University of South Africa
Overview of innovation

The multi-tubular fixed-bed reactor is one of the most successful reactors used in a chemical process. However, hot spots can be formed easily in the fixed bed in a highly exothermic reaction system because of the relatively low heat transfer capacity of the tubular reactor. It is widely reported that the hot spot is normally located at the part of the catalyst bed close to the centre. The unexpected temperature rise should be avoided as it may result in catalyst deactivation, a negative effect on the reaction and even the system temperature runaway. The current technology highlights the use of a series of ring and tube-type internals to improve the temperature distribution and suppress the hot spot formation in the fixed bed catalyst bed in the tubular reactor.

The tubular fixed bed reactor with improved technology is in demand. The demand for heat exchangers in automotive is anticipated to rise as demand for automotive components in engineering industrial and commercial applications increases for residential and commercial purposes.

Type of Intellectual Property protection
Patent
Innovation Opportunity Type
Investment
Partnership
Industry
​Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Energy
Technology Readiness Level
TRL 5 – Prototype tested in a controlled environment