The present invention provides a multistage single reactor system for hydroprocessing and a process of carrying out multistage hydroprocessing in the said reactor assembly consisting of, a fixed bed solid catalyst system, a feed injection system enabling axial flow of hydrogen saturated hydrocarbon feed, a hydrogen dispensing system inside the reactor enabling minimum required hydrogen flow in cross-flow pattern, also using multitudes of integrated separation and withdrawal limbs for continuous staging. The innovative reactor disclosed in the present invention enables continuous separation and withdrawal of gaseous products along the reactor length by means of combined horizontal reactor orientation and vertical separation limbs provided at the top of the horizontally oriented reactor. The advantage of the reactor assembly includes effective heat sink of exothermic reactions and lower severity of operation due to removal of inhibitory gaseous products.

A method of cleaning spent catalyst material from a catalyst filter basket. The catalyst filter basket includes a central frame having a base ring and a generally cylindrical inner screen portion which extends upwardly from the base ring. A generally cylindrical outer screen assembly is releasably secured to the central frame by a quick release mechanism.

A catalytic reactor constructed of a thermally conductive housing defining a reaction zone having disposed therein: (a) a plurality of catalytic elements, each comprising a porous material having a catalyst supported thereon, and (b) a plurality of heat transfer elements, each comprising a porous, thermally conductive, and essentially catalytically inactive material; wherein the plurality of catalytic elements and the plurality of heat transfer elements are disposed in an alternating configuration within the reaction zone. The catalytic reactor is useful in chemical reactions where heat transfer is a rate limiting step.

In a chemical reaction device that improves a yield of a product and that causes a reaction, progress of which in a gaseous phase is restricted by a chemical equilibrium between a source material and the product, a cumulative value is not less than 500 mm.sup.2, the cumulative value being obtained by cumulatively adding, from one end to the other end of a cooling surface in a height direction, products of (i) a distance L between (a) a surface of a catalyst layer which surface is in contact with a transmission wall and (b) an outer surface of the cooling surface and (ii) a height H of the catalyst layer corresponding to the outer surface having the distance L.

The present invention provides a process of catalytic depolymerization of polystyrene involving a spherical catalyst, an apparatus for carrying out the depolymerization, recovering the aromatic rich liquid product and recycling the catalyst without any decrease in the catalytic performance. Further, the present invention provides that the aromatic rich liquid product includes styrene, xylene, benzene, ethyl benzene, with styrene content greater than 65%. Additionally, the catalyst involved in the depolymerization process is a spherical catalyst that is easily recovered from coke/char formed during the process and is recycled and reused without any decrease in the catalytic performance.

A system for continuously treating recycled polymeric material includes a hopper configured to feed the recycled polymeric material into the system. An extruder can turn the recycled polymeric material in a molten material. In some embodiments, the extruder uses thermal fluids, electric heaters, and/or a separate heater. The molten material is depolymerized in a reactor. In some embodiments, a catalyst is used to aid in depolymerizing the material. In certain embodiments, the catalyst is contained in a permeable container. The depolymerized molten material can then be cooled via a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, multiple reactors are used. In certain embodiments, these reactors are connected in series. In some embodiments, the reactor(s) contain removable static mixer(s) and/or removable annular inserts.

A system for continuously treating recycled polymeric material includes a hopper configured to feed the recycled polymeric material into the system. An extruder can turn the recycled polymeric material in a molten material. In some embodiments, the extruder uses thermal fluids, electric heaters, and/or a separate heater. The molten material is depolymerized in a reactor. In some embodiments, a catalyst is used to aid in depolymerizing the material. In certain embodiments, the catalyst is contained in a permeable container. The depolymerized molten material can then be cooled via a heat exchanger. In some embodiments, multiple reactors are used. In certain embodiments, these reactors are connected in series. In some embodiments, the reactor(s) contain removable static mixer(s) and/or removable annular inserts.

This invention discloses a reactor and methods for heating of a gas as it reacts with a solid. The reactor contains gas conducts that are empty of solids and that cross through a region packed with solids. The wall of the gas conducts has orifices to make it permeable but not selective to gases, while effectively separating the solids from the gas. In the reactor, the heat source to heat up the gas is generated by the exothermic reaction of the solids with one active component of the gas. The region packed with the reacting solids is at temperatures ranging from 500° C. to 1500° C., to promote the heat transfer towards the gas and the high reactivity of the solids with the active components of the gas, that is forced to diffuse from the conduct through the orifices of the conduct wall.

An apparatus for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source includes a combustor configured to receive a combustor fuel and convert the combustor fuel into a combustor heat; a reformer disposed annularly about the combustor, a removable structured catalyst support disposed within the gap and coated with a catalyst to induce combustor fuel combustion reactions that convert the combustor fuel to the combustor heat, and a combustor fuel injection aperture configured for mixing combustion fuel into the combustion catalyst. The combustor fuel injection aperture being disposed along a length of the combustion zone. The reformer and the combustor define a gap therebetween and the reformer is configured to receive the combustor heat.

A reactor for performing equilibrium-reduced reactions, includes a tubular reactor housing in which a first zone is arranged, through which a liquid absorbent flows, and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the tube. Aa second zone is arranged for receiving a catalyst material and also extends in the longitudinal direction of the tube. The first zone and the second zone are separated by a gas-permeable separation zone. The separation zone has a mechanically self-supporting structure and the aspect ratio of the tubular reactor housing along a reaction zone is greater than 6.