Effective Heat Removal in Tubular Fixed-Bed

The technology relates to an upright tubular fixed-bed reactor body comprising of a heat-dissipating pipe, which extends from the reactor tube wall, to ensure that heat is effectively transferred in highly exothermic reactors such as Fischer-Tropsch, which are prone to heat build-up. The heat pipe is developed using a metallic elongated hermetically sealed tube, which provides robust air control. Furthermore, the reactor comprises a cooling section, to cool the first heat removal medium - when the first heat removal is circulated in the wall shell of the reactor - to ensure effective temperature control during chemical reactions.

Temperature control is a key component in the synthesis of chemical substances; however, current designs of removing heat in fixed-bed reactors are not effective and this affects chemical reactions. Ineffective heat extraction may result in the development of hotspots, within the reactor, which deteriorates the capacity of the catalyst material, thus, compromising the rate of a chemical reaction. Moreover, ineffective heat extraction leads to the deactivation of catalysts, thereby reducing the life-span of the catalysts demanding revision and continual replacement that, in turn, leads to increased operational costs, which are highly dependent on energy input, energy removal, raw material costs, etcetera.