LU103181B1 - Reactor and process for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a reactor (1) at least for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the reactor (1) has a reactor jacket (2) and a reactor chamber (3) arranged within the reactor jacket (2), wherein the reactor (1) has a reactor head (4) and a reactor sump (5), wherein the reactor head (4) and the reactor sump (5) each have at least temporarily closable feed openings (6) and discharge openings (7) through which at least fluids or solids, in particular particles, are to be introduced or discharged, so that in order to produce a moving bed (8) through the reactor head (4) particles are at least temporarily continuously introduced into the reactor chamber (3). In a reactor in which instabilities of the electrical heat input during methane pyrolysis for producing hydrogen and pyrolysis carbon can be prevented, it is provided that a plurality of conical components (9) are arranged in the reactor chamber (3), wherein the conical components (9) are hollow and have an inlet opening (10) and an outlet opening (11), and wherein the inlet opening (10) has a larger diameter than the outlet opening (11).

Description

210636P00LU

LU103181

Description

Reactor and process for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids

The invention relates to a reactor at least for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the reactor has a reactor shell and a reactor chamber arranged within the reactor shell, wherein the reactor has a reactor head and a reactor sump, wherein the reactor head and the reactor sump each have at least temporarily closable feed openings and

Have outlet openings through which at least fluids or solids, in particular particles, are to be introduced or discharged, so that in order to create a moving bed, particles are at least temporarily continuously introduced into the reactor space through the reactor head.

In addition, the invention relates to a process at least for the pyrolysis of — hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing fluids are

Reactor chamber of a reactor in counterflow to a particle-containing

moving bed of the reactor, whereby at least the particles of the

Moving bed or the hydrocarbon-containing fluids by means of electrodes arranged in the reactor chamber to generate thermal energy to a defined

Temperature in the range between 800- 1600°C, whereby at a

Reactor head particles of the moving bed are introduced and at a

Reactor sump particles of the moving bed are discharged.

The thermal pyrolysis of methane is a strongly endothermic reaction which kinetically and thermodynamically prefers to take place in a temperature range of 1000 °C - 1500 °C and pressures of up to 40 bar. The equilibrium shifts to the reactant side with higher pressure. For economic reasons, a pressure between 5 and 15 bar is preferred.

210636P00LU

LU103181 preferably between 10 and 25 bar. Due to the thermal cracking, in addition to

Hydrogen also produces pyrolysis carbon, which is an additional valuable product.

A formulation of the carbon is already possible in the reaction step.

The introduction of carbon particles pyrolyzes the methane preferentially on the

Particles. The particle sizes can be adjusted by the size of the particles provided and the specific carbon deposition. To provide the

The electrical heat input is particularly suitable for the reaction enthalpy. The reactor is heated by at least one, axially arranged in the particle bed,

Electrode pairs are resistance heated. The electrodes can also be arranged horizontally, for example on a reactor wall, and not axially in the fluidized bed.

The electric current flows over the carbon bed and dissipates into thermal energy due to the electrical resistance of the particle bed. The electric

Resistance results from the particle bed or the transfer surfaces, while the carbon particles have a high electrical conductivity. For a homogeneous heat input into the heating volume, a homogeneous electrical

Resistance over the entire cross-sectional area of the reactor is required.

Paths with different electrical resistance, the electrical current flows preferentially in the areas of low electrical resistance. As a result, the conversions in these areas are higher due to higher temperatures. Due to the

Deposits of pyrolytic carbon further reduce the resistance along these “preferred” paths. The consequence is hotspots and ultimately a

Failure of the heating concept. Such a concept is shown, for example, by the

Publication WO 2020 244 803 A1.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a reactor and a method in which instabilities of the electrical heat input during

Methane pyrolysis to produce hydrogen and pyrolysis carbon can be prevented.

This object is achieved in the present invention by the features of the

The aim of the invention is solved by the characterizing part of patent claim 1 by

Several conical components are arranged in the reactor chamber, whereby the

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LU103181 conical components are hollow and have an inlet opening and a

exit opening and the entrance opening has a larger

diameter than the exit opening.

The temporarily closable feed openings and discharge openings can be designed in different ways. Both manual and automated opening and closing processes are conceivable. First and foremost, it must be ensured that the means used to close the feed openings or discharge openings are suitable for withstanding the high pressures and

to withstand pyrolysis temperatures.

