CA1251130A - Ebullated bed reactor having top-mounted recycle pump - Google Patents
Ebullated bed reactor having top-mounted recycle pumpInfo
- Publication number
- CA1251130A CA1251130A CA000456521A CA456521A CA1251130A CA 1251130 A CA1251130 A CA 1251130A CA 000456521 A CA000456521 A CA 000456521A CA 456521 A CA456521 A CA 456521A CA 1251130 A CA1251130 A CA 1251130A
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- Prior art keywords
- reactor
- liquid
- pump
- impeller
- assembly
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J8/00—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
- B01J8/18—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with fluidised particles
- B01J8/20—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with fluidised particles with liquid as a fluidising medium
- B01J8/22—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with fluidised particles with liquid as a fluidising medium gas being introduced into the liquid
- B01J8/224—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with fluidised particles with liquid as a fluidising medium gas being introduced into the liquid the particles being subject to a circulatory movement
- B01J8/226—Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes with fluidised particles with liquid as a fluidising medium gas being introduced into the liquid the particles being subject to a circulatory movement internally, i.e. the particles rotate within the vessel
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A continuous reaction process and apparatus wherein a liquid or slurry is contacted with gas in an ebullated cata-lyst bed reaction zone,with the liquid and gases flowing upwardly through the reaction zone into a phase separation zone substantially free of catalyst particles. The liquid and gases are separated by a phase separation-collection device, and the liquid portion is collected and recycled through a central conduit by a recycle pump having its impeller located in the upper portion of the conduit. The pump impeller bearing is pressurized and purged by a clean com-patible fluid, such as hydrogen or oil, to exclude reactor liquid containing fine solids from the bearing and seal surfaces. A second liquid recycle pump can be provided at the lower end of the reactor and operated in series flow relationship with the upper pump. The second pump can be located either within the reactor vessel or external to it and connected thereto by conduits.
A continuous reaction process and apparatus wherein a liquid or slurry is contacted with gas in an ebullated cata-lyst bed reaction zone,with the liquid and gases flowing upwardly through the reaction zone into a phase separation zone substantially free of catalyst particles. The liquid and gases are separated by a phase separation-collection device, and the liquid portion is collected and recycled through a central conduit by a recycle pump having its impeller located in the upper portion of the conduit. The pump impeller bearing is pressurized and purged by a clean com-patible fluid, such as hydrogen or oil, to exclude reactor liquid containing fine solids from the bearing and seal surfaces. A second liquid recycle pump can be provided at the lower end of the reactor and operated in series flow relationship with the upper pump. The second pump can be located either within the reactor vessel or external to it and connected thereto by conduits.
Description
~ 2Si~L30 J
EBULLATED BED REACTOR HAVING TOP-MOUNTED RECYCLE PUMP
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Field of Inventlon This invention pertains to an improved process and apparatus for chemically reacting liquids or slurries of liquids and solids with gasiform materials by the ebullated bed process. It is particularly directed to such process utilizing a liquid recycle pump mounted in the upper portion of the ebullated bed reactor.
Description of Prior Art The ebullated bed reaction process generally comprises passing concurrently flowing streams of liquids or slurries of liquids and solids and gasiform materials upwardly through a generally cylindrical vessel which contains a mass of particulate contact material. The contact particles are placed in random motion in the liquid medium, and said par-ticles have a gross volume dispersed through the liquid medium greater than the volume of the particle mass when stationary. This technology has found commercial application in th~ upgrading of heavy liquid hydrocarbons and for converting coal to synthetic oils.
The ebullated bed reaction process is generally described in U.S. Patent Re. ~5,770 to Johanson, with particular reference to oil and coal conversion. A mixture of hydrocarbon liquid and hydrogen is passed upwardly through a bed of catalyst particles at a rate such that the particles are placed into random motion as the liquid and gas are passed upwardly through the bed, and the catalyst bed motion is controlled by a recycled liquid flow such that the ~25~30 majority of the catalyst particles do not rise above an upper level in the reactor. The liquid, which is being hydrogenated along with the vapors present in the reaction, pass through that upper level of catalyst particles and are removed from the upper portion of the reactor.
In the normal operation of such a system, substantial amounts of hydrogen gas and light hydrocarbon vapors rise through the reaction zone into the liquid-gas separation section, from which some liquid is recycled to the bottom of the reactor and the remainder provides a liquid effluent stream. The gases and vapors are separated from the liquid, and a liquid portion is recycled to the bottom of the reactor through a pump which is controlled so as to maintain the desired expansion and random motion of catalyst particles at a relatively constant and stable level. Any gases or vapors present in the recycled liquid materially decrease the capa-city and efficiency of the recycle pump as well as alters the desired flow patterns, and thus decrease the stability of the ebullated bed. Also, the recycle of reactor liquid through the bed must be reliably maintained to prevent any slumping of the bed,which can cause uneven temperature distribution ~ ooking which present severe problems in reebullating the bed.
Typically, reactors employed in catalytic hydrogenation processes using ebullated beds of catalyst particles are provided with a vertical conduit for recycling clean liquid from the upper level above the ebullated catalyst bed to the su~tion of a recycle pump used for recirculating the liquid upwardly through the catalytic reaction zone. Such recycling of liquid from the upper portion of the reactor serves to ebullate the catalys~ bed, provide good liquid-gas contacting therein and maintain substantially uniform temperature throughout the reactor.
~51~L30 One prior art reactor having gas-liquid separation and reactor liquid recycle is shown in U.S. Patent 3,124,518 to Gu~ et al, which discloses a li~d d ~ cGmer cond~t fitt~
with a large entrance cone. This cone permits the upward velocity of the liquid to slow relative to the gas, so that gas which is entrained in the liquid can separate and rise to the liquid-gas interface above the cone, prior to recycling the liquid through the downcomer. conduit and the bed.
Another reactor liquid recycle configuration is disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,227,528 to Jaeger, which shows a downcomer conduit leading to a pump at its lower end for recycle of reactor liquid. Although such use of a pump mounted at the lower end of a downcomer conduit for recycle of reactor liquid has usually been satisfactory, problems can arise during any reactor operational upsets in which the catalyst bed may be expanded excessively and a quantity of catalyst undesirably carried over into the recycle pump suction and cause erosion damage to the pump. Following any such operational upset periods, it is usually necessary ~o shut down the process and remove the lower recycle pump for cleaning or repair, thus requiring considerable plant outage time.
