A reactor includes a reaction unit, a first pipe, a second pipe, a composition analysis unit connected to the first pipe, a regulating unit connected to the second pipe so as to regulate a flow rate or the like of a second fluid, a control unit causing the regulating unit to regulate the flow rate or the like of the second fluid in accordance with a composition of a product analyzed by the composition analysis unit so that a temperature of a third fluid is controlled to lead the composition of the product to keep a predetermined reaction rate or yield, and a first temperature measurement unit connected to the first pipe so as to measure the temperature of the third fluid. The control unit acquires the information on the temperature of the third fluid from the first temperature measurement unit.

Heat exchanger-reformer for use in a hydrogen production plant for producing syngas, for instance by means of a steam methane reforming method, wherein the reformer comprises vessel with a first inlet for supplying feed and a second inlet for supplying hot reformer effluent, preferably coming from a main steam methane reformer, wherein the heat exchanger-reformer further comprises a heat exchanging section that is arranged in fluid connection with the first and second inlets for exchanging heat between the feed and reformer effluent to effectuate steam reforming of hydrocarbon to produce syngas, wherein the heat exchanging section comprises a plate heat exchanger assembly for heat exchange between said feed and said reformer effluent.

The invention relates to a methanol synthesis reactor for producing methanol from a synthesis gas mixture. The reactor according to the invention includes a pressure jacket having an interior in which a first and a second process unit are arranged one atop the other. Both process units are fluidically interconnected at least in respect of the process gases and configured as plate heat exchangers, preferably pillow plate heat exchangers. The plate interiors are traversable from bottom to top by cooling media while the plate interspaces are traversable from top to bottom by process gases, in particular synthesis gas and methanol-containing product streams. At least the first of the two process units has a methanol synthesis catalyst on the plate interspace side. The second process unit is used for cooling or further conversion of the product stream obtainable in the first process unit.

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, an evaporator for evaporating a mixture of methanol and water to be forwarded through a catalytic reformer for producing portions of free hydrogen. The fuel cell stack being composed of a number of proton exchange membrane fuel cells each featuring electrodes in form of an anode and a cathode for delivering an electric current. The system provides an enhanced catalytic reformer for a fuel cell system, which enables a compact design of the reformer for integration into a flat, rack mountable system.

A reactor as a heat treatment device includes heat transfer structures removably placed in first flow channels, a first information acquisition unit connected to the inlet side of the first flow channels to acquire information for specifying a temperature and a flow rate of the first fluid which are reference conditions after lapses of time, a second information acquisition unit connected to the outlet side of the first flow channels to acquire the information for specifying the temperature of the first fluid after each lapse of time, and a control unit that calculates a heat exchange amount after each lapse of time in accordance with the temperature and the flow rate specified according to the information acquired by the first information acquisition unit and the second information acquisition unit, so as to estimate a service life of the heat transfer structures in accordance with the heat exchange amount.

A reactor as a heat treatment device includes heat transfer structures removably placed in first flow channels, a first information acquisition unit connected to the inlet side of the first flow channels to acquire information for specifying a temperature and a flow rate of the first fluid which are reference conditions after lapses of time, a second information acquisition unit connected to the outlet side of the first flow channels to acquire the information for specifying the temperature of the first fluid after each lapse of time, and a control unit that calculates a heat exchange amount after each lapse of time in accordance with the temperature and the flow rate specified according to the information acquired by the first information acquisition unit and the second information acquisition unit, so as to estimate a service life of the heat transfer structures in accordance with the heat exchange amount.

A reactor includes a reaction unit, a first pipe, a second pipe, a composition analysis unit connected to the first pipe, a regulating unit connected to the second pipe so as to regulate a flow rate or the like of a second fluid, a control unit causing the regulating unit to regulate the flow rate or the like of the second fluid in accordance with a composition of a product analyzed by the composition analysis unit so that a temperature of a third fluid is controlled to lead the composition of the product to keep a predetermined reaction rate or yield, and a first temperature measurement unit connected to the first pipe so as to measure the temperature of the third fluid. The control unit acquires the information on the temperature of the third fluid from the first temperature measurement unit.

In a cooled axial/radial flow converter, in which process gas passes from an outer annulus via a catalyst bed to an inner center tube, the catalyst bed is divided into identical modules stacked on top of each other. The process gas reaches the catalyst through openings facing the outer annulus, passes axially down the catalyst bed of each module, leaves the module through collectors in the bottom thereof, and flows to the center tube. The catalyst bed is cooled by cooling panels, in which the process gas is pre-heated to the reaction temperature, while at the same time the heat of reaction is partly removed from the catalyst bed. The converter is especially suitable as ammonia converter.

A reactor device for the release of a gas from a starting material includes a reactor housing having a longitudinal axis and at least one single reactor arranged in the reactor housing, the single reactor including a base plate oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis, a starting material flow channel defining a starting material flow direction, a catalyst arranged in the starting material flow channel, a heating unit for heating the catalyst and/or the starting material and a gas collection chamber arranged above the starting material flow channel for collecting the gas released from the starting material.

In a cooled axial/radial flow converter, in which process gas passes from an outer annulus via a catalyst bed to an inner centre tube, the catalyst bed is divided into identical modules stacked on top of each other. The process gas reaches the catalyst through openings facing the outer annulus, passes axially down the catalyst bed of each module, leaves the module through collectors in the bottom thereof, and flows to the centre tube. The catalyst bed is cooled by cooling panels, in which the process gas is pre-heated to the reaction temperature, while at the same time the heat of reaction is partly removed from the catalyst bed. The converter is especially suitable as ammonia converter.