Fluid reactor

Abstract

A fluid reactor (1) is provided with: a reactor body (2) that includes a reaction layer (21) which forms a reaction flowpath (25) through which a reaction fluid flows; and a plurality of catalyst carriers (11) that are disposed in the reaction flowpath (25) and that are aligned along the flow direction of the reaction fluid. Each of the plurality of catalyst carriers (11) is configured to be individually detachable from the reaction flowpath (25).

Description

Fluid Reactor

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid reactor.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a fluid reactor is known in which a catalytic reaction occurs in a reaction fluid while the reaction fluid is circulated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] This fluid reactor comprises an assembly formed by bonding a pair of substrates together, a reaction flow path consisting of fine grooves formed on the bonding surface of at least one of the substrates, and a catalyst carrier disposed within the reaction flow path. An inlet and an outlet of the reaction flow path are opened on one end face of the assembly. The reaction flow path meanders continuously from the inlet to the outlet. The catalyst carrier is composed of a single member corresponding to the meandering shape of the reaction flow path. The catalyst carrier is configured to support a catalyst on its surface. As the reaction fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet of the reaction flow path, a catalytic reaction by the catalyst progresses and a reaction product is generated. The generated reaction product is discharged from the outlet of the reaction flow path.

[0004] In the fluid reactor disclosed in Patent Document 1, a catalytic reaction (a chemical reaction using a catalyst) progresses from the inlet to the outlet of the reaction channel. This results in a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration between the inlet region of the reaction channel, where the reaction rate of the catalytic reaction is fast, and the outlet region of the reaction channel, where the reaction rate slows as the catalytic reaction progresses. Specifically, catalyst deterioration progresses more rapidly in the inlet region of the reaction channel than in the outlet region. For this reason, even if the catalyst has deteriorated to a replaceable level only in the inlet region of the reaction channel and there is still usable catalyst remaining in the outlet region, the entire catalyst carrier must be replaced, resulting in the problem of wasteful disposal of usable catalyst.

[0005] Patent No. 4580664

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a fluid reactor that can prevent the still usable catalyst from being wasted when replacing the catalyst support.

[0007] A fluid reactor according to one aspect of the present invention is a fluid reactor that causes a catalytic reaction in a reaction fluid while circulating the reaction fluid, and comprises a reactor main body including a reaction layer that forms a reaction flow path through which the reaction fluid flows, and a plurality of catalyst carriers that are arranged within the reaction flow path and aligned along the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is configured to be individually attachable and detachable to the reaction flow path.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a microchannel reactor (an example of a fluid reactor) according to an embodiment, as viewed from the front. FIG. 2 is a view seen in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an explanatory perspective view showing an enlarged view of the upper end of the reaction layer. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a view equivalent to FIG. 3, illustrating embodiment 2. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a view equivalent to FIG. 8, illustrating a modification of embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a view equivalent to FIG. 5, illustrating another embodiment.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) Fig. 1 is a schematic side view showing a microchannel reactor 1 (an example of a fluid reactor) in embodiment 1, Fig. 2 is a view taken in the direction of an arrow II in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 1. Hatching is omitted in Fig. 3 to make the drawing easier to see. In addition, directions such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" are indicated in each drawing, but these directions are shown for the sake of convenience in explaining the structure of the microchannel reactor 1 and do not limit the configuration of the present invention.

[0011] The microchannel reactor 1 causes a catalytic reaction (a chemical reaction using a catalyst) in a reaction fluid while the reaction fluid is circulating. In this embodiment, the reaction fluid is, for example, CO ２ and H ２The reaction products produced by the catalytic reaction are methane and synthesis gas (H ２ and CO). Here, the reactive fluid is not limited to a mixed gas, but may be composed of one type of fluid. Also, the reactive fluid is not limited to a gas, but may be a liquid.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the microchannel reactor 1 includes a reactor main body 2, a reaction fluid supply header 3 that receives a reaction fluid introduced through a supply pipe 15 and supplies it to the reactor main body 2, a reaction fluid discharge header 4 that recovers a reaction product discharged from the reactor main body 2 and discharges it to a discharge pipe 16, a front cover block 205 and a rear cover block 206 (see FIG. 2 ) that are parts of the reactor main body 2, a left cover block 7, and a right cover block 8.

[0013] The front cover block 205 is arranged so as to form the front side of the reactor main body 2. The rear cover block 206 is arranged so as to form the rear side of the reactor main body 2.

[0014] The front cover block 205 is formed with a temperature control fluid inlet 5a for introducing a temperature control fluid for adjusting the temperature of the catalyst into the reactor main body 2, and a temperature control fluid outlet 5b for discharging the temperature control fluid after passing through the reactor main body 2. A supply pipe 17 through which a temperature control fluid supplied from the outside flows is connected to the temperature control fluid inlet 5a. A discharge pipe 18 for the temperature control fluid is connected to the temperature control fluid outlet 5b.

