LOADING OF SOLID PARTICLES INTO A VESSEL

Abstract

A device for distribution of solid particles for loading a vessel with solid particles, comprising: a solid particle feed hopper, a rotating member and a drive member coupled to said rotating member to drive in rotation said rotating member, a set of at least one deflector element, each deflector element extending in its longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, and being carried by said rotating member at its first end, where, at least one deflector element of said set is rigid and mounted to pivot on the rotating member at its first end, the device further comprises remotely actuatable deployment means adapted to drive at least one deflector element mounted to pivot on the rotating member so as to cause it to pivot from a position for introduction into the vessel to an erected, particle deviation position independent of the rotation speed of the rotating member.

Claims

1. A device for distributing solid particles when loading a vessel with said solid particles, comprising: a solid particle feed hopper defining a set of at least one opening for evacuation of the particles from the hopper by gravity, a rotating member and a drive member coupled to said rotating member to drive said rotating member in rotation about a rotation axis having under conditions of use a direction with a component in the direction of the gravity vector, downstream of the set of at least one opening of the feed hopper a set of at least one deflector element, each deflector element extending along its longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end and being carried by said rotating member at its first end, characterized in that at least one deflector element of said set is rigid and mounted to pivot on the rotating member at its first end, the distribution device further comprises remotely actuatable deployment means adapted to drive at least one deflector element mounted to pivot on the rotating member so as to cause it to pivot from a position for introduction into the vessel, in which its longitudinal direction forms a first angle with the direction of the rotation axis, to a particle deviation position, in which its longitudinal direction forms a second angle with the direction of the rotation axis, the second angle being strictly greater than the first angle and imposed by the deployment means independently of the rotation speed of said rotating member.

2. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the distribution device is such that the deployment means are able to retain said at least one deflector element mounted to pivot in at least one intermediate position, each intermediate position corresponding to an angle strictly greater than the first angle and strictly less than the second angle.

3. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the set of at least one deflector element comprises a plurality of deflector elements preferably having different lengths.

4. The distribution device of claim 3, in which the deployment means are conformed to cause one or more deflector elements to pivot independently of the other deflector elements of said plurality.

5. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the second angle is between 45 and 100 inclusive, preferably between 60 and 95 inclusive, and more preferably between 75 and 90 inclusive.

6. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the set of at least one deflector element is distributed in an irregular manner around the rotation axis.

7. The distribution device of claim 6, in which the set of at least one deflector element is such that when erected relative to the rotation axis the projections of said set in a plane normal to the rotation axis of the rotating member have an asymmetric distribution around said rotation axis with at most one plane of symmetry passing through the rotation axis.

8. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the deflector elements are distributed over an angular range from more than 5 to less than 320, preferably less than 280, more preferably less than 180 and still better less than 120.

9. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the deployment means comprise a linkage member comprising a first end rod extending toward the hopper top under conditions of use and at least one second rod mounted on and articulated relative to the first rod and cooperating with at least one deflector element.

10. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the first angle is between 0 and 20 inclusive.

11. The distribution device of claim 1, in which the set of at least one opening of the feed hopper is conformed in an asymmetric manner relative to the rotation axis, defining at most one plane of symmetry passing through the rotation axis.

12. The distribution device of claim 11, in which the drive member is such that the rotating member to which it is coupled effects a movement with angular speed variations over an angular range of 360 or less.

13. A method of installing the solid particle distribution device of claim 1 in a vessel defining an orifice in its upper part, comprising: causing to pass through said orifice at least the rotating member and the set of at least one deflector element comprising at least one rigid deflector element in a position for introduction into the vessel, and remotely actuating the deployment means to drive at least one deflector element mounted to pivot on the rotating member so as to cause it to pivot from the position for introduction into the vessel to the position for deviation of the particles.

14. An assembly comprising a vessel, preferably a catalytic reactor, and the device of claim 1 with the rotating member and the set of at least one deflector element introduced into the vessel.

15. A method of loading solid particles into a vessel having an opening in its upper part, comprising: a) the installation in the vessel of the distribution device of claim 1 via the opening in the upper part of the vessel; then b) driving in rotation the rotating member of said device; and c) loading particles by introducing them into the feed hopper of said device whilst maintaining the rotating member in rotation.

16. The method of claim 15, characterized in that the rotating member effects an oscillating movement with the rotation direction reversed at the ends of an angular range extending over 350 or less, preferably 330 or less, more preferably 320 or less, better 310 or less, and even better 270 or less.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] The invention will be better understood with reference to the figures, which show nonlimiting embodiments.

[0103] FIG. 1 represents diagrammatically an assembly comprising a reactor and one example of a prior art solid particle distribution device.

[0104] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a part of one example of a solid particle distribution device according to one embodiment of the invention, with the deflector elements in the position for introduction into the vessel.

[0105] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a part of the example of a solid particle distribution device from FIG. 2 with the deflector elements in the position for deviation of particles.

