Device for staged carbon monoxide oxidation
- Los Alamos, NM
- College Station, TX
A method and apparatus for selectively oxidizing carbon monoxide in a hydrogen rich feed stream. The method comprises mixing a feed stream consisting essentially of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, water and carbon monoxide with a first predetermined quantity of oxygen (air). The temperature of the mixed feed/oxygen stream is adjusted in a first the heat exchanger assembly (20) to a first temperature. The mixed feed/oxygen stream is sent to reaction chambers (30,32) having an oxidation catalyst contained therein. The carbon monoxide of the feed stream preferentially absorbs on the catalyst at the first temperature to react with the oxygen in the chambers (30,32) with minimal simultaneous reaction of the hydrogen to form an intermediate hydrogen rich process stream having a lower carbon monoxide content than the feed stream. The elevated outlet temperature of the process stream is carefully controlled in a second heat exchanger assembly (42) to a second temperature above the first temperature. The process stream is then mixed with a second predetermined quantity of oxygen (air). The carbon monoxide of the process stream preferentially reacts with the second quantity of oxygen in a second stage reaction chamber (56) with minimal simultaneous reaction of the hydrogen in the process stream. The reaction produces a hydrogen rich product stream having a lower carbon monoxide content than the process stream. The product stream is then cooled in a third heat exchanger assembly (72) to a third predetermined temperature. Three or more stages may be desirable, each with metered oxygen injection.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
- Assignee:
- General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5271916
- OSTI ID:
- 869083
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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20
30
32
42
56
72
absorbs
adjusted
air
apparatus
assembly
carbon
carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
carefully
carefully controlled
catalyst
catalyst contained
chamber
chambers
comprises
comprises mixing
consisting
consisting essentially
contained
contained therein
content
controlled
cooled
desirable
device
dioxide
elevated
essentially
exchanger
exchanger assembly
feed
feed stream
form
heat
heat exchange
heat exchanger
hydrogen
hydrogen rich
injection
intermediate
metered
method
method comprise
method comprises
minimal
mixed
mixed feed
mixing
monoxide
monoxide content
outlet
outlet temperature
oxidation
oxidation catalyst
oxide content
oxidizing
oxidizing carbon
oxygen
oxygen injection
oxygen stream
predetermined
predetermined temperature
preferentially
process
process stream
produces
product
product stream
quantity
react
reaction
reaction chamber
reaction chambers
reaction produces
reacts
rich
rich feed
selectively
selectively oxidizing
simultaneous
stage
stage reaction
staged
stages
stream
stream consisting
temperature
therein
third
third predetermined
water