Electrically Heated Reactor

Abstract

An electrically heated reactor is disclosed that includes a reaction tube having a longitudinal passage formed therein through which reactants pass, a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube so as to heat the reactants passing through the passage, and a pair of conductive sockets connecting the power source and the reaction tube so as to allow current to flow, wherein the reaction tube includes a first tube portion having a first resistivity and a second tube portion having a second resistivity different from the first resistivity, and the reactants that enter the first tube portion can move to the second tube portion and flow out from the second tube portion.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0062245, filed May 15, 2023, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference as part of this specification.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrically heated reactor, and more particularly to an electrically heated reactor that can efficiently and uniformly maintain a temperature within the reactor by utilizing an electric heating technology and can control the temperature in each section of the reactor. [Background technology]

[0003] The chemical industry uses natural gas as fuel to maintain high temperatures in various equipment (e.g., crackers, reformers, reactors, boilers, etc.). However, heating by burning natural gas is not only inefficient in terms of energy consumption, but is also a major source of carbon emissions. Therefore, efforts are underway to replace heating by burning natural gas with electric heating.

[0004] The matters described in this background art section are prepared to enhance understanding of the background of the invention, and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those having ordinary skill in the art to which this technology pertains. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an electrically heated reactor that can efficiently and uniformly maintain a temperature in the reactor by utilizing an electric heating technology and can control the temperature in each section of the reactor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An electrically heated reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a reaction tube having a longitudinal passage formed therein through which reactants pass; a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube so as to heat the reactants passing through the passage; and a pair of conductive sockets connecting the power source and the reaction tube so as to allow current to flow therethrough. The reaction tube may include a first tube portion having a first resistivity and a second tube portion having a second resistivity different from the first resistivity.

[0007] Reactants can flow into a first tube section, travel to a second tube section, and flow out of the second tube section.

[0008] The first and second tube portions may be connected to one another via welding, flange connection, or threaded connection.

[0009] The electrically heated reactor may further include an insulator that surrounds at least a portion of the reaction tube to provide thermal insulation.

[0010] The insulator may surround the reaction tube between a pair of conductive sockets.

[0011] The electrically heated reactor may further include a cooler for cooling at least one of the pair of conductive sockets.

[0012] In some embodiments, the reaction tube further includes at least one third tube section between the first and second tube sections and connected to the first and second tube sections, respectively, and each of the at least one third tube section has a third resistivity, and the resistivities of adjacent tube sections may be different from each other.

[0013] The first tube portion and the at least one third tube portion may be connected to each other via a welding, flange connection, or threaded connection, and the at least one third tube portion and the second tube portion may be connected to each other via a welding, flange connection, or threaded connection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, the temperature within the reactor can be efficiently and uniformly maintained using electrical heating technology.

[0015] In addition, by connecting multiple tubes having different resistivities to each other, the temperature of the reactor can be controlled in sections, thereby compensating for the temperature gradient inside the reactor caused by the reaction and achieving optimal yield.

[0016] Other effects that can be obtained or are expected from the embodiments of the present invention are directly or implicitly disclosed in the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention. In other words, various effects expected from the embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed in the detailed description below.

[0017] The embodiments herein may be better understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements and in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electrically heated reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrically heated reactor according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] An example of part "A" in FIG. 2 is shown. [Figure 4] Another example of part "A" in FIG. 2 is shown. [Figure 5] Another example of part "A" in FIG. 2 is shown. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an electrically heated reactor according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] It should be understood that the above-referenced drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather present somewhat simplified representations of various preferred features illustrating the underlying principles of the present disclosure. For example, specific design features of the present disclosure, including specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use.

[0020] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any one or all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0021] Additionally, it is understood that the methods described below, or one or more of their aspects, can be performed by at least one or more controllers. The term "controller" can refer to a hardware device including a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions, and the processor is specifically programmed to execute the program instructions to perform one or more processes described in more detail below. The controller can control the operation of a unit, module, component, device, or the like, as described herein. It is also understood that the methods described below can be performed by a device that includes a controller along with one or more other components, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

[0022] The controller of the present disclosure may also be embodied as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing executable program instructions for execution by a processor. Examples of computer-readable recording media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed across a computer network so that the program instructions are stored and executed in a distributed manner, such as in a telematics server or controller area network (CAN).

