Multiple stage separator vessel

A system comprising:

• a catalyst regeneration vessel including at least one cyclone to remove at least some solid particles from a contaminated gas stream;
• a separator vessel for further removing particulate solids from the contaminated gas stream, the vessel comprising:
• a wall defining a generally cylindrical interior, the wall including a vessel inlet through which a particle-contaminated gas stream enters the interior and a vessel outlet;
• a primary cyclone stage in fluid communication with the vessel inlet comprising:
• a primary upper tube sheet and a primary lower tube sheet, each of the primary upper and lower tube sheets extending across the interior;
• a primary plurality of separation cyclones, each of the cyclones having a substantially vertical cyclone body having a top end fixed with respect to the primary upper tube sheet and a bottom end, the top end defining a cyclone inlet for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream, the cyclone operable to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream and to discharge particulates between the respective primary upper tube sheet and primary lower tube sheet, and a primary gas outlet extending through the primary lower tube sheet for discharging a first purified gas stream below the primary lower tube sheet;
• and
• a secondary cyclone stage in fluid communication with the primary gas outlet and spaced apart from the primary cyclone stage, said secondary cyclone stage comprising:
• a secondary upper tube sheet and a secondary lower tube sheet, each of the secondary upper and lower tube sheets extending across the interior;
• a secondary plurality of separation cyclones, each of the cyclones having a substantially vertical cyclone body having a top end fixed with respect to the secondary upper tube sheet and a bottom end, the top end defining a cyclone inlet for receiving the first purified gas stream, the cyclone operable to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated first purified gas stream and to discharge particulates between the respective secondary upper tube sheet and secondary lower tube sheet, and a secondary gas outlet extending through the secondary lower tube sheet for discharging a second purified gas stream through the secondary lower tube.

A process for separating particulate solids from a contaminated gas stream, the process comprising the steps of:

• delivering said contaminated gas stream through an inlet pipe to a separator vessel having a wall that defines an interior;
• providing a primary separator stage comprising a primary first tube sheet and a primary second tube sheet, each of the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet extending across the interior, a primary plurality of separation cyclones, each of the cyclones having a substantially vertical cyclone body having a first end fixed with respect to the first tube sheet and a second end, the first end defining a cyclone inlet for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream, the cyclone operable to induce centripetal acceleration of the particle-contaminated gas stream and to discharge particulates between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, and a first gas outlet extending through the second tube sheet for discharging a first purified gas stream through the second tube sheet;
• providing a secondary separator stage comprising a secondary first tube sheet and a secondary second tube sheet, each of the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet extending across the interior, a secondary plurality of separation cyclones, each of the cyclones having a substantially vertical cyclone body having a first end fixed with respect to the first tube sheet and a second end, the first end defining a cyclone inlet for receiving the particle-contaminated gas stream, the cyclone operable to induce centripetal acceleration of the first purified gas stream and to discharge particulates between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, and a second gas outlet extending through the secondary second tube sheet for discharging a second purified gas stream through the second tube sheet;
• passing the contaminated gas stream through the primary stage, separating an amount of particulate solids from the contaminated gas stream and dispensing the solids between the respective primary first and second tube sheets of the primary stage;
• and
• passing at least a portion of a first purified gas stream from the primary stage through the secondary stage, separating a further amount of particulate solids from the first purified gas stream and dispensing the solids between the respective secondary first and second tube sheets of the secondary stage.