US 5,690,896 AGranted

Distributor assembly for multi-bed down-flow catalytic reactors

AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.

InventorsBruce E. Stangeland, Krishniah Parimi, Dennis R. Cash

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Abstract

A multi-bed, down-flow reactor includes several distributor assemblies, each having a centrally located mixing chamber and an annular collecting and mixing trough surrounding the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber has an inlet at one side thereof, an outlet in its bottom wall, and a quench gas inlet in its top wall above the outlet. A divider wall traverses the annular trough adjacent to the inlet to cause the pool of liquid collected in the trough to flow in a circular pattern around the mixing chamber to the inlet. This ensures that the liquid circulating through the trough is well mixed with the liquid raining down from the catalyst bed. Turbulent and spiraling flow patterns generated within the chamber further mix the liquid and gas and entrain quench gas in the liquid and gas stream.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A distributor assembly for a catalytic reactor including a cylindrical sidewall, two or more catalyst beds, and means mounted to said reactor sidewall for supporting the catalyst beds in vertically superimposed relation to each other to permit liquid and gas to flow from a first catalyst bed to a second catalyst bed, the distributor assembly being mounted within the reactor between said first and second catalyst beds, said distributor assembly comprising an annular trough for collecting liquid flowing down from said first catalyst bed, a box shape mixing chamber disposed centrally within said trough and having an inlet for receiving liquid collected in said trough, said mixing chamber including a partially cylindrical baffle that extends from a second wall of said inlet passageway around a portion of an outlet for directing liquid and gas from said chamber toward said second catalyst bed, said baffle terminating at a downstream end portion that forms a constricted passageway with a proximal side wall of the mixing chamber, to thereby impart a turbulent flow pattern as the liquid and gas flows downstream of said baffle, and a divider wall traversing said trough adjacent to said inlet to cause liquid collected in said trough to circulate through said trough around a substantial portion of said chamber prior to reaching said inlet in order to ensure mixing of liquid from all zones of said first catalyst bed.

A distributor assembly for a catalytic reactor including a cylindrical sidewall, two or more catalyst beds, and means mounted to said reactor sidewall for supporting the catalyst beds in vertically superimposed relation to each other to permit liquid and gas to flow from a first catalyst bed to a second catalyst bed, the distributor assembly being mounted within the reactor between said first and second catalyst beds, said distributor assembly comprising a generally annular trough for collecting liquid flowing downward from said first catalyst bed, a divider wall traversing said trough, and an outlet in said trough adjacent to said divider wall, and means downstream of said outlet for collecting and directing the flow of said liquid to said second catalyst bed inlet, whereby liquid collected in said trough circulates through said trough prior to reaching said outlet, and wherein said means downstream of said outlet for collecting and directing the flow of said liquid to said second catalyst bed includes a box shape mixing chamber disposed centrally within said trough and having an inlet passageway for receiving liquid from said trough outlet, said mixing chamber including, side walls which form the inner wall of said trough, said mixing chamber includes a partially cylindrical baffle that extends from a side wall of said trough, said trough outlet being formed in a side wall of the mixing chamber, said mixing chamber inlet passageway converges in the direction of flow of the liquid and gas into the mixing chamber, to thereby impart a turbulent flow downstream thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.