There has thus been a need in the operation of ebullated-bed reactors not only for improved reliability in the recycle of reactor liquid for bed ebullation, but also for an improved means for removing any catalyst from the downcomer conduit and lower pump suction region without undesirable removal and possible disassembly of the pump, so that the reliability and efficiency of the entire hydrogenation reaction process c~uld be significantly improved. To meet this need, this invention discloses an ebullated bed reactor having a recycle pump assembly advantageously mounted in the ~3 ~
~L2~ L30 upper portion of the reactor for recirculating the reactor liquid upwardly through the catalyst bed to expand and ebullate the bed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIO~
The present invention provides a continuous reaction process for treating viscous liquids, wherein the feedstock liquid or liquid-solids slurry is contacted with a reaction gas at elevated temperature and pressure conditions in a reaction zone containing an ebullated 'bed of contact particles. The liquid or liquid-solids slurry is introduced into a lower portion of the reaction zone with gas at an upward flow rate sufficient to produce random motion of the contact particles and expand the bed in the reaction zone.
The ebullated bed of contact particles is maintained in ran-dom motion in the reaction zone as described in U.S. Patent Re. 25,770, and the bed has volumetric expansion of between about 10-200~ greater than when in a settled condition.
Treated liquid and gas pass upwardly from the reaction zone without substantial contact particle entrainment into an adjacent phase separation zone, so as to accomplish substan-tial disengagement of the gas from the liquid. A major por-tion of the treated vapor-reduced liquid is collected and recycled from the phase separation zone downwardly through a conduit means having an enlarged upper portion and a recycle pump impeller advantageously located in the conduit upper end. The remai~ing portion of the treated liqu,id and gas mixture from the phase separation is withdrawn from above the phase separation zone.
More specifically. the feedstock and gas are introduced into the lower end of the reaction zone, which contains an ~ZS~L~L3~
ebullated bed of particulate contact solids or preferably a catalyst material, and rises uniformly through the reaction zone to the phase separation zone, which contains a phase separation-collection device. This device provides for effective separatlon of the gas portion from the rising liquid-gas mixture, so that a substantially vapor-free liquid is collected and returned through the downcomer conduit to at least one recycle pump having its impeller located in the conduit upper end below the phase separation-collection device. The pump provides for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reaction zone to maintain the desired uniform ebullated bed expansion therein.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an ebullated bed reaction process wherein the reliability and efficiency of the process, such as for the catalytic hydrogenation of hydrocarbon feedstocks, employing an ebullated catalyst bed reaction is significantly increased.
It is another object of this invention to provide an upper recycle or ebullating pump assembly, which can be used alone or in combination with a lower recycle pump for reliably recirculating the reaction liquid upwardly through an ebullated catalyst bed.
The present invention, in one aspect, resides in a reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feedstreams, comprising:
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads; (b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means; (c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions; (d) a generally vertical downcomer liquid conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device, and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
7~
~ ~Z51~3~
(e) a pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said impeller being supported by an adjacent bearing attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing structure adapted for providing a clear compatible fluid into the housing structure to prevent undesired entry of a reactor liquid therein; and (f) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
The present invention further provides a reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feedstreams, comprising: (a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads; (b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means; (c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions; (d) a generally vertical conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel; (e) a liguid recycle pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head, said pump assembly having an elongated drive ~shaft and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said pump impeller having a bearing located adjacent the impeller and attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid within the houslng to exclude reactor liquid from the bearing, said pump assembly having at least one anti-vortex vane ~cated upstream of said pump impeller; (f) a secon~ recycle pump provided in series flow relationship with the upper pump assembly for recycle of reactor liquid; and (g) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
5(a) ~25~30 In another aspect, the present invention resides in a removable pump assembly for mounting in a reactor, comprlsing:
(a~ a drive motor attached to a mounting flange; (b) an elongated conical-shaped support structure attached to the flange, and containing a bearing means at the structure outer end; (c) a drive shaft extending from the motor through the bearing means;
(d) an impeller mounted on the outer end of said drive shaft; and (e) multiple radial vanes extending from the outer surface of said conical-shaped support structure adjacent the bearing.
The reactor upper recycle pump assembly has an impeller located within the upper portion of the recycle liquid conduit and below but near the separation-collection device, and the pump assembly is removably mounted from the reactor upper head. The pump impeller or rotor has an adjacent bearing and seal, which are sealed against any entry of slurry liquid particles by a small flow of a suitable clean fluid compatible with the reactor liquid, such as hydrogen gas or oil, flowing outwardly through the bearing and seal. The 5(b) ~P~!
.
~Z5~L30 pump preferably utilizes a bearing located above or inboard from the Lmpeller, which bearing is continuously lubricated and purged using a d ean compatible fluid. Sufficient hydrogen gas pressure is usually maintained in the housing w~ich contains the bearing assembly to depress the reactor liquid level therein and prevent such liquid containing fine solid particles from contacting the bearing or ~eal surfaces. Also, to help prevent gas or vapor becoming unde-~irably entrained in the pump suction liquid, due to vortex flow, multiple flow straightening or anti-vortex vanes are preferably provided just upstream of the pump impeller.
If desired for improved reliability, the recirculation of reac~or liquid through the reaction zone can be assisted by a second recycle pump located at the lower end of the liquid downcomer conduit and in series flow relationship with the upper recycle pump. Alternatively, such recir-culation of reactor liquid upwardly through the ebullated bed can be assisted by a second recycle pump located exter-nal to the reactor.
Important advantages for using a top-mounted recycle or ebullating pump in an ebullated-bed reactor are that the pump can be removed conveniently without draining all the reactor liquid. The upper pump can also be operated in reversed flow direction for use in unplugging the reactor.
Furthermore, the upper pump can be either used alone as the primary recycle pump, or it can be advantageously operated in series flow relation with a second buttom mounted recycle p~mp .
