A guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor and a shock wave turbo reactor comprising said assembly

Abstract

According to an embodiment a guiding assembly (100) is disclosed for a shock wave turbo reactor, the assembly comprising a set of sections, each section having respective cylindrically shaped bodies with a shared axis (107). The guiding assembly is configured to be housed by a shock wave turbo reactor by enclosing said guiding assembly with a reactor shell thereby forming an axially enclosed volume defined by the volume enclosed between two surfaces of revolution having their respective centres coinciding with the shared axis (107), the first surface of revolution being an outer surface of the combined cylindrically shaped bodies of the sections and the second surface formed by the reactor shell when housed by a shock wave turbo reactor, the volume further being enclosed between an inlet (101) at a first axial end of the guiding assembly and an outlet (102) at a second, distal, end of the guiding assembly. The set of sections successively comprises : - a first component comprising a set of blades (104) tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and - a second component (105) comprising a helical ridge, which is wrapped uninterruptedly around its respective cylindrically shaped body thereby defining a helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the helical flow channel, the second component (105) is configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis (107).

Description

[0001] A GUIDING ASSEMBLY FOR A SHOCK WAVE TURBO REACTOR AND A

[0002] SHOCK WAVE TURBO REACTOR COMPRISING SAID ASSEMBLY

[0003] Field of the Invention

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor and a shock wave turbo reactor. The guiding assembly and shock wave turbo reactor are suitable for use in a heating process, for example in a metallurgical heating process. More particularly, the guiding assembly and shock wave turbo reactor are suitable for use in the field of oil- and petrochemical refining and in particular for thermal cracking of hydrocarbon and / or heteroatomic-containing compounds.

[0005] Background

[0006]

[0002] Thermal cracking is a process whereby complex organic molecules are broken down into simpler molecules such as light hydrocarbons by the breaking of carboncarbon bonds in the precursors. The rate of cracking and the end products depend on the temperature and the presence of catalysts, as well as on pressure and reactant concentration.

[0007]

[0003] One extreme of thermal cracking in terms of the product range is denominated by the high-temperature process called steam cracking, which produces valuable ethylene and other feedstocks for the petrochemical industry. It is the principal industrial method for producing lighter alkenes, commonly olefins. This process requires temperatures of circa 750 °C to 900 °C or even higher. In this disclosure, high temperature can mean at least above 500°C. A high-temperature range can be from 500°C to 1700°C, which is a typical reactor material upper limit temperature.

[0008]

[0004] Currently, these processes are carried out using fossil fuel combustion furnaces. Therefore, steam cracking is considered to be a substantial contributor to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, producing a staggering amount of more than three hundred million CO2 per annum, of which 75-90% can be directly attributed to fossil fuel combustion. With the expected increase in global population and the rising living standards of countries like Russia, Brazil, India, and China, it is expected that the demand for olefins will continue to increase in the near future. As a result, new plants should be built and / or old plants should be retrofitted, leading to an upsurge in production capacity and greenhouse gas emissions.

[0009]

[0005] To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implementing renewable energy sources and electrifying large-scale production processes such as steam cracking in the chemical process industry is, therefore, a rational step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but is still in full development.

[0010]

[0006] A first implementation is inductive heating which is defined as the heating induced by the presence of an alternating magnetic field that generates eddy currents that dissipate into heat within a ferromagnetic material. In document CN202226821 U a multi-stage combined electromagnetic heating pipe type continuous cracking refining reactor is disclosed. It discloses a reactor design that is coated with an insulating material above which an inductive coil is wrapped to provide the alternating magnetic field. In document WO2021180864A1 a hybrid tubular reactor configuration for steam cracking is disclosed comprising a traditional furnace design allowing the implementation of electrical heating, such as inductive, resistive, and direct heating, as well as a fossil fuel burner. As such, the reactor design can cope with fluctuations in gas and electricity prices and availability. Along the same line, documents DE102018210409A1 and DE102015013071A1 compromise a hybrid design where a burner and inductive heating can be used simultaneously for heating a steam reformer reactor.

[0011]

[0007] A second implementation is resistive heating, also referred to as joule or ohmic heating, and is defined as the process where the energy of an electric current is converted to heat while flowing through a resistor. The resistor can be the reactor tube itself, such as disclosed in documents WO2015197181A, DE2362628A1 , WO2019228798A1 , and US20140238523A1 , or via well placed resistive sheets along the reactor tubes like in documents W02020002326A1 and WO2021130107. Similarly to the inductive heating approach, hybrid approaches have been disclosed where resistive heating is combined with hot combustion gases to manage price and availability fluctuations, such as in documents DE102015004121A1 , US2016288074, and WO2021180864A1 .

[0008] Both resistive and inductive heating offer the advantage that the implementation in existing furnaces is relatively easy. This is because during a turnaround, all the tubes of a traditional steam cracking furnace are being replaced. Hence, offering the possibility to replace these conventional tubes with resistive or inductive supporting tubes, and in case side equipment, without the need to drastically change the furnace design. As a result, the current cracking units can be electrified. Nevertheless, disadvantages inherently related to the state-of-the-art furnace remain.

[0012]

[0009] First of all, inductive and resistive heating relies on the fact heat transfer occurs from the outside to the inside of the tube. As a result, the tube surface is the hottest place in the reactor, while the tube center is the coldest due to endothermic reactions. As coking is a thermally activated process, it is to be expected that high coking rates will occur where the temperature is the highest, which is the tube surface. Moreover, the presence of cokes indicates the occurrence of secondary reactions vastly reducing the olefin yield, which are the components of interest.

[0013]

[0010] Secondly, cokes form an insulating layer affecting the conductive resistance against heat transfer from the tube surface to the process fluid. To overcome this growing resistance, and hence maintain the same cracking severity, additional power must be supplied. For inductive and resistive heating this leads to higher electric consumption and thus operational expenses. Providing additional power to the tube will, in turn, lead to higher tube metal temperatures, which are limited by the metallurgy of the tube itself. Hence, on a regular basis - whenever the tube temperature or pressure drop becomes too high - the production must cease to decoke the reactors. This requires the production to be halted for up to forty-eight hours leading to considerable adverse effects on the process economics.

[0014]

[0011] Besides coking as an inherent problem, also the way heat is transferred from the furnace side to the process side does limits the obtainable yield and ethylene selectivity. Heat must be transferred from the hot furnace side through the tube wall towards the process side, each having its resistance to heat transfer. Hence, a recent trend is to use advanced 3D reactor geometries to enhance the heat transfer from the hot tube wall to the process fluid, which has led to some minor advantages but remains a limiting factor.

[0012] A third implementation is microwave heating which exploits molecular interactions of a mixture to heat a fluid from the inside, hence circumventing the need for an intermediate hot material when used forfluids other than gasses. However, solid susceptors are needed for a gas phase to absorb the radiation and turn it into heat. For example, SiC is an excellent susceptor for microwave heating, having both an elevated electrical permittivity and loss factor to radiation. Nevertheless, the presence of these susceptors leads to an intermediate hot surface from which the heat is transferred to the gaseous process fluid.

[0015]

[0013] Siauw et al. (Ng, Siauw et al. "Microwave- Assisted Conversion Of Ethane To Ethylene". Applied Petrochemical Research, vol 3, no. 1 -2, 2013, pp. 55-61) reported a pilot-scale microwave reactor for steam cracking. From the experimental results, it is concluded that this newly developed steam cracking reactor achieves product yields similar to a traditional furnace but with 30% energy savings.

[0016]

[0014] A fourth implementation is shockwave heating, for example, through nozzletype reactors. Nozzle-type reactors are pyrolytic reactors that utilize hot carrier gases and the principle of a DeLaval nozzle to generate supersonic hot carrier gas flows. Via judiciously placed injection nozzles, the feedstock is injected into this supersonic carrier gas and transported to the mixing zone, where intense mixing between the hot carrier gas and the feedstock arises. A reaction zone is placed adjacent to the mixing zone. As a result, the velocity of the mixed stream transitions from supersonic to subsonic within the reaction zone. At this transition point, a shock wave occurs, resulting in an instantaneous increase in static pressure and temperature. The increase of temperature within this mixed stream provides enough energy to satisfy the high energy needs of the occurring endothermic reactions.

[0017]

[0015] The high-temperature carrier gas required in this type of reactor can be prepared via the ignition of a fuel and oxidizer. This ignition device can be - among others - a hot platina wire, a spark plug, or auto-ignited components / mixture. Once ignited the production of carrier gas is, in most cases, self-sustaining due to the high temperatures of the ignited mixture. According to document WO2015077335A2, the combustion of hydrogen is deemed to be the most suitable for olefin production as this results in the formation of water vapor, which will dilute - and hence reduce the partial pressure of - the hydrocarbon feed and thus improve the light olefin yields. Different configurations are also disclosed, such as in documents US4136015A, EP0158863A3, US5300216A, W02006073521 A2, US2009266741 A1 ,

[0018] WO2014031288A1 , WO2014031512A2 and WO2015077335A2.

