Patent ID: 7618598

Claim:
A catalytic reactor/heat exchange device for generating a catalytic reaction in a reaction fluid flow and transferring heat to a cooling fluid flow, the catalytic reactor/heat exchange device comprising: a reaction flow inlet; a reaction flow outlet; a set of reaction flow channels extending between the reaction flow inlet to the reaction flow outlet to direct the reaction fluid flow through the device; a set of cooling flow channels interleaved with the reaction flow channels to direct the cooling fluid flow in heat exchange, counterflow relation with the reaction fluid flow; and turbulators in each of the reaction flow channels, a selected portion of each of the turbulators including a catalytic layer to initiate said catalytic reaction at a location spaced downstream from said reaction flow inlet, said catalytic layer beginning at said location and extending toward said reaction flow outlet, an initial portion of each of the turbulators extending between the reaction flow inlet to said location and being free of said catalytic layer to delay said catalytic reaction until the reaction fluid flow reaches said location.