Abstract: An apparatus for contacting a fluid stream with a bed of catalyst wherein solid particulate matter is removed from the fluid stream before contact with the catalyst bed. The fluid stream is tangentially discharged into a circular trough located in an upper section of a vertically disposed cylindrical vessel. The inner wall of the trough is porous to allow drainage of liquids, and vapors exit the trough through its open top. The vapors than pass downward through the open center of the trough and contact the catalyst bed located in the lower section of the vessel.

Abstract: Clump-removal devices are disclosed for separating unacceptably large clumps from an air stream containing both clumps and substantially individualized fibers.

Abstract: A catalyst screening unit having a housing which receives incoming feed catalyst under positive pressure, a screen for sizing and separating whole catalyst from broken catalyst, dust, and fines, a vibrating member to vibrate the housing and the screen therewith, and a lower, waste chamber for collecting broken catalyst and fines to be directed outwardly therefrom the housing, and having vacuum provisions therewith for removing dust separately from the fines, such that the cleaned whole catalyst may be used within a catalytic reactor.

Abstract: A perforated tube is housed in a chamber in which vacuum is drawn. An air jet is directed into one end of the tube and fiber bundles are fed into the jet which separates and dispenses individual fibers from the bundle, fluffs them, cleanses them of any particulate material, and carries them into the tube. The tube retains the fibers while fiber fragments, undesirably short fibers and particulate matter are drawn by the vacuum and resultant air flow out of the tube through its perforations to a suitable discharge.

Abstract: A fibre-containing liquid is sprayed on the inlet side of a first strainer, there being a flow path for medium passing therethrough and leading from the outlet side of the strainer. A second strainer spaced from the first strainer covers said flow path and has mesh openings larger than those of the first strainer but small enough so that fibres passing through the first strainer, due to rupture thereof, will rapidly obstruct the second strainer.