Although this process and apparatus are suitable for treating and reacting any fluent feedstock with a reactive gas in an ebullated bed of contact par~icles or catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure condi ions, the ~25~30 feedstock is preferably a fluent hydrocarbon from the group consisting of petroleum crude oil~ residuum~shale oil, tar sands bitumen~coal and lignite7and the gas is hydrogen.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 i5 a sectional view of an ebullated bed cata-lytic reactor showing upper and lower recycle pumps for use within the reactor.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the upper recycle pump~ showing the impeller and associated inboard bearing mounted within the reactor liquid downcomer conduit.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of an alternative arrange-ment for the reactor with upper and lower recycle pumps, the upper pump havins an outboard-type bearing mounted within the reactor liquid downcomer conduit.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the upper recycle pump showing the impeller and associated outboard bearing configuration and anti-vortex vanes.
DETAILED DESC~IPTION OF INVENTION
While this invention is applicable to any process for chemically reacting liquid and gasiform materials in the presence of a mass of solid contact particles, the invention will be described with particular reference to the liquefac-tlon of coal, as generally disclosed in U.S. Patent3,607,719, Johnson et al, issued September 21, 1971.
25~3~
In general, the reactor vessel is divided into two zones, a lower reaction zone and an upper phase separation zone.
The feed liquid and gas are introduced into the lower end of the reaction zone, which contains a bed of particulate solids or preferably a catalyst material, and rise uniformly through the reaction æone, thereby expanding the catalyst bed.
Liquid and gas pass upwardly to the phase separation zone which contains a phase separation-collection device 9 which provides effective separation of the gaseous and vapor portion of the rising liquid-gas mixture. A substantially vapor-free liquid portion is collected and returned through a downcomer conduit to at least an upper recycle pump for recirculating the liquid upwardly through the ebullated bed reaction zone to maintain the desired ebullated bed expansion therein. The separation-collection device has an enlarged upper portion, which is usually conical or frusto-conical in shape, and is connected at its lower end to a liquid downcomer conduit containing the impeller of the recycle pump located in the upper portion of the reactor.
The invention is further described by reference to Figure 1 showing reactor vessel 10, w~ch is preferably cYl~rical in shape and oriented in a vertical position. Although this Figure 1 drawing is schematic, it will be understood that the reactor 10 is constructed in such manner that it is suitable for reacting liquids, liquid-solid slurries, solids and gases at elevated temperatures and pressures, and in a preferred embodiment is suitable for treating hydrocarbon liquids and coal-oil slusries with hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures, such as 500-1500F and 1000-5000 psi. The reactor 10 is provided with inlet conduit 12 for feeding a heavy oil, or a mixture of oil with s~all particles of coal, and a hydrogen-containing gas. Outlet conduits are provided in the A
.
upper portion of reactor 10, condult 14 being arranged to withdraw combined vapor and liquid, and conduit 16 to withdraw mainly liquid product if desired. The reactor may also contain means for introducing and withdrawing catalyst particles, which are shown schematically as inlet connection 15 and outlet connection 17.
A feedstock, such as heavy oil or oil slurried with coal particlesl is introduced through conduit 11, while hydrogen-contain.ing gas is introduced through conduit 13, and i5 com-bined with the feedstock and fed into the bottom of reactor 10 through conduit 12. The incoming fluid passes through grid 18 containing suitable fluid distribution means, such as bubble caps 19, but it is understood that any suitable device known in the art which serves to uniformly distribute the fluid from conduit 12 over the entire cross-sectional area of reactor 10 may be utilized.
The mixture of liquid and gas flows upwardly through the catalyst bed 22, and the catalyst particles are thereby pro-vided with a random ebullated movement by the combined flows of gas, feed liquid, and recycled liquid flow being provided by recycle pump 20 having impeller 21 located in the upper end of downcomer conduit 24. The liquid flow delivered by this recycle pump impelIer or rotor 21 is sufficient to cause the mass of catalyst particles in bed 22 to expand by at least 10~ and usually by 20-200% over their settled height, due to gas and liquid upward flow, as generally shown by direction arrow 22a through bed 22, at a steady ra-te.
Because of the upwardly directed fluid flows provided by the recycle pump and the downward forces provided by gravity, the catalyst bed particles will reach an upper level of movement or ebullation while the lighter liquid and gas will continue ~25~3~
..
.., ~ . i to move upward beyond that level.- The upper level of catalyst or catalyst interface is generally shown at 23, and the reaction zone extends from grid tray 18 to level 23.
Ca~alyst particles in bed 22 move in random motion and are generally uniformly distributed through the entire reaction zone in reactor 10, while substantially no catalyst particles rise above catalyst interface 23.
The volume above the catalyst interface 23 contains liquid and entrained gas or vapor up to the liquid-gas interface shown as level 25. The upper portion of the reac-tor is the phase-separation zone in which the liquid and qas are separated in a separation-collection device 28 to collect and recycle through downcomer 24 a liquid having only minor gas and vapor content. Outlet conduit 14 terminates in the vapor space and is usually used to withdraw a combined vapor and liquid effluent stream. However if desired, a substanti~lly liquid stream may be withdrawn separately from gas and vapor through outlet 16.
me upper portion of d ~ ~ er cond~t 24 is enl ~ ~ at 28 ~
is preferably an inverted frusto-conical shape and may contain vertical conduits incorporated therein for additional fluid flow. Annular space 26, between the interior wall of reactor 10 and phase separator-collection device 28, permits upward fluid flow therethrough. Gas-entrained fluid moves generally upwardly through the phase separation-collection device, wherein the liquid portion reverses direction and flows downwardly to and through downcomer 24 to the inlet of recycle pump 2Q, and thereby i5 recycléd through the lower portion of reactor 10. Conduit 24 is preferably centrally located within reactor 10. Gases and vapors which are separated from the liquid rise to the liquid-gas interface 25 ~ZS~L30 and are collected in the upper portion of reactor 10 and removed through outlet conduit 14. The ga~es and vapors removed at this point are further processed u~ing conventional means to recover as much hydrogen as po9sible for recycle into the gas feed inlet 13. The liquid portion is further processed to remove particulate solids, if necessary, and to fractionate it into desire~ product streams.