[0019]

[0016] Another application of shockwave heating is turbomachine-like reactors that utilize high-speed rotation to transform mechanical energy into thermal energy. Such a reactor has an inlet and outlet with a vaneless spaced duct in which one or more stages are positioned. A stage is defined as a single rotating blade and two stationary vane cascades, whereby the vanes are positioned side-by-side with the first cascade the stator, the second cascade the rotating blade, and the last cascade the diffuser.

[0020]

[0017] Such a shock wave turbo reactor relies on the principle that the rotor accelerates the process fluid thereby providing the required kinetic energy reaching supersonic levels, which is then reduced in the subsequent diffuser cascade. The subsonic fluid enters a vaneless space where residence time, turbulence, and temperature are sufficiently large for chemical reactions to take place. After this vaneless space, another stage may be implemented thereby repeating the process. This repetitive combination of stage-vaneless spaces may continue until the desired conversion is reached, before discharging the fluid from the reactor outlet.

[0021]

[0018] During the transfer from the inlet to the outlet the feedstock will be sent through multiple sets of the stator, rotor, diffuser vanes, and vaneless spaces. Each time the fluid passes the set of vanes, the kinetic energy increases, reaching supersonic levels due to the rotor, and is converted to internal energy thus increasing the temperature, upon the reduction of flow velocity, i.e. , subsonic velocities in the vaneless space. Specifically, this movement generates stationary shockwaves. Across a strong shock wave, the flow decelerates from supersonic to subsonic speeds over a distance that is comparable with the gas-kinetic mean free path, where velocity is traded for enthalpy, resulting in heating times for shock-heated gases in the order of nanoseconds.

[0019] In W02016001476A1 a rotary machine type reactor suitable for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing feedstock by means of shock waves is disclosed. In W02020074780A1 another rotary machine type reactor is disclosed to conduct chemical reactions in a process fluid comprising a mixing space configured to convert mechanical energy imparted to the process fluid by the rotor into internal energy of said process fluid and to establish conditions for at least one chemical reaction in the process fluid to occur. In WO2019221726A1 another chemical reactor for cracking hydrocarbons in a process fluid by generating shock waves is disclosed. In W02020060919A1 , a turbomachine type chemical reactor is disclosed for processing a process flow comprising an exhaust section arranged downstream of a stationary diffuser section, the exhaust section comprising a plurality of convergent exhaust flow passages configured to provide a back pressure such that a shock wave is generated in the stationary diffuser section.

[0022]

[0020] US11123702B2, which is from the patent family of W02020060919A1 , discloses a turbomachine type chemical reactor for processing a process fluid. The process fluid enters the flow path via a flow inlet. The process fluid axially flows through the rotating impeller section and is accelerated to a supersonic flow. The blades of the rotating impeller are circumferentially spaced apart from each other to accelerate the process fluid to a supersonic flow by changing a flow direction of the process fluid. After that, the supersonic process fluid is directed into a stationary diffuser section and is decelerated to a subsonic flow, thereby generating shock waves in the stationary diffuser section. The shock waves significantly increases a static temperature and a static pressure of the process fluid, being sufficient to crack hydrocarbon in the process fluid.

[0023]

[0021] In an example of a gas compressor disclosed in US2024229804A1 , the input gas is compressed by two consecutive rotors, which rotate in opposite directions. The second rotor provides a plurality of converging-diverging passageways with a throat portion having variable cross-section area, thereby localizing shock wave generation in the converging-diverging passageways. The oblique shock waves progressively decelerate the working fluid which results in an increase in static pressure, leading to improved efficiency in gas compression.

[0022] In WO2024141522A1 , a shock wave device suitable for thermal heating a process fluid is disclosed with the input process fluid passing through two consecutive rotors with curved blades rotating in the opposite direction and then entering a vaneless space. When entering the vaneless space, the velocity of the process fluid is reduced to a subsonic velocity thereby generating a stationary shock wave for heating the process fluid, converting pressure potential and kinetic energy of the process fluid into internal energy. A stationary diffuser can be implemented after the second rotor, aiding in the velocity reduction through diffusion and shockwave generation. The diffuser may further generate turbulence of the process fluid within the following vaneless space.

[0024]

[0023] Turbo reactors, known in the art, are equipped with a highly-cambered diffuser, usually comprising a blunt trailing edge. In such reactors high levels of diffusion and strong secondary flows are present. Consequently, this results in regions of dense reverse-flowing vortex structures and recirculation bubbles, resulting in a broadening of the residence time distribution. For cracking reactions this will result in a reduction of the yield of light olefins.

[0025] Summary of the Invention

[0026]

[0024] It is therefore an object of the present invention to alleviate at least one of the above identified drawbacks in the state of the art and to provide an improved guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor and a shock wave turbo reactor comprising such assembly. The guiding assembly and the shock wave turbo reactor are suitable for endothermal processes, in particular for thermal cracking of a process fluid.

[0027]

[0025] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor according to claim 1 is provided. The guiding assembly comprises a set of sections, each section having respective cylindrically shaped bodies with a shared axis, wherein the guiding assembly is configured to:

[0028] - be housed by a shock wave turbo reactor by enclosing said guiding assembly with a reactor shell thereby forming an axially enclosed volume defined by the volume enclosed between two surfaces of revolution having their respective centers coinciding with the shared axis, the first surface of revolution being an outer surface of the combined cylindrically shaped bodies of the sections and the second surface formed by the reactor shell when housed by a shock wave turbo reactor, the volume further being enclosed between an inlet at a first axial end of the guiding assembly and an outlet at a second, distal, end of the guiding assembly,

[0029] - be used, when housed, for thermal heating of a process fluid when said process fluid is guided through the set of sections from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the set of sections successively comprises:

[0030] - a first component comprising a set of blades tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and configured to guide the process fluid from a first direction, preferably a substantially axial direction, to a second direction, having a larger tangential component than the first direction;

[0031] - a spacing between the first component and a second component; and

[0032] - the second component comprising a respective cylindrically shaped body and a helical ridge, wherein the helical ridge is wrapped uninterruptedly around the respective cylindrically shaped body, thereby defining a helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the helical flow channel; wherein the second component is configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis.

[0033]

[0026] The guiding assembly is designed to be housed within a shock wave turbo reactor, forming an axially enclosed volume that facilitates the thermal heating of a process fluid. More than one guiding assembly can be housed, arranged in sequence, to form a shock wave turbo reactor. The guiding assembly comprises a set of sections, each with cylindrically shaped bodies sharing a common axis. The first component of the assembly can be a stator (preferably) or a rotor with blades that redirect the process fluid from an axial direction to a tangential direction, creating a swirl. This redirection and acceleration of the fluid can be used to enable optimal flow incidence on the rotor, for efficient operation. The first component can be a stator or a similarly equipped rotor. In an embodiment, the first component accelerates the process fluid as it is being directed to the second component. If the first component is a stator (also called a nozzle), this effect can be achieved by a contracting cross-flow area in the nozzle. If the first component is a rotor, on the other hand, the acceleration can be accomplished by the rotation and possibly also a degree of contraction of the crossflow area.

[0027] The second component can be a rotor with a helical ridge that forms a helical flow channel. This design guides the process fluid along the axial direction while maintaining a high relative Mach number, which enables generating the necessary shock waves for heating. The helical ridge's angle, typically between 60 and 90 degrees, aligns with the tangential component of the fluid's direction, for smooth flow and efficient energy transfer.

[0034]

[0028] A helical ridge refers to a ridge relating to, or having the form or shape of a helix. A helix refers to something spiral in form or a curve traced on a cylinder or cone by the rotation of a point crossing its right sections at a variable or constant oblique angle, or a curve that goes around a central tube or cone shape in the form of a spiral. A ridge refers an elevated body part or structure or a long narrow raised part of a surface. In addition, a ridge tends to indicate an elongate structure or a linear series of consecutive structures being connected to each other, thereby forming an integral and continuous structure. In the context of the present disclosure, the helical ridge extends continuously. In the context of this disclosure, the term “continuous” at least refers to an uninterrupted extension in space or sequence and / or an uninterrupted elongation in space. A helical ridge in this disclosure refers a spiralling, raised structure that maintains an unbroken form along its length. This ridge follows a helical pattern, winding around a central axis while remaining uninterrupted through its extent. In some embodiments, the helical ridge’s structural maintains a consistent form along its length, such that the helical ridge maintains a constant ridge height, ridge width, ridge pitch, ridge tip gap or ridge tip clearance between the second component itself and the shroud, and / or helix angle along its length. Ridge pitch refers to the distance between successive turns of the helix, measured parallel to the axis of the helix. Helix angle refers to the angle between the helix and the central axis, indicating the steepness of the spiral. Alternatively and preferably, the form of the helical ridge’s structural along its length can be varied to optimize the performance of the second component. In an optimal design, the form of the helical ridge’s structure preferably varies along its respective length. In the context of this disclosure, the term “wrap” at least means that the helical ridge extends especially by winding along its respective cylindrically shaped body, meaning that the helical ridge is continuous along its length. Additionally and preferably, the helical ridge is wrapped uninterrupted around the respective cylindrically shaped body and helical ridge extends or elongates along the shared axis of the set of sections of the shock wave turbo reactor. Preferably, the helical ridge completes at least one full revolution, turning at least 360 degrees around the shared axis of the sections of the shock wave turbo reactor. Alternatively, the helical ridge may complete more than one full revolution, such as for example two, three, four, or five full revolutions. Alternatively, the helical ridge may complete fractions of a full revolution, turning less than but close to 360 degrees around the shared axis. For example, a helical ridge can complete at least one and a half turn (180 degrees), a quarter turn (90 degrees), any other specified angle of rotation, or any other fraction of full revolution. In the context of this disclosure, a helical ridge wrapped uninterruptedly around its respective cylindrically shaped body is distinct from “a series of discrete elements arranged or ranged in the shape of a helix, which can be such as for example a series of elongated elements arranged head to tail, end to end, forming a shape of a helix”. Such discrete elements themselves, such as for example discrete curved blades, curved vanes impeller blades, curved diffuser blades, or any other possible alternative, may not complete a full revolution or turning 360 degrees around the shared axis.

