Electrical reactor system for cracking a hydrocarbon feed

Abstract

A reactor system comprising: a housing comprising an inflow opening, an outflow opening, and a housing wall forming a chamber, wherein the housing wall is at least partially made of an insulating material, and the chamber is sealed off from the outside atmosphere except through the inflow opening and the outflow opening; and a tube reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a sidewall extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the tube reactor is heated by applying an electric current to the sidewall, and the tube reactor is positioned in the chamber of the housing.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 592,788, filed on October 24, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The implementation schemes described herein generally relate to reactor systems for cracked hydrocarbon feedstocks, and more specifically to electrically powered reactor systems for cracked hydrocarbon feedstocks. Background Technology

[0003] For various reasons, such as reducing CO2 emissions, electrically heated steam cracking furnaces may be needed for cracking hydrocarbon feedstocks. However, existing furnace shells designed for combustion-type radiant thermal crackers are not well-suited for use as e-cracking furnace shells. Specifically, in conventional combustion furnaces, hydrocarbon burners are placed in the furnace shell close to the reaction coils, such that the walls of these coils are heated by radiant heat generated by the burner flame, producing flue gas (composed primarily of CO2 and water vapor) that exits through the exhaust chimney. Because the flue gas exits through the chimney, there is significant heat loss in the shell, much of which is recovered via cross-heating to heat the feed gas in the exhaust chimney.

[0004] Therefore, an outer shell is needed for the electric pyrolysis furnace. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, there is a persistent need for improved reactor systems, including shells designed for use with electric cracking furnaces (also referred to herein as "e-crackers"). Embodiments of this disclosure meet these needs by utilizing a shell at least partially made of insulating material and applying current to the sidewalls of the tubular reactor. This improves the reactor system's insulation performance. Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure meet these needs by utilizing chambers that are sealed and isolated from the external atmosphere except through inlet and outlet openings of the shell. By providing a shell around the tubular reactor, the reactor system minimizes heat loss to the ambient atmosphere and prevents any material loss in the event of a leak in the reaction coils. Additionally, this disclosure eliminates or minimizes the risk of hydrocarbon buildup inside the shell.

[0006] According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, a reactor system includes a shell and a tubular reactor. The shell includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a shell wall forming a chamber, wherein the shell wall is at least partially made of an insulating material, and the chamber is sealed and isolated from the external atmosphere except through the inlet opening and the outlet opening. The tubular reactor includes an inlet, an outlet, and a sidewall extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the tubular reactor is heated by applying an electric current to the sidewall, and the tubular reactor is positioned within the chamber of the shell.

[0007] Additional features and advantages of the techniques disclosed herein will be set forth in the detailed description below, and will be apparent in part from the description or recognized by those skilled in the art through practice of the techniques as described herein (including the detailed description below, the claims and the drawings). Attached Figure Description

[0008] The following detailed description of specific embodiments of this disclosure is best understood in conjunction with the following drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar structures and in the drawings:

[0009] Figure 1 A schematic front view of a reactor system including a tubular reactor according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein is depicted; and

[0010] Figure 2 A side view of a reactor system including a tubular reactor according to one or more embodiments described herein is schematically depicted. Detailed Implementation

[0011] This document describes one or more non-limiting embodiments. In one embodiment, the reactor system includes a shell comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a shell wall forming a chamber. The shell wall is at least partially made of an insulating material, and the chamber is sealed to the outside atmosphere except through the inlet and outlet openings. The reactor system also includes a tubular reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a sidewall extending between the inlet and outlet. The tubular reactor is heated by applying an electric current to the sidewall, and the tubular reactor is positioned within the chamber of the shell. Not wishing to be bound by theory, the reactor system can improve thermal insulation performance by utilizing a shell at least partially made of an insulating material and applying an electric current to the sidewall of the tubular reactor. Furthermore, by sealing the chamber to the outside atmosphere except through the inlet and outlet openings of the shell, the reactor system minimizes heat loss to the ambient atmosphere and prevents material loss in the event of a leak in the reaction coil. Additionally, the system described in this disclosure eliminates or minimizes the risk of hydrocarbon buildup inside the shell. These and other advantages are described in detail below.

