Direct electrical heating of process heater tubes using electrical isolation techniques
Through direct electric heating system and electrical isolation technology, the wear of traditional heater tubes and insulation problems of electric heating system are solved, and safety and energy efficiency are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380080959.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-09-29
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-04
AI Technical Summary
The fire heating system of traditional heater tubes is prone to wear and tear, and the electrical heating system will lead to energy efficiency and electrical insulation problems when improperly insulated.
The direct electrical heating system is adopted, and the heater tube is reduced or eliminated from other parts of the system through electrical isolation technology. The tube is directly heated using current, and the current level is adjusted through the power controller to control the temperature of the catalyst in the tube.
Reduces the demand for flanges and gaskets, improves system safety, reduces maintenance costs and downtime, reduces electrical hazard risks, and improves energy efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN120265380A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Cross - reference to related applications
[0001] This application claims priority and the benefit of Application No. 2209906, filed on September 29, 2022, with the French (FR) National Institute of Industrial Property. The content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for direct electrical heating of a fluid system. Background art
[0003] Conventional heating of heater tubes (e.g., reactor tubes) typically involves fired heating. Fired heaters are subject to typical wear and tear, which will ultimately lead to a decrease in the energy efficiency of the fired heaters.
[0004] However, problems arise when the electrical heating system is not properly insulated or when the system is insulated in a way that negatively impacts energy efficiency. For example, in cases where each tube needs to be electrically insulated from the rest of the system (such as other tubes, tube inlet headers, and / or tube outlet headers). Summary of the invention
[0005] This section provides an overview of the present disclosure and is not an exhaustive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
[0006] The present disclosure relates to a method of heating a thermal system, such as, by way of example, a reactor system including a plurality of reactor tubes, each of the plurality of reactor tubes having a catalyst disposed therein and having at least one conductive surface. The method includes electrically isolating the plurality of reactor tubes such that each of the plurality of reactor tubes can be directly welded to the tube inlet and outlet headers of the reactor system; providing electrical energy to at least one conductive surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes; and individually adjusting the current level of the electrical energy provided to at least one conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein.
[0007] Direct electrical heating of heater tubes is an alternative to such fired heating systems. In a direct electrical heating system, the individual tubes serve as the heating medium and are heated directly using an electric current. Systems and methods are provided herein for the direct electrical heating of process heater tubes, wherein the tubes are electrically isolated in a manner that reduces or completely eliminates the use of electrical insulation between the tube and the rest of the system (such as other tubes, tube inlet headers, and / or tube outlet headers).
[0008] The present disclosure also relates to a method of heating a reactor system including a plurality of reactor tubes, each of the plurality of reactor tubes having a catalyst disposed therein and having at least one conductive surface, wherein the plurality of reactor tubes are electrically isolated in a manner that reduces or completely eliminates the use of electrical insulation between each of the plurality of reactor tubes and the remainder of the reactor system (such as other tubes among the plurality of reactor tubes, a tube inlet header, and / or a tube outlet header).
[0009] The present disclosure also relates to a method of heating a reactor system including a plurality of reactor tubes, each of the plurality of reactor tubes having a catalyst disposed therein and having at least one conductive surface, wherein the plurality of reactor tubes are electrically isolated using a plurality of power controllers that mirror each other so as to move from zero volts at the inlet header to zero volts at the outlet header.
[0010] The present disclosure includes a fluid heating system. The fluid heating system includes a tube that defines a fluid passage. The tube includes a material having a conductivity greater than 1.0 Siemens per meter (S / m) at 20 °C. The material is distributed along the tube, and the fluid passage defines an inlet configured to receive fluid and an outlet configured to discharge the fluid.
[0011] In one or more forms, the fluid heating system includes a first power source that includes a first circuit. The first circuit is configured to conduct a first current on a first portion of the tube. The first circuit includes a first galvanic isolator between a source terminal of the first power source and the first portion of the tube. The first power source is configured to heat the tube based on the first current. In one or more forms, a second power source includes a second circuit. The second circuit is configured to conduct a second current on a second portion of the tube. The second circuit includes a second galvanic isolator between a source terminal of the second power source and the second portion of the tube. The second power source is configured to heat the tube based on the second current. Additionally, the voltage of the first power source is substantially similar to the voltage of the second power source, and the voltage across the first portion and the second portion is substantially zero.
