# US 2019/0314736 A1 · Structured packing for catalytic distillation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0314736 A1 - Document ID: US20190314736A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/381,432 - Filed: 2019-04-11 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-11 - Assignees: Lummus Technology Inc. - Applicants: Lummus Technology LLC - Inventors: Liang Chen; Peter Loezos; Perry Lew; Bryan Tomsula; Willibrord A. Groten; Gary G. Podrebarac - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314736A1 ## CPC - B01D 3/009: {in combination with chemical reactions} - B01D 3/28: Fractionating columns with surface contact and vertical guides, e.g. film action - B01J 19/32: Packing elements in the form of grids or built-up elements for forming a unit or module inside the apparatus for mass or heat transfer - B01J 19/325: {Attachment devices therefor, e.g. hooks, consoles, brackets} - B01J 2219/32213: Plurality of essentially parallel sheets - B01J 2219/32227: Vertical orientation - B01J 2219/32279: Tubes or cylinders - B01J 2219/32286: Grids or lattices - B01J 2219/32296: Honeycombs - B01J 2219/32466: comprising catalytically active material - Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A catalytic distillation structure that may include a rigid framework having at least two grids with a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Additionally, each horizontal fluid permeable tubes may have a profile of a six-sided polygon. Further, the catalytic distillation structure may include a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes. Furthermore, the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catalytic distillation structure, comprising: a rigid framework having at least two grids; a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes, wherein each horizontal fluid permeable tubes have a profile of a six-sided polygon; and a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes, wherein the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, further comprising a first series of vertically aligned tubes and a second series of vertically aligned tubes, wherein the first series comprises the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes arrayed in a parallel, adjacent and vertically aligned columns within the first series, and the second series comprises the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes arrayed in a parallel, adjacent and vertically aligned columns within the second series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 2, wherein the first series of vertically aligned tubes are offset from the second series of vertically aligned tubes thereby the horizontal fluid permeable tubes of the first series overlap the horizontal fluid permeable tubes of the second series without contacting the horizontal fluid permeable tubes of the second series of plates to thereby form a tortuous fluid pathway. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 3, wherein a height of the plurality of vertically plates or wires evenly space apart the horizontal fluid permeable tubes in the first series and the second series. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 4, wherein the first series and the second series are stacked side-by-side a distance apart. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 3, further comprising a geometry of the six-sided polygon forming a first angle in four corners of the six-sided polygon, a second angle in two corners of the six-sided polygon, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 6, wherein the second angle is in the corners of vertically aligned tubes that are connected by the plurality of vertically plates or wires. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 7, wherein the six-sided polygon comprises two sides of a first length and four sides of a second length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 8, wherein the first angle is at a corner of a connection of a side of the first length and aside of the second length and the second angle is at a corner of a connection of two sides of the second length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 9, wherein the second length is greater than the first length. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 9, wherein the second length is shorter than the first length. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable and tubes plurality of vertically plates or wires are made of a same material, such as wire mesh. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, further comprising at least one support rod to rigidly hold the at least two grids at distance apart from each grid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes have an opening at a first end and second end of said tubes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, wherein the grids comprises a plurality of openings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 15, wherein the plurality of openings of the girds have a profile equal to the profile of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 16, wherein the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable are positioned in the plurality of openings of the girds. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The catalytic distillation structure of claim 1, wherein the six-sided polygon is a hexagon, and the plurality of vertically plates or wires connect the vertically aligned tubes from a top corner of the hexagon of one vertically aligned tube to a bottom corner of the hexagon of the adjacent vertically aligned tube. ### Claim 19 A distillation column reactor for concurrently carrying out reactions and separating the products from the reactants, comprising: a vertically disposed vessel; one or more catalytic distillation structures disposed in the vertically disposed vessel, comprising: a rigid framework having at least two grids; a plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes mounted to said grids to form a plurality of fluid pathways among the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes, wherein each horizontal fluid permeable tubes have a profile of a six-sided polygon; and a plurality of vertically plates or wires connecting vertically aligned tubes of the plurality of horizontal fluid permeable tubes, wherein the plurality of vertically plates or wires connects from a corner of one vertically aligned tubes to a corner of an adjacent vertically aligned tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The distillation column reactor of claim 19, further comprising one or more re-boilers, condensers, feeding tanks, or separators connected to the vertically disposed vessel via flow lines. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The distillation column reactor of claim 20, wherein the flow line from the feeding tanks connects to the vertically disposed vessel at, above, or below the one or more catalytic distillation structures. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The distillation column reactor of claim 19, wherein the rigid framework is removably attached to the vertically disposed vessel by welding, crimping, adhesives, or mechanical fasteners.