[0035]

[0029] Unlike conventional shockwave heating devices, the present design does not require diffusion vanes or a similar blade row after the rotor. This is because the helical ridge of the rotor itself is designed to effectively guide the process fluid, eliminating the need for additional diffusers to decelerate the flow and convert kinetic energy into thermal energy. As the flow decelerates through a sequence of oblique shocks (velocity decreases, static temperature and pressure increases) in the rotor channel, these shocks are a source of entropy. As a result, the rotor channel generates sufficient losses to guarantee an (almost) constant pressure throughout while increasing the temperature, as changes in entropy are directly related to the temperature and pressure ratio in the system according to the Gibbs Equation.

[0036]

[0030] The absence of diffusers reduces the complexity of the design and minimizes the formation of recirculating vortex structures, which can negatively impact the residence time distribution and, consequently, the product yield.

[0037]

[0031] Further advantages of the disclosed guiding assembly include improved energy efficiency because the helical ridge design allows efficient energy transfer from the rotor to the process fluid, reducing the need for additional components like diffusers. By eliminating the need for diffusion vanes, the design simplifies the reactor structure, making it easier to manufacture and maintain. The streamlined flow and reduced recirculation zones lead to a more uniform residence time distribution, improving the conditions for desired chemical reactions and improving product yield. Finally, the design maintains a nearly constant pressure along the reactor, reducing the energy required to drive the process fluid through the system. In addition, in certain applications, operating at almost constant pressure favours the production of economically interesting components (light olefins) and thus reducing the occurrence of secondary (bi-molecular) reactions. These advantages, either separately or in combination, enable improved thermal heating in shock wave turbo reactors, particularly in applications like steam cracking and other high-temperature processes.

[0038]

[0032] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the first component is a stator or a rotor, preferably a stator, and the second component is a rotor. The use of a stator and rotor configuration or a rotor and rotor configuration allows for control of fluid dynamics, improving the heating process. A rotor-rotor configuration is more complex and may require more maintenance, while a rotor-rotor configuration may benefit from reduced requirements on the second rotor or higher overall performance.

[0039]

[0033] In an embodiment of the disclosure, each blade of the set of blades (of the first component) comprises a curved blade shape comprising a rounded shape at the leading edge and a cutting shape at the trailing edge. The curved blade shape can enhance the redirection of the process fluid, reducing flow resistance and improving the overall efficiency of the guiding assembly.

[0040]

[0034] According to some embodiments, the second direction, to which the process fluid is guided by the first component and which has a larger tangential component than the first direction, may have its tangential component aligned with the tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet.

[0041]

[0035] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the tangential component of the second direction (the direction of the process fluid as it leaves the first component) is aligned with the tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet. This alignment ensures a smooth transition of the process fluid between the components, minimizing turbulence and energy loss.

[0042]

[0036] According to some embodiments, a guiding assembly is provided, wherein the first component may be a rotor and the second component maybe a rotor, and wherein the guiding assembly may further comprise:

[0043] - a shaft adapted to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis;

[0044] - along a rotation direction around the shared axis, a guiding component arranged at the spacing between the first component and the second component; wherein the first component and the second component can be adapted to be mounted on the shaft; and wherein the guiding component can be adapted to guide the process fluid from the first component to the second component.

[0045]

[0037] In practice, the guiding assembly may comprise more than one sections, each section having its respective cylindrically shaped bodies. The more than one section can have a shared axis. A section can also be referred to as a stage of the guiding assembly. A rotor-rotor configuration can result in a larger temperature increase at the corresponding stage. Conventional stages of the guiding assembly have difficulty in implementing rotor-rotor configuration, because this will create a counter-rotating configuration, which is mechanically rather complex to realize and can have limited industrial applications. To address this challenge, in one embodiment of this disclosure, a series of guide vanes can be implemented at the spacing between the first component and the second component. Preferably, the first component and the second component are two rotors, thereby realizing the rotor-rotor configuration. Preferably, the guide vanes are bucket-nozzle guide vanes. The series of guide vanes may have identical shapes, forms, dimensions, comprised materials, and fabrication methods. In one embodiment, each guide vane may feature a curved blade with cutting edges at both the leading and trailing edges. The curved blade shape, the cutting shape at the leading edge and at the trailing edge can enhance the redirection of the process fluid, reducing flow resistance and improving the overall efficiency of the guiding assembly. Preferably, there is coordination in the flow direction of the process fluid between the first component and the series of guide vanes, and between the series of guide vanes and the second component. According to some embodiments, the first component guides the process fluid from a first direction, preferably a substantially axial direction to a second direction, having a larger tangential component than the first direction. The cutting edges of the guide vanes at the leading edge further redirect the process fluid in specified directions, by aligning with the second direction at and / or at the proximity of the leading edge. This configuration minimizes flow resistance as the process fluid passes from the first component to the series of guide vanes, and then from the series of guide vanes to the second component. In addition, preferably, the cutting edges of the guide vanes at the trailing edge align with the tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet, such that the process fluid experiences minimal flow resistance when flowing from the series of guide vanes to the second component. As a result, the overall flow resistance experienced by the process fluid flowing from the first component to the series of guide vanes and then to the second component can be minimized, enhancing the efficiency of the flowing process. By introducing the series of guide vanes, the first component and the second component can be mounted on the same rotational shaft, thereby largely simplifying the device configuration and increasing the reliability of the guiding assembly.

[0046]

[0038] A shaft can refer to a component that transmits torque from the motor to the corresponding rotor, which is mounted to the shaft. The first component and the second component can be mounted on the shaft, meaning that the first component and the second component can be arranged or assembled on the shaft for being motorized by the shared shaft. For example, the first component and / or the second component can be attached to the shaft in a way common in the field that will be operated by the skilled person in the field, such as for example mechanical fastening, welding, adhesive bonding, interference fit, hardened joint techniques, surface treatments, and / or any other suitable method. Alternatively or additionally, the first component and / or the second component can be fabricated or manufactured together with the shaft or the respective cylindrically shaped body. In some occasions, such as for example, the first component being a rotor and the second component being a rotor, the respective cylindrically shaped body of the first component and the second component shares a rotation axis with the shaft. When the first component and the second component are mounted one the same shaft, the first component and the second component rotate in the same direction about the shared axis. The first component and the second component may not have the same rotation speed about the shared axis. In one embodiment of the rotor-rotor configuration, the two rotors rotate in the same direction about the shared rotation axis. However, the two rotors may have varied rotation speed about the shared rotation axis. A rotational speed at a tip of a blade of the rotors may vary among different rotors. The rotational speed of the rotors can be customized to optimize the flow behaviour of the process flow passing through the rotors and to improve the efficiency of the shock wave turbo reactor.

[0047]

[0039] The guiding component can be a set of blades tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and configured to guide the process fluid from the first component to the second component. Preferably, each blade of the guiding component is identical in shape, dimension, and orientation towards an axis of the cylindrically shaped body. A pitch between two adjacent blades, i.e. a distance from any point on a profile of a blade to the corresponding point on an adjacent profile measured parallel to the axis of the respective cylindrically shaped body, is identical. Alternatively, some of the blades may have varied shape, dimension, orientation, pitch depending on the specific design of the guiding component, e.g. in order to optimize the performance of the guiding component, and / or reduce fabrication costs, and / or introduce specific flow behaviour of the process fluid when entering the second component, and / or any other suitable benefit. Preferably, each blade of the set of blades may comprise a curved blade shape comprising a cutting shape at the leading edge and a cutting shape at the trailing edge. This configuration has the advantage in efficiently guiding the process flow between the first component and the second component, minimizing the flow resistance experienced by the process fluid, effectively reducing kinetic energy loss due to the mismatch in flow direction between different components, and contributing to shock wave generation in the designated locations. Alternatively, some of the blades or each blade may have a varied shape depending on the overall design of the guiding assembly, such as for example comprising a rounded shape at the leading edge. Preferably, the guiding assembly is a bucket-nozzle guide vane or any alternative being configured to perform the same function or achieve the same effects. The guiding component may redirect a flow direction of the process fluid, such as for example, the tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the first component is in an opposite direction to the tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the second component.

