Reactor apparatus for loading a carrier medium with hydrogen and/or unloading it therefrom and plant comprising a reactor apparatus of this kind

Abstract

A reactor apparatus for loading a carrier medium with hydrogen and/or unloading it therefrom includes a reactor housing chargeable with carrier medium and having a carrier medium feed orifice, having a carrier medium removal orifice, having a base and having a hydrogen gas orifice. The reactor apparatus further includes at least one heat transfer element for supplying heat into the reactor housing. Catalyst has been provided in the reactor housing.

Claims

1. A reactor apparatus for unloading hydrogen from a carrier medium, the reactor apparatus comprising: a reactor housing chargeable with carrier medium and the reactor housing having a carrier medium feed orifice, a carrier medium removal orifice, a base and a hydrogen gas orifice; at least one heat transfer element for supplying heat into the reactor housing; and at least one hydrogen gas duct which is disposed in the reactor housing and extends along a longitudinal axis.

2. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising another heat transfer element to provide multiple heat transfer elements, the multiple heat transfer elements being arranged around the at least one hydrogen gas duct.

3. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the multiple heat transfer elements are arranged along a circular line around the at least one hydrogen gas duct and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one hydrogen gas duct.

4. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reactor housing is filled with catalyst.

5. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein a mixture of the carrier medium and the catalyst is provided, wherein a volume of the mixture is at least half a volume of the reactor housing.

6. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a first end, remote from the base, of the at least one hydrogen gas duct is disposed outside the mixture.

7. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one hydrogen gas duct has a length less than a length of the reactor housing.

8. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a through-flow section is provided at a second end, facing the base, of the at least one hydrogen gas duct.

9. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reactor apparatus is configured as a dehydrogenation reactor.

10. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a gas collecting space which is disposed within the reactor housing, wherein the gas collecting space is connected to the hydrogen gas orifice and to the at least one hydrogen gas duct.

11. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a separation element which is disposed within one of the reactor housing and the gas collecting space, and the separation element is configured for separation of carrier medium out of hydrogen gas removed.

12. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the separation element comprises at least one of a condenser and a droplet separator.

13. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carrier medium removal orifice is disposed at a side wall of the reactor housing.

14. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carrier medium removal orifice is disposed at a level of an end of a catalyst bed remote from the base.

15. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carrier medium removal orifice is disposed above an end of a catalyst bed remote from the base.

16. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carrier removal orifice is disposed below an end of a catalyst bed remote from the base.

17. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis is at least partially oriented vertically.

18. A plant for loading a carrier medium with hydrogen, the plant comprising: a reactor apparatus comprising a reactor housing chargeable with carrier medium, at least one heat transfer element for supplying heat into the reactor housing and at least one gas inlet nozzle for introducing hydrogen gas into at least one hydrogen gas duct, the reactor housing having a carrier medium feed orifice, a carrier medium removal orifice, a base and a hydrogen gas orifice, wherein the reactor apparatus is configured as a hydrogenation reactor; a first storage means for storing hydrogen-laden carrier medium, the first storage means being connected to the reactor apparatus; a second storage means for storing carrier medium separated from hydrogen, the second storage means being connected to the reactor apparatus; and a hydrogen gas supply connected to the reactor apparatus.

19. A reactor apparatus for loading a carrier medium with hydrogen, the reactor apparatus comprising: a reactor housing chargeable with carrier medium, the reactor housing having a carrier medium feed orifice, a carrier medium removal orifice, a base and a hydrogen gas orifice; at least one heat transfer element for supplying heat into the reactor housing; and at least one gas inlet nozzle for introducing hydrogen gas into at least one hydrogen gas duct, wherein the reactor apparatus is configured as a hydrogenation reactor.

20. The reactor apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one gas inlet nozzle is arranged with immersion into the carrier medium.

21. A plant for unloading hydrogen from a carrier medium, the plant comprising: a reactor apparatus comprising a reactor housing chargeable with carrier medium, at least one heat transfer element for supplying heat into the reactor housing and at least one hydrogen gas duct which is disposed in the reactor housing and extends along a longitudinal axis, the reactor housing having a carrier medium feed orifice, a carrier medium removal orifice, a base and a hydrogen gas orifice; a first storage means for storing hydrogen-laden carrier medium, the first storage means being connected to the reactor apparatus; a second storage means for storing carrier medium separated from hydrogen, the second storage means being connected to the reactor apparatus; and a hydrogen gas supply connected to the reactor apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reactor apparatus in partial cross section according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along section line II-II in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view, corresponding to FIG. 1, of the reactor apparatus charged with a mixture and further components of a plant for discharging hydrogen from a carrier medium; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view, corresponding to FIG. 3, of a further plant with a reactor apparatus in a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) A reactor apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 serves for dehydrogenation of LOHC, i.e. for removal of hydrogen gas from LOHC as carrier medium. A reaction of this kind is referred to as discharging hydrogen from the carrier medium. The reaction is a dehydrogenation reaction.

