Reactor vessels with transmissive surfaces for producing hydrogen-based fuels and structural elements, and associated systems and methods
View Patent ↗Reactor vessels with transmissive surfaces for producing hydrogen-based fuels and structural elements, and associated systems and methods. A chemical reactor in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone, and a steam source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone. The reactor further includes a transmissive surface at the reaction zone, with the transmissive surface being transmissive to a reactant entering the reaction zone and/or radiant energy entering the reaction zone.
1. A chemical reactor, comprising:
a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, the reaction zone coupled in fluid communication with a hydrogen donor source;
a heater positioned annularly outward from the reaction zone of the reactor vessel, the heater producing a first radiant energy;
a transmissive layer positioned between the heater and the reaction zone, the transmissive layer capable of allowing the first radiant energy to pass from the heater to the reaction zone;
a combustion products passage positioned annularly inward from the reaction zone to allow the passage of i) a plurality of reactants and (ii) a second radiant energy from a combustion chamber, one end of the combustion products passage being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and
another transmissive layer positioned between the combustion products passage and the reaction zone, the another transmissive layer capable of both (a) allowing at least one of the plurality of reactants to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone and (b) restricting at least another one of the plurality of reactants from passing from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
2. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the transmissive layer includes a composite of permeable, single-atom layers of carbon, nitrogen or boron.
3. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the reactor vessel is a flow-through vessel having at least one inlet port positioned to receive a second plurality of reactants and at least one outlet port positioned to deliver products.
4. The reactor of claim 3 , further comprising a separator coupled to the at least one outlet port of the reactor to receive reaction products from the reactor and separate condensed water from other reaction products.
5. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer includes a carbon crystal structure that is capable of allowing both infrared radiation and water vapor to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
6. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen donor source includes a source of a hydrocarbon.
7. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen donor source includes a source of a hydrogen and nitrogen.
8. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer is capable of allowing infrared radiation to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
9. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer is capable of allowing visible radiation to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
10. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer is capable of allowing water vapor to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
11. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater includes an electric resistance heater.
12. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater includes an induction heater.
13. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer is positioned adjacent a hot fluid flow path.
14. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the another transmissive layer is capable of allowing radiation emitted from at least one of sodium, potassium and magnesium to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
15. The chemical reactor of claim 1 ,
wherein the reactor vessel includes:
a first steam entry port;
the second steam entry port, with the steam source including at least one water source coupled to the first and second steam entry ports; and
a hydrocarbon entry port coupled to the hydrogen donor source, and wherein the reactor further comprises:
a first heat exchanger coupled between the reactor vessel and the at least one water source, the first heat exchanger having a first flow path for reaction products exiting the reaction zone, and a second flow path for water entering the first steam entry port, the first and second flow paths having a counterflow arrangement;
a separator coupled to the first flow path and positioned to separate condensed steam from a stream of hydrogen and carbon reaction products exiting the reactor vessel; and
a second heat exchanger coupled between the reactor vessel, the at least one water source and the hydrocarbon source, the second heat exchanger having a third flow path for combustion products passing through the combustion products passage, a fourth flow path for water entering the second steam entry port, and a fifth flow path for hydrocarbons entering the hydrocarbon entry port, the third flow path having a counterflow arrangement with the fourth and fifth flow paths.
16. The reactor of claim 1 , wherein the transmissive layer is capable of only allowing the first radiant energy to pass from the heater to the reaction zone.
17. The reactor of claim 1 , wherein the first radiant energy is different from the second radiant energy.
18. The reactor of claim 1 , wherein the first radiant energy is the same as the second radiant energy.
19. A chemical reactor, comprising:
a heater that produces radiant energy;
a combustion products passage that allows the passage of a plurality of reactants from a combustion chamber, one end of the combustion products passage being in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and
a reactor vessel including a reaction zone, the reaction zone being positioned between the heater and the combustion products passage;
a transmissive layer positioned between the heater and the reaction zone, the transmissive layer capable of allowing radiant energy to pass from the heater to the reaction zone; and
another transmissive layer positioned between the combustion products passage and the reaction zone, the another transmissive layer capable of both (a) allowing at least one of the plurality of reactants to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone and (b) restricting at least another one of the plurality of reactants from passing from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
20. The reactor of claim 19 , wherein the reaction zone is further coupled in fluid communication with a hydrogen donor source.
21. A chemical reactor, comprising:
a heater that produces radiant energy;
a combustion products passage that allows the passage of a plurality of reactants from a combustion chamber;
a reactor vessel including a reaction zone, the reaction zone being positioned between the heater and the combustion products passage;
a first transmissive layer positioned between the heater and the reaction zone, the first transmissive layer capable of allowing radiant energy to pass from the heater to the reaction zone; and
a second transmissive layer positioned between the combustion products passage and the reaction, the second transmissive layer capable of both (a) allowing at least one of the plurality of reactants to pass from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone and (b) restricting at least another one of the plurality of reactants from passing from the combustion products passage into the reaction zone.
22. The reactor of claim 21 , further comprising:
a combustion chamber.
23. The reactor of claim 21 , wherein the reaction zone is further coupled in fluid communication with a hydrogen donor source.