Abstract:
What has been achieved by this invention is a method and design of providing high temperature heat for an endothermic gasifier without combustion using electrical resistance immersion heating element technology. Further, these elements could be heated by three phase electrical power; thus, minimizing the number of electrical leads emerging from the top of the heating elements. 
     This invention solves the difficulty of designing the steam/CO 2  reforming reactor with a large number of densely packed heating elements and the syngas heat recuperator into one reactor. This is done to avoid the extremely hot syngas leaving the reactor from melting the downstream metal fittings carrying the reactor product gases to the downstream piping process.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/103,246, filed Jan. 14, 2015, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various embodiments of the present invention pertain to a high temperature gasification reactor, and in some embodiments such a reactor including steam/CO 2  reforming, and in still further embodiments without the use of combustion. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    One problem with gasification is poor conversion because the temperatures were simply not high enough to destroy the complex organic compounds and avoid soot and dioxin formation, even in situations where there is partial oxidation with oxygen or even air burning some of the feedstock to produce higher temperatures. Further, there may not be enough heat available in the gasification sections where the syngas was burned to provide heat for the endothermic gasifier to achieve the temperatures needed. As a result gasification has suffered from failed applications, poor economics and general criticism throughout the world as a being an “incinerator in disguise.” 
         [0004]    Various embodiments of the present invention provide improvements in the heating of gasifier sections that are novel and unobvious. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention in some embodiments relates to a chemical reactor design system in which a new method of electrical heating is disclosed to permit the reactor to operate as a high temperature gasification reactor, specifically steam/CO 2  reactor reforming, to achieve the very high temperatures needed without the use of combustion or oxygen-blown combustion and achieving near complete conversion to achieve thermodynamic equilibrium composition in the reforming chemistry with a hydrogen rich syngas with little CO 2  or N 2  diluent. 
         [0006]    What has been achieved by some embodiments this invention is a method and design of providing the required high temperature heat for the gasifier without combustion using electrical resistance immersion heating element technology. Earlier reforming reactors were electrically heated by glass-like heating elements that were very fragile. They were even more brittle once they were heated, and could not easily be removed and replaced in the field. 
         [0007]    One embodiment includes a gasifier having heating element technology that involves swaging high resistant nichrome wire in a ceramic matrix under pressure within a high-temperature super alloy tube. Further, these elements could be heated by three phase electrical power; thus, minimizing the number of electrical leads emerging from the top of the heating elements. 
         [0008]    Some embodiments address the difficulty of designing the steam reforming reactor with the heating elements and the syngas recuperator into one reactor. This is done in some embodiments to keep the extremely high temperature syngas leaving the reactor from melting the downstream metal fittings carrying the reactor product gases to the downstream piping process. 
         [0009]    Yet another embodiment of the present invention pertains to the use of turbulence-enhancing features that provide turbulence into the free stream of the main flow in order to better control the convective boundary layer and achieve increased heat transfer. 
         [0010]    Yet other embodiments use a novel electrical lead multi-layered bus design that permits an efficient and simple and electrical lead arrangement with minimal lead length. 
         [0011]    Yet further embodiments of the present invention include monitoring the temperature of individual leads with an IR camera to detect variations in lead temperature, and further including an electrical control system to vary the application of electrical power and manipulate any temperature variations. 
         [0012]    It will be appreciated that the various apparatus and methods described in this summary section, as well as elsewhere in this application, can be expressed as a large number of different combinations and subcombinations. All such useful, novel, and inventive combinations and subcombinations are contemplated herein, it being recognized that the explicit expression of each of these combinations is unnecessary. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Some of the figures shown herein may include dimensions. Further, some of the figures shown herein may have been created from scaled drawings or from photographs that are scalable. It is understood that such dimensions, or the relative scaling within a figure, are by way of example, and not to be construed as limiting. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a cross sectional representation of an insulated reactor with heating elements inserted downward from the top lid into two flow zones, one with upward flow in the outer annulus and then a flow reversal to downflow in the center of the annulus with flow leaving at the bottom as the reactor exit. Then in both annular flow regions, the flow is enhanced by turbulence-creating features. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is an enlargement of the top portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0016]      FIG. 1C  is an enlargement of a portion of the bottom of the apparatus of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 1D  is an external view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 1E  is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1A  as looking down along section A-A of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional representation perpendicular to the centerline of the reactor of  FIG. 1A  which shows how these heating elements are arranged in the two annular regions. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  shows another embodiment in which a high temperature radiation object is used to radiate exit heat on to a fin cylindrical heat exchanger around the outside. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is an enlargement of the bottom portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  shows a manifold arrangement according to another embodiment of the present invention where the feed gases are provided into the outer annulus and the hot exit gas leaving the bottom of the reactor in the center. This manifold design preferably provides a counterflow cylindrical tube heat exchanger as a recuperator. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  is an enlargement of a portion of the bottom of the apparatus of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5A  shows top plan views and side cross sectional elevational views according to another embodiment of a reactor with a coil heat. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5B  shows a cross section of the apparatus of  FIG. 5A  looking down at line B-B, showing a coil and a thermal radiating block centrally located in this coil. 
       
