System and method of reducing oxidants in a chemical stream

Abstract

The invention is directed to a system and method of reducing, reacting, and/or removing an oxidant or unwanted chemical species from a chemical stream. Particularly, the system and method include the use of one or more reductants that react with the undesired chemical species. The reductant and the chemical stream are added to a reactor and allowed to react for a desired amount of time. The reductant will reduce, react with, and/or remove the chemical species from the stream. The excess reductant and reaction products are then removed from the reactor, as described in more detail herein below.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reaction vessel system comprising:
 a reusable reaction vessel defined by an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is configured to introduce one or more chemical streams within an interior of the reusable reaction vessel, and wherein the outlet is configured to remove one or more reaction products from the reusable reaction vessel;   a first reactant comprising a water-soluble halocarbon;   a second reactant comprising water; and   a third reactant comprising a molten alkali metal.   
     
     
         2 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble halocarbon comprises at least one C—O, C—S, or C—N bond. 
     
     
         3 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , wherein the water is in either vapor or liquid form. 
     
     
         4 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-reducible chemical species comprising nitrogen gas, a noble gas, hydrogen gas, or a hydrocarbon gas or liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alkali metal hydroxide or a salt of a halide and an alkali metal. 
     
     
         6 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter interconnected to the reusable reaction vessel with piping and mounted external to the reusable reaction vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising an element configured to move molten alkali metal through piping interconnected with the reusable reaction vessel, wherein the element includes an electromagnetic pump. 
     
     
         8 . The reusable reaction vessel of  claim 1 , further configured to operate as a continuous stirred tank reactor, a batch reactor, a plug flow reactor, or a fixed bed reactor. 
     
     
         9 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising multiple reusable reaction vessels interconnected together with piping and arranged in series. 
     
     
         10 . The reusable reaction vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising a system for controlling the temperature inside the reusable reaction vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a static mixing element. 
     
     
         12 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising a dynamic mixing element defined by a shaft comprising a shaft support positioned on at least one end of the shaft and an element configured to turn the shaft, wherein the shaft comprises one or more attachments that facilitate mixing of liquids and gases in the interior of the reusable rection vessel. 
     
     
         13 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein the reusable reaction vessel is oriented in a horizontal or about horizontal orientation relative to the axis of the shaft of the dynamic mixing element. 
     
     
         14 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein the reusable reaction vessel oriented in a vertical or about vertical orientation relative to the axis of the shaft of the dynamic mixing element. 
     
     
         15 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein a multiplicity of reaction zones are created in the resusable reaction vessel by the attachments. 
     
     
         16 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein an attachment restricts gas flow through the reusable reaction vessel by blocking a portion of a cross-sectional area of the reusable reaction vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 16 , wherein an attachment blocks at least 20% of the cross-sectional area of the reusable reaction vessel, or at least 50% of the cross-sectional area of the reusable reaction vessel, or at least 75% of the cross-sectional area of the reusable reaction vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein an attachment includes teeth, serrated edges, fins, paddles, vanes, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 12 , wherein an attachment is disk shaped. 
     
     
         20 . The reusable reaction vessel system of  claim 1 , further comprising materials of construction selected from stainless steel, nickel alloy, or nickel-based steel alloy.