Chemical reaction apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for carrying out chemical reactions comprising: at least one manifold having a plurality of storage tanks each adapted to contain a volume of fluid reactants for use in a chemical reaction; a reaction tank providing a substantially cylindrical wall having an upper end portion and an opposite lower end portion, the wall being substantially concentric about a longitudinal axis of reference extending between the upper and lower end portions; a substantially flat bottom panel secured in sealing relation on the lower end portion of the wall; and upper panel secured in covering relation on the upper end portion of the wall, the upper panel, bottom panel and wall collectively bounding a chamber; a first, substantially annular sparger member mounted in the chamber in spaced relation to the bottom panel and having a multiplicity of apertures circumferentially thereabout for delivery of fluids through the apertures to the chamber; a second, substantially annular sparger member mounted in the chamber having a diameter greater than that of the first sparger member and spaced nearer to the bottom panel than is the first sparger member, the second sparger member being disposed substantially concentrically of the first sparger member and having a plurality of apertures circumferentially thereabout for the delivery of fluids through the apertures to the chamber; a plurality of individual inlet conduits spaced from each other about the wall and spaced from the sparger members, said inlet conduits being positioned and arranged to conduct fluids into the chamber along substantially non-radial paths of flow within the chamber; at least one outlet conduit in flow communication with the chamber and arranged and positioned to conduct fluids from the chamber; a flow line assembly in flow communication with the manifold to deliver fluids to each of said first sparger member and said second sparger member the inlet conduits, said flow line assembly being further connected to said at least one outlet conduit to conduct fluids out from the chamber; and a recirculation assembly connected in fluid flow relation to at least one of said plurality of inlet conduits and said at least one outlet conduit for circulation of fluids therebetween, the recirculation assembly including a pair of first flow lines connected in fluid flow relation to a pair of said plurality of inlet conduits; a second flow line connected to another of said plurality of inlet conduits remote from the plurality of inlet conduits connected to the first flow lines; valve means for directing fluids through the first flow lines and second flow line; and heat exchanger means mounted in one of said first flow lines and said second flow line for reducing the temperature of fluids conducted therethrough.

Claim 2

An apparatus for carrying out chemical reactions comprising: at least one manifold having a plurality of storage tanks each adapted to contain a volume of fluid reactants for use in a chemical reaction; a reaction tank providing a substantially cylindrical wall having an upper end portion and an opposite lower end portion, the wall being substantially concentric about a longitudinal axis of reference extending between the upper and lower end portions; a substantially flat bottom panel secured in sealing relation on the lower end portion of the wall; and upper panel secured in covering relation on the upper end portion of the wall, the upper panel, bottom panel and wall collectively bounding a chamber; a first, substantially annular sparger member mounted in the chamber in spaced relation to the bottom panel and having a multiplicity of apertures circumferentially thereabout for delivery of fluids through the apertures to the chamber; a second, substantially annular sparger member mounted in the chamber having a diameter greater than that of the first sparger member and spaced nearer to the bottom panel than is the first sparger member, the second sparger member being disposed substantially concentrically of the first sparger member and having a plurality of apertures circumferentially thereabout for the delivery of fluids through the apertures to the chamber; a plurality of individual inlet conduits spaced from each other about the wall and spaced from the sparger members, said inlet conduits being positioned and arranged to conduct fluids into the chamber along substantially non-radial paths of flow within the chamber; at least one outlet conduit in flow communication with the chamber and arranged and positioned to conduct fluids from the chamber; a flow line assembly in flow communication with the manifold to deliver fluids to each of said first sparger member and said second sparger member the inlet conduits, said flow line assembly being further connected to said at least one outlet conduit to conduct fluids out from the chamber; and a recirculation assembly connected in fluid flow relation to at least one of said plurality of inlet conduits and said at least one outlet conduit for circulation of fluids therebetween, the recirculation assembly including a pair of first flow lines connected in fluid flow relation to a pair of said plurality of inlet conduits; a second flow line connected to another of said plurality of inlet conduits remote from the plurality of inlet conduits connected to the first flow lines; valve means for directing fluids through the first flow lines and second flow line; and heat exchanger means mounted in one of said first flow lines and said second flow line for reducing the temperature of fluids conducted therethrough.