    
    
     ELEMENT NUMBERING 
       [0026]    The following is a list of element numbers and at least one noun used to describe that element. It is understood that none of the embodiments disclosed herein are limited to these nouns, and these element numbers can further include other words that would be understood by a person of ordinary skill reading and reviewing this disclosure in its entirety. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1 
                 reformer 
               
               
                 2 
                 wires 
               
               
                 4 
                 screw 
               
               
                 6 
                 busbar 
               
               
                 8 
                 thermocouple 
               
               
                 10 
                 vertical immersion element 
               
               
                 12 
                 sanitary union 
               
               
                 14 
                 busbar 
               
               
                 15 
                 reactor 
               
               
                 16 
                 top flange 
               
               
                 19 
                 top 
               
               
                 18 
                 gaskets 
               
               
                 20 
                 ceramic 
               
               
                 22 
                 flow annulus 
               
               
                 24 
                 tension wrap 
               
               
                 26 
                 wire surface 
               
               
                 28 
                 turbulence trips 
               
               
                 30 
                 screen 
               
               
                 32 
                 fiberglass insulation 
               
               
                 34 
                 reactor metal 
               
               
                 36 
                 bottom mounting plate 
               
               
                 38 
                 insulation 
               
               
                 40 
                 mounting screws 
               
               
                 42 
                 mounting holes 
               
               
                 50 
                 concentric tubes 
               
               
                 60 
                 heating elements; annulus 
               
               
                 64 
                 heating elements 
               
               
                 66 
                 busbar 
               
               
                 300 
                 baffle 
               
               
                 301 
                 diverted flow 
               
               
                 302 
                 exit 
               
               
                 306 
                 pipe 
               
               
                 308 
                 flange 
               
               
                 309 
                 feed flow; flow input streams 
               
               
                 310 
                 elbow 
               
               
                 311 
                 flow outlet streams 
               
               
                 312 
                 flange 
               
               
                 314 
                 insulation plates 
               
               
                 316 
                 feed ports 
               
               
                 318 
                 inlet flows; flow input streams 
               
               
                 320 
                 flange pairs 
               
               
                 322 
                 port 
               
               
                 324 
                 flow outlet streams 
               
               
                 326 
                 exit gas 
               
               
                 330 
                 plenum box 
               
               
                 399 
                 reactor reformer 
               
               
                 400 
                 annular tube 
               
               
                 401 
                 heat exchanger 
               
               
                 402 
                 gas 
               
               
                 404 
                 square wrap 
               
               
                 406 
                 square wrap 
               
               
                 408 
                 plate mixer 
               
               
                 410 
                 exterior ceramic blanket 
               
               
                 412 
                 reactor ball 
               
               
                 414 
                 flow 
               
               
                 416 
                 pipe 
               
               
                 418 
                 can 
               
               
                 420 
                 solid body; heat sink 
               
               
                 422 
                 fasteners 
               
               
                 423 
                 fins 
               
               
                 424 
                 ceramic 
               
               
