Single-mode microwave reactor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a single mode or single dominant mode microwave reactor, a single dominant mode microwave reactor system, and a method for producing fuels, such as biofuels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a microwave reactor in a single mode or single control mode, a microwave reactor system in a single control mode, and a method for manufacturing fuel.

Background Art

[0002] Microwave energy has been used in many applications for over 50 years, from communication, food processing, and wood drying to chemical reactions and medical treatments. The fields to which microwave technology is applied include drying, firing, decomposition, powder synthesis, sintering, chemical process control, and the like.

[0003] When microwave heating technology is applied to chemical reactions, sustainable "green chemistry" is realized by using safer solvents and reaction conditions, minimizing the possibility of accidents, preventing waste of products, and shortening the reaction time. For example, by using different microwave frequencies, it is possible to efficiently synthesize nanoparticles in a much shorter time than when relying on conventional syntheses that do not use microwaves.

[0004] Compared with other methods that do not use microwaves, the use of microwave heating shortens the reaction time and generally improves the homogeneity of the synthesis sludge.

[0005] However, current microwave system solutions do not necessarily emit microwaves evenly, generating a certain kind of local overheating, also called "hot spots," in the remaining volume of the sample.

[0006] The presence of hot spots indicates non-uniform dissipation of microwave energy due to selective heating in different parts of the material, resulting from non-uniform distribution of the electromagnetic field within a homogeneous sample.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for microwave flow reactors that enable more homogeneous heating, provide better process control and energy efficiency, and enable larger-scale applications.

[0008] Therefore, an improved microwave reactor that provides a more uniform electromagnetic field distribution is advantageous, and in particular, a more efficient microwave reactor that can distribute the electromagnetic field more uniformly within the material being processed is advantageous.

[0009] Object of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a microwave flow reactor that can uniformly distribute microwave energy within a material to be processed.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide a microwave reactor that ensures uniform microwave radiation within the material being processed.

[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to provide an alternative to the prior art.

[0012] In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a single-mode or single-dominant-mode microwave flow reactor that solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art by suppressing the propagation of overmodes so that the material being processed receives a more uniform electric field distribution. [Overview of the project]

[0013] Accordingly, the above-mentioned objectives and several other objectives are intended to be achieved by providing a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor comprising a reactor chamber and at least one means connected to the reactor chamber for supplying a single-mode microwave to the reactor chamber, in a first aspect of the present invention.

[0014] Generally, electromagnetic waves can travel along a waveguide using several different modes.

[0015] Similar to rectangular waveguides, hollow waveguides, which have only one conductor, exhibit two types of waves: electrical transverse waves (TE) and magnetic transverse waves (TM).

[0016] Electrical transverse wave (TE) modes are characterized by having only a magnetic field along the propagation direction and no electric field along the propagation direction.

[0017] In TE mode, the electrical vector (E) is always perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

[0018] The fundamental mode of a waveguide is the mode with the lowest cutoff frequency. In the case of a rectangular waveguide, the TE10 mode is the fundamental mode.

[0019] A single-mode or single-dominant-mode microwave reactor is defined herein as a reactor in which microwaves propagate in substantially a single mode.

[0020] The single mode or single dominant fundamental mode of propagation may be an electrical transverse wave (TE) mode.

[0021] In this respect, in some embodiments, the microwave reactor of the present invention effectively suppresses and controls propagation modes different from the fundamental mode.

[0022] In some other embodiments, at least one means for supplying a single-mode microwave comprises a means for transmitting microwaves having a microwave inlet and a microwave outlet, and a filtering means.

[0023] The means of transmitting microwaves may be any means that enables the propagation of microwaves.

[0024] In some embodiments, the means for transmitting microwaves is a horn antenna or comprises a horn antenna.

[0025] A horn antenna, or microwave horn, is an antenna composed of a metal waveguide with an enlarged, horn-like shape that guides radio waves in a beam. These antennas are generally used as feed antennas and are also referred to herein as feed horns.

[0026] The interface of the horn antenna may be a waveguide operating in the basic TE10 mode.

[0027] The waveguide may be a standard 3.4-inch waveguide such as a WR340 waveguide. However, by making appropriate adjustments, waveguides of different dimensions can also be used.

[0028] In some other embodiments, the means for transmitting microwaves is a planar microwave antenna or includes a planar microwave antenna.

[0029] In some embodiments, the filtering means is a mode filter or includes a mode filter.

[0030] The filtering means has the function of canceling or attenuating the presence of possible overmodes.

[0031] The mode filter may be composed of metal rods or metal cylinders spaced apart from each other, and may be something like a horn antenna arranged at the microwave outlet of the means for transmitting microwaves.

