A fluid mixing and distribution device for a catalytic downflow reactor, said device comprising a collection zone (A), a mixing zone (B) comprising a mixing chamber (15) for fluids and an exchange chamber (16) for fluids, a distribution zone (C), said exchange chamber (16) comprising at least one upper lateral cross-section of flow (17a) and at least one lower lateral cross-section of flow (17b) through which fluids can pass from said exchange chamber (16) to said distribution zone (C), characterized in that said exchange chamber (16) comprises a fluid deflection means (24) fixed to said exchange chamber (16) and located downstream of the upper lateral cross-section of flow (17a), said fluid deflection means (24) forming with said exchange chamber (16) a space (26) in the shape of a pan.

A method is provided of shutting down an operating three-phase slurry bubble column reactor (10) having downwardly directed gas distribution nozzles (30) submerged in a slurry body (19) of solid particulate material suspended in a suspension liquid contained inside a reactor vessel (12), with the gas distribution nozzles (30) being in flow communication with a gas feed line (26) through which gas is fed to the gas distribution nozzles (30) by means of which the gas is injected downwardly into the slurry body (19). The method includes abruptly stopping flow of gas from the gas feed line (26) to the gas distribution nozzles (30) to trap gas in the gas distribution nozzles (30) thereby to inhibit slurry ingress upwardly into the gas distribution nozzles (30).

A method of oxidatively dehydrogenating a dehydrogenation reactant includes providing a first gaseous feed stream to a first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone with less than a stoichiometric amount of oxygen and superheated steam, oxidatively dehydrogenating dehydrogenation reactant in said first adiabatic, catalytic reaction zone and subsequently cooling the effluent, adding additional oxygen and reacting the effluent stream in at least one subsequent adiabatic reaction zone. The dehydrogenation system enables higher conversion and yield per pass and in some cases greatly reduces steam usage and energy costs. In a preferred integrated process, ethylene is converted to n-butene which is then oxidatively dehydrogenated to butadiene.

Device for the mixing and distribution of fluids for a catalytic reactor with a downward flow, said device comprising a collection zone (A), a mixing zone (B) and a distribution zone (C) comprising a distribution plate (12) comprising at least one first zone (C1) supporting a plurality of chimneys (13) and a second zone (C2); said mixing zone (B) is comprised in an annular enclosure (15) situated in the distribution zone (C), said mixing (B) and distribution (C) zones being delimited by at least one annular wall (16) comprising at least one lateral passage section (17a, 17b) suitable for the passage of the fluids from said mixing zone (B) to the first zone (C1) of said distribution zone (C), and the second zone (C2) comprises a plurality of openings (18) suitable for the partial passage of the fluids out of the distribution zone (C).

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a gas coolant for the direct cooling of a unit operation under a fixed heat load from its normal operating temperature (e.g., 300 F. and above) to a lower temperature (e.g., below 100 F.) in order to allow for maintenance or other non-routine work to be carried out in said unit operation.

Provided is a method for producing alcohols by an olefin hydration reaction using a heteropolyacid catalyst, wherein the catalyst can be stably used on a long-term basis. The temperature difference within the catalyst layer in the olefin hydration reaction using a heteropolyacid catalyst is made less than or equal to a certain value. Specifically, in a method for producing alcohols in which a gas-phase hydration reaction is carried out using a solid acid catalyst that supports a heteropolyacid acid or salt thereof and supplying water and C2-C5 olefin to a reactor, the temperature difference within the catalyst layer in the reactor is established at less than or equal to 6 C.

A methanation reactor for reacting dihydrogen with a carbon-based compound and producing methane. The reactor has a hollow body configured to receive a fluidized bed of catalytic particles, an inlet for each carbon-based compound and dihydrogen, and an outlet for methane and water. A water inlet is provided to inject liquid-phase cooling water into the fluidized bed. When each carbon-based compound is a gas, the reactor has at least one water-injection nozzle and at least one gas injection nozzle for a gas consisting of the carbon-based gas and dihydrogen, and at least one water-injection nozzle positioned below the gas-injection nozzle. The flow rate of water introduced into the hollow body can depend on the temperature measured in the reactor.

A fluid dynamic model having at least 5,000,000 cells of the portion of a gas phase reactor from the exit of the condenser to a half a reactor diameter above the bed plate is useful in determining the design of the bottom surface or support structure for a bed plate to minimize liquid pooling below and above the bed plate when operating in condensing mode.

An integrated process, suitable for use in a new or retrofitted plant, produces an olefin or di-olefin via the dehydrogenation of an appropriate C3-C4 hydrocarbon feed includes (1) contacting the feed and a dehydrogenation catalyst having a Geldart A or Geldart B classification in a fluidized bed at a temperature from 550 C. to 760 C. and a pressure from about 41.4 to about 308.2 kPa (about 6.0 to about 44.7 psia) and a catalyst to feed ratio, w/w, from 5 to 100 to form a dehydrogenate product; separating the dehydrogenate product and unreacted starting feed mixture from a portion of the catalyst by means of a cyclonic separation system; reactivating the catalyst in a fluidized regenerator by combustion at 660 C. to 850 C., followed by contact with an oxygen-containing fluid at 660 C. or greater, and returning the catalyst to the dehydrogenation reactor; (2) compressing the product mixture to form a compressed product mixture; and (3) fractionating the compressed product mixture to form a product stream including at least the target olefin or di-olefin. The integrated process offers increased plant capacity, improved economics, and reduced environmental impact in comparison with other known and conventional processes.

Apparatus and processes herein provide for converting hydrocarbon feeds to light olefins and other hydrocarbons. The processes and apparatus include, in some embodiments, feeding a hydrocarbon, a first catalyst and a second catalyst to a reactor, wherein the first catalyst has a smaller average particle size and is less dense than the second catalyst. A first portion of the second catalyst may be recovered as a bottoms product from the reactor, and a cracked hydrocarbon effluent, a second portion of the second catalyst, and the first catalyst may be recovered as an overhead product from the reactor. The second portion of the second catalyst may be separated from the overhead product, providing a first stream comprising the first catalyst and the hydrocarbon effluent and a second stream comprising the separated second catalyst, allowing return of the separated second catalyst in the second stream to the reactor.