Abstract: The present invention includes a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles and that comprises at least one dump tube, which opens into the reactor in the bottom portion of the bed of particles or underneath the latter. The method comprises the following: a first step of causing a proportion of the catalyst bed to flow out of the reactor via said dump tube; then a second step of expelling out of the reactor the catalyst remainder, by driving towards the opening of the dump tube the catalyst particles remaining in the reactor at the end of the first step, this step being performed by means of a removable device introduced into the reactor via the dump tube, and is characterised in that said removable device comprises an articulated arm bearing one or more protuberances spirally disposed about a rotary axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles, wherein the reactor comprises at least one dump tube that opens into the reactor. The method comprises the steps of: (a) causing a portion of the bed of spent catalyst particles to flow out of the reactor via the dump tube; and (b) expelling the remainder of the spent catalyst particles from the reactor by driving the remainder of the spent catalyst particles toward the opening of the dump tube using a removable device comprising at least one rotary brush fixed to the end of an articulated arm introduced into the reactor via the dump tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles, wherein the reactor comprises at least one dump tube that opens into the reactor. The method comprising the steps of: (a) causing a portion of the bed of spent catalyst particles to flow out of the reactor via the dump tube; and (b) extracting the remainder of the spent catalyst particles from the reactor by driving the remainder of the spent catalyst particles toward the opening of the dump tube using a removable device comprising at least one flexible extraction sleeve introduced into the reactor via the said dump tube and connected to an extraction system situated outside the reactor, the sleeve being provided on its external surface with protuberances and being able to move, inside the reactor, translationally and rotationally with respect to the dump tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles, wherein the reactor comprises at least one dump tube that opens into the reactor. The method comprises the steps of: (a) causing a portion of the bed of spent catalyst particles to flow out of the reactor via the dump tube; and (b) expelling the remainder of the spent catalyst particles from the reactor by driving the remainder of the spent catalyst particles toward the opening of the dump tube using a removable device comprising at least one rotary brush fixed to the end of an articulated arm introduced into the reactor via the dump tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for emptying a reactor containing at least one bed of spent catalyst particles, wherein the reactor comprises at least one dump tube that opens into the reactor. The method comprising the steps of: (a) causing a portion of the bed of spent catalyst particles to flow out of the reactor via the dump tube; and (b) extracting the remainder of the spent catalyst particles from the reactor by driving the remainder of the spent catalyst particles toward the opening of the dump tube using a removable device comprising at least one flexible extraction sleeve introduced into the reactor via the said dump tube and connected to an extraction system situated outside the reactor, the sleeve being provided on its external surface with protuberances and being able to move, inside the reactor, translationally and rotationally with respect to the dump tube.