[0032] The mode filter is arranged at the outlet of the means for transmitting microwaves, that is, at the end of the means for transmitting microwaves, at the microwave inlet of the reactor chamber.

[0033] If there is no mode filter, there may be multiple overmodes. The mode filter has the function of canceling or attenuating overmodes having an electric field component parallel to the metal rods or metal cylinders of the mode filter.

[0034] The metal rods or metal cylinders may be separated from each other by less than 1 / 4 wavelength of the transmitted microwaves in the direction of microwave propagation and less than 1 / 2 wavelength of the transmitted microwaves in the direction perpendicular to the direction of microwave propagation.

[0035] The microwave propagation direction refers to the direction of microwave propagation when a microwave reactor is used and microwaves are supplied to the reactor via a transmitting means.

[0036] In some embodiments, the metal rods or metal cylinders are spaced 3 mm apart from each other in the direction of microwave propagation and 15 mm apart in the direction perpendicular to the direction of microwave propagation.

[0037] In some embodiments, the reactor chamber is a cylindrical reactor chamber.

[0038] The microwave reactor of the present invention may be adaptable to process different types of materials and can therefore be used to carry out different types of reactions.

[0039] The reactor chamber is the internal space of the reactor, where the reaction takes place.

[0040] In some further embodiments, the single-dominant mode microwave reactor according to the first aspect of the present invention further comprises a rotating device located within the reactor chamber. The rotating device may be configured to mix the material to be processed within the reactor chamber, thereby ensuring uniform microwave radiation to the material to be processed.

[0041] The rotating device is adapted to stir and / or mix the material to be processed within the reactor chamber. The presence of means for moving and rotating the material to be processed ensures a uniform distribution of the electric field across the material.

[0042] In some embodiments, the rotating device is an impeller or includes an impeller.

[0043] The rotating device may also include a helical coil, which further promotes efficient turbulence under agitation, resulting in more uniform mixing.

[0044] In some further embodiments, the rotating device comprises a helical blade mounted on a rotating shaft.

[0045] The combination of a mode filter and a rotating device allows for a nearly uniform distribution of the electric field across the material being processed, which has the advantage of improving the reaction efficiency within the reactor chamber.

[0046] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a single-dominance microwave reactor system comprising a single-dominance microwave reactor according to a first aspect of the present invention and a microwave generator connected to the single-dominance microwave reactor.

[0047] Thus, a single-mode microwave reactor system comprises one or more microwave sources, such as magnetrons, interfaced to means of transmitting single-mode microwaves, such as horn antennas.

[0048] In some embodiments, a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor system comprises two or more microwave generators, each having an independent mode filter.

[0049] These embodiments may also be called dual systems.

[0050] In systems with two or more microwave reactors, the need for coupling between microwave generators is minimized by suppressing overmodes.

[0051] Single-dominant-mode microwave reactor systems can be used in several applications where a uniform electric field distribution within the material being processed is advantageous.

[0052] For example, the single-mode microwave reactor system of the present invention can be used for several microwave heating applications, including environmental and medical applications, food processing, inks and paints, wood processing, and agriculture.

[0053] The single-mode microwave reactor system of the present invention may be used for microwave chemistry and material processing related to inorganic or organic synthesis, as well as for biochemical reactions, polymer-related processes, and catalytic chemical processing.

[0054] In a third embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for producing fuel, the method being: The process of supplying raw materials, A step of transferring this raw material to the microwave reactor chamber of a microwave reactor according to the first aspect of the present invention or to a microwave reactor system according to the second aspect of the present invention, The process involves applying microwave energy to a raw material to subject it to a processing sequence, thereby causing the dispersion and generation of an electric field in the raw material.

[0055] Preferably, the feedstock is mixed with the catalyst before being transferred to the microwave reactor or microwave reactor system. The processing sequence may preferably be controlled by moving the feedstock or a mixture of the catalyst and feedstock through the microwave reactor and a static microwave generator. This process is preferably solvent-free. This process may be carried out as a batch process or a continuous process. The temperature of the feedstock or a mixture of the catalyst and feedstock is raised during processing to a temperature between 80 and 500°C, for example, preferably 100 to 480°C, 150 to 450°C, 200 to 400°C, for example, 250 to 380°C. The operating pressure in the reactor is preferably between 50 and 130 kPa to obtain the fuel. The fuel may preferably be a biofuel. Preferably, the processing sequence in which microwave energy is applied to the feedstock is 1 to 200 minutes, for example, 5 to 100 minutes, 10 to 80 minutes, preferably 15 to 70 minutes.

