CATALYTIC SUPPORT FOR CATALYSIS PROCESSES

Abstract

A catalytic support for catalysis processes including a main body, at least one conduit made in said main body, said conduit having an inlet portion made on a first surface of said main body and an outlet portion made on a second surface of said main body, said first surface being opposite said second surface said main body includes a plurality of layers at least partially superposed and mutually adherent, said layers forming a plurality of recesses at the intersections and superposition of said layers, said recesses being configured to house particles of at least one catalyst element.

Claims

1. A catalytic support for catalysis processes comprising a main body, at least one conduit made in said main body, said conduit having an inlet portion made on a first surface of said main body and an outlet portion made on a second surface of said main body, said first surface being opposite said second surface characterised in that said main body comprises a plurality of layers at least partially superposed and mutually adherent in such a way as to form said main body, said layers of said main body forming a plurality of recesses at the intersections and superposition of said layers, said recesses being configured to house particles of at least one catalyst element.

2. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of plastic material.

3. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of ABS (Acyrlonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and its derivatives.

4. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of ASA (Acyrlonitrile Styrene Acrylate) and its derivatives.

5. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and its derivatives.

6. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of Nylon or PLA (Polylactic Acid) and its derivatives.

7. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body is made of transparent or translucent material.

8. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body comprises honeycomb type structure or in any case reticular with cells of any shape.

9. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said conduit has an extension not parallel to the longitudinal extension of said main body.

10. The catalytic support according to claim 1, wherein said main body comprises a plurality of superposed portions each of which comprises a respective plurality di conduits having a geometrical extension different to each other but in mutual fluid communication between said first surface and said second surface of said main body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further features and advantages of the invention are more apparent in the detailed description below, with reference to a preferred, non-limiting, embodiment of a catalytic support for catalysis processes as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a catalytic support for catalysis processes according to the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 is a cross-section perspective view of a catalytic support for catalysis processes,

[0029] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a first embodiment of a catalytic support for catalysis processes,

[0030] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a second embodiment of a catalytic support for catalysis processes and

[0031] FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view of a third embodiment of a catalytic support for catalysis processes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0032] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its a catalytic support for catalysis processes.

[0033] The catalytic support 1 for catalysis processes according to the invention comprises in its basic embodiment a main body 3 with at least one conduit 2 made inside it.

[0034] Each conduit 2 has an inlet portion 6 made on a first surface 8 of the main body 3, for example the upper one, and an outlet portion 7 made on a second surface 9 of the main body 3, for example the lower one.

[0035] In short, each conduit 2 passes completely through the entire thickness of the main body 3, that is, the first surface 8 is opposite the second surface 9 with respect to a direction of flow of a fluid through the main body 3.

[0036] The main body 3 comprises a plurality of layers 4 at least partially superposed with each other and at the same time mutually adherent in such a way as to form a consistent main body.

[0037] The main body 3 is a single body which is made from the superpositioning of the plurality of layers 4.

[0038] Between one layer 4 and the next 4, and more generically close to every intersection and superposition of the layers 4, a plurality of recesses 5 is created, configured to house particles of at least one catalyst element.

[0039] The positioning of the catalyst element inside the recesses 5 can be performed by any of the known technologies, such as, for example, by immersion or spraying of the catalyst element on the catalytic support 1.

[0040] Advantageously, the main body 3 is made of plastic material.

[0041] In particular, the main body 3 can be made of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and its derivatives, ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) and its derivatives, PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and its derivatives, Nylon and its derivatives, PLA (Polylactic Acid) and its derivatives.

[0042] Moreover, advantageously, since currently the best technology for production of a catalytic support 1 according to the invention is three-dimensional printing FDM (fused deposition modelling) or FFM (fused filament manufacturing) the main body 3 can be made with any material with the above-mentioned technologies.