[0012] In one or more forms, the voltage of the first power source is the peak voltage of the first power source, and the first current is alternating. In one or more forms, the voltage of the second power source is the peak voltage of the second power source, and the second current is alternating.
[0013] In one or more forms, the fluid heating system includes a third power source that includes a third circuit. The third circuit is configured to conduct a third current across a third portion of the tube. The third circuit includes a third electrical isolator between a source terminal of the third power source and the third portion of the tube. In one or more forms, the third power source is configured to heat the tube based on the third current. In one or more forms, a peak voltage of the third power source is substantially similar to a peak voltage of the first power source and a peak voltage of the second power source, and a voltage across the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion is substantially zero.
[0014] In one or more forms, the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion include the material. In one or more forms, a phase of the first current is 120° out of phase with a phase of the second current, and the phase of the first current is 240° out of phase with a phase of the third current. In one or more forms, the first electrical isolator is a first transformer, the second electrical isolator is a second transformer, and the third electrical isolator is a third transformer. In one or more forms, the first portion extends to one end of the first portion at a first location on the tube, and the second portion extends to a first end of the second portion at the first location, and wherein the second portion extends to a second end of the second portion at a second location on the tube, and the third portion extends to one end of the third portion at the second location.
[0015] In one or more forms, the guide pin includes a portion of the guide pin. The guide pin is configured to position the tube relative to the housing, and wherein the first circuit includes the portion of the guide pin. In one or more forms, the second circuit includes the portion of the guide pin. In one or more forms, the portion of the guide pin is conductive. In one or more forms, the fluid heating system includes a first manifold configured to supply a substance, and the tube is engaged with the first manifold, and conductivity exists between the tube and the first manifold, and the substance includes the fluid.
[0016] In one or more forms, the fluid heating system includes a second manifold configured to discharge the substance, and the tube is engaged with the second manifold, and conductivity exists between the tube and the second manifold. In one or more forms, a wire is disposed between the first manifold and the second manifold, and wherein the wire is conductive and a voltage across the wire is substantially zero.
[0017] One or more forms of the present disclosure include a method of heating a reactor system. The reactor system includes a plurality of reactor tubes. One of the plurality of reactor tubes has a catalyst disposed therein, and the one of the plurality of reactor tubes comprises a material having a conductivity greater than 1.0 Siemens per meter (S / m) at 20 °C. The reactor system includes a first power source that includes a first circuit configured to conduct a first current through the material, and the first circuit includes an electrical isolator between the first power source and the material. The method includes providing the first current to the material. The method includes adjusting the magnitude of the first current to control the temperature of the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein.
[0018] In one or more forms, the reactor system includes a first manifold. The one of the plurality of reactor tubes is joined to the first manifold, and conductivity exists between the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the first manifold. In one or more forms, the method further includes providing fluid to the one of the plurality of reactor tubes with the first manifold. In one or more forms, the reactor system includes a second manifold. The one of the plurality of reactor tubes is joined to the second manifold, and conductivity exists between the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the second manifold. In one or more forms, the method includes releasing the fluid from the one of the plurality of reactor tubes with the second manifold. In one or more forms, based on the adjustment of the first current, the voltage between the first manifold and the second manifold is substantially zero.
[0019] Other applicable fields will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] To better understand the present disclosure, various forms thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0021] Figure 1 Illustrating a system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0022] Figure 2 Illustrating a multiphase system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0023] Figure 3 Illustrating a dowel pin according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and
[0024] Figure 4 Illustrating a method according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0025] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. Detailed Description
[0026] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
[0027] In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, direct electrical energy is used to replace fired (or natural gas) heating of a tube, where the electrical energy is applied directly to the tube. For example, the tube is made of a conductive material such as stainless steel. Each tube can be equipped with its own electrical power system for heating, and the current in the tube can be adjusted to control the temperature of the fluid inside the tube. However, when using direct electrical energy, each tube is electrically isolated from other tubes and from the main power supply of each power system connected to each of the tubes.
