Apparatus for hydrocracking and/or hydrogenating fossil fuels

A catalytic hydrocracking reactor vessel for the conversion of a hydrogen gas and fossil fuel feedstream to light liquid hydrocarbons, said vessel comprising:

• reactor cup riser means for receiving and cyclonically separating a liquid and vapor product stream to provide an essentially vapor-free liquid and/or solids free recycle stream comprising a shell-in-shell conduit dual pipe, wherein an inner liquid/vapor feed pipe is closed at the top and extends below the bottom of an outer pipe which contains a vapor outlet conduit at the outer pipe top;
• liquid/vapor exit slots contained in the side of the inner pipe and near the closed top of the inner pipe providing communication with an annular shell-in-shell space;
• a helical, cyclonic liquid/vapor separator conduit recivably positioned in the annulus shell-in-shell space opposite to the liquid/vapor exit slots whereby liquid is impinged by the separator onto the inner wall surface of the outer pipe and flows down the annulus while vapor separates up into a vapor outlet conduit;
• and
• grid plate bubble cap means for producing small hydrogen bubbles of increased total surface area at lower pressure drop.

A catalytic hydrocracking reactor vessel for the conversion of a hydrogen gas and fossil fuel feedstream to light liquid hydrocarbons, said vessel comprising:

• a reactor cup shell-in-shell riser comprising a shell-in-shell conduit dual pipe, wherein an inner liquid/vapor feed pipe is closed at the top and extends below the bottom of an outer pipe which contains a vapor outlet conduit at the outer pipe top;
• liquid/vapor exit slots contained in the side of the inner pipe and near the closed top of the inner pipe providing communication with an annular shell-in-shell space;
• a helical, cyclonic liquid/vapor separator conduit receivably positioned in the annulus shell-in-shell space opposite to the liquid/vapor exit slots whereby liquid is impinged by the separator onto the inner wall surface of the outer pipe and flows down the annulus while vapor separates up into a vapor outlet conduit;
• a grid plate bubble cap with tapered bell cap wall housing having serrated edges for producing small hydrogen bubbles of increased total surface area at lower pressure drop;
• and
• one or more of:
• a feedstream inlet pipe sparger containing downward directed slotted openings sized and positioned for even distribution of the feedstream across the cross-sectional area of the reactor and providing free downward drain of solid particles from the sparger;
• and
• a liquid recycle inlet distributor containing vertically curved plates for creating a whirling motion in the liquid recycle stream exiting the distributor means, thereby providing better mixing of the recycle with the feedstream and loss solid settling.

A catalytic hydrocracking reactor vessel for the conversion of a hydrogen gas and fossil fuel feedstream to light liquid hydrocarbons, said vessel comprising:

• a reactor cup riser comprising a shell-in such conduit for receiving and cyclonically separating a liquid and vapor product stream to provide an essentially vapor-free liquid and/or solids free recycle stream, wherein an inner liquid/vapor feed pipe is closed at the top and extends below the bottom of an outer pipe which contains a vapor outlet conduit at the outer pipe top;
• a grid plate bubble cap comprising a bottom wall having serrated edges for producing small hydrogen bubbles of increased total surface area at lower pressure drop;
• a feedstream inlet pipe sparger comprising a circular pipe conduit that is receivably connected to a feedstream inlet conduit and that contains multiple rows of downward directed slotted openings sized and positioned for evenly distributing the feedstream across the cross-sectional area of the reactor and providing free downward drain of solid particles from the sparger;
• and
• a liquid recycle inlet distributor comprising vertically curved plates for creating a whirling motion in the liquid recycle stream exiting the distributor and providing better mixing of the recycle with the feedstream and less solid settling.