Enhancing chemical reactions

Patent · 01 January 1978

OSTI ID:863218

Morrey, John R ^[1]

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1. Richland, WA

Methods of enhancing selected chemical reactions. The population of a selected high vibrational energy state of a reactant molecule is increased substantially above its population at thermal equilibrium by directing onto the molecule a beam of radiant energy from a laser having a combination of frequency and intensity selected to pump the selected energy state, and the reaction is carried out with the temperature, pressure, and concentrations of reactants maintained at a combination of values selected to optimize the reaction in preference to thermal degradation by transforming the absorbed energy into translational motion. The reaction temperature is selected to optimize the reaction. Typically a laser and a frequency doubler emit radiant energy at frequencies of .nu. and 2.nu. into an optical dye within an optical cavity capable of being tuned to a wanted frequency .delta. or a parametric oscillator comprising a non-centrosymmetric crystal having two indices of refraction, to emit radiant energy at the frequencies of .nu., 2.nu., and .delta. (and, with a parametric oscillator, also at 2.nu.-.delta.). Each unwanted frequency is filtered out, and each desired frequency is focused to the desired radiation flux within a reaction chamber and is reflected repeatedly through the chamber while reactants are fed into the chamber and reaction products are removed therefrom.

• Research Organization: BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus, OH)
• Patent Number(s): US 4124466
• OSTI ID: 863218
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/
absorbed
beam
capable
carried
cavity
chamber
chemical
chemical reaction
chemical reactions
combination
comprising
concentrations
crystal
degradation
delta
desired
desired frequency
directing
doubler
dye
emit
energy
enhancing
equilibrium
fed
filtered
flux
focused
frequencies
frequency
increased
indices
intensity
laser
maintained
methods
molecule
motion
non-centrosymmetric
optical
optical cavity
optimize
oscillator
parametric
parametric oscillator
population
preference
pressure
products
pump
radiant
radiant energy
radiation
radiation flux
reactant
reactants
reaction
reaction chamber
reaction product
reaction products
reaction temperature
reactions
reflected
refraction
removed
removed therefrom
repeatedly
selected
selected chemical
selected energy
substantially
temperature
therefrom
thermal
thermal degradation
thermal equilibrium
transforming
translational
tuned
typically
unwanted
values
vibrational
vibrational energy