[0028] The systems and methods provided by the present disclosure relate to the use of electric current for direct heating of heater tubes, where one or more tubes are used as a heating medium.
[0029] In the present disclosure, the (multiple) tubes are electrically isolated in a manner that reduces or completely eliminates the need for electrical insulation of the (multiple) tubes from the rest of the system, such as (multiple) other tubes, tube inlet headers, and / or tube outlet headers.
[0030] In the absence of galvanic isolation, it is generally necessary to use flange and gasket devices for separate electrical insulation of the (multiple) tubes. With galvanic isolation, the flange and gasket requirements or quantities are reduced, and the tubes can be directly connected (e.g., welded) to the inlet and outlet headers. This has the additional benefits of making the system safer in terms of potential fluid leakage, reducing maintenance costs, and reducing downtime and capital costs. The systems of the present disclosure also mitigate the risk of electrical hazards to personnel.
[0031] In certain forms, the present disclosure relates to the electrical isolation of systems utilizing alternating current.
[0032] In various forms, the present disclosure relates to systems utilizing low voltage. For example, the peak voltage is less than about 50 volts.
[0033] In certain forms, the present disclosure relates to systems utilizing hybrid heat input control. For example, systems that utilize both fuel fired heating and electrical heating (e.g., direct electrical heating).
[0034] In one or more forms, the systems and processes of the present disclosure are equally applicable to single-phase and polyphase (e.g., three-phase) current heating devices.
[0035] In Figure 1 is shown a system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. System 100 includes a plurality of tubes (which includes tube 102) and a plurality of power systems 104A, 104B configured to heat a fluid flowing within and through one or more of the tubes (such as tube 102) in the tubes. For clarity, only one tube 102 is shown, and system 100 may include additional tubes connected to manifolds 116, 118. The tube 102 is made of at least one material. For example, the tube 102 may comprise a conductive material (e.g., a material having a conductivity greater than 1.0 Siemens per meter (S / m) at 20 °C). The conductive material may be distributed throughout the tube. The material may be distributed along the length of the tube. The material may form a wire or a portion of a circuit integrated with the tube. The tube 102 is selected from the plurality of tubes for heating. The selection may be part of an instruction executed by system control 128.
[0036] The selected tube 102 is electrically connected to power supplies 104A, 104B among the plurality of power systems 104A, 104B. Generally, a fluid flows through the tube 102, and the power systems 104A, 104B apply electrical energy to the tube 102 to heat the fluid therein at corresponding portions. This set of power systems 104 forms a thermal control system to control the temperature of the tube 102 for heating the fluid, or more specifically, the thermal distribution. The tube 102 and this set of power systems 104 together form a heater subsystem, where the fluid heating system 100 includes a plurality of heater subystems. As described herein, the plurality of heater subsystems are electrically isolated from each other at least by electrically isolating the power supplies and by providing a substantially zero sum voltage between opposite ends of the tube 102, as described in more detail below.
[0037] In one form, the tube 102 defines a fluid passage and contains a conductive material. The tube 102 further defines an inlet 112 connected to a fluid input manifold 116 (e.g., a first manifold) and an outlet 114 connected to a fluid output manifold 118 (e.g., a second manifold) to receive and discharge the fluid. In one form, the manifold 116 and the manifold 118 are electrically grounded. For clarity, only one tube 102 is illustrated, but it should be readily understood that a plurality of tubes 102 may be connected to the same fluid input manifold 116 and the fluid output manifold 118 while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0038] In an example application, the fluid heating system 100 is used in a reactor system that uses a catalyst 119 to produce a chemical reaction within the tube 102 when heated by electrical energy. Fluid enters the tube 102 through the fluid input manifold 116, and by-products of the chemical reaction are discharged or released through the fluid output manifold 118. The direction of the fluid and the by-products is indicated by arrows 120 in Figure 2 . Although the fluid heating system 100 with the tube 102 and the power supplies 104A, 104B is described with respect to a reactor system, the fluid heating system 100 of the present disclosure can have other fluid heating applications with and without chemical reactions and should not be limited to the reactor system illustrated and described herein. For example, the fluid heating system 100 can be used in a reactor system that does not use a catalyst. In another example, the system 100 is used to heat water within the tube 102 to produce steam. Accordingly, the fluid heating system 100 can be used in other suitable applications in which the direct electrical energy illustrated and described herein is used to heat the tube and thereby heat the fluid flowing within the tube.
