Hydroprocessing Reactor to Lower Pressure Drop and Extend Catalyst Life

A method of producing a product from high contaminant feedstocks, the method comprising:

• introducing fluids comprising a feedstock containing contaminants into a reactor, the reactor comprising:
• a reactor vessel having an inlet for introducing the feedstock into an interior of the reactor vessel, the interior being defined by an interior wall of the reactor vessel;
• a distributor assembly located below and in fluid communication with the inlet for discharging the feedstock radially outward towards the interior walls of the reactor vessel;
• a basket located within the reactor vessel interior and below the distributor assembly, the basket having a fluid permeable outer wall and a first fluid permeable inner wall that is spaced radially inward from the outer wall to define a first annular interior space of the basket, the first annular interior space of the basket containing a particulate material for removing contaminants from the feedstock, the outer wall of the basket being spaced radially inward from the interior wall of the reactor vessel to define an annular flow space between the outer wall of the basket and the interior wall of the reactor vessel, the first fluid permeable inner wall forming a purified feedstock outlet of the basket and defining a central conduit that extends along the length of the basket, the central conduit having a conduit outlet for discharging the purified feedstock;
• and
• a catalyst that is located within the reactor vessel and in fluid communication with the purified feedstock outlet of the basket for contacting the purified feedstock to form a desired product;
• and
• introducing the feedstock into the inlet of the reactor vessel and allowing the feedstock to flow into and through the distributor assembly, the feedstock being discharged radially outward towards the interior walls of the reactor vessel and through the annular flow space wherein the feedstock flows radially inward through the first annular interior space of the basket and through the particulate material so that contaminants are removed from the feedstock to form a purified feedstock;
• and
• contacting the purified feedstock with the catalyst to form a desired product.