Exchanger-reactor comprising connectors with supports

Abstract

A single-component exchanger-reactor including, from bottom to top in the direction of manufacture a distribution region, an inlet connector and an outlet connector, each in the form of a half cylinder and adjoining the distribution region on either side; an inlet located on the front face of the inlet connector, an outlet located on the front face of the outlet connector; an exchange region consisting of reactive channels and product channels; with each connector including supports in the inner upper part thereof.

Claims

1. A single-component exchanger-reactor comprising, a bottom and a top, the exchanger-reactor comprising from bottom to top in the direction of manufacture: a distribution region; an inlet connector and an outlet connector, each in the form of a half cylinder and adjoining the distribution region on either side; an inlet located on a front face of the inlet connector; an outlet located on the front face of the outlet connector; an exchange region consisting of reactive channels and product channels; with each connector comprising supports in the inner upper part thereof, wherein the supports have a porosity of between 25 and 45%.

2. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distribution region comprises, on a face adjoining the inlet connector, flow inlets arranged on several vertical axes; the supports included in the inner upper part of the inlet connector have one face adjoining the distribution region and one face adjoining the inner upper face of the inlet connector; and the supports are interposed between said various vertical axes.

3. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the distribution region comprises, on a face adjoining the outlet connector, flow outlets arranged on several vertical axes; the supports included in the inner upper part of the outlet connector have one face adjoining the distribution region and one face adjoining an inner upper face of the outlet connector; and the supports are interposed between said various vertical axes.

4. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supports are in the shape of a sector of a disk having an angle of between 30 and 60.

5. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connectors have an internal diameter D and the supports in the shape of a sector of a disk have a radius d such that $\frac{1}{4}Dd\frac{1}{3}D.$

6. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supports have a thickness of less than 2 mm.

7. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow inlets and/or flow outlets of the distribution region have a hydraulic diameter of between 0.3 and 4 mm.

8. The exchanger-reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exchanger-reactor is manufactured in one piece by additive manufacturing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature and objects for the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of one embodiment of the current invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic representation of another embodiment of the current invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) The reforming reactor to which this invention relates is a single-component unit consisting of various parts, which are shown in FIG. 1. A single-component reactor is to be understood as a reactor having no assembly interface. The inlet 1 and the outlet 2 of the exchanger-reactor are respectively connected to an inlet connector 11 and an outlet connector 12, which are themselves directly connected to the distribution region 3 which supplies the exchange region 4. The exchange region 4 consists of straight and parallel channels: these straight channels are divided into the reactive channels 5, the product channels 6 and the junctions 7 between two reactive channels 5 and a product channel. The reactive channels are to be understood as those channels in which a catalytic reaction takes place, and the product channels as those channels in which the product flow can circulate. Only the inlet 1, the distribution region 3 and the reactive 6 channels 5 are coated with a catalyst 8. In addition to the deposit of catalyst 8, these channels may also be coated with a cladding for protection against corrosion 9, applied to the surface 10 of the reactive channels.

(10) The inlet connector 11 and outlet connector 12 may be defined as a volume that is at least 50% empty, preferably at least 70% empty, and that respectively connects the inlet and the distribution region, and the distribution region and the outlet.

(11) The distribution region is to be understood as a volume that is arranged so as to best distribute the flows entering or leaving the channels of the exchange region.

(12) In order to allow the single-stage manufacture of an exchanger-reactor as described above, it is necessary for the inlet connector and outlet connector to be manufactured by an additive method at the same time as the distribution region and the exchange region.

(13) However, without limiting the positioning or size possibilities of the connectors, there is currently no solution which permits the manufacture of the connectors at the same time as the exchange region and the distribution region.

(14) Hence, there is a need to provide an improved exchange-reactor and/or an improved process with which it is possible to manufacture the connectors at the same time as the exchange region and the distribution region.

EXAMPLES

(15) The examples below aim to show the importance of the supports during manufacture of an exchanger-reactor by means of an additive method.

Example According to the Invention

(16) Consider the example of a reactor-exchanger made of Inconel 625 for the production of 5 Nm3/h (pilot case) of hydrogen intended to be supplied to a fuel cell in order to produce electricity and hot water for a dwelling. The connectors of the exchanger-reactor may have a diameter of between 15 mm and 150 mm. A diameter of 80 mm is chosen.

(17) The presence of supports makes it possible to obtain the exchanger-reactor depicted in FIG. 6.

Comparative Example

(18) For the manufacture of this exchanger-reactor, the features of the exchanger-reactor according to the invention are retained, with the exception of the supports which are eliminated.

(19) The absence of supports results in the exchanger-reactor depicted in FIG. 7.

(20) In other words, without the supports it proves impossible to close the inlet and outlet connectors 11 and 12 during manufacture of the exchanger-reactor by an additive method, as a result of which the exchanger-reactor is rejected.

(21) In order to be able to vertically construct, by 3D printing, an exchanger-reactor as previously described, and thus maximize the exchange length that can be created in the 3D printing machine, it is necessary to provide, in the inlet and outlet connectors, specific supports which will remain in place once the part has been produced, and which must therefore produce minimum disturbance of the flow of the fluids once the part is in operation. Without these supports, and with it being necessary to supply/remove one or more fluids from one of the lateral faces, it is necessary to provide specific, highly perforated supports, as defined in the present application.

(22) It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.