[0106] FIG. 4 is a sectional view representing the example of the distribution device from FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0107] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one example of a reactor cover provided with an orifice for the passage of a distribution device according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0108] Identical references may be used from one figure to the other to designate identical or similar elements.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 1, a reactor 1 defines an opening 13, referred to as an orifice, for the passage in particular of a device 3 for distribution of solid particles 6, 7.

[0110] The distribution device 3 may for example be of the same type as that described in the document WO 2010/076522.

[0111] In the example represented the distribution device rests on a plate 4 of the reactor 1 on arms.

[0112] The device 3 further includes rigid or semi-rigid straps 9 for better distribution of the solid particles. Each of these straps 9 is fixed by one end to a shaft 31 extending along a vertical axis (D) through a hopper 5 for feeding solid particles.

[0113] The orifice 13 must be large enough to allow all the straps 9 to pass through it.

[0114] The hopper 5 may be connected to a store of solid particles, not shown, in a manner known in itself.

[0115] During loading solid particles flow through openings 8 defined at one end of the hopper, situated above the straps 9.

[0116] Also, the shaft 31 is driven in rotation by a motor, not represented, so that the straps extend away from the shaft at an angle.

[0117] Particles falling from the hopper 5 are liable to rebound on these straps and thus to be deviated from their trajectory. These somewhat random deviations can enable dense loading of solid particles.

[0118] The distribution device 3 enables loading of the reactor 1 with inert balls 6 and also with catalyst particles 7.

[0119] By products loaded into the reactor, or loading of the reactor, is meant solid particles distributed into the reactor by the distribution device, for example the beds 6, 7 from FIG. 1, the reagents and products in the chemical sense of the term, and/or otherwise.

[0120] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a distribution device 417 comprises a hopper 418 defining a plurality of, here four, lateral openings 419 defined in the lateral walls of the hopper. The bottom of the hopper is solid with the exception of an opening for the passage of rotating mechanical elements.

[0121] In this example each opening 419 is equipped with a blocking flap 420 mounted on and sliding on vertical rails. The effective section of each opening 419 can therefore be adjusted so that the set of openings 419 can be distributed in an asymmetric manner over the periphery of the hopper so as to favor the evacuation of the particles contained in the hopper in certain directions.

[0122] Under these openings 419 rigid plastic deflector elements 425 are mounted on a rotating element 421.

[0123] That rotating element 421 cooperates via conversion means with no reference symbol with a shaft crossing the hopper positioned in a central manner relative to the hopper and driven in rotation by a motor that is not represented about an axis (z).

[0124] These conversion means, comprising in particular a roller, enable transformation of the continuous rotation movement of the shaft into an oscillating movement of the rotating element 421.

[0125] Each deflector element extends longitudinally between a first end 430 and a second end 432, in its own longitudinal direction. There has been represented in FIG. 3 a straight line segment (Di) parallel to the longitudinal direction tied to the deflector element referenced 425.

[0126] An articulation 426, 427 at the end 430 of each deflector element 425 defines a pivot connection between that deflector element and the rotating element 421.

[0127] The other end 432 is a free end.

[0128] To be more precise, two flanges 427 facing one another are fastened by screws to the deflector element. These flanges 427 define orifices to receive a rod 426 passing through a bore defined in the rotating element 421.

[0129] Thanks to this pivot connection the deflector elements 425 are therefore able to pass from a position for introduction into the vessel, as shown in FIG. 2, to a deployed position, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0130] In this embodiment, this passage from one position to the other is effected by means of a linkage member 422. This member comprises a plurality of rods articulated to one another, including a central vertical rod 423 and radial rods 424.

[0131] The radial rods 424 are articulated to the deflector elements 245 and the linkage member 422 is such that a vertical movement of the central rod 423 drives in movement the radial rods 424 and therefore the deflector elements 425, in the manner of an umbrella.

[0132] This linkage member, functioning like an umbrella, can enable all of the deflector elements to be erected at the same time.

[0133] The deflector elements installed in the vessel may be erected before starting the motor.

[0134] The rotation speed has no influence on the angle of the deflector elements. The rotation speed may therefore affect the permeability to particles independently of this angle between the rotation axis and the longitudinal direction tied to a deflector element.

[0135] The linkage member may advantageously be conformed so that the angular position of at least one deflector element (for example of all of the deflector elements, or of each deflector element individually) may be adjustable. In the example from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the deflector elements have variable lengths so as to give preference to a direction of filling the vessel, this device 417 being intended for eccentric positioning.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 5, there has been represented an example of a cover 502 intended to cover a cylindrical reactor body that is not shown.

[0137] This cover 502 defines a small number of, here two, offtakes 503, 504. One offtake 503 corresponds to the passage of the loading device while the other offtake 504 may correspond to an evacuation of air, to the passage of a probe device, etc.

[0138] Because of the compactness of the loading device during its introduction into the vessel, it is therefore possible to limit further the nuisance occasioned by dust during loading.