Feed distribution apparatus for moving bed reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213796-B2
Application number	US-202016909983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2020
Priority date	Jun 24, 2019
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A feed distribution apparatus and method of using such an apparatus are provided for introducing a three-phase flow into a moving bed reactor that is operated under co-current flow conditions. The feed distribution apparatus can allow for separate introduction of liquid and solids in a manner that allows for even distribution of liquid within the solids. The gas portion of the flow can be introduced in any of a variety of convenient manners for distributing gas into a liquid or solid flow.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A distribution apparatus for a moving bed reactor, comprising:
one or more solids inlet conduits in solids flow communication with a solids volume in a moving bed reactor, the one or more solids inlet conduits having a smaller characteristic width than a width of the solids volume at an interface between each solids inlet conduit and the solids volume;
a distributor plate comprising a plurality of concave volumes around each of the one or more solids inlet conduits, and a plurality of exit surfaces separating the plurality of concave volumes from the solids volume within the moving bed reactor, each concave volume comprising one or more orifices providing fluid communication, through an exit surface, between the concave volume and the solids volume; and
a plurality of fluid inlet conduits in fluid communication with the plurality of concave volumes, wherein the plurality of exit surfaces are oriented at an angle of 15° to 45° relative to a plane defined by at least one interface between the one or more solids inlet conduits and the solids volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each orifice further comprises a nozzle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the nozzle comprises a slit at a liquid level height.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributor plate further comprises a central gas opening, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a gas conduit providing fluid communication between a gas source and a second reactor volume via the central gas opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the solids volume comprises an annular volume.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributor plate comprises one or more openings, the one or more solids inlet conduits passing through the one or more openings.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributor plate comprises the one or more solids inlet conduits.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids inlet conduits comprise a central solids inlet conduit, and wherein the solids volume comprises a central axis of the reactor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids inlet conduits provide solids flow communication between at least one source of solid particles and the solids volume.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the source of solid particles comprises a solids exit volume of a second moving bed reactor, a regenerator, or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises solid particles in the solids volume, a top surface of the solid particles forming a cone at the angle of repose for the solid particles.

12. A method for introducing solid particles and a liquid feed into moving bed reactor, comprising:
passing solid particles into a solids volume of a moving bed reactor through one or more solids inlet conduits, the solid particles forming a cone at an angle of repose for the solid particles within the solids volume;
introducing a liquid feed into a plurality of concave volumes in at least one distributor plate, the plurality of concave volumes being arranged around each of the one or more solids inlet conduits, each concave volume comprising one or more orifices, the one or more orifices providing fluid communication between the plurality of concave volumes and the solids volume via a plurality of exit surfaces; and
passing the liquid feed through the one or more orifices into the solids volume, at least a portion of the liquid feed impinging on the cone formed by the solid particles.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of exit surfaces are oriented at an angle of 15° to 45° relative to a plane defined by at least one interface between the one or more solids inlet conduits and the solids volume.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least a portion of the liquid feed comprises a lateral velocity component as it passes through the one or more orifices.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solids volume comprises a central axis of the reactor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the passing the liquid feed through the one or more orifices further comprises passing a gas phase feed through the one or more orifices.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solids volume comprises an annular volume.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein each orifice further comprises a nozzle, the nozzle comprising a slit at a liquid level height.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least a portion of the liquid feed comprises 40 vol % or more of a total volume of the liquid feed that contacts the solid particles.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one distributor plate comprises the one or more solids inlet conduits, or wherein the one or more solids inlet conduits pass through one or more openings in the at least one distributor plate.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Res & Eng Co

Inventors

• Behkish Arsam
• Kovvali Anjaneya S
• Madlinger Adam C
• Smith Thomas M

Classifications

• B01J2208/00902

  Nozzle-type feeding elements · CPC title

• B01J8/0085

  promoting uninterrupted fluid flow, e.g. by filtering out particles in front of the catalyst layer · CPC title

• B01J8/0015 Primary

  Feeding of the particles in the reactor; Evacuation of the particles out of the reactor · CPC title

• B01J8/12

  moved by gravity in a downward flow · CPC title

• B01J2208/00752

  Feeding · CPC title