Electrically heated reactor

Abstract

An electrically heated reactor is disclosed. The electrically heated reactor comprises: a reaction tube in which a passage through which a reactant passes is formed in a longitudinal direction, and which receives power to generate heat; an internal heating element disposed in the reaction tube and receiving power to generate heat; a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube and / or the internal heating element; and a pair of conductive sockets disposed at both ends of the reaction tube, respectively, and connecting the power source and the reaction tube so that the power of the power source is supplied to the reaction tube.

Description

electric heating reactor

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0139612 dated October 14, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the document of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] The present invention relates to an electric heating reactor, and more specifically, to an electric heating reactor capable of increasing the heating surface area by placing an internal heating element within a reaction tube and supplying the required amount of heat to each location within the reaction tube.

[0004] In the chemical industry, fossil fuels (LNG, LPG, coal, etc.) are used to maintain high temperatures in various facilities (e.g., crackers, reformers, reactors, boilers, etc.) and to provide the heat required for reactions. However, heating by the combustion of fossil fuels is inefficient because only a portion of the energy contained in the fuel can be utilized in high-temperature regions, requiring additional devices (e.g., steam recovery systems) to recover the remaining energy. Consequently, this method is not only inefficient but also a major contributor to carbon emissions. Therefore, efforts are being made to replace heating methods based on fossil fuel combustion with electric heating methods.

[0005] Electric heating has traditionally utilized an indirect heating method in which electric heaters are placed around areas requiring heat (such as reactors), but recently, a direct electric heating method that applies current directly to the reactor has also been proposed. The direct electric heating method involves applying current to a tubular reactor with high resistivity to generate heat within the reactor itself. Compared to methods where heat from a flame generated by burning fossil fuels or heat from an electric heater is transferred to the reactor, the direct electric heating method generates heat within the reactor itself. Since the conventional process of heat transfer from the outside to the reactor is eliminated, the material inside the reactor can be heated more quickly and efficiently.

[0006] Using the heating methods mentioned above, equipment (such as a reactor) is heated to transfer reaction heat (in the case of an endothermic reaction) or heat of heating to the material inside the equipment. At this time, in order to provide the amount of heat required for the endothermic reaction of the material inside the reactor and simultaneously maintain the reaction temperature at a level of 600°C to 900°C, the outside of the reactor must be maintained at a very high temperature of over 1000°C. Consequently, a large temperature difference occurs between the reactor and the internal material, and unintended side reactions may occur due to the hot surface of the reactor. Furthermore, in the case of a catalytic reactor, heat transfer from the reactor walls to the center of the reactor may be delayed by the catalyst, so cold spots may occur in the center of the reactor.

[0007] For example, cold spots can occur in endothermic reactions that require a catalyst, such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM), which produce hydrogen or synthesis gas by reforming methane. As reaction gases pass through the catalyst, the endothermic reaction, which requires high temperatures of over 700°C, proceeds rapidly throughout the reactor, but heat transfer is slow in the center of the reactor, leading to the formation of cold spots. This can cause coking, where carbon deposits are deposited, which can shorten the lifespan of the catalyst.

[0008] To solve these problems, conventional methods utilized multiple thin-tube reactors to ensure even heat transfer to the center of the reactor. However, since these multiple thin-tube reactors were arranged side by side, significant effort was required to achieve uniform dispersion of reactants among the reactors, design complex furnaces to transfer a uniform amount of heat from the external flame to the reactors, ensure uniform flow of reactants within the reactors, and maintain a uniform internal temperature. Furthermore, additional devices were necessary to maintain uniform dispersion, flow of reactants, and internal temperature.

[0009] The matters described in this background technology section are written to enhance understanding of the background of the invention and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those skilled in the art to which this technology belongs.

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention aims to provide an electric direct heating reactor with improved heat transfer efficiency by increasing the heating surface area through the placement of an internal heating element within a reaction tube.