[0039] In one form, a plurality of power systems are configured to directly supply a high current (e.g., 1000 - 10000 amperes) to the tube 102, and as described herein, the current is controlled between at least two low voltage terminals or cold terminals of the set of power supplies 104A, 104B connected to the selected tube 102. The power supplies 104A, 104B are electrically connected to terminals 122 (e.g., terminals 122A, 122B, 122C) of the tube 102 to apply electrical energy to corresponding portions of the tube 102. Each power supply 104A, 104B includes an electrical isolator (G-I) 106A, 106B and a power controller 108A, 108B for controlling the power supplies 104A, 104B. The power controllers 108A, 108B supply power to the source side (e.g., source side winding) of the electrical isolator, which is electrically isolated from the output side of the electrical isolator, and the output side of the electrical isolator includes a circuit between the tube 102 and the terminals of the output side of the electrical isolator. In one form, if the set of power systems 104 includes two or more power systems 104, the set of power systems 104 defines multiple portions of the tube 102, where each power supply 104A, 104B supplies electrical energy to a corresponding portion. For example, the power supply 104A generally defines portion A between terminals 122A and 122B, and the power supply 104B generally defines region B between terminals 122B and 122C. Although Figure 2 two power supplies 104A, 104B are illustrated, more power supplies are contemplated as Figure 3 shown.
[0040] The power controllers 108A, 108B are configured to operate the power supplies 104A, 104B to supply electrical energy to the tube 102. More specifically, the power controllers 108A, 108B are configured to control the temperature of corresponding portions of the tube 102 by adjusting the current supplied by the power supplies 104A, 104B based on one or more operating parameters. As detailed below, the power controllers 108A, 108B of the set of power supplies 104A, 104B are configured to effectively cancel the corresponding voltages applied across the corresponding portions, thereby providing a zero voltage between the manifolds 116, 118 and reducing the current flowing to ground. In one form, the power controllers 108A, 108B include a power converter for adjusting the power from the power supply to a desired level (e.g., a desired voltage and / or a desired current). The power controllers 108A, 108B may employ switches (such as power field effect transistors) to control the output voltage, current, phase, or other parameters of the power supplied to the tube 102. The power controllers 108A, 108B may also include other circuitry, such as a communication interface and / or a power safety switch (not shown). The communication interface is configured to communicate with an external device (such as the system controller 128), which provides an operation signal indicating the amount of electrical energy (i.e., power, voltage, and / or current) supplied by the power supplies 104A, 104B to the tube 102. A power safety switch may be configured to turn off the power of the power supplies 104A, 104B in response to electrical characteristics reaching or exceeding a desired threshold.
[0041] As shown, the power supplies 104A, 104B are electrically connected to corresponding portions of the tube 102 to supply electrical energy to heat the tube 102. The electrical isolators 106A, 106B may be transformers, as schematically shown. The electrical isolators 106A, 106B are configured to receive adjustable power from the corresponding power controllers 108A, 108B. The electrical isolators 106A, 106B deliver alternating current to the tube 102 while isolating direct current from being delivered to the tube. Accordingly, the power supplies 104A, 104B are operable to supply a wide range of voltages and / or currents (e.g., alternating current).