[0012] e-pyrolysis furnaces can operate at maximum system temperatures up to 1100°C, while combustion furnaces have a maximum system temperature of 2000°C. In implementations of e-pyrolysis furnace shells, a burner may not be required, and therefore there may be no flue gas exhaust chimney. A small purge airflow is needed through the e-pyrolysis furnace shell to ensure that any leakage of hydrocarbons from the coils does not accumulate and cause overpressure events. This purge airflow helps to reduce the size of the required exhaust chimney, making it smaller than the flue gas exhaust chimney in a conventional gas combustion furnace. Compared to the shell required for a combustion furnace, the lower operating temperature, the absence of a burner, and the use of a small exhaust chimney result in a lower cost for the e-pyrolysis furnace shell. As described above, the shell for an e-pyrolysis furnace system needs to be constructed to function without the flow of hot flue gas that permeates the gas combustion system. The flue gas not only helps to heat the shell but also forces gas to move through it, thereby providing the emission and / or combustion of small amounts of hydrocarbons leaking from the reactor into the shell. When using an e-pyrolyzer, there is no flue gas flow to force the gas through the casing; therefore, when used with an e-pyrolyzer, the casing used for the gas combustion process will accumulate combustible hydrocarbon gases. The casing disclosed and described herein addresses this problem by being constructed for use with e-pyrolyzer technology.

[0013] Now for reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The reactor system 10 includes a shell 100 and a tubular reactor 200. As described herein, a “reactor” refers to a vessel suitable for initiating a given chemical reaction, such as by heating. A “tubular reactor” can refer to a reactor having a substantially tubular shape that allows reactants and products to pass from the reactor inlet to the reactor outlet.

[0014] The housing 100 includes an inflow opening 101, an outflow opening 102, and a housing wall 103 forming a chamber 150. The housing wall 103 may extend from the inflow opening 101 to the outflow opening 102. In some embodiments, the inflow opening 101 and the outflow opening 102 may not need to be precisely positioned at the ends of the housing 100. However, the inflow opening 101 and the outflow opening 102 may be positioned sufficiently close to the ends of the housing 100 to avoid significantly impairing the function of the housing 100. In one or more embodiments, the inflow opening 101 and the outflow opening 102 may be positioned at opposite ends of the housing 100.

[0015] Inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102 are configured to open when the pressure in chamber 150 is higher than atmospheric pressure. The opening and closing of inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102 can be performed by any suitable mechanism, such as a valve that automatically opens when the pressure in chamber 150 exceeds a preset pressure, or a mechanical pressure relief valve. Inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102 allow gases (such as air) to flow into and out of housing 100.

[0016] The outer casing 100 may form a chamber 150. The chamber 150 may be sealed and isolated from the external atmosphere except through inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102. According to one embodiment, the atmosphere in the chamber 150 may be air. However, in other embodiments, the atmosphere in the chamber 150 may be other process gases or inert gases. During normal operating conditions, the atmosphere in the chamber 150 may be operated in a partially or fully recirculated manner through inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102 to eliminate potential stagnation zones within the chamber 150 that could lead to gas accumulation or temperature inconsistencies, and to prevent or minimize heat loss. When a combustible gas is detected in the atmosphere of the chamber 150, the recirculation of the gas in the chamber 150 may be stopped to prevent the introduction of potentially combustible oxygen. In this disclosure, the term "normal conditions" may refer to operating conditions in which buoyancy-driven circulation generated by air outside the reactor system 10 occurs without additional energy or increased heat loss to prevent hydrocarbon accumulation in the outer casing 100. For example, if there is no risk of hydrocarbon buildup inside the outer casing, normal conditions would prohibit air from flowing into or out of the casing, as this would minimize heat loss. Therefore, the primary purpose of ventilation is to prevent hydrocarbon buildup that could be caused by any leaks in the reactor tubes.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inlet opening 101 is located at the bottom of the housing 100, and the outlet opening 102 is located at the top of the housing, allowing natural movement of gas through the housing 100. The elevated temperature inside the housing 100 relative to the external ambient conditions may cause the hot (lower density) gas inside the housing 100 to generate buoyancy-driven flow and exit through the inlet opening 101 and the outlet opening 102. This hot gas exiting the housing 100 is replaced by allowing gas of equal mass flow rate to enter the housing 100 through the inlet opening 101 at the bottom of the housing 100. In one embodiment, the inlet opening 101 may include louvers or valves or some other adjustable flow-limiting mechanism to control (such as regulate or prescribe) the flow rate of purge gas through the housing 100. In one embodiment, the outlet opening 102 may optionally be equipped with louvers or some other adjustable flow-limiting mechanism to control the outflow of hot gas from the housing 100.

