Swing Reactor for Oxychlorination with Sequential Feed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for oxychlorinating paraffins and olefins result in significant methane combustion to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, limiting product yields and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A swing reactor design is employed where reactants are fed sequentially as separate streams to prevent mixing and combustion, using a catalyst with copper, iron, and rare earth salts deposited on an inert carrier, with alkali metal chloride to enhance activity, and controlling feed streams with valves to optimize reaction conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If reactants are fed as a single mixed stream to the reactor, then the reaction proceeds continuously, but significant combustion occurs converting methane to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
Solution Approach 1:
The feed stream is segmented into separate streams containing different reactants (e.g., methane stream and oxygen/HCl stream) that are fed to the reactor at different times. This temporal segmentation prevents simultaneous presence of all reactants, eliminating combustion while maintaining continuous reaction through cyclic operation
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor operates in periodic cycles where feed streams are alternately introduced and withdrawn. During each cycle, the reactor undergoes distinct phases (e.g., chlorination phase followed by regeneration phase), achieving continuous overall productivity while preventing harmful combustion through periodic separation of reactants
2Productivity
If multiple reactant streams are fed sequentially to prevent combustion, then product yield increases, but reactor operation complexity increases due to valve actuation and stream control
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor system employs multi-functional valves that serve both as feed control mechanisms and as means to achieve stream segregation. The same valve infrastructure used for introducing reactants also controls the timing and sequencing, reducing the need for additional dedicated control components and simplifying the overall 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 approach reduces combustion reactions, increases product yields, simplifies recovery procedures, and lowers capital investment while maintaining favorable reaction kinetics.
Implementation Method 1
Multiple streams of reactants are fed sequentially to the reactor, which contains an oxychlorination catalyst
Implementation Method 2
The catalyst employed may comprise salts of copper, iron and rare earths. These catalyst components are deposited on an inert carrier to provide intimate contact with the gas phase
Data Source
AI summary
A reactor with swing feeds is provided for oxychlorination. This reactor comprises multiple inlets with controls capable of introducing feed streams sequentially to the reactor. In one configuration, a feed stream comprises a paraffin or olefin hydrocarbon such as methane or ethylene, and a second feed stream comprises oxygen and hydrogen chloride. By segregating these feeds, combustion reactions can be minimized and yields of chlorinated components increased.