[0011] Another embodiment of the present invention aims to provide an electric direct heating reactor capable of suppressing the formation of cold spots and reducing unnecessary side reactions or coke by supplying the required amount of heat to each location inside the reaction tube.

[0012] An electric heating reactor according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a reaction tube having a longitudinal passage through which reactants pass and which generates heat upon receiving power; an internal heating element disposed within the reaction tube and which generates heat upon receiving power; a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube and / or the internal heating element; and a pair of conductive sockets disposed at each end of the reaction tube and connecting the power source and the reaction tube so that the power from the power source is supplied to the reaction tube.

[0013] The above internal heating element can receive power from the power source by contacting each conductive socket or reaction tube.

[0014] The above internal heating element may include at least one first and second unit heating element connected to each other.

[0015] At least one first unit heating element is extended or oriented in a first direction, and at least one second unit heating element is extended or oriented in a second direction different from the first direction and can be connected to at least one first unit heating element or at least one second unit heating element.

[0016] The reactants are allowed to pass between at least one first and second unit heating element, and a catalyst may be supported or attached to each first and second unit heating element.

[0017] In one aspect, the heating element may maintain a constant heating area, thickness, shape, or material along the length direction and / or diameter direction.

[0018] In another aspect, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element may vary along the length direction and / or diameter direction.

[0019] The reactants are allowed to pass between internal heating elements, and a catalyst may be supported on or attached to the internal heating elements.

[0020] The above electric heating reactor may further include an insulator configured to be placed between the reaction tube and the internal heating element to insulate the reaction tube and the internal heating element.

[0021] The above electric heating reactor may further include a pair of conductive sockets and a cooler configured to cool the connection points of the power supply and / or reaction tubes.

[0022] In another embodiment, the internal heating element includes a plurality of internal heating elements, and the plurality of internal heating elements may be arranged side by side within a reaction tube.

[0023] According to the present invention, by placing an internal heating element inside a reaction tube and supplying power to the reaction tube and / or the internal heating element, both the reaction tube and the internal heating element can generate heat. Accordingly, the inside of the reaction tube can be heated evenly and the formation of cold spots can be suppressed.

[0024] Since the internal heating element includes at least one first and second unit heating element connected to each other, the heating area is significantly increased, and thereby the heat transfer area can also be significantly increased. Due to the increase in the heat transfer area, the temperature difference between the reactor wall, the inside of the reactor, and the catalyst is reduced, thereby reducing the formation of unnecessary side reactions or coke caused by the temperature difference. The reduction in coke improves the durability of the catalyst and reduces the need for decoking.

[0025] In addition, the temperature of the reactor can be lowered compared to that of a conventional reactor to transfer the same amount of heat to the reactants, and since the time exposed to high temperatures is reduced, the durability of the reactor itself can be improved.

[0026] The heating surface area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element can be changed according to the required heat amount at each location, allowing for precise control of the temperature inside the reactor. Furthermore, it becomes possible to operate at higher temperatures that were previously difficult to achieve due to material limitations.

[0027] Furthermore, other effects that can be obtained or predicted by the embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention. That is, various effects predicted according to the embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed within the detailed description to be set forth below.

[0028] The embodiments of this specification may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 5 is a graph comparing the temperature of a conventional reactor according to the target temperature of the reactants and the temperature of a reactor according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] The drawings referenced above are not necessarily drawn to scale and should be understood as presenting somewhat simplified representations of various preferred features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. For example, specific design features of the present disclosure, including specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be partially determined by specific intended applications and usage environments.

[0035] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, singular forms are intended to include plural forms as well, unless explicitly otherwise indicated in the context. It will also be understood that the terms “include” and / or “include,” as used herein, specify the presence of the mentioned features, integers, steps, operations, components and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more of other features, integers, steps, operations, components, components and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any one or all combinations of the associated items listed.