Figure 2 shows a preferred arrangement ~or the upper recycle p ~ assembly 20 in w~ch the pump is suppo~ed f ~ the rea~or u~r ~ by bolted flange 31 (~'ig. 1). qhe p ~ shaft 3~ ~
shaft bearing 33 are located above the pump impeller 21, i~e., inboard between the pump impeller 21 and the drive m~tor 34 (Fig. 2). me ~ing is supported by housing s ~ cture 36, which is made conical shaped so as to provide increased rigidity to the rotating parts and is attached to motor flange 34a. The pump assembly 20 is made removable through upper flanged opening at 31. A clean compatible fluid such as hydrogen gas is provided to space 37 at a pressure slightly above the reactor pressure for pressuring and sealing the bearing 33 to prevent the undesired entry of any slurry liquid. Lubricating oil is provided to bearing 33 usually through tubing 39 supportably attached to housing structure 36, or can be supplied through a central longitu-dinal passageway 32a in shaft 3~. Impeller 21 should be located below the lower end conical portion of phase separa-tor 28, by a distance at least equal.to 0.5 the diameter of conduit 24, and preferably by 0.6-6 times that diameter. If desired, pump rotor 21 and motor 34 can be made reversible in operation if needed for removing any material such as unreacted coal solids and catalyst in conduit 24 causing flow restrictions.
5~L30 To substantially prevent vapor from the phase separation-collection device 28 being entrained into the suction of pump 20, at least one and preferably 2-8 sta-tionary vanes 38 are provided upstream but near impeller 21.
The vanes are generally radially disposed and are con-veniently attached to the pump support structure 36, and serve as flow straightening or anti-vortex vanes, which substantially prevent vapor from space 25a being carried into the pump inlet by swirling or vortex flow of the liquid. The outer ends of vanes 38 should have a diameter at least equal to ~ t of p ~ impeller 21, but ~ller than the inner diameter of conduit 24. If desired, additional radially-oriented vanes can advantageously be rigidly attached to the inner surface of the phase separator cone at its lower end, and arranged so as to permit the upward removal of pump assembly 20.
A seoond recycle pump ass ~ ly 50 having ~ eller 51, dri-ven by moto~ 52, can be preferably provided in reactor 10 at the lower end of liquid conduit 24, as shown in Figure 1.
This pump is preferably operated in series flow arrangement with upper pump assembly 20 to provide for increased reliability for the continuous recycle of reac~or liquid to ebullated catalyst bed 22. Alternatively, a lower recycle pump assembly 55 can be located external to the reactor vessel lO,with a conduit extension. 54 leading to the pump suction and conduit 56 leading from the pump discharge to the space below flow distributor grid 18, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4 ~hows a cross-sectional view of an alternative configuration for upper recycle pump assembly 40, whlch is supported from flange 31 and has its impeller located within liquid downcomer conduit 24. The pump impeller or rotor 41 is driven by a suitable motor 44 through elongated tubular ~IL25~3~ ~
shaft 42. An outboard bearing 43 is provided for pump impeller 41 and is supported from downcomer conduit 24 by a radial structure 46 which has a close-fitting central non-n~atable ~de b~hing 47. Lubricant oil is p~ided to bearing 43 through tubing 49 ~ttached to support tube 60>in combination with longitudinal passageway 49Rin the lower end of shaft 42. Also, to prevent the reactor liquid containing fine particulate solids from entering the outboard bearing 43, the space 43a above the bearing i9 pressurized to slightly above reactor pressure wit~ a clean fluid which is compatible with the reactor liquid~such as hydrogen or oil.
Thus, a small outward flow of such clean fluid is provided through sha~t seal 45. If desired, the pump rotor 41 and motor 44 can be made reversible in operation.
To reduce swirling of liquid and to substantially prevent vapor from the vapor space 25a being entrained in the suction of pump 40,multiple radially-oriented anti-vortex vanes 58 are provided attached to a support tube 60, which can be made cylindrical but is preferably tapered outwardly for improved risidity. Vanes 58 and tube 60 are attached to motor flange 44a and are removable to permit the upward removal of pump impeller 41 from reactor 10 when necessary. Also, to further reduce liquid swirling in the pump suction, multiple radially-oriented anti-vortex vanes 62 can be additionally provided attached to the inner surface of the phase separation-collection device 28, preferably to its lower inclined surface portion. The inner ends of such vanes 62 form a diameter D, which is made slightly larger than the diameter of pump impeller 41 so as to permit removal of the pump assembly upwardly from the reactor.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that 25~30 modifications and variations in the configurations described can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
EBULLATED BED REACTOR HAVING TOP-MOUNTED RECYCLE PUMP
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Field of Inventlon This invention pertains to an improved process and apparatus for chemically reacting liquids or slurries of liquids and solids with gasiform materials by the ebullated bed process. It is particularly directed to such process utilizing a liquid recycle pump mounted in the upper portion of the ebullated bed reactor.
Description of Prior Art The ebullated bed reaction process generally comprises passing concurrently flowing streams of liquids or slurries of liquids and solids and gasiform materials upwardly through a generally cylindrical vessel which contains a mass of particulate contact material. The contact particles are placed in random motion in the liquid medium, and said par-ticles have a gross volume dispersed through the liquid medium greater than the volume of the particle mass when stationary. This technology has found commercial application in th~ upgrading of heavy liquid hydrocarbons and for converting coal to synthetic oils.
The ebullated bed reaction process is generally described in U.S. Patent Re. ~5,770 to Johanson, with particular reference to oil and coal conversion. A mixture of hydrocarbon liquid and hydrogen is passed upwardly through a bed of catalyst particles at a rate such that the particles are placed into random motion as the liquid and gas are passed upwardly through the bed, and the catalyst bed motion is controlled by a recycled liquid flow such that the ~25~30 majority of the catalyst particles do not rise above an upper level in the reactor. The liquid, which is being hydrogenated along with the vapors present in the reaction, pass through that upper level of catalyst particles and are removed from the upper portion of the reactor.