[0018] If the predetermined amount of airflow through the inflow opening 101 and the outflow opening 102 is determined solely by the density difference between the heated air inside the outer casing 100 and the cooler external air (i.e., the hot air rising from the outflow opening 102 at the top of the outer casing 100), then the pressure inside the container will be slightly lower than atmospheric pressure at the bottom of the container, such as a negative pressure of 10 mm to 50 mm of water column at the bottom of the container, and slightly higher than atmospheric pressure at the top of the outer casing 100.

[0019] A minimum airflow rate within the casing 100 may be required to completely burn any hydrocarbons introduced from the reactor tubes and entering the casing, such as those leaking through pinholes in the reactor tubes. Large-scale catastrophic combustion can be avoided by continuously burning the small amounts of hydrocarbons leaking from the reactor tubes into the casing. Under normal conditions, air can enter and exit the casing 100 via inlet opening 101 and outlet opening 102. During any tube damage or malfunction event, the oxygen present in the air could momentarily ignite any leaked hydrocarbons.

[0020] In some embodiments, the outer casing wall 103 is at least partially made of an insulating material. In some embodiments, the insulating material may include ceramics, refractory materials, refractory bricks, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the entire outer casing wall 103 may be made of ceramics. In some embodiments, the outer casing wall 103 may be made of ceramic fiber blocks, or at least the inner surface 111 of the outer casing wall 103 may be made of one or more layers of ceramic fiber blankets.

[0021] In some embodiments, the temperature of the inner surface 111 of the outer shell wall 103 exposed to the chamber 150 is greater than or equal to 500°C, greater than or equal to 600°C, greater than or equal to 700°C, or greater than or equal to 800°C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the inner surface 111 of the outer shell wall 103 exposed to the chamber 150 is less than or equal to 1400°C, less than or equal to 1300°C, less than or equal to 1200°C, or less than or equal to 1100°C. The temperature of the inner surface 111 of the outer shell wall 103 exposed to the chamber 150 can be 500°C to 1400°C, 500°C to 1300°C, 500°C to 1200°C, 500°C to 1100°C, 600°C to 1400°C, 600°C to 1300°C, 600°C to 1200°C, 600°C to 1100°C, 700°C to 1400°C, 700°C to 1300°C, 700°C to 1200°C, 700°C to 1100°C, 800°C to 1400°C, 800°C to 1300°C, 800°C to 1200°C, 800°C to 1100°C, or any and all subranges formed by any of these endpoints.

[0022] In some embodiments, the temperature of the outer surface 112 of the housing wall 103 is higher than or equal to 45°C, higher than or equal to 50°C, higher than or equal to 55°C, or higher than or equal to 60°C. In some embodiments, the temperature of the outer surface 112 of the housing wall 103 is lower than or equal to 120°C, lower than or equal to 110°C, lower than or equal to 105°C, or lower than or equal to 100°C. The temperature of the outer surface 112 of the outer shell wall 103 exposed to the chamber 150 can be 45°C to 120°C, 45°C to 110°C, 45°C to 105°C, 45°C to 100°C, 50°C to 120°C, 50°C to 110°C, 50°C to 105°C, 50°C to 100°C, 55°C to 120°C, 55°C to 110°C, 55°C to 105°C, 55°C to 100°C, 60°C to 120°C, 60°C to 110°C, 60°C to 105°C, 60°C to 100°C, or any and all subranges formed by any of these endpoints.