[0056] The feedstock is preferably a solid feedstock. Preferably, the feedstock is a feedstock containing polymerized hydrocarbon chains, such as renewable feedstock and / or biomass feedstock. The feedstock may be selected from a list consisting of straw, slurry, slurry fibers, rapeseed oil cake, energy willow, nut shells, wood chips, wood pellets, algae, sludge, pressurized creosote wood, rubber, or any combination thereof. Rubber may include rubber waste, including used tires. The tires may be crushed. Preferably, the organic feedstock is pretreated, including a drying treatment that includes an acceptable amount of water, such as less than 15%, less than 10%, or less than 5%. The pretreatment may include drying, heating, shredding, extrusion, and / or pelletizing.

[0057] The catalyst may preferably be an aluminosilicate mineral, or a microwave absorber such as a zeolite. The mixture of the catalyst and feedstock may preferably contain less than 15% (w / w) of catalyst, for example less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 3%, less than 2%, for example preferably less than 1% (w / w) of catalyst. The catalyst may be present in the mixture in the range of 0.01 to 15% (w / w), for example 0.1 to 10%, 0.1 to 5%, 0.2 to 3%, for example 0.5 to 2% (w / w).

[0058] The main point of this invention is a microwave reactor that effectively controls and suppresses the propagation of overmodes, thereby uniformly distributing an electric field on the surface of a material to be processed, and the material is processed in a uniformly distributed energy field.

[0059] The first and other aspects and embodiments of the present invention can each be combined with any of the other aspects and embodiments. These and other aspects of the present invention will become clear and obvious by referring to the embodiments described below.

[0060] Next, some aspects of the present invention, including single-dominance mode microwave reactors, single-dominance mode microwave reactor systems, and methods for producing biofuels, will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate one way of carrying out the present invention and should not be construed as limiting other possible embodiments that are included in the appended claims.

[0061] The references to the x, y, and z directions in the figure relate to the microwave propagation direction, where z is a vector indicating the microwave propagation direction, and x and y are vectors orthogonal to vector z. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0062] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A is an explanatory diagram of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor according to several embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B is a section view illustrating some internal features of a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to several embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a sectioned view illustrating some internal features of the filtering means of a single-dominant mode microwave reactor according to several embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a top view of a horn antenna with filtering means, which is part of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electric field in the microwave propagation direction inside a single-dominant mode microwave reactor according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the electric field perpendicular to the microwave propagation direction in a single-dominant mode microwave reactor according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 7]Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a filtering means for a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a cross-sectional view of a filtering means for a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of a filtering means for a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9A] Figure 9A is a cross-sectional view of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to some embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B is a cross-sectional view of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor having two horn antennas, according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor system according to several embodiments of a second aspect of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method for producing biofuel according to several embodiments of a third aspect of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0063] Figure 1A shows a single-dominance mode microwave reactor 1, also called a reactor, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0064] The reactor 1 includes a feed horn antenna 2 connected to a reactor chamber 3, which is a cylindrical space where the reaction takes place. In this sense, the reactor chamber is a cylindrical mounting section for the material to be processed.

[0065] A rotating device may be installed inside the reactor chamber 3.

[0066] The rotating device may include a helical blade attached to a rotating shaft, intended for moving and rotating the material to be processed, which is placed inside the reactor chamber 3.

[0067] Simulations and tests have shown that this rotating device does not significantly disturb the electric field.

[0068] The reactor may further include several inspection and measurement pipes not shown.

[0069] The interface to the horn antenna 2 may also be a WR340 waveguide operating in the basic TE10 mode at 2.45 GHz.

[0070] Inside the horn antenna 2, as shown in Figure 1B, a mode filter 4 is provided, which may consist of spaced-apart metal cylinders or metal rods.

[0071] The material to be processed, 5, is also shown in Figure 1B.

[0072] As shown in Figure 2, the metal cylinders 6 may be spaced a few millimeters apart from each other. For example, the metal cylinders may be spaced 15 mm apart in the y-direction and 3 mm apart in the wave propagation direction, i.e., the z-direction.

[0073] At the location of mode filter 4, some overmodes may exist even in a system without a mode filter. The mode filter has the function of canceling or reducing overmodes that have an electric field component parallel to the metal cylinder 6 of mode filter 4.

[0074] As shown in Figure 1A, the mode filter 4 ensures that quasi-plane waves with energy conserved in the direction of TE10 mode polarization propagate into the reactor chamber 3 within the WR340 waveguide.

[0075] Figure 3 is a top view of the horn antenna 2 equipped with a filtering means 4.

[0076] Figure 3 shows the mode filter 4 as viewed inside the reactor feed horn 2 toward the feed waveguide.

[0077] This structure ensures uniform concentration of energy and electric field direction onto the material being processed within the mounting section, as can be seen from Figure 4, which shows a cross-section in the direction of electric field propagation within the reactor, i.e., a field of view in the yz plane.