[0042] In one form, during operation, the system controller 128 processes operating parameters to determine the energy to be provided to each tube 102. The system controller 128 can be configured in various suitable ways to determine the current to be applied by the power supplies 104A, 104B and to provide an operating signal to the set of power supplies 104A, 104B. For example, the system controller 128 is configured to include a closed-loop control routine that is defined to determine the amount of current to be applied based on one or more operating set points (such as but not limited to temperature set point, voltage set point, current set point, and / or power set point). In another example, the system controller 128 is configured to include an open-loop control routine to provide the desired amount of current over a period of time. It should be readily understood that other control routines can be used for the system controller 128 and the system controller 128 should not be limited to the examples provided herein. In one form, the system controller 128 can be part of the thermal control system to control the power system 104. That is, in certain applications, the power supplies 104A, 104B of the present disclosure can be used with a pre-existing system controller. In other applications, the system controller 128 can be equipped with the power supplies 104A, 104B.
[0043] To control the amount of current flowing to ground, the set of power supplies 104A, 104B electrically connected to the tube 102 are configured to provide substantially zero voltage to ground. More specifically, in Figure 2 the example, the voltage provided to the tube 102 by the power supply 104B has substantially the same opposite voltage as the voltage provided by the power supply 104A. Specifically, the electrical isolator 106A is electrically connected at portions 122A and 122B of the tube 102 to form a circuit or part of the circuit with the tube 102, and the electrical isolator 106B is electrically connected at portions 122B and 122C of the tube 102 to form a circuit or part of the circuit with the tube 102. The connection from the electrical isolator 106A (e.g., at terminal 122B) can be connected to the connection from the electrical isolator 106B (e.g., at terminal 122B).
[0044] Referring to Figure 2 , according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a system 100 having multiple phases is shown. For example, the power supplies 104A, 104B may not need to provide a strictly mirrored voltage to obtain substantially zero voltage between the manifolds 116, 118. For example, three-phase power can be provided to the tube 102 such that the net voltage between the manifolds 116, 118 or the outermost terminals is zero. The present disclosure also contemplates other phases. The present disclosure also contemplates fewer phases. Figure 3 Illustrates the tube 102 and Figure 2The set of power supplies 104A, 104B, and also includes an additional power supply 104C connected to the tube 102. The power supply 104C can be similarly configured with electrical isolators. The power supplies 104A, 104B, 104C are connected such that: the power system 104A is electrically connected to terminals 122A and 122B of part A defined by the tube 102; the power system 104B is electrically connected to terminals 122B and 122C of defined part B; and the power system 104C is electrically connected to terminals 122C and 122D of defined part C. The terminals 122A and 122D are respectively closest to the inlet 112 and outlet 114 of the tube 102. Thus, the power supplies 104A, 104B, 104C are connected to the tube 102 such that when each of the power supplies 104A, 104B, 104C provides one phase of a three-phase power supply, the voltage between the manifolds 116, 118 is substantially zero. For example, a three-phase power supply can be equipped with one phase provided to each of the power supplies 104A, 104B, 104C. Thus, when the voltage associated with phase A of the power supply 104A is at its peak, the negative voltages of phases B and C from the power supplies 104B, 104C are equally opposite, ensuring that the voltage between the terminals 122A, 122D and the manifolds 116, 118 is substantially zero.
[0045] In one form, the deployment of the (multiple) high-voltage terminals of the G-I power supply 106 is selected to provide the desired heat distribution for the application of the fluid heating system 100 and can be determined based on various parameters such as, but not limited to, the concentration of the catalyst and / or cold spots along the tube 102. For example, in Figure 2 an example application, if the catalyst 119 is concentrated closer to the fluid output manifold 118, the hot terminals can be connected to a portion of the tube 102 closer to the portion 122C to concentrate the electrical energy and thus the heat generated near the catalyst. It should be understood herein that any location having a voltage different from ground can be positive or negative.
[0046] In a polyphase current heating device, multiple power controllers can be used, and the power controllers mirror each other so as to move from 0 volts at the inlet to 0 volts at the outlet. For example, in one form, multiple reactor tubes are electrically isolated using multiple power controllers that mirror each other so as to move from zero volts at the inlet manifold to zero volts at the outlet manifold. This makes the system be referred to as "zero volts".
[0047] In another form, a polyphase current heating device includes multiple power controllers that mirror each other so as to move from 0 volts at the inlet of a single reactor tube to 0 volts at the outlet. This configuration allows for the creation of multiple heating zones within a single reactor tube.