                 426 
                 ceramic insulation 
               
               
                 428 
                 base 
               
               
                 430 
                 base plate 
               
               
                 432 
                 gas flow 
               
               
                 434 
                 pipe 
               
               
                 436 
                 tangential entrance 
               
               
                 438 
                 bottom annular plenum region 
               
               
                 440 
                 spiral gaskets 
               
               
                 442 
                 O-ring 
               
               
                 444 
                 flow 
               
               
                 446 
                 annular space 
               
               
                 500 
                 thermocouples 
               
               
                 504 
                 heating elements 
               
               
                 510 
                 annular flow region 
               
               
                 514 
                 entrance tube 
               
               
                 518 
                 transition points; radius elbow; reactor vessel 
               
               
                 520 
                 body 
               
               
                 522 
                 heat exchanger 
               
               
                 523 
                 exchange plenum 
               
               
                 524 
                 bulkhead fitting 
               
               
                 526 
                 piping 
               
               
                 530 
                 port 
               
               
                 532 
                 annular tube 
               
               
                 534 
                 heat blanket 
               
               
                 536 
                 shape 
               
               
                 538 
                 reactor 
               
               
                 542 
                 bolting 
               
               
                 544 
                 rim clamps 
               
               
                 546 
                 lid 
               
               
                 548 
                 thermocouples 
               
               
                 550 
                 reactor top 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. At least one embodiment of the present invention will be described and shown, and this application may show and/or describe other embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0028]    It is understood that any reference to “the invention” is a reference to an embodiment of a family of inventions, with no single embodiment including an apparatus, process, or composition that should be included in all embodiments, unless otherwise explicitly stated. Further, although there may be discussion with regards to “advantages” provided by some embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that yet other embodiments may not include those same advantages, or may include yet different advantages. Any advantages described herein are not to be construed as limiting to any of the claims. The usage of words indicating preference, such as “preferably,” refers to features and aspects that are present in at least one embodiment, but which are optional for some embodiments. 
         [0029]    Although various specific quantities (spatial dimensions, temperatures, pressures, times, force, resistance, current, voltage, concentrations, wavelengths, frequencies, heat transfer coefficients, dimensionless parameters, etc.) may be stated herein, such specific quantities are presented as examples only, and further, unless otherwise explicitly noted, are approximate values, and should be considered as if the word “about” prefaced each quantity. Further, with discussion pertaining to a specific composition of matter, that description is by example only, and does not limit the applicability of other species of that composition, nor does it limit the applicability of other compositions unrelated to the cited composition. 
         [0030]    What will be shown and described herein, along with various embodiments of the present invention, is discussion of one or more tests or analyses that were performed. It is understood that such examples are by way of example only, and are not to be construed as being limitations on any embodiment of the present invention. Further, it is understood that embodiments of the present invention are not necessarily limited to or described by the mathematical analysis presented herein. 
         [0031]    Various references may be made to one or more processes, algorithms, operational methods, or logic, accompanied by a diagram showing such organized in a particular sequence. It is understood that the order of such a sequence is by example only, and is not intended to be limiting on any embodiment of the invention. 
         [0032]    Various references may be made to one or more methods of manufacturing. It is understood that these are by way of example only, and various embodiments of the invention can be fabricated in a wide variety of ways, such as by casting, centering, welding, electrodischarge machining, milling, as examples. Further, various other embodiment may be fabricated by any of the various additive manufacturing methods, some of which are referred to 3-D printing. 
