Tube Bundle Reactor Partial Flow Feeder for By-Product Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tube bundle reactors for endothermic or exothermic gas phase reactions suffer from high by-product formation due to suboptimal residence time behavior of the reaction gas mixture within the catalyst filling, leading to unintended subsequent reactions and reduced product purity.
Innovation Solution
The method involves dividing the reaction gas mixture into partial flows with controlled feeding points and flow resistances to optimize residence time, ensuring even velocity distribution throughout the catalyst filling, thereby reducing by-product formation and enhancing product purity. This is achieved by calculating the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the feeding device and adjusting the flow resistance at each feeding point to match the pressure difference, ensuring the desired partial flow volumes are achieved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a reaction gas mixture is fed into reaction tubes to carry out endothermic or exothermic gas phase reactions, then the productivity and output are improved, but the by-product formation increases due to suboptimal residence time behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction gas mixture flow is divided into multiple partial flows that are fed at different points along the catalyst filling. This segmentation of the flow allows different zones of the catalyst bed to operate at optimal residence times, preventing excessive residence time in later zones that would otherwise lead to by-product formation while maintaining high overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the catalyst filling receive gas feeds with locally optimized conditions. The first feed point introduces the main reaction gas mixture, while subsequent feed points introduce additional gas flows at specific locations where residence time needs to be controlled. This creates local quality variations in residence time distribution throughout the catalyst bed, optimizing product selectivity while maintaining high conversion.
2Ease of manufacture
If the reaction gas mixture flows through the catalyst filling with uniform velocity, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the residence time behavior becomes suboptimal leading to reduced product purity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attempting to create a complex variable velocity profile through single inlet design, the invention segments the gas feed into multiple inlet points along the catalyst bed. Each inlet point maintains simple uniform flow characteristics, but the superposition of multiple feeds creates the desired residence time distribution pattern without complicating the individual feed systems.
3Ease of operation
If feeder tubes are used to distribute reaction gas, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to pressure drop variations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention pre-calculates and pre-installs specific flow resistances at each feed point during the design and manufacturing phase. This preliminary action ensures that during operation, the pressure drop variations are automatically compensated without requiring complex control systems or frequent adjustments, maintaining ease of operation while managing device complexity.
4Productivity
If the catalyst filling is used for extended periods to increase productivity, then the productivity is improved, but the catalyst life is reduced due to hot spots and suboptimal flow distribution
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the gas feed into multiple partial flows at different locations, the invention prevents localized overheating (hot spots) that would otherwise occur with uniform flow distribution. This more even heat and mass distribution reduces catalyst degradation and extends catalyst life while maintaining high productivity through optimized residence time control.
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 approach significantly reduces by-product formation, improves product purity, prolongs catalyst life, and decreases the total pressure drop in the reactor, resulting in reduced technical effort and operating costs, while allowing for easier reactor modifications and improved space/time yield.
Implementation Method 1
feeding each partial flow at a different point along the catalyst filling thereinto with an existing flow resistance
Implementation Method 2
tube bundle of reaction tubes filled with a catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
A method for carrying out endothermic or exothermic gas phase reactions by using a tube bundle reactor with a tube bundle of catalyst-filled reaction tubes comprises the following steps:a) Introducing a reaction gas mixture into the reaction tubes;b) Dividing-up of the reaction gas mixture flow flowing through each of the reaction tubes into at least two partial flows, each partial flow having the same composition;c) Feeding-in of each partial flow at a different point along the catalyst filling with an existing flow resistance;d) Determining the desired partial flow volume for each partial flow (V1, V2, V3, V4);e) Calculating the pressure at the point of the first division of the reaction gas mixture (9);f) Calculating the pressure in the catalyst filling (12) at the point of feeding-in of each partial flow (V1, V2, V3, V4); andg) Setting of flow resistance for each point of feeding-in in such a way that the flow resistance at the desired partial flow volume corresponds to the pressure difference between the pressures determined in steps e) and f).