Thermal Reactor Comprising a Gas Permeable Cage Arranged to Influence a Flow Path of Gas

Abstract

There is provided a method for the synthesis of nitrogen oxides (NOx) comprising the steps of providing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and nitrogen; and heating the gas mixture to a temperature of at least 2300 K at a pressure of 10-100 bar in a thermal reactor forming a gas mixture comprising NOx. There is also provided a method for the production of HNO3.

1 . A thermal reactor ( 100 ) comprising:
 a vessel ( 101 ), said vessel comprising:   a gas inlet ( 102 ),   
       a gas permeable cage ( 104 ) arranged in the vessel ( 101 ), and in fluid connection to the gas inlet ( 102 ), wherein the vessel ( 101 ) and the cage ( 104 ) are provided with a mutual gas outlet ( 103 ), and 
       temperature generating means ( 105 ; 105 ′) arranged to create a thermal reaction zone ( 106 ) within the cage ( 104 ),
 wherein the cage ( 104 ) is provided with holes ( 107 ), and 
 wherein a first subset of the holes ( 107 ′) is arranged along at least a portion of a first circumferential surface ( 110 ) of the cage ( 104 ) and a second subset of the holes ( 107 ″) is arranged along at least a portion of a second circumferential surface ( 111 ) of the cage ( 104 ), 
 wherein the first ( 110 ) and second ( 111 ) circumferential surfaces are offset and non-parallel, 
 and the first subset of holes ( 107 ′) and the second subset of holes ( 107 ″) are mutually distinct. 
 
     
     
         2 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal reactor ( 100 ) is a plasma reactor ( 100 ), the thermal reaction zone is a plasma zone ( 106 ) and the temperature generating means ( 105 ; 105 ′) are plasma generating means ( 105 ; 105 ′). 
     
     
         3 . The thermal reactor according to  claims 1 , wherein the vessel ( 101 ) is a pressurized vessel arranged to operate at different pressure than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel ( 101 ) further comprises cooling means ( 108 ). 
     
     
         5 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 4 , wherein the cooling means ( 108 ) are arranged in the outlet ( 103 ) or in direct connection to the outlet ( 103 ). 
     
     
         6 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is porous. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal reactor according  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is a metal cage. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is a ceramic cage. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is made of a non-metallic conductive material. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature generating means ( 105 ;  105 ′) are electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature generating means ( 105 ;  105 ′) are antennas. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal reaction zone ( 106 ) is produced using electromagnetic waves of radio frequency or microwaves. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 80% of the holes ( 107 ), such as at least 90% of the holes ( 107 ), have a central axis (Y) that is angled at an angle a being between 80°-100° relative to a tangential plane (X) at an outer surface of the cage around respective hole ( 107 ). 
     
     
         14 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) has rounded edges. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is an ellipsoid. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is a cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) has a central longitudinal axis around which the cage ( 104 ) is symmetrical. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface geometry of the cage ( 104 ) can be described by a continuous function. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 18 , wherein the derivative of the continuous function describing the surface geometry of the cage ( 104 ) is a continuous function. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 19 , wherein the second derivative of the continuous function describing the surface geometry of the cage ( 104 ) is a continuous function. 
     
     
         21 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 30%, such as at least 40%, such as at least 50%, such as at least 60%, such as at least 70%, such as at least 80%, such as at least 90%, of the surface of the cage ( 104 ) is provided with holes ( 107 ). 
     
     
         22 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 21 , wherein the entire surface of the cage ( 104 ) is provided with holes ( 107 ). 
     
     
         23 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the holes ( 107 ) are substantially circular. 
     
     
         24 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the cage ( 104 ) is spaced from the walls of the vessel ( 101 ). 
     
     
         25 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas permeable cage ( 104 ) is a first gas permeable cage ( 104 - 1 ) and the thermal reactor further comprises:
 a second gas permeable cage ( 104 - 2 ), wherein the holes ( 107 ) of the first gas permeable cage ( 104 - 1 ) are first holes ( 107 - 1 ), and the second gas permeable cage ( 104 - 2 ) is provided second holes ( 107 - 2 ), wherein   the second gas permeable cage ( 104 - 2 ) is smaller than the first gas permeable cage ( 104 - 1 ), so that the second gas permeable cage ( 104 - 2 ) is arranged inside the first gas permeable cage ( 104 - 1 ).   
     
     
         26 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 25 , wherein the first and second holes ( 107 - 1 ,  107 - 2 ) of the first and second gas permeable cages ( 104 - 1 ,  104 - 2 ) are arranged offset so that the first and second holes ( 107 - 1 ,  107 - 2 ) are not aligned. 
     
     
         27 . The thermal reactor according to  claim 25 , wherein the first gas permeable cage ( 104 - 1 ) and the second gas permeable cage ( 104 - 2 ) have the same geometrical shape.