         [0033]    What will be shown and described herein are one or more functional relationships among variables. Specific nomenclature for the variables may be provided, although some relationships may include variables that will be recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the art for their meaning. For example, “t” could be representative of temperature or time, as would be readily apparent by their usage. However, it is further recognized that such functional relationships can be expressed in a variety of equivalents using standard techniques of mathematical analysis (for instance, the relationship F=ma is equivalent to the relationship F/a=m). Further, in those embodiments in which functional relationships are implemented in an algorithm or computer software, it is understood that an algorithm-implemented variable can correspond to a variable shown herein, with this correspondence including a scaling factor, control system gain, noise filter, or the like. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 1  are shown various views of a preferred embodiment that is a 7 ton per day electrically heated steam reformer  1  that has a number of vertical immersion elements  10  and a flow annulus  22  in the center to reverse the flow direction from in to out that achieves mixing and generates turbulence to enhance the heat transfer, so that the reactor vessel preferably remains under 12 ft in height, although other embodiments of the present invention contemplate reactor vessels of any height. At the bottom of the reactor is a plurality of concentric tubes  50  that feed the reactor and remove the hot syngas while the exchanging between the two so that the exit syngas is not too hot for downstream piping. 
         [0035]    The heating elements (such as those sold by Chromalox and Watlow, as examples) are mounted in the top flange  16  by means of a sanitary union  12  so they can be easily removed and pulled out even if they have blisters and misshapen diameter after service hours. Around the circumference is a triple stack of busbars  6  into which the wires  2  from the elements can be placed, captured by locking screw  4  and be powered electrically. Down the center is inserted a thermocouple  8  for measuring the temperature of the elements in the center of the reactor. 
         [0036]    The reactor is lined on the inside with a foam ceramic  20 . The insulation also contains a square wire surface  26  to trip the boundary layer and increase the heat transfer from the heating element. There are also square wire turbulence trips  28  located on both sides of the annulus  22 . Note that boundary layer tripping devices  26  and  28  are spaced apart along the direction of flow, which provides turbulent mixing with minimal obstruction to the overall flowpath. Further, it is understood that the boundary layer tripping features can be of any shape and orientation, with square cross sectional wires being just one example. The elements could also use a “tension wrap”  24  to further extend the heat transfer surface for more heat transfer. 
         [0037]    As the gases enter into the annulus there is placed a screen  30  that generates turbulence to enhance the heat transfer. Because the reactor is insulated by foam and ceramic  20  on the inside, the reactor metal  34  does not have to involve an exotic alloy. On the outside of the reactor vessel is fiberglass or other suitable insulation  32  to prevent a burning hazard. 
         [0038]    The flange lid on the top of the reactor  15  is sealed by means of gaskets  18  (such as gaskets provided under the name Spirotallic). At the bottom of the reactor is the plate  36  on which the annulus  22  in the reactor vessel is mounted and welded. The bottom plate  36  has insulation foam  38  to keep the temperatures at a reasonable level, and is attached by means of mounting screws  40 . This plate also has mounting holes  42  for mounting the reactor to the frame. 
         [0039]    The gas fed to the reactor enters by the concentric tubes  50  (see section B-B) which feeds the gas up the outside of the annulus  22 , around the top  19 , down to the center and exiting it at the center of the concentric tube  50 . 
         [0040]    The arrangement of the heating elements at the top of the reactor serves both the outer annular flow region  22  and the inner annular flow region  9  as is shown in a view from the top in  FIG. 2 . There is a power busbar  66  just above the reactor top  16  where the power is fed to 12 heating elements  60 . Here the inner ring  4  of elements  12  draws 24 Amps and the outer ring of eight elements  12  draws 48 Amps. At the outside ring there is a pair of busbars  14  and  66  for distributing the power to the 16 heating elements  64 , with each of the busbars handling 48 amps each. The element power is about 5 kW 480 vac WYE with a magnesium oxide internal ceramic. The common mode voltage to ground is 277 vac in this arrangement and the heat flux is 18 W per square inch for a heated length of 88 inches. The total power for all 28 elements is 140 kW. Throughout the cross-section there are seven thermocouples  8  placed down near the heating elements to get a view of the temperature distribution. Their placement is shown as the black dots in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  