Catalyst loading and unloading system for chemical reactors

A catalyst loading and unloading system for chemical reactors comprising:

• a chemical reactor comprising an enclosure, a chamber, and a manway, wherein the chamber is positioned within the enclosure, and wherein the manway traverses concentrically through the enclosure into the chamber;
• a catalyst hopper;
• an extendable catalyst transfer tube;
• a tube displacement mechanism;
• a catalyst flow control valve;
• the extendable catalyst transfer tube extending between an upper end and a lower end;
• the upper end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube being mounted adjacent to the manway;
• the extendable catalyst transfer tube axially traversing through the manway into the chamber, wherein the lower end is positioned within the chamber;
• the catalyst hopper being connected to the extendable catalyst transfer tube through a hopper discharge tube, wherein the catalyst hopper is configured to dispense catalyst pellets into the extendable catalyst transfer tube through the hopper discharge tube;
• the catalyst flow control valve being connected to the lower end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube;
• the tube displacement mechanism being operatively connected to the extendable catalyst transfer tube, wherein the tube displacement mechanism is configured to displace the lower end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration, wherein the lower end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube is positioned adjacent to the manway in the raised configuration, and wherein the lower end is displaced away from the manway in the lowered configuration;
• a flexible sock attachment;
• and
• the flexible sock attachment being terminally connected to the catalyst flow control valve at the lower end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube, wherein catalyst pellets are dispensed into the chamber from the catalyst control valve through the flexible sock attachment.