[0015] The left cover block 7 is arranged to cover the left side surface of the reactor main body 2. The right cover block 8 is arranged to cover the right side surface of the reactor main body 2. The left cover block 7 and the right cover block 8 are each arranged to sandwich a packing 9 between them and the reactor main body 2. The packing 9 closes a plurality of catalyst replacement openings 27 (described below) formed on the left and right side surfaces of the reactor main body 2. In the following description, when distinguishing between the left and right packings 9, the left packing 9 is designated by reference numeral 91 and the right packing 9 is designated by reference numeral 92.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the left cover block 7 is fixed to the left end surface of the front cover block 205 and the left end surface of the rear cover block 206 by a plurality of bolts 10. The plurality of bolts 10 consists of a row of bolts for fastening to the front cover block 205 and a row of bolts for fastening to the rear cover block 206. Each bolt row is made up of a plurality of bolts 10 (see Figure 1) lined up at intervals in the vertical direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2).

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3 , the reactor main body 2 has a plurality of reaction flow paths 25 arranged in the front-rear direction and a plurality of catalyst carriers 11 disposed in each reaction flow path 25. Each reaction flow path 25 extends vertically from the upper end to the lower end of the reactor main body 2. Each reaction flow path 25 has a flow path width direction in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3 ), which is perpendicular to the vertical direction, which is the flow direction of the reaction fluid. Each of the plurality of catalyst carriers 11 is cylindrical in appearance and is stacked in a staggered pattern in the front-rear direction in two rows within the reaction flow path 25. The lowest catalyst carrier 11 is held from below by a holding member 28 (described later) provided at the lower end of the reaction flow path 25. Each catalyst carrier 11 is composed of a carrier made of a cylindrical rod-shaped member and a catalyst held on the entire surface of the carrier. The carrier may be, for example, MgO, Al, or the like. ２ O ３ , SiO ２ , TiO ２ , SiO ２ / Al ２ O ３ , CaCO ３ The catalyst may be made of, for example, a noble metal (Au, Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, Rh) or a base metal (Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Fe).

[0018] The reactor main body 2 includes a stack formed by alternately stacking a plurality of reaction layers 21 and a plurality of temperature control layers 22 in the front-to-rear direction to form the reaction flow path 25, and the front cover block 205 and the rear cover block 206 that cover the front and rear sides of the stack. The front cover block 205 and the rear cover block 206 are integrally joined to the stack, but may also be connected as separate bodies via, for example, a packing. Each reaction layer 21 is formed by stacking a front plate 211F and a rear plate 211R. The space between the front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R forms the reaction flow path 25. The temperature control layer 22 is formed by a flat temperature control plate 221.

[0019] The reactor main body 2 is formed by stacking and diffusion bonding the front plate 211F, the rear plate 211R, and the temperature control plate 221. Here, diffusion bonding is a method of bonding metal plates together by bringing them into close contact with each other and applying pressure at a temperature below the melting point of the material constituting the metal plates, to an extent that plastic deformation is minimized, utilizing atomic diffusion that occurs between the bonding surfaces. Therefore, in reality, the boundaries between adjacent layers are not clearly visible. Note that the layers are not limited to those bonded by diffusion bonding. In this case, the boundaries between the layers may be visible.

[0020] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. In this figure, the joining side (front side) of the rear plate 211R with the front plate 211F is shown in solid lines, and the temperature control flow path 26 (flow path recess 221a) formed between the back surface of the rear plate 211R and the temperature control plate 221 (see Figure 3) is shown in dashed lines. The rear plate 211R has a rectangular flat plate portion 211a that is long in the vertical direction and four rectangular protrusions 211b formed at the four corners of the joining side of the flat plate portion 211a. The rear plate 211R and the front plate 211F may be formed, for example, by edging a metal plate, or by casting or forging.

[0021] A temperature control plate 221 that constitutes the temperature control layer 22 is bonded to the rear surface of the rear plate 211R, which is the surface opposite to the bonded side surface. A flow path recess 221a is formed in the temperature control plate 221, and this flow path recess 221a is closed from the plate thickness direction by the rear plate 211R to form a temperature control flow path 26. In this way, the temperature control plate 221 forms the temperature control flow path 26 between itself and the reaction layer 21.

[0022] The flow channel recess 221a constituting the temperature control flow channel 26 is a zigzag flow channel formed over substantially the entire vertical direction while reciprocating in the left-right direction, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 4. The temperature control flow channel 26 is not limited to a zigzag shape, and may be formed in a linear or spiral shape, for example.

[0023] The lower end of the flow path recess 221a is laterally connected to the opening end (the front end of the paper in FIG. 4) of a through-hole 26a formed in the center of the lower right rectangular protrusion 211b. This through-hole 26a is connected to the temperature control fluid inlet 5a via a temperature control fluid introduction flow path (not shown) formed in the front cover block 205.

[0024] The upper end of the flow path recess 221a is laterally connected to the opening end (the front end of the paper in FIG. 4) of a through-hole 26b formed in the center of the upper left rectangular protrusion 211b. This through-hole 26b is connected to the temperature regulating fluid outlet 5b via a temperature regulating fluid discharge flow path (not shown) formed in the front cover block 205.