A moving bed is a bed of granules or particles. It is conceivable that the entire cross-section of the reactor shell is filled. However, it is also conceivable that the moving bed forms a ring-shaped

cross-section. By continuously discharging the particles at the reactor bottom, a steady downward migration of the moving bed is achieved. The particles can be removed and replaced or fed back into the reactor chamber at the reactor head. In this case, the reactor chamber is understood to mean the interior of the reactor including any inlet and outlet zones.

The cone-shaped components serve to ensure a relative movement of the

Particles of the moving bed. In this way, paths with different electrical resistance can be avoided. The conical components can be funnel-shaped or designed like a conical cylinder shell. The conical component can be flowed through in its longitudinal extension, whereas it cannot be flowed through in the radial direction.

The temporarily closable outlet openings can be designed in such a way that they can be opened and closed independently of one another. The outlet openings are particularly preferably designed in such a way that they can be opened and closed one after the other, at different times. It can be provided that one outlet opening is connected to a conical component,

210636P00LU

LU103181 so that when a discharge from a discharge opening occurs a discharge through the respective conical component.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the remaining features mentioned in the subclaims.

In a first embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, it is provided that the conical components are arranged parallel to one another in their longitudinal extension. In this way, the conical components can be arranged accordingly in their

The flow direction is identical for each of the conical components, so that no differently directed

river is created.

Advantageously, in a further embodiment of the inventive

The reactor may be designed such that the outlet openings are operatively connected to at least one discharge device through which particles can be transported out of the reactor. The discharge device may, for example, be a

Discharge screw. However, other known devices suitable for discharging particles from the reactor are also conceivable. The discharge device can, for example, be arranged in its conveying direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the

Outlet openings or perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conical components. In this way, the particles can be efficiently transported out of the reactor's effective area and either further treated or returned.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that in the

Reactor chamber partition walls are arranged and that the partition walls extend radially from

Center of the reactor chamber to the reactor shell, so that the reactor chamber is at least partially segmented by the partition walls. By a further

By segmenting the reactor space, the shearing of the particles can be shifted in the axial direction. For example, it can be provided that the partition walls are in

Conveying direction or flow direction of the particles in front of the conical

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Components are arranged. This extends the length of the shear zone. Without the

Partition walls, the shear is increased at the bottom of the discharge and with the

Partition walls produce shear higher up in the reactor. The shear zone is above the partition walls. The shear (relative movement) is required in the reaction zone.

However, it is conceivable in a further embodiment of the reactor according to the invention that the conical components are each arranged in one of the spaces formed by the partition walls

Segments are arranged. In this way, a relative movement of the particles can be intensified, whereby the relative movement of the particles to each other above the

partition walls is intensified.

In a further embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, it is provided that in the reactor space at least two, with respect to the flow direction of the hydrocarbon-containing fluids, spaced apart in the flow direction

Electrodes, especially grid electrodes, over which the reactor can be resistively heated, are arranged. A particular challenge is the required

Heat input into the reactor system. The prioritized reactor concept pursues a direct electrical heating of the particles or the carbon bed.

The advantages of the reactor according to the invention allow an inhomogeneous

Heat input is avoided and the associated reduction of the electrical

resistance does not lead to a failure of the heating concept.

Furthermore, in a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the conical components are arranged behind the electrodes in the direction of flow. In a reactor such as that according to the invention, the conical components are therefore arranged below the electrodes. It has been shown that the offset particle removal leads to a preferred relative movement of the particles in the intra-electrode space.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, it is provided that at least three conical components are provided and that the conical components are arranged concentrically with respect to the center of the reactor space

210636P00LU

LU103181 are arranged. By a concentric arrangement, for example in a

Cross-section round reactor or reactor chamber, the conical

Components promote the relative movement of the particles to each other. The concentric arrangement leads to an even distribution of the conical

Components can be realized locally in the reactor room.

The above-mentioned object is also achieved by a method at least for

Pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing fluids are fed to a reactor chamber of a reactor in counterflow to a moving bed of the reactor consisting of particles, wherein at least the

Particles of the moving bed or the hydrocarbon-containing fluids by means of

Reactor chamber arranged electrodes, for generating thermal energy, are heated to a defined temperature in the range between 800-1600°C, whereby particles of the moving bed are introduced at a reactor head and whereby

Particles of the moving bed are discharged into the reactor sump. In the process, the invention provides that the particles penetrate several conical components that are

reactor room, and then by means of

Discharge screws from the reactor. Preferably

Carbon particles are used, which pass through the reactor as a moving bed.

