US 5,885,000 A · Single-piece contactor shaft assembly

Abstract

The invention includes a hydraulic head and contactor shaft assembly combination for attachment to a fluid-containing vessel and motor including: a hydraulic head for removable attachment to one end of a vessel and having a circular aperture in the center; a bearing housing having an open-end and a closed-end. The open-end is fixedly attached to the hydraulic head and the closed-end has a circular aperture. The center axis of the circular aperture in the closed-end of the bearing housing is aligned with the center axis of the circular aperture. There is a single-piece contactor shaft having a first end and a second end. The first end protrudes through the circular aperture in the hydraulic head. A first annular passageway is formed between the single-piece contactor shaft aperture. The first end is configured for removable attachment to a rotatable mixing blade and the second end protrudes through the circular aperture in the closed-end of the bearing housing, forming a second annular passageway between the single-piece contactor shaft aperture in the closed-end of the bearing housing. The second end of the single-piece contactor shaft is configured for removable attachment to a rotatable motor shaft. There is a doughnut-shaped seal for preventing passage of the liquids through the first annular passageway. The doughnut-shaped seal is positioned in the first annular passageway. There is a doughnut-shaped bearing for supporting the single-piece contactor shaft. The doughnut-shaped bearing is positioned in the second annular passageway. A rotatable mixing blade is removably attached to the first end of the single-piece contactor shaft.

An alkylation reactor and contactor shaft assembly combination for mixing fluids comprising:

(a) an elongated alkylation reaction vessel for mixing liquid butane and sulfuric acid and containing the reactant product alkylate;
(b) a hydraulic head member, having an open-end portion and a closed-end portion, removably attached to an end portion of said vessel and in fluid communication with said vessel:
i) wherein said hydraulic head member having a substantially circular aperture in a central portion therein;
and
ii) wherein the center axis of said circular aperture is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said elongated alkylation vessel;
(c) a substantially bell-shaped bearing housing having an open-end portion and a closed-end portion, said open-end portion having a larger diameter than said closed-end portion;
i) wherein the open-end portion is fixedly attached to an outer portion of said closed-end portion of said hydraulic head member;
ii) wherein the closed-end portion has a substantially circular aperture therein;
and
iii) wherein the center axis of said circular aperture in the closed-end portion of said bearing housing is substantially aligned with the center axis of said circular aperture in said hydraulic head member;
(d) a single-piece contactor shaft having a substantially cylindrical shape and having a first end portion and a second end portion:
i) wherein said single-piece contactor shaft is from about 51 inches to about 61 inches in length and from about 2 inches to about 4 inches in diameter;
ii) wherein the first end portion of said single-piece contactor shaft is disposed through, and protrudes through, said circular aperture in said hydraulic head member, whereby a first annular passageway is formed between said single-piece contractor shaft and portions of said hydraulic head member defining said aperture;
iii) wherein said first end portion is configured for receipt of a rotatable mixing blade member;
iv) wherein the second end portion of said single-piece contactor shaft is disposed through, and protrudes through, said circular aperture in said closed-end portion of said bearing housing, whereby a second annular passageway is formed between said single-piece contactor shaft and portions of said bearing housing defining said aperture in said closed-end portion of said bearing housing;
and
v) wherein the second end portion of said single-piece contactor shaft is configured for attachment to a rotatable motor shaft member;
(e) a substantially doughnut-shaped mechanical seal member for preventing passage of the liquid butane and the sulfuric acid and the reactant product alkylate through said first annular passageway, wherein said doughnut-shaped mechanical seal member is disposed in said first annular passageway;
(f) a substantially doughnut-shaped support bearing assembly for supporting said single-piece contactor shaft, wherein said doughnut-shaped support bearing assembly is disposed in said second annular passageway;
(g) a rotatable mixing blade member having a substantially radially symmetrical configuration and having a substantially centrally located aperture:
i) wherein said rotatable mixing blade member is removably attached to said first end portion of said single-piece contactor shaft;
and
ii) wherein said single-piece contactor shaft is disposed in said aperture in said mixing blade member;
(h) an electric motor for generating a rotational force for driving said single-piece contactor shaft assembly:
i) said electric motor comprising a rotatable motor shaft member for transmitting a rotational force;
and
ii) wherein said motor shaft member has an end portion removably attached to said second end portion of said single-piece contactor shaft;
and
(i) wherein said alkylation reactor and contactor shaft assembly combination is configured so that during operation of said alkylatlon reactor and contactor shaft assembly combination:
i) whereby rotation of said motor shaft member drives rotation of said single-piece contactor shaft;
ii) whereby rotation of said single-piece contactor shaft drives rotation of said mixing blade member;
and
iii) whereby rotation of said mixing blade member causes mixing of said liquid butane and said sulfuric acid.

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Single-piece contactor shaft assembly

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Single-piece contactor shaft assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15