Abstract: The invention is for a fixed bed reactor with two phase gas and liquid flow. The reactor has at least one auxiliary bed of solid particles disposed above the main bed of solid particles. The auxiliary bed has separate liquid and gas bypasses comprised of hollow tubing extending through the auxiliary bed to a distributor tray. A liquid layer on the tray provides a liquid seal above the liquid bypasses, thereby preventing gas from bypassing along with the liquid. This feed arrangement allows for a low pressure drop bypassing of the auxiliary bed, when the auxiliary bed becomes fouled and clogged. The invention is also applicable to other apparatuses which use a flow arrangement similar to fixed bed reactors, but which do not necessarily utilize a chemical reaction. One example of such apparatus is a packed absorption tower having co-current downflow of gas and liquid.

Abstract: The invention is for a fixed bed reactor with two phase gas and liquid flow. The reactor has at least one auxiliary bed of solid particles disposed above the main bed of solid particles. The auxiliary bed has separate liquid and gas bypasses comprised of hollow tubing extending through the auxiliary bed. Liquid receptacles provide a liquid seal above the liquid bypasses, thereby preventing gas from bypassing along with the liquid. The liquid spilled from the flow receptacles seeks its lowest level and flows through the auxiliary bed, thereby leaving only the gas to flow through the gas bypasses. This separate feed arrangement allows for a low pressure drop bypassing of the auxiliary bed, when the auxiliary bed becomes fouled and clogged. The invention is also applicable to other apparatuses which use a flow arrangement similar to fixed bed reactors, but which do not necessarily utilize a chemical reaction. One example of such apparatus is a packed absorption tower having co-current downflow of gas and liquid.

Abstract: The invention is for a two phase gas and liquid mixture reacting in an improved fixed bed reactor having at least one auxiliary bed disposed above the main bed. The auxiliary beds each have separate liquid and gas bypasses comprising hollow tubing of relatively different lengths extending through the auxiliary bed. The gas bypass tubing projects to a greater height above the auxiliary bed than the liquid bypass tubing. This tubing bypass arrangement allows for a low pressure drop bypass of the auxiliary bed to the main bed by the liquid and gas when the auxiliary bed becomes fouled.