Expandable catalyst support configuration

Abstract

An expandable catalyst support configuration for a reactor, the expandable catalyst support configuration comprising: an expansion tube; and an expandable catalyst support surrounding the expansion tube, wherein the expansion tube is in the form of a spiral-wound tube which is configured to push the expandable catalyst support outwards when it unfurls during installation of the expandable catalyst support configuration in the reactor, and wherein the spiral-wound tube is formed of a spiral-wound metal sheet having surface areas which contact and slide over each other during unfurling, and wherein at least a portion of the surface areas have a roughened matte finish to facilitate unfurling of the spiral-wound metal sheet.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.