[0078] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view 9 of the electric field perpendicular to the microwave propagation direction, i.e., the xz plane, in a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0079] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of different embodiments of a single-dominance mode microwave reactor 10 according to several embodiments of the present invention.

[0080] The single-dominant-mode microwave reactor 10 is characterized by the presence of two horn antennas 12 and 13.

[0081] A single-mode filter 14 that intersects with both horn antennas 12 and 13 is used to uniformly distribute microwave energy across the surface of the material being processed in the reactor chamber 11.

[0082] This structure has the advantage of reducing the complexity of a system with two horn antennas by incorporating a single-mode filter.

[0083] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a filtering means or mode filter 14 of a single-dominant mode microwave reactor 10 having two horn antennas 12 and 13.

[0084] The mode filter 14 may include metal cylinders or metal rods 15 spaced apart from each other along the y and z axes.

[0085] Figures 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of a filtering means or mode filter 14, showing the spacing of metal cylinders or metal rods 15 along the y and z axes of a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor 10 characterized by the presence of two horn antennas.

[0086] Figures 9A and 9B are cross-sectional views of a single-dominant-mode microwave reactor 10, characterized by the presence of two horn antennas.

[0087] Figure 9B shows the presence of a rotating device 16 equipped with helical blades mounted on a rotating shaft for moving and rotating the material to be processed, which is placed inside the reactor chamber.

[0088] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a single-dominance microwave reactor system 17, comprising a single-dominance microwave reactor chamber 20 and at least one means for supplying single-mode microwaves 19 to the reactor chamber 20.

[0089] The reactor system 17 also includes a microwave generator 18 that supplies microwaves to the microwave reactor chamber 20 via a supply means 19.

[0090] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method for producing biofuel according to several embodiments of a third aspect of the present invention.

[0091] A method for producing biofuel 21 according to a third aspect of the present invention is: S1 is the process of supplying raw materials, S2 is a step of transferring the raw material to the microwave reactor chamber of the microwave reactor system or a microwave reactor system, S3 is a step of applying microwave energy to the raw material to provide it to the processing sequence, It holds.

[0092] This method allows for a uniform distribution of the electric field within the raw material, thus avoiding the formation of hot spots and enabling more efficient processing of the raw material.

[0093] Although the present invention has been described in relation to specific embodiments, the present invention should not be construed as being limited in any way to the presented embodiments. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. In the context of the claims, the terms “equipped with” or “equipped with” do not preclude other possible components or steps. In addition, references such as “a” or “an” should not be construed as precluding plurals. The use of reference numerals in the claims relating to components shown in the drawings should also not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, individual features described in different claims may be advantageously combined, and references to these features in different claims do not preclude the possibility and advantage of combining features.

Claims

1. A single-dominant-mode microwave reactor, wherein the single-dominant-mode of microwave propagation is the TE10 fundamental mode, and the single-dominant-mode microwave reactor is Reactor chamber and The reactor chamber is connected to at least one means for supplying a single-mode microwave to the reactor chamber, At least one means for supplying the single-mode microwave is, A means for transmitting microwaves, having a microwave inlet and a microwave outlet, A filtering means is provided, The filtering means is a mode filter or comprises a mode filter, the mode filter is composed of a plurality of spaced metal rods or metal cylinders, and is positioned at the microwave outlet of the means for transmitting microwaves, the plurality of metal rods or metal cylinders being spaced less than 1 / 4 wavelength of the transmitted microwave in the microwave propagation direction and less than 1 / 2 wavelength of the transmitted microwave in the direction perpendicular to the microwave propagation direction. A single-mode microwave reactor.

2. The single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting the microwaves is a horn antenna or comprises a horn antenna.

3. The single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting the microwaves is a microwave planar antenna or comprises a microwave planar antenna.

4. The single-mode microwave reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reactor chamber is a cylindrical reactor chamber.

5. A single-dominance mode microwave reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a rotating device located within the reactor chamber, wherein the rotating device is configured to mix the material to be processed within the reactor chamber, thereby ensuring uniform microwave radiation to the material to be processed.

6. The single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to claim 5, wherein the rotating device is an impeller or comprises an impeller.

7. The single-dominant-mode microwave reactor according to any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the rotating device comprises a helical blade mounted on a rotating shaft.

8. A single-mode microwave reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A microwave generator connected to the aforementioned single-mode microwave reactor, A single-dominance mode microwave reactor system equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

9. The single-dominant mode microwave reactor system according to claim 8, wherein the system is a dual system.

10. The process of supplying raw materials, A step of transferring the supply material to the microwave reactor chamber of the microwave reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or to the microwave reactor system according to any one of claims 8 to 9, A step of subjecting the supply material to a processing sequence by applying microwave energy to the supply material, thereby causing the dispersion generation of an electric field in the supply material. A method for manufacturing fuel containing

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