Abstract: A double disc variable orifice valve is provided for fluid solids service in a petroleum process conduit wherein each disc thereof is provided with a plurality of equally spaced and equally sized apertures extending therethrough. One of the discs of the valve is fixed relative to the surrounding valve conduit. Adjacent to the fixed orifice disc or plate, there is provided an adjustable orifice plate having a similar number of sized and spaced orifices. The adjustable orifice plate is supported at its center from the fixed orifice plate in a pivotal mounting arrangement which may include a central fixed aperture.

Abstract: In boilers, process tubes are suspended by means of support studs that are in thermal contact with and attached to the metal roof casing of the boiler and the upper bend portions of the process tubes. The support studs are sufficiently short that when the boiler is in use, the support studs are cooled by conduction of heat to the process tubes and the roof casing thereby maintaining the temperature of the stud so that it does not exceed 1400.degree. F.

Abstract: In boilers, process tubes are suspended by means of vertical tubular supports that are in thermal contact with and attached to the metal roof casing of the boiler and the upper bend portions of the process tubes. The tubular supports have a liquid sealed within the support so that under conditions the liquid refluxes thereby rejecting heat to the atmosphere above the roof casing of the boiler.

Abstract: A valve which has a gate of springy sheet material pressing at its peripheral region against an endless valve seat when the valve is in a closed position. The endless valve seat has a seating surface situated in a predetermined plane generally perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow through an opening defined by the endless valve seat. The gate of springy sheet material is of a dished configuration and has a hollow interior directed toward the opening defined by the endless valve seat when the valve is in a closed position. The dished springy sheet material which forms the movable gate of the valve has a central region situated upstream of the plane in which the seating surface is located, when the valve is closed, and a springy endless peripheral region situated in the plane of the seating surface in engagement with the latter when the valve is closed.

Abstract: A gate valve has a hollow substantially T-shaped housing having opposed tubular ends through which a pair of coaxial sleeves extend, the sleeves terminating in the interior of the housing in a pair of seats. A gate includes a pair of gate members which are movable in the space between the seats to and from closed positions engaging the seats. The gate members are moved by a structure which first displaces the gates transversely to the common axis of the sleeves until the gates are in a position of alignment with the sleeves, and then while the structure which moves the gates continues to operate, a stop engages the gate members to guide them for movement into engagement with the seats. When engaging the stop the gate members move along the common axis of the sleeves. The sleeves serve to protect the housing from the effects of temperature fluctuations of the fluid flowing through the sleeves. In addition the sleeves can readily be removed and replaced as required.

Abstract: The present invention is for a continuous system wherein spent catalyst is removed from a regeneration vessel, while fresh catalyst is added in order to maintain proper catalyst activity in a hydrocarbon processive system. The withdrawal of the spent catalyst must be achieved at a steady flow rate which is compatible with the introduction of fresh catalyst of the hydrocarbon processing system. This flow rate is controlled by a downstream pressure and venting control in the spent catalyst hopper stage acting in conjunction with a novel flow restriction zone in a discharge conduit.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon reformer furnace is provided having a plurality of vertical tubes running through a furnace firebox wherein the upper and lower ends of said tubes are connected to inlet and outlet headers respectively. The apertures through which the lower ends of the vertical tubes exit the firebox are sealed with cast-in-place refractory seals to provide an air seal and mechanical dampening of said tubes.

Abstract: A burner vessel or regenerator vessel is disclosed which has an elliptical bottom head which supports a particulate refractory fill which in turn supports and stabilizes an air distributor inlet manifold. The manifold is supported at radially arranged distribution pipes so that the main air header floats freely for expansion and contraction. A fluidized bed of particulate is combusted above the refractory fill layer. Other appropriate operation apparatus for the vessel are also disclosed. The burner vessel is used in a fluid coker apparatus and the regenerator vessel is used in a fluid catalytic cracking unit.

Abstract: In a vessel such as for a fluid coker burner, there is provided a plenum chamber which functions as a collection header for the clean gas discharge from a plurality of cyclone stages supported within the vessel. The plenum chamber comprises a cylindrically-shaped support skirt welded at one end to the vessel head and at the other end to a relatively thin, flat steel floor, no more than about three-sixteenths to five-eighths of an inch thick. Each of the cyclone stages are individually and separately supported by support means connected directly between each stage and the vessel head and the plenum chamber floor is welded to the cyclone stages, thereby supporting the floor. This permits use of a thinner plenum chamber floor which is capable of sustaining distortions which arise from the differential vertical thermal expansions of the cyclone stages during operation.

Abstract: A stack damper valve comprising a pair of semicircular steel discs typically joined by a removable piano-type hinge. Each of the discs pivot upwardly in the direction of flow from a closed to an open position and vice versa. In the closed position the discs seat in a metal-to-metal relationship against a circular truncated steel seat which is secured such as by welding to the inner surface of the steel stack in which the valve is mounted.

