Systems and methods for facilitating dissociation of methane utilizing a reactor designed to generate shockwaves in a supersonic gaseous vortex
US10434488B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 11, 2015 |
| Grant date | Oct 8, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 11, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC01B2203/1241
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Methane may be dissociated at low temperatures and/or pressures utilizing a reactor designed to generate shockwaves in a supersonic gaseous vortex. Within a preprocessing chamber, the methane may be pressurized to a pressure of 700 kPa or more, and heated to a temperature below a dissociation temperature of methane. The methane may be introduced as a gas stream substantially tangentially to an inner surface of a chamber of the reactor to effectuate a gaseous vortex rotating about a longitudinal axis within the chamber. The gas stream may be introduced using a nozzle that accelerates the gas stream to a supersonic velocity. A frequency of shockwaves emitted from the nozzle into the gaseous vortex may be controlled. Product gas and carbon byproduct may be emitted from the chamber of the reactor. The carbon byproduct may be separated out from the product gas using a gas/solid separator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.