[0023] During normal conditions, the pressure within enclosure 100 may be below or equal to atmospheric pressure. Enclosure 100 may be designed to operate at pressures above or equal to atmospheric pressure of 0.00001 MPa. In some embodiments, the pressure within enclosure 100 may be below or equal to 0.10 MPa, below or equal to 0.05 MPa, below or equal to 0.01 MPa, below or equal to 0.005 MPa, below or equal to 0.001 MPa, or below or equal to 0.0005 MPa. In some embodiments, the pressure within enclosure 100 may be above or equal to 0.00001 MPa, above or equal to 0.00005 MPa, or above or equal to 0.0001 MPa. The pressure within the housing 100 can be 0.00001 MPa to 0.10 MPa, 0.00001 MPa to 0.05 MPa, 0.00001 MPa to 0.01 MPa, 0.00001 MPa to 0.005 MPa, 0.00001 MPa to 0.001 MPa, 0.00001 MPa to 0.0005 MPa, 0.00005 MPa to 0.10 MPa, 0.00005 MPa to 0.05 MPa, 0.00005 MPa to 0.01 MPa, 0.00 0.005MPa to 0.005MPa, 0.00005MPa to 0.001MPa, 0.00005MPa to 0.0005MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.10MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.05MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.01MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.005MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.001MPa, 0.0001MPa to 0.0005MPa, or any and all subranges formed by any of these endpoints.

[0024] In some embodiments, the housing wall 103 may further include one or more heating elements 104. In embodiments, the housing wall 103 may also include one, two, three, four, five, or six heating elements 104. It should be understood that the number of heating elements is not particularly limited and will be determined based on heat load requirements. According to one or more embodiments, when multiple heating elements 104 are positioned within the housing 100, the heating elements 104 can be controlled in groups or even individually. Individual control of groups of heating elements 104 allows for independent control of various heating zones within the housing 100. In embodiments, the heating elements 104 may be configured to heat the atmosphere within the chamber 150. In one or more embodiments, the heating elements 104 may be configured to heat the housing wall 103.

[0025] Heating element 104 may be disposed on the outer casing wall 103. In an embodiment, heating element 104 may be configured to provide a sufficient heating rate to drive buoyancy-induced ventilation as described above even when the primary heating source (such as heating element 220) is not operational. The primary heating source may refer to the heating source of the heating tubular reactor 200. Heating element 104 may be provided to prevent hydrocarbon buildup when the primary heating source (such as heating element 220) is not operational or cannot provide sufficient heat to one or more portions of chamber 150.

[0026] In one embodiment, at least one heating element 104 may comprise a metal, graphite, ceramic material, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the metal may comprise a nickel-chromium alloy. In one or more embodiments, at least one heating element 104 may comprise NiCr, SiC, MoSi2, graphite, or FeCrAl as a resistive material through which current passes to generate heat. In one or more embodiments, at least one heating element 104 may comprise silicon carbide (SiC). In one or more embodiments, at least one heating element 104 may take any suitable form. For example, but not limited to, at least one heating element 104 may comprise round wire, flat wire, stranded wire, strip, rod, bar, etc. In one or more embodiments, heating element 220 may be resistant to exposure to air, hydrocarbons, and vapors. Without being bound by theory, heating elements may be resistant to hydrocarbons and vapors such that they are not damaged in the event of a release of hydrocarbons or vapors due to a failure of one of the tubular reactors in the tubular reactor, resulting in the release of reactants, products, or both. However, it should be noted that suitable heating elements are not limited to those resistant to exposure to hydrocarbons or vapors.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, at least one heating element 104 may have a resistivity of 0.1 μΩ·m to 5 μΩ·m at 1100°C, 0.1 μΩ·m to 3 μΩ·m at 1100°C, 0.1 μΩ·m to 2 μΩ·m at 1100°C, 0.5 μΩ·m to 5 μΩ·m at 1100°C, 0.5 μΩ·m to 3 μΩ·m at 1100°C, 0.5 μΩ·m to 2 μΩ·m at 1100°C, or any and all subranges formed by any of these endpoints.

[0028] In some embodiments, housing 100 may further include at least one port for monitoring at least one of the pressure, temperature, or composition of the atmosphere in chamber 150. The at least one port may be a sealed opening into which a device for measuring the pressure, temperature, or composition of the atmosphere, such as a probe, thermocouple, etc., can be inserted. In embodiments, the port may be configured such that the device is permanently mounted in the port (i.e., replaced only for maintenance or failure reasons). In other embodiments, the port may be configured such that a device can be inserted to perform the desired measurement and then removed. In embodiments, the port is sealed so that gas from the atmosphere does not leak into chamber 150 through the port. At least one port may be used to monitor all or any one of the pressure, temperature, or composition of the atmosphere in chamber 150.

