Enhancement of surface-active solid-phase heterogenous catalysts

Abstract

Surface-active solid-phase catalyst activity may be substantially improved by creating deliberate repetitive surface-to-surface contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects. While they are immersed in reactant material such contact between portions of the active surfaces of catalyst objects can substantially activate the surfaces of many heterogeneous catalysts. Examples are given of such action employing a multitude of predetermined shapes, supported catalyst structures, etc. agitated or otherwise brought into contact to produce numerous surface collisions. One embodiment employs a gear pump mechanism with catalytically active-surfaced gear teeth to create the repetitive transient contacting action during pumping of a flow of reactant. The invention is applicable to many other forms for creating transient catalytic surface contacting action. Optionally catalytic output of such systems may be significantly further improved by employing radiant energy or vibration.

1 . A catalytic reactor system, comprising: 
 at least two catalytic objects, each object having at least one surface complementary in shape and/or contour to at least one surface on another of the catalytic objects such that a projected contact area between two of the catalytic objects is capable of being greater than 1% of a catalytically active total external contact surface area of the two contacting catalytic objects; and    a contact-inducing device configured and arranged to repeatedly bring complementary surfaces of the at least two catalytic objects into contact with each other such that the a projected contact area between two of the contacting catalytic objects is on average greater than 1% of the catalytically active total external contact surface area of the two contacting catalytic objects.    
   
   
       2 . The catalytic reactor system as in  claim 1 , comprising at least two catalytic objects each object having at least one surface complementary in shape and/or contour to at least one surface on each other of the catalytic objects such that a projected contact area between any two of the catalytic objects is capable of being greater than 1% of a catalytically active total external contact surface area of the two contacting catalytic objects.  
   
   
       3 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein each of the two catalytic objects comprise at least one essentially planar surface such that an essentially planar surface of a first catalytic object is capable of contacting an essentially planar surface of a second catalytic object.  
   
   
       4 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic objects comprise a catalytically active material comprising a metal or metal alloy.  
   
   
       5 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic objects further comprise a support material coated with a catalytically active material.  
   
   
       6 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 5 , wherein the support material is a ceramic.  
   
   
       7 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two catalytic objects comprise discrete particles or pellets.  
   
   
       8 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic objects are essentially non-porous.  
   
   
       9 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 7 , wherein the catalyst reactor system comprises a slurry bubble column reactor and the contact-inducing device comprises a device configured to generate fluid flow capable of suspending and/or agitating the discrete particles or pellets.  
   
   
       10 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst reactor system comprises a continuously stirred tank reactor and wherein the contact-inducing device comprises a stirring device.  
   
   
       11 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein the contact-inducing device comprises a mechanical apparatus comprising or to which is attached at least one of the catalytic objects.  
   
   
       12 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 7 , wherein the discrete particles or pellets have a shape that is essentially a truncated icosahedron.  
   
   
       13 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the catalytic objects has a shape that is essentially a cylinder.  
   
   
       14 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 13 , where a cross-section of the cylinder perpendicular to its longitudinal axis has a perimeter that is essentially polygonal.  
   
   
       15 . The catalyst reactor system as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the catalytic objects is configured as a gear having a plurality of gear teeth comprising a catalytic material.  
   
   
       16 . The catalyst reactor system as  claim 1 , further comprising a reactor comprising an inlet configured to allow a reactant to flow into the reactor and an outlet configured to allow a product to flow out of the reactor, wherein the catalytic objects are contained within the reactor such that the catalytic objects are exposed to the reactant.  
   
   
       17 . The catalyst reactor system as  claim 1 , wherein the complementary surface of the first catalytic object has a surface area that is larger than the surface area of the complementary surface of the second catalytic object, such that, when in contact with the second catalytic object, the complementary surface of the first catalytic object comprises a first portion of its surface area that is in contact with the complementary surface of the second catalytic object and at least a second portion of surface area that is not in contact with the complementary surface of the second catalytic object.  
   
   
       18 . The catalyst reactor system as  claim 17 , wherein the first portion of surface area of the complementary surface of the first catalytic object that is in contact with the complementary surface of the second catalytic object can be isolated from the at least a second portion of surface area that is not in contact with the complementary surface of the second catalytic object such that reactants and/or products in contact with the first portion of surface area can be sampled independently from reactants and/or products in contact with the at a second portion of surface area.  
   
   
       19 . A method for performing a reaction catalyzed by a heterogeneous catalyst, comprising acts of: 
 exposing at least two objects each object having at least one surface complementary in shape and/or contour to at least one surface on another of the objects, at least one of which objects is a catalytic object having a surface that is catalytically active, to an environment comprising a selected reactant,    creating repeated contact between the objects such that a projected contact area between complementary surfaces of two contacting objects is on average greater than 1% of a catalytically active total external contact surface area of the two contacting objects,    allowing the predetermined reactant to undergo a chemical reaction at the at least one catalytically active surface to produced a product.    
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein each of the objects is a catalytic object having a surface that is catalytically active.  
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 20 , wherein each of the catalytic objects comprises at least one essentially planar surface having an area comprising at least about 1% of the catalytically active external surface area of the object.  
   
   
       22 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the catalyst objects are immersed in the environment.  
   
   
       23 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the environment is a solution comprising the selected reactant.  
   
   
       24 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the environment is a gas comprising the selected reactant.  
   
   
       25 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the contact is recurring and transient.  
   
   
       26 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the contact causes at least a portion of an external catalytically active surface area of the catalytic object to become regenerated.  
   
