High throughput methane pyrolysis reactor for low-cost hydrogen production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023017124-A1
Application number	US-202217951308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method to decompose a hydrocarbon reactant into a gaseous product and a solid product includes generating a mist of a liquid material within a reactor volume, heating the reactor volume, introducing a hydrocarbon reactant into the reactor volume to produce a solid product and a gaseous product, separating the solid product from the liquid material, removing the solid product and gaseous product from the reactor volume, and recirculating the liquid material be re-introduced to the reactor volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method to decompose a hydrocarbon reactant into a gaseous product and a solid product comprising:
generating a mist of a liquid material within a reactor volume; heating the reactor volume; introducing a hydrocarbon reactant into the reactor volume to produce a solid product and a gaseous product; separating the solid product from the liquid material; removing the solid product and gaseous product from the reactor volume; and recirculating the liquid material be re-introduced to the reactor volume.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein generating the mist of liquid catalyst comprises using a plurality of mechanisms to produce the mist of liquid material into the reactor volume through a hydrocarbon feed.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein generating the mist of liquid material comprises using a plurality of misting nozzles to produce the mist of liquid material into the reactor volume through breakup of a liquid jet.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein generating the mist of liquid material comprises a plurality of misting nozzles to accelerate the breakup of a liquid jet through patterned of grooves within the misting nozzles.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein separating the liquid material from the solid product includes using at least one of augers, rotary separators, or gravimetric separators.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein using at least one of augers, rotary separators, or gravimetric separators comprises using one of a rotary scraper, an auger, ladle, or a screw separator.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein removing the solid product and gaseous product from the reactor volume comprises using a multiphase separation unit.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein using a multiphase separation unit comprises using a particulate filter.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein using a multiphase separation unit comprises using an electrostatic precipitator.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein removing the solid product and gaseous product from the reactor volume comprises using a knock-out pot attached to an outlet of the reactor volume.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid material is selected to produce at least one of carbon black, carbon fiber, carbon nanofiber, carbon nanotube, carbon nanocage, fullerene, graphite, amorphous carbon, coke, needle coke, or diamond as the solid product.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gaseous product contains at least one of hydrogen, ethane, ethylene, acetylene, propylene, benzene, or any combination thereof.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reactor volume operates at temperatures of less than 1400° C. and pressures up to 20 bar.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon reactant comprises at least one selected from group consisting of: natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; gasoline; diesel; kerosene; naphtha; JP-8; methane; ethane; propane; butane; pentane; hexane; benzene; xylene; toluene; and any combination thereof; alkynes, alkenes, alkanes, arenes, cyclic compounds, and any combination thereof having a boiling point less than 600° C.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein heating the reactor volume to a temperature comprises heating the reactor volume to a temperature between 1100° C. and 1400° C.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Desai Divyaraj
• Karin Todd
• Rivest Jessica Louis Baker

Classifications

• D01F9/127

  by thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon gases or vapours {or other carbon-containing compounds in the form of gas or vapour, e.g. carbon monoxide, alcohols} · CPC title

• C01B2203/1005

  Arrangement or shape of catalyst · CPC title

• D01F9/133

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• C01B32/205

  Preparation · CPC title

• C07C5/321

  Catalytic processes · CPC title