CDC Condenser Cooling via Liquid Halide Quenching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of microporous carbon from metal carbides through halogenation leads to gaseous streams that cause high corrosion rates in condensers, contaminating the metal halides and requiring specialty materials, which increases costs and complexity, and also complicates neutralization processes due to the presence of reactive halogen gases and metal oxides.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the precooling of gaseous streams to below 300°C before condensation using direct contact with a cooling agent, such as a liquid metal or metalloid halide, to reduce corrosion and maintain purity, thereby reducing material requirements and neutralization complexities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the gaseous stream is directly condensed without precooling, then the condensation process is simpler, but corrosion rates increase and metal halide purity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by precooling the gaseous stream to below 300°C before it enters the condenser. This preliminary cooling step prevents the hot corrosive gas from damaging the condenser and contaminating the metal halides, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling agent as an intermediary substance between the hot gaseous stream and the condenser. This cooling agent absorbs heat from the gas stream, reducing its temperature and corrosiveness before condensation occurs, thus protecting the condenser and maintaining metal halide purity.
2Reliability
If specialty materials are used for the condenser to resist corrosion, then corrosion resistance improves, but material costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By precooling the gaseous stream before condensation, the patent eliminates the need for expensive specialty corrosion-resistant materials in the condenser. The preliminary cooling action reduces the gas temperature to below 300°C, allowing the use of standard materials and simplifying the overall device while maintaining corrosion resistance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the gaseous stream is precool ed before condensation, then corrosion rates decrease and purity increases, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a cooling agent as an intermediary to reduce corrosion and maintain purity. This cooling agent can be a liquid metal or metalloid halide that is introduced into the gaseous stream, providing both cooling and potential chemical benefits while simplifying the overall process compared to using complex corrosion-resistant materials.
4Use of energy by moving object
If high temperature condensation is performed, then energy consumption is lower, but contaminant introduction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to reduce the gaseous stream temperature below 300°C before condensation. This preliminary action prevents contaminants from being introduced during condensation, while the cooling agent itself can be recovered and reused, minimizing energy consumption and maintaining process efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach decreases corrosion rates, minimizes contaminant introduction, and enhances the purity of metal halides, simplifying the condensation and neutralization processes, leading to reduced maintenance, operational costs, and increased efficiency in CDC production.
Implementation Method 1
cooling/quenching of the gas phase resulting from the halogenation of metal carbides from porous carbon and metal halide, by means of direct contact
Implementation Method 2
For collecting the liquid metal halide from gaseous stream, the stream coming out from reactor is directed into the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for reducing the corrosion of a condenser in carbide derived carbons (CDC) production where cooling/quenching of a gaseous stream metal or metalloid halide is performed by direct contact of gaseous stream with liquid cooling agent before condenser, without utilizing a heat exchanger for the temperature range above 300° C., while keeping purity of gaseous stream of metal or metalloid halide constant. The apparatus comprises a reactor for carbide to carbon conversion and a condenser for collecting the by-produced metal- or metalloid chloride, and a cooling unit comprising a tank of liquid cooling agent. Temperature of the gas stream entering the condenser is reduced by heat absorbed in vaporization of a liquid metal- or metalloid halide introduced from the tank of liquid cooling agent through by supply pump, through the supply flow valve into the gaseous stream at the exit of the reactor.