Reactor with particulate recycling filtration means

In a reactor vessel for generating a product fluid, a particulate recycling filtration means comprising:

• a port in said vessel for exhausting product fluid therefrom;
• a tubular member positioned within at least a portion of said port in spaced relationship therewith;
• a fluid-permeable portion of said tubular member which is substantially impermeable to particulates and which has an inboard and an outboard end;
• a fluid barrier disposed intermediate said port and said tubular member adjacent the inboard end of said fluid-permeable portion so as to define a volume between said port and said tubular member;
• a means connected to said tubular member adjacent the outboard end of said fluid-permeable portion for restricting the flow of fluid out of the outboard end of said tubular member;
• and
• a means cooperating with said tubular member for removing particulates therefrom;
• wherein said fluid-permeable portion is a porous tube having pores sufficiently small to filter particulates of interest without unduly restricting the flow of fluid therethrough;
• and wherein said means for removing particulates from said tubular member is a ribbon auger rotatably mounted in said tubular member for recycling the particulates to the reactor vessel.