Compact Fischer Tropsch system with integrated primary and secondary bed temperature control

• US 9,199,215 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.
• Inventors: Hartvigsen, Joseph J., Elangovan, S., Frost, Lyman Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): SEIFU, LESSANEWORK T
• Application Number:
  US13/770,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20130216448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 422/659
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0013 Controlling the temperature of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00212 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00221 comprising baffles for guiding the flow of the heat exchange medium
• 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 35/23 in a colloidal state
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/067 Heating or cooling the reactor B01J8/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/341 with stationary catalyst bed
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0022 for chemical reactors
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/0075 with particular circuits for the same heat exchange medium, e.g. with the same heat exchange medium flowing through sections having different heat exchange capacities or for heating or cooling the same heat exchange medium at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/0083 with units having particular arrangement relative to a supplementary heat exchange medium, e.g. with interleaved units or with adjacent units arranged in common flow of supplementary heat exchange medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/106 consisting of two coaxial conduits or modules of two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/1607 with particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. change of flow direction F28D7/1623, F28D7/1638, F28D7/1661, F28D7/1676, F28D7/1692 take precedence

Abstract

A Fischer Tropsch (“FT”) reactor includes at least one FT tube. The FT tube may include a catalyst that is designed to catalyze an FT reaction, thereby creating a hydrocarbon from syngas. The FT reactor also includes a primary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length of the FT tube. A secondary cooling fluid flow path extends in a direction that is different than the direction of the primary cooling fluid flow path.

Claims

1. A Fischer Tropsch (“

FT”

) reactor comprising;

at least one FT tube;

a primary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal length of the FT tube; and

a secondary cooling fluid flow path, wherein the secondary cooling fluid flow path circumscribes at least a length of the primary cooling fluid flow path and extends in a direction that is different than the direction of the primary cooling fluid flow path, wherein the secondary cooling fluid flow path is not in fluid communication with the primary cooling fluid flow path within the FT reactor.

2. The FT reactor according to claim 1, wherein a first quantity of coolant flows along the primary cooling fluid flow path and a second quantity of coolant flows along the secondary cooling fluid flow path.

3. The FT reactor according to claim 1, wherein the primary cooling fluid flow path extends in a substantially axial direction and the secondary cooling fluid flow path extends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the primary cooling fluid flow path.

4. The FT reactor according to claim 1, wherein the primary cooling fluid flow path is defined by an external pipe, wherein the at least one FT tube fits within the external pipe.

5. The FT reactor according to claim 4, wherein a first quantity of coolant flows along the primary cooling fluid flow path along the outside of the at least one FT tube and along the inside of the external pipe.

6. The FT reactor according to claim 5, wherein the secondary cooling fluid flow path is defined by a plurality of baffles, wherein each baffle comprises an opening through which the at least one FT tube, the external pipe, and the first quantity of coolant may flow along the primary cooling fluid flow path.

12. The FT reactor according to claim 6, wherein the secondary cooling fluid flow path flows along an outside of the external pipe and along an inside of an outer shell.

7. A Fischer Tropsch (“

FT”

) reactor comprising;

an external tube housing a plurality of FT reactor tubes;

a plurality of baffles within the external tube housing, wherein each baffle comprises at least one opening;

a primary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a substantially axial direction through an external pipe within the external tube housing, wherein a first quantity of cooling fluid may flow in a substantially axial direction through the external pipe along the primary cooling fluid flow path by passing through the at least one opening in each of the baffles; and

;

a secondary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a substantially horizontal direction within the external tube housing, wherein a second quantity of cooling fluid may flow in a substantially horizontal direction through the external tube housing along the secondary cooling fluid flow path.

8. The FT reactor according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of baffles form one or more chambers within the external tube housing, wherein there is a secondary cooling fluid flow path that extends in a substantially horizontal direction within each of the chambers within the external tube housing.

9. The FT reactor according to claim 8, wherein the second quantity of cooling fluid may be allowed to boil within one of the chambers, wherein the first quantity of cooling fluid is not allowed to boil within the external pipe.

10. The FT reactor according to claim 8, wherein the amount of the second quantity of cooling fluid and the flow rate of the second quantity of cooling fluid may be adjusted within a particular chamber to ensure that each chamber has is maintained at a desired temperature.

11. The FT reactor according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of the at least one opening in each baffle is greater than the diameter of the FT reactor tube, wherein the FT reactor tube passes through the at least one opening in each baffle and creates an annulus within the opening, wherein the first quantity of cooling fluid flows through the annulus within the external pipe.

13. A Fischer Tropsch (“

FT”

) reactor comprising;

an outer shell;

a pipe extending longitudinally through the outer shell;

a FT tube extending longitudinally through the pipe, wherein an annular space between the FT tube and the pipe forms a first cooling fluid flow path within the FT reactor to transfer heat from the FT tube to a first cooling fluid within the first cooling fluid flow path; and

a plurality of baffles extending laterally through the outer shell to form a plurality of segmented chambers, each segmented chamber to form a second cooling fluid flow path within the FT reactor to transfer heat from the first cooling fluid to a second cooling fluid within the second cooling fluid flow path.

14. The FT reactor according to claim 13, further comprising an inlet and an outlet to facilitate circulation of the first cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid flow path.

15. The FT reactor according to claim 13, further comprising an inlet and an outlet for each segmented chamber to facilitate circulation of the second cooling fluid through the corresponding second cooling fluid flow path.