Moving catalyst bed reactor

A moving bed reactor apparatus through which solid catalyst particles forming a catalyst bed descend by the action of gravity, which apparatus comprises:

• (a) a vertically disposed cylindrical vessel, (b) a reactant inlet conduit communicating with an upper portion of said vessel, (c) a catalyst inlet conduit communicating with an upper portion of said vessel, (d) catalyst supporting means for at least one catalyst bed, said catalyst supporting means being disposed within said vessel below said catalyst inlet conduit, said catalyst supporting means being supported upon the inner wall of said vessel of being at least partly in the shape of the conical surface of at least one truncated cone conveying downwardly to at least one vertical outlet channel, each said outlet channel having outer circumferential walls for the combined passage of catalyst and separation of reactor effluent, said circumferential walls having a screen section for withdrawing said reactor effluent from said catalyst;
• said outlet channel(s) having separate outlet conduits for reactor effluent and catalyst downstream of said screen section, and wherein said vertical outlet channels further contain inner wall portions within said channels, each said inner wall portion bearing a further screen section for withdrawing of reactor effluent from said catalyst.