Reactor temperature control systems and methods

Claim 1

A system for controlling the temperature of a reactor (10) for containing a reaction from at least one reactant to at least one product, the reactor having a feed line (14) for the reactant and an effluent line (46) for the product, the system being characterised by: a feed flow transmitter (26) connected to the feed line (14) for measuring the flow of reactant to the reactor (10); an effluent flow transmitter (44) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the flow of product from the reactor (10); a feed temperature sensor (74) connected to the feed line for sensing the reactant temperature; an effluent temperature sensor (86) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the product temperature; reactor temperature sensing means (60) connected to the reactor (10) for measuring a temperature of the reactor; concentration sensing means (50) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the concentration of the at least one product in the effluent line; a coolant flow line to the reactor (10) for supplying coolant to the reactor at a coolant flow rate; coolant flow rate control means (100) in the coolant line; and circuit means that is (i) connected to the feed and effluent flow transmitters (26, 44), to the feed and effluent temperature sensors (74, 86) and to the reactor temperature and concentration sensing means (60, 50) for generating a coolant flow signal, (ii) connected to the coolant flow control means (100) for controlling the flow of coolant to the reactor (10) according to the coolant flow signal, (iii) arranged to receive quantities proportional to the heat of reaction for at least one reaction in the reactor (10), specific heats of the reactant and product, and the heat of vaporization of the coolant, and (iv) operable to subtract a quantity proportional to an amount of heat consumed in supplying reactant to the reactor (10) from a quantity proportional to an amount of heat generated and lost in the reactor and effluent line and to divide the resulting quantity by the specific heat of the coolant to generate the coolant flow signal.

Claim 2

A system for controlling the temperature of a reactor (10) for containing a reaction from at least one reactant to at least one product, the reactor having a feed line (14) for the reactant and an effluent line (46) for the product, the system being characterised by: a feed flow transmitter (26) connected to the feed line (14) for measuring the flow of reactant to the reactor (10); an effluent flow transmitter (44) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the flow of product from the reactor (10); a feed temperature sensor (74) connected to the feed line for sensing the reactant temperature; an effluent temperature sensor (86) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the product temperature; reactor temperature sensing means (60) connected to the reactor (10) for measuring a temperature of the reactor; concentration sensing means (50) connected to the effluent line (46) for measuring the concentration of the at least one product in the effluent line; a coolant flow line to the reactor (10) for supplying coolant to the reactor at a coolant flow rate; coolant flow rate control means (100) in the coolant line; and circuit means that is (i) connected to the feed and effluent flow transmitters (26, 44), to the feed and effluent temperature sensors (74, 86) and to the reactor temperature and concentration sensing means (60, 50) for generating a coolant flow signal, (ii) connected to the coolant flow control means (100) for controlling the flow of coolant to the reactor (10) according to the coolant flow signal, (iii) arranged to receive quantities proportional to the heat of reaction for at least one reaction in the reactor (10), specific heats of the reactant and product, and the heat of vaporization of the coolant, and (iv) operable to subtract a quantity proportional to an amount of heat consumed in supplying reactant to the reactor (10) from a quantity proportional to an amount of heat generated and lost in the reactor and effluent line and to divide the resulting quantity by the specific heat of the coolant to generate the coolant flow signal.

Claim 6

A method of controlling the temperature of a reactor (10) for containing an exothermic reaction of at least one reactant to at least one product, by controlling a flow of coolant to the reactor, the method being characterised by: measuring a feed and an effluent flow rate to and from the reactor of reactant and product; measuring a feed and effluent temperature; measuring a reactor temperature; measuring a concentration of the at least one product in the effluent; and calculating a coolant flow rate using the formula where: Q = coolant flow rate signal = coolant heat of vaporization F 2 = effluent flow rate y 1 = a first product concentration Δ H 1 = heat of reaction of reactant to first product y 2 = a second product concentration Δ H 2 = heat of reaction of reactant to second product C P1 = specific heat of effluent T R = reactor temperature T o = effluent temperature F 1 = feed flow rate Cp i = specific heat of feed T I = feed temperature.

Claim 7

A method of controlling the temperature of a reactor (10) for containing an exothermic reaction of at least one reactant to at least one product, by controlling a flow of coolant to the reactor, the method being characterised by: measuring a feed and an effluent flow rate to and from the reactor of reactant and product; measuring a feed and effluent temperature; measuring a reactor temperature; measuring a concentration of the at least one product in the effluent; and calculating a coolant flow rate using the formula where: Q = coolant flow rate signal = coolant heat of vaporization F 2 = effluent flow rate y 1 = a first product concentration Δ H 1 = heat of reaction of reactant to first product y 2 = a second product concentration Δ H 2 = heat of reaction of reactant to second product C P1 = specific heat of effluent T R = reactor temperature T o = effluent temperature F 1 = feed flow rate Cp i = specific heat of feed T I = feed temperature.