Annular Catalyst Carrier Container For Use In A Tubular Reactor

Abstract

A catalyst carrier for insertion in a reactor tube of a tubular reactor, said catalyst carrier comprising: a container for holding catalyst in use, said container having a bottom surface closing the container, and a top surface; a carrier outer wall extending from the bottom surface to the top surface; a seal extending from the container by a distance which extends beyond the carrier outer wall; said carrier outer wall having apertures located below the seal.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A catalyst carrier for insertion in a reactor tube of a tubular reactor, said catalyst carrier comprising: a catalyst container for holding a catalyst in use; a top surface closing the catalyst container; a bottom surface closing the catalyst container; a carrier outer wall extending from the bottom surface to the top surface; and, a seal extending beyond the carrier outer wall, wherein the carrier outer wall comprises apertures located below the seal.

13. The catalyst carrier according to claim 12, wherein the outer wall extends above the top surface, below the bottom surface, or both.

14. The catalyst carrier according to claim 13, wherein the outer wall is configured to facilitate the stacking of carriers against each other when in use.

15. The catalyst carrier according to claim 13, wherein the outer wall is configured to facilitate connecting a catalyst carrier to an adjacent catalyst carrier when in use.

16. A process of carrying out a chemical reaction wherein a plurality of catalyst carriers according to claim 12 are stacked in a reactor tube wherein one or more reactants and products flow between the outer wall of a first catalyst carrier and an inner surface of the reactor tube until they contact the top surface and seal of a second catalyst carrier and are directed into the second catalyst carrier.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the one or more reactants and products flow out of the first catalyst carrier through the apertures in the carrier outer wall of the first catalyst carrier.

18. The process according to claim 16, wherein the outer wall of the first catalyst carrier is stacked against the outer wall of the second catalyst carrier.

19. The process according to claim 18, wherein the outer wall of the first catalyst carrier extends below the bottom surface of the first catalyst carrier, the outer wall of the second catalyst carrier extends above the top surface of the second catalyst carrier, or both.

20. The process according to claim 16, wherein the outer wall of the first catalyst carrier is connected to the outer wall of the second catalyst carrier.

21. The process according to claim 20, wherein the outer wall of the first catalyst carrier extends below the bottom surface of the first catalyst carrier, the outer wall of the second catalyst carrier extends above the top surface of the second catalyst carrier, or both.

Description

[0085] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0086] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the catalyst carrier of the present invention;

[0087] FIG. 2 is a cross section viewed from the side;

[0088] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one configuration of apertures of the carrier outer wall;

[0089] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the gas flow through the apertures; and

[0090] FIG. 5 is a cross section of one alternative arrangement.

[0091] One example of a catalyst carrier 1 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The carrier 1 comprises an annular container 2 which has perforated inner and outer container walls 3, 4. The perforated wall 3 defines an inner channel 5. A top surface 6 closes the annular container at the top. It is located at a point towards the top of the inner and outer container walls 3, 4 of the annular container 2 such that a lip 7 is formed. A bottom surface 8 closes the bottom of the annular container 2 and a surface 9 closes the inner channel 5 formed by the inner container wall 3. The surface 9 is located in a higher plane that that of the bottom surface 8.

[0092] A seal 10 extends from the upper surface 6 and an upstanding collar 11 is provided coaxial with the inner channel 5.

[0093] A cap 12 closes the top of inner channel 5. Apertures 13 in the cap allow for fluid ingress.

[0094] A carrier outer wall 14 surrounds the container 2. Apertures 16 allow fluid egress from the catalyst carrier.

[0095] A catalyst carrier 1 of the present invention is located in a reactor tube 15. The flow of gas is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2 by the arrows.

[0096] As illustrated in FIG. 3, some of the carrier outer wall material may be left connected to the carrier outer wall. This flange causes the gas to swirl on its exit from the catalyst carrier as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0097] In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5, a spacer 20 may be located above the catalyst carrier, the side walls of the spacer 20 may be integral with the carrier outer wall or may be a separate item. Apertures 21 are located in the spacer wall to allow flow into the space above the top surface of the catalyst carrier.

[0098] In this arrangement, the reactants flow through the apertures 21 in the spacer and into the space above the top surface 6. The flow is then the same as illustrated in FIG. 2.