[0048]

[0040] In an embodiment of the disclosure, an angle between the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet and an axial direction from inlet to outlet along the cylindrically shaped body of the section of the second component ranges between 60 degrees and 90 degrees and preferably between 65 and 85 degrees, more preferably between 75 and 85 degrees, for example 70, 75, 79, 80 or 81 degrees. Through simulations, the inventors have found that the specified angle range optimizes the flow dynamics, balancing axial and tangential components to enhance heat production and / or energy transfer.

[0049]

[0041] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second component is configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis opposite to a tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet. This counter-rotation generates a counter-swirl (also known as a negative pre-swirl) to the rotor and helps to maximize the power addition to the fluid. According the Euler turbomachine equation, the power addition is the mass flow times the change of the product of specific enthalpy and tangential velocity. By maximizing the change in tangential velocities between the inlet and the outlet of the rotor, the power transfer is maximized.

[0050]

[0042] According to some embodiments, the first component may be configured to rotate in the same rotation direction around the shared axis as the second component; and wherein a tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the first component in the direction from inlet to outlet may be aligned with the rotation direction.

[0051]

[0043] The second component can be configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis opposite to a tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet; while the first component with the same rotation direction as the second component, a tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the first component in the direction from inlet to outlet may be aligned with the rotation direction. Therefore, when the process fluid flow out of the first component, the process fluid may be redirected to flow through the second component. A guiding component may be positioned between the first component and the second component to facilitate the redirection. This specific arrangement of flow channels, namely the flow channels of the first component and the second component, and this specific arrangement of the resulting process fluid flow directions, enables the rotor- to- rotor configuration and provides the various advantages described in this disclosure.

[0052]

[0044] According to some embodiments, the first component is a rotor and the second component is a rotor, i.e. rotor-rotor configuration. The first component and the second component may rotate in the same rotation direction around the shared axis between the first component and the second component.

[0053]

[0045] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the set of sections further comprises a mixing space following on the second component. The mixing space allows for additional homogenization of the process fluid, for uniform heating and reaction conditions. This improves the device's usefulness for heating applications, as it provides a space with uniform heating that is relatively large compared to conventional shock wave heating designs using a diffuser.

[0054]

[0046] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the set of sections further comprises a third component following on the second component, the third component comprising a second rotor comprising a second helical ridge wrapped along its respective cylindrically shaped body thereby defining a second helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the second helical flow channel, wherein preferably a pitch of the second helical ridge is smaller than a pitch of the helical ridge of the first rotor. The use of multiple rotors with varying pitches allows for staged heating and mixing, enhancing the overall efficiency of the process.

[0055]

[0047] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the set of sections further comprises a mixing space following the third component. The additional mixing space further ensures uniformity in the process fluid, improving production yields.

[0048] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the mixing space comprises one or more turbulators. Turbulators enhance the mixing and heat transfer by inducing turbulence in the process fluid. The mixing space may include an active or passive turbulator grid configured to increase the free-stream turbulence intensity. A turbulator grid is a regular or irregular assembly of stationary components or geometric configurations (not aerodynamically shaped blades) contributing to turbulence generation within the mixing space. A stationary component or geometric configuration contributing to turbulence generation can be termed a turbulator.

[0056]

[0049] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the respective cylindrically shaped body of the rotor comprises a diagonally deflecting hub with an increasing radius along the direction from the inlet to the outlet. The diagonally deflecting hub improves the flow dynamics, enhanced work input, improved pressure recovery and enhancing heat production and / or energy transfer.

[0057]

[0050] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a shock wave turbo reactor for thermal heating a process fluid is provided. The shock wave turbo reactor comprises the guiding assembly as described above, and a shroud configured to enclose the guiding assembly thereby defining a cylindrically shaped shell and an inlet and outlet, and actuating means configured to actuate the rotor. The shroud ensures the containment and direction of the process fluid, enabling the heating process.

[0058]

[0051] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the shock wave turbo reactor further comprises actuating means configured for actuating the second component (the rotor). The actuating means, such as an electric motor, provide the necessary mechanical energy to drive the rotor.

[0059]

[0052] According to a third aspect, the disclosure provides a method for thermal heating a process fluid by use of the shock wave turbo reactor, the method comprising the steps of:

[0060] - redirecting the process fluid from an inlet at an inflow angle to a tangential direction by use of the set of blades of the first component thereby generating a swirl in the process fluid; - guiding the process fluid through the helical flow channel of the second component in a direction opposite of the swirl by rotating the rotor accordingly.

[0061]

[0053] The method ensures efficient thermal heating by utilizing the combined effects of swirl generation and helical flow guidance, enhancing heat transfer and mixing.

[0062]

[0054] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the redirecting step further comprises accelerating the process fluid by the use of the set of blades by contraction of the process fluid. The acceleration of the process fluid improves the overall efficiency of the heating process by increasing the kinetic energy available for heat transfer.

[0063] Brief Description of the Fiqures

[0064] The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the figures, wherein:

[0065]

[0055] Fig. 1 illustrates a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising a stator, an in-between spacing, a rotor, and a mixing space;

[0066]

[0056] Fig. 2 illustrates a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising a stator, an in-between spacing, a first rotor, an intra-rotor spacing, a second rotor, and a mixing space;

[0067]

[0057] Fig. 3A illustrates a first embodiment of a series of guiding assemblies for a shock wave turbo reactor, and Fig. 3B illustrates a second embodiment of a series of guiding assemblies for a shock wave turbo reactor; and

[0068]

[0058] Fig. 4 illustrates a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising a cylindrically shaped rotor body comprising a diagonally deflecting hub with an increasing radius along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.

[0069]

[0059] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates a blade-to-blade view of a guiding assembly for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising the first component as a rotor, the second component as a rotor, and a guiding component being located between the two rotors.

[0070] Detailed Description of Embodiments

[0060] Before going into a detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, a few definitions and general remarks will be provided. These definitions and remarks apply to all of the exemplary embodiments, unless indicated otherwise or unless common sense dictates that the definition or remark cannot be applicable. The comments made below are thus explicitly combinable with any of the exemplary embodiments below, or with any embodiment of the summary of the disclosure in the previous section.

[0071]

[0061] The present invention will be described with respect to certain embodiments and with reference to certain figures, but the invention is not limited thereto and is defined only by the claims. The figures described are only schematic and non-limiting. In the figures, the size of certain elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual practical embodiments of the invention.

[0072]

[0062] In addition, the terms first, second, third and the like are used in the specification and in the claims to distinguish between like elements and not necessarily to describe a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention may be used in sequences other than those described or illustrated herein.

[0073]

[0063] Furthermore, the terms top, bottom, over, below, and the like in the specification and claims are used for illustrative purposes and not necessarily to describe relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, and the embodiments of the invention described herein may be used in orientations other than those described or illustrated herein.

[0074]

[0064] Further, although referred to as "preferred embodiments", the various embodiments are to be construed as exemplary in which the invention may be practiced rather than as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

[0075]

[0065] The term "comprising", used in the claims, should not be construed as being limited to the means or steps set forth below; the term does not exclude other elements or steps. The term should be interpreted as specifying the presence of the named features, elements, steps, or components referred to, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps or components, or groups thereof. The scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should therefore not be limited to devices consisting only of the components A and B. The meaning is that with respect to the present invention only the components A and B of the device are listed, and the claim is further to be interpreted as including equivalents of these components.

[0076]

[0066] The guiding assembly according to this disclosure is a component shaped and assembled for housing it into a shock wave turbo reactor. As will be further explained, the shock wave reactor comprises an inlet and outlet when the assembly is housed and is configured for thermal heating a process fluid when guided from the inlet to the outlet through successive sections of the guiding assembly.

[0077]

[0067] The guiding assembly itself comprises a set of successive sections. Each section comprises a respective cylindrically shaped body. A cylindrically shaped body means in the context of the invention that it is essentially or in the first place a cylindrical body. Yet variants are possible. Whereas a cylinder is a cone having its apex at infinity, the cylindrically shaped body can therefore also be a truncated cone, or even more generally a solid of revolution. It should thus be understood that the cylindrically shaped body comprises an axis in the direction between the inlet and the outlet and that around this axis a surface of revolution is defined.

