second spiral thread and being rotatable about the rotation axis, the second screw shaft extending to the reaction zone and having a second axial opening extending along the rotation axis; and

a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

13. The reactor of claim 12 wherein a radial width of the first spiral thread decreases as a function of position along the rotation axis.

14. The reactor of claim 12 wherein a pitch of the first spiral thread decreases as a function of position along the rotation axis.

15. A chemical reactor, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone;

a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel, wherein the reactant delivery system includes a piston that is incrementally movable toward the reaction zone;

a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system; and

a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

16. A chemical reactor, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone;

a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel;

a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system;

a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone;

a combustor operatively coupled to the reaction zone to direct heat to the reaction zone;

a sensor positioned to detect incident solar radiation; and

a controller operatively coupled to the combustor and the sensor to activate the combustor when the incident solar radiation falls below a threshold level.

17. A chemical reactor, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a light-transmissible surface proximate to a reaction zone;

a movable reactant delivery system positioned within the reactor vessel and actuatable to move a reactant along an axis, wherein the reaction zone is rotationally fixed relative to the axis;

a product removal system positioned within the reactor vessel and positioned annularly inwardly or outwardly from the delivery system; and

a solar concentrator positioned to direct solar radiation through the light transmissible surface to the reaction zone.

18. The reactor of claim 17 wherein the reactant delivery system includes a rotatable screw having an outwardly-extending helical thread positioned to convey the reactant to the reaction zone.

19. The reactor of claim 18 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a pitch of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.

20. The reactor of claim 18 wherein the screw is extended along and rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein a radial width of the helical thread varies as a function of position along the rotation axis.