Reaction Assembly Gas Acceleration Nozzle for Thermochemical Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermochemical energy storage systems face limitations in mass and heat transfer during the oxidation reaction, particularly due to the interaction of solids and gases, and lack an effective decoupled discharge reactor design that can accommodate a heat transfer fluid different from the process gas or fluidizing gas.
Innovation Solution
The reaction assembly includes a housing supporting counterpropagating flows of a reaction gas and reaction particles, with a gas acceleration region using a nozzle to accelerate the reaction gas and create a fluidizing gas flow, and a reactive bed region where the fluidizing gas flow causes fluidization of the reaction particles to facilitate the chemical reaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If counterpropagating flows of reaction gas and reaction particles are used, then mass and heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is divided into three distinct regions: a moving bed region for particle flow, a gas acceleration region for gas velocity increase, and a reactive bed region for chemical reaction. This segmentation allows each region to optimize its specific function while maintaining overall system efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the reactor are designed with different flow characteristics and structural properties. The moving bed region has lower gas velocity for controlled particle movement, while the gas acceleration region increases gas velocity to enhance mixing and heat transfer in the reactive bed region.
2Device complexity
If a single vessel configuration is used, then device complexity is reduced, but achieving both thorough mixing and low mixing regions simultaneously is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The single vessel is segmented into functional zones that can coexist in one reactor: the moving bed region provides controlled low-mixing conditions for particle circulation, while the gas acceleration region creates high-velocity gas flow for thorough mixing and enhanced heat transfer in the reactive bed region.
Solution Approach 2:
Gas velocity is varied spatially within the single vessel through the gas acceleration region. The gas velocity increases from the moving bed region to the gas acceleration region, creating different flow regimes in different zones without requiring multiple vessels.
3Productivity
If gas acceleration through nozzle is implemented, then fluidizing gas flow is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas acceleration region with nozzle is positioned upstream of the reactive bed region, preliminarily accelerating the gas flow before it enters the particle bed. This preliminary acceleration ensures sufficient gas velocity for effective fluidization and heat transfer without requiring excessive pressure throughout the entire system.
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 configuration enables continuous operation in a single vessel with regions of thorough mixing and uniform temperature, as well as low mixing and temperature gradients, enhancing the efficiency of thermochemical energy storage systems.
Implementation Method 1
The gas acceleration region includes a nozzle configured to accelerate the reaction gas
Implementation Method 2
the fluidizing gas flow causes fluidizing of the reaction particles within the reactive bed region to facilitate the chemical reaction
Implementation Method 3
a reaction assembly housing configured to support a flow of the reaction gas in an upstream direction and a flow of the reaction particles in a downstream direction opposite to the upstream direction
Data Source
AI summary
Reaction assemblies, reactor systems including the same, and associated methods are disclosed. In an example, a reaction assembly includes a reaction assembly housing, a moving bed region, a gas acceleration region, and a reactive bed region. The gas acceleration region includes a nozzle configured to accelerate a reaction gas and one or more downcomer regions defined between the nozzle and the reaction assembly housing. A flow of reaction gas is accelerated within the gas acceleration region to produce a fluidizing gas flow to facilitate a chemical reaction between the reaction gas and reaction particles within the reactive bed region. A reactor system can include a reactor enclosure, a reaction particle inlet, a reaction gas inlet, and a reaction assembly. A method can include introducing a flow of reaction particles and a flow of reaction gas into a reactor enclosure and flowing the reaction gas in contact with the reaction particles.