[0078]

[0068] In this context, the term "inlet" refers to the point at which process fluid enters the shock wave reactor, directly interfacing with the primary blades of this device. Conversely, the term "outlet" pertains to the location where fluid exits the shock wave reactor after undergoing the energy exchange process. These designations specifically denote the points of fluid entry and exit within the turbomachine itself, distinct from the corresponding points within the volute assembly.

[0079]

[0069] The axial direction is the direction corresponding to the direction of the axis of the cylindrically shaped body, in particular going from the inlet to the outlet. The tangential direction is the direction along the outer surface of the cylindrically shaped body, thus to the direction corresponding to a rotational direction of the solid of revolution.

[0070] When describing components or sections of the guiding assembly along the axial direction, the relative term “after” or “following” here means downstream of the intended process fluid flow and “before” or “preceding” means upstream of said flow. For example, the expression “after the set of nozzle blades, a first rotor is placed, followed by a second rotor which is placed before the mixing zone”, means that going in the direction of the process flow, the flow encounters, in succession, the nozzle blades, the first rotor, the second rotor and the mixing zone.

[0080]

[0071] When reference is made to a respective cylindrically shaped body, and in particular to the wording ‘along its respective cylindrically shaped body’, this means along the outside of the solid of revolution. Thus, for example, when the cylindrically shaped body is a cylinder, it means along the outside of the surface of the cylinder. It should however further be understood that although it is on the outside of the surface of the cylinder, said space is within an axially enclosed volume as will be further explained.

[0081]

[0072] The first component (in the first section) may be a stator comprising a set of blades. A blade is a component designed to control a direction or characteristics of a fluid flow. In the context of the invention, a blade has a profile having a leading edge and a trailing edge and is configured to control the direction of a fluid flow. The blades are shaped in a manner that, upon the impact of a process fluid at the leading edge, the flow direction is redirected according to the shape of the camberline towards the trailing edge. A camberline is a theoretical line that represents the average curvature of the airfoil from leading edge to trailing edge.

[0082]

[0073] The blades may be tangentially distributed over the cylindrically shaped body of the stator, preferably over the entire 360 degrees tangential range. When the assembly is housed, each blade is configured to guide the process fluid from the inlet from a predominantly axial direction towards a more tangential direction. Each blade preferably comprises a curved shape, characterized by a rounded leading edge and a cutting trailing edge (with cutting trailing edge is meant that the trailing edge is sharper than the rounded leading edge - the trailing edge may also have a rounded edge or a sharp, knife-like, edge). Alternative blade geometries to achieve the directional change are also contemplated, including but not limited to various curves and other geometric configurations.

[0083]

[0074] Furthermore, the blades may be stacked to form a three-dimensional blade structure. This stacking can be either radial or non-radial. In a radial stacking configuration, two-dimensional blade profiles are arranged radially, that is from the surface of the cylindrically shaped body in a straight line, and perpendicular to said surface, towards the shroud. In non-radial stacking arrangements, the stacking lines are varied, for example curved stacking lines (i.e. curving in tangential on one or both sides of the radial arrangement, for example in a b-spline shape), tangentially shifted sections (termed “lean”), or axially shifted sections (termed “sweep”).

[0084]

[0075] The stator may be designed in such a way that the process fluid is accelerated and distributed to let it flow across the rotor. This ensures that the flow incidence on the rotor is within the optimal incidence range, which allows optimal operation of the shock wave turbo reactor. The acceleration is preferably such that the relative Mach number is sufficiently high without the rotational speed of the rotor needing to be exceedingly high, which is limited by the tip speed of the blade which preferably does not exceed the speed of sound. In other words, the optimized flow incidence on the rotor allows the rotor to have a practical rotational speed, while the process fluid still attains a sufficiently high relative Mach number.

[0085]

[0076] Next, there may be a spacing between the stator and a rotor. This rotor, as will be further discussed, comprises a ridge. The spacing between the stator and rotor means that said ridge does not touch the blades of the stator. Said spacing can be a separate section but can also be part of either the stator or the rotor.

[0086]

[0077] The next section may be a rotor comprising a helical ridge wrapped along its respective cylindrically shaped body thereby defining a helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the helical flow channel. A helical ridge is a raised edge and through this raised edge according to a helix, a path is formed. When the rotor is covered by a shell or sheath as will be further explained, the path corresponds to a channel through which a process fluid can flow.

[0078] Preferably, the direction of a movement along the helical ridge corresponds to the direction of the path formed by the helical ridge, which direction is mostly tangential but also partially axial. In other words, the direction in which a process fluid is redirected by the blades corresponds to a direction when following the helical flow channel. The angle of the direction of the path corresponds to the angle between the helical ridge and the shared axis projected on the cylindrical surface on which the ridge is located, so that an angle of 0 degrees indicates a straight line along the shared axis and an angle of 90 degrees indicates a fully tangential direction, perpendicular to the shared axis direction. This angle may be substantially 4TT / 9 rad or expressed in degrees, substantially 80 degrees. The angle preferably ranges between 60 degrees and 90 degrees and more preferably between 65 and 85 degrees, or between 75 and 85 degrees, or for example 70, 75, 79, 80 or 81 degrees.

[0087]

[0079] According to an embodiment, the rotor is configured to rotate in a direction around the shared axis opposite to the tangential component of the path formed by the helical ridge.

[0088]

[0080] This further implies that the rotor rotates in a direction against the tangential direction from the blades. Thus, a process fluid redirected from the axial direction to the tangential direction will be picked up by the rotor when it rotates, and next follows the helical flow channel. Further, note that overall, the process fluid moves in the axial direction from the inlet to the outlet, as will be further discussed when explaining the method.

[0089]

[0081] The trailing edge shape of the helical ridge of the rotor can vary. The trailing edge can be blunt (see e.g. figure 1). The trailing edge can be elliptical (see e.g. figure 4). The trailing edge of the helical ridge of the rotor may be sharper than the leading edge of the helical ridge of the rotor.

[0090]

[0082] According to an embodiment, the guiding assembly further comprises a second rotor following on the first rotor, wherein the second rotor comprises a second helical ridge wrapped along its respective cylindrically shaped body thereby defining a second helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the second helical flow channel, wherein the pitch of the second helical ridge is preferably smaller than the pitch of the helical ridge of the first rotor. The pitch of a helical ridge is the distance from a point on the ridge to a corresponding point on the next turn measured parallel to the axis.

[0091]

[0083] According to an embodiment, the set of sections further comprises a mixing space, preferably comprising one or more turbulators. A turbulator is a component that turns a laminar boundary layer into a turbulent boundary layer. Furthermore, the mixing space may include an active or passive turbulator grid configured to increase the free-stream turbulence intensity.

[0092]

[0084] When the assembly has one rotor, the mixing space is located after this rotor. When the assembly has two rotors, the mixing space is located after the second rotor. While the detailed examples given here relate to one or two rotors in succession, it is clear to the skilled person that also multiple rotors, such as three or four, can be put in succession. In that case the mixing space would be after the final rotor.

[0093]

[0085] According to an embodiment, the respective cylindrically shaped body of the rotor comprises a diagonally deflecting hub with an increasing radius along the direction from the inlet to the outlet. In other words, and as highlighted above, the cylindrically shaped body can be a truncated cone, but also partly be cylindrically shaped at both ends and have a deflecting hub in between having smooth transitions between them.

[0094]

[0086] A shock wave turbo reactor for thermal heating a process fluid is disclosed comprising any embodiment of the guiding assembly as explicitly or implicitly described here, and further comprising a shroud configured to enclose the guiding assembly thereby defining a cylindrically shaped shell and an enclosed inlet and outlet.

[0095]

[0087] A shock wave turbo reactor which is made possible by using a guiding assembly according to this disclosure is different from state-of-the-art turbomachinery reactors at least in omitting the presence of diffuser blades and having a different shape of the rotor to maximize the energy transfer (and thus enthalpy increase) while simultaneously creating sufficient loss structures to maintain almost constant pressure along the reactor. The inventors have found through simulation that in the disclosed embodiments, the occurrence of heat transfer resistances is reduced by heating the fluid from the inside. In an embodiment, a rotor of the reactor (which can, among others, be driven with sustainable electricity) may accelerate the fluid beyond the speed of sound (Mach > 1 , and preferably Mach > 2), thereby providing kinetic energy to the gas. Due to the distinct shape of the rotor and the high gas velocities, a complex shock train will be formed within the rotor passage. Across these oblique shock waves, the flow gradually decelerates over a very small length (i.e., a few micrometres), where velocity is traded for enthalpy, resulting in heating times for shock-heated gases in the order of nanoseconds. Consequently, the heating is purely volumetric in nature and hence circumvents any mode of heat transfer limitation, resulting in the process gas itself being the hottest part within the entire system.