[0023] According to the present invention, an electrically heated reactor includes a reaction tube having a passage formed therein through which reactants pass and configured to heat the reactants passing through the passage, a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube, and a pair of conductive sockets connecting the power source and the reaction tube so that an electric current flows between them. When power from the power source is supplied to the reaction tube through the conductive sockets, the reaction tube generates heat, thereby heating the reactants therein. In this way, the present invention utilizes electric heating technology to efficiently and uniformly maintain a temperature within the reactor.

[0024] The reaction tube includes a first tube section having a first resistivity and a second tube section having a second resistivity different from the first tube section and connected to the first tube section. When power is supplied to the reaction tube from a power source, the first and second tube sections, which have different resistivities, generate heat at different temperatures. The number of tube sections is not limited to two. By arranging the multiple tube sections in multiple sections, the temperature of the reactor can be controlled separately for each section. Therefore, the temperature gradient inside the reactor generated by the reaction can be compensated for, thereby achieving an optimal yield.

[0025] The electrically heated reactor further includes an insulator surrounding the reaction tube for thermal insulation, thereby reducing unnecessary heat loss to the outside of the electrically heated reactor and improving energy efficiency.

[0026] The electrically heated reactor further includes a cooler for cooling the conductive socket, which can prevent a temperature rise in the conductive socket and improve operational stability.

[0027] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrically heated reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] 1, an electrically heated reactor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to generate heat when supplied with electric power and to heat reactants therein using the generated heat. The electrically heated reactor 10 includes a reaction tube 20, a power source 30, and a pair of conductive sockets (first and second conductive sockets 32, 34).

[0030] The reaction tube 20 is made of a metal material having high resistivity and has a longitudinal passage formed therein through which reactants pass. For example, the reaction tube 20 may be formed in the shape of a circular pipe and have a longitudinal passage formed therein. When power is applied to the reaction tube 20, the reaction tube 20 generates heat due to its high resistivity, and the heat can heat the reactants in the passage.

[0031] The reaction tube 20 includes a first tube section 24 and a second tube section 26. The first tube section 24 defines a portion of the reaction tube 20 and has a first resistivity (ρ1). An inlet 21 is formed at one end of the first tube section 24, and reactants to be reacted flow into the reaction tube 20, particularly the first tube section 24, through the inlet 21. The second tube section 26 defines the remaining portion of the reaction tube 20 and has a second resistivity (ρ2) different from the first resistivity. One end of the second tube section 26 is connected to the other end of the first tube section 24. An outlet 22 is formed at the other end of the second tube section 26, and reacted reactants and / or unreacted reactants flow out of the reaction tube 20, particularly the second tube section 26, through the outlet 22. The first and second resistivities can be determined by the temperature gradient of the reactants within the passage of the reaction tube 20. For example, as the reactants pass through the passage, the temperature of the reactants changes and a temperature gradient occurs. The temperature gradient due to the reaction of the reactants or the position of the reactants in the passage can be determined in advance through experiments, and the first and second resistivities can be set to compensate for this temperature gradient to obtain an optimal yield.

[0032] The first passage formed inside the first tube portion 24 is connected to the second passage formed inside the second tube portion 26, and the diameters of the first passage and the second passage may be the same or similar. Therefore, reactants flowing into the first passage through the inlet 21 react while passing sequentially through the first and second passages inside the reaction tube 20 and then flow out of the second passage through the outlet 22. In addition, because the diameters of the first and second passages are the same or similar to each other, the flow resistance of the reactants passing through the first and second passages does not increase.

[0033] A power supply 30 is configured to provide power to the reaction tube 20. The power supply 30 may be an AC power supply or a DC power supply.

[0034] The first and second conductive sockets 32 and 34 supply power from the power source 30 to the reaction tube 20, causing the reaction tube 20 to generate heat. The first conductive socket 32 is attached to one end of the first tube portion 24 and electrically connects the power source 30 to the first tube portion 24 via an electric wire 36. The second conductive socket 34 is attached to the other end of the second tube portion 26 and electrically connects the power source 30 to the second tube portion 26 via an electric wire 36. Although power from the same power source 30 is transmitted to the first and second tube portions 24 and 26 via the first and second conductive sockets 32 and 34, the first and second tube portions 24 and 26 generate heat at different temperatures due to the different first and second resistivities of the first and second tube portions 24 and 26. Therefore, the temperatures of the first and second tube portions 24 and 26 can be set differently through a single wiring to the power source 30, thereby achieving optimal yields.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an electrically heated reactor according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 shows an example of part "A" of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows another example of part "A" of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 shows yet another example of part "A" of FIG. 2.

