Catacel Corporation

W. R. Grace Co.-conn.

Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company

Engelhard Corporation

Other

W. R. Grace Co.

Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Bloom Energy Corporation

Johnson Matthey Inc.

William Alan Whittenberger

Joseph W Whittenberger

David A Becker

Gordon W Brunson

Randall J Bartos

Brian L Davis

Richard C Cornelison

Todd A Romesberg

William B Retallick

Wesley P Bullock

David T Sheller

William R Alcorn

Edward M Smith

Frank James Podojil, Iii

Boris Y Brodsky

John H Becker

Lorne W Deyoung

Randy Bartos

Martin Perry

Swaminathan Venkataraman

Ananda K Nagavarapu

Tracy Alan Fowler

William David Lyle

Joseph E Kubsh

James A Rundo

Steven S Edson

Edward Theodore Woodruff

John J Chelbus

L Amanda Suffecool

Kathleen Ruff, Legal Representative

Sudipta Chattopadhyay

Haridas Attur

Snezana Aleksic

Louis J Zuponcic

Peter R Tsai

David Thomas Sheller

Brain L Davis

Frank James Iii Podojil

Iii Frank James Podojil

Amanda L Suffecool

The disclosure provides for an adsorbent bed assembly for separation of gaseous mixtures. The assembly includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes an outer shell, and first and second ends engaged with the outer shell that include inputs/outputs. A central support structure is positioned within the interior cavity and is engaged with the body or forms a portion thereof. Anti-telescoping devices are positioned about the central support structure, at least one of which is affixed to the central support structure. Each anti-telescoping device includes a plurality of spokes extending within the interior cavity from or proximate the central support structure towards the outer shell.

Rapid cycle adsorbent bed

An installation tool for installing reactor components into a reactor is disclosed. The tool comprises a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; a releasable attachment assembly for securing a reactor component support to the tool, the attachment assembly being pivotably inside the housing; a gas supply hose connected to the first end of the housing; and a gas outlet at the second end of the housing in fluid communication with the gas supply hose. The gas outlet is configured to provide gas to expand a reactor component secured by the releasable attachment assembly. A control line for the releasable attachment assembly runs inside the gas supply hose.

Methods and tools for installing reactor components

An expandable center arrangement for a reactor is disclosed. The arrangement comprises an expansion tube; a center support inside the expansion tube and three or more spring elements. The spring elements are fastened to the center support and arc out to the expansion tube. A reactor is also disclosed.

Expandable center arrangement

Described herein are expandable center arrangements for use in a tubular reactor, such as a reformer, for enhancing heat transfer and reactor efficiency. The expandable center arrangement can include a cone being expandable in the radial direction and an expansion weight for promoting expansion of the cone. The cone and expansion weight can be slidably arranged on a center support. Expansion of the cones in the radial direction forces reactor components radially outward to an outer tube that houses the reactor components and expandable center arrangement. Expansion of reactor components towards the outer tube promotes heat for carrying out catalytic reactions.

Expanding centers for stackable structural reactors

A monolith for catalytic or sorbent purposes. The monolith includes a substrate sheet having attached thereto a plurality of catalytic or sorbent beads. Each bead has a diameter of at least fifty microns. The substrate sheet at least partially defines one or more channels through the monolith. Fluid flowing through the channels will contact the beads for catalytic or sorbent purposes.

Monolith with catalytic or sorbent beads

A reactor for carrying out catalytic reactions. The reactor includes a reactor component optionally arranged on a central rod in a reactor tube. The reactor component can have fluid ducts for directing fluid flow through the reactor. The fluid ducts are effective for increasing heat transfer in the reactor. The reactor component can further have a washer attached to a top or bottom surface for directing fluid flow.

Stackable structural reactors

Reactor installation tools and methods for installing reactor components in a reactor tube are described herein. A reactor installation tool can include a releasable attachment assembly for securing the tool to a reactor or support for holding reactor components. The tool can include a movable cylinder that can be actuated to engage and push on a reactor component in an interior region of the reactor for positioning the contents of the reactor in a desired location. The tool can further include means for supply blasts of compressed gas to an interior region of the reactor to aid in the expansion and positioning of the reactor contents. A skirt seal can be used to ensure that the blasts of compressed gas are contained in the interior region of the reactor.

Tools for installing reactor components

A reactor installation tool and method for installing reactor components in a reactor housing. A reactor installation tool can include a push unit having a central aperture traversing its entire length and a push rod, a housing gripper having a center open section traversing its entire length and an expandable bladder positioned adjacent the center open section for securing the housing gripper inside a reactor housing. Reactor components can be installed by first lowering reactor components into a reactor housing, then lowering the reactor installation tool into the reactor housing above the reactor components, and then inflating the expandable bladder such that the expandable bladder contacts an inside surface of the reactor housing to secure the housing gripper inside the reactor housing.

Installation tools for structured catalysts

Described herein are flexible seals for directing fluid flow in a tubular reactor, such as a reformer, for enhancing heat transfer and reactor efficiency. The seals can be made of corrugated metal foil that is expandable in the radial direction for accommodating the expansion and contraction of reactor components in the tubular reactor during operation. The seals can block or redirect fluid flow through the reactor. Fluid is directed to the interior of the reactor by the seals and bypass around the outer circumference of the reactor components is reduced or eliminated.

Seals for use with foil supported and catalyst structures

A wire standoff suitable for use in a tubular reactor, such as a reformer, is described. The wire standoff includes a portion or segment positioned between an outer reactor tube and one or more reactor components located within the tube. The reactor components and the outer tube are prevented from coming into directed contact with one another by the positioning of the wire standoff. The wire standoff can be secured to a reactor component at one of its ends or to a washer located between stacked reactor components. Prevention of the reactor components from contact with the outer tube promotes fluid flow through the reactor and can enhance heat transfer and reactor efficiency for carrying out catalytic reactions.

Wire standoffs for stackable structural reactors

A reactor including a monolith having a plurality of fins in an annular arrangement for receiving fluid flow through the reactor. The monolith is disposed within a generally cylindrical outer tube, and around a corrugated inner tube. The reactor includes a device for urging the monolith radially outward, so as to maintain contact between the monolith and the outer tube.

Stackable structural reactor

A reactor installation tool and method for installing a reactor unit in a reactor tube. A reactor installation tool including a movable assembly and a fixed assembly linked together such that the movable assembly can be adjusted relative to the fixed assembly. The movable assembly including a reactor sleeve attachment means for releasably securing a reactor sleeve loaded with a reactor unit to the tool. The fixed assembly including an expandable clamping unit for releasably securing the tool to a reactor tube. A reactor unit can be installed in the reactor tube by adjusting the movable assembly to extract the reactor unit from the reactor sleeve as the fixed assembly is rigidly secured to the reactor tube. The fixed assembly can be released from the reactor tube and the reactor installation tool can be removed from the reactor tube.

Method of installing reactor units

Reactor installation and removal tools

Growing community of inventors

Leavittsburg, OH, United States of America

William Alan Whittenberger