In the normal operation of such a system, substantial amounts of hydrogen gas and light hydrocarbon vapors rise through the reaction zone into the liquid-gas separation section, from which some liquid is recycled to the bottom of the reactor and the remainder provides a liquid effluent stream. The gases and vapors are separated from the liquid, and a liquid portion is recycled to the bottom of the reactor through a pump which is controlled so as to maintain the desired expansion and random motion of catalyst particles at a relatively constant and stable level. Any gases or vapors present in the recycled liquid materially decrease the capa-city and efficiency of the recycle pump as well as alters the desired flow patterns, and thus decrease the stability of the ebullated bed. Also, the recycle of reactor liquid through the bed must be reliably maintained to prevent any slumping of the bed,which can cause uneven temperature distribution ~ ooking which present severe problems in reebullating the bed.
Typically, reactors employed in catalytic hydrogenation processes using ebullated beds of catalyst particles are provided with a vertical conduit for recycling clean liquid from the upper level above the ebullated catalyst bed to the su~tion of a recycle pump used for recirculating the liquid upwardly through the catalytic reaction zone. Such recycling of liquid from the upper portion of the reactor serves to ebullate the catalys~ bed, provide good liquid-gas contacting therein and maintain substantially uniform temperature throughout the reactor.
~51~L30 One prior art reactor having gas-liquid separation and reactor liquid recycle is shown in U.S. Patent 3,124,518 to Gu~ et al, which discloses a li~d d ~ cGmer cond~t fitt~
with a large entrance cone. This cone permits the upward velocity of the liquid to slow relative to the gas, so that gas which is entrained in the liquid can separate and rise to the liquid-gas interface above the cone, prior to recycling the liquid through the downcomer. conduit and the bed.
Another reactor liquid recycle configuration is disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,227,528 to Jaeger, which shows a downcomer conduit leading to a pump at its lower end for recycle of reactor liquid. Although such use of a pump mounted at the lower end of a downcomer conduit for recycle of reactor liquid has usually been satisfactory, problems can arise during any reactor operational upsets in which the catalyst bed may be expanded excessively and a quantity of catalyst undesirably carried over into the recycle pump suction and cause erosion damage to the pump. Following any such operational upset periods, it is usually necessary ~o shut down the process and remove the lower recycle pump for cleaning or repair, thus requiring considerable plant outage time.
There has thus been a need in the operation of ebullated-bed reactors not only for improved reliability in the recycle of reactor liquid for bed ebullation, but also for an improved means for removing any catalyst from the downcomer conduit and lower pump suction region without undesirable removal and possible disassembly of the pump, so that the reliability and efficiency of the entire hydrogenation reaction process c~uld be significantly improved. To meet this need, this invention discloses an ebullated bed reactor having a recycle pump assembly advantageously mounted in the ~3 ~
~L2~ L30 upper portion of the reactor for recirculating the reactor liquid upwardly through the catalyst bed to expand and ebullate the bed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIO~
The present invention provides a continuous reaction process for treating viscous liquids, wherein the feedstock liquid or liquid-solids slurry is contacted with a reaction gas at elevated temperature and pressure conditions in a reaction zone containing an ebullated 'bed of contact particles. The liquid or liquid-solids slurry is introduced into a lower portion of the reaction zone with gas at an upward flow rate sufficient to produce random motion of the contact particles and expand the bed in the reaction zone.
The ebullated bed of contact particles is maintained in ran-dom motion in the reaction zone as described in U.S. Patent Re. 25,770, and the bed has volumetric expansion of between about 10-200~ greater than when in a settled condition.
Treated liquid and gas pass upwardly from the reaction zone without substantial contact particle entrainment into an adjacent phase separation zone, so as to accomplish substan-tial disengagement of the gas from the liquid. A major por-tion of the treated vapor-reduced liquid is collected and recycled from the phase separation zone downwardly through a conduit means having an enlarged upper portion and a recycle pump impeller advantageously located in the conduit upper end. The remai~ing portion of the treated liqu,id and gas mixture from the phase separation is withdrawn from above the phase separation zone.
More specifically. the feedstock and gas are introduced into the lower end of the reaction zone, which contains an ~ZS~L~L3~
ebullated bed of particulate contact solids or preferably a catalyst material, and rises uniformly through the reaction zone to the phase separation zone, which contains a phase separation-collection device. This device provides for effective separatlon of the gas portion from the rising liquid-gas mixture, so that a substantially vapor-free liquid is collected and returned through the downcomer conduit to at least one recycle pump having its impeller located in the conduit upper end below the phase separation-collection device. The pump provides for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reaction zone to maintain the desired uniform ebullated bed expansion therein.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an ebullated bed reaction process wherein the reliability and efficiency of the process, such as for the catalytic hydrogenation of hydrocarbon feedstocks, employing an ebullated catalyst bed reaction is significantly increased.
It is another object of this invention to provide an upper recycle or ebullating pump assembly, which can be used alone or in combination with a lower recycle pump for reliably recirculating the reaction liquid upwardly through an ebullated catalyst bed.
The present invention, in one aspect, resides in a reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feedstreams, comprising:
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads; (b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means; (c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions; (d) a generally vertical downcomer liquid conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device, and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
7~
~ ~Z51~3~
(e) a pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said impeller being supported by an adjacent bearing attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing structure adapted for providing a clear compatible fluid into the housing structure to prevent undesired entry of a reactor liquid therein; and (f) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
The present invention further provides a reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feedstreams, comprising: (a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads; (b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means; (c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions; (d) a generally vertical conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel; (e) a liguid recycle pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head, said pump assembly having an elongated drive ~shaft and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said pump impeller having a bearing located adjacent the impeller and attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid within the houslng to exclude reactor liquid from the bearing, said pump assembly having at least one anti-vortex vane ~cated upstream of said pump impeller; (f) a secon~ recycle pump provided in series flow relationship with the upper pump assembly for recycle of reactor liquid; and (g) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
5(a) ~25~30 In another aspect, the present invention resides in a removable pump assembly for mounting in a reactor, comprlsing:
(a~ a drive motor attached to a mounting flange; (b) an elongated conical-shaped support structure attached to the flange, and containing a bearing means at the structure outer end; (c) a drive shaft extending from the motor through the bearing means;
(d) an impeller mounted on the outer end of said drive shaft; and (e) multiple radial vanes extending from the outer surface of said conical-shaped support structure adjacent the bearing.