[0025] Next, the configuration of the front plate 211F will be described. The configuration of the front plate 211F is basically the same as that of the rear plate 211R, so a separate illustration of the front plate 211F will be omitted. However, the same components will be described using the same reference numerals. The front plate 211F is stacked mirror-symmetrically with respect to the rear plate 211R. Like the rear plate 211R, the front plate 211F has a flat plate portion 211a and four rectangular protrusions 211b formed at the four corners of the flat plate portion 211a on the side where the front plate 211F is joined to the rear plate 211R. Like the rear plate 211R, the front plate 211F has a through-hole 26a in the center of the lower right rectangular protrusion 211b and a through-hole 26a in the center of the upper left rectangular protrusion 211b. A temperature control plate 221, which constitutes the temperature control layer 22, is stacked on the back surface of the front plate 211F, which is the surface opposite to the side where the front plate 211F is joined to the rear plate 211R. A flow path recess 221a is formed in the temperature control plate 221. The flow path recess 221a is closed in the thickness direction by the front plate 211F, thereby forming a temperature control flow path 26.

[0026] The front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R are joined together with the four rectangular protrusions 211b protruding from each of the joining sides thereof butted against each other. That is, when the plates 211F and 211R are joined together, the four rectangular protrusions 211b of the front plate 211F and the four rectangular protrusions 211b of the rear plate 211R are in contact with each other while facing each other.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the upper end of the reaction layer 21 formed by joining the front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R.

[0028] As shown in this figure, a space is formed between the front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R that constitute the reaction layer 21 by the four rectangular protrusions 211b abutting against each other, and this space constitutes the reaction flow path 25.

[0029] The reaction channel 25 is a flat channel (a channel whose thickness in the front-to-back direction is smaller than its width in the left-to-right direction) extending vertically between the front plate 21F and the rear plate 21R. Specifically, the reaction channel 25 has a rectangular cross section that is long in the left-to-right direction and is formed so that the cross-sectional shape is constant from the top to the bottom. The four corners of the reaction channel 25 are closed by joints K (only two joints K are shown in FIG. 5 ) between the rectangular protrusions 211b of the front plate 21F and the rectangular protrusions 211b of the rear plate 211R.

[0030] A reactant fluid inlet 25a is formed on the upper end surface of the reaction layer 21, located between the upper right joint K and the upper left joint K. The reactant fluid inlet 25a has a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction. Since the reactor main body 2 has a plurality of reaction layers 21 as described above, a plurality of reactant fluid inlets 25a are formed on the upper end surface of the reactor main body 2 at intervals in the front-rear direction. The plurality of reactant fluid inlets 25a open into the inner space of the reactant fluid supply header 3 (see FIG. 1). The reactant fluid supply header 3 distributes the reactant fluid received from the supply pipe 15 to the plurality of reactant fluid inlets 25a.

[0031] A reaction fluid discharge port 25b is formed on the lower end surface of the reaction layer 21, located between the lower right joint K and the lower left joint K (both not shown). The reaction fluid discharge port 25b has a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction. The reaction fluid discharge port 25b opens into the inner space of the reaction fluid discharge header 4 (see FIG. 1). Since the reactor main body 2 has multiple reaction layers 21 as described above, multiple reaction fluid discharge ports 25b are formed on the lower end surface of the reactor main body 2 at intervals in the front-rear direction. The multiple reaction fluid discharge ports 25b open into the inner space of the reaction fluid discharge header 4 (see FIG. 1). The reaction fluid discharge header 4 collects the reaction products discharged from the multiple reaction fluid discharge ports 25b and directs them into the discharge pipe 16.

[0032] A catalyst replacement opening 27 (corresponding to an attachment / detachment hole) is formed on the left and right end faces of the reaction layer 21, located between the upper and lower joints K on each end face. Since the reactor main body 2 has a plurality of reaction layers 21 as described above, a plurality of catalyst replacement openings 27 are formed at intervals in the front-rear direction on the left and right end faces of the reactor main body 2. Each catalyst replacement opening 27 is an opening for replacing the catalyst carrier 11 accommodated in each reaction flow path 25.

[0033] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 3. Hatching is omitted in Fig. 6 to make the drawing easier to see.

