Porous Catalyst Structure with Controlled Pores

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catalyst structures struggle to effectively coat small internal cavities and pores with sizes below 500 μm using conventional dip or wash coating techniques, limiting their application in catalytic processes.

Innovation Solution

A method involving coating an organic space holder material with catalytic material, mixing it with a carrier material, and sintering to form a porous structure with controlled porosity, allowing for the creation of catalytic structures with pores as small as below 50 μm, which can be electrically heated.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If dip or wash coating techniques are used to apply catalytic slurry, then the coating process is simple and smooth, but small internal cavities and pores with size below 500 μm cannot be effectively coated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating coverage of small poresVSAvoidcoating process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating the external surface of porous support particles with catalytic slurry before assembling them into a monolith structure. This preliminary coating ensures that the outer surfaces of all particles, including those that will form internal cavities, are coated with catalyst before the particles are joined together, thereby enabling coverage of surfaces that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the coating process into two distinct stages: (1) coating individual porous support particles separately with catalytic slurry, and (2) assembling the coated particles into a monolith structure. This segmentation allows the coating to be applied to accessible surfaces of individual particles, bypassing the limitation of not being able to coat internal cavities after structure formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If conventional coating techniques are used, then the process is easy to operate, but the catalytic surface area is limited due to inability to coat internal cavities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatalytic surface areaVSAvoidcoating operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating the external surface of porous support particles with catalytic slurry before assembling them into a monolith structure. This preliminary coating ensures that the outer surfaces of all particles, including those that will form internal cavities, are coated with catalyst before the particles are joined together, thereby enabling coverage of surfaces that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the porous structure of the support particles themselves as the solution. By using porous support particles with controlled pore sizes (0.5-500 μm) and coating their external surfaces, the patent creates a catalytic structure where the porous supports provide both structural framework and additional catalytic surface area, compensating for the inability to coat internal cavities of the overall monolith structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Quantity of substance

If porous structures with small pores below 50 μm are created, then high specific surface area is achieved, but heat transfer efficiency may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecific surface areaVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the catalytic structure into two distinct components with different functions: (1) porous support particles providing high specific surface area with small pore sizes (0.5-500 μm) for enhanced catalytic activity, and (2) a continuous ceramic matrix providing structural support and heat transfer pathways. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its respective function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure combining porous support particles (providing high surface area) with a ceramic matrix (providing thermal conductivity). The composite nature allows the structure to simultaneously achieve high catalytic surface area through the porous particles while maintaining efficient heat transfer through the thermally conductive ceramic matrix surrounding and connecting the particles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite 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

Enables the production of porous catalyst structures with high specific surface area and controlled porosity, facilitating efficient heat transfer and reaction in compact reactors, while being cost-effective and suitable for various industrial applications.

Implementation Method 1

removing the organic space holder material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

removing the organic space holder material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDecomposition: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 3

sintering the mixture to form the porous structure with the catalyst

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Implementation Method 4

a structure which can be electrically heated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS20230372921A1Method for forming a porous structure, porous structure and use
Publication Date: 2023.11.23 TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for forming a porous structure with a catalyst, wherein an organic space holder material is coated with at least one catalytic material to form a coated organic space holder material, the coated organic space holder material is mixed with a carrier material to form a mixture, and the organic space holder material is removed and the mixture in sintered to form the porous structure with the catalyst. Further, the invention relates to the porous structure and use of the porous structure obtained by the method.