The reactor upper recycle pump assembly has an impeller located within the upper portion of the recycle liquid conduit and below but near the separation-collection device, and the pump assembly is removably mounted from the reactor upper head. The pump impeller or rotor has an adjacent bearing and seal, which are sealed against any entry of slurry liquid particles by a small flow of a suitable clean fluid compatible with the reactor liquid, such as hydrogen gas or oil, flowing outwardly through the bearing and seal. The 5(b) ~P~!
.
~Z5~L30 pump preferably utilizes a bearing located above or inboard from the Lmpeller, which bearing is continuously lubricated and purged using a d ean compatible fluid. Sufficient hydrogen gas pressure is usually maintained in the housing w~ich contains the bearing assembly to depress the reactor liquid level therein and prevent such liquid containing fine solid particles from contacting the bearing or ~eal surfaces. Also, to help prevent gas or vapor becoming unde-~irably entrained in the pump suction liquid, due to vortex flow, multiple flow straightening or anti-vortex vanes are preferably provided just upstream of the pump impeller.
If desired for improved reliability, the recirculation of reac~or liquid through the reaction zone can be assisted by a second recycle pump located at the lower end of the liquid downcomer conduit and in series flow relationship with the upper recycle pump. Alternatively, such recir-culation of reactor liquid upwardly through the ebullated bed can be assisted by a second recycle pump located exter-nal to the reactor.
Important advantages for using a top-mounted recycle or ebullating pump in an ebullated-bed reactor are that the pump can be removed conveniently without draining all the reactor liquid. The upper pump can also be operated in reversed flow direction for use in unplugging the reactor.
Furthermore, the upper pump can be either used alone as the primary recycle pump, or it can be advantageously operated in series flow relation with a second buttom mounted recycle p~mp .
Although this process and apparatus are suitable for treating and reacting any fluent feedstock with a reactive gas in an ebullated bed of contact par~icles or catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure condi ions, the ~25~30 feedstock is preferably a fluent hydrocarbon from the group consisting of petroleum crude oil~ residuum~shale oil, tar sands bitumen~coal and lignite7and the gas is hydrogen.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 i5 a sectional view of an ebullated bed cata-lytic reactor showing upper and lower recycle pumps for use within the reactor.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the upper recycle pump~ showing the impeller and associated inboard bearing mounted within the reactor liquid downcomer conduit.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of an alternative arrange-ment for the reactor with upper and lower recycle pumps, the upper pump havins an outboard-type bearing mounted within the reactor liquid downcomer conduit.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the upper recycle pump showing the impeller and associated outboard bearing configuration and anti-vortex vanes.
DETAILED DESC~IPTION OF INVENTION
While this invention is applicable to any process for chemically reacting liquid and gasiform materials in the presence of a mass of solid contact particles, the invention will be described with particular reference to the liquefac-tlon of coal, as generally disclosed in U.S. Patent3,607,719, Johnson et al, issued September 21, 1971.
25~3~
In general, the reactor vessel is divided into two zones, a lower reaction zone and an upper phase separation zone.
The feed liquid and gas are introduced into the lower end of the reaction zone, which contains a bed of particulate solids or preferably a catalyst material, and rise uniformly through the reaction æone, thereby expanding the catalyst bed.
Liquid and gas pass upwardly to the phase separation zone which contains a phase separation-collection device 9 which provides effective separation of the gaseous and vapor portion of the rising liquid-gas mixture. A substantially vapor-free liquid portion is collected and returned through a downcomer conduit to at least an upper recycle pump for recirculating the liquid upwardly through the ebullated bed reaction zone to maintain the desired ebullated bed expansion therein. The separation-collection device has an enlarged upper portion, which is usually conical or frusto-conical in shape, and is connected at its lower end to a liquid downcomer conduit containing the impeller of the recycle pump located in the upper portion of the reactor.
The invention is further described by reference to Figure 1 showing reactor vessel 10, w~ch is preferably cYl~rical in shape and oriented in a vertical position. Although this Figure 1 drawing is schematic, it will be understood that the reactor 10 is constructed in such manner that it is suitable for reacting liquids, liquid-solid slurries, solids and gases at elevated temperatures and pressures, and in a preferred embodiment is suitable for treating hydrocarbon liquids and coal-oil slusries with hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures, such as 500-1500F and 1000-5000 psi. The reactor 10 is provided with inlet conduit 12 for feeding a heavy oil, or a mixture of oil with s~all particles of coal, and a hydrogen-containing gas. Outlet conduits are provided in the A
.
upper portion of reactor 10, condult 14 being arranged to withdraw combined vapor and liquid, and conduit 16 to withdraw mainly liquid product if desired. The reactor may also contain means for introducing and withdrawing catalyst particles, which are shown schematically as inlet connection 15 and outlet connection 17.
A feedstock, such as heavy oil or oil slurried with coal particlesl is introduced through conduit 11, while hydrogen-contain.ing gas is introduced through conduit 13, and i5 com-bined with the feedstock and fed into the bottom of reactor 10 through conduit 12. The incoming fluid passes through grid 18 containing suitable fluid distribution means, such as bubble caps 19, but it is understood that any suitable device known in the art which serves to uniformly distribute the fluid from conduit 12 over the entire cross-sectional area of reactor 10 may be utilized.
The mixture of liquid and gas flows upwardly through the catalyst bed 22, and the catalyst particles are thereby pro-vided with a random ebullated movement by the combined flows of gas, feed liquid, and recycled liquid flow being provided by recycle pump 20 having impeller 21 located in the upper end of downcomer conduit 24. The liquid flow delivered by this recycle pump impelIer or rotor 21 is sufficient to cause the mass of catalyst particles in bed 22 to expand by at least 10~ and usually by 20-200% over their settled height, due to gas and liquid upward flow, as generally shown by direction arrow 22a through bed 22, at a steady ra-te.
Because of the upwardly directed fluid flows provided by the recycle pump and the downward forces provided by gravity, the catalyst bed particles will reach an upper level of movement or ebullation while the lighter liquid and gas will continue ~25~3~
..
.., ~ . i to move upward beyond that level.- The upper level of catalyst or catalyst interface is generally shown at 23, and the reaction zone extends from grid tray 18 to level 23.