[0034] As shown in this figure, a holding member 28 is provided at the lower end of the reaction flow channel 25, holding the catalyst carrier 11 located at the lowest end from below. The holding member 28 is made up of multiple holding blocks 28a arranged at intervals in the flow channel width direction (left-right direction). The space between adjacent holding blocks 28a functions as a flow channel section through which the reaction fluid flows. Each holding block 28a may be formed, for example, as a separate member sandwiched between the front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R, or may be formed integrally with the front plate 211F and / or the rear plate 211R.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 6 , multiple catalyst replacement openings 27 (only one is shown in FIG. 6 ) formed on the left end surface of the reactor main body 2 are closed by a packing 91. The packing 91 is made of a single rectangular sheet packing. In this example, the packing 91 is formed to cover the entire left side surface of the reactor main body 2 so as to close the multiple catalyst replacement openings 27. Note that the packing 91 does not necessarily have to be made of a single sheet packing, and may be made of, for example, multiple sheet packings that respectively close the multiple catalyst replacement openings 27. The packing 91 is sandwiched between the left cover block 7 and the left side surface of the reactor main body 2. As described above, the left cover block 7 is detachably fixed to the front cover block 205 and the rear cover block 206 by multiple bolts 10. By loosening the bolts 10 and removing the left cover block 7, an operator can remove the packing 91 from the left side surface of the reactor main body 2 and access the left catalyst replacement opening 27. Thus, an operator can replace the multiple catalyst carriers 11 arranged in the reaction flow path 25 through this catalyst replacement opening 27. The left cover block 7 functions as a closing member that closes the catalyst replacement opening 27 (attachment / detachment hole).

[0036] Furthermore, multiple catalyst replacement openings 27 (only one is shown in FIG. 6 ) formed on the right side surface of the reactor main body 2 are closed by a packing 92. The packing 92 is made of a single rectangular sheet packing. In this example, the packing 92 is formed to cover the entire right side surface of the reactor main body 2 so as to close the multiple catalyst replacement openings 27. Note that the packing 92 does not necessarily have to be made of a single sheet packing, and may be made of, for example, multiple sheet packings that respectively close the multiple catalyst replacement openings 27. The packing 92 is sandwiched between the right cover block 8 and the right end surface of the reactor main body 2. As described above, the right cover block 8 is detachably fixed to the front cover block 205 and the rear cover block 206 (see FIG. 2 ) by multiple bolts 10. By loosening the bolts 10 and removing the right cover block 8, an operator can remove the packing 92 from the right side surface of the reactor main body 2 and access the right catalyst replacement opening 27. Thus, an operator can replace the multiple catalyst carriers 11 arranged in the reaction flow path 25 through this catalyst replacement opening 27. The right cover block 8 functions as a closing member that closes the catalyst replacement opening 27 (attachment / detachment hole).

[0037] [Effects] In the microchannel reactor 1 (an example of a fluid reactor) configured as described above, the reaction fluid introduced into the reaction channel 25 through the reaction fluid inlet 25a flows from the top to the bottom of the reaction channel 25, as indicated by the white arrows in FIG. 6 , causing a catalytic reaction to proceed using the catalyst supported on the catalyst support 11. Therefore, the degree of catalyst deterioration differs between the region near the reaction fluid inlet 25a, where the reaction rate of the catalytic reaction is fast, and the region near the reaction fluid outlet 25b, where the reaction rate slows as the catalytic reaction progresses. In the example of FIG. 6 , catalyst deterioration progresses more rapidly at the upper end of the reaction channel 25, which is closer to the reaction fluid inlet 25a, than at the lower end, which is closer to the reaction fluid outlet 25b. In conventional microchannel reactors, the catalyst support is constructed as a single member throughout the entire reaction channel. Therefore, even if the catalyst has reached a level requiring replacement only at the upper end of the reaction channel 25 and there is still usable catalyst remaining at the lower end, the entire catalyst support must be replaced. This has led to the problem that unused catalyst that does not need to be replaced is wasted.

[0038] In contrast to this, in the present embodiment, the microchannel reactor 1 has a plurality of catalyst carriers 11 arranged in a line along the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each catalyst carrier 11 can be individually attached to and detached from the reaction flow path 25.

[0039] This allows for the extraction and replacement of only those catalyst carriers 11 whose catalyst degradation has reached a level requiring replacement, even if there are differences in the degree of catalyst degradation in the flow direction of the reaction flow path 25. This makes it possible to avoid a situation where the entire catalyst carrier 11 must be replaced because only a portion of the catalyst supported on the catalyst carrier 11 has reached a level requiring replacement, as was the case in the past. This makes it possible to prevent usable catalyst from being wasted.

[0040] In this embodiment, the catalyst degradation progresses gradually from the inlet side of the reactant fluid toward the outlet side, so that the catalyst degradation tends to progress more easily on the inlet side of the reactant fluid. However, this is merely one example, and depending on the type of reaction, the degradation may be more likely to progress on the outlet side of the reactant fluid. In either case, a distribution (difference) in the degree of catalyst degradation occurs along the flow direction of the reactant fluid, so a configuration such as this embodiment, which can extract and replace only catalyst supports whose degree of degradation has reached a level requiring replacement, is useful.

[0041] In this embodiment, each reaction layer 21 of the microchannel reactor 1 is provided with a catalyst replacement opening 27 that allows the passage of the multiple catalyst carriers 11 so that each of the multiple catalyst carriers 11 can be individually attached and detached to the reaction flow path 25.

[0042] According to this configuration, the plurality of catalyst carriers 11 can be individually replaced through catalyst replacement openings 27 formed in the wall surface of the reaction flow channel 25 .

[0043] In addition, in this embodiment, each of the multiple catalyst carriers 11 consists of a longitudinal member extending in the flow path width direction, and the catalyst replacement opening 27 is configured to allow the multiple catalyst carriers 11 to be attached and detached along the flow path width direction.

