Flow Reactor Vessels and Reactor Systems

Abstract

The present invention discloses high pressure flow reactor vessels and associated systems. Also disclosed are processes for producing thiol compounds and sulfide compounds utilizing these flow reactor vessels.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A flow reactor vessel comprising:
 (a) a reaction chamber comprising a reactor wall, an inlet for a fluid, and an outlet;   (b) a tube positioned within the reaction chamber, a flow path for the fluid including a region between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the reactor wall; and   (c) an electromagnetic radiation source enclosed within the tube, the electromagnetic radiation source configured to deliver radiation into the fluid in the flow path;   wherein an average linear distance between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the reactor wall is less than or equal to 10 cm.   
     
     
         2 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tube is a quartz tube; and   the region between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the reactor wall is an annular region.   
     
     
         3 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the average linear distance between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the reactor wall is less than or equal to 1000 times a 253-256 nm wavelength ultraviolet light radiation penetration depth into the fluid in the flow path. 
     
     
         4 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a transverse cross-sectional area of the inner surface of the reactor wall to the outer surface of the tube is less than or equal to 15:1. 
     
     
         5 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein a transverse cross-sectional area of the region between the outer surface of the tube and the inner surface of the reactor wall is less than or equal to 600 cm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the flow reactor vessel is configured for an operating pressure of at least 1.72 MPa. 
     
     
         7 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a wall thickness of the tube is at least 1 mm; and   the flow reactor vessel is configured for an operating pressure in a range from 1.72 to 6.90 MPa.   
     
     
         8 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber is configured to create turbulent flow in the flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the reaction chamber further comprises flow-affecting elements in the flow path to promote turbulent flow. 
     
     
         10 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising a compression seal assembly for sealing and securing the tube within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 10 , further comprising a tube retainer positioned on an opposite end of the reaction chamber from the compression seal assembly, the tube retainer configured to stabilize the tube. 
     
     
         12 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is a ultraviolet light source capable of directing ultraviolet light at a wavelength in the 185 to 380 nm range into the fluid in the flow path. 
     
     
         13 . The flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated heat exchange system around at least a portion of the reaction chamber for controlling temperature within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A flow reactor system comprising two or more of the flow reactor vessels of  claim 1  configured in series, in parallel, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The flow reactor system of  claim 14 , wherein the reactor system comprises two or more flow reactor vessels in series. 
     
     
         16 . A process for forming a thiol compound, the process comprising:
 (i) introducing a fluid comprising H 2 S and a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond into the inlet and the flow path of the flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 ;   (ii) exposing the fluid to electromagnetic radiation within the reaction chamber to form a thiol compound; and   (iii) discharging a composition comprising the thiol compound from the reaction chamber via the outlet.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid in step (i) comprises a molar ratio of H 2 S to carbon-carbon double bonds of the compound having a carbon-carbon double bond in a range from 5:1 to 500:1. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid in step (i) further comprises a phosphite compound at a molar ratio of the phosphite compound to carbon-carbon double bonds of the compound having a carbon-carbon double bond in a range from 0.006:1 to 0.05:1. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid in step (i) further comprises a photoinitiator at a weight percentage in a range from 0.05 to 5 wt. %, based on the weight of the compound having a carbon-carbon double bond. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light; and   the fluid makes more than one pass through the flow reactor vessel.   
     
     
         21 . A process for forming a sulfide compound, the process comprising:
 (i) introducing a fluid comprising a mercaptan compound and a compound having a carbon-carbon double bond into the inlet and the flow path of the flow reactor vessel of  claim 1 ;   (ii) exposing the fluid to electromagnetic radiation within the reaction chamber to form a sulfide compound; and   (iii) discharging a composition comprising the sulfide compound from the reaction chamber via the outlet.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the fluid in step (i) comprises a molar ratio of SH of the mercaptan compound to carbon-carbon double bonds of the compound having a carbon-carbon double bond in a range from 5:1 to 1:5;   the electromagnetic radiation is ultraviolet light; and   the fluid makes more than one pass through the flow reactor vessel.