Abstract: An isothermal reactor design uses interleaved layers of plate heat exchange elements to improve heat transfer in a radial flow arrangement that offers a simple and compact design for fluid flow and catalyst transfer.

Abstract: A fluid solid-contacting device eliminates the accumulation of deposits behind distribution collection conduits, reduces the differential expansion between the conduits and a containment vessel, and improves fluid distribution by extending the perforations into a back side of a distribution conduit that abuts the vessel. This apparatus has greatest application to scallop-shaped conduits that are commonly used in radial flow reactors. The perforations, extended into the back side of the scallop, ventilate the area between the scallop and the vessel holding the scallops.

Abstract: Apparatus for regenerating spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. Catalyst particles in a vertically-elongated movable tapered bed are contacted with a hot oxygen-containing gas stream in order to remove, by means of combustion, coke which accumulated on the catalyst particles while they were used in a hydrocarbon conversion zone. Catalyst moves downward under the influence of gravity. The catalyst bed is tapered such that the thickness of the bed, in a dimension which is transverse to the direction of catalyst movement, varies from a minimum at the top of the tapered bed to a maximum at the bottom of the tapered bed. Gas passes through the tapered bed in a direction which is substantially transverse to the direction of catalyst movement. Substantially, all of the catalyst in the bed is in contact with the flowing gas.

Abstract: A fluid solid-contacting device eliminates the accumulation of deposits behind distribution collection conduits, reduces the differential expansion between the conduits and a containment vessel, and improves fluid distribution by extending the perforations into a back side of a distribution conduit that abuts the vessel. This apparatus has greatest application to scallop-shaped conduits that are commonly used in radial flow reactors. The perforations, extended into the back side of the scallop, ventilate the area between the scallop and the vessel holding the scallops.

Abstract: An inlet distributor for use in downflow reactors or contacting vessels removes debris from the feedstream that could otherwise plug the top of the catalyst or particle bed surface. Gaseous streams are charged into the inlet distributor and debris is separated from the inlet stream and accumulated in the bottom of the distributor. Fluid flow in the bottom of the distributor is minimized to prevent reentrainment of debris into the gas stream as it leaves the distributor.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for locating internal cooling coils in an FCC regeneration zone that allows control of the cooling coil wall temperature independently of the regeneration zone operation and the circulation rate of cooling fluid through the cooling conduits. The cooling conduits are located within a vessel that contains the combustion section for an FCC regeneration zone. The cooling coils are in a chamber that is closed to catalyst transfer across all of its boundaries except its top. The level of hot regenerated catalyst within the regeneration zone is maintained above the top of the cooling chamber. The addition of flue gas to a lower portion of the cooling chamber provides a random exchange of catalyst particles between the layer of the catalyst bed above the chamber and catalyst within the chamber. By controlling the rate of fluidizing gas addition to the chamber, the rate of exchange of hot catalyst between the chamber and the bed is also controlled.

Abstract: Void blowing by gas flow through a bed of particulate material is avoided by the use of a cover plate that eliminates void spaces at the top of the bed and a vertical duct that allows a head of particulate material to be maintained above the cover plate. The particle bed is arranged in the usual fashion using inner and outer screens to hold particulate material in a vertically extended bed into which particulate material is intermittently added and withdrawn. The top of the particulate bed is contacted by an imperforate cover plate that is sloped up to an inlet opening that has a smaller cross-sectional area than the area of the bed. The cover plate has a slope which is greater than the angle of the repose of the particles so that particles filling the top section of the bed will be free of void spaces.

Abstract: A method for gas solids contacting uses a two direction distributor to prevent bed surface disturbances at high inlet velocities and high particle loadings. The distributor uses a series of partitions to peel off portions of the downward gas flow and redirect them radially outward. Each outwardly directed gas flow component passes through a series of perforations to effect any necessary circumferential redistribution before entering the space above the particle bed. By subdividing the gas flow into a number of radially directed flow portions and circumferentially redistributing these flow portions, cross-currents and eddy currents on the catalyst bed surface are minimized or avoided so that disturbances at the bed surface are eliminated. This distributor is particularly effective in vessels having particles loaded to within a short distance of bed inlets and where elbows or other upstream flow devices introduce nonuniformities into the gas flow to a particle bed.