[0043] Advantageously, especially in the case in which the catalysis process wherein the catalytic support 1 according to the invention is used is a photocatalysis process then the main body 3 can be made from a transparent or translucent material. In this way, the entire output of the photocatalysis process is optimised. In fact, the light, which acts as activator of the catalyst located in the recesses 5 of the main body 3 will not have opaque obstacles and will be able to pass through the entire main body 3, thereby increasing the overall output of the catalytic support 1.

[0044] Advantageously, the main body 3 comprises a honeycomb structure, that is to say, with the conduits 2 arranged alongside each other for a significant portion or for the entire surfaces 8, 9 of the main body 3.

[0045] Advantageously, the conduits can also be made with horizontal sections with respect to the inlet 8 and outlet 9 directions, lengthening the path of the fluid inside them and increasing the contact with the walls and with the catalyst.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows in its entirety a possible embodiment of a catalytic support 1 according to the invention.

[0047] The main body 3 can preferably comprise a perimeter stiffening strip which is configured to facilitate any installation inside the machinery which performs the above-mentioned catalytic processes.

[0048] FIG. 2 clearly shows how the superposed layers 4 create recesses 5, that is to say, seats where the catalyst particles are housed.

[0049] It is possible to adjust and determine the overall porosity of the catalytic support 1 as a function of the number of layers 4 which make up the main body 3 and their diameter.

[0050] By determining the overall porosity of the catalytic support 1 it is also possible to determine beforehand the quantity of catalyst which the support 1 will be able to retain on its surfaces.

[0051] According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the conduits 2 have an extension substantially parallel to the extension in thickness of the main body 3.

[0052] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the conduits 2 have, on the other hand, an extension which is not parallel, preferably not rectilinear, to the longitudinal of the main body 3.

[0053] For certain catalysis processes, this solution can have a better performance since the fluid which is obliged to pass inside the conduits 2, finding a minimum resistance due to the geometry of the conduits, impacts significantly and for a longer time with the catalyst, considerably increasing the catalysis reaction.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a catalytic support 1 according to the invention wherein the main body 3 comprises a plurality di superposed portions 10, 11, 12 each of which comprises in turn a respective plurality of conduits 2.

[0055] The conduits 2 of each of the portions 10, 11 and 12 have a geometrical extension different from each other (the drawing shows, for example, the portion 10 has the conduits 2 with a parallel extension, the portion 11 with a non-parallel extension and the portion 12 again with a parallel extension).

[0056] The conduits in their entirety, that is, the initial part of the conduit of portion 10, the intermediate part of portion 11 and the final part of portion 12 are in mutual fluid communication between the first surface 8 and the second surface 9 of the main body 3, generating geometrical partitions such as to significantly increase the quantity of fluid which enters into contact with the catalyst and the relative contact time, significantly improving the efficiency of the catalysis reaction.

[0057] The catalytic support 1 according to the invention, in particular if printed by means of a FDM or FFM printer is free of every geometrical constraint, and consequently the conduits can have any geometrical shape extending inside the main body 3.

[0058] The invention brings important advantages, overcoming the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art.

[0059] A first major advantage consists in the fact that a catalytic support 1 made according to the invention, in particular if made of plastic material, has, with the same volume, a much reduced weight with respect to the corresponding ceramic catalytic support of the prior art.

[0060] A second major advantage consists in the fact that a catalytic support 1 made according to the invention, in particular if made of plastic material, is much more resistant to impacts than the corresponding ceramic catalytic support of the prior art.

[0061] A further significant advantage consists in the fact that in the production process, advantageously by means of a three-dimensional FDM or FFM printer, there is a complete freedom of choice of the geometry of the support 1, which is the complete opposite to the constrained geometry due to the extruded ceramic supports of the prior art, allowing geometries to be developed which are able to significantly increase the quantity of fluid and therefore reagents which enter into contact with the catalyst and the relative contact time and therefore significantly increase the efficiency of the catalysis reaction.

[0062] Lastly, if it is to be used in photocatalysis processes, the support 1 according to the invention can be made from transparent or at least opaque material, which is a characteristic which translates into an optimisation of the performance of the process.