Embodiments of the invention are directed to a device and a method for unloading particulate material from a reactor tube of a catalytic reactor comprising an array of substantially vertically aligned reactor tubes. The device comprises an air lance (11, 111-113) for loosening the particulate material inside the reactor tube using pressurized air, an air lance unit (10) for feeding the air lance in and out of the reactor tube, and a flexible guide tube (12, 121-123) on one end connectable to the air lance unit and on the other end connectable to a cleaned reactor tube (7, 71-73) for guiding the air lance from the reactor tube to the cleaned reactor tube for storing a part of the air lance that has not been fed into the reactor tube within the first cleaned reactor tube.

Aqueous effluent treatment system including a separation reactor having a reactor chamber fluidly connected to an aqueous effluent source, connected via a pump to an inlet of the reactor chamber, a fluid extraction system connected to a liquid effluent outlet at a top of the reactor chamber, and a solid residue extraction system connected to a solid residue outlet at a bottom of the reactor chamber. The separation reactor is operable to generate pressures exceeding 22 MPa and temperatures exceeding 300° C. in the reactor chamber configured to generate a supercritical zone in an upper portion of the reactor chamber to which the liquid effluent outlet is connected, and a subcritical zone in a lower portion of the chamber within the reactor chamber to which the solid residue outlet is connected. The solid residue extraction system comprises an output circuit comprising a collector coupled to the solid residue outlet via a collector input valve (V1) and to a water output tank via a filter and a collector liquid output valve (V4) operable to be opened to cause a pressure drop at the solid residue outlet to draw solid residue out of the reactor chamber, the solid residue extraction system further comprising a gas feed circuit connected via a gas supply valve (V5) to the collector, the gas supply valve operable to be opened to extract solid residues in the collector to a solids output tank connected to the collector via a collector solids output valve (V6).

The present invention relates to a solid precipitation apparatus and a solid precipitation process, wherein said apparatus and said process, particularly when used for the desalination of a high-salinity wastewater, can meet the requirement of stable operation for a long period, can realize efficient removal of salts from the wastewater, and solve the problems of difficult desalination of high-salinity wastewater, easy blockage, and the like. The solid precipitation apparatus comprises a housing, an inlet for a stream, a discharging outlet, and a support disposed in an inner chamber of said housing, wherein the configuration of said support is suitable for a solid substance to be deposited and loaded thereon.

A method for processing a chemical stream includes contacting a feed stream with a catalyst in a reactor portion of a reactor system causing a reaction which forms a product stream. The method includes separating the product stream from the catalyst, passing the catalyst to a catalyst processing portion of the reactor system, processing the catalyst in the catalyst processing portion, and passing a portion of the catalyst from the catalyst processing portion of the reactor system into a catalyst withdrawal system that includes a catalyst withdrawal vessel and a transfer line coupling the catalyst withdrawal vessel to the catalyst processing portion. Each of the catalyst withdrawal vessel and the transfer line include an outer metallic shell and an inner refractory lining. The method further includes cooling the catalyst in the catalyst withdrawal vessel from greater than or equal to 680° C. to less than or equal to 350° C.

Described herein are a measurement apparatus for measuring axial temperature profiles in a reactor tube, a connecting piece for connecting the reactor tube to a feed pipe configured as a thermal stress compensator for a reaction input stream and for lateral introduction of a multipoint thermocouple into the reactor tube, the use of the connecting piece/measurement apparatus for measuring axial temperature profiles in a reformer tube for steam reforming of hydrocarbons and a process for installing the measurement apparatus.

An addition system for introducing particulate material into an industrial process is disclosed. The addition system comprises a vessel for holding the particulate material, wherein the vessel has a top and a bottom; one or more weighing devices; a controller for controlling operation of the addition system; a base plate to support the vessel and optionally the controller; and three or more legs, each leg having an uppermost section that connects to the vessel and a foot that is connected to the base plate. The widest diameter of the vessel is less than the diameter of a circle drawn through the feet of the legs. The one or more weighing device are mounted on the base plate and support the legs of the vessel.

A coke catching apparatus for use in hydrocarbon cracking to assist in the removal of coke and the prevention of coke build up in high coking hydrocarbon processing units. The apparatus includes a grid device for preventing large pieces of coke from entering the outlet of the process refining equipment while allowing small pieces of coke to pass through and be disposed of The coke catching apparatus can be easily disassembled to be removed from the refining process equipment and cleaned.

A catalyst loading and unloading system for chemical reactors has an extendable catalyst transfer tube that is fed by a catalyst hopper and controlled by a tube displacement mechanism; more particularly, by a winch mechanism. As the reactor chamber fills with catalyst, a lower end of the extendable catalyst transfer tube is displaced upward by the tube displacement mechanism to correspond with the rising height of the catalyst bed within the chamber. The extendable catalyst transfer tube may further be used to vacuum old catalyst out of the reactor chamber.

A downflow reactor, e.g. a downer reactor or system, includes an outer wall defining an interior reactor space. An elongated plug is within the outer wall having a first end and a second end, defining a longitudinal axis between the first and second ends. A distribution baffle positioned at a vertical position between the first end and the second end of the elongated plug configured and adapted to direct hot down flowing catalyst towards a feedstock spray.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of methane and/or other hydrocarbons to hydrogen by pyrolysis while reducing or minimizing production of carbon oxides. The conversion of hydrocarbons to hydrogen is performed in one or more pyrolysis or conversion reactors that contain a plurality of sequential fluidized beds. The fluidized beds are arranged so that the coke particles forming the fluidized bed move in a counter-current direction relative to the gas phase flow of feed (e.g., methane) and/or product (H.sub.2) in the fluidized beds. By using a plurality of sequential fluidized beds, the heat transfer and management benefits of fluidized beds can be realized while also at least partially achieving the improved reaction rates that are associated with a plug flow or moving bed reactor.