Inlet distributor and fixed valve tray for spherical reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744511-B2
Application number	US-201514958054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2015
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to distributing reactants more evenly across the interior space of a reactor vessel utilizing a distributor at the inlet end that initially directs the flow of reactants through a series of circumferential nozzles. The nozzles are physical spaced such that the first nozzle provides the reactants into the vessel to spread radially and broadly outwardly into the vessel and each successive circumferential nozzle to deliver reactants in a less broadly distribution or dispersion where the interior space is filled with reactants without broadly diverse velocities that may create hot spots within the catalyst bed. The invention further includes a catalyst support tray having through holes that are sized and spaced to limit higher velocity regions within the catalyst bed and cause a more even distribution of the flow and thereby reduce hot spots within the catalyst bed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reactor vessel comprising:
a) a shell having an open interior space within the shell, an inlet into the interior space for the admission of reactants and an outlet at the opposite end thereof to allow the exit of products;
b) a distributor comprising a generally cylindrical body having an inlet end and an outlet end; a first deflector ring with an integrally attached first neck attached to but spaced from the outlet end of the generally cylindrical body by stanchions such that a circumferential nozzle is defined between the deflector ring and the outlet end of the generally cylindrical body and the neck extends from the first deflector ring away from the generally cylindrical body; at least one additional deflector ring with an integrally attached additional neck attached to but spaced from the first neck by stanchions such that an additional circumferential nozzle is defined between the additional deflector ring and the first neck; and a deflector plate attached to said additional deflector ring by stanchions, but spaced from said additional neck to define a last circumferential nozzle; and
c) a catalyst bed supported by a perforated fixed valve tray having opening arranged to distribute the flow of gases through the perforated fixed valve tray more evenly across the interior space within the shell.

2. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the deflector rings includes through holes to allow reactants to pass through.

3. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the deflector plate includes through holes to allow reactants to pass through.

4. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the necks include through holes to allow reactants to pass through.

5. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the first circumferential nozzle has a diameter and each successive circumferential nozzle has a smaller diameter than the one closer to the generally cylindrical body where the last circumferential nozzle has the smallest diameter.

6. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 wherein the reactor inlet distributor has an axis and the first deflector ring has a larger diameter than the portion of the generally cylindrical body nearest the first deflector ring such that the first circumferential nozzle is oriented to direct reactants mostly radially outward away from the axis of the reactor inlet distributor, but also with a small reverse axially oriented component of direction such that reactants turn from the axial flow within the reactor inlet distributor to flowing in a direction slightly more than 90 degrees to the axial flow of the reactor inlet distributor.

7. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 6 , wherein each successive deflector ring after the first deflector ring has a diameter relative to the neck of the prior deflector ring so as to impose a successively less reverse component of flow at each successive circumferential nozzle wherein at least the last two circumferential nozzles in the series of circumferential nozzles from the first circumferential nozzle to the last circumferential nozzle create a turn of less than 90 degrees to the axial flow of the reactor inlet such that at least the last two include a continuing forward component of flow while having a radially outward component of flow.

8. The reactor vessel set forth in claim 1 further including at least one baffle ring within the generally circumferential body to create more balanced flow across the interior of the generally circumferential body prior to the deflector rings.

Assignees

• Phillips 66 Co

Inventors

• Palmer Brad P
• Sitton Kevin Damon

Classifications

• B01J8/0257

  in a cylindrical annular shaped bed · CPC title

• B01J8/0278 Primary

  Feeding reactive fluids (for solid material B01J8/0015) · CPC title

• B01J2208/00902

  Nozzle-type feeding elements · CPC title

• B01J2208/00938

  Flow distribution elements · CPC title

• B01J2208/00929

  Provided with baffles · CPC title