[0044] According to this configuration, because the catalyst carrier 11 is formed as a longitudinal member extending in the width direction of the reaction flow channel 25 (in other words, because the catalyst carrier 11 is arranged perpendicular to the flow direction of the reaction fluid), it is possible to replace only the catalyst carrier 11 whose degree of deterioration has reached a level requiring replacement, even if there is a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration between the upstream and downstream regions in the flow direction of the reaction fluid. That is, for example, if multiple catalyst carriers arranged in the flow direction of the reaction fluid are each arranged to extend in the flow direction of the reaction fluid (i.e., vertically), there will be a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration between the upstream and downstream portions of each catalyst carrier. Therefore, when one catalyst carrier is replaced, there is a possibility that some catalyst carriers that have reached a level requiring replacement and some catalyst carriers that are still usable will be present within that same catalyst carrier. In contrast, in the above configuration, the catalyst carrier 11 is constructed from a longitudinal member extending in the width direction of the flow path, which makes it possible to minimize differences in the degree of catalyst deterioration within a single catalyst carrier 11, and further suppress the wasteful disposal of unused catalyst.

[0045] In this embodiment, the microchannel reactor 1 further includes a left cover block 7 and a right cover block 8 (examples of blocking members) that are detachably fixed to the reactor main body 2 and block the catalyst replacement opening 27.

[0046] According to this configuration, the left cover block 7 and the right cover block 8 that close the catalyst replacement opening 27 are detachable from the reactor main body 2, allowing workers to easily access the catalyst replacement opening 27 and perform the replacement work of the catalyst carrier 11.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, the reactor main body 2 further has a temperature control layer 22 that is stacked on the reaction layer 21 and forms a temperature control flow path 26 through which a temperature control fluid flows to control the temperature of the reaction fluid.

[0048] According to this configuration, the temperature control layer 22 can control the temperature of the reaction fluid to a temperature suitable for the catalytic reaction.

[0049] 7 is a view equivalent to FIG. 3 showing a second embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of protrusions 211c, 211d capable of holding a plurality of catalyst carriers 11 are formed on the inner wall surface of the reaction channel 25. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] 7, the reaction channel 25 has a front channel wall surface 25c and a rear channel wall surface 25d that face each other in the layer thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the reaction layer 21.

[0051] A group of protrusions 211c is formed on the front channel wall surface 25c. The protrusions 211c are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. Each of the protrusions 211c protrudes horizontally toward the inside of the reaction channel 25 (toward the rear in this example).

[0052] A group of rear protrusions 211d is formed on the rear flow channel wall surface 25d. The rear protrusions 211d are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. In this example, the rear protrusions 211d are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. In this example, each protrusion 211d protrudes horizontally toward the inside of the reaction channel 25 (toward the front in this example).

[0053] The front protrusions 211c and the rear protrusions 211d are arranged such that their tip surfaces face each other with a gap g1 between them. The dimension of the gap g1 in the opposing direction (the front-to-rear direction in this example) of the front flow path wall surface 25c and the rear flow path wall surface 25d is smaller than the diameter D of the catalyst carrier 11. Thus, the front protrusions 211c and the rear protrusions 211d hold each catalyst carrier 11 so that it cannot fall off.

[0054] Each catalyst carrier 11 is held in the space between the front protrusions 211 c on the front flow path wall surface 25 c and the rear protrusions 211 d on the rear flow path wall surface 25 d. The distance g2 between the two surfaces is larger than the diameter D of each catalyst carrier 11.

[0055] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7. Hatching has been omitted in Fig. 8 to make the drawing easier to see.

[0056] In Fig. 8, each of the rear protrusions 211d is composed of a plurality of independent protrusions 212 that are arranged independently of one another and spaced apart in the width direction of the flow channel. As a result, a generally groove-shaped flow channel extending in the vertical direction is formed between adjacent independent protrusions 212 in the left-right direction, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 8. The distance W between the independent protrusions 212 is set to be equal to or greater than the diameter D of each catalyst carrier 11. By ensuring a sufficient distance W between the independent protrusions 212, the flow of the reaction fluid in the vertical direction is ensured.

[0057] The plurality of front protrusions 211c also have a structure similar to that of the rear protrusion 211d. That is, the plurality of front protrusions 211c are configured by a plurality of independent protrusions (not shown) that are arranged independently of one another and aligned at intervals W in the flow channel width direction. The position of each independent protrusion in the flow channel width direction is the same as the position of each independent protrusion 212 of the rear protrusion 211d in the flow channel width direction.

