Compactgtl Limited

Accentus Plc

Aea Technology Inc.

Secretary of State for United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

John William Stairmand

Michael Joseph Bowe

Jason Andrew Maude

Ian Frederick Zimmerman

Clive Derek Lee-Tuffnell

Glyn Jeffrey Buckley

Linda Jane McCausland

David Leslie Segal

Lionel H Ford

Jaswant Singh

David Charles William Blaikley

Richard Samuel Mills

Methane reacts with steam generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor; the resulting gas mixture undergoes Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor. In the steam/methane reforming, the gas mixture passes through a narrow channel having mean and exit temperatures both in the range of 750&#xb0; C. to 900&#xb0; C., residence time less than 0.5 second, and the channel containing a catalyst, so that only reactions having comparatively rapid kinetics will occur. Heat is provided by combustion of methane in adjacent channels. The ratio of steam to methane may be about 1.5. Almost all methane will undergo the reforming reaction, almost entirely forming carbon monoxide. After Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen may be fed back to the combustion channels. The steam for the reforming step may be generated from water generated by the chemical reactions, by condensing products from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and by condensing water vapor generated in combustion.

Apparatus for steam-methane reforming

A catalytic reactor () comprises a plurality of sheets () defining flow channels () between them. Within each flow channel () is a foil () of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material apart from where they contact the sheets (). At each end of the reactor () are headers to supply gas mixtures to the flow channels (), the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor () enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels (), which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the sheets () separating the adjacent channels (), from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The reactor () may be used in a compact plant to perform steam/methane reforming, obtaining the necessary heat by catalytic methane combustion, and also for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, so that the overall process involves conversion of methane to long-chain hydrocarbons.

Catalytic reactor

Methane is reacted with steam, to generate carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor (); the resulting gas mixture can then be used to perform Fisher-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor (). In performing the steam/methane reforming, the gas mixture is passed through a narrow channel in which the mean temperature and exit temperature are both in the range 750&#xb0; C. to 900&#xb0; C. the residence time being less than 0.5 second, and the channel containing a catalyst, so that only those reactions that have comparatively rapid kinetics will occur. The heat is provided by combustion of methane in adjacent channels (). The ratio of steam to methane should preferably be 1.4 to 1.6, for example about 1.5. Almost all the methane will undergo the reforming reaction, almost entirely forming carbon monoxide. After performing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen is preferably fed back () to the combustion channels (). The steam for the reforming step is preferably generated from water generated by the chemical reactions, by condensing () the products from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and by condensing () water vapour generated in the combustion.

Process an apparatus for steam-methane reforming

A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of fluid-impermeable plates defining side-by-side flow channels between them. Tight fitting within each flow channel is a sheet of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. At each end of the flow channels there may be headers for supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels, which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the wall of the tube separating the adjacent channels, from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction. The provision of side=by-side flow channels provides for structural strength and for enhanced heat transfer.

A method for causing chemical reactions between fluids, comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of metal sheets for providing first fluid flow channels adjacent to and in heat transfer contact with second fluid flow channels between adjacent ones of the metal sheets, placing catalyst material within at least some of the flow channels, passing a first fluid mixture through the first fluid flow channels and a second fluid mixture through the second fluid flow channels, wherein the first fluid mixture is different from the second fluid mixture, each fluid mixture undergoing separate reactions, one of the reactions being endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, and causing heat to transfer between the adjacent fluid flow channels.

A catalytic reactor comprises a plurality of fluid-impermeable plates defining flow channels between them. Tight fitting within each flow channel is a sheet of corrugated material whose surfaces are coated with catalytic material. At each end of the flow channels are headers to supply gas mixtures to the flow channels, the headers communicating with adjacent channels being separate. The reactor enables different gas mixtures to be supplied to adjacent channels, which may be at different pressures, and the corresponding chemical reactions are also different. Where one of the reactions is endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, heat is transferred through the wall of the tube separating the adjacent channels, from the exothermic reaction to the endothermic reaction.