Abstract: A cylinder valve comprising a hollow cylinder having a cross-passage, for use as a valve element, preferably in high temperature fluid solid service, to block flow. The cylinder is enclosed in a refractory lined steel body which includes a main flow passage. The valve cylinder can be rotated 90.degree. about its longitudinal axis to either fully open or fully close the flow passage in the extreme cases. It can also function in an intermediate position as a throttling member. Water or other coolant flow may be provided and maintained through the cylinder if hollow, or the cylinder can be solid for small size valves. The refractory in the main flow passage surrounding the cylinder serves the dual purpose of valve seat and as insulation against extreme temperatures.

Abstract: A slide valve for use in throttling solids flow, preferably including a pair of opposed discs. The valve discs are in bearing contact with the valve seat and effectively will operate with the valve in almost any position. The internal valve construction and arrangement is unitized which simplifies removal of the internals as a single assembly, and permits quick reassembly as well as adjustment. The discs are retained by guide bars to insure that disc movement is essentially limited to a back and forth motion. The valve discs according to the invention can be centered in the valve so that the discharge is centered in the conduit in which they are mounted, thereby reducing flow impingement on the conduit wall to avoid or minimize erosion, or they can be operated singly and/or independently or in conjunction with each other in order to provide desired flow control. With single disc operation, one disc may be retracted and control achieved by throttling with the other disc against part of the seat.

Abstract: A gas distributor for distributing high temperature reaction gases to a fluidized bed of coal particles in a coal gasification process. The distributor includes a pipe with a refractory reinforced lining and a plurality of openings in the lining through which gas is fed into the bed. These feed openings have an expanding tapered shape in the downstream or exhaust direction which aids in reducing the velocity of the gas jets as they enter the bed.

Abstract: A bottom vessel head mounted tube within a tube assembly is used to retrieve particulate matter from a fixed bed reactor. Particulate matter enters the device through coinciding inlet ports in the tubes and flows by gravity to the bottom of the inner tube. By shifting the alignment of the inlet ports, flow is stopped and the catalyst sample flows by gravity into a valved receiver which is depressurized before catalyst is recovered. The device samples catalyst at one elevation.

Abstract: A refractory erosion indicator gage for use in blast furnaces and other equipment which require an indication of the erosion wear in the refractory or other lining. The erosion indicator comprises a structural plate member having a configuration preferably triangular. The member is welded within the refractory lining of the equipment in which it is employed. This may be accomplished by welding the plate member to the equipment shell before the refractory lining insulation is installed or alternatively, it may be provided within the refractory lining per se and secured to the shell with the refractory. As the new refractory surface wears or erosion takes place, the exposed portion of the triangle is determinative of the remaining actual thickness of the refractory lining or of the amount of lining eroded away, depending on the orientation of the plate. This permits an easy determination to be made of the remaining refractory life.

Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus having an outer vessel provided at a lower region with a plenum chamber as well as a grid situated directly above the plenum chamber and carrying a plurality of nozzles through which gas flows from the plenum chamber into the space in the vessel above the grid. These nozzles provide a given pressure drop in the gas flowing therethrough while as the gas flows from the plenum chamber through each nozzle there is also provided by way of a suitable structure a preliminary pressure drop, so that a two-stage pressure drop is provided in the gas flowing through each nozzle from the plenum chamber into the vessel above the grid. In this way it is possible to achieve a flow of gas above the grid sufficient to maintain the particles suspended in the fluidized bed while attrition of the particles is maintained at a minimum so that very little if any fines flow out of the vessel with gas which is formed therein.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for hydrocarbon conversion, such as, fluid catalytic cracking, in which finely divided catalyst is circulated from a catalyst regeneration vessel through a standpipe connected by an angle bend to a vertically inclined conduit which in turn is connected to a straight vertical transferline riser reaction zone into a gas-solids disengaging and stripping vessel without the necessity of a variable orifice flow control valve. Separated spent and stripped catalyst flows from the disengaging-stripping vessel to the regeneration vessel through an external conduit.

Abstract: Coke is removed from a cyclone vapor outlet by continuously introducing a stream of relatively low pressure steam into a vapor outlet, adding a stream of high pressure steam to the low pressure stream, subsequently adding a stream of high pressure water to the high pressure steam, and discontinuing the introduction of high pressure steam. After the desired amount of coke has been removed from the outlet by thermal shocking, the introduction of high pressure water is discontinued. Thereafter, if desired, low pressure air may be introduced into the low pressure steam to control coke deposition by localized combustion.

Abstract: A flexible fluid-conducting assembly includes a pair of pipes which respectively terminate in free end regions which are adjacent but spaced from each other so as to define a predetermined gap between themselves. A flexible, fluid-tight, tubular sheet surrounds and is fluid-tightly fixed to the free end regions of the pipes and bridges the gap therebetween to prevent fluid from escaping through said gap outwardly beyond the fluid-tight, tubular sheet. An internal structure is fixed within the pipes internally thereof at their free end regions and extends through the gap for maintaining substantially unobstructed flow of fluid through the pipes while connecting the pipes to each other for at least limited turning movement, one with respect to the other, about at least one axis which is situated in the gap between the free end regions of the pipes.