Partial Oxidation Reactor Startup Using Controlled Hot Oxygen
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for starting up partial oxidation (POx) reactors involve slow heating to avoid damaging refractory linings, leading to disruptive gas flow changes and soot production, and require additional burners or shutdowns, disrupting the process.
Innovation Solution
A method using a coupled burner and reactor system with controlled feeding of primary and auxiliary fuels and oxygen to generate a stream of hot oxygen, gradually increasing temperature and pressure to heat the reactor, allowing for continuous operation without additional burners or shutdowns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional slow heating method is used to avoid damaging refractory linings, then refractory lining damage is prevented, but startup time is extended and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a preliminary heating phase using a separate warmup burner before the main POx burner is activated. This preliminary action heats the reactor vessel to a temperature that allows the main burner to start up without causing thermal shock or damaging the refractory lining, thereby enabling faster startup while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating process is segmented into two distinct phases: a warmup phase using a separate warmup burner, and a main operation phase using the POx burner. This segmentation allows the system to apply low-temperature heating initially to protect the refractory lining, then transition to high-temperature operation for productivity, resolving the contradiction between protection and speed.
2Speed
If a secondary warmup burner is added to enable faster heating, then startup speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A separate warmup burner is installed to perform preliminary heating of the reactor vessel before the main POx burner is activated. This preliminary action enables faster heating during the startup phase without requiring the main burner to operate at full capacity from the beginning, thereby improving speed while managing complexity through a dedicated warmup function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two heating modes: warmup mode using the separate warmup burner when the vessel temperature is below the ignition temperature of the POx burner, and main operation mode using the POx burner when the vessel reaches sufficient temperature. This dynamic operation optimizes heating speed while managing system complexity through conditional operation.
3Ease of operation
If the primary POx burner is physically removed and replaced with a warmup burner, then warmup functionality is improved, but process continuity is disrupted due to shutdown requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The burner system is segmented into two functional units: a separate warmup burner for preliminary heating, and the original POx burner for main operation. This segmentation allows the warmup burner to be optimized for its specific function without interfering with the POx burner's ability to maintain continuous operation, thereby improving ease of operation while preserving productivity through independent operation of both burners.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by keeping both the warmup burner and POx burner operational in their respective functions. The warmup burner operates during the startup phase to heat the vessel, while the POx burner operates continuously once the vessel reaches ignition temperature, eliminating the need to shut down the main burner for warmup operations and thus maintaining process continuity.
4Productivity
If abrupt startup of POx burner is used to reduce startup time, then productivity is improved, but soot production increases and harmful factors worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The separate warmup burner performs preliminary heating of the reactor vessel to a temperature that prepares the system for POx burner ignition. This preliminary action raises the vessel temperature without causing abrupt thermal changes, thereby enabling faster startup while preventing soot production that would occur with abrupt burner activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The warmup burner provides beforehand cushioning by gradually heating the reactor vessel before the main POx burner is activated. This cushioning effect prevents thermal shock and abrupt temperature changes that would cause soot formation, thereby enabling rapid startup while minimizing harmful factors through controlled thermal progression.
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
Enables efficient and continuous startup of POx reactors by maintaining controlled temperature and pressure increases, reducing soot production and minimizing process disruption.
Implementation Method 1
combusting in the burner the primary fuel and the oxygen in the gaseous oxidant to generate a product stream that emerges from the burner and contains combustion products
Implementation Method 2
passing the products of said combustion into the interior of the reactor to heat the interior of the reactor
Implementation Method 3
combusting the auxiliary fuel between the burner and the reactor or within the reactor with all of the uncombusted oxygen in the product stream
Implementation Method 4
passing the products of said combustion into the interior of the reactor to continue to increase the temperature of the interior of the reactor
Implementation Method 5
Partial oxidation (POx) reactors typically operate at temperatures of 2400F or above. To start up operation of a POx reactor from a condition in which the temperature within the POx vessel
Data Source
AI summary
In a reactor for partial oxidation of feedstock employing a hot oxygen stream that is generated by a suitable burner, the same burner that generates and provides the hot oxygen stream in full-scale partial oxidation operation can be employed in the starting-up of the partial oxidation reactor by suitable control of the characteristics of the feed to the burner, or of the pressures.