Fluid bed reactor having a pulse combustor-type heat transfer module separated from the compartment of a reaction vessel

Abstract

A fluid bed reactor is configured to process a reactive material to form one or more products. The reactor includes a reaction vessel defining a compartment configured to receive the reactive material. Attached to the reaction vessel is at least one heat transfer module. Each heat transfer module includes a pulse combustor and an associated acoustic chamber. The pulse combustor has at least one tailpipe that terminates in its associated acoustic chamber. Flue gases exiting the tailpipe(s) pass from the acoustic chamber, through a wall separating the acoustic chamber from the reactor vessel and into heat transfer tubes that protrude into a compartment of the reactor vessel. Feedstock inlets are configured to introduce the reactive material into a region that is vertically between the first and second clusters of heat transfer tubes. The heat transfer tubes have an annular construction such that the flue gases pass through an inner shield tube in a direction away from the wall, turn around, and return in a direction towards the wall. The gases are then directed to a manifold from which they ultimately exit the device. Cooling by water or another heat transfer fluid may be provided to the tubes to facilitate integrity of the materials and joints of construction. The reactor may be controlled such that the fluid bed selectively is operated either in the bubbling bed regime or in the turbulent fluidization regime.

1 . A fluid bed reformer configured to convert a carbonaceous material into a product gas, the reformer comprising: 
 a reaction vessel defining a compartment configured to receive fluidizable carbonaceous material, the reaction vessel having at least a first wall portion and a second wall portion;    a first heat transfer module connected to the reaction vessel, the first heat transfer module comprising a first pulse combustor connected to a first acoustic chamber, wherein the first pulse combustor comprises at least one first tailpipe that terminates in the first acoustic chamber; and    a first plurality of heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said first plurality of heat transfer tubes being in fluid communication with the acoustic chamber through said first wall portion, wherein:    each of said first plurality of heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from said at least one first tailpipe travel along a first channel of each heat transfer tube in a direction away from said first wall portion, and then along a second channel of said each heat transfer tube in a direction towards the first wall portion.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each of said first plurality of heat transfer tubes comprises an inner shield tube and an outer tube;    the inner shield tube forms the first channel; and    an annulus formed between the inner shield tube and the outer tube forms the second channel.    
     
     
         3 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 2 , further comprising a manifold in fluid communication with the second channel.  
     
     
         4 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 3 , wherein the manifold is formed between a first tube sheet associated with the inner shield tube, and a second tube sheet associated with the outer tube.  
     
     
         5 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 4 , wherein each of first and second tube sheets is either welded or bolted to the first wall portion.  
     
     
         6 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system associated with the first plurality of heat transfer tubes, said cooling system comprising an inlet header vertically spaced apart from an outlet header, and a plurality of cooling tubes between the inlet header and the outlet header.  
     
     
         7 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system associated with the first plurality of heat transfer tubes, said cooling system comprising a pair of jackets spaced apart from one another, a first jacket cooling inner tubes of the first plurality of heat transfer tubes, and a second jacket cooling outer tubes of the first plurality of heat transfer tubes.  
     
     
         8 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second plurality of heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said second plurality of heat transfer tubes also being in fluid communication with the first acoustic chamber, the second plurality of heat transfer tubes being vertically spaced apart from said first plurality of heat transfer tubes, wherein:    each of said second plurality of heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from the tailpipe travel along a first channel of each heat transfer tube in a direction away from said first wall portion, and then along a second channel of said each heat transfer tube in a direction towards the first wall portion.    
     
     
         9 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 8 , further comprising at least one feedstock inlet in fluid communication with said compartment, said at least one feedstock inlet terminating in a region vertically between the first and second plurality of heat transfer tubes.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a second heat transfer module connected to the reaction vessel, the second heat transfer module comprising a second pulse combustor connected to a second acoustic chamber, wherein the second pulse combustor comprises a second tailpipe that terminates in the second acoustic chamber, and    a third plurality of heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said third plurality of heat transfer tubes being in fluid communication with the second acoustic chamber through the second wall portion, wherein:    each of said third plurality of heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from said second tailpipe travel along a first channel of each of said third plurality of heat transfer tubes in a direction away from a second wall portion, and then along a second channel of each of said third plurality of heat transfer tubes in a direction towards the second wall portion.    
     
     
         11 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes also being in fluid communication with the second acoustic chamber, the fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes being vertically spaced apart from said third plurality of heat transfer tubes, wherein:    each of said fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from the second tailpipe travel along a first channel of each of said fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes in a direction away from said second wall portion, and then along a second channel of each of said fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes in a direction towards the second wall portion.    
     
     
         12 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 11 , further comprising at least one feedstock inlet in fluid communication with said compartment, said at least one feedstock inlet terminating in a region vertically between the first and second plurality of heat transfer tubes, and also between the third and fourth plurality of heat transfer tubes.  
     
     
         13 . The fluid bed reformer according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a plurality of heat transfer modules connected to the reaction vessel, each heat transfer module comprising a pulse combustor connected to an associated acoustic chamber, wherein each pulse combustor comprises at least one tailpipe that terminates in the associated acoustic chamber, and    a plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes being in fluid communication with the associated acoustic chamber through a wall portion of reaction vessel, wherein:    each of said plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from said at least one tailpipe travel along a first channel of each heat transfer tube in a direction away from the wall portion of the reaction vessel, and then along a second channel of said each heat transfer tube in a direction towards the wall portion.    
     
     
         14 . A fluid bed reactor configured to thermochemically or biochemically process a reactive material, the reactor comprising: 
 a reaction vessel defining a compartment suitable for receiving a reactive material;    a plurality of heat transfer modules connected to the reaction vessel, each heat transfer module comprising a pulse combustor connected to an associated acoustic chamber, wherein each pulse combustor comprises at least one tailpipe that terminates in the associated acoustic chamber, and    a plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes protruding into said compartment, each of said plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes being in fluid communication with the associated acoustic chamber through a wall portion of reaction vessel, wherein:    each of said plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes is configured such that combustion products emitted from said at least one tailpipe travel along a first channel of each heat transfer tube in a direction away from the wall portion of the reaction vessel, and then along a second channel of said each heat transfer tube in a direction towards the wall portion.    
     
     
         15 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 each heat transfer tube comprises an inner shield tube and an outer tube;    the inner shield tube forms the first channel; and    an annulus formed between the inner shield tube and the outer tube forms the second channel.    
     
     
         16 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 15 , further comprising a manifold in fluid communication with the second channel.  
     
     
         17 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 16 , wherein the manifold is formed between a first tube sheet associated with the inner shield tube, and a second tube sheet associated with the outer tube.  
     
     
         18 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 17 , wherein each of first and second tube sheets is either welded or bolted to the wall portion of the reaction vessel.  
     
     
         19 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 14 , further comprising a cooling system associated with at least one of the upper and lower heat transfer tubes, said cooling system comprising an inlet header vertically spaced apart from an outlet header, and a plurality of cooling tubes between the inlet header and the outlet header.  
     
     
         20 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 14 , further comprising a cooling system associated with the first plurality of heat transfer tubes, said cooling system comprising a pair of jackets spaced apart from one another, a first jacket cooling inner tubes of the first plurality of heat transfer tubes, and a second jacket cooling outer tubes of the first plurality of heat transfer tubes.  
     
     
         21 . The fluid bed reactor according to  claim 14 , further comprising at least one feedstock inlet in fluid communication with said compartment, said at least one feedstock inlet terminating in a region vertically between the plurality of upper and lower heat transfer tubes.