[0029] In some embodiments, the housing 100 may also include at least one infrared camera. In some embodiments, the infrared camera may be used to measure the temperature of surfaces within the housing. In some embodiments, at least one infrared camera may be mounted at a corner of the housing 100 to monitor the temperature of the tubular reactor 200.

[0030] In an embodiment, the housing 100 may also include a window for monitoring the temperature of the tubular reactor 200, such as using a thermocouple, a laser thermometer, or an infrared camera.

[0031] The outer shell wall 103 may be spaced apart from the outer surface 212 of the side wall 203. In an embodiment, the inner surface 111 of the outer shell wall 103 may be spaced apart from the outer surface 212 of the side wall 203. The inner surface 111 of the outer shell wall 103 may not be in direct contact with the outer surface 212 of the side wall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. In this embodiment, conducting heat on the tubular reactor 200 via at least one heating element 104 may not be feasible.

[0032] Still referencing Figure 1 and Figure 2The tubular reactor 200 includes an inlet 201, an outlet 202, and a sidewall 203 extending between the inlet 201 and the outlet 202. The sidewall 203 includes an outer surface 212 and an inner surface 211. A hydrocarbon feed stream can be introduced into the tubular reactor 200 through the inlet 201. At least a portion of the hydrocarbon feed stream within the tubular reactor 200 can react to form a product stream, which flows through the tubular reactor 200 and exits through the outlet 202 of the tubular reactor 200. It should be noted that reacting the hydrocarbon feed stream to form a product stream can include carrying out any endothermic reaction. In some embodiments, the endothermic reaction can be a steam cracking reaction, a steam reforming reaction, or a hydrogenation reaction. However, it should be noted that the methods for treating chemicals described herein are not necessarily limited to these reactions.

[0033] In some embodiments, the reaction can be a steam cracking reaction. However, the described embodiments are applicable to a wide range of chemical processes. As described herein, a “steam cracking reaction” refers to the thermal cracking of hydrocarbons in the presence of steam to produce products such as hydrogen, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Unbound by theory, the pyrolysis of hydrocarbons follows a free radical mechanism and requires high temperatures. Steam can act as a diluent to reduce the partial pressure of hydrocarbons, which can improve selectivity by promoting higher yields of light olefins.

[0034] In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed stream may contain at least one of methane, ethane, propane, and butane. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed stream may contain naphtha or vacuum gas oil. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed stream may contain C1 to C5 hydrocarbons, C1 to C... 20 Hydrocarbons or even C1 to C 50 Hydrocarbons. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon feed stream may also contain water or steam (H2O), CO2, CO, N2, CO, CO2, H2, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, methane may not react in the tubular reactor 200 and may pass through the tubular reactor 200 as an inert gas.

[0035] In one or more embodiments, the product stream may comprise at least one of hydrogen, olefins, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The product stream may comprise olefins such as ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, 1-pentene, 2-pentene, 2-methyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 2-methyl-2-butene, or combinations thereof. In one or more embodiments, the product stream may comprise C2 to C4 hydrocarbons. 10 Olefins, C2 to C 20 Olefins or even C2 to C 50 Olefins. In one or more embodiments, the product stream may comprise aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene and its derivatives. The product stream may comprise benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, p-xylene, m-xylene, mesitylene, mesitylene, 2-phenylhexane, biphenyl, or combinations thereof.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the product stream may comprise more than 15 wt%, more than 20 wt%, more than 25 wt%, more than 30 wt%, more than 35 wt%, or more than 40 wt% of olefins, aromatic hydrocarbons, or combinations thereof. For example, but not limited to, the product stream may comprise 15 wt% to 100 wt%, 20 wt% to 100 wt%, 30 wt% to 100 wt%, 40 wt% to 100 wt%, 50 wt% to 100 wt%, 60 wt% to 100 wt%, 70 wt% to 100 wt%, 80 wt% to 100 wt%, 90 wt% to 100 wt%, 20 wt% to 90 wt%, 20 wt% to 80 wt%, 20 wt% to 70 wt%, 20 wt% to 60 wt%, 20 wt% to 50 wt%, 20 wt% to 40 wt%, 20 wt% to 30 wt%, or any combination or subset of these ranges of olefins, aromatic hydrocarbons, or combinations thereof.

