Abstract: A catalyst spray nozzle for injecting a finely atomized spray of liquid catalyst into a high pressure chemical reactor such as an autoclave reaction vessel for polymerizing ethylene into polyethylene. The liquid catalyst is fed under pressure to the discharge end of a passageway in the spray nozzle. A cylindrical valve member is positioned in a cylindrical compartment disposed adjacent to and coaxially with the discharge end of the passageway, and is biased against the discharge end by a spring coaxially positioned in the compartment. The spring biased valve element prevents liquid catalyst from passing through the nozzle until a given backpressure on the catalyst is established. When the given backpressure is reached, the pressure biases the valve member away from the passageway and the catalyst is forced through at least one discharge orifice under sufficient pressure to cause it to be sprayed in a finely atomized state into the reactor.

Abstract: A catalyst spray nozzle for injecting a finely atomized spray of liquid catalyst into a high pressure chemical reactor such as an autoclave reaction vessel for polymerizing ethylene into polyethylene. The liquid catalyst is fed under pressure to the discharge end of a passageway in the spray nozzle. A valve member is biased closed against the discharge end of the passageway by a biasing spring in the form of belleville washers located entirely within the housing of the nozzle and prevents liquid catalyst from passing therethrough until a given backpressure on the catalyst is established. When the given backpressure is reached, the pressure biases the valve member away from the passagway and the catalyst is forced through at least one discharge orifice under sufficient pressure to cause it to be sprayed in a finely atomized state into the reactor.