Patent RU-2297386-C1 (RU)
Title: Chemical reactor for production of hydrogen and the method of its operation
Inventor: SOKOLOV BORIS ALEKSANDROVICH
IPC: C01B3/00
Filed: 2005-10-18
Granted: 2007-04-20
Abstract: FIELD: chemical industry; chemical reactor and the method for production of hydrogen. 
     SUBSTANCE: the invention is pertaining to the power equipment may be used for production of hydrogen both in the stationary plants and on the vehicles. The hydrogen is produced by the hydrolysis (decomposing of water) at its interaction with the granules of the solid reactant (aluminum, silicon, etc.) definitely located inside the chemical reactor. The chemical reactor for production of the hydrogen consists of the cylindrical body with the liquid reactant medium, in which there is the temperature sensor connected with the control unit, and in the upper part of the body there is the union for withdrawal of the gaseous product of the reaction. At that inside of the body the tubular heat exchanger is installed. The tubes of the heat exchanger are arranged at least along two concentric circumferences, spaced from each other and communicate through the collector equipped with the valves for feeding of the heating carrier. Between the tubes of the heat exchanger in the liquid reactant medium there is the annular fire grate, on which the solid reactant granules are placed. The chemical reactor has the vertical spacers inserted between the tubes located on the concentric circumferences shutting the gap between the adjacent tubes. Besides there are the vertical inserts placed between the opposite tubes of the adjacent concentric circumferences shutting the gap between the tubes. At that the indicated spacers and inserts form the zones free from the solid reactant granules, and the valves of the heat carrier feeding are connected through the control unit to the temperature sensors. The method of operation of the chemical reactor for production of hydrogen provides for the liquid reactant feeding in the chemical reactor, withdrawal of the heat and the reaction products from the reaction zone with the help of the heat carrier. Before the liquid reactant feeding into the chemical reactor this reactant is heated up to the temperature ensuring the preset duration of the operational cycle of the reaction, and the heat withdrawal from the chemical reactor with the help of the heat carrier begin at reaching the temperature equal to the temperature of the liquid reactant boiling point  with the increase of the heating carrier consumption till the boiling temperature of the liquid reactant will drop to 0.9÷0.8 of the liquid reactant boiling temperature, after that the consumption of the cooling heat-carrier maintain constant till completion of the chemical reaction in the chemical reactor. The inventions allow to increase efficiency of the chemical reactor, to reduce its dimensions and the mass, to improve the fire-explosion safety, to simplify the chemical reactor operation, to reduce its operational costs. 
     EFFECT: the inventions ensure the increased efficiency of the chemical reactor, the reduced its dimensions and the mass, the improved the fire-explosion safety, the simplified operation of the chemical reactor, the decreased its operational costs. 
     2 cl, 1 dwg