Abstract: Horizontal reactor (1) for catalytic reactions, comprising an outer cylindrical shell (2), a catalytic bed (5) and heat exchange plates (6) immersed in said catalytic bed, parallel to each other and supplied with a heat exchange fluid; said reactor comprises a container (7) for said catalytic bed (5) and said plates (6), said container is extractable slidably from said shell, by means of at least one linear guide (31, 32, 45) extended longitudinally with respect to said shell (2).

Abstract: A multi-bed catalytic converter (1) with inter-bed heat exchangers, comprising a plurality of superimposed catalytic beds and a common heat exchanger (5) which is shared between two or more consecutive catalytic beds, said common heat exchanger including heat exchange bodies such as a tube bundle (6), and a wall system (9, 10) to define a tube side and a shell side respectively, and the shell side comprising at least a first space (12) and a second space (13), wherein the first space (12) receives the product gas leaving the first of said consecutive beds, and the inter-cooled gas leaving said first space (12) is admitted in the second bed (3-3) for further conversion, and a sealing means (14) preventing a direct gas passage from said first space to said second space.

Abstract: A reactor and associated process for the high-pressure synthesis of melamine from urea, comprising a primary step of conversion of the urea into crude melamine inside a first chamber delimited by a shell inside a reactor body and a secondary step of stripping said crude melamine melt inside a second reaction chamber, which is coaxial with and situated outside said first chamber, inside the same reactor body.

Abstract: Isothermal catalytic reactor (1) comprising a catalytic bed (2) and a tubular heat exchanger immersed in said catalytic bed, wherein the exchanger is formed by straight tubes connected to a distributor (6) and to a header (7) formed by preferably toroidal bodies which support the said tubes, and wherein the catalytic bed is of the type crossed by an inward radial flow.

Abstract: Reactor for the synthesis of melamine from urea, in accordance with the high-pressure non-catalytic process, comprising: a vertical reactor body (1), at least one inlet (2) for the urea melt, a set of heating elements (3), and a central duct (7), said set of heating elements (3) being arranged inside said central duct.

Abstract: Heat exchanger comprising a tube bundle (1) and a shell (2) which surrounds said tube bundle, said tube bundle comprising tubes (3) arranged with a square or triangular pitch, wherein said shell (2) has a cross-section, in a plane perpendicular to said tubes, having the form of an irregular polygon; said irregular cross-sectional polygon has a number of sides which is a multiple of three or multiple of four for tube bundles with a triangular or square pitch, respectively; the sides of said cross-sectional polygon are parallel to the directional lines of the tubes.

Abstract: Tube-bundle heat exchange unit (1) for internals of heat exchangers or reactors, comprising: at least one tube bundle (2); a plurality of baffles (3) associated with said tube bundle and defining through-openings according to a predefined arrangement, each opening being passed through by one of more tubes of the tube bundle, and a shell (6) which surrounds said tube bundle and said baffles, wherein the assembly of the tube bundle and the shell can be disassembled and the shell is structurally collaborating with the tube bundle through said baffles.

Abstract: A multi-bed catalytic converter (1) with inter-bed heat exchangers, comprising a plurality of superimposed catalytic beds and a common heat exchanger (5) which is shared between two or more consecutive catalytic beds, said common heat exchanger including heat exchange bodies such as a tube bundle (6), and a wall system (9, 10) to define a tube side and a shell side respectively, and the shell side comprising at least a first space (12) and a second space (13), wherein the first space (12) receives the product gas leaving the first of said consecutive beds, and the inter-cooled gas leaving said first space (12) is admitted in the second bed (3-3) for further conversion, and a sealing means (14) preventing a direct gas passage from said first space to said second space.

Abstract: A system (8; 9; 50) is described of walls for catalytic beds of synthesis reactors (1), in which there is a wall (14) in direct contact with a catalytic bed (7) for containing it, said wall (14) having a plurality of portions (17) permeable to the gases and a plurality of portions (19; 54; 55) impermeable to the gases, said portions (17) permeable to the gases being equipped with slits (18; 52, 53; 60; 70) of a size such as to allow the free passage of the synthesis gases through them but not the passage of the catalyst, in which the slits are obtained with milling, water cutting or electro-erosion processing.

