A packing member for use in a packed bed, preferably a support for use as a catalyst support in a packed bed reactor. The packing member includes ceramic material and has a geometric surface area per volume of ≥0.7 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥250 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ≥1.5 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥150 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ≥3 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥60 kgf. The packing member optionally has a porosity of at least 6%, such as at least 15% or at least 20%.

A packing member for use in a packed bed, preferably a support for use as a catalyst support in a packed bed reactor. The packing member includes ceramic material and has a geometric surface area per volume of ≥0.7 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥250 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ≥1.5 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥150 kgf; or a geometric surface area per volume of ≥3 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 and a side crush strength of ≥60 kgf. The packing member optionally has a porosity of at least 6%, such as at least 15% or at least 20%.

A catalytic reactor comprises a load distributor assembly to evenly transfer a load from equipment (internals) to a reactor support ring or support structure fixed within the reactor shell, thereby maximizing the possible load to be applied to the support ring or support structure without any hot-work modifications and without exceeding the allowable tensions/stress.

A method and device for producing a solution of polyphosphoric acid from a feed solution P0 by the wet method is provided. An enriched phosphoric acid solution optionally mixed with a direct feed solution is pulverised in a flame of a combustion chamber in order to form the polyphosphoric acid solution. The combustion gases from the combustion chamber are placed in contact with the feed solution in a gas-acid contactor in order to increase the temperature and the P.sub.2O.sub.5 concentration thereof and thus to form an enriched phosphoric acid solution. A portion of the enriched phosphoric acid solution is conveyed with a flow rate of Qp into the combustion chamber in order to be pulverised in the flame. The rest of the enriched phosphoric acid solution is conveyed into a recirculation loop in order to be reinjected into the gas-acid contactor with a flow rate of Q2. The ratio of Qp/(Qp+Q2) is controlled with a predefined value.

A method and device for producing a solution of polyphosphoric acid from a feed solution P0 by the wet method is provided. An enriched phosphoric acid solution optionally mixed with a direct feed solution is pulverised in a flame of a combustion chamber in order to form the polyphosphoric acid solution. The combustion gases from the combustion chamber are placed in contact with the feed solution in a gas-acid contactor in order to increase the temperature and the P.sub.2O.sub.5 concentration thereof and thus to form an enriched phosphoric acid solution. A portion of the enriched phosphoric acid solution is conveyed with a flow rate of Qp into the combustion chamber in order to be pulverised in the flame. The rest of the enriched phosphoric acid solution is conveyed into a recirculation loop in order to be reinjected into the gas-acid contactor with a flow rate of Q2. The ratio of Qp/(Qp+Q2) is controlled with a predefined value.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

A method for facilitating the distribution of the flow of one or more streams within a bed vessel is provided. Disposed within the bed vessel are internal materials and structures including multiple operating zones. One type of operating zone can be a processing zone composed of one or more beds of solid processing material. Another type of operating zone can be a treating zone. Treating zones can facilitate the distribution of the one or more streams fed to processing zones. The distribution can facilitate contact between the feed streams and the processing materials contained in the processing zones.

The invention relates to a solid shaped body (1) having a cylindrical form with a first base area (3), a second base area (5) and a lateral area (7), wherein the solid shaped body (1) comprises a first number of flutes (9) in the lateral area (7), each extending from the first base area (3) to the second base area (5), and a second number of openings (11), each extending from the first base area (3) to the second base area (5), and wherein the second number of openings (11) is in a range from 2 to 8, the second number of openings (11) is larger than the first number of flutes (9) and wherein a ratio between a first radius (13) of at least one flute (9) and a second radius (15) of at least one opening (11) is at least 1.15. The invention further relates to a use of the solid shaped body (1).

The invention relates to a solid shaped body (1) having a cylindrical form with a first base area (3), a second base area (5) and a lateral area (7), wherein the solid shaped body (1) comprises a first number of flutes (9) in the lateral area (7), each extending from the first base area (3) to the second base area (5), and a second number of openings (11), each extending from the first base area (3) to the second base area (5), and wherein the second number of openings (11) is in a range from 2 to 8, the second number of openings (11) is larger than the first number of flutes (9) and wherein a ratio between a first radius (13) of at least one flute (9) and a second radius (15) of at least one opening (11) is at least 1.15. The invention further relates to a use of the solid shaped body (1).

The disclosure describes a system for generating hydrogen gas from a hydrocarbon through pyrolysis with reduced soot formation and increased carbon loading. The system includes a pyrolysis reactor configured to generate the hydrogen gas from the hydrocarbon through pyrolysis. The pyrolysis reactor includes one or more fibrous substrates configured to provide a deposition surface for carbon generated from the pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon. Each fibrous substrate has an effective void fraction between 40% and 95%, and includes a plurality of fibers configured to maintain chemical and structural stability between about 850° C. and about 1300° C. The one or more fibrous substrates may have a relatively high surface area to fiber volume of the plurality of fibers.