In a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that a reactor according to the invention is used. The above statements regarding the reactor according to the invention also apply accordingly to the method according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that the discharge of the particles through the conical components takes place at different times. By combining an asymmetrical and time-staggered

Discharge can be mixed so that a relative movement of the particles to each other is promoted. The discharge can be alternated, if three conical components are installed, first through the first conical component, then the second conical component and then through the third conical

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LU103181

component. The alternating extraction above the optionally installed partition walls leads to mixing and relative movement of the particles to one another.

The various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another, unless stated otherwise in individual cases.

The invention is described below in exemplary embodiments based on the associated

Drawings explain:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a

reactor for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids,

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a reactor for the pyrolysis of hydrogen-containing fluids,

Figure 3 shows the representation according to Figure 2 in a cross section and

Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a

Process for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a reactor 1 in a

Longitudinal section. The reactor 1 comprises a reactor shell 2, wherein the

Reactor shell 2 encloses a reactor chamber 3. The reactor 1 additionally has a reactor head 4 and a reactor sump 5, with several

Feed openings 6 can be arranged, while at the reactor sump 5 several

Exit openings 7 are located.

The reactor 1 is designed to receive carbon particles in the form of a moving bed 8, wherein the carbon particles pass through the reactor 1 through the feed openings 6 at the reactor head 4 via the discharge openings 7 at the reactor bottom.

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LU103181

In this embodiment, reactor 1 is used for the pyrolysis of methane.

Methane can be introduced in countercurrent and pyrolyzes on the heated

Carbon particles of the moving bed 8. Heating of the moving bed 8 is necessary because the thermal pyrolysis of methane is a strongly endothermic reaction which kinetically and thermodynamically preferably takes place in a temperature range of 1000 °C — 1500 °C and pressures preferably in the range between 10 and 25 bar.

In order to achieve a homogeneous heating of the moving bed 8,

Reactor chamber 3, in this embodiment, has three concentrically arranged conical components 9. The conical components 9 serve to realize a relative movement of the particles of the moving bed 8 in the reactor chamber, i.e. a movement in which as many particles as possible move relative to each other. The conical components 9 are funnel-shaped. The conical

Component is permeable to flow in its longitudinal extension, whereas in radial

The conical components 9 each have an inlet opening 10 and an outlet opening 11, whereby the inlet opening 10 has a larger diameter than the outlet opening 11.

The conical components 9 are arranged on the reactor bottom 13 and also serve to discharge the carbon particles. The outlet openings 11 of the conical components 9 are in line with the outlet openings 7 of the reactor.

Connection, so that the carbon particles are discharged through the conical

Components 9. The outlet openings 7 or the

Outlet openings 11 are in operative connection with a discharge screw.

Particles can be transported out of reactor 1 through the discharge screw. The

Discharge screw 12 is perpendicular in its conveying direction to the conveying direction of the

Outlet openings 11 or perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conical components 9. In this way, the particles can be efficiently transported out of the effective area of the reactor 1 and either further treated or returned to the reactor 1 via the feed openings 6.

Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the reactor 1. In addition to the

In this embodiment, partition walls 14 are shown in Figure 1

210636P00LU

LU103181. In this embodiment, the partition walls 14 are arranged locally above the conical components 9, i.e. in the conveying direction of the carbon particles in front of the conical components 9. This extends the distance in which the

The direction of movement of the particles is compensated accordingly by means of internal fittings.

The partition walls 14 extend radially from the center of the reactor chamber 3 to the

Reactor shell 2, so that the reactor chamber 3 is at least partially segmented by the partition walls 14. By further segmenting the reactor chamber 3, the relative movement of the particles to each other can be intensified. The function of the

Partitions 14 is the shearing of the particles, which is caused by a staggered discharge of

Material is transferred through the partition walls 14 into an upper zone of the reactor.

For the heat input into the reactor 1, two electrodes 15 are arranged in the reactor chamber 3, which are spaced apart from one another in the flow direction with respect to the flow direction of the hydrocarbon-containing fluids and via which the reactor 1 can be resistance-heated. A particular challenge is the required

Heat input into the reactor system. The reactor concept pursues a direct electrical heating of the particles or the carbon bed. Due to the advantages of the conical components 9 and the partition walls 14, an inhomogeneous heat input is avoided and the associated reduction in the electrical resistance does not lead to a failure of the heating concept.