[0036] 2, an electrically heated reactor 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an electrically heated reactor 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a cooler 40, and an insulator 70. The electrically heated reactor 10 includes a reaction tube 20, a power supply 30, and a pair of conductive sockets 32, 34, as described above.

[0037] The reaction tube 20 is configured such that the first and second tube sections 24, 26, which have different resistivities, are electrically connected. In addition, the connection between the first and second tube sections 24, 26 allows a reactant flowing into the first tube section 24 through the inlet 21 to move to the second tube section 26 and then flow out of the second tube section 26 through the outlet 22. The electrical and fluid connections between the first and second tube sections 24, 26 can be achieved through various connection methods, and some examples of these connection methods are shown in Figures 3 to 5.

[0038] 3, the first and second tube sections 24, 26 may be joined by welding. More specifically, the other end of the first tube section 24 and one end of the second tube section 26 are brought into contact with each other, and high temperature is applied to these sections to join the outer peripheries of the other end of the first tube section 24 and the one end of the second tube section 26. To this end, a weld 50 is formed on the outer peripheries of these sections.

[0039] 4, the first and second tube portions 24, 26 may be flange-coupled. More specifically, a first flange 52 having a larger diameter than the first tube portion 24 may be formed at the other end of the first tube portion 24, a second flange 54 having a larger diameter than the second tube portion 26 may be formed at one end of the second tube portion 26, and the first and second flanges 52, 54 may be fastened together with fasteners 56 such as screws, bolts and nuts, pins, or rivets to couple the first and second tube portions 24, 26.

[0040] 5, the first and second tube sections 24, 26 may be threadedly coupled together. More specifically, a female thread 60 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of one of the other end of the first tube section 24 and one end of the second tube section 26, and a male thread 62 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the other of the other end of the first tube section 24 and one end of the second tube section 26. The first and second tube sections 24, 26 are coupled together by threading the female thread 60 and the male thread 62 together.

[0041] 2 , the cooler 40 is disposed near at least one of the first and second conductive sockets 32, 34 and configured to cool the corresponding conductive sockets 32, 34 through heat transfer with the corresponding conductive sockets 32, 34. To this end, the cooler 40 is connected to a refrigerant inlet line 42, through which a cooled refrigerant flows into the cooler 40, and the cooler 40 is connected to a refrigerant outlet line 44, through which the refrigerant that has exchanged heat with the conductive sockets 32, 34 flows out of the cooler 40. Here, the cooler 40 is disposed near the first and second conductive sockets 32, 34 and exchanges heat with the conductive sockets 32, 34, as an example, but the type and location of the cooler 40 are not limited thereto. For example, the cooler 40 may be a cooler using a Peltier element or a refrigerant jacket disposed within the conductive sockets 32, 34.

[0042] The insulator 70 thermally insulates at least a portion of the reaction tube 20. While FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the insulator 70 surrounds the reaction tube 20 between the pair of conductive sockets 32 and 34, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the insulator 70 may surround the entire reaction tube 20. Because the insulator 70 thermally insulates the reaction tube 20 by surrounding it, unnecessary heat loss to the outside of the reaction tube 20 is reduced, thereby improving energy efficiency and efficiently maintaining a uniform temperature within the reaction tube 20.

[0043] Furthermore, the insulator 70 electrically isolates the reaction tube 20 from the outside, thereby preventing safety accidents that may occur due to current flowing through the reaction tube 20.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an electrically heated reactor according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] 6, an electrically heated reactor 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a reaction tube 20, a power supply 30, and a pair of conductive sockets 32, 34. The reaction tube 20 includes a first tube section 24, a second tube section 26, and at least one third tube section 28.

