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Method of Heating a Foam-Based Catalyst BedA method of heating a foam-based catalyst bed has been developed using silicon carbide as the catalyst support due to its readily accessible, high surface area that is oxidation-resistant and is electrically conductive. The foam support may be resistively heated by passing an electric current through it. This allows the catalyst bed to be heated directly, requiring less power to reach the desired temperature more quickly. Designed for heterogeneous catalysis, the method can be used by the petrochemical, chemical processing, and power-generating industries, as well as automotive catalytic converters. Catalyst beds must be heated to a light-off temperature before they catalyze the desired reactions. This typically is done by heating the assembly that contains the catalyst bed, which results in much of the power being wasted and/or lost to the surrounding environment. The catalyst bed is heated indirectly, thus requiring excessive power. With the electrically heated catalyst bed, virtually all of the power is used to heat the support, and only a small fraction is lost to the surroundings. Although the light-off temperature of most catalysts is only a few hundred degrees Celsius, the electrically heated foam is able to achieve temperatures of 1,200 C. Lower temperatures are achievable by supplying less electrical power to the foam. Furthermore, because of the foam s open-cell structure, the catalyst can be applied either directly to the foam ligaments or in the form of a catalyst- containing washcoat. This innovation would be very useful for heterogeneous catalysis where elevated temperatures are needed to drive the reaction.
Document ID
20090041776
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
External Source(s)
http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/6366
Authors
Fortini, Arthur J. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Williams, Brian E. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
McNeal, Shawn R. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 2009
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, December 2009
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
LEW-18155-1
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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IDRelationTitle20090041741Collected WorksNASA Tech Briefs, December 2009
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