This monolithic reactor is an adaptable and scalable, flow-through reaction containment apparatus embodied as a one-piece monolithic block of material that retains re-configurability to improve reaction processing. This apparatus increases operational flexibility, adaptable design, and vastly simplifies construction of tubular reaction-containment configurations. Internally, the monolithic block comprises one or more closely spaced, functional voids which operate as fluid channels that can be configured in various geometric arrangements. The apparatus is widely scalable, provides high thermodynamic efficiency, manufacturing simplicity, and affordability for varied operations through additive manufacturing, and has a compact physical footprint.

A reactor has a heat exchanging body including therein a heat medium flow channel in which heat medium flows, and a reaction flow channel in which a reaction fluid flows, to exchange heat between the heat medium and the reaction fluid. A heat transfer promoter is provided in the heat medium flow channel and comes in close contact with the heat exchanging body to promote heat transfer between the heat medium and the heat exchanging body. The heat transfer promoter is an assembly of partial heat transfer promoters of a plurality of types. Replacing the partial heat transfer promoter with another type one, temperature distribution in the heat exchanging body is adjusted.

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.

The present invention concerns a reactor for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol comprising a support made from an electrically and thermally conductive material, forming the wall or walls of at least one longitudinal channel that passes through the support and also acting as the cathode of the reactor, at least one wire electrode forming an anode of the reactor, and extending within each longitudinal channel, and being arranged at a distance from the wall or walls of the longitudinal channel, each wire electrode optionally being covered with an electrically insulating layer along the part of the wire electrode extending within the longitudinal channel, a catalyst capable of catalysing a conversion reaction for the conversion of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into hydrocarbon and/or alcohol, the catalyst being situated between the wire electrode and the wall or walls of each longitudinal channel.

A monolith-type reactor includes a porous support body, a plurality of first cells through which a raw material gas flows, a plurality of second cells through which the sweep gas flows, separation membranes, and a catalyst. The first cells pass through the porous support body in a first direction. The second cells extend in the porous support body in the first direction. The separate membranes are respectively formed on inner peripheral surfaces of the first cells and permeable to a product of the conversion reaction. The catalyst is arranged inside the separation membranes, and promotes the conversion reaction. In a cross section taken along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the average cross-sectional area of the first cells is larger than the average cross-sectional area of the second cells.