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US 5,626,455 AGranted
Ethylene oxide catalyst loading device
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsJames S. Keller, David W. Embry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A single tube catalyst loading device is provided which consists of a transport belt system, electric motor, and catalyst loading hopper. Using this equipment, it is possible to control the drop rate of catalyst pellets without incurring mechanical damage or breakage of the catalyst. By raising or lowering the hopper section above the transport belt, it is possible to increase or decrease the drop rate of catalyst. Drop rate is the critical parameter in controlling catalyst density within the tubes of an ethylene oxide reactor.
Claims32
A catalyst loading device for loading a reactor tube with catalyst comprising:
- (a) a support stand assembly having an upright support stand member, and a support base which includes a proximally located catalyst-receiving section, and a distally located outlet tube funnel for placement at a loading end of a reactor tube;
- (b) a catalyst transport belt connected to said support stand base for transporting catalyst from said catalyst-receiving section to said outlet tube funnel so that said transported catalyst falls by gravity through said outlet tube funnel and into the loading end of the reactor tube;
- (c) a substantially vertical catalyst loading hopper affixed laterally to said upright support stand member, said catalyst loading hopper having a top open end and a bottom open end which is positioned above said catalyst transport belt, said top open end having a larger circumference than said bottom open end such that the circumference of said hopper decreases from top to bottom;
- (d) a hopper adjustment assembly for vertically adjusting said bottom open end of said catalyst loading hopper relative to said catalyst transport belt at said catalyst-receiving section of said housing to establish a distance between said bottom open end of said catalyst loading hopper and said catalyst transport belt to thereby control catalyst feed rate into the reaction tube by said catalyst transport belt;
- (e) a motor assembly connected operatively to said catalyst transport belt for providing motive power to said catalyst transport belt, wherein
- (f) said hopper includes a rigid support brace having one end fixed to said hopper and another end bearing against said support stand, said support brace radially extending from said hopper between said one and another ends thereof so that said another end slides along said upright support stand member during vertical adjustments of said hopper by said hopper adjustment assembly to provide lateral support thereby to said hopper.
3 more elements
A device for transporting particulate material comprising:
- a support stand assembly including a generally horizontally disposed support base having a particulate material receiving section and a particulate material discharge section, and an upright support stand member fixed to said support base;
- an endless transport belt assembly connected to said support base for transporting the particulate material between said receiving and discharge sections of said support base;
- a loading hopper having an upper hopper inlet to allow particulate material to be introduced thereinto, and a lower hopper outlet to allow particulate material to be discharged therefrom;
- and
- a hopper mounting assembly for mounting the hopper laterally of said upright support stand member so that said hopper outlet is in juxtaposed relationship to said particulate material receiving section of said support base, wherein said hopper mounting assembly includes,
- (i) a hopper support bracket radially extending between said hopper and said upright support stand member;
- (ii) a hopper adjustment assembly which connects said hopper support bracket to said upright support stand member for vertically moving said hopper so as to permit vertical height adjustments of said lower hopper outlet relative to said transport belt at said particulate material receiving section to thereby control discharge rates of the particulate material from the transport belt at said discharge section;
- and
- (iii) a lateral support brace positioned below and substantially parallel to said radially extending support bracket, said lateral support brace having a proximal end rigidly connected to said hopper and an opposite distal end in sliding contact with said upright support member so as to buttress said hopper against said upright support member.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.