Nested-flow heat exchangers and chemical reactors

• US 9,958,211 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BayoTech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BayoTech, Inc.
• Inventors: Vernon, Milton Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Natasha E
• Application Number:
  US14/645,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 12/007 in the presence of catalytically active bodies, e.g. porous plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00212 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00309 with two or more reactions in heat exchange with each other, such as an endothermic reaction in heat exchange with an exothermic reaction
• 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 2208/025 Two or more types of catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0072 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00745 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/008 Details of the reactor or of the particulate material; Processes to increase or to retard the rate of reaction B01J8/0285, B01J8/067, B01J8/087, B01J8/1836 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0257 in a cylindrical annular shaped bed
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0278 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0285 Heating or cooling the reactor for tubular reactors in furnaces B01J8/062
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0465 the beds being concentric
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/068 Ammonia synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0811 by combustion of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/82 Several process steps of C01B2203/02 - C01B2203/08 integrated into a single apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/384 the catalyst being continuously externally heated
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/48 : followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/0417 : characterised by the synthesis reactor, e.g. arrangement of catalyst beds and heat exchangers in the reactor arrangement of several reactors C01C1/0405; fixed-bed reactors in general B01J8/02
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 1/0482 : Process control; Start-up or cooling-down procedures
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/00 : Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 273/04 : from carbon dioxide and ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0022 : for chemical reactors
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/103 : consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/12 : the surrounding tube being closed at one end, e.g. return type F28D7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/122 : and being formed of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 : Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 : Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/141 : Feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Abstract

Disclosed is a technology based upon the nesting of tubes to provide chemical reactors or chemical reactors with built in heat exchanger. As a chemical reactor, the technology provides the ability to manage the temperature within a process flow for improved performance, control the location of reactions for corrosion control, or implement multiple process steps within the same piece of equipment. As a chemical reactor with built in heat exchanger, the technology can provide large surface areas per unit volume and large heat transfer coefficients. The technology can recover the thermal energy from the product flow to heat the reactant flow to the reactant temperature, significantly reducing the energy needs for accomplishment of a process.

Claims

1. A chemical reactor, the chemical reactor comprising:

a first tube having a first end;

a second tube having a second end;

a third tube having a third end; and

a manifold assembly, wherein;

the first tube, the second tube, and the third tube are coaxial about a longitudinal axis,

the first tube defines a portion of a first flow path,

the first tube and the second tube define a portion of a second flow path,

the second tube and the third tube define a portion of a third flow path,

the second flow path and the third flow path are annular flow paths,

the second end is the end of the second tube closest to the first end,

the third end is the end of the third tube closest to the first end,

the manifold assembly is in contact with the first end, the second end, and the third end,

the manifold assembly defines an input and an outlet,

the input is in fluid communication with at least one of the first flow path, the second flow path, or the third flow path, and

the outlet is in fluid communication with at least one of the first flow path, the second flow path, or the third flow path.

2. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first tube, the second tube, and the third tube are substantially made of metal.

3. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein an exothermic reaction is coupled to an endothermic reaction to substantially negate the energy transfer to-or-from the reactor.

4. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first tube has a fourth end opposite the first end,

the second tube has a fifth end opposite the second end,

the third tube has a sixth end opposite the third end,

the fourth end is at a substantially higher temperature than the first end,

the fifth end is at a substantially higher temperature than the second end, and

the sixth end is at a substantially higher temperature than the third end.

5. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a catalyst disposed in at least one of the first flow path, the second flow path, or the third flow path.

6. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first tube is characterized by a first diameter,

the second tube is characterized by a second diameter,

the third tube is characterized by a third diameter,

the third diameter is greater than the first diameter,

the third diameter is greater than the second diameter,

the third tube comprises metal, and

the first tube and the second tube comprise non-metal to meet corrosion issues during some stage of the chemical process.

7. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a fourth tube, wherein:

the first tube, the second tube, and the third tube are disposed in the fourth tube, and

an insulator blanket is disposed between the third tube and the fourth tube.

8. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising:

a first spacer disposed in the first flow path,

a second spacer disposed in the second flow path, and

a third spacer disposed in the third flow path, wherein;

the first spacer does not substantially block flow in the first flow path,

the second spacer does not substantially block flow in the second flow path, and

the third spacer does not substantially block flow in the third flow path.

9. A chemical reactor of claim 8, wherein:

the first spacer, the second spacer, and the third spacer each comprise a wire.

10. A chemical reactor of claim 8, wherein:

the first tube has a fourth end opposite the first end, and

the second spacer is disposed in a spiral wrap around the first tube from the first end to the fourth end.

11. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first tube is characterized by a first diameter,

the second tube is characterized by a second diameter,

the third tube is characterized by a third diameter,

the first diameter is less than the second diameter and the third diameter, and

the first diameter is 0.625±

0.25 inches.

12. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first tube is characterized by a first length,

the first length is in a range from 2 feet to 20 feet.

13. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first flow path is in fluid communication with at least one of the second flow path or the third flow path.

14. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first tube, the second tube, and the third tube are circular.

15. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth tube having a fourth end,

a fifth tube having a fifth end,

a sixth tube having a sixth end, wherein;

the longitudinal axis is a first longitudinal axis,

the fourth tube, the fifth tube, and the sixth tube are coaxial about a second longitudinal axis,

the second longitudinal axis is not the first longitudinal axis,

the second longitudinal axis is parallel to the first longitudinal axis, and

the manifold assembly is in contact with the fourth end, the fifth end, and the sixth end.

16. A chemical reactor of claim 15, wherein:

the first tube is characterized by a first diameter,

the second tube is characterized by a second diameter,

the third tube is characterized by a third diameter,

the fourth tube is characterized by a fourth diameter,

the fifth tube is characterized by a fifth diameter,

the sixth tube is characterized by a sixth diameter,

the first diameter is equal to the fourth diameter,

the second diameter is equal to the fifth diameter,

the third diameter is equal to the sixth diameter,

the manifold assembly comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a third plate,

the first tube and the fourth tube contact the first plate,

the second tube and the fifth tube contact the second plate, and

the third tube and the sixth tube contact the third plate.

17. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the first flow path is in fluid communication with the second flow path,

the input is in fluid communication with the first flow path, and

the outlet is in fluid communication with the second flow path.

18. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path are in a bayonet configuration.

19. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first tube comprises cascading ledges, and wherein the cascading ledges define the first flow path.

20. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising:

purification equipment, a pump, and a compressor,

wherein;

the purification equipment, the pump, and the compressor are in fluid communication with the manifold assembly.

21. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein:

the manifold assembly comprises a plurality of plates,

a portion of the plurality of plates define the input and the outlet.

22. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth tube,

wherein;

the fourth tube is disposed in the first tube, and

the fourth tube is coaxial about the longitudinal axis.

23. A chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a fourth tube, a fifth tube, a sixth tube, and a seventh tube, wherein:

the fourth tube, fifth tube, sixth tube, and the seventh tube are coaxial about the longitudinal axis.

24. A chemical reactor of claim 23, wherein:

the manifold assembly comprises seven plates, and

each plate contacts a different tube.

25. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first flow path is an annular flow path.

26. A chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the first flow path is a tubular flow path.