Abstract: Method for effecting contact of a gas with light particles of solid matter, where the particles are retained within particle retention screens to form a bed of particles and the particles move downward in plug flow by means of gravity. When the particles are light, that is, of relatively small size and low density, the velocity of the gas may be sufficiently high that downward movement of particles is hindered by the horizontal forces exerted on the particles by the flowing gas. This invention provides that gas flows through the bed of particles in a downwardly sloping direction instead of in a horizontal direction, so that the force exerted on a particle has a horizontal component and a downward vertical component. The vertical component of the force resulting from gas flow, along with the gravity force on a particle, is sufficient to overcome the frictional resistance to downward movement of a particle which results from the horizontal component of the flowing gas force.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting treatment needed to regenerate spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. The invention may be termed a variable gas flow catalyst bed. Catalyst particles in a vertically-elongated movable bed are contacted with a hot oxygen-containing gas stream in order to remove, by means of combustion, coke which accumulated on the catalyst particles while they were used in a hydrocarbon conversion zone. The catalyst particles are confined in the bed by means of catalyst retention screens. The catalyst retention screens are configured such that gas flow through the bed varies from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed. The variation in gas flow is accomplished by varying the size of gas flow apertures in the retention screens from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting contact of a gas with light particles of solid matter, where the particles are retained within particle retention screens to form a bed of particles and the particles move downward in plug flow by means of gravity. When the particles are light, that is, of relatively small size and low density, the velocity of the gas may be sufficiently high that downward movement of particles is hindered by the horizontal forces exerted on the particles by the flowing gas. This invention provides that gas flows through the bed of particles in a downwardly sloping direction instead of in a horizontal direction, so that the force exerted on a particle has a horizontal component and a downward vertical component. The vertical component of the force resulting from gas flow, along with the gravity force on a particle, is sufficient to overcome the frictional resistance to downward movement of a particle which results from the horizontal component of the flowing gas force.

Abstract: An inlet distributor for a gas solids contracting vessel uses a two direction distributor to prevent bed surface disturbances at high inlet velocities and high particle loadings. The distributor uses a series of partitions to peel off portions of the downward gas flow and redirect them radially outward. Each outwardly directed gas flow component passes through a series of perforations to effect any necessary circumferential redistribution before entering the space above the particle bed. By subdividing the gas flow into a number of radially directed flow portions and circumferentially redistributing these flow portions, cross-currents and eddy currents on the catalyst bed surface are minimized or avoided so that disturbances at the bed surface are eliminated. This distributor is particularly effective in vessels having particles loaded to within a short distance of bed inlets and where elbows or other upstream flow devices introduce nonuniformities into the gas flow to a particle bed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting treatment needed to regenerate spent hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. The invention may be termed a variable gas flow catalyst bed. Catalyst particles in a vertically-elongated movable bed are contacted with a hot oxygen-containing gas stream in order to remove, by means of combustion, coke which accumulated on the catalyst particles while they were used in a hydrocarbon conversion zone. The catalyst particles are confined in the bed by means of catalyst retention screens. The catalyst retention screens are configured such that gas flow through the bed varies from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed. The variation in gas flow is accomplished by varying the size of gas flow apertures in the retention screens from a maximum at the top of the bed to a minimum at the bottom of the bed.

Abstract: A method for regenerating coke-contaminated catalyst particles achieves better utilization of oxygen and minimizes surface area loss of the catalyst by confining particles in the combustion section of a regeneration zone to a tapered bed configuration. In this method, catalyst particles move through the regeneration zone in continuous or semi-continuous flow and are formed into a vertically elongated bed of particles in the regeneration zone. An oxygen-containing gas is passed through the particle bed in a transverse direction and initiates combustion of the coke deposits along a burn front that extends diagonally through the catalyst bed from the inlet surface of the bed to the outlet surface of the bed.