   
       27 . A catalytic object, comprising an external surface comprising a plurality of mosaic patches/facets wherein at least one mosaic patch/facet meets an adjacent facet at an edge to form a predetermined three-dimensional shape, wherein at least one mosaic patch/facet comprises a catalytically active material.  
   
   
       28 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein an individual mosaic patch/facet has a surface area greater than 1% of the total external surface area of the catalytic object.  
   
   
       29 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein each mosaic patch/facet comprises a catalytically active material.  
   
   
       30 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein at least one mosaic patch/facet is essentially planar.  
   
   
       31 . The catalytic object of  claim 30 , wherein each mosaic patch/facet is essentially planar.  
   
   
       32 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein the catalytically active material comprises a metal or metal alloy.  
   
   
       33 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined three-dimensional shape is essentially a truncated icosahedron.  
   
   
       34 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined three-dimensional shape is essentially a cylinder.  
   
   
       35 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined three-dimensional shape is essentially in the form of gear teeth on a gear.  
   
   
       36 . The catalytic object of  claim 31 , wherein the edge is rounded.  
   
   
       37 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , further comprising a support material coated with the catalytically active material.  
   
   
       38 . The catalytic object of  claim 27 , wherein the support material is a ceramic.  
   
   
       39 . A catalytic reactor system, comprising a mechanical apparatus constructed and arranged to intermittently create contact between a catalytically active surface of a catalyst object and a contact surface of a second object, such that a projected contact area on average between the two objects is greater than 1% of the total external contact surface area of the two contacting objects.  
   
   
       40 . The catalytic reactor system of  claim 39 , wherein the contact surface of the second object is a catalytically active surface.  
   
   
       41 . The catalytic reactor system of  claim 39 , wherein the mechanical apparatus comprises a motor.  
   
   
       42 . The catalytic reactor system of  claim 41 , wherein the mechanical apparatus comprises a gear pump device.  
   
   
       43 . The catalytic reactor system of  claim 41 , wherein the mechanical mechanism comprises a series of gear pump devices.  
   
   
       44 . The catalytic reactor system of  claim 39 , wherein the mechanical apparatus comprises an anvil and a striker.  
   
   
       45 . A method for producing catalytic action upon at least one reactant material, comprising: 
 providing at least two catalytic objects, wherein the catalytic objects each comprise a catalytically active material on at least a portion of an external surface,    exposing the catalytic objects to an environment comprising the reactant material,    producing motion of the catalyst objects sufficient to cause repeated frequent transient surface to surface impacting contact events between external surface areas of the catalyst objects using a contact-inducing device, the contact events each having on average a projected contact area larger than 1% of the average total projected contact surface area of the catalyst objects coming into contact during the contact event, and    transforming at least some reactant material into a product chemically different from the reactant material.    
   
   
       46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the repeated frequent transient surface to surface impacting contact events progressively occur such that essentially all the catalytically active external surface of the catalyst objects comes into contact during the method.  
   
   
       47 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the motion averages distribution of the contact events over essentially all the catalytically active exterior surfaces of all the objects.  
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the motion averages distribution of the contact events over a majority of the catalytically active exterior surfaces of the objects.  
   
   
       49 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the motion averages distribution of the contact events over limited portions of the external surfaces of the objects comprising the catalytically active surfaces.  
   
   
       50 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the catalytically active external surface of at least a portion of at least one catalytic object is segregated into mosaic patches/facets, each mosaic patch/facet having an exterior surface area that is substantially less than the total catalytically active external surface area of the at least one catalytic object that is segregated into mosaic patches/facets.  
   
   
       51 . The method according to  claim 50 , wherein a first mosaic patch/facet of the catalytic object that is segregated into mosaic patches/facets has composition of surface material different from a second mosaic patch/facet on the same catalyst object.  
   
   
       52 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein a first mosaic patch/facet of a first catalytic object which is segregated into mosaic patches/facets has composition of surface material different from a second mosaic patch/facet on a second catalyst object which is segregated into mosaic patches/facets.  
   
   
       53 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the aspect ratio of at least one catalytic object is less than about 1.05.  
   
   
       54 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the aspect ratios of each of the catalytic objects is between about 1.25 and about 1.05.  
   
   
       55 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the aspect ratio of at least one of the catalytic object is between 1.25 and 2.00.  
   
   
       56 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the aspect ratio of at least one of the catalytic objects is between about 2.00 and about 3.00.  
   
   
       57 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the aspect ratio of at least one of the catalytic object is greater than about 3.00.  
   
   
       58 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein all the catalytic objects have essentially the same shape and size.  
   
   
       59 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein all the catalytic objects have essentially the same shape but differ by more than five percent from at least one other catalytic object in size.  
   
   
       60 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the external surface of the catalytic objects comprise mosaic patches/facets, and wherein at least a first and a second catalytic objects have different essentially polyhedral shapes from each other.  
   
   
       61 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the external surface of the first catalytic object comprises a first number of mosaic patches/facets while the external surface of the second catalytic object comprises a second number of facets.  
   
   
       62 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the first catalytic object differs by more than about 5% in size from the second catalytic object.  
   
   
       63 . The method according to  claim 61 , wherein the first catalytic object differs by more than about 5% in size from the second catalytic object.  
   
   
       64 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein a shape of the catalytic objects is substantially the same as a truncated icosahedron having rounded edges joining adjacent essentially planar mosaic patches/facets, wherein the width of a rounded edge, defining a minimum distance separating adjacent essentially planar mosaic patches/facets, does not exceed about 2% of the nominal overall diameter of the truncated icosahedron.  
   
   
       65 . The method according to  claim 64 , wherein the sizes of corresponding dimensions of any two catalyst objects are within 5% of each other.