[0048] The electrical isolation controller can also be configured such that the inlet and outlet are "grounded" (at zero volts) to have a minimum ground current (i.e., control the ground current). Each of the above alternative forms can be implemented using the electrical isolation described herein.
[0049] Refer to Figure 3 , which shows a guide pin 302 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The tube 102, which is part of the system 100, can follow a tortuous path between the manifolds 116, 118 as shown. The tube 102 can be supported by a guide pin 302 to position the tube 102 within a housing or enclosure. For example, the power supplies 104A, 104B can similarly use the terminals on the tube 102 and the guide pin 302 to provide heating to heat the tube 102 and the catalyst disposed therein.
[0050] Refer to Figure 4 , which shows a method 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 400 can be performed according to the system described herein (e.g., system 100) or other systems. The method 400 can include providing a fluid (e.g., a liquid or gaseous substance) to one or more of the tubes 102 in step 402. The fluid can be provided by a manifold (e.g., manifold 116), and the fluid can be released through a manifold (e.g., manifold 118). The method 400 can include steps for releasing the fluid. In step 404, an electric current can be provided to the tube 102 to heat the substance (e.g., catalyst) therein. The electric current can be provided to a conductive material to generate resistive heating. For example, the tube 102 can comprise a material having properties capable of heating the fluid. In step 406, the electric current can be adjusted (e.g., by the controllers 108A, 108B) to change the magnitude of the heat applied to the fluid through the tube 102. The steps of method 404 can be performed by a computer or controller comprising a processor and a memory. For example, the memory can store instructions executable by the processor or controller to perform the steps listed herein.
[0051] After describing the various forms of the present disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, such as the scope defined in the appended claims.
[0052] When introducing elements of the present disclosure or its various forms, the articles "a", "an", "the", and "said" are meant to indicate the presence of one or more elements. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements in addition to the listed elements.
[0053] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, when describing the scope of the present disclosure, all numerical values indicating mechanical / thermal properties, percentage compositions, dimensions, and / or tolerances or other characteristics should be understood to be modified by the term "about" or "approximately". This modification is necessary for various reasons, including industrial practices, materials, manufacturing and assembly tolerances, and test capabilities.
[0054] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be construed as a logical (A OR B OR C) using non-exclusive logical OR and should not be understood as "at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C".
[0055] In this application, the terms "controller" and / or "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following, which are: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuits (shared, dedicated, or group) that execute code; memory circuits (shared, dedicated, or group) that store code executed by the processor circuits; other suitable hardware components that provide the functions (such as operational amplifier circuit integrators as part of a heat flux data module); or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.
[0056] The term memory is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium as used herein does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); thus, the term computer-readable medium can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are: non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tapes or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).
[0057] The devices and methods described in this application can be implemented partially or fully by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The above functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements are software specifications that can be translated into a computer program by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.
[0058] Since various changes can be made to the above systems, processes, and reactions without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, all matters included in the above description and all matters shown in the accompanying drawings should be construed as illustrative and not restrictive.
Claims
1. A method of heating a reactor system, the reactor system including a plurality of reactor tubes, each of the plurality of reactor tubes having a catalyst disposed therein and having at least one conductive surface, the method comprising: electrically isolating the plurality of reactor tubes such that each of the plurality of reactor tubes can be directly welded to a tube inlet header and an outlet header of the reactor system; providing electrical energy to the at least one conductive surface of each of the plurality of reactor tubes; and individually adjusting the current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one conductive surface of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes to individually control the temperature of each reactor tube of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactor tubes are electrically isolated in a manner that avoids using electrical insulation for each of the plurality of reactor tubes from the remainder of the reactor system.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of reactor tubes are electrically isolated using a plurality of power controllers that mirror each other so as to move from zero volts at the inlet header to zero volts at the outlet header.