Abstract: A chemical isothermal reactor (1) with internal plate heat exchanger (10) having heat-exchange radial plates (11), and radial ducts (14, 15) parallel to sides (13i, 13s) of the plates (11) for distributing and collecting a heat exchange fluid, said radial ducts having a portion with a smaller cross section near the inner converging ends (14c, 15c).

Abstract: A vessel suitable for use as a tube heat exchanger or reformer, comprising a shell (2), a first tube sheet (4) and a second tube sheet (5) which are made of metal and preferably of steel, and a plurality of tubes (3) arranged inside the vessel to form a tube bundle between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet; each of said tubes has a first end and a second end sharing a simply supported link (12, 13) with the first tube sheet or second tube sheet, respectively, in such a way that the tubes are easily extractable from the vessel; said tubes (3) are made preferably of a ceramic material and can be coated or impregnated with a catalyst.

Abstract: A steam cooled chemical reactor (1) comprising a vertical vessel (2), a plate heat exchanger embedded in a catalytic bed, to cool the catalytic bed by evaporation of a cooling water flow, wherein a water inlet and a steam outlet are located underneath the heat exchanger, and the plates and related piping are arranged so that the path of the cooling flow comprises a first ascending path from bottom to top of the catalytic bed, and a second descending path from top to the bottom of catalytic bed, and wherein internal evaporation channels of the plates provide the second descending or the first ascending path, and water upcomers or respectively steam downcomers provide the other of said first and second path.

Abstract: A process and equipment for steam reforming of a hydrocarbon source gas, where the hydrocarbon source gas and a steam flow are partially reformed while passing in a bundle of tubes (13) of a reformer (10), with a catalytically active inner surface; a partially reformed product gas (18) leaving said tubes is mixed with an oxidation agent (19) and subject to a combustion process; a combusted partially reformed gas (20) is introduced in the shell side of said reformer and further reformed by contact with the outer surface of said tubes (13), said outer surface of the tubes being also catalytically active.

Abstract: A radial-flow plate heat exchanger (5) embedded in the catalytic bed of an isothermal chemical reactor (1) has heat exchange plates (10) comprising fluid passages (13) between a first metal sheet (20) and a second metal sheet (21) joined by perimeter weld seams (23) on a first surface (A) of the plate, a feeding channel (14) and a collecting channel (15) for the heat exchange fluid are formed with suitable metal sheets which are seam welded (25) directly to the opposite surface (B) of the plate, this structure allows the manufacturing of the plate (10) with an automated seam welding process, such as laser beam welding.

Abstract: Plant for urea production from ammonia and carbon dioxide having a so-called high-pressure section which comprises a synthesis reactor and a condensation unit (7, 107) positioned inside the reactor, all substantially operating at the same pressure.

Abstract: A tube isothermal chemical reactor (1), comprising a vessel (2) with a central axis (A-A), and an annular tube heat exchanger (40) embedded in a catalytic reaction space, the exchanger (40) comprising a plurality of concentric ranks (10, 11) of tube packs (10a), each of said tube packs comprising parallel tubes (30), a respective heat-exchange fluid feeder (20) and a respective heat-exchange fluid collector (21).

Abstract: System for supporting a plate heat exchanger (10, 100, 200) inside an isothermal chemical reactor (1), comprising a circumferential ring structure (40) fixed at least to top radial sides (19s) of the plates (11), said structure being formed as a single or double ring.

Abstract: A system (8; 9; 50) is described of walls for catalytic beds of synthesis reactors (1), in which there is a wall (14) in direct contact with a catalytic bed (7) for containing it, said wall (14) having a plurality of portions (17) permeable to the gases and a plurality of portions (19; 54; 55) impermeable to the gases, said portions (17) permeable to the gases being equipped with slits (18; 52, 53; 60; 70) of a size such as to allow the free passage of the synthesis gases through them but not the passage of the catalyst, in which the slits are obtained with milling, water cutting or electro-erosion processing.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for carrying out highly exothermic catalyzed reactions, like so-called oxidative reactions, in pseudo-isothermal conditions, for example the reaction for producing nitric acid and the reaction for producing formaldehyde.

Abstract: An internal start-up heater (10) for an ammonia reactor (1), comprising longitudinal heating members (16) and a supporting structure for said heating members (16), the structure comprising plates (20A-20D) with parallel beams (22A-22D) in contact with said heating members (16), wherein the plates are arranged in plate sets formed by at least a first and a second plate having differently arranged supporting beams.