Methods and apparatus are disclosed for generating an electromagnetic field inside a reactor to trigger an exothermic reaction. The design and implementation of the electromagnetics are based on the requirements of a particular exothermic reaction or reactor. For example, the triggering mechanism of a particular exothermic reaction or reactor may require a magnetic field with a specific magnitude, polarity, and/or orientation.

An apparatus and method for manufacturing solid particles based on inert gas evaporation. The method includes forming a continuous gaseous feed flow, and injecting the continuous gaseous feed flow through an inlet into a free-space region of a reactor chamber in the form of a feed jet flow, and forming at least one continuous jet flow of a cooling fluid and injecting the at least one jet flow of cooling fluid into the reaction chamber. The feed jet flow is made by passing the feed flow at a pressure above the reactor chamber pressure in the range from 0.01.Math.10.sup.5 to 20.Math.10.sup.5 Pa through an injection nozzle. The jet flow of cooling fluid is made by passing the cooling fluid through an injection nozzle which directs the jet flow of cooling fluid such that it intersects the feed jet flow with an intersection angle between 30 and 150°.

According to the present invention, there is provided a polysilicon production apparatus including: a horizontal reaction tube having an inlet port through which gaseous raw materials including reactant gases and a reducing gas are supplied, an outlet port through which residual gases exit, a reaction surface with which the gaseous raw materials come into contact, and bottom openings through which molten polysilicon produced by the reactions of the gaseous raw materials is discharged; and first heating means adapted to heat the reaction surface of the horizontal reaction tube. The horizontal reaction tube includes reaction regions consisting of first reaction regions where polysilicon is deposited and second reaction regions where reaction by-products are converted to the reactant gases. The first reaction regions are connected in series with the second reaction regions. Also provided is a polysilicon production method using the polysilicon production apparatus.

A method for producing plasmonic nanomaterials that are catalytically or photocatalytically active by fabricating plasmonic nanostructures on substrates using electrodeposition into a nano-template structure and forming a plurality of nanorods in an array, wherein the nanorods are made from materials chosen from the group consisting of materials that are plasmonic and/or catalytic, and materials that are catalytically activated by depositing pure elemental metals, alloys, or alternating layers of different metals or alloys, and producing catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials. Catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials made from the above method. An optical reactor device that utilizes catalytic nanomaterials for photocatalytic synthesis of methanol or ammonia. A method of photocatalytic synthesis of methanol and ammonia by using catalytic plasmonic nanomaterial to convert CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to methanol and N.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to ammonia using optical power. A hybrid plasma-plasmonic reactor for the utilization of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 to produce methanol, ethylene, and acetic acid.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for generating an electromagnetic field inside a reactor to trigger an exothermic reaction. The design and implementation of the electromagnetics are based on the requirements of a particular exothermic reaction or reactor. For example, the triggering mechanism of a particular exothermic reaction or reactor may require a magnetic field with a specific magnitude, polarity, and/or orientation.

A plant uses one or more renewable energy sources to facilitate the processing of a hydrocarbon to produce hydrogen, syngas or other products. One renewable energy source is solar energy, which may be harnessed by (a) directly heating a thermal storage medium by way of a concentrated solar thermal (CST) plant; (b) converting the solar energy using photovoltaic cells to produce electricity and using the electricity to heat the thermal storage medium, (c) a combination of both, or (d) converting the solar energy using photovoltaic cells to produce electricity and using the electricity to heat a reactor by way of resistive or inductive heating. The thermal storage medium, when used, is arranged to store enough thermal energy to enable 24-hours a day processing of the hydrocarbon. Electricity derived from PV cells may be used to enable the production of heat for processing when radiant energy from the sun is insufficient.

The present invention proposes a plant (110) for producing reaction products. The plant (110) comprises at least a preheater (114). The plant (110) comprises at least one raw material supply (118) which is adapted for supplying at least one raw material to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for preheating the raw material to a predetermined temperature. The plant (110) comprises at least one electrically heatable reactor (122). The electrically heatable reactor (122) is adapted for at least partially converting the preheated raw material into reaction products and byproducts. The plant (110) comprises at least one heat integration apparatus (132) which is adapted for at least partially supplying the byproducts to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for at least partially utilizing energy required for preheating the raw material from the byproducts.

The invention relates to a reactor and a method for producing a product, wherein the reactor comprises an inner part which is formed at least in part from a porous material comprising a catalyst and in which at least one reactant is arranged to flow into the inner part and after that through the porous material to form a product, a shell structure which surrounds the inner part, a space between the inner part and the shell structure in which the product formed from the reactant in the porous material is arranged to flow out from the reactor, and a heating device for heating electrically the porous material. Further, the invention relates to the use of the reactor.

Induction heating is applied to thermochemical processes in specially adapted chemical processing units comprising heat exchange channels. Collections of components are housed in portable units adapted for easy setup and maintenance.

A chemical vessel utilizing induction heating elements and useful for preparing polyamides, such as nylon. The vessel can utilize an array of induction heating elements located inside a process chamber. Also described are a vessel, a heat exchanger, a process, and an apparatus useful for polyamide preparation.