[0058] (Effects) In this embodiment, the reaction layer 21 has a front flow path wall surface 25c (corresponding to the first flow path wall surface) and a rear flow path wall surface 25d (corresponding to the second flow path wall surface) that face each other across the reaction flow path 25. A group of protrusions made up of a plurality of front protrusions 211c is formed on the front flow path wall surface 25c, and a group of protrusions made up of a plurality of rear protrusions 211d is formed on the rear flow path wall surface 25d. The plurality of front protrusions 211c and the plurality of rear protrusions 211d are arranged so as to be interposed between the catalyst carriers 11 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

[0059] This configuration prevents contact between adjacent catalyst carriers 11 in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing the occurrence of hot spots. This in turn suppresses catalyst deterioration due to the occurrence of hot spots. Furthermore, it also prevents contact between adjacent catalyst carriers 11, which would otherwise block the reaction flow path 25 and impede the flow of the reaction fluid.

[0060] In this embodiment, the plurality of front protrusions 211c provided on the front flow path wall surface 25c and the plurality of rear protrusions 211d provided on the rear flow path wall surface 25d face each other with a gap g1 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0061] According to this configuration, the flow of the reaction fluid is permitted in the gap g1, and therefore, it is possible to minimize the reduction in the flow of the reaction fluid caused by providing the protrusions 211c and 211d.

[0062] In this embodiment, each of the catalyst carriers 11 is made of a cylindrical member extending in the flow passage width direction and having a predetermined diameter D, and the size of the gap g1 is smaller than the predetermined diameter D.

[0063] This configuration can prevent the catalyst carrier 11 from passing through the gap g1 and coming into contact with another catalyst carrier 11 adjacent thereto below, thereby preventing the occurrence of hot spots and the deterioration of the flowability of the reaction fluid.

[0064] In this embodiment, the protrusions 211c and 211d are each composed of a plurality of independent protrusions 212 arranged at intervals in the width direction of the flow channel. The same applies to the plurality of protrusions 211d.

[0065] According to this configuration, the protrusions 211c, 211d are not continuous in the width direction of the flow channel, but are configured by a plurality of independent protrusions 212 arranged at intervals from each other, thereby allowing the flow of reaction fluids in the spaces between the independent protrusions 212. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the decrease in flowability of reaction fluids due to the provision of the protrusions 211c, 211d.

[0066] Furthermore, this embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment except for the above-mentioned points, and therefore has the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0067] 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 and shows a modification of the second embodiment. In this modification, the interval W in the flow channel width direction between the independent protrusions 212 constituting the front protrusion 211c and the interval W in the flow channel width direction between the independent protrusions (not shown) constituting the rear protrusion 211d are different from those in the second embodiment.

[0068] That is, in this modified example, the interval W is set to be smaller than the diameter D of each catalyst carrier 11 .

[0069] With this configuration, when the catalyst support 11 breaks and the broken portion separates into small blocks, it is possible to prevent the small blocks from passing between the independent protrusions 212 and coming into contact with other catalyst supporters 11 adjacent below. This in turn makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of hot spots caused by contact between catalyst supporters 11, thereby suppressing catalyst deterioration.

[0070] (Other Embodiments) The microchannel reactor 1, which is an example of a fluid reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention, has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the following modified embodiments can be adopted.

[0071] (1) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the catalyst replacement opening 27 is configured as a single opening that is long in the vertical direction, but this is not limited thereto, and may be configured as a plurality of replacement holes 27a arranged in the vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, both ends of each catalyst carrier 11 may be supported by the left and right replacement holes 27a, respectively.

[0072] (2) In each of the above embodiments and variants, the catalyst replacement opening 27 is formed on both the left and right side surfaces of the reactor main body 2, but this is not limited to this and, for example, it may be formed on only one of the left and right side surfaces.

[0073] (3) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, each catalyst carrier 11 is located inside the left and right end surfaces of the reaction layer 21, but this is not limited thereto. For example, both ends of each catalyst carrier 11 may protrude outward from the left and right end surfaces of the reaction layer 21. In this case, the packings 91, 92 may be formed to correspond to the shape of the protruding portions of the catalyst carrier 11. With this configuration, when replacing the catalyst carrier 11, the worker can grasp the left and right protruding portions with their hands, making the replacement work easier.

[0074] (4) In each of the above embodiments and variants, a gasket 9 is provided to close the catalyst replacement opening 27, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the catalyst replacement opening 27 can be sealed using the left cover block 7 and the right cover block 8, the gasket 9 is not necessarily required.

[0075] (5) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the flow path recesses 221a for forming the temperature control flow path 26 are formed in the temperature control plate 221, but this is not limiting and, for example, the flow path recesses may be formed on the rear surfaces of the front plate 211F and the rear plate 211R that constitute the reaction layer 21. In this case, the temperature control flow path 26 is formed by blocking the flow path recesses formed in each of the plates 211F, 211R with the temperature control plate 221.

[0076] (6) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the front protrusions 211c are formed on the front flow path wall surface 25c of the reaction flow path 25, and the rear protrusions 211d are formed on the rear flow path wall surface, but this is not limitative. That is, the protrusions may be formed only on the front flow path wall surface 25c or only on the rear flow path wall surface 25d.

[0077] (7) In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the microchannel reactor 1 includes the temperature control layer 22, but the temperature control layer 22 does not necessarily have to be included.