[0036] Additionally, it is understood that one or more of the methods or aspects thereof described below may be executed by at least one controller. The term “controller” may refer to a hardware device comprising memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions, and the processor is specifically programmed to execute program instructions to perform one or more processes described in more detail below. The controller may control the operation of units, modules, components, devices, or similar things as described herein. Furthermore, it is understood that the methods below may be executed by a device comprising a controller together with one or more other components, as recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0037] Additionally, the controller of the present disclosure may be implemented as a non-transient computer-readable recording medium comprising executable program instructions executed by a processor. Examples of computer-readable recording media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, Compact Disc (CD) ROM, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed across a computer network so that program instructions can be stored and executed in a distributed manner, such as, for example, a telematics server or a Controller Area Network (CAN).

[0038] According to the present invention, an electric heating reactor comprises a reaction tube having a longitudinal passage through which reactants pass and which generates heat upon receiving power; an internal heating element disposed within the reaction tube and which generates heat upon receiving power; a power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube and / or the internal heating element; and a pair of conductive sockets disposed at each end of the reaction tube and connecting the power source and the reaction tube so that the power from the power source is supplied to the reaction tube. The internal heating element may receive power from the power source by contacting each conductive socket or the reaction tube. Since both the reaction tube and the internal heating element generate heat, the interior of the reaction tube can be heated evenly and the formation of cold spots can be suppressed.

[0039] The internal heating element comprises at least one first unit heating element extending in a first direction and at least one second unit heating element extending in a second direction different from the first direction, each connected to each of the at least one first unit heating element. Accordingly, the heating area is increased, and the heat transfer area is also increased.

[0040] The above internal heating element allows reactants to pass between at least one first and second unit heating element, and a catalyst may be supported on or attached to the internal heating element. Due to the increase in the heat transfer area, the temperature difference between the reactor wall, the inside of the reactor, and the catalyst is reduced, thereby reducing the formation of unnecessary side reactions or coke caused by the temperature difference. The reduction in coke improves the durability of the catalyst and reduces the need for decoking. In addition, the temperature of the reactor can be lower than that of a conventional reactor to transfer the same amount of heat to the reactants, and the durability of the reactor itself can be improved as the time exposed to high temperatures is reduced.

[0041] The heating element described above may vary in heating area, thickness, shape, or material along its length. Since the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element can be changed according to the required amount of heat at each location, the temperature inside the reactor can be controlled precisely. Furthermore, it becomes possible to operate at higher temperatures that were previously difficult to achieve due to material limitations.

[0042]

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an electric heating reactor (10) according to embodiments of the present invention is configured to generate heat by receiving power and to transfer heat to a reactant inside using the heat. The reactant uses the heat received from the electric heating reactor (10) to cause a target reaction and is converted into a product, and the product is discharged from the electric heating reactor (10). The electric heating reactor (10) includes a reaction tube (20), a power source (40), and a pair of conductive sockets (first and second conductive sockets (30a, 30b)).

[0046] The reaction tube (20) is made of an alloy material having high resistivity (e.g., Ni-Cr, Fe-Cr, Fe-Ni-Cr, Fe-Cr-Al, etc.), and a passage through which reactants pass is formed in the longitudinal direction inside it. For example, the reaction tube (20) may be formed in the shape of an annular pipe, and a passage through which reactants pass is formed in the longitudinal direction inside it. However, the shape of the reaction tube (20) is not limited to the shape of an annular pipe. Since the reaction tube (20) has high resistivity, when power is applied to the reaction tube (20), heat is generated in the reaction tube (20), and the heat can be transferred to the reactants in the passage.