[0046] The first tube section 24 defines a portion of the reaction tube 20 and has a first resistivity (ρ1). An inlet 21 is formed at one end of the first tube section 24, and reactants required to react flow into the reaction tube 20, particularly the first tube section 24, through the inlet 21. The second tube section 26 defines another portion of the reaction tube 20 and has a second resistivity (ρ2) different from the first resistivity. An outlet 22 is formed at the other end of the second tube section 26, and reacted reactants and / or unreacted reactants flow out of the reaction tube 20, particularly the second tube section 26, through the outlet 22. At least one third tube section 28 defines the remaining portion of the reaction tube 20 and is disposed between the first tube section 24 and the second tube section 26. The at least one third tube section 28 has a third resistivity (ρ3) different from the first and second resistivities. If one third tube portion 28 is provided, the third resistivity is different from the first and second resistivities. Conversely, if two or more third tube portions 28 are provided, the number of third resistivities is the same as the number of third tube portions 28, and one third resistivity may be different from the first and second resistivities and / or one of the other third resistivities. Of course, if two or more third tube portions 28 are provided, the third resistivity of any one may be the same as the first and second resistivities or any of the other third resistivities, but the resistivities of adjacent tube portions may be different.

[0047] One end of at least one third tube portion 28 is connected to the other end of the first tube portion 24, and the other end of the at least one third tube portion 28 is connected to one end of the second tube portion 26. The first tube portion 24 and the at least one third tube portion 28 are connected to each other by welding, flange connection, or thread connection, and the at least one third tube portion 28 and the second tube portion 26 are connected to each other by welding, flange connection, or thread connection. The first, second, and third resistivities may be set according to the temperature gradient of the reactants within the passage of the reaction tube 20. For example, as the reactants pass through the passage, the temperature of the reactants may change, creating a temperature gradient. The temperature gradient due to the reaction of the reactants or the position of the reactants within the passage can be determined in advance through experiments, and the first, second, and third resistivities can be set to complement this temperature gradient to achieve an optimal yield.

[0048] The first passage formed inside the first tube portion 24 is connected to at least one third passage formed inside at least one third tube portion 28, and the third passage is connected to a second passage formed inside the second tube portion 26, and the diameters of the first, second, and third passages may be the same or similar to one another. Therefore, reactants flowing into the first passage through the inlet 21 react while passing sequentially through the first, second, and third passages inside the reaction tube 20 and then flow out of the second passage through the outlet 22. In addition, because the diameters of the first, second, and third passages are the same or similar to one another, the flow resistance of the reactants passing through the first, second, and third passages does not increase.

[0049] The power supply 30 is configured to supply power to the reaction tube 20, and the first and second conductive sockets 32, 34 supply the power from the power supply 30 to the reaction tube 20 so that the reaction tube 20 generates heat.

[0050] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and includes all modifications that can be easily made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains and are deemed equivalent to the embodiments of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10 Electrically heated reactor 20 reaction tubes 21 Entrance 22 Exit 24 First tube section 26 Second tube section 28 Third tube section 30 power supply 32 First conductive socket 34 Second conductive socket 36 Electric wire 40 Cooler 42 Refrigerant inlet line 44 Refrigerant Outlet Line 50 Welded Section 52 First flange 54 Second flange 56 Fastening part 60 Female thread 62 Male thread 70 Insulator ρ1 1st resistivity ρ2 2nd resistivity ρ3 3rd resistivity

Claims

1. a reaction tube having a longitudinal passage formed therein through which reactants pass; a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube to heat reactants passing through the passage; a pair of conductive sockets for electrically connecting the power source and the reaction tube; Including, The reaction tube a first tube portion having a first resistivity; a second tube portion having a second resistivity different from the first resistivity; an electrically heated reactor comprising:

2. 10. The electrically heated reactor of claim 1, wherein reactants flow into the first tube section, travel to the second tube section, and flow out of the second tube section.

3. The electrically heated reactor according to claim 1 , wherein the first tube section and the second tube section are connected to each other via welding, flange connection, or threaded connection.

4. 10. The electrically heated reactor of claim 1, further comprising an insulator surrounding at least a portion of the reactor tube to provide thermal insulation.

5. 5. The electrically heated reactor of claim 4, wherein the insulator surrounds the reaction tube between a pair of conductive sockets.

6. 10. The electrically heated reactor of claim 1, further comprising a cooler for cooling at least one of the pair of conductive sockets.

7. the reaction tube further includes at least one third tube portion between the first and second tube portions and connected to the first and second tube portions, respectively; each of the at least one third tube portion has a third resistivity; 2. The electrically heated reactor of claim 1, wherein adjacent tube sections have different resistivities.

8. 8. The electrically heated reactor of claim 7, wherein the first tube portion and the at least one third tube portion are connected to each other via welding, flange connection, or threaded connection, and the at least one third tube portion and the second tube portion are connected to each other via welding, flange connection, or threaded connection.

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