[0078] (8) In the above embodiments and modifications, the microchannel reactor 1 has been described as an example of a fluid reactor, but the present invention is not limited to this. The reaction flow path constituting the fluid reactor does not necessarily have to be a minute flow path such as a microchannel. Furthermore, the reaction flow path does not necessarily have to be a flat flow path or a groove-like flow path, and may have any shape. Furthermore, the reactor main body 20 does not necessarily have to be configured by stacking multiple layers.

[0079] The above-described specific embodiments mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

[0080] The fluid reactor according to the first invention is a fluid reactor that causes a catalytic reaction in a reaction fluid while circulating the reaction fluid, and comprises a reactor main body including a reaction layer that forms a reaction flow path through which the reaction fluid flows, and a plurality of catalyst carriers that are arranged in the reaction flow path and aligned along the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is configured to be individually attachable and detachable to the reaction flow path.

[0081] According to this configuration, multiple catalyst carriers are arranged in the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each catalyst carrier is individually detachable from the reaction flow path. This allows for the selection and replacement of only catalyst carriers whose catalyst has reached a level requiring replacement when there is a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration along the flow direction of the reaction flow path. This avoids the conventional situation where the entire catalyst carrier must be replaced even though it still carries usable catalyst. This prevents usable catalyst from being wasted.

[0082] In the second invention, in the first invention, it is preferable that the reaction layer has attachment / detachment holes formed therein that allow the passage of the multiple catalyst carriers so that the multiple catalyst carriers can be attached and detached individually to the reaction flow path.

[0083] According to this configuration, the catalyst carriers can be individually replaced through the attachment / detachment holes formed in the reaction layer, thereby achieving the same effects as those of the first aspect of the invention.

[0084] In a third invention, in the second invention, it is preferable that the reaction flow path is a flow path whose flow path width direction is perpendicular to the flow direction of the reaction fluid, each of the multiple catalyst carriers is made of a longitudinal member extending in the flow path width direction of the reaction flow path, and the attachment / detachment holes are configured to allow the multiple catalyst carriers to be attached and detached along the flow path width direction.

[0085] According to this configuration, by configuring the catalyst carrier as a longitudinal member extending in the width direction of the reaction flow channel (in other words, by arranging the catalyst carrier perpendicular to the flow direction of the reaction fluid), it is possible to replace only catalyst carriers whose degree of deterioration has reached a level requiring replacement, even if there is a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration between the upstream and downstream regions of the reaction fluid in the flow direction. That is, for example, if each catalyst carrier is arranged in the flow direction of the reaction fluid and each catalyst carrier is arranged so that it extends in the flow direction of the reaction fluid, there will be a difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration between the upstream and downstream portions of each catalyst carrier. Therefore, when a single catalyst carrier is replaced, there is a possibility that some catalyst carriers that have reached the level requiring replacement and some catalyst carriers that are still usable will be mixed. In contrast, in the above configuration, by configuring the catalyst carrier as a longitudinal member extending in the flow direction of the reaction fluid, it is possible to minimize the difference in the degree of catalyst deterioration within a single catalyst carrier and minimize the wasteful disposal of catalyst that has not yet reached the level requiring replacement.

[0086] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, it is preferable that the reactor further comprises a closing member that is detachably fixed to the reactor main body and closes the detachment hole.

[0087] According to this configuration, the blocking member that blocks the attachment / detachment hole is configured to be attachable and detachable to the reactor main body, so that an operator can easily access the attachment / detachment hole to perform the catalyst carrier replacement work.

[0088] In a fifth invention, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, it is preferable that the reaction layer has a first flow path wall surface and a second flow path wall surface that face each other across the reaction flow path, and at least one of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface is provided with a group of protrusions that protrude into the reaction flow path, are arranged at intervals in the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and are interposed between adjacent catalyst carriers.

[0089] According to this configuration, since the protrusions are interposed between adjacent catalyst carriers, contact between adjacent catalyst carriers can be prevented, thereby suppressing the occurrence of hot spots. As a result, catalyst deterioration due to the occurrence of hot spots can be suppressed. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the flow of the reaction fluid caused by contact between adjacent catalyst carriers. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the flow of the reaction fluid, which in turn can suppress the catalytic reaction of the reaction fluid.

[0090] In a sixth invention, in the fifth invention, it is preferable that the group of protrusions is provided on both the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface, and that the plurality of protrusions constituting the group of protrusions provided on the first flow path wall surface and the plurality of protrusions constituting the group of protrusions provided on the second flow path wall surface face each other with a gap in the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface.

[0091] According to this configuration, gaps are formed between the plurality of protruding portions protruding from the first flow path wall surface and the plurality of protruding portions protruding from the second flow path wall surface, allowing the flow of the reaction fluid through these gaps, thereby minimizing the reduction in the flowability of the reaction fluid due to the provision of the protruding portions.

[0092] In a seventh invention, in the fifth or sixth invention, the reaction flow path is a flow path whose flow path width direction is a direction perpendicular to both the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface and the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each of the multiple catalyst carriers is made of a cylindrical member extending in the flow path width direction and having a predetermined diameter dimension, and it is preferable that the dimension of the gap in the opposing direction is smaller than the predetermined diameter dimension.

