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US 2002/0179506 A1Published application
Dynamic settler
AssigneeRentech, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Bohn, James E. Siebarth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Catalyst particles are separated from the wax in a reactor slurry reactor by feeding a portion of the slurry to a dynamic settler. Heavier catalyst particles settle and are removed as the slurry at the bottom of the settler is recycled back to the reactor. Clarified wax is removed at the top of the settler. A multi-channel baffle prevents turbulence, improving retention of the desired heavier catalyst particles.
Claims13
A dynamic settler for removing catalyst particles from wax in a reaction slurry, said settler comprising
- a vessel having a wall defining a chamber,
- an inlet pipe entering the vessel from above and defining an annular volume between the vessel wall and the inlet pipe,
- a slurry recirculation pipe entering the vessel from below,
- a multichannel baffle within said annular volume and fully occupying said annular volume, and
- a wax removal pipe communicating with said annular volume above said baffle, said baffle dividing said annular volume into plural channels, the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said channels being sufficiently small as to minimize natural convection flow so as to promote settling of particles from the slurry.
2 more elements
A method for removing catalyst particles from wax in a reaction slurry, said method comprising steps of
- passing said slurry through a vessel having a wall defining a chamber, an inlet pipe entering the vessel from above and defining an annular volume between the vessel wall and the inlet pipe, a slurry recirculation pipe entering the vessel from below, a multichannel baffle within said annular volume and fully occupying said annular volume, and a wax removal pipe communicating with said annular volume above said baffle, said baffle dividing said annular volume into plural channels under process conditions which minimize natural flows in the baffle so as to promote settling of particles from the slurry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.