Ca~alyst particles in bed 22 move in random motion and are generally uniformly distributed through the entire reaction zone in reactor 10, while substantially no catalyst particles rise above catalyst interface 23.
The volume above the catalyst interface 23 contains liquid and entrained gas or vapor up to the liquid-gas interface shown as level 25. The upper portion of the reac-tor is the phase-separation zone in which the liquid and qas are separated in a separation-collection device 28 to collect and recycle through downcomer 24 a liquid having only minor gas and vapor content. Outlet conduit 14 terminates in the vapor space and is usually used to withdraw a combined vapor and liquid effluent stream. However if desired, a substanti~lly liquid stream may be withdrawn separately from gas and vapor through outlet 16.
me upper portion of d ~ ~ er cond~t 24 is enl ~ ~ at 28 ~
is preferably an inverted frusto-conical shape and may contain vertical conduits incorporated therein for additional fluid flow. Annular space 26, between the interior wall of reactor 10 and phase separator-collection device 28, permits upward fluid flow therethrough. Gas-entrained fluid moves generally upwardly through the phase separation-collection device, wherein the liquid portion reverses direction and flows downwardly to and through downcomer 24 to the inlet of recycle pump 2Q, and thereby i5 recycléd through the lower portion of reactor 10. Conduit 24 is preferably centrally located within reactor 10. Gases and vapors which are separated from the liquid rise to the liquid-gas interface 25 ~ZS~L30 and are collected in the upper portion of reactor 10 and removed through outlet conduit 14. The ga~es and vapors removed at this point are further processed u~ing conventional means to recover as much hydrogen as po9sible for recycle into the gas feed inlet 13. The liquid portion is further processed to remove particulate solids, if necessary, and to fractionate it into desire~ product streams.
Figure 2 shows a preferred arrangement ~or the upper recycle p ~ assembly 20 in w~ch the pump is suppo~ed f ~ the rea~or u~r ~ by bolted flange 31 (~'ig. 1). qhe p ~ shaft 3~ ~
shaft bearing 33 are located above the pump impeller 21, i~e., inboard between the pump impeller 21 and the drive m~tor 34 (Fig. 2). me ~ing is supported by housing s ~ cture 36, which is made conical shaped so as to provide increased rigidity to the rotating parts and is attached to motor flange 34a. The pump assembly 20 is made removable through upper flanged opening at 31. A clean compatible fluid such as hydrogen gas is provided to space 37 at a pressure slightly above the reactor pressure for pressuring and sealing the bearing 33 to prevent the undesired entry of any slurry liquid. Lubricating oil is provided to bearing 33 usually through tubing 39 supportably attached to housing structure 36, or can be supplied through a central longitu-dinal passageway 32a in shaft 3~. Impeller 21 should be located below the lower end conical portion of phase separa-tor 28, by a distance at least equal.to 0.5 the diameter of conduit 24, and preferably by 0.6-6 times that diameter. If desired, pump rotor 21 and motor 34 can be made reversible in operation if needed for removing any material such as unreacted coal solids and catalyst in conduit 24 causing flow restrictions.
5~L30 To substantially prevent vapor from the phase separation-collection device 28 being entrained into the suction of pump 20, at least one and preferably 2-8 sta-tionary vanes 38 are provided upstream but near impeller 21.
The vanes are generally radially disposed and are con-veniently attached to the pump support structure 36, and serve as flow straightening or anti-vortex vanes, which substantially prevent vapor from space 25a being carried into the pump inlet by swirling or vortex flow of the liquid. The outer ends of vanes 38 should have a diameter at least equal to ~ t of p ~ impeller 21, but ~ller than the inner diameter of conduit 24. If desired, additional radially-oriented vanes can advantageously be rigidly attached to the inner surface of the phase separator cone at its lower end, and arranged so as to permit the upward removal of pump assembly 20.
A seoond recycle pump ass ~ ly 50 having ~ eller 51, dri-ven by moto~ 52, can be preferably provided in reactor 10 at the lower end of liquid conduit 24, as shown in Figure 1.
This pump is preferably operated in series flow arrangement with upper pump assembly 20 to provide for increased reliability for the continuous recycle of reac~or liquid to ebullated catalyst bed 22. Alternatively, a lower recycle pump assembly 55 can be located external to the reactor vessel lO,with a conduit extension. 54 leading to the pump suction and conduit 56 leading from the pump discharge to the space below flow distributor grid 18, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4 ~hows a cross-sectional view of an alternative configuration for upper recycle pump assembly 40, whlch is supported from flange 31 and has its impeller located within liquid downcomer conduit 24. The pump impeller or rotor 41 is driven by a suitable motor 44 through elongated tubular ~IL25~3~ ~
shaft 42. An outboard bearing 43 is provided for pump impeller 41 and is supported from downcomer conduit 24 by a radial structure 46 which has a close-fitting central non-n~atable ~de b~hing 47. Lubricant oil is p~ided to bearing 43 through tubing 49 ~ttached to support tube 60>in combination with longitudinal passageway 49Rin the lower end of shaft 42. Also, to prevent the reactor liquid containing fine particulate solids from entering the outboard bearing 43, the space 43a above the bearing i9 pressurized to slightly above reactor pressure wit~ a clean fluid which is compatible with the reactor liquid~such as hydrogen or oil.
Thus, a small outward flow of such clean fluid is provided through sha~t seal 45. If desired, the pump rotor 41 and motor 44 can be made reversible in operation.
