Nested-Vessel Reaction Chamber for Supercritical Water Oxidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Supercritical water oxidation reactors face challenges such as high energy costs for compressing and heating fuel and air, corrosion from unfiltered gaseous feedstocks, and costly maintenance due to reaction byproduct buildup.
Innovation Solution
A reaction chamber design with a metal outer pressure vessel and glass or ceramic inner vessel, featuring a liquid inlet and outlet system and fuel injection ports to induce cyclonic rotation, along with a water jacket for temperature and pressure control, enabling efficient fuel combustion and byproduct management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high pressure and temperature are used in SCWORs to break down contaminants, then oxidation effectiveness is improved, but energy cost for compressing and heating fuel and air increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested vessel configuration where an inner vessel is placed within an outer pressure vessel. The inner vessel contains the fuel combustion chamber while the outer vessel provides pressure containment. This nesting allows the system to achieve high pressure and temperature for effective oxidation while the structural design distributes mechanical stresses, reducing the energy required for compression and heating compared to a single-vessel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite material construction for the pressure vessels, combining materials with different properties to withstand high pressure and temperature conditions. The outer vessel and inner vessel are constructed from composite materials that provide both structural integrity and thermal resistance, enabling effective oxidation reactions while reducing the energy input required for maintaining operating conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If unfiltered gaseous feedstocks are used as fuel, then fuel flexibility is improved, but corrosion to gas compressors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful corrosive components from the gaseous feedstock before it reaches the compressor system. By using the nested vessel design with the inner combustion chamber, the system can accommodate unfiltered gaseous feedstocks directly in the combustion zone while protecting the external compressor infrastructure from corrosion. The inner vessel acts as a barrier that isolates the corrosive fuel gases from the compressor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner vessel serves as an intermediary component between the fuel injection system and the external environment. It allows unfiltered gaseous feedstocks to be combusted while mediating the interaction between the corrosive fuel gases and the compressor system, preventing direct contact and thus reducing corrosion damage to gas compressors.
3Productivity
If reaction byproducts are allowed to build up in the system, then process continuity is improved, but maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reaction system into distinct zones within the nested vessels, creating separate compartments for fuel combustion, oxidation reactions, and byproduct collection. This segmentation allows reaction byproducts to be contained in specific areas while maintaining process continuity in other zones. The modular segmented structure also facilitates easier maintenance by allowing isolated cleaning or replacement of specific segments without shutting down the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a byproduct management system that periodically discards accumulated reaction byproducts from the inner vessel while maintaining continuous operation. The nested structure enables controlled removal of byproducts through designated outlets, allowing the system to reset reaction zones without interrupting overall process continuity, thus balancing productivity with maintenance requirements.
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 energy costs, minimizes corrosion, and facilitates effective byproduct handling, enhancing the efficiency and longevity of the reactor system.
Implementation Method 1
injected from outside the enclosed outer pressure vessel into the interior of the first inner vessel in a direction have an azimuthal component relative to the longitudinal axis and relative to a radial direction from the longitudinal axis to induce a cyclonic rotation in the liquid in the interior of the first inner vessel
Implementation Method 2
define a first water jacket space between the one or more walls of the first inner vessel and the one or more side walls of the enclosed outer pressure vessel
Implementation Method 3
Supercritical water oxidation reactors (SCWOR) have been used to break down many different forms of contaminates in water
Implementation Method 4
the pressures and temperatures used in SCWORs present challenging problems
Data Source
AI summary
Fuel mixed in water is combusted in a reactor having an internal operating pressure and temperature greater than 3200 psi and greater than 374° C., where the combustion of the fuel is exothermic. Air and fuel are pressurized for introduction into the reactor to a pressure greater than the internal operating pressure using energy generated from the combustion of the fuel, and the pressurized air and the pressurized fuel are injected into the reactor. Pressurized water from the reactor is injected into a drive water column that is partially filled with water to increase a pressure of the drive water column, and water at a temperature less than 100° C. is injected into the reactor to replace water from the reactor that is injected into the drive water column. Pressurized water from the drive water column is used to drive a hydroelectric drive system to produce electrical power.