(7) The reactor apparatus 1 has a reactor housing 2. The reactor housing 2, in the working example shown, takes the form of a closed hollow cylinder having a base 3 in the form of a circular disk, a cylindrical outer wall 4 and a lid 5 in the form of a circular disk. The base 3 and the lid 5 are essentially identical. The base 3, the side wall 4 and the lid 5 are bonded directly to one another in pairs in each case, especially bonded to one another in a releasable manner, especially screwed to one another. The reactor housing 2 encloses an inner space with sealing. The catalyst has been introduced as a loose bed within the reactor housing 2. The catalyst is surrounded by the carrier medium. In order to prevent uncontrolled flow of the catalyst with the reactor medium within the reactor housing 2, the catalyst may be retained with a fixing element, for example a mesh arranged above it. The bed height of the catalyst extends essentially up to a carrier medium removal orifice 8. A hydrogen gas orifice 6 is provided at the lid 5. In the working example shown, exactly one hydrogen gas orifice 6 is provided, arranged centrally in the lid 5. It is also possible for multiple hydrogen gas orifices 6 to be provided.

(8) More particularly, the reactor housing 2 may have a different outline. More particularly, an outline of the reactor housing perpendicular to the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7 may, for example, have a rectangular, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal or oval design. Other, especially unsymmetrical, reactor housing outlines are also conceivable.

(9) A carrier medium removal orifice 8 is provided in the side wall 4. A carrier medium feed orifice 9 is provided in the base 3. The carrier medium feed orifice 9 may also be provided in the side wall 4 in order, for example, to set the reactor housing 2 by the base 3 directly onto a ground. The carrier medium removal orifice 8 serves for removal of unloaded carrier medium. The carrier medium feed orifice 9 serves to feed laden carrier medium to the reactor housing.

(10) There are multiple hydrogen gas ducts 10 disposed in the reactor housing, five in the working example shown. The hydrogen gas ducts 10 are hollow cylindrical steel tubes secured to the base 3 of the reactor housing 2. The hydrogen gas ducts 10 may also have been manufactured from another material. The hydrogen gas ducts 10 may have a cross-sectional shape which, for example, is not round and may have, for example, a triangular, quadrangular, especially rectangular, square, hexagonal or another shape. It is also possible that the hydrogen gas ducts are arranged spaced apart from the base 3. In this case, the hydrogen gas ducts 10 may be held within the reactor housing 2 by means of a holding apparatus. The holding apparatus is especially arranged in such a way that it is arranged outside the catalyst bed in order not to hinder the formation of hydrogen gas.

(11) The hydrogen gas ducts 10 are arranged in a regular, cruciate pattern in the base 3 of the reactor housing 2. One hydrogen gas duct 10 is arranged concentrically to the circular base 3 and especially concentrically to the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7. The other hydrogen gas ducts are each secured with equal spacing from the central hydrogen gas duct 10 to the base 3.

(12) The hydrogen gas ducts 10 have a circular ring cross section. The hydrogen conduits are each identical. The hydrogen conduits 10 have a length L.sub.WL less than a length of the reactor housing L.sub.R along the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7. In particular: L.sub.WL0.95L.sub.R, especially L.sub.WL0.9L.sub.R, especially L.sub.WL0.8L.sub.R and especially L.sub.WL0.75L.sub.R.

(13) Each hydrogen gas duct 10 has a longitudinal axis 11. The longitudinal axes 11 of the hydrogen conduits 10 are each parallel to one another in pairs. The longitudinal axis 11 are especially parallel to the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7.

