Electrification of steam cracking reactors with high-frequency inductive heating

Team: Jonathan Fan, Juan Rivas
Mid-range (Developing)

Reverse water-gas shift, in which carbon dioxide and hydrogen are used to produce synthetic gas, is an emergent technology in the chemicals industry from which captured carbon dioxide can be utilized to produce sustainable hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. The chemical reaction is highly endothermic and typically requires hundreds of degrees Celsius to drive, and alternatives to fossil fuel combustion for heat generation are required to ensure the low carbon footprint of these chemical conversion processes. To solve this problem, the researchers have developed a new electrified platform technology in which thermal-based chemical reactions are driven by the high-frequency magnetic induction of a reactor baffle. In designing and implementing the chemical reactor as a structured electromagnetic medium, or metamaterial, research shows how volumetric heating and heat transfer can be customized in a manner that optimizes the chemical reaction process. The team built and demonstrated a 1.5-inch diameter, 6-inch long fixed bed metamaterial reactor with novel high-frequency power electronic circuits and demonstrated the running of the reverse water-gas shift reaction at thermodynamic conversion limits. The project team has received a follow-up $3M award from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office and is working to scale this Sustainability Accelerator-funded technology with additional High Impact Technology (HIT) program funding from the Stanford Office of Technology Licensing.