Cross-flow, fixed-bed catalytic reactor

A catalytic reaction process, comprising the step of:

• introducing process fluid reactants to a reactant distributor in a cross-flow, fixed bed catalytic reactor, the reactor having a generally cylindrical housing supporting a catalyst bed formed of a plurality of catalyst layers generally axially oriented with respect to the cylindrical housings, and tube banks formed from U-bend tubes extending axially upwardly and downwardly between a reactor bottom region and a reactor top region spaced therefrom, said tube banks extending transversely across a flow path from the reactant distributor at an inlet end of the reactor to a product collector at an opposite end spaced therefrom;
• passing the process fluid reactants along a cross-flow path from the reactant distributor, transversely through the axial catalyst layers and tube banks, to the product collector for catalytic reaction in the catalyst layers;
• circulating a heat transfer fluid countercurrently from a supply manifold through the tube banks to a return manifold, wherein heat is exchanged between said heat transfer fluid and the process fluid passing across the tube banks and the catalyst layers;
• inhibiting process fluid reactants bypass of the catalyst bed from the cross-flow path by maintaining fluid seals defined by the reactant distributor and product collector above and below the catalyst bed;
• and
• collecting process fluid products at the product collector.