Induction-heated reactors for gas phase catalyzed reactions

• US 7,070,743 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Invista North America Sarl (Invista)
• Original Assignee: Invista North America Sarl (Invista)
• Inventors: Fallon, Cynthia K., Koch, Theodore Augur, Sengupta, Sourav Kumar, Mehdizadeh, Mehrdad, Pereira, Carmo Joseph, Blackwell, Benny E., Kirby, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Christina
• Application Number:
  US10/098,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20030175196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186.01, 422/198, 422/199
• US Class Current: 422/186.01
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 12/007 in the presence of catalytically active bodies, e.g. porous plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0013 Controlling the temperature of the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/087 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2485 Monolithic reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2495 Net-type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0803 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0854 employing electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0862 employing multiple (electro)magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0883 Gas-gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0892 involving catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/56 Foraminous structures having flow-through passages or channels, e.g. grids or three-dimensional monoliths
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/002 Methods chemical aspects C08J3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/826 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C01C 3/0233 making use of fluidised beds, e.g. the Shawinigan-process
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1602 Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/108 for heating a fluid

Abstract

Elevated temperature, gas-phase, catalyzed processes for preparing HCN in which induction heating is used as a source of energy, and novel apparatus for carrying out said processes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conducting elevated temperature, gas phase, catalyzed chemical reactions for the preparation of HCN comprising:

a reaction chamber defining a hollow cylinder comprised of a substantially gas-impermeable electrically non-conductive material,

a catalyst/susceptor defining an electrically conductive and gas-permeable hollow cylinder positioned coaxially within said reaction chamber and comprised of one or more platinum group metals in a form selected from porous foam, or a filamentary structure comprising one or more of braided wire mesh, woven wire mesh, knitted wire fabric, bobbin-wound wire filaments or spirally-wound sock or sleeve, and

an induction coil surrounding said catalyst/susceptor and energizable by a power source capable of supplying alternating current,

whereby said catalyst/susceptor is heated by induction from an alternating magnetic field to a temperature sufficient to effect the chemical reaction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said induction coil is comprised of two or more discreet sections in which each of said section is energizable by a separate power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said induction coil is comprised of two or more sections in which the spacing of the coils in one of said sections differs from the spacing of the coils in each of the other one or more sections.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said catalyst/susceptor is comprised of concentric annular layers having different bulk electrical conductivities.