Systems and methods to remove liquid product and fines from a slurry reactor
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsJorge L. Soto, Costas A. Coulaloglou
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and means for separating slurry liquid from catalyst in a three-phase slurry process. The embodiments of the invention are characterized by conducting the three-phase process under conditions to provide an upper region in the slurry that contains a catalyst concentration of about 20 wt % or less and a lower region with a catalyst concentration higher than about 20 wt %. A portion of the slurry in this upper region is degassed and passed to liquid-solid separation devices for recovery of liquid product.
Claims17
A method for separating slurry liquid from catalyst in a three-phase slurry process, the method comprising:
- operating the slurry process under conditions sufficient to provide an upper region in the slurry bed where the slurry solids concentration is lower than about 20 wt % and a lower region in the bed where the solids concentration in the slurry is higher than about 20 wt % of catalyst;
- degassing a portion of the slurry in the upper region of the slurry bed;
- introducing the degassed slurry into a separation device to provide a liquid stream comprising substantially slurry liquid and a stream comprising catalyst particles;
- and
- returning the stream comprising catalyst particles to the slurry bed.
A system for separating slurry liquid from catalyst in a three-phase slurry process, the system comprising
- a vertical reactor for containing a slurry liquid and catalyst particles, said reactor having a top and bottom;
- means for injecting a gas into the bottom of the reactor wherein under operating conditions a three-phase slurry is formed having an upper region with a catalyst concentration of about 20 wt % or less and a lower region with a catalyst concentration higher than about 20 wt % or more;
- means located in the upper region of the slurry for degassing a portion of the slurry;
- conduit means for withdrawing degassed slurry and introducing it into a liquid-solids separation device for separating a stream of slurry liquid from catalyst particles;
- conduit means for removing separated slurry liquid from said separation device;
- and
- conduit means for removing and transferring separated catalyst to the reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.