US 12,478,943 B1
Gradual oxidation apparatus
Edan Prabhu, Mission Viejo, CA (US); and João Robinson Huang, Monrovia, CA (US)
Filed by Edan Prabhu, Mission Viejo, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 20, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/059,008.
Int. Cl. B01J 19/02 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 19/02 (2013.01) [B01J 19/243 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00076 (2013.01); B01J 2219/0263 (2013.01); B01J 2219/0277 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An oxidation apparatus configured to receive a gas stream having a fuel gas mixed with a carrier gas, the carrier gas comprising oxygen, wherein the concentration of the fuel gas in the gas stream is below a combustible range, the oxidation apparatus comprising:
an apparatus inlet port configured to receive the gas stream;
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the apparatus inlet port, the heat exchanger comprising:
a cold gas channel in fluid communication with the apparatus inlet port; and
a hot gas channel in thermal communication with the cold gas channel;
a reactor inlet port in fluid communication with the cold gas channel;
a variable area reactor body in fluid communication with the reactor inlet port, the variable area reactor body comprising:
a first expanding flow area portion in fluid communication with the reactor inlet port;
a reactor channel with a large flow area in fluid communication with the first expanding flow area portion; and
a second decreasing flow area portion in fluid communication with the reactor channel;
a reactor outlet port in fluid communication with the second decreasing flow area portion;
a soaker channel in fluid communication with the reactor outlet port and the hot gas channel; and
an apparatus outlet port in fluid communication with the hot gas channel, wherein the apparatus outlet port is configured to emit the gas stream from the oxidation apparatus;
wherein the oxidation apparatus is configured to provide the gas stream with heating to achieve gradual oxidation of the fuel gas, whereby the gradual oxidation of the fuel gas raises the temperature of the gas stream, thus increasing the oxidation rate of the fuel gas and further increasing the temperature of the gas stream; such that heat is transferred from higher temperature gas travelling through the hot gas channel to lower temperature gas travelling through the cold gas channel, raising the temperature of the lower temperature gas travelling through the cold gas channel to initiate and maintain gradual oxidation of the fuel gas, to facilitate substantial oxidation of the fuel gas of the gas stream within the oxidation apparatus.