(14) The upper end 12 of the hydrogen gas ducts 10 facing the lid 5 is a free end. The first end 12 is remote from the base 3. A second end 13 of the hydrogen gas duct 10 at the opposite end from the first end 12 faces the base 3. More particularly, the hydrogen gas duct 10 is secured to the second end 13 at the base 3. In the region of the second end 13, the hydrogen gas ducts 10 each have a through-flow section 14, which, according to the working example shown in FIG. 1, is executed as a mesh structure. For this purpose, a metal mesh may be disposed at a lower end of a tube section. It is essential that the through-flow section 14 enables fluid flow from the interior of the reactor housing 2 into the at least one hydrogen gas duct 10. The through-flow section 14 may extend over the entire length of the hydrogen gas duct 10. This promotes the removal of the hydrogen gas.

(15) Eight heat transfer elements 15 in each case are assigned to the four hydrogen gas ducts 10 that are each arranged eccentrically to the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7. The heat transfer elements 15 are executed as heat transfer tubes that extend essentially parallel to the longitudinal reactor housing axis 7. The heat transfer elements 15 are especially secured directly to the base 3 or to the lid 5. The heat transfer elements 15 have such a length that at least a section thereof is immersed into the catalyst bed. Correspondingly, heat carrier medium feed and removal orifices are provided in the base 3 or in the lid 5, which are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 for presentational reasons. Sufficient circulation of heat carrier medium, which is required for the requisite heat transfer, is possible via the heat carrier medium feed and removal orifices.

(16) The flow through the heat transfer elements in the dehydrogenation reactor according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is from the lid 5 in the direction of the base 3, i.e. from the top downward. The hydrogen gas ducts 10 are open at the end face at the first end 12.

(17) The heat transfer elements 15 are each identical. The heat transfer elements 15 have a diameter less than a diameter of the hydrogen gas ducts 10. More particularly, the diameter of the heat transfer elements 15 is not more than 50% of the diameter of the hydrogen gas duct 10, especially not more than 40% and especially not more than 30%. The heat transfer elements 15 may alternatively have a greater diameter than the diameter of the hydrogen gas ducts 10.

(18) The hydrogen gas ducts 10 promote a suction effect for the hydrogen gas removed, and so there is better flow of the carrier medium around the heat transfer elements 15 owing to the surrounding hydrogen gas ducts 10. This flow around the heat transfer elements 15 brings about an additional improvement in heat transfer. Overall, the reactor apparatus 1 has thirty-two heat transfer elements 15. Depending on the size of the reactor housing 2, the heat transfer elements 15 and the hydrogen gas ducts 10, other numbers are also possible.

(19) There is no catalyst disposed within the through-flow section 14. The catalyst is disposed in the region of the base 3 as a loose bed. In addition, the reactor housing 2 has been charged with a mixture 16. The mixture 16, in the working example shown, consists of the carrier medium and the catalyst. The volume of the mixture 16, in the working example shown, corresponds to about of the volume of the reactor housing 2. A volume section within the reactor housing 2 above the first ends 12 of the hydrogen gas ducts 10 constitutes a gas collecting space 17. Within the gas collecting space 17, hydrogen gas that has escaped from the first ends 12 of the hydrogen gas ducts 10 can collect and be calmed and can flow out of the reactor apparatus 1 via the hydrogen gas orifice 6. Hydrogen gas that has escaped over the entire cross-sectional area of the reactor can also collect within the gas collecting space 17. More particularly, the gas collecting space 17 is connected directly to the hydrogen gas orifice 6 on the one hand and to the hydrogen gas ducts 10 on the other hand. The gas collecting space is a gas calming zone. The gas collecting space provides sufficient volume, especially about of the volume, of the reactor housing 2, in order that hydrogen gas removed in the dehydrogenation can escape unhindered.

(20) Elucidated in detail hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, is a plant 18 for unloading hydrogen from the carrier medium. The plant 18 comprises the reactor apparatus 1 according to FIG. 1. Laden carrier medium, especially hydrogenated LOHC, can be pumped from a first storage means 19 into the reactor housing 2 in liquid form via a feed conduit 20 and a pump 21 through the carrier medium feed orifice 9 in the base 3. Unloaded carrier medium, i.e. carrier medium separated from hydrogen, i.e. dehydrogenated LOHC, can be removed from the reactor housing 2 via the carrier medium outflow orifice 8 and an outflow conduit 22 into a second storage means 23. The feed conduit 20 and the outflow conduit 22 can be connected directly to a bypass conduit 24. In this way, it is possible to create a circular arrangement of the conduits 20, 22, 24. It is also conceivable to dispense with a corresponding circular arrangement.

