Patent ID: 6365114
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: B01J,C01B,F28D

Abstract:
A reactor for performing a catalytic reaction, associated with a thermal effect, of substances contained in a gas flow comprising:a) a housing having an inlet and an outlet for the gas flow; b) at least one bed of catalyst material, which at least partially fills the interior of the housing; c) at least one temperature-regulating device, which is surrounded, at least in part, by the at least one bed of catalyst material and is traversed by a heat medium, wherein the at least one temperature regulating device is formed by a plurality of pairs of straight sides which are connected to one another via a U-shaped section to define a plurality of U-tubes in which each pair of straight sides extend in parallel, one straight side of each pair leads into a first distribution chamber that is supplied with heat carrier medium, and the other straight side of each pair leads into a second distribution chamber from which the heat carrier medium is discharged, wherein the U-tubes are embedded in the at least one bed of catalyst material, wherein the gas flow is directed substantially perpendicularly to the straight sides of the U-tubes, wherein the two sides of each U-tube occupy positions in the flow that are at different temperatures, wherein in the at least one bed of catalyst material, a pre-determined temperature profile is defined originating from an inlet temperature adjacent to the inlet for the gas flow to an outlet temperature adjacent to the outlet for the gas flow, wherein the temperature profile within the at least one bed of catalyst material has isothermal surfaces which are substantially flat and extend at right angles to the gas flow so that the temperature which the gas flow experiences is a function of penetration of the gas flow into the at least one bed of catalyst material.