Claims
- 1. An apparatus for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a dielectric barrier discharge plasma cell comprising an outer electrode and an inner electrode with a dielectric material and a passageway therebetween, the inner electrode comprising a catalyst material; an inlet for feeding hydrocarbons to the passageway of the discharge plasma cell; and an outlet for discharging reaction products from the passageway.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode is constructed of a catalyst material.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode has a catalyst material coating thereon.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the catalyst material comprises a hydrocracking catalyst or a hydrotreating catalyst.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode comprises a non-catalytic base metal, and a bimetal catalyst overlying the base metal.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode comprises a non-catalytic base metal, and two different bimetal catalysts overlying the base metal for successive catalytic hydrocracking and catalytic hydrotreating of feed hydrocarbons.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode comprises a first catalytic base metal, and a second catalytic metal overlying the base metal.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode comprises a catalytic base metal, and two different catalytic metals overlying the base metal for successive catalytic hydrocracking and catalytic hydrotreating of feed hydrocarbons.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner electrode comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, platinum, rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten, palladium, and combinations thereof.
- 10. An apparatus for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a dielectric barrier discharge plasma cell comprising an outer electrode and an inner electrode with a dielectric material and a passageway therebetween; an inlet for feeding hydrocarbons to the passageway of the discharge plasma cell; an outlet for discharging reaction products from the passageway; and a packed bed catalyst in the passageway of the discharge plasma cell.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inner electrode comprises a catalyst material.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inner electrode is constructed of a catalyst material.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inner electrode has a catalyst material coating thereon.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the packed bed catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a hydrocracking catalyst, a hydrogenating catalyst, and combinations thereof.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the packed bed catalyst comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, platinum, rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten, palladium, and combinations thereof.
- 16. An apparatus for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, comprising:
a dielectric barrier discharge plasma cell comprising an outer electrode and an inner electrode with a dielectric material and a passageway therebetween; an inlet for feeding hydrocarbons to the passageway of the discharge plasma cell; an outlet for discharging reaction products from the passageway; and at least one light source for directing ultraviolet light into the discharge plasma cell.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the inner electrode comprises a catalyst material.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the inner electrode is constructed of a catalyst material.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the inner electrode has a catalyst material coating thereon.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one light source is positioned within the inner electrode.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the inner electrode is constructed of a metallic screen shell.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the inner electrode is supported by a structure having at least a portion thereof which is transparent.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one light source is positioned outside the inner electrode.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a packed bed catalyst in the passageway of the discharge plasma cell.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the packed bed catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a hydrocracking catalyst, a hydrogenating catalyst, and combinations thereof.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the packed bed catalyst comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, platinum, rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten, palladium, and combinations thereof.
- 27. A method for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
providing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma cell comprising an outer electrode and an inner electrode with a dielectric material and a passageway therebetween, the inner electrode comprising a catalyst material; directing a feed material comprising heavy hydrocarbons into the passageway containing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to produce reactive hydrocarbon species; and reacting the hydrocarbon species in the presence of the plasma and the catalyst material to produce liquid products comprising fuel-type hydrocarbons.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the catalyst material comprises a hydrocracking catalyst or a hydrotreating catalyst.
- 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the feed material further comprises a C1-C4 hydrocarbon gas.
- 30. The method of claim 27, wherein the feed material further comprises methane.
- 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the fuel-type hydrocarbons comprise gasoline or diesel.
- 32. A method for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
directing a feed material comprising heavy hydrocarbons into a passageway containing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to produce reactive hydrocarbon species; and reacting the hydrocarbon species in the presence of the plasma and a packed bed catalyst in the passageway to produce liquid products comprising fuel-type hydrocarbons.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the feed material further comprises a C1-C4 hydrocarbon gas.
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the feed material further comprises methane.
- 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the packed bed catalyst comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a hydrocracking catalyst, a hydrogenating catalyst, and combinations thereof.
- 36. The method of claim 32, wherein the fuel-type hydrocarbons comprise gasoline or diesel.
- 37. A method for reactive co-conversion of hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
directing a feed material comprising heavy hydrocarbons into a passageway containing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to produce reactive hydrocarbon species; exposing the reactive hydrocarbon species to ultraviolet light in the passageway; and reacting the hydrocarbon species in the presence of the ultraviolet light and the plasma to produce liquid products comprising fuel-type hydrocarbons.
- 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the feed material further comprises a C1-C4 hydrocarbon gas.
- 39. The method of claim 37, wherein the feed material further comprises methane.
- 40. The method of claim 37, further comprising a packed bed catalyst in the passageway.
- 41. The method of claim 37, wherein the fuel-type hydrocarbons comprise gasoline or diesel.
- 42. In a chemical reactor, a method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
directing a feed material comprising heavy hydrocarbons into a passageway containing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to produce reactive hydrocarbon species; reacting the hydrocarbon species in the presence of a catalyst to produce liquid products comprising lighter hydrocarbons; and discharging the liquid products from the chemical reactor.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the heavy hyrdrocarbons comprise heavy crude oil.
- 44. The method of claim 42, further comprising exposing the reactive hydrocarbon species to ultraviolet light in the passageway.
- 45. The method of claim 42, wherein the liquid products comprise gasoline or diesel.
CONTRACTUAL ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC07-99ID13727 between the United States Department of Energy and Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC.