Apparatus for automatic catalyst exchange in a reactor with a bundle of catalyst tubes

A process for automatic catalyst exchange in a plurality of process steps in the catalyst tubes of a reactor with a bundle of catalyst tubes, which are welded in or rolled in between an upper tube plate and a lower tube plate in longitudinal direction of the reactor, and welded tight,

• the position of the longitudinal axis of each individual catalyst tube first being determined, especially by means of a 3D laser scanner, or calculated, and recorded in a position database of a control unit,
• and then the control unit being used to access each individual catalyst tube of the bundle of catalyst tubes with a tool in each case to perform each individual process step for automatic catalyst exchange, the tool being arranged so as to be exchangeable on a tool carrier device which is arranged so as to be mobile in a plane above and parallel to the upper tube plate, and the tool together with the tool carrier device being moved in the plane above and parallel to the upper tube plate, and also vertically in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the reactor, while each individual process step for automatic catalyst exchange is performed in each case.