[0093] According to this configuration, the dimension of the gap between the protrusion facing the first flow path wall surface and the protrusion provided on the second flow path wall surface is set to be smaller than the diameter of the catalyst carrier, which makes it possible to prevent the catalyst carrier from passing through the gap and contacting adjacent catalyst carriers, thereby making it possible to prevent the occurrence of hot spots and deterioration of the flowability of the reaction fluid.

[0094] In an eighth invention, in any one of the fifth to seventh inventions, the reaction flow path is a flow path whose flow path width direction is a direction perpendicular to both the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface and the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and it is preferable that the multiple protrusions constituting the protrusion group are each composed of multiple independent protrusions that are arranged independently of each other and lined up at intervals from each other in the flow path width direction.

[0095] According to this configuration, since the plurality of protrusions are not continuous in the width direction of the flow channel but are composed of a plurality of independent protrusions, the reaction fluid can be allowed to flow through the spaces between the independent protrusions, and therefore, a decrease in the flowability of the reaction fluid due to the provision of the protrusions can be minimized.

[0096] In a ninth invention, in the eighth invention, it is preferable that each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is a cylindrical member extending in the flow path width direction and having a predetermined diameter dimension, and the spacing between the plurality of independent protrusions in the flow path width direction is smaller than the predetermined diameter dimension.

[0097] According to this configuration, when the catalyst support breaks and the broken portions separate into small blocks, the small blocks can be prevented from slipping through the independent protrusions and coming into contact with adjacent catalyst support members. This in turn prevents hot spots caused by contact between catalysts, minimizing catalyst deterioration. This ninth invention is particularly useful when the flow direction of the reaction fluid is vertical. This is because when the catalyst support breaks and small blocks are formed, the small blocks tend to fall downward due to gravity.

[0098] In a tenth invention, in any one of the first to ninth inventions, it is preferable that the reaction main body portion further has a temperature control layer laminated on the reaction layer and forming a temperature control flow path through which a temperature control fluid circulates to control the temperature of the reaction fluid.

[0099] According to this configuration, the temperature control layer can be provided to control the temperature of the reaction fluid to a temperature suitable for the catalytic reaction.

Claims

1. A fluid reactor that causes a catalytic reaction in a reaction fluid while circulating the reaction fluid, comprising: a reactor main body including a reaction layer that forms a reaction flow path through which the reaction fluid flows; and a plurality of catalyst carriers that are disposed within the reaction flow path and aligned along the flow direction of the reaction fluid, wherein each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is configured to be individually attachable to and detachable from the reaction flow path.

2. A fluid reactor according to claim 1, wherein the reaction layer is provided with attachment / detachment holes that allow the passage of the plurality of catalyst carriers so that the plurality of catalyst carriers can be individually attached to and detached from the reaction flow path.

3. A fluid reactor according to claim 2, wherein the reaction flow path is a flow path whose width direction is perpendicular to the flow direction of the reaction fluid, each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is made of a longitudinal member extending in the width direction of the reaction flow path, and the attachment / detachment holes are configured to allow the plurality of catalyst carriers to be attached and detached along the width direction of the flow path.

4. A fluid reactor according to claim 2, further comprising a closing member that is detachably fixed to said reactor body and closes said detachment hole.

5. A fluid reactor according to claim 2, wherein the reaction layer has a first flow path wall surface and a second flow path wall surface that face each other across the reaction flow path, and at least one of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface is provided with a group of protrusions that protrude into the reaction flow path, are arranged at intervals in the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and are interposed between adjacent catalyst carriers.

6. A fluid reactor according to claim 5, wherein the group of protrusions is provided on both the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface, and the plurality of protrusions constituting the group of protrusions provided on the first flow path wall surface and the plurality of protrusions constituting the group of protrusions provided on the second flow path wall surface face each other with a gap in between in the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface.

7. A fluid reactor according to claim 6, wherein the reaction flow path is a flow path whose flow path width direction is a direction perpendicular to both the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface and the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is made of a cylindrical member extending in the flow path width direction and having a predetermined diameter, and the dimension of the gap in the opposing direction is smaller than the predetermined diameter.

8. A fluid reactor according to claim 5, wherein the reaction flow path is a flow path whose width direction is perpendicular to both the opposing direction of the first flow path wall surface and the second flow path wall surface and the flow direction of the reaction fluid, and the plurality of protrusions constituting the protrusion group are each composed of a plurality of independent protrusions arranged independently of each other and aligned at intervals from each other in the flow path width direction.

9. A fluid reactor according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of catalyst carriers is a cylindrical member extending in the width direction of the flow channel and having a predetermined diameter, and the spacing between the plurality of independent protrusions in the width direction of the flow channel is smaller than the predetermined diameter.

10. A fluid reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the reactor main body further comprises a temperature control layer laminated on the reaction layer and forming a temperature control flow path through which a temperature control fluid for controlling the temperature of the reaction fluid flows.

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