[0037] Sidewall 203 may extend from at least inlet 201 to outlet 202 of tubular reactor 200. In one or more embodiments, sidewall 203 may extend from inlet 201 to outlet 202 of tubular reactor 200. In such embodiments, inlet 201 and outlet 202 may be located at opposite ends of tubular reactor 200. In one or more embodiments not depicted, sidewall 203 may extend beyond inlet 201 or outlet 202 or both. In such embodiments, inlet 201 or outlet 202 may not need to be precisely located at the ends of tubular reactor 200. However, inlet 201 and outlet 202 may be located sufficiently close to the ends of tubular reactor 200 to avoid significantly impairing the function of tubular reactor 200. For example, inlet 201 or outlet 202 may be an opening in sidewall 203 of tubular reactor 200 near the end of tubular reactor 200, where the end of tubular reactor 200 is closed. Tubular reactor 200 is located within chamber 150 of housing 100. In some implementations, the tubular reactor 200 may be in the form of a coil.

[0038] In some embodiments, the tubular reactor 200 operates at temperatures above or equal to 500°C, above or equal to 600°C, above or equal to 700°C, or above or equal to 800°C. In some embodiments, the tubular reactor 200 operates at temperatures below or equal to 1400°C, below or equal to 1300°C, below or equal to 1200°C, or below or equal to 1100°C. The tubular reactor 200 operates at temperatures ranging from 500°C to 1400°C, 500°C to 1300°C, 500°C to 1200°C, 500°C to 1100°C, 600°C to 1400°C, 600°C to 1300°C, 600°C to 1200°C, 600°C to 1100°C, 700°C to 1400°C, 700°C to 1300°C, 700°C to 1200°C, 700°C to 1100°C, 800°C to 1400°C, 800°C to 1300°C, 800°C to 1200°C, 800°C to 1100°C, or any and all subranges formed by any of these endpoints.

[0039] In implementations, the sidewall 203 may also include one, two, three, or four heating elements 220. It should be understood that the number of heating elements is not particularly limited and will be determined based on heat load requirements. According to one or more implementations, when multiple heating elements 220 are positioned within the tubular reactor 200, the heating elements 220 can be controlled in groups or even individually. Individual control of groups of heating elements 220 allows for independent control of various heating zones within the tubular reactor 200.

[0040] The tubular reactor 200 is heated by applying an electric current to the sidewall 203. The sidewall 203 may be connected to at least one heating element 220. The at least one heating element 220 may be a current source. The at least one heating element 220 may be any suitable current source. The at least one heating element 220 may be operable to supply alternating current or direct current to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. For example, but not limited to, a suitable heating element 220 may be a commercially available step-down transformer.

[0041] In this implementation, applying a current through the sidewall 203 heats the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 via resistance heating. Unbound by theory, resistance heating occurs via the "Joule effect." According to Joule's first law, the heating power generated by an electrical conductor is proportional to the product of its resistance (R) and the square of the current. Joule's first law is given in Equation 1, where P is power, I is current, and R is resistance.

[0042]

[0043] In one or more embodiments, applying an electric current to the sidewall 203 can heat at least a portion of the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. The sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 can be heated to a temperature sufficient to reach the operating temperature of the tubular reactor 200 disclosed above.

[0044] In some embodiments, the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 may be conductive. In some embodiments, the tubular reactor 200 and the outer shell 100 are connected by at least one reactor support 300. In some embodiments, the tubular reactor 200 and the outer shell 100 are connected by two reactor supports 300. At least one reactor support 300 may be disposed between the top of the tubular reactor 200 and the top of the outer shell 100.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, heat can be transferred from the heating element 220 to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 via radiation, convection, or a combination thereof. For example, but not limited to, heat can be radiated directly from the surface of the heating element 220 to the outer surface 212 of the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. Additionally, the gas contained within the housing 100 can be heated by the heating element 220 and, through convection, heat the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200.

