Controllable volume reactor and process
OwnerDavid A. Lomas, Lawrence W. Millerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus and process for controlling reactor volume in a fluidized catalytic conversion reactor. Changing volume results in controllable residence time and/or space velocity. Reactor volume may be changed by altering the feed distributor elevation, diluent flow rate or the number of reaction subsections to which feed is distributed.
Claims17
A catalytic reactor for the catalytic conversion of a feed stream by contact with fluidized catalyst particles to produce a product stream, said reactor comprising:
- a reaction section defining a catalytic reaction zone and a feed inlet communicating with the reaction zone;
- a separation section for separating gaseous products from fluidized catalyst particles, said separation section defining a particle outlet for discharging fluidized catalyst particles and said separation section defining a gas recovery outlet for withdrawing said gaseous products from the separation section;
- a disengaging conduit extending from the reaction section to the separation section, in fluid communication with the reaction zone, for conducting the product stream and fluidized catalyst particles and defining a discharge opening for discharging the product stream and fluidized catalyst particles;
- at least one catalyst circulation pipe for conveying fluidized catalyst particles to the reaction section;
- a plurality of feed distributors at different elevations in said reactor section;
- and
- a plurality of control valves, each of said control valves being dedicated to less than all of said plurality of feed distributors to separately govern flow of feed to said plurality of feed distributors.
A process of catalytically reacting a feed by contacting it with catalyst particles in a controlled volume said process comprising:
- delivering catalyst particles to a reaction section at a catalyst circulation rate to provide a catalyst flux sufficient to provide a catalyst density in the reaction section upon fluidization;
- distributing a reactant stream to the reaction section at a rate sufficient to fluidize the catalyst particles and contact the reactant stream with catalyst particles;
- contacting said catalyst particles with said reactant stream in a catalytic reaction zone;
- catalyzing the conversion of the reactant stream to a product stream;
- changing the volume of the catalytic reaction zone;
- and
- withdrawing catalyst particles and said product stream from the reactor section.
A catalytic reactor for the catalytic conversion of a feed stream by contact with fluidized catalyst particles to produce a product stream, said reactor comprising:
- a reaction section including a plurality of discrete reactor subsections comprising a catalytic reaction zone;
- a reactant feed line in communication with each reactor subsection;
- a dedicated control valve in communication with each reactor subsection to separately regulate feed to each reactor subsection;
- a separation section in communication with the catalytic reaction zone of said reaction section, said separation section for separating gaseous products from fluidized catalyst particles, said separation section defining a particle outlet for discharging fluidized catalyst particles and said separation section defining a gas recovery outlet for withdrawing said gaseous products from the separation section;
- and
- at least one catalyst circulation pipe for conveying fluidized catalyst particles to the reaction section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.