[0096]

[0088] As a result, the inventors have found that disclosed embodiments can increase the process fluid temperature above 1000 °C at an order of magnitude faster compared to state-of-the-art furnaces. There are many industrial applications (for example in the steel and cement industry) which require high-temperature gases (i.e., > 400 °C). Moreover, given the fast heating times and colder wall temperatures, compared to conventional steam cracking furnaces, undesired secondary chemical reactions and the formation of coke deposition will drastically be reduced. Consequently, the light olefin yield is improved compared to the conventional (electrified) steam-cracking furnaces.

[0097]

[0089] Compared to microwave-assisted reactors, the disclosed reactor thus improves the light olefin yield. Additionally, microwave reactors for gas-phase reactions require a solid susceptor -which comes into contact with the process fluid- to absorb the highly energetical waves and dissipate into heat. As a result, these solid susceptors are hotter than the process fluid itself making it an ideal location for cokes to deposit, hence reducing the obtainable olefin yield on an industrial scale.

[0098]

[0090] In conventional nozzle reactors, the feedstock is partially pyrolyzed by direct exposure to the combustion products and partially pyrolyzed downstream of the shock- heated zone. Because these types of reactors rely on the mixing of the injected feedstock (which has a temperature below the temperature of the carrier gas) with the carrier gas, concentration and temperature gradients will occur, resulting in uncontrolled pyrolysis of the feedstock before the occurrence of the shockwave heating. Additionally, the nozzles through which the carrier gasses flow can overheat leading to material rupture.

[0099]

[0091] The above problems encountered in the nozzle reactors are not likely to occur within the disclosed reactor, as the temperatures obtained within this reactor are lower than the temperature of combustion gases. For example, in steam cracking the maximum outlet temperature is around 875 °C, whereas the adiabatic flame temperature of methane with air is around 1963 °C and the adiabatic flame temperature of hydrogen is 3200°C with oxygen as oxidizer, and 2210°C with air as oxidant. Moreover, the steam and hydrocarbon mixture is mixed and heated before entering the reactor. As a result, a more uniform temperature and concentration profile is obtained which can be more easily controlled.

[0100]

[0092] As was mentioned before, prior-art turbomachinery reactors are equipped with a stationary blade row, referred to as a diffuser which is located downstream of at least a single rotor zone. The main purpose of this stationary row is twofold. First, it decelerates the flow (i.e., diffusion) and changes the flow direction. It is specifically this ‘accelerating’ movement, which generates stationary shockwaves. Across these very small (few micrometers) local disruptions, the flow decelerates from supersonic to subsonic speeds, where velocity is traded for enthalpy. Second, it generates turbulent motion both within the blade passage and also in the vanless space due to the bluntly shaped trailing edge. These turbulent structures are needed to increase the entropy within the system to decrease any static pressure built up due to the working of the reactor. Moreover, these turbulent structures further increase the enthalpy due to the energy cascade to which turbulence is subjected (i.e., transfer of energy from the large structures to small structures to finally dissipate into heat).

[0101]

[0093] Within the diffuser of conventional turbomachinery reactors, high levels of diffusion and strong secondary flows are present leading to large hub corner separations. Strong levels of shearing exist between the high-momentum flow near the casing / shroud and the low-momentum flow near the hub. This region of high shear aids in the curl-up of adjacent fluid layers, resulting in the formation of dense reverseflowing vortex structures. These recirculating structures are formed within the diffuser passage itself and tend to span even beyond the trailing edge of the diffuser. Given the recirculating nature of these vortex structures, fluid parcels will naturally reside longer within the vessel.

[0102]

[0094] In the disclosed reactor the diffuser blade zone is redundant and thus omitted, thereby avoiding the occurrence of hub corner separation near the leading edge and minimizing the presence of recirculating vortex structures and death zones. In some embodiments, even the presence of a recirculation zone is not required. Controlling the occurrence of large recirculating structures / death zones is relevant within the design of a chemical reactor, as this influences the residence time distribution (RTD) which plays an important effect on the product quality. For example, in steam cracking, obtaining maximum yields of key products like ethylene and propylene requires specific time and temperature conditions. The prolonged residence time within the reactor -for example, caused by recirculation or stagnant zones- negatively affects product yields, impacting process economics. The inventors have found that with the disclosed reactor as made possible through the disclosed guiding assembly, it is possible to achieve a more narrow (plug flow-like) residence time distribution compared to prior-art turbomachinery reactor, allowing better control of the residence time and thus maximizing steam cracking economics.

[0103]

[0095] A first general embodiment of a reactor using the disclosed guiding assembly, is a single stage shock wave turbo reactor. This embodiment comprises one guiding assembly according to one of the variants as discussed above. Without restricting the scope of protection, this embodiment will now be discussed with reference to such a variant, yet it should be understood that other variants may be implemented as well.

[0104]

[0096] The single stage shock wave turbo reactor comprises a central rotation shaft. Along this shaft, the cylindrically shaped bodies of the successive sections are assembled such that they have a shared axis. Further, around the cylindrically shaped bodies, a shroud encloses the bodies such that an axially enclosed volume arises. Said axially enclosed volume may further be defined by a set of annuli with their respective centres coinciding with the shared axis defined by the central rotation shaft.

[0105]

[0097] An annulus is the region between two concentric circles. Thus, around the axis, a series of first and second concentric circles with their centres coinciding with the axis of the shock wave turbo reactor and having a first respectively second radius is defined, whereby the first radius is bigger than the second one. When said circles are cross-sections of respective surfaces of revolution, the region between said surfaces, being annuli along the axis of the bodies having the surface of revolution (such as tapering or non-tapering cylindrically shaped bodies), defines the enclosed volume. The radii of the first respectively second concentric circles may vary along the axis. This is, for example, the case when one of the bodies has a tapered shape.

[0106]

[0098] Between the axially enclosed volume, there is on one side an inlet, and on the other side an outlet. In an embodiment, in a successive manner, there is thus the inlet, the stator, one or more rotors, the optional mixing space, and the outlet.

[0107]

[0099] The process fluid enters the reactor through the inlet in a predominantly axial direction corresponding to the direction of the shared axis. Next, with the blades of the stator, the process fluid is redirected from said axial direction to an at least partially tangential direction. Subsequently, the process fluid flows through the spacing between the stator and the rotor, also identified as the inter-row spacing, and then enters the rotor (the first rotor, in case there is more than one rotor in a row). By the helical ridge as already discussed above, the process fluid enters the helical flow channel, also identified as the blade flow channel. After the process fluid is guided through the helical flow channel, it enters the mixing space, and finally exits the reactor via the outlet. In a variant, after the first rotor the process fluid is guided through a second rotor. The second rotor may have a pitch that is smaller than the pitch of the first rotor.

[0108]

[0100] A second embodiment is therefore a single stage shock wave turbo reactor comprises two rotors according to the embodiment of the assembly discussed above. In addition to the single stage shock wave turbo reactor having one rotor, the second rotor is positioned after the first rotor, whereby there may be an inter-row spacing between said two rotors.

[0109]

[0101] According to an embodiment, the shock wave turbo reactor further comprises actuating means for actuating the one or more rotors. Preferably the actuating means comprises an electrical motor, but other means are likewise possible such as gas turbines, whether or not configured in a combined cycle, steam turbines, gas pistons, and / or hydraulic motors.

[0110]

[0102] A method for thermal heating a process fluid by use of the shock wave turbo reactor according to the first aspect of the invention is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of

[0111] - redirecting the process fluid from an inlet at an inflow angle to a direction with a larger tangential component than the inflow direction by use of the set of blades of the first component thereby generating a swirl in the process fluid;

[0112] - guiding the process fluid through the helical flow channel of the second component in a direction opposite to the swirl by rotating the rotor accordingly.

[0113]

[0103] According to an embodiment, the redirecting step further comprises accelerating the process fluid through the use of the set of blades by contraction of the process fluid. The stator is positioned between the inlet of the reactor and the rotor and designed to guide the flow in a direction with a larger tangential component than the tangential component of the direction of the incoming process fluid. Thus, at the inlet the process fluid enters the reactor and through the blades, it is directed in a more tangential direction. In other words, the incoming flow is redirected from its initial inflow angle to a highly or mostly or substantially tangentially directed angle. Consequently, a swirl is generated in the fluid. The stator may be designed to provide sufficient acceleration so that the process fluid at the rotor inlet has a Mach number higher than 1 , and more preferably higher than 2. This arrangement of the stator advantageously results in more moderate rotational speed requirements for the rotor, alleviating some of the complexities that arise when rotating at high rotational speeds (for example: higher centrifugal forces, more complex bearing systems, more complex and thus expensive material selection, increased complexity of dynamic balancing, etc). Next, as it flows along the stator blades and thus the stator blade metal surface, it is directed to the rotor.