show a reactor reformer  399  according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Device  399  includes a heat exchanger  401  at the bottom of the reactor using a reradiating solid body  420 . The gas flow  432  enters the bottom of this reactor through pipe  434  that includes a tangential entry  436  which creates the swirl flow in the plenum region  438  improving the heat transfer on the fins  423 . This inlet flow is preheated by the heat transfer from the fins  423  that warms the flow entering the annular space  446  of the reactor  412 . Electrical heating elements  402  further heat the gas as enhanced by perforated plate mixer  408  as well as the turbulence created by the turbulence-generating features and boundary layer tripping devices  406  on both sides of the annular tube  400 . Gas turbulence is created by square wraps  404  and  406 . 
         [0042]    The flow in the annulus on the outside of the annular tube  400  flows over the top of this annular tube and down the center as flow  444  flowing over the reradiating body  420  and its base  428 . Heated body  420  at operating conditions is a glowing yellow-orange hot surface radiating outward onto the surface of the fins  423 . This radiating body  420  sits in the reactor exit flow entering the cylindrical can  418 . Heat from flowpath  444  is conducted and convected into radiating body  420 , which radiates and conducts heat onto fins  423 . Thus, these reactor exit gases, having been cooled by the reradiating body and the fins  423 , leaves this bottom can through pipe  416  as a cooled flow  414 . This plenum chamber  438  is bolted to the reactor  412  that has internal foam ceramic insulation  426  as well as exterior ceramic blanket  410  on top of the reactor wall  412  to avoid skin burning and is sealed with the spiral gaskets for 440 and a small Indium O-ring  442 . This bottom plenum is insulated by ceramic  424  on the sides and the bottom which is held on by screws  422  into this plate  428  which is welded to the bottom base-plate  430 . The reradiating body  420  is preferably composed of four sections that can be individually removed through the port above so they can be cleaned and replaced. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  describes a more detailed reactor bottom design for feeding gas to the reactor and extracting the syngas product. In  FIG. 4  the reactant gases  309  flow in through flange  308 . The flow from the inlet pipe exit  302  impacts baffle  300  where the diverted flow  301  is a mixed into small vortices so that the flow distribution in the bottom plenum box  330  more equally feeds the four annular feed ports  316  producing inlet flows  318 . The product syngas leaves the reactor at flow  324  in the single larger port  322  and leaves from the bottom plenum in pipe  306  with the smaller pipe inside. This concentric arrangement serves as a countercurrent heat exchanger to recover the exit heat and use it to preheat the feed flow  309 . The flange arrangement  308  permits the gases in this larger pipe to travel around elbow  310  as flow  311  to exit through flange  312 . 
         [0044]    There are insulation plates  314  inserted in the bottom plenum  330  next to the reactor bottom and plates  312  at the exit pipes above the plenum  330 . There are four flange pairs  320  serving flow entering at  318  and the single flange for the exit gas  326  that are accessible with clamps for their seal so that the bottom section can be easily removed for cleaning and installation. 
         [0045]    Yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , which show a cross section of a 1/10 scale reactor used in a pilot plant to test the concept of an entrance tube  514  with coiled tube heat exchanger  522  with a ceramic reradiating body  520  located at the tube coil center. The very hot syngas enters the coil heat exchanger through port  530  located in this heat exchanger bottom plenum  523 . Long radius elbows are used at the two transition points  518  entering and leaving the coiled heat exchanger. The feed gases preheated by the coiled heat exchanger  522  (also detailed in  FIG. 5B ) enter the annular flow region  510  through a welded long radius elbow  518 . A high alloy annular tube  532  is welded to the base of the reactor that is the top of the heat exchanger plenum  523 . The exit gases leave the bottom plenum  523  through bulkhead fitting  524  and exit piping  526 . 
         [0046]    The reactor vessel  518  is insulated from the inside with a foam alumina insert  536  cast into the final shape and preferably surrounded by heat blanket  534  (such as a blanket comprises Kaowool) and a cast foam insulating lid  538  to the reactor. The reactor top  550  has a clamp on stainless lid  546  using steel rim clamps  544  and bolting  542 . Through the top of this reactor lid are thermocouples  548  going down into the annular flow region as well as thermocouples  500  going down into the center portion of the reactor. The lid is shown with four immersion heating elements  504  attached to the top of the lid by a sanitary clamp-on fitting. 