[0047] An inlet (22) is formed at one end of the reaction tube (20), and reactants requiring reaction are introduced into the reaction tube (20) through the inlet (22). An outlet (24) is formed at the other end of the reaction tube (20), and products that have completed the reaction and / or unreacted materials that have not completed the reaction are discharged from the reaction tube (20) through the outlet (24). The thickness of the reaction tube (20) may be maintained constant or varied along the longitudinal direction. If the thickness of the reaction tube (20) is constant along the longitudinal direction, the amount of heat generated in the reaction tube (20) per unit length is constant along the longitudinal direction. Conversely, if the thickness of the reaction tube (20) varies along the longitudinal direction, the amount of heat generated in the reaction tube (20) per unit length also changes to correspond to the thickness along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the thickness of the reaction tube (20) can be changed according to the amount of heat required at each location of the reaction tube (20) along the longitudinal direction.

[0048] The power source (40) is configured to supply power to the reaction tube (20). The power source (40) may be an AC power source or a DC power source. The reaction tube (20) may generate heat directly by receiving power from the power source (40).

[0049] A pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) electrically connect the power source (40) and the reaction tube (20). When the power source (40) supplies power to the reaction tube (20) through the pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b), the reaction tube (20) generates heat. The heat is transferred to the reactants passing through the passage, and the reactants are heated. The first conductive socket (30a) is mounted on one end of the reaction tube (20) and electrically connects the power source (40) and one end of the reaction tube (20) through a wire (42). Additionally, the second conductive socket (30b) is mounted on the other end of the reaction tube (20) and electrically connects the power source (40) and the other end of the reaction tube (20) through a wire (42). Accordingly, power from the power source (40) is supplied to the reaction tube (20) through the first and second conductive sockets (30a, 30b), and the reaction tube (20) generates heat and transfers it to the reactants passing through the passage.

[0050] An electric heating reactor (10) according to embodiments of the present invention further comprises an internal heating element (50). The internal heating element (50) is disposed inside the reaction tube (20) and extends longitudinally between at least one pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b). The internal heating element (50) may be made of an alloy material having high resistivity (e.g., Ni-Cr, Fe-Cr, Fe-Ni-Cr, Fe-Cr-Al, etc.) and may be made of the same material as or a different material from the reaction tube (20).

[0051] The internal heating element (50) is electrically connected to the reaction tube (20) and / or a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b). That is, the internal heating element (50) can be in contact with the reaction tube (20) and / or a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) and receive power from the power source (40) through the reaction tube (20) and / or the pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b). When the power source (40) supplies power to the reaction tube (20) and / or the internal heating element (50) through the pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b), both the reaction tube (20) and the internal heating element (50), which are electrically connected to each other, generate heat.

[0052] The internal heating element (50) is positioned in a predetermined manner between at least one pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) within the reaction tube (20) to generate heat, and the heat can be transferred to the reactants between at least one pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) within the reaction tube (20). Additionally, a catalyst may be supported on or attached to the internal heating element (50), and the catalyst may promote the reaction of the reactants passing around the internal heating element (50).

[0053] In one example, according to a preset method, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) is constant along the length direction. Accordingly, the amount of heat generated by the internal heating element (50) per unit length is constant along the length direction. This example can be used in situations where it is required for the internal heating element (50) to generate a constant amount of heat along the length direction.

[0054] In another example, according to a preset method, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) changes along the length direction. Accordingly, the amount of heat generated by the internal heating element (50) per unit length also changes along the length direction. This example can be used in situations where it is required for the internal heating element (50) to generate different amounts of heat at each location along the length direction. Thus, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) can be changed according to the amount of heat required at each location, allowing for precise control of the temperature inside the reaction tube (20).

[0055] In another example, according to a preset method, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) changes along the diameter direction. Accordingly, the amount of heat generated by the internal heating element (50) per unit length also changes along the diameter direction. This example can be used in situations where it is required for the internal heating element (50) to generate different amounts of heat at each location along the diameter direction due to the flow rate or viscosity of the reactants. Thus, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) can be changed according to the amount of heat required at each location, allowing for precise control of the temperature inside the reaction tube (20). Additionally, the heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the internal heating element (50) can change asymmetrically along the diameter direction.

[0056] The above diameter direction may be the diameter direction of the “reaction tube”.

