Portable reactor loading station for vibrational loading of pilot plant reactor tubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237016-A1
Application number	US-202016782643-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2020
Priority date	Feb 5, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for vibrational loading is provided. The system includes: one or more pilot plant reactor tubes; at least one vibrator attached to and configured to impart vibrational energy to a corresponding at least one of the reactor tubes during the vibrational loading; and a portable reactor loading station. The loading station includes: a base structure; a plurality of rolling members attached to the base structure which is configured to contact and roll across a horizontal surface while remaining attached to the base structure and separate the base structure from the horizontal surface; a frame attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and one or more clamps attached to the frame to secure the reactor tubes in a vertical orientation. The clamps are attached to the frame through corresponding elastomeric members vibrationally isolating the secured reactor tubes from the frame during the vibrational loading.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A portable reactor loading station for vibrational loading of pilot plant reactor tubes, the loading station comprising:
a base structure; a plurality of rolling members attached to the base structure and configured to contact and roll across a horizontal surface while remaining attached to the base structure, the rolling members separate the base structure from the horizontal surface; a frame attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and a plurality of clamps attached to the frame and configured to secure the reactor tubes in a vertical orientation, wherein the clamps are attached to the frame through corresponding elastomeric members that vibrationally isolate the secured reactor tubes from the frame during the vibrational loading of the reactor tubes, the vibrational loading using one or more vibrators attached and imparting vibrational energy to a corresponding one or more of the reactor tubes.

2 . The loading station of claim 1 , wherein:
the elastomeric members comprise rubber washers; the one or more vibrators comprise one or more pneumatic ball vibrators; and the rolling members comprise wheels.

3 . The loading station of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises:
a plurality of vertical members attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and a horizontal member between, attached to, and extending horizontally from the vertical members, wherein the clamps are attached to the horizontal member through the corresponding elastomeric members.

4 . The loading station of claim 3 , wherein:
the horizontal member comprises a plurality of horizontal members including a first horizontal member and a second horizontal member below the first horizontal member; the elastomeric members comprise first elastomeric members and second elastomeric members; the clamps comprise first clamps attached to the first horizontal member through corresponding ones of the first elastomeric members, and second clamps attached to the second horizontal member through corresponding ones of the second elastomeric members; and the first clamps are vertically aligned with corresponding ones of the second clamps such that the vertically-aligned pairs of the first and second clamps are configured to secure the reactor tubes in the vertical orientation.

5 . The loading station of claim 1 , wherein the base structure comprises a base plate configured to support an operator of the loading station.

6 . The loading station of claim 1 , wherein:
the clamps are further attached to the frame through corresponding clamp bases; and the clamps secure the reactor tubes by separating from and reattaching to the corresponding clamp bases.

7 . The loading station of claim 6 , wherein:
the elastomeric members comprise corresponding rubber washers; and the clamp bases and corresponding rubber washers are attached to each other and to the frame through corresponding bolts.

8 . A method of vibrational loading of one or more pilot plant reactor tubes using a portable reactor loading station, the loading station including a base structure, a plurality of rolling members attached to the base structure and configured to contact and roll across a horizontal surface while remaining attached to the base structure and separating the base structure from the horizontal surface, a frame attached to and extending vertically from the base structure, and one or more clamps attached to the frame through corresponding elastomeric members, the method comprising:
rolling the loading station across the horizontal surface and into position using the rolling members; securing the reactor tubes in a vertical orientation using the clamps; vibrating at least one of the reactor tubes using a corresponding at least one vibrator attached and imparting vibrational energy to the at least one of the reactor tubes; loading reactor material into the vibrating at least one of the reactor tubes; and vibrationally isolating the secured reactor tubes from the frame during the vibrational loading using the elastomeric members.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the elastomeric members comprise one or more rubber washers; the at least one vibrator comprises at least one pneumatic ball vibrator; the rolling members comprise wheels; and the reactor material comprises catalytic material.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the frame comprises:
a plurality of vertical members attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and a horizontal member between, attached to, and extending horizontally from the vertical members, wherein the clamps are attached to the horizontal member through the corresponding elastomeric members.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the horizontal member comprises a plurality of horizontal members including a first horizontal member and a second horizontal member below the first horizontal member; the elastomeric members comprise first elastomeric members and second elastomeric members; the clamps comprise first clamps attached to the first horizontal member through corresponding ones of the first elastomeric members, and second clamps attached to the second horizontal member through corresponding ones of the second elastomeric members; the first clamps are vertically aligned with corresponding ones of the second clamps; and securing the reactor tubes further comprises securing the reactor tubes in the vertical orientation using the vertically-aligned pairs of the first and second clamps.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising supporting an operator of the loading station on a base plate of the base structure.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the clamps are further attached to the frame through corresponding clamp bases; and securing the reactor tubes comprises separating the clamps from and reattaching the clamps to the corresponding clamp bases.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the elastomeric members comprise corresponding rubber washers; and the clamp bases and corresponding rubber washers are attached to each other and to the frame through corresponding bolts.

15 . A system for vibrational loading, the system comprising:
one or more pilot plant reactor tubes; at least one vibrator attached to, and configured to impart vibrational energy to during the vibrational loading of, a corresponding at least one of the reactor tubes; and a portable reactor loading station comprising:
a base structure;
a plurality of rolling members attached to the base structure and configured to contact and roll across a horizontal surface while remaining attached to the base structure and separating the base structure from the horizontal surface;
a frame attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and
one or more clamps attached to the frame and securing the reactor tubes in a vertical orientation,
wherein the clamps are attached to the frame through corresponding elastomeric members vibrationally isolating the secured reactor tubes from the frame during the vibrational loading.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the elastomeric members comprise one or more rubber washers; the at least one vibrator comprises at least one pneumatic ball vibrator; and the rolling members comprise wheels.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the frame comprises:
a plurality of vertical members attached to and extending vertically from the base structure; and a horizontal member between, attached to, and extending horizontally from the vertic

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Shuker Khalid Saud
• Leach Stuart N
• Longstaff Daniel C

Classifications

• B01J8/06

  in tube reactors; the solid particles being arranged in tubes · CPC title

• B01J2208/00752

  Feeding · CPC title

• B01J8/16 Primary

  with particles being subjected to vibrations or pulsations (B01J8/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01J8/002 Primary

  with a moving instrument · CPC title

• B01J8/0015

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