[0114]

[0104] Figure 1 illustrates a guiding assembly 100 for a shock wave turbo reactor having an inlet 101 and an outlet 102. The assembly 100 comprises a cylindrically shaped body which is a combination of sections 104, 105, 106, each section having its own cylindrically shaped body. The assembly 100 is configured to be housed in the shock wave turbo reactor (the housing is indicated with dashed lines). When housed, the combined cylindrically shaped body forms a first surface of revolution, and the inner surface or shell of the shock wave turbo reactor housing forms a second surface of revolution. Note that the shell of the shock wave turbo reactor, indicated with dashed lines in figure 1 , is not part of the guiding assembly 100 itself. The first and second surfaces of revolutions define a set of annuli 103 forming an enclosed volume between said inlet 101 and said outlet 102. The inlet 101 and outlet 102 are also between the first and second surfaces of revolutions, on either axial end of the assembly 100. In the exemplary figure 1 , the inlet 101 is on the left hand side of the assembly, and the outlet 102 is on the right hand side, with the intended flow direction from left to right.

[0115]

[0105] As was mentioned, the assembly 100 comprises a set of successive sections 104, 105, 106 with their centres coinciding with a shared axis illustrated by reference 107, and each section has its own respective cylindrically shaped body. In the example of figure 1 , each section has the same diameter. This, however, need not always be the case, as will be discussed in reference to figure 4.

[0116]

[0106] In an embodiment, to efficiently feed process fluid into the shock wave reactor, a volute assembly (not shown) is integrated into the inlet 101 , receiving fluid from a conduit (not shown). This volute section is configured to transform the fluid flow from axial, radial, or mixed directions within the conduit into a flow pattern precisely tailored to match the entrance area of the machine (which can be annulus shaped in case of an axial design). Optionally, the inlet volute may feature guiding walls to ensure proper fluid alignment with the primary blade. By distributing the fluid across the (annular) inlet of the turbomachine, the volute assembly optimizes flow dynamics, thereby enhancing overall performance. Additionally, the shock wave reactor incorporates a volute assembly (not shown) in its outlet 102, transitioning the fluid flow from the machine's exit area into a conduit for evacuation from the reactor and onward transportation to downstream equipment.

[0117]

[0107] With reference to the other figures 2, 3A, 3B, and 4, the illustrations all have their inlet illustrated on the left side and the outlet illustrated on the right side. This is just an example, the skilled person can envisage an embodiment in which the various components are suitable mirrored so that the inlet is on the right side and the outlet on the left side.

[0118]

[0108] Going from left to right, or from inlet to outlet, the first section is a stator comprising a set of blades 104 radially distributed around the cylindrical shaped body. The blades 104 have a curved blade shape with a rounded shape at the side pointing to the inlet, and a sharper shape at the direction pointing to the outlet. The side pointing at the inlet is also identified as the leading edge, and the side pointing at the outlet is also identified as the trailing edge. The trailing edge, just like the leading edge, may have an elliptical or rounded shape, but the thickness of the trailing edge is smaller than the thickness of the leading edge. The trailing edge may look like a blade or a knife. The trailing edge can thus also be called a cutting edge.

[0119]

[0109] The blades 104 are configured to direct a process fluid coming from the inlet 101 introduced in the axially enclosed volume 103 in a predominantly axial incoming direction towards a rotor 105 in a direction having a larger tangential component than the incoming direction. Between the stator, and thus the blades 104, and the rotor 105 there is a spacing.

[0120]

[0110] The rotor 105 comprises a helical ridge wrapped around the cylindrically shaped body. The ridge combined with the shell forms a helical flow channel for further guiding the process fluid towards the outlet 102. The helical ridge can be characterised by 1) an angle between 0 and 90 degrees, with an angle of 0 being parallel with the axial direction and an angle of 90 degrees perpendicular to the axial direction, in a fully tangential direction and 2) a pitch, the pitch being the distance between two subsequent walls of the ridge in the axial direction, in other words the width (as measured in axial direction) of the helical path defined by the ridge.

[0111] The height of the ridge is typically such that it fits the space between the cylindrical surface on which the ridge is located and the enclosing shroud (when the guiding assembly is housed). To allow rotation there may be a small gap (referred to at tip gap or tip clearance) between the rotor itself and the shroud. This gap is small, and commonly within the range of 0.5-3% of the blade height. This is referred to as an unshrouded design. In a shrouded design, the tip gap region may be replaced with a labyrinth-like structure to reduce the formation of leakage flows in the tip gap region.

[0121]

[0112] With reference to the blades 104, the helical ridge is turned or rolled in such a way that the helix is aligned with the direction in which the blades 104 direct the process fluid originating from the predominantly axial direction, as can be seen in the illustrations. When a second rotor is present, for example in Fig. 2, the same holds for the hand of the helix of the second rotor. In other words, in figures 1 and 2, the helix of rotors 105, 201 , 202 has a tangential direction or “handedness” which follows from the right-hand rule with the thumb pointing in the axial direction from the inlet 101 to the outlet 102.

[0122]

[0113] The rotor 105 is further configured to rotate in a direction opposite or against the bending from the axial to the tangential direction. The same accounts for a second rotor when present. In other words, in figures 1 and 2, the rotors 105, 201 , 202 would rotate in the direction indicated by the fingers of the right hand rule, with the thumb pointing now in the opposite direction, from the outlet 102 to the inlet 101. This opposite arrangement of helix orientation and rotation direction allows for an optimized transfer of kinetic energy from the rotors to thermal energy of the process fluid, in other words an optimized shock wave heating effect.

[0123]

[0114] The assembly 100 further comprises a mixing space 106 after (downstream of, in terms of the intended direction of the process fluid) the rotor and before (upstream of) the outlet 102. Although not illustrated, this mixing space 106 can, according to an embodiment, comprise one or more turbulators and / or turbulator grids.

[0124]

[0115] Table 1 below shows a few typical parameters of embodiments of a guiding assembly. These measurements are intended to be informative rather than restrictive and can be adjusted by a skilled person to suit various operational needs. The disclosure details a high-flowthrough device with capacities ranging from 0.5 to 100 kg / s, scalable according to size. Exemplary capacity ranges include 10-15 kg / s, 25- 50 kg / s, and 75-100 kg / s, with potential configurations that could exceed 100 kg / s.

[0116] For those skilled in the art, a similar device can be developed to handle flow rates that are either double or half of the baseline, with corresponding modifications to the geometry. Some parameters can be independently adjusted from the flow rate, such as increasing the number of stator blades while reducing the chord length to maintain aerodynamic performance. Some parameters, such as rotor inlet angles and required Mach numbers, are relatively independent of flow rate. The data provided reflects a specific configuration and should not be seen as absolute limits.

[0125] CONFIGURATION

[0126] Parameters 1 2 3

[0127] Table 1: Parameters of embodiments

[0128]

[0117] In Fig. 2 another embodiment of an assembly 200 is illustrated. This embodiment 200 has a second rotor 202 positioned after a first rotor 201 . As indicated earlier, the relative term “after” here means downstream of the intended process fluid flow and “before” means upstream of said flow. The same principle as the assembly 100 of Fig. 1 accounts. A process fluid is entered at the inlet, deflected by the blades into a more tangential direction towards the first rotor 201 , and after that into the second rotor 202. There may be a space between the first and second rotor. As further illustrated, the pitch of the helical ridge of the second rotor 202 is smaller than the pitch of the helical ridge of the first rotor 201. The handedness of the helix of the helical ridge of the first rotor 201 is the same as the handedness of the helix of the helical ridge of the second rotor 202, that is, both are right-handed as in the exemplary figure 2, or left-handed (not shown). The rotation direction of the second rotor is also the same as the rotation direction of the first rotor. For an alternative embodiment with two left-handed helix rotors, the direction of the stator blades in figure 2 should be reversed tangentially so that the direction of the stator blades again matches the rotors’ helixes. The illustrated assembly 200 further comprises a mixing space positioned after the second rotor 202.

[0129]

[0118] Alternatively or additionally, the first rotor may have a decreasing pitch, that is, the pitch of the rotor at or near the inlet is smaller than the pitch of the rotor near the outlet. The change in pitch can be gradual, or it can be relatively abrupt (as if two helixes with different pitches are connected). A simulation study has shown that deceleration is observed towards the end of rotor channel in a rotor with decreasing pitch compared to a rotor with constant pitch (contracting supersonic flow results in deceleration) resulting in improved absolute flow angles and improved staging characteristics (i.e. , more suitable for repeated implementation of unit stages).

[0130]

[0119] Fig. 3A and 3B illustrate embodiments having a set of guiding assemblies for a shock wave turbo reactor assembled one after another. In Fig. 3A, the illustrated embodiment comprises a first assembly 302 and a second assembly 303 in accordance with the assembly 100 of Fig. 1. After the second assembly 303 there is a spacing or mixing space 305 after which a third assembly 304 is assembled. After the third assembly 304 another spacing or mixing space 306 is present.

[0131]

[0120] In figure 3A, all rotors 302, 303, 304 are shown having the same pitch. It is also possible to vary the pitch of the rotors. For example, rotor 303 could have a smaller or the same pitch than the preceding rotor 302, and rotor 304 could have a smaller or the same pitch as preceding rotor 303. Generally speaking, the pitch of the rotors may decrease in the downstream direction, to improve the transfer of kinetic to thermal energy as the flow speed and temperature of the process fluid increases.

