On-site systems and methods for treating spent oxidizable catalyst in inert gas environments

A system for segregating a mixture of oxidizable catalyst material and inert support media, the system comprising:

• an enclosure configured to contain inert gas;
• a plurality of stacked screens within the enclosure, the stacked screens having openings that decrease in size from a top of the stack to a bottom of the stack;
• a mixture inlet in the enclosure positioned to enable delivery of the mixture to an uppermost stacked screen;
• at least one inert support media outlet associated with at least one of the plurality of stacked screens, wherein the at least one inert support media outlet directs separated inert support media to a location out of the enclosure;
• a catalyst material outlet associated with at least another of the plurality of stacked screens, wherein the catalyst material outlet directs separated oxidizable catalyst material to a location outside the enclosure;
• at least one motor for moving the stacked screens to cause the oxidizable catalyst material in the mixture to separate from and migrate to a location beneath the inert support media;
• and
• an inert gas inlet associated with the enclosure for permitting the inert gas to enter the enclosure to displace oxygen within the enclosure and thereby limit oxidation of the oxidizable catalyst material while the at least one motor moves the plurality of stacked screens, wherein the inert gas inlet is located in a lower portion of the enclosure to enable the inert gas to flow over the oxidizable catalyst material and exit the enclosure through a top portion of the enclosure.