Reactor Device for Dehydrating Carrier Medium

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing reactor devices face challenges in allowing unhindered release of hydrogen gas during the dehydration of a carrier medium, particularly due to the endothermic nature of the dehydration reaction and the need for sufficient heat input, which is hindered by the small pipe diameter required for effective heat transfer.

Innovation Solution

The reactor device features an antechamber connected to multiple reaction chambers via a first connection opening, allowing for controlled flow of the carrier medium and heat transfer, with a heat transfer space between the reaction tubes and the reactor housing, ensuring uniform loading and improved flow conditions, and includes design elements like a heating unit and separating elements to manage pressure and flow efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a tube bundle reactor is used to provide sufficient heat input for the endothermic dehydration reaction, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the pipe diameter must be small which reduces the cross-section and impedes hydrogen gas release

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat input efficiencyVSAvoidhydrogen gas release rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor is divided into multiple reaction chambers (at least five, preferably at least 10, 20, 50, 100, or 120) that are connected in parallel to a common antechamber. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a large total cross-sectional area for hydrogen release while each individual reaction chamber can have a smaller diameter optimized for heat transfer. The parallel arrangement of multiple chambers provides both the heat transfer surface area needed for the endothermic reaction and the total flow capacity for unhindered hydrogen gas release.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If multiple reaction chambers are connected directly to a common inlet, then scaling of reactor power is enabled, but uniform distribution of carrier medium to all reaction chambers is difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereactor power scalabilityVSAvoidcarrier medium distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

An antechamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the single inlet and the multiple reaction chambers. The carrier medium enters the antechamber first, where it is distributed to all reaction chambers through multiple connection openings. This intermediary chamber ensures uniform pressure distribution and homogeneous flow conditions to all reaction chambers, enabling scalable reactor power while maintaining precise and uniform carrier medium distribution across all parallel reaction paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If the reaction chambers are arranged to maximize heat transfer surface area, then heat input is improved, but pressure differences between chambers may affect reaction uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer surface areaVSAvoidreaction uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The antechamber is designed to create equipotential pressure conditions for all reaction chambers. By providing multiple connection openings from the antechamber to each reaction chamber and ensuring the antechamber acts as a common pressure equalization zone, the system minimizes pressure differences between chambers. This equipotential design ensures that all reaction chambers operate under uniform pressure conditions, maintaining reaction uniformity while allowing the chambers to be arranged for maximum heat transfer surface area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

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 efficient heat input, unhindered flow of the carrier medium, and effective release of hydrogen gas, improving the dehydrogenation process by maintaining uniform flow conditions and minimizing pressure differences, allowing for reliable operation without prior heating and efficient hydrogen gas separation.

Implementation Method 1

A heat transfer medium in the heat transfer space serves to transfer heat from the heat transfer medium to the carrier medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The heat transfer space is in particular an intermediate space between the at least one reaction space and the reactor housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

A heating unit arranged in the antechamber is advantageous in order to heat the carrier medium directly in the antechamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

The dehydration reaction of a carrier medium is endothermic, i. H. heat must be supplied

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEndothermic reaction: Endothermic Reaction

Data Source

PatentEP3359288B1Reactor device for dehydrating a carrier medium
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 HYDROGENIOUS TECH GMBH
  • EP3359288B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3359288B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3359288B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a reactor device for dehydrating a carrier medium, comprising a reactor housing (2), an inner chamber surrounded by the reactor housing (2), having a pre-chamber (8) with a supply opening (11) for the supply of charged carrier medium into the pre-chamber (8) and with at least one first connection opening (16) for the discharge of the carrier medium from the pre-chamber (8), and having a reaction chamber (9) connected to the pre-chamber (8) via the at least one first connection opening (16). The reactor device also comprises a heat transfer chamber (19) arranged between the reactor housing (2) and the reaction chamber (9), having a heat transfer medium for the transfer of heat from the heat transfer medium to the carrier medium (28).