4. A fluid heating system, comprising: a tube defining a fluid passage, the tube comprising a material having a conductivity greater than 1.0 Siemens per meter (S / m) at 20 °C, the material being distributed along the tube, wherein the fluid passage defines an inlet configured to receive fluid and an outlet configured to discharge the fluid; a first power source including a first circuit configured to conduct a first current on a first portion of the tube, the first circuit including a first electrical isolation between a source terminal of the first power source and the first portion of the tube, wherein the first power source is configured to heat the tube based on the first current; and a second power source including a second circuit configured to conduct a second current on a second portion of the tube, the second circuit including a second electrical isolation between a source terminal of the second power source and the second portion of the tube, wherein the second power source is configured to heat the tube based on the second current, and wherein the voltage of the first power source is substantially similar to the voltage of the second power source, and the voltage across the first portion and the second portion is substantially zero.
5. The fluid heating system according to claim 4, wherein the voltage of the first power source is the peak voltage of the first power source, and the first current is alternating, and wherein the voltage of the second power source is the peak voltage of the second power source, and the second current is alternating.
6. The fluid heating system according to claim 5, further comprising: A third power supply, which includes a third circuit configured to conduct a third current on a third portion of the tube. The third circuit includes a third electrical isolation between a source terminal of the third power supply and the third portion of the tube. The third power supply is configured to heat the tube based on the third current, and a peak voltage of the third power supply is substantially similar to a peak voltage of the first power supply and a peak voltage of the second power supply, and voltages across the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are substantially zero over time.
7. The fluid heating system according to claim 6, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion comprise the material.
8. The fluid heating system according to claim 6, wherein, A phase of the first current is 120° different from a phase of the second current, and the phase of the first current is 240° different from a phase of the third current.
9. The fluid heating system according to claim 6, wherein the first electrical isolation is based on a first transformer, the second electrical isolator is based on a second transformer, and the third electrical isolator is based on a third transformer.
10. The fluid heating system according to claim 6, wherein the first portion extends to one end of the first portion at a first position on the tube, and the second portion extends to a first end of the second portion at the first position. And the second portion extends to a second end of the second portion at a second position on the tube, and the third portion extends to one end of the third portion at the second position.
11. The fluid heating system according to claim 4, further comprising: A guide pin, which includes a portion of the guide pin configured to arrange the tube relative to the housing, and the first circuit includes the portion of the guide pin.
12. The fluid heating system according to claim 11, wherein the second circuit includes the portion of the guide pin.
13. The fluid heating system according to claim 11, wherein the portion of the guide pin is conductive.
14. The fluid heating system according to claim 4, wherein the fluid heating system includes a first manifold configured to provide a substance, and the tube is joined to the first manifold and electrical conductivity exists between the tube and the first manifold. The substance includes the fluid.
15. The fluid heating system according to claim 14, wherein the fluid heating system includes a second manifold configured to release the substance, and the tube is joined to the second manifold and electrical conductivity exists between the tube and the second manifold.
16. The fluid heating system according to claim 15, further comprising: A wire between the first manifold and the second manifold, wherein the wire is conductive and a voltage across the two ends of the wire is substantially zero.
17. A method of heating a reactor system including a plurality of reactor tubes, one of the plurality of reactor tubes having a catalyst disposed therein, the one of the plurality of reactor tubes comprising a material having a conductivity greater than 1.0 Siemens per meter (S / m) at 20 °C, a first power source including a first circuit configured to conduct a first current through the material, the first circuit including electrical isolation between the first power source and the material, the method comprising: Providing the first current to the material; and Adjusting the magnitude of the first current to control the temperature of the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the catalyst disposed therein.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reactor system includes a first manifold, wherein the one of the plurality of reactor tubes is joined to the first manifold and conductivity exists between the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the first manifold, the method further comprising: Providing fluid to the one of the plurality of reactor tubes with the first manifold.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reactor system includes a second manifold, wherein the one of the plurality of reactor tubes is joined to the second manifold and conductivity exists between the one of the plurality of reactor tubes and the second manifold, the method further comprising: Releasing the fluid from the one of the plurality of reactor tubes with the second manifold.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein based on the adjustment of the first current, the voltage between the first manifold and the second manifold is substantially zero.