[0121] Fig. 3B illustrated a similar set-up 301 having successively a first assembly 307, a first mixing space 308, a second assembly 309, a second mixing space 310, a third assembly 311 , and a third mixing space 312.

[0132]

[0122] Fig. 4 illustrates an assembly 400 having a rotor 401 having a cylindrical shaped body having a tapered shape. This is illustrated by the reference 402 through which it is observed that the outer diameter of the cylindrical body increases in the direction from the inlet to the outlet, in the section occupied by the rotor 401 . The shell around the cylindrical bodies does not increase, with the result that the inlet has a larger radial dimension 403 than the outlet 404.

[0133]

[0123] In terms of sections, in this example the section with the stator and the section with the spacing between the stator and the rotor has a respective cylindrically shaped body with a first diameter. The section with the mixing space after the rotor has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The section with the rotor 401 is tapered, enabling the transition from the first to the second diameter, providing an overall smooth surface of revolution. The second surface of revolution, which together with the first surface defines the volume through which the process fluid is to flow, has a single constant diameter.

[0134]

[0124] It is to be understood that the example of figure 4 is not limiting, but that other variations of diameters are available to the skilled person. For example, the diameter of the second surface may vary along the length of the axis. Alternatively, or additionally, different sections may have a tapering first surface. For example, the mixing zone can transition from the second to a third diameter. Alternatively, the transition may be abrupt instead of gradual.

[0135]

[0125] Figures 1 to 4 have shown various exemplary embodiments. In general, a shock wave turbo reactor can be formed by combining any integer number N of guiding assemblies according the invention (where N=1 , 2, 3, 4, .. ). Each of the guiding assemblies will have a first component in the form of a stator or rotor section for shaping the incoming flow, followed by one or more rotors with pitches as described before, and possibly followed by a mixing zone. If there is more than one guiding assembly, the process flow goes from one to the other in successive fashion. Generally the last guiding assembly in the reactor will have a mixing zone, but not all of the preceding assemblies need have one.

[0136]

[0126] Fig. 5 schematically illustrates a blade-to-blade view of a guiding assembly 500 for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising a set of successive sections 501 , 502, and 503 with their centres coinciding with a shared axis 107. Fig. 5 schematically illustrates an arrangement of the blades of the successive sections 501 , 502, and 503, and schematically illustrates a flow direction of the process fluid 530 from the inlet 101 to the outlet 102, passing from the section 501 to the section 502, and then from the section 502 to the section 503. Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment when the first component 501 is a rotor and the second component 503 is a rotor, namely the rotorrotor configuration. The rotors 501 and 503 are mounted on the same shaft, which rotates along the shared axis 107. Along a rotation direction around the shared axis 107, a guiding component 502 is positioned in the spacing between the first component 501 and the second component 503. The first component 501 , i.e. the rotor 501 comprises a set of blades 511 tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and configured to guide the process fluid from the inlet 101 to the guiding component 502. Each blade 511 of the first component 501 , i.e. the rotor 501 comprises a curved blade shape comprising a round shape at the leading edge and a cutting shape at the trailing edge. The guiding component 502, comprises a set of blades 512 tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and configured to guide the process fluid from the first component 501 to the second component 503, i.e. the second rotor 503. Each blade 512 of the guiding component comprises a curved blade shape comprising a cutting shape at the leading edge and a cutting shape at the trailing edge. The second component 503, comprises a helical ridge 513, wherein the helical ridge 513 is wrapped uninterrupted around the respective cylindrically shaped body, thereby defining a helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction 107 when following the helical flow channel. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the first component 501 rotates in the same rotation direction 520 around the shared axis 107 as the second component 503. A flow direction of the process fluid is illustrated in directions 530. A tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the first component 501 in the direction from inlet 101 to outlet 102 is aligned with the rotation direction 520; while a tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid in the second component 503 in the direction from inlet 101 to outlet 102 is opposite to the rotation direction 520. The guiding component 502 redirects the flow direction of the process fluid passing from the first component 501 to the second component 503. Preferably, the guiding component 502 is a bucket-nozzle guide vane.

Claims

- 39 -CLAIMS1. A guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) for a shock wave turbo reactor comprising a set of sections, each section having respective cylindrically shaped bodies with a shared axis (107), wherein the guiding assembly is configured to:- be housed by a shock wave turbo reactor by enclosing said guiding assembly with a reactor shell thereby forming an axially enclosed volume defined by the volume enclosed between two surfaces of revolution having their respective centres coinciding with the shared axis (107), the first surface of revolution being an outer surface of the combined cylindrically shaped bodies of the sections and the second surface formed by the reactor shell when housed by a shock wave turbo reactor, the volume further being enclosed between an inlet (101 ) at a first axial end of the guiding assembly and an outlet (102) at a second, distal, end of the guiding assembly,- be used, when housed, for thermal heating of a process fluid when said process fluid is guided through the set of sections from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the set of sections successively comprises: o a first component comprising a set of blades (104) tangentially distributed along its respective cylindrically shaped body and configured to guide the process fluid from a first direction, preferably a substantially axial direction, to a second direction, having a larger tangential component than the first direction; o a spacing between the first component and a second component; and o the second component (105) comprising a respective cylindrically shaped body and a helical ridge, wherein the helical ridge is wrapped uninterruptedly around the respective cylindrically shaped body, thereby defining a helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the helical flow channel; wherein the second component (105) is configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis (107).- 40 -2. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) of claim 1 , wherein the first component is a stator or a rotor, preferably a stator, and the second component is a rotor.

3. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) of claim 1 or 2, wherein each blade of the set of blades (104) comprises a curved blade shape comprising a rounded shape at the leading edge and a cutting shape at the trailing edge.

4. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second direction, to which the process fluid is guided by the first component and which has a larger tangential component than the first direction, has its tangential component aligned with the tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet.

5. The guiding assembly (500) according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the first component is a rotor (501) and the second component is a rotor (503), and wherein the guiding assembly (500) further comprises:- a shaft adapted to rotate in a rotation direction (520) around the shared axis (107);- along a rotation direction (520) around the shared axis (107), a guiding component (502) arranged at the spacing between the first component (501) and the second component (503); wherein the first component (501) and the second component (503) are adapted to be mounted on the shaft; and wherein the guiding component (502) is adapted to guide the process fluid from the first component (501) to the second component (503).

6. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to claim any one of the preceding claims, wherein an angle between the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet and an axial direction from inlet to outlet along the cylindrically shaped body of the section of the second component ranges between 60 degrees and 90 degrees and preferably between 65 and 85 degrees, more preferably between 75 and 85 degrees, for example 70, 75, 79, 80 or 81 degrees.- 41 -7. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second component (105) is configured to rotate in a rotation direction around the shared axis opposite to a tangential component of the direction of the helical flow channel of the second component in the direction from inlet to outlet.

8. The guiding assembly (500) according to claims 5 and 7, wherein the first component (501) is configured to rotate in the same rotation direction (520) around the shared axis (107) as the second component (503); and wherein a tangential component of the flow direction of the process fluid (530) in the first component (501) in the direction from inlet (101) to outlet (102) is aligned with the rotation direction (520).

9. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to any one of the preceding claims, the set of sections further comprising a mixing space (106) following on the second component (105).

10. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to any of the preceding claims, the set of sections further comprises a third component following on the second component, the third component comprising a second rotor (202) comprising a second helical ridge wrapped along its respective cylindrically shaped body thereby defining a second helical flow channel for guiding the process fluid along the axial direction when following the second helical flow channel, wherein a pitch of the second helical ridge is preferably smaller than a pitch of the helical ridge of the first rotor (201).

11. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to claim 10, the set of sections further comprising a mixing space following third component (202).

12. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to claims 9 or 11 , wherein the mixing space (106) comprises one or more turbulators.

13. The guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective cylindrically shaped body of the rotorcomprises a diagonally deflecting hub (402) with an increasing radius along the direction from the inlet to the outlet.

14. A shock wave turbo reactor for thermal heating a process fluid comprising the guiding assembly (100, 200, 400, 500) according to any one of the preceding claims, a shroud configured to enclose the guiding assembly thereby defining a cylindrically shaped shell and an inlet and outlet, and actuating means configured to actuate the rotor.

15. A method for thermal heating a process fluid by use of the shock wave turbo reactor according to claim 14, the method comprising the steps of:- redirecting the process fluid from an inlet at an inflow angle to a tangential direction by use of the set of blades of the first component a stator thereby generating a swirl in the process fluid;- guiding the process fluid through the helical flow channel of the second component in a direction opposite of the swirl by rotating the rotor accordingly.

16. The method for thermal heating a process fluid according to claim 15, wherein the redirecting step further comprises accelerating the process fluid by the use of the set of blades by contraction of the process fluid.

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