Catalytic reactor designed to reduce catalyst slumping and crushing

A steam reformer assembly for converting a reactor fuel into a process gas, said assembly having a catalyst disposed therein forming a catalyst bed having a gas flow inlet and a gas flow outlet, such that the reactor fuel and steam flow in contact with the catalyst bed, said assembly including a catalyst container for said catalyst bed which has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is greater than that of the catalyst, said catalyst bed and catalyst container being subjected to operating temperatures and temperature cycles which are sufficient to alternately increase the volume of the catalyst container to a degree that will allow the catalyst bed to slump, and decrease the volume of the catalyst container to a degree that will subject the catalyst to crushing, said assembly comprising:

• a) a plurality of catalyst support assemblies for dividing the catalyst bed into a plurality of catalyst tiers, said catalyst support assemblies each comprising a perforated base for supporting a respective one of the catalyst bed tiers, said base allowing the flow of reactor fuel and steam through the catalyst tiers and a plurality of legs which extend from said base and which support a next adjacent one of said support assemblies in the catalyst bed;
• and
• b) the legs on support assemblies which are disposed in hotter outlet areas of the catalyst bed being shorter than the legs on support assemblies which are disposed in cooler inlet areas of the catalyst bed so as to reduce the amount of slumping and subsequent crushing of the catalyst bed in said hotter outlet areas of the catalyst bed.