The present disclosure relates generally to reactor systems that include (a) a housing having an interior surface that may be at least partially reflective, (b) at least one reactor cell disposed within an interior of the housing, the at least one reactor cell including an enclosure and a plasmonic photocatalyst on a catalyst support disposed within the at least one enclosure, where the enclosure is optically transparent and includes at least one inlet for a reactant to enter the at least one cell and at least one outlet for a reformate to exit the at least one cell and (c) at least one light source disposed within the interior of the housing and/or external to the housing. At least one light-management feature and/or at least one thermal-management feature is applied to the reactor cell, reactor system, or a reformer system comprising many reactor systems, in order to improve efficiency.

The present disclosure relates generally to reactor systems that include (a) a housing having an interior surface that may be at least partially reflective, (b) at least one reactor cell disposed within an interior of the housing, the at least one reactor cell including an enclosure and a plasmonic photocatalyst on a catalyst support disposed within the at least one enclosure, where the enclosure is optically transparent and includes at least one inlet for a reactant to enter the at least one cell and at least one outlet for a reformate to exit the at least one cell and (c) at least one light source disposed within the interior of the housing and/or external to the housing. At least one light-management feature and/or at least one thermal-management feature is applied to the reactor cell, reactor system, or a reformer system comprising many reactor systems, in order to improve efficiency.

A fluid processing apparatus includes: a casing having a fluid inlet pipe and a fluid outlet pipe; multiple rectifying plates with holes in parallel with each other provided within the casing on a side of the fluid inlet pipe, the rectifying plates being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the casing; and a light source for irradiating fluid passing from the fluid inlet pipe through the casing to the fluid outlet pipe with ultraviolet rays.

A reaction apparatus for use in solid carbon production includes a reactor shell defining a reactor inlet and a reactor outlet. Concentric cylinders or substantially parallel plates of catalytic material are disposed within the reactor shell and are structured and adapted to expose at least one contact surface to gaseous reactants. Another apparatus includes a removable cartridge comprising a plurality of substantially parallel plates of catalytic material disposed within the reactor shell. A system for use in carbon nanotube production may include any such reactor and a solids recovery means for removing carbon nanotubes from the reactor.

A fluid processing apparatus includes: a casing having a fluid inlet pipe and a fluid outlet pipe; multiple rectifying plates with holes in parallel with each other provided within the casing on a side of the fluid inlet pipe, the rectifying plates being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the casing; and a light source for irradiating fluid passing from the fluid inlet pipe through the casing to the fluid outlet pipe with ultraviolet rays.

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.

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.

The invention relates to contactors suitable for use, for example, in manufacturing and chemical refinement processes. In an aspect is a hybrid indirect/direct contactor for thermal management of counter-current processes, the contactor comprising a vertical reactor column, an array of interconnected heat transfer tubes within the reactor column, and a plurality of stream path diverters, wherein the tubes and diverters are configured to block all straight-line paths from the top to bottom ends of the reactor column.