         [0047]    One embodiment of the present invention is presented in an example that involves validating the electrical heating elements performance using a computational heat transfer model that includes the turbulence promoters shown in  FIG. 1  in the two flow passages of the outer annulus and in the center annular core as well as the flow paths shown in the bottom heat recuperator shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0048]    The Table 1 below shows the computational heat transfer model results in consideration of the apparatus of  FIG. 4  for each of the flow input streams  309  and  318 , together with the flow outlet streams  324  and  311 . The electrical heating elements  60  and  64  shown placed downward through the lid shown in  FIG. 2  are in two groups: first group  64  placed in the outer annular flow region  8  and totaling 16 elements drawing a current of 96 amps, and the second group  60  of 12 elements drawing 72 amps placed in the central region of the annulus  9 . The total heating capacity of these groups of elements is 144 kWe. The fixed constants for the calculations are given in the top portion of this table involving 14 rows. 
         [0049]    For comparison the heat transfer model predicts that the heat transfer of 504.11 kWe is possible given the gas mass flow of 3500 lbs/hr shown in the row labeled “Gas Flow In”. In the rows below are shown each of the steps of the calculations down to the the 2 nd  row from the bottom showing the maximum heat transfer possible of 504.11. 
         [0050]    If all the turbulence generator strakes were removed, the total maximum heat transfer achieved is predicted to be 279.75 kWe—nearly double the electrical capacity of the elements of 144 kWe. 
         [0051]    Various aspects of different embodiments of the present invention are expressed in paragraph X1 as follows: 
         [0052]    One aspect of the present invention pertains to a method for gasification. The method preferably includes flowing a stream of a first hydrocarbon gas from an inlet at the bottom of a first plenum toward a top outlet. The method preferably includes electrically heating the flowing first gas along the axial length of the first plenum. The method preferably includes flowing the heated gas from the top outlet to a top inlet of a second plenum and toward a bottom outlet. The method preferably includes heating the flowing gas along the axial length of the second plenum. 
         [0053]    Yet other embodiments pertain to the previous statement X1, which is combined with one or more of the following other aspects. 
         [0054]    The method preferably includes converting the first hydrocarbon gas to a syngas by said heating in at least one of the plenums and removing the syngas from the bottom outlet. 
         [0055]    Wherein the first plenum is of any shape, and the second plenum is of any shape. 
         [0056]    Where in the second plenum is located within the first plenum. 
         [0057]    Which further comprises first flowing the stream of the first hydrocarbon gas from an entrance of a first plenum toward the bottom inlet. 
         [0058]    Which further comprises transferring heat from the syngas proximate the bottom outlet to the first gas in the first plenum. 
         [0059]    Wherein the first plenum includes a plurality of heat transfer fins. 
         [0060]    Which further comprises flowing the removed syngas from the bottom outlet over a heat sink. 
         [0061]    Wherein the heat sink is a radiative heat sink. 
         [0062]    Wherein the heat sink is aerodynamically shaped to minimize resistance to the flow of the syngas. 
         [0063]    Which further comprises transferring heat from the heat sink to the first hydrocarbon gas; wherein said transferring heat is by radiation and convection; wherein said transferring heat is substantially by radiation. 
         [0064]    Wherein said electrically heating in the first plenum is by a plurality of resistive heating elements each extending along substantially the entire axial length of the first plenum. 
         [0065]    Wherein each of the resistive heating elements is substantially linear. 
         [0066]    Wherein each of the resistive heating elements has two ends and which further comprises supporting each element at only one end. 
         [0067]    Wherein the first hydrocarbon gas includes steam. 
         [0068]    Wherein the syngas includes substantial hydrogen. 
         [0069]    Wherein the first plenum surrounds the second plenum. 
         [0070]    Which further comprises thermally insulating the outer diameter of the first plenum. 
         [0071]    Wherein the outer wall of said first plenum includes a ceramic insulator. 
         [0072]    Wherein at least one of the inner or outer cylindrical walls of said first plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the annular flowpath. 
         [0073]    Which further comprises generating turbulence by the strakes. 
         [0074]    Which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the top outlet. 
         [0075]    Wherein a wall of the second plenum includes a plurality of aerodynamic strakes protruding into the flowpath. 
         [0076]    Which further comprises generating vortices by the strakes during said flowing the heated gas toward the bottom outlet. 
         [0077]    Which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing a stream. 
         [0078]    Which further comprises repeatedly tripping the boundary layer during said flowing the heated gas. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 STEAM REFORMER REACTOR ZONE HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Wellhead Gas Nom = 
                 25 
                 wet tpd 
                 Fee Temperature in = 
                 300 
                 ° F. 
               