[0046] As described herein, the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 can be heated by resistance heating of the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 and by radiant heating from the heating element 220. In one or more embodiments, the heating element 220 can provide 10% to 50% of the heat to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. For example, the heating element 220 can provide 10% to 50%, 20% to 50%, 30% to 50%, 40% to 50%, 10% to 40%, 10% to 30%, 10% to 20%, or any combination or subset of these values ​​of heat to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, resistance heating of the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 can provide 50% to 90% of the heat to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200. For example, resistance heating of the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200 can provide 50% to 90%, 60% to 90%, 70% to 90%, 80% to 90%, 50% to 80%, 50% to 70%, 50% to 60%, or any combination or subset of these values ​​of heat to the sidewall 203 of the tubular reactor 200.

[0048] It should be noted that the method steps described herein should not be construed as requiring these steps to be performed in a specific order unless otherwise specified. For example, but not limitingly, it is contemplated that in the methods for processing chemicals described herein, the method steps of passing a first current through at least a portion of the wall of a tubular reactor to heat at least a portion of the wall of the tubular reactor and passing a second current through a heating element to heat at least a portion of the heating element do not necessarily have to be performed in any specific order, and the claims reciting these method steps should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in any specific order. It is contemplated that in one or more embodiments described herein, the method steps of passing a first current through at least a portion of the wall of the tubular reactor and passing a second current through the heating element can occur at any point in the methods for processing chemicals described herein. Specifically, such method steps can occur before, during, and after passing a hydrocarbon feed stream through the inlet of the tubular reactor, before, during, and after reacting the hydrocarbon feed stream to form a product stream, and before, during, and after passing the product stream through the tubular reactor.

[0049] It should be noted that one or more of the appended claims use the term "wherein" as a transitional expression. For the purpose of defining this technology, it should be noted that this term is introduced in the claims as an open transitional phrase used to introduce a description of a series of features of the structure, and should be interpreted in a similar manner to the more commonly used open prepositional term "comprising".

[0050] It should be understood that when the first component is described as "containing" the second component, it is anticipated in some embodiments that the first component is "composed of" or "substantially composed of" the second component. It should also be understood that when the first component is described as "containing" the second component, it is anticipated in some embodiments that the first component may contain at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or even at least 99% of the second component (wherein the percentage may be weight percentage or molar percentage).

[0051] Furthermore, the term "substantially composed of" is used in this disclosure to refer to a quantitative value that does not materially affect the essential and novel characteristics of this disclosure. For example, a chemical composition "substantially" composed of a particular chemical component or group of chemical components should be understood to mean that the composition contains at least about 99.5% of that particular chemical component or group of chemical components.

[0052] The subject matter of this disclosure has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that any detailed description of a component or feature of an embodiment does not necessarily imply that such component or feature is necessary for a particular embodiment or any other embodiment. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A reactor system, the reactor system comprising: An outer casing, the outer casing including an inlet opening, an outlet opening and an outer casing wall forming a chamber, wherein the outer casing wall is at least partially made of an insulating material, and the chamber is sealed and isolated from the external atmosphere except through the inlet opening and the outlet opening; and A tubular reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a sidewall extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the tubular reactor is heated by applying an electric current to the sidewall, and the tubular reactor is positioned within the chamber of the outer shell.

2. The reactor system according to claim 1, wherein the tubular reactor operates at a temperature of 700°C to 1100°C.

3. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature of the inner surface of the outer shell wall exposed to the chamber is 700°C to 1100°C.

4. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature of the outer surface of the outer shell wall exposed to the external atmosphere is 30°C to 100°C.

5. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shell wall is spaced apart from the outer surface of the reactor wall.

6. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular reactor is in the form of a coil.

7. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure inside the outer shell is less than 0.10 MPa.

8. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure inside the shell is from 0.00001 MPa to 0.0005 MPa.

9. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shell wall further comprises at least one heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the atmosphere within the chamber.

10. The reactor system of claim 9, wherein the at least one heating element comprises metal, graphite, or both.

11. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inflow opening and the outflow opening are configured to open when the pressure in the chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure.

12. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shell of the tubular reactor is connected by at least one reactor support.

13. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the atmosphere in the chamber is air.

14. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shell further comprises at least one port for monitoring at least one of the pressure, temperature, or composition of the atmosphere in the chamber.

15. The reactor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing further includes a window for monitoring the temperature of the tubular reactor.

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