Catalytic reactor

Details Catalytic reactor Catalytic reactor

1997-07-25

2001-03-06

Tran, Hien (Department: 1764)

Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser

Chemical reactor

Waste gas purifier

C422S177000, C422S180000, C422S199000, C502S439000, C502S502000, C502S502000, C502S502000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06197267

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to catalytic reactors and, more particularly, to catalytic reactors utilizing high electric fields and/or corona discharge.
2. Background Description
Corona destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a method of disposing of noxious or toxic gases or other atmospheric contaminants or pollutants. The unwanted gas is decomposed into a less polluting gas that may be vented into the atmosphere. The unwanted gases, generally VOC, are passed over a bed of catalyst in a reactor, while a high alternating current (AC) voltage is passed across the bed to produce a corona discharge. A dielectric material catalyst in the reactor produces a stable corona and the VOCs are converted to CO
2
gas.
Typically, prior art reactors are large and expensive. Further these large reactors require, typically, at least 10 kilovolts (kV) to generate the corona.
Thus, there is a need for cheaper, smaller, more compact reactors that are effective at lower voltage.
In addition to decomposing VOCs, catalytic reactors are used with high electric fields or corona discharge to facilitate a variety of chemical reactions.
PURPOSES OF THE INVENTION
It is a purpose of the invention to reduce the size of a catalytic reactor which utilizes corona discharge.
It is another purpose of the present invention to provide a simple, cost efficient way to construct a catalytic reactor which utilizes a corona discharge.
It is yet another purpose of the present invention to reduce the voltage required to produce corona discharge in a reactor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a catalytic reactor is provided according to the present invention. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the reactor includes a plurality of catalyst pieces which form a catalyst bed through which a gaseous mixture including unwanted gases are driven. According to a second embodiment of the invention, the reactor contains a plurality of catalyst plates or wafers arranged to interact with the flow of pollutant gases within the reactor. Preferably, in the second embodiment of the reactor, the catalyst plates or wafers are arranged to cause the pollutant gases to flow in a maze-like path through the reactor.
Catalyst pieces are cut from plates or wafers including a substrate of nonconducting or semiconducting material such as glass, a ceramic material, aluminum oxide, other stable oxides of metal, silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, or gallium arsenide etc. Over the substrate is placed a layer of material having a high dielectric constant, such as lead zirconium titanate (PZT), barium titanate (BaTiO
3
) or strontium titanate (SrTiO
3
), etc., which material effectively lowers the voltage required to operate the reactor. Over the high dielectric material a conducting film is placed. Preferably, a protective nonconductive coating is placed over the conducting film.
Preferably, the conducting film is rough surface conditioned to enhance the surface area of the catalyst material in contact with the gases. Preferably, the conducting film is conditioned by low energy bombardment of oxygen and argon ions to form a rough surface thin oxide layer over the conducting film.


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