               
                   
                 Wellhead Gas Feedrate = 
                 5724 
                 lbs/hr 
                 Feedrate in tone = 
                 68.688 
               
               
                   
                 Total Process Heat Need = 
                 2.388 
                 mm 
                 Total Process Heat Need = 
                 699.7 
                 kW 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 BTU/hr 
               
               
                   
                 Total Process Heat Need Outside = 
                 2.388 
                 mm 
                 50% Process Heat Need = 
                 699.68 
                 kW 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 BTU/hr 
               
               
                   
                 Number of 7 tpd size reactors = 
                 9.81 
                   
                   
                 5.14 
                 kW/element 
               
               
                   
                 Number of elements = 
                 28 
                   
                   
                 144.05 
                 kW 
               
               
                   
                 total element surface area = 
                 8996.16 
                 in2 
                 Tot. Element No-Fin Area 
                 5.80 
                 m2 
               
               
                   
                 Total Element with Fin Area = 
                 16.34 
                 m2 
                 Syngas Temperature out = 
                 900 
                 ° F. 
               
               
                   
                 Tube Thickness = 
                 0.625 
                 in 
                 Tube Thickness = 
                 0.0159 
                 m 
               
               
                   
                 Recycle Gas Composition, CO 2  = 
                 50 
                 % 
                 Recycle Gas Comp., H2O = 
                 50 
                 % 
               
               
                   
                 Annulus Flow Gap = 
                 6.000 
                 in 
                 Reactor Inner Diameter = 
                 30 
                 in 
               
               
                   
                 Annulus Diameter = 
                 18.000 
                 in 
               
               
                   
                 HX tube diameter 
                 4.000 
                 in 
                 Hx Tube Length = 
                 80 
                 in 
               
               
                   
                 Thermal Cond of Inconel tube wall 
                 18.0 
                 W/m-K 
                 Feed Water Evap + Superht 
                 117.2 
                 kW 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Gas in to HX 
                 to Annulus 
                   
                 Center out 
                 Hx out 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Strm 309 
                 Strm 318 
                 Center in 
                 Strm 324 
                 Strm 311 
                 Total 
                 units 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Gas Flow in = 
                 3500 
                 3500 
                 3500 
                 3500 
                   
                   
                 lbs./hr 
               
               
                 Gas Temp in = 
                 722 
                 1350 
                 1600 
                 1850 
                 1332 
                   
                 ° F. 
               
               
                 Gas Temp out = 
                 722 
                 1350 
                 1275 
                 1850 
                 1332 
                   
                 ° F. 
               
               
                 Surface Temp in = 
                 100 
                 400 
                 700 
                   
                   
                   
                 ° F. 
               
               
                 Surface Temp out = 
                 400 
                 700 
                 900 
                   
                   
                   
                 ° F. 
               
               
                 Gas Temp in = 
                 657 
                 732 
                 871 
                 1010 
                 722 
                   
                 ° C. 
               
               
                 Gas Temp out = 
                 383 
                 732 
                 691 
                 1010 
                 722 
                   
                 ° C. 
               
               
                 Surface Temp in = 
                 38 
                 204 
                 371 
                   
                   
                   
                 ° C. 
               
               
                 Surface Temp out = 
                 204 
                 371 
                 482 
                   
                   
                   
                 ° C. 
               
               
                 Gas Ave Temp 
                 793 
                 1005 
                 1054 
                 1283 
                 995 
                   
                 ° K. 
               
               
                 Gas Sensible Heat 
                 437 
                 0 
                 289 
                 727 
                   
                   
                 kW 
               
               
                 Gas Density = 
                 0.152 
                 0.118 
                 0.104 
                 0.082 
                 0.110 
                   
                 kg/m3 
               
               
                 Kinematic Viscosity = 
                 0.000400 
                 0.000576 
                 0.000675 
                 0.000886 
                 0.000576 
                   
                 m2/sec 
               
               
                 Thermal Conduct = 
                 0.2690 
                 0.3100 
                 0.3280 
                 0.363 
                 0.3100 
                   
                 W/m-k 
               
               
                 Flow Cross Section Area = 
                 0.0730 
                 0.2842 
                 0.1584 
                 0.2842 
                 0.2919 
                   
                 m2 
               
               
                 Gas Velocity = 
                 39.8467 
                 13.1791 
                 26.8259 
                 18.9651 
                 39.8467 
                   
                 m/s 
               
               
                 Reynolds No. = 
                 75,908 
                 17,435 
                 30,283 
                 16,311 
                 52,714 
               
               
                 Sq Root Reynolds No. = 
                 276 
                 132 
                 174 
                 128 
                 230 
               
               
                 Prandtl No. = 
                 0.717 
                 0.736 
                 0.750 
                 0.775 
                 0.736 
               
               
                 Cube Root Prandt No = 
                 0.895 
                 0.903 
                 0.909 
                 0.919 
                 0.903 
               
               
                 Strake Fract Turbulence 
                 0.000 
                 0.130 
                 0.130 
                 0.130 
                 0.000 
               
               
                 Frossling No. = 
                 0.800 
                 1.500 
                 1.500 
                 1.500 
                 0.800 
               
               
                 Nusselt No. = 
                 197.3 
                 178.8 
                 237.2 
                 176.0 
                 165.9 
               
               
                 No Fin heat transfer Area = 
                 0.649 
                 3.317 
                 2.487 
                 3.317 
                 0.649 
                   
                 m2 
               
               
                 No Fin Heat Trans Coef = 
                 69.650 
                 72.757 
                 102.096 
                 83.834 
                 67.473 
                   
                 W/m2-K 
               
               
                 No Fin Heat Flux = 
                 27.02 
                 120.80 
                 119.59 
                 267.41 
                 30.70 
                 504.11 
                 kW 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0079]    While the inventions have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.