Patent ID: 7214351

Claim:
A catalytic combustion reactor system, comprising: a heat exchange unit that comprises a bundle of open-ended tubes, the bundle having first and second collective ends, the first collective end adjoining a catalytic reactor that comprises a plurality of catalyst containing housings each of which is provided with an opening for the inflow of fluid for combustion and an opening for the outflow of fluid combustion product; an outer shell that envelopes the adjoined heat exchange unit and catalytic reactor and permits the flow of fluid to contact the heat exchange tube surfaces to absorb heat generated by the combustion reaction and to enter the inlet openings of the catalyst containing housings, the shell having a single fluid inlet in the area of the second collective end of the heat exchange unit, thereby allowing contact of the entire length of the tubes of said bundle with the incoming fluid for the exchange of heat; and a single outlet at said second collective end of the heat exchange unit which collects combustion fluid that is discharged from the outlet of said fluid combustion product and which traverses the length of each heat exchange tube; wherein the catalyst reactor comprises four catalyst containing housings, each in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and each of which is provided with an inflow opening for fluid to be combusted and an outflow opening for fluid combustion product, wherein one of said openings of each of the catalyst housings is provided on a lateral side of the rectangular parallelepiped structure.