Granular bed restraint system

An adsorber assembly which comprises:

• (a) a cylindrical vessel having an upper head and a lower head;
• (b) fluid inlet and outlet piping means connected to the lower head of vessel and fluid inlet and outlet piping means connected to the upper head for withdrawing fluid from the vessel;
• (c) a bed of granular adsorbent material which partially fills the vessel;
• (d) a flexible porous basket within the cylindrical vessel in contact with the top of the bed of granular material and with the inner walls of the vessel above the top of the bed of granular material, wherein the porous basket has openings which are smaller than the smallest particles of the granular material such that granular material does not pass through the openings;
• and
• (e) a layer of solid bodies located within the flexible porous basket which press the flexible porous basket against the top of the bed of granular material and against the inner walls of the cylindrical vessel above the bed of granular material, wherein the solid bodies in the layer of solid bodies have an average diameter greater than the average particle diameter of the granular material and the material forming the solid bodies has a density greater than the bulk density of the granular material.

A method for restraining the upward motion of granular material in a vessel having an upper head and a lower head, which vessel contains a bed of granular material through which a fluid flows in an upward direction, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) providing a flexible porous basket which has openings with sizes smaller than the smallest particles in the granular material such that granular material does not pass through the openings in the porous basket;
• (b) installing the flexible porous basket into the cylindrical vessel in contact with the top of the bed of granular material and against the inner walls of the cylindrical vessel above the top of the bed of granular material;
• and
• (c) placing a layer of solid bodies within the flexible porous basket which presses the flexible porous basket against the top of the bed of granular material and against the walls of the cylindrical vessel above the top of the bed of granular material, wherein the solid bodies in the layer of solid bodies have an average diameter greater than the average particle diameter of the granular material.