To reduce swirling of liquid and to substantially prevent vapor from the vapor space 25a being entrained in the suction of pump 40,multiple radially-oriented anti-vortex vanes 58 are provided attached to a support tube 60, which can be made cylindrical but is preferably tapered outwardly for improved risidity. Vanes 58 and tube 60 are attached to motor flange 44a and are removable to permit the upward removal of pump impeller 41 from reactor 10 when necessary. Also, to further reduce liquid swirling in the pump suction, multiple radially-oriented anti-vortex vanes 62 can be additionally provided attached to the inner surface of the phase separation-collection device 28, preferably to its lower inclined surface portion. The inner ends of such vanes 62 form a diameter D, which is made slightly larger than the diameter of pump impeller 41 so as to permit removal of the pump assembly upwardly from the reactor.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that 25~30 modifications and variations in the configurations described can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
Claims (12)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feed-streams, comprising:
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads;
(b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means;
(c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions;
(d) a generally vertical downcomer liquid conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device, and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
(e) a pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said impeller being supported by an adjacent bearing attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing structure adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid into the housing structure to prevent undesired entry of a reactor liquid therein; and (f) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads;
(b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means;
(c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions;
(d) a generally vertical downcomer liquid conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device, and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
(e) a pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said impeller being supported by an adjacent bearing attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing structure adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid into the housing structure to prevent undesired entry of a reactor liquid therein; and (f) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
2. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein said pump impeller is rotated by an associated elongated shaft and drive motor supported from the reactor upper head.
3. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump bearing seal is pressurized by a compatible fluid to exclude reactor liquid and solids from the bearing.
4. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump assembly has at least one anti-vortex vane located upstream of the pump impeller.
5. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump impeller is adapted to be reversible in its flow direction.
6. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump assembly has a bearing for said pump impeller located between the impeller and the pump drive motor.
7. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the pump assembly has a bearing for said pump impeller located below the impeller, said bearing being supported from said vertical downcomer liquid conduit.
8. The reactor assembly of claim 1, wherein a second recycle pump is provided below and in downstream series flow relationship with said pump assembly for recycle of the reactor liquid.
9. The reactor assembly of claim 4, wherein multiple anti-vortex vanes are provided attached to the inner surface of the phase separation-collection device.
10. The reactor assembly of claim 6, wherein a lubricant is provided to said impeller bearing through tubing supportably attached to said conical-shaped housing structure.
11. The reactor assembly of claim 7, wherein a lubricant is provided to said impeller bearing through a longitudinal passageway in said elongated shaft.
12. A reactor assembly for treating liquid and gas feed-streams, comprising:
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads;
(b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means;
(c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions;
(d) a generally vertical conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
(e) a liquid recycle pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head, said pump assembly having an elongated drive shaft and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said pump impeller having a bearing located adjacent the impeller and attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid within the housing to exclude reactor lquid from the bearing, said pump assembly having at least one anti-vortex vane located upstream of said pump impeller;
(f) a second recycle pump provided in series flow relationship with the upper pump assembly for recycle of reactor liquid; and (g) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
(a) a generally vertical pressurizable vessel having upper and lower heads;
(b) means for introducing liquid and gasiform feed materials into the lower portion of the vessel below a flow distribution means;
(c) a phase separation-collection device located in the upper portion of said vessel for separating the upflowing reacted fluid into liquid and gas portions;
(d) a generally vertical conduit disposed within the vessel, said conduit having its upper end in fluid communication with the phase separation-collection device and having its lower end in fluid communication with the lower portion of the vessel;
(e) a liquid recycle pump assembly supported from the reactor upper head, said pump assembly having an elongated drive shaft and having its impeller located in the upper end of said conduit for recirculation of reactor liquid through the reactor, said pump impeller having a bearing located adjacent the impeller and attached to a conical-shaped pressurizable housing adapted for providing a clean compatible fluid within the housing to exclude reactor lquid from the bearing, said pump assembly having at least one anti-vortex vane located upstream of said pump impeller;
(f) a second recycle pump provided in series flow relationship with the upper pump assembly for recycle of reactor liquid; and (g) means for withdrawing a product stream from the upper portion of the reactor above the phase separation-collection device.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US50557783A | 1983-06-20 | 1983-06-20 | |
| US505,577 | 1983-06-20 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1251130A true CA1251130A (en) | 1989-03-14 |
Family
ID=24010896
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000456521A Expired CA1251130A (en) | 1983-06-20 | 1984-06-13 | Ebullated bed reactor having top-mounted recycle pump |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS6038030A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1251130A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3422012A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2548045A1 (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA844308B (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4734266A (en) * | 1985-12-20 | 1988-03-29 | Lummus Crest, Inc. | Pump seal oil system |
| AT394576B (en) * | 1991-01-16 | 1992-05-11 | Vogelbusch Gmbh | REACTOR FOR CARRYING OUT BIOLOGICAL REACTIONS BY MEANS OF BIOCATALYSTS |
| US5382748A (en) * | 1992-12-18 | 1995-01-17 | Exxon Research & Engineering Co. | Hydrocarbon synthesis reactor employing vertical downcomer with gas disengaging means |
| EP2082797A1 (en) * | 2007-12-24 | 2009-07-29 | Borealis Technology OY | Reactor system for the catalytic polymerization of olefins comprising shielding means and a process and use thereof |
| CN110013802A (en) * | 2018-01-10 | 2019-07-16 | 何巨堂 | The hydrocarbon material hydrogenator system of socket type of the double upper reaction zones of liquid material series connection is set |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR974344A (en) * | 1948-10-26 | 1951-02-21 | Kestner App Evaporateurs | Improvements to pumps without cable gland |
| US3410792A (en) * | 1965-10-22 | 1968-11-12 | Cities Service Res & Dev Co | Method for removing particulate catalyst from fluid-catalyst contacting zone |
| US3698876A (en) * | 1970-12-17 | 1972-10-17 | Cities Service Res & Dev Co | Vapor liquid separation apparatus |
| US4221653A (en) * | 1978-06-30 | 1980-09-09 | Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. | Catalytic hydrogenation process and apparatus with improved vapor liquid separation |
| US4412003A (en) * | 1981-07-30 | 1983-10-25 | Dorr-Oliver Inc. | Integral flow circulator for fluid bed reactor |
-
1984
- 1984-06-07 ZA ZA844308A patent/ZA844308B/en unknown
- 1984-06-13 CA CA000456521A patent/CA1251130A/en not_active Expired
- 1984-06-14 DE DE19843422012 patent/DE3422012A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1984-06-19 JP JP59124597A patent/JPS6038030A/en active Pending
- 1984-06-20 FR FR8409701A patent/FR2548045A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2548045A1 (en) | 1985-01-04 |
| DE3422012A1 (en) | 1984-12-20 |
| JPS6038030A (en) | 1985-02-27 |
| ZA844308B (en) | 1985-02-27 |
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