Catalyst modules and applications thereof
In one aspect, catalyst modules and catalytic reactors are provided which, in some embodiments, mitigate inefficiencies and/or problems associated with fluid stream pressure drop A catalyst module comprises a layer of structural catalyst bodies arranged in a pleated format, the structural catalyst bodies forming pleat inlet faces and pleat outlet faces, wherein fluid flow channels defined by inner partition walls of the structural catalyst bodies extend from the pleat inlet faces to the pleat outlet faces. The pleat inlet faces form an angle (δ) with an inlet face of the module.
1. A catalyst module comprising:
a layer of structural catalyst bodies arranged in a pleated format, the structural catalyst bodies forming pleat inlet faces and pleat outlet faces, wherein fluid flow channels defined by inner partition walls of the structural catalyst bodies extend from the pleat inlet faces to the pleat outlet faces and the pleat inlet faces form an angle (δ) with an inlet face of the module ranging from 5 degrees to 85 degrees and the layer has a percent open area ranging from 20 to 99.
2. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the layer has a percent open area ranging from 50 to 85.
3. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the module satisfies the condition:
W
2
n
s
≤
1
wherein W is width of the module, n is pleat number of the module, and s is width of the pleat inlet face.
4. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies have a depth (d) extending between the fluid stream inlet and outlet faces and a pleat inlet face width (s) where a ratio of d/s ranges from 0.001 to 0.5.
5. The catalyst module of claim 4 , wherein the ratio d/s ranges from 0.003 to 0.3.
6. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein δ ranges from 55 degrees to 87 degrees.
7. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies have a cell density of 50 cells per square inch (cpsi) to 900 cpsi.
8. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies are honeycomb catalyst bodies.
9. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies are corrugated catalyst bodies.
10. The catalyst module of claim 1 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies are operable for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in the fluid stream.
11. A catalytic reactor comprising:
at least one module including a layer of structural catalyst bodies arranged in a pleated format, the structural catalyst bodies forming pleat inlet faces and pleat outlet faces, wherein fluid flow channels defined by inner partition walls of the structural catalyst bodies extend from the pleat inlet faces to the pleat outlet faces, and the pleat inlet faces form an angle (δ) with an inlet face of the module ranging from 5 degrees to 85 degrees and the layer has a percent open area ranging from 50 to 85.
12. The catalytic reactor of claim 11 , wherein the catalytic reactor satisfies the relation:
x
=
dp
P
/
u
inf
2
wherein x is 0.001-0.1; dp is the difference in static pressure (in-H 2 O) across the catalytic reactor, as measured in the field; P is the catalyst potential, where P=−ln(1-deNO x )/margin, wherein deNO x is the NO x removal efficiency of the catalytic reactor and margin is conventional performance margin applied for deactivation and full-scale system factors; and u inf is the average freestream velocity immediately upstream of the catalytic reactor.
13. The catalytic reactor of claim 12 , wherein the deNO x is 40-98% and the margin is 0.25-0.95.
14. The catalytic reactor of claim 12 , wherein x ranges from 0.001 to 0.009.
15. The catalytic reactor of claim 12 , wherein x ranges from 0.002 to 0.06.
16. The catalytic reactor of claim 15 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies have a cell density of at least 70 cells per square inch.
17. The catalytic reactor of claim 15 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies have a cell density of 75-325 cells per square inch.
18. The catalytic reactor of claim 11 , wherein the catalytic reactor satisfies the relation:
y
=
(
dp
×
AV
)
u
inf
2
wherein y is less than 0.72 and the structural catalyst bodies have greater than 200 cpsi where dp is the difference in static pressure (in-H 2 O) across the catalytic reactor, as measured in the field;
AV
=
V
dot
V
/
AP
,
where V dot is the volumetric flow rate of flue gas in units of Nm 3 /hr; V is catalyst volume of the catalytic reactor in cubic meters, and AP is the whetted surface area per unit volume; and u inf is the average freestream velocity immediately upstream of the catalytic reactor.
19. The catalytic reactor of claim 18 , wherein y is less than 0.6.
20. The catalytic reactor of claim 11 , wherein the module satisfies the condition:
W
2
ns
≤
1.
wherein W is the module width, n is the number of pleats and the pleat inlet face is of widths.
21. The catalytic reactor of claim 20 , wherein the structural catalyst bodies have a depth (d) extending between the fluid stream inlet and outlet faces, and a ratio d/s ranges from 0.005 to 0.05.
22. The catalytic reactor of claim 11 , wherein the catalytic reactor is operable for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in the fluid stream.
23. The catalytic reactor of claim 22 , wherein the fluid stream is provided by a stationary combustion source.
24. The catalytic reactor of claim 23 , wherein the stationary combustion source is a power plant.
25. The catalytic reactor of claim 23 , wherein the fluid stream has a flow rate of 250 lbs/hr to 10,000,000 lbs/hr.