A valve assembly () comprises a vortex chamber () with an axial outlet port (), a main inlet port () for a fluid to be controlled, and a substantially tangential inlet port (); the fluid enters through an inlet chamber () in which is a mechanical valve () movable so as to obstruct fluid flow into the vortex chamber (). A duct () links the inlet chamber () to the tangential inlet port () of the vortex chamber. The position of the mechanical valve () affects the flow of fluid through the duct (), so the vortex chamber () amplifies the effect of the mechanical valve. Further movement of the valve () closes off flow altogether (). The assembly may include a weir () in the outlet, to separate gas and liquid phases.

Valve with vortex chamber and a mechanical member to shut off flow

A valve system () controls the fluid flow between an inlet () and an outlet (). The system () splits the flow into two parallel flow ducts () and recombines the flows through opposed tangential inlets () and () of a fluidic vortex valve () which has an axial outlet (). An adjustable valve () controls the flow through one of the parallel flow ducts (), controlling the strength of the vortex generated within the vortex valve (). Hence a small valve () can control and adjust the flows in both ducts (and).

Valve system

Small crystals are made by mixing a solution of a desired substance with an anti-solvent in a fluidic vortex mixer in which the residence time is less than 1 s, for example 10 ms. The liquid within the fluidic vortex mixer () is subjected to high intensity ultrasound from a transducer () in or on the wall of the mixer, or coupled to a pipe supplying liquid to the mixer. The solution very rapidly becomes supersaturated, and the ultrasound can induce a very large number of nuclei for crystal growth. Small crystals, for example less than 5 &#x3bc;m, are formed that may be of a suitable size for use in inhalers.

Formation of small crystals

A chemical plant for performing a chemical reaction between particles of a material such as lithium metal, and a reagent such as butyl chloride in solution in hexane, in which one reaction product is a solid material, includes a reaction vessel (). Several ultrasonic transducers () are attached to a wall of the vessel () so as to irradiate ultrasonic waves into the vessel, the vessel being large enough that each transducer irradiates into fluid at least 0.1 m thick, each transducer irradiating no more than 3 W/cm2, and the transducers being sufficiently close to each other and the number of transducers being sufficiently high that the power dissipation within the vessel is at least 10 W/liter but no more than 200 W/liter. The high intensity of ultrasound ensures that lithium chloride is cleaned off the surface of lithium metal particles throughout the vessel ().

Chemical process and plant

Solvent containing a product (or precursor for the product) and anti-solvent are introduced via tangential inputs respectively of a fluidic vortex mixer The emerging mix from axial outlet is supplied directly to a precipitate entrapment device such as filter bed so that precipitate is removed from the solution before the precipitated particles have time to grow. Filtrate is treated in a reduced pressure evaporator to recover anti-solvent and return concentrated solution for combining with a product make up stream at and return to tangential input of the fluidic vortex mixer.

Method and apparatus for controlling uniformity of crystalline precipitates

An apparatus for generating a liquid spray from two jets of fluid which issue from a pair of opposing nozzles and interact, wherein the fluid is supplied to the nozzles under fully turbulent conditions such that random variations in the momentum of the fluid as it leaves the nozzles occur which results in random variations in the orientation of the resultant spray of liquid drops.

Spray generators

Apparatus for the on-line treatment of chemical reagents, including a flow line for a reagent flow, a vortex mixer in the flow line for combining and mixing the reagent flow with at least one further reagent flow, a pulser in the flow line for causing the pulsing of the mixed flow from the vortex mixer, and a vessel having an array of vortex cells for receiving the pulsing mixed flow to cause development and growth of precipitate under narrow residence time distribution conditions. Flow lines mix a flow of reagents to initiate precipitation. The pulser pulses the admixed reagents and causes the pulsing mixed flow to swirl with a constantly reversing rotational flow to achieve development and growth of precipitate.

Precipitation apparatus and method

In apparatus for mixing and then separating different flow streams, such as solvent extraction apparatus, a cascade of contactors and jet pumps are arranged in counter-current flow mode. The same one flow stream is applied to the drive port of each jet pump in the cascade and the other flow stream is applied to the suction port of each jet pump in the cascade. The jet pumps in the cascade increase in size from a high pressure to a low pressure end of the cascade so that the suction pressure required at successive jet pumps is reduced.

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Chester, United Kingdom

John William Stairmand