Stacked Plate Reactor-Exchanger for Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat exchanger reactors face challenges in achieving optimal thermal control and catalyst efficiency for highly exothermic or endothermic catalytic reactions, particularly in maintaining conversion rates, selectivity, and catalyst longevity, due to difficulties in reactor sizing and thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A compact and modular heat exchanger reactor module with optimized dimensions and channel configurations for both reagent and heat transfer circuits, assembled by hot isostatic compression, utilizing transition metal catalysts dispersed on oxide supports to manage reagent flow and thermal control effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the reactor volume is increased to improve conversion rate, then the productivity increases, but the thermal control becomes more difficult and hot spots appear
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is divided into multiple small channels instead of one large reactor volume. This segmentation allows better heat distribution and thermal control while maintaining high productivity through parallel reaction pathways. The stack of plates with multiple channels exemplifies this segmentation principle.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a conventional single-volume reactor to a multi-dimensional stacked plate structure. By arranging channels in multiple layers and dimensions, the reactor achieves improved heat transfer surfaces and better thermal control without increasing the overall footprint, resolving the contradiction between productivity and thermal management.
2Productivity
If the reactor volume is increased to improve conversion rate, then the productivity increases, but the reactor size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stacked plate design utilizes vertical stacking to increase reaction volume within a compact footprint. Multiple channels are arranged in layers along the vertical dimension, allowing high conversion rates without proportionally increasing the horizontal reactor size. This dimensional approach efficiently packs reaction volume into a small space.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate structure features nested channels where reactant channels and heat transfer channels are interlaced in a compact arrangement. This nesting allows maximum utilization of space, achieving high conversion rates within minimal reactor volume by efficiently packing functional elements together.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional diffusion welding is used to assemble plates, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the assembly is heterogeneous and deforms under high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a compensation plate with a cavity that counterbalances the heterogeneous deformation forces during diffusion welding. This compensation mechanism compensates for the non-uniform pressure distribution, maintaining assembly uniformity and reliability while preserving the simplicity of the diffusion welding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensation plate acts as an intermediary element between the stacked plates during assembly. It mediates the pressure distribution and deformation forces, ensuring uniform assembly without requiring complex welding processes. This intermediary component maintains structural integrity under high pressure while keeping manufacturing simple.
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
The solution achieves a good compromise between productivity and conversion rate for methanation reactions, with improved thermal management and catalyst efficiency, allowing for efficient operation across varying flow rates and temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
assembled together by hot isostatic compression
Implementation Method 2
The second fluid circuit, usually called the utility or heat transfer circuit, has the function of thermally controlling the chemical reaction, either by supplying the heat necessary for the reaction, or on the contrary by removing the heat released by it
Implementation Method 3
at least a part of the reagent channels being filled at least partially with a conversion catalyst consisting of a metallic active phase dispersed on an oxide-based support
Implementation Method 4
the chemical reactions particularly targeted by the invention are the methanation reactions of CO and/or CO2, the synthesis reactions of methanol and DME
Implementation Method 5
the reactions are very exothermic or very endothermic
Data Source
Figure 1A~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a reactor-heat exchanger module (M) with at least two fluid circuits, comprising a stack of grooved plate sheets assembled together by hot isostatic compression (HIC), defining heat transfer channels and reactant channels. These channels are at least partially filled with a conversion catalyst comprising a metallic active phase dispersed on an oxide-based support, the metallic active phase being a transition metal or a mixture of transition metals. According to the invention, the dimensions of the reactant circuit channels, their number per sheet, and the number of reagent circuit channel sheets are determined so as to circulate a pure reactant flow, preferably under stoichiometric conditions, of between 1500 and 3000 Nm³/h/m².