Integrated Adsorber Head and Valve Design for Reverse-Flow Reactors

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional reverse-flow reactors (RFRs) face inefficiencies due to high pressure drop, long cycle times, and large reactor sizes, primarily because of low heat transfer rates and inadequate gas volume management, which limits their use in energy and petrochemical fields, and existing valve systems fail to meet durability and cycle time requirements for high-productivity reactors.

Innovation Solution

An adsorber design that integrates valves into the head, minimizing dead volume and pressure drop, with poppet valves controlling fluid flow, allowing for efficient fluid management and extended valve lifetimes, enabling rapid stream-switching and improved gas handling in reverse-flow adsorbers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If conventional packing materials (checker brick, pebble beds) are used in RFRs, then pressure drop is reduced, but volumetric heat transfer rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure dropVSAvoidvolumetric heat transfer rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs engineered packing materials with controlled porosity and surface area characteristics. These materials provide high geometric surface area for heat transfer while maintaining acceptable pressure drop through optimized pore structure and particle morphology, resolving the contradiction between pressure drop and heat transfer rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite packing structures combining different materials with complementary properties. This allows simultaneous optimization of heat transfer surface area and flow characteristics, achieving both low pressure drop and high volumetric heat transfer rate that single materials cannot provide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If engineered packing with high geometric surface area is used, then volumetric heat transfer rate increases, but pressure drop increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolumetric heat transfer rateVSAvoidpressure drop

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs engineered packing materials with controlled porosity and surface area characteristics. These materials provide high geometric surface area for heat transfer while maintaining acceptable pressure drop through optimized pore structure and particle morphology, resolving the contradiction between pressure drop and heat transfer rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Device complexity

If conventional valve systems are used in RFRs, then system complexity is reduced, but cycle time increases and durability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve system complexityVSAvoidcycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the valve system directly into the reactor structure, merging previously separate components. This integration reduces dead volume, minimizes gas volume management requirements, enables faster cycling, and improves durability while maintaining manageable system complexity through unified design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Productivity

If large reactor volumes are used to compensate for low heat transfer rates, then desired chemical production is achieved, but reactor size and capital cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechemical productionVSAvoidreactor volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs engineered packing materials with controlled porosity and surface area characteristics. These materials provide high geometric surface area for heat transfer while maintaining acceptable pressure drop through optimized pore structure and particle morphology, resolving the contradiction between pressure drop and heat transfer rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

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

The design reduces cycle times, increases reactor efficiency, and extends valve lifespan, minimizing dead volumes and pressure drops, thus enhancing the operational capabilities of reverse-flow reactors in high-temperature conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a fixed bed disposed within the adsorber body comprising solid material capable of promoting adsorption of a gas stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS9067168B2Integrated adsorber head and valve design and swing adsorption methods related thereto

Publication Date: 2015.06.30 EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY(US)

AI summary

An adsorber with minimal dead volume especially suited to reverse-flow applications comprises: a) an adsorber body; b) a first head engaged with said adsorber body; c) a first conduit extending from outside said head to at least partially through said head; and d) a first valve in flow communication with said first conduit controlling fluid flow along a flow path extending from the first valve and through the adsorber body. The adsorber is especially suited for use in a process for swing adsorption separation processes.