Figure 3 shows the embodiment according to Figure 2 in a cross-section. In Figure 3 it can be clearly seen that the projection surfaces of the partition walls 14 and the conical components 9 do not overlap. The conical components are in the

Cross-section in each case arranged in one of the segments 15 formed by the partition walls 14. In this way, a rectification of the particle movement in a

section should be intensified.

Figure 4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a method for

Pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids with a reactor 1 according to the above figures. In step 100, hydrocarbon-containing fluids are

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LU103181

Reactor chamber 3 of reactor 1 is fed into reactor 1 in counterflow to a moving bed 8 consisting of carbon particles. In step 101, the particles of the moving bed 8 or the hydrocarbon-containing fluids are heated by means of electrodes 15 arranged in the reactor chamber. The defined temperature is in the range between 800°C and 1600°C.

In step 102, particles of the moving bed 8 are introduced into the reactor 1 at the reactor head 4, with the particles being discharged at the reactor sump 5 in step 103. Within the reactor, the particles pass through the aforementioned conical components 9, which are arranged in the reactor chamber 3. In step 104, the particles are conveyed out of the reactor by means of discharge screws 12, whereby the particles can be post-treated or returned directly to the reactor 1.

In the present example, the individual steps do not necessarily take place one after the other, but rather the steps are carried out in parallel or simultaneously, in particular when stationary operation of the reactor 1 and the moving bed 8 has been established.

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List of reference symbols 1 reactor 2 reactor shell 3 reactor chamber 4 reactor head 5 reactor sump 6 feed opening 7 discharge opening 8 moving bed 9 conical component 10 inlet opening 11 outlet opening 12 discharge screw 13 reactor bottom 14 partition wall 15 electrode 16 segment

Claims (11)

210636P00LU LU103181 patent claims 1. Reactor (1) at least for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the reactor (1) has a reactor shell (2) and a reactor chamber (3) arranged within the reactor shell (2), wherein the reactor (1) has a reactor head (4) and a reactor sump (5), wherein the reactor head (4) and the reactor sump (5) each have at least one at least temporarily closable feed opening (6) and discharge openings (7) through which at least fluids or solids, in particular particles, are to be introduced or discharged, so that in order to produce a moving bed (8) through the reactor head (4) particles are at least temporarily continuously introduced into the reactor chamber (3), characterized in that several conical components (9) are arranged in the reactor chamber (3), wherein the conical components (9) are hollow and have an inlet opening (10) and an outlet opening (11) and wherein the inlet opening (10) has a larger diameter than the outlet opening (11). 2. Reactor (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the conical components (9) are arranged parallel to one another in their longitudinal extension (L). 3. Reactor (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outlet openings (11) are in operative connection with at least one discharge device (12) through which particles can be conveyed out of the reactor (1). 4. Reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that partition walls (13) are arranged in the reactor space (3) and that the partition walls (13) extend radially from the center of the reactor space (3) to the 210636P00LU LU103181 reactor shell (2) so that the reactor chamber (3) is at least partially segmented by the partition walls (13). 5. Reactor (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the conical components (9) are each arranged in one of the segments formed by the partition walls (13). 6. Reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least two electrodes (14), in particular grid electrodes, which are spaced apart from one another in the flow direction with respect to the flow direction of the hydrocarbon-containing fluids and via which the reactor (1) can be resistance-heated, are arranged in the reactor space (3). 7. Reactor (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the conical components (9) are arranged behind the electrodes (14) in the flow direction. 8. Reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least three conical components (9) are provided and that the conical components (9) are arranged concentrically with respect to the center of the reactor space (3). 9. Method at least for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon-containing fluids at least for the production of at least hydrogen-containing fluids, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing fluids are fed to a reactor chamber (3) of a reactor (1) in counterflow to a moving bed (8) of the reactor (1) consisting of particles, wherein at least the particles of the moving bed (8) or the hydrocarbon-containing fluids are heated to a defined temperature in the range between 800-1600°C by means of electrodes (14) arranged in the reactor chamber (3) in order to generate thermal energy, wherein particles of the moving bed (8) are introduced at a reactor head (4) and wherein particles of the moving bed (8) are discharged at a reactor sump (5), 210636P00LU LU103181 characterized in that the particles pass through several cone-shaped components (9) which are arranged in the reactor chamber (3) and are then discharged from the reactor by means of at least one discharge device (12). 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that a reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8 is used. 11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the discharge of the particles through the conical components (9) takes place at different times.