Spaced bed catalytic reactor to purify gases - partic exhaust fumes from IC engines by conversion of hydrocarbons, nitric oxide and carbon monoxide

摘要

Gases to be converted are passed in succession through each of a series of spaced, perforated elements serving as catalyst supports. The thickness and spacing of the elements are selected to prevent the gases from achieving laminar flow conditions in passing through the element aperture channels, i.e. maximum turbulence is maintained throughout the reactor so that a very high rate of mass transfer is available. Honeycomb elements of refractory iolite material can have channels of 1-5 mm dia. while the element thickness is 8-32 times this diameter and elements are spaced at 8-16 times this dia.