For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference shall now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 shows a detail of an embodiment where the shroud or plate has a ribbed underside.
FIG. 1 shows a reactor apparatus comprising a disc-shaped support element 1 with a surface 2. The support element 1 is axially mounted on a drive shaft 3 by means of which the support element 1 can be rotated at high speed. The support element 1 is contained within a sealed housing 6, which has an inlet 7 and an outlet 8 for a gas phase component. A liquid phase reactant 4 is supplied to a central part of the surface 2 by way of a feed 5. The reactant 4 travels radially and outwardly across the surface 2 as a thin wavy film before being thrown from a periphery of the surface 2. After it has travelled across the surface 2 and been thrown therefrom, the reactant 4 collects at a bottom of the housing 6 and can be removed therefrom by way of outlet 9.
A stationary shroud or plate 10 is mounted just above the surface 2 in such a way that it does not contact the thin wavy film. The shroud or plate 10 has a diameter similar to that of the support element 1, and has a lower surface 11 generally parallel to the surface 2. The shroud or plate 10 is mounted by way of a central axial tube 12 that is coaxial with the feed 5, and which is gripped at a top of the housing 6 by way of connector 13 that allows the shroud or plate 10 to be raised or lowered relative to the surface 2, thus defining a gap 14 between the surfaces 2 and 11.
During operation of the reactor apparatus, the gas phase component is supplied through the inlet 7 and removed from the outlet 8. The gas phase component may be supplied under pressure through the inlet 7, or removed under negative pressure from outlet 8, or both. The shroud or plate 10 ensures that there is excellent countercurrent flow of the gas phase component relative to the thin wavy film of liquid phase reactant 4 in the gap 14. The gas phase component may be used to devolatilise monomer components from a polymerisation reaction taking place in the thin way film, or may be used as a component of a chemical reaction. The nature of the chemistry performed by the reactor of the present invention is not particularly important in the context of the present application.
In embodiments where co-current flow is required, it will be appreciated that the inlet 7 and outlet 8 need simply be transposed.
FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment, with like parts being labelled as in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the shroud or plate 10 is provided with supporting struts 16 that connect the shroud or plate 10 to an upper part of the housing 6. These supporting struts 16 help to provide structural integrity and ensure that the width of the gap 14 is maintained within very fine engineering tolerances.
FIG. 3 shows another alternative embodiment, in which the shroud or plate 10 is provided with supporting struts 17 that connect the shroud or plate 10 to the surface 2 of the support element 1. In this embodiment, the shroud or plate 10 is not stationary, but rotates with the support element 1. The central axial tube 12 is not gripped firmly by the connector 13, but is allowed to rotate relative thereto. The shroud or plate 10 is curved so that the gap 14 increases in width towards the axis defined by the drive shaft 3.
FIG. 4 shows a further alternative in which the shroud or plate 10 has a trumpet-shaped tapered profile, with the gap 14 being narrower at a periphery of the support element 1 than at its centre. The tapered profile has a 1/r shape so as to provide a substantially constant radial flow velocity for the gas phase component in the gap 14.
FIG. 5 shows a close-up cross-section through an alternative embodiment of the shroud or plate 10. Instead of the lower surface 11 being generally smooth, as in FIG. 1, the lower surface 11 in FIG. 2 is provided with concentric ribs or projections 15. The ribs or projections 15 serve to enhance turbulence in the gas phase component when it passes through the gap 14.
The preferred features of the invention are applicable to all aspects of the invention and may be used in any possible combination.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of the words, for example “comprising” and “comprises”, mean “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components, integers, moieties, additives or steps.
Patent Application
20080038115