[0057] The above internal heating element (50) may include at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) connected to each other. In one example, as shown in FIG. 1, at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) each have a rod shape, and at least one first unit heating element (52a) may each extend in a first direction, and at least one second unit heating element (52b) may each extend in a second direction different from the first direction, and at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may be connected to each other. A space is formed between at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b), through which a reactant may pass in the longitudinal direction from the inlet (22) to the outlet (24), and at this time, heat may be transferred from at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b). The heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the above-mentioned at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may vary along the longitudinal direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the spacing between adjacent first unit heating elements (52a), the spacing between adjacent second unit heating elements (52b), and / or the spacing between adjacent first and second unit heating elements (52a, 52b) may vary along the longitudinal direction, thereby changing the heating area along the longitudinal direction.

[0058] In another example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) each have a square plate shape, and at least one first unit heating element (52a) each can be oriented in a first direction, and at least one second unit heating element (52b) each can be oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, and at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) can be connected to each other. In another example as well, a space is formed between at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b), and through the space, a reactant can pass from the inlet (22) to the outlet (24) in the longitudinal direction, and at this time, heat can be transferred from at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b). The heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the above-mentioned at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may vary along the length direction.

[0059] In another example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) each have a fan-shaped plate shape, and at least one first unit heating element (52a) each can be oriented in a first direction, and at least one second unit heating element (52b) each can be oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, and at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) can be connected to each other. In another example as well, a space is formed between at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b), and through the space, a reactant can pass from the inlet (22) to the outlet (24) in the longitudinal direction, and at this time, heat can be transferred from at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b). The heating area, thickness, shape, or material of the above-mentioned at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may vary along the length direction.

[0060] In this way, by forming the internal heating element (50) into at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) connected to each other, the heat transfer area between the internal heating element (50) and / or the catalyst supported on the internal heating element (50) and the reactant is increased so that the heat of the internal heating element (50) can be efficiently transferred to the reactant or the catalytic reaction can occur efficiently.

[0061] As described above, the shape of the at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may be a straight rod shape, a curved rod shape, a rod shape with a spiral formed on the outer surface, a polygonal plate shape, a circular plate shape, a fan-shaped plate shape, or a polygonal, circular, or fan-shaped corrugated plate shape, but is not limited thereto. The shape of the at least one first and second unit heating element (52a, 52b) may be designed by a person skilled in the art with consideration of heat transfer efficiency to the reactants, target flow of the reactants, and / or ease of supporting or attaching the catalyst.

[0062] The above electric heating reactor (10) may further include an insulator and a cooler.

[0063] An insulator may be placed between the reaction tube (20) and the internal heating element (50) as needed to insulate the reaction tube (20) and the internal heating element (50). In this case, the internal heating element (50) may be electrically connected to a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) to receive power from a power source (40).

[0064] The cooler may be configured to cool the connection points of a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) and wires (42) and / or reaction tubes (20).

[0065] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electric heating reactor according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the electric heating reactor (10') according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention has components similar to those of the electric heating reactor (10) according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention. That is, the electric heating reactor (10') according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes a reaction tube (20), a power source (40), a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b), and an internal heating element (50).

[0067] The reaction tube (20) has a cylindrical shape with a relatively large diameter. Conventional reaction tubes (20) are designed to have a small diameter to transfer sufficient heat to the center of the reaction tube (20), but the reaction tube (20) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention can be designed to have a relatively large diameter so that heat can be transferred evenly into the reaction tube (20) through the reaction tube (20) and the internal heating element (50).

[0068] Since the reaction tube (20) has a relatively large diameter, the internal heating element (50) within the reaction tube (20) is also provided to occupy a relatively large space. In one example, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of internal heating elements (50) may be arranged side by side within the reaction tube (20). In another example, the volume of a single internal heating element (50) may be increased to fit the space within the reaction tube (20).

[0069] Since the power source (40) and a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention are almost identical to the power source (40) and a pair of conductive sockets (30a, 30b) according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention, further detailed description is omitted.

[0070] Figure 5 is a graph comparing the temperature of a conventional reactor according to the target temperature of the reactants and the temperature of a reactor according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0071] In FIG. 5, the solid line indicates the target temperature of the reactant at each position along the length, the dotted line indicates the temperature of a conventional reactor required to produce the target temperature of the reactant, and the dotted line indicates the temperature of an electric heating reactor (10, 10') according to embodiments of the present invention required to produce the target temperature of the reactant.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the temperature of the electric heating reactor (10, 10') according to the embodiments of the present invention, which is required to create the same target temperature of the reactants, is lower than the temperature of a conventional reactor. According to the embodiments of the present invention, not only the reaction tube (20) but also the internal heating element (50) transfers heat to the reactants, whereas according to the prior art, only the reaction tube transfers heat to the reactants. That is, according to the embodiments of the present invention, since the heat transfer area for transferring heat to the reactants is increased, sufficient heat can be transferred to the reactants even if the temperature of the reaction tube (20) is relatively low, whereas according to the prior art, since heat is transferred to the reactants only by the reaction tube, the reaction tube must generate heat at a relatively high temperature to transfer sufficient heat.

[0073] In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, the temperature difference between the wall of the reaction tube (20), the interior of the reaction tube (20), and the catalyst is reduced due to the increase in the heat transfer area, thereby reducing unnecessary side reactions or the formation of coke caused by the temperature difference, improving the durability of the catalyst by reducing coke, and reducing the need for decoking.

[0074] In particular, for reactants that react at significantly high temperatures, it was difficult to manufacture the reactor according to the prior art due to material limitations, as the reactor must generate heat at a temperature much higher than the temperature at which the reaction occurs. However, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the reactor required to create the temperature at which the reaction occurs is relatively low, so it can be implemented as a reactor for reactants that react at significantly high temperatures.

[0075]

[0076] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and includes all modifications within the scope recognized as equivalent that can be easily made by those skilled in the art from the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reaction tube having a passage formed longitudinally inside for reactants to pass through, and which generates heat upon receiving power; An internal heating element disposed within the above reaction tube and generating heat upon receiving power; A power source configured to supply power to the reaction tube and / or the internal heating element; and A pair of conductive sockets each disposed at both ends of the reaction tube and connecting the power source and the reaction tube so that power from the power source is supplied to the reaction tube; An electric heating reactor including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above internal heating element is an electric heating reactor that receives power from a power source by contacting each conductive socket or reaction tube.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above internal heating element is an electric heating reactor comprising at least one first and second unit heating element connected to each other.

4. In Paragraph 3, An electric heating reactor in which at least one first unit heating element extends or is oriented in a first direction, and at least one second unit heating element extends or is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, and is connected to at least one first unit heating element or at least one second unit heating element.

5. In Paragraph 3, An electric heating reactor in which reactants are allowed to pass between at least one first and second unit heating element, and a catalyst is supported or attached to each first and second unit heating element.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above internal heating element is an electric heating reactor in which the heating area, thickness, shape, or material is maintained constant along the length direction and / or diameter direction.

7. In Paragraph 1, The above internal heating element is an electric heating reactor in which the heating area, thickness, shape, or material changes along the length direction and / or diameter direction.

8. In Paragraph 1, An electric heating reactor in which reactants are allowed to pass between internal heating elements, said internal heating elements having a catalyst supported or attached thereto.

9. In Paragraph 1, An electric heating reactor further comprising an insulator positioned between a reaction tube and an internal heating element and configured to insulate the reaction tube and the internal heating element.

10. In Paragraph 1, An electric heating reactor further comprising a pair of conductive sockets and a cooler configured to cool the connection points of the power supply and / or reaction tubes.

11. In Paragraph 1, The above internal heating element includes a plurality of internal heating elements, and The above plurality of internal heating elements are arranged side by side within a reaction tube in an electric heating reactor.

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