High temperature chemical reactor

Claim 1

A high temperature reactor wherein substantially all of the heat is supplied by radiation coupling comprising: a. a reactor tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the interior of the tube defining a reactor chamber, the reactor tube being made of a porous refractory material capable of emitting sufficient radiant energy to raise the temperature of reactants within the reactor tube to a level required to initiate and sustain the desired chemical reaction; the pores of the refractory material being of such diameter as to permit a uniform flow of sufficient inert fluid which is substantially transparent to radiant energy through the tube wall to constitute a protective blanket for the radially inward surface of the reactor tube; b. a fluid-tight, tubular pressure vessel enclosing the reactor tube to define an inert fluid plenum between the reactor tube and the pressure vessel, the inlet and outlet ends of the reactor tube being sealed from the plenum; the pressure vessel having an inlet for admitting the inert fluid which is directed under pressure into the plenum and through the porous tube wall into the reactor chember; c. means for introducing at least one reactant into the reactor chamber through the inlet end of the reactor tube, the reactants being directed in a predetermined path axially of the reactor tube and being confined by the protective blanket substantially centrally within the reactor chamber and out of contact with the inner wall of the reactor tube; d. electrical means disposed within the plenum and spaced radially outwardly of the reactor tube for heating the reactor tube to the temperature level at which it emits sufficient radiant energy to initiate and sustain the desired chemical reaction, the radiant energy being directed centrally therewithin substantially coincident with at least a portion of the path of the reactants; and e. a circumferential heat shield disposed within the pressure vessel and radially outwardly of the heating means, the heat shield reflecting radiant energy toward the reactor tube.