(21) By means of the arrangement of the carrier medium removal orifice 8 in the side wall 4, it is possible for the mixture 16 to run off of its own accord. The carrier medium removal orifice 8 serves to limit the charge level of the reactor housing 2. The carrier medium removal orifice 8 can be positioned at the level of the end of the catalyst bed remote from the base 3. The carrier medium removal orifice 8 can also be positioned above or below the end of the catalyst bed remote from the base 3.

(22) A hydrogen gas duct is connected to the hydrogen gas orifice 6 in the lid 5 of the reactor housing 2, in order to send the hydrogen gas released from the reactor housing 2 to a further use. This conduit is not shown in FIG. 3.

(23) Elucidated in detail hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, is the mode of function of the plant 18 comprising the reactor apparatus 1. Laden carrier medium is fed to the reactor housing 2 from the first storage means 19 via the conduit 20 and the pump 21. The carrier medium is present together with a dehydrogenation catalyst as a mixture 16. Heat is supplied to the catalyst via the heat transfer elements 15. This enables a dehydrogenation reaction, i.e. a separation of hydrogen gas from the laden carrier medium. Removed hydrogen gas can, for example, ascend upward directly in the mixture 16 and thence escape. Within the hydrogen gas ducts 10, the hydrogen gas can ascend unhindered. Removed hydrogen gas can leave the hydrogen gas duct 10 at the upper, first end 12. Removed hydrogen gas is collected in the gas collecting space 17, where it can be calmed, and it can escape via the hydrogen gas orifice 6. The carrier medium flows upward through the carrier medium feed orifice 8 in the base 3 through the mixture 16 and can be removed from the reactor housing 2 via the carrier medium removal orifice 9. Calculations by the applicant have shown that the volume-specific performance of the reactor apparatus 1 is about three times that of a horizontal shell and tube reactor with otherwise comparable kinetic boundary conditions. Moreover, the construction of the reactor apparatus 1 is particularly uncomplicated.

(24) Described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4 is a second working example of the invention. Parts of identical construction are given the same reference numerals as in the first working example, and reference is hereby made to the description thereof. Parts that are of different construction but have an equivalent function are given the same reference numerals followed by an a.

(25) The essential difference is that the reactor apparatus 1a is executed as a hydrogenation reactor. Correspondingly, the plant 18a is a plant for loading the carrier medium with hydrogen. The fundamental construction of the reactor apparatus 1a is unchanged compared to the first working example. The essential difference is that a gas inlet nozzle 25 is assigned to each hydrogen gas duct 10. The gas inlet nozzles 25 have each been introduced into the hydrogen gas ducts 10 at the first end 12. The gas inlet nozzles 25 are arranged within the hydrogen gas ducts in such a way that the gas inlet nozzles are immersed into the mixture 16. This improves the feeding of the hydrogen gas into the mixture. The gas inlet nozzles 25 are connected to one another via a gas inlet conduit 26. The gas inlet conduit 26 is guided within the reactor housing 2 and is guided out of the reactor housing 2 via the hydrogen gas orifice 6a disposed in a side wall 4. In addition, a hydrogen gas outlet orifice may be provided, in order that excess hydrogen gas can escape unhindered. In the hydrogenation reactor 1a, the hydrogen gas orifice 6a thus does not serve for removal of removed hydrogen gas, but for feeding of hydrogen gas for the planned hydrogenation of the unladen carrier medium.

(26) For the rest, the structural make-up of the reactor apparatus is identical, except that the mode of operation is conducted in the reverse sequence as follows: unladen carrier medium from the second storage means 23 is fed via the feed conduit 20 and the pump 21 through the carrier medium feed orifice 9a in the side wall 4 of the reactor housing 2. Hydrogenated carrier medium can be fed to the first storage means 19 via the carrier medium removal orifice 8a, the removal conduit 22 and a further pump 21.

(27) Dehydrogenated carrier medium is present in the reactor housing 2 in a mixture 16 with catalyst. Hydrogen gas which is fed into the hydrogen gas ducts 10 via the gas inlet nozzles 25 and the distributor conduit 26 serves for the hydrogenation of the carrier medium. For this purpose, the gas supplied can get to the mixture 16 in the region of the through-flow section 24.

(28) An essential advantage of the reactor apparatus 1, la is considered to be that the reactor apparatus, depending on the mode of operation, i.e. more particularly depending on the fluid flows and the associated connections, one and the same reactor apparatus is usable both as hydrogenation reactor and as dehydrogenation reactor.

(29) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.