DE3240089A1 - SPHERICAL REACTOR WITH A VARIETY OF CYLINDRICAL REACTION CHAMBERS AND METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT REACTIONS IN THIS REACTOR - Google Patents

Description

Claimed Priority: November 02, 1981, Japan,

Patent application no. 174547/1981

Applicant:

TOYO ENGINEERING CORPORATION No. 2-5, Kasumigaseki 3-choine, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, Japan

Spherical reactor with a multitude of cylindrical reaction chambers and methods for carrying out Reactions in this reactor.

The invention relates to an improvement in a reactor which is designed so that a gas supplied in it chemical reaction under elevated pressures and using a fixed bed of a granular catalyst enters into, so that a gaseous reaction product can be obtained. More particularly, this invention relates to a reactor with a spherical or substantially spherical or more generally spheroidal (hereinafter referred to simply as "spherical")

and pressure resistant outer jacket. The invention relates also relates to a method of carrying out a reaction using such a spherical, im essentially spherical or generally spheroidal reactor is carried out.

As it has already been put into practice in many ways, it should be mentioned, for example, in the production of ammonia, Methanol, and the like, routinely became a high pressure gas with a fixed bed of granular catalyst (hereinafter referred to simply as "catalyst") at the working temperature of the catalyst in Brought into contact so that the gas was forced to undergo a chemical reaction, thereby becoming a gaseous one To obtain reaction product. There are already innumerable many examples of reactors for carrying out such a chemical reaction have been described. Many these known reactors are each for the cooling of their catalyst and the gas, which as a result of an exothermic Reaction has been heated, with one or more openings for the supply of a feed gas with a low temperature directly to one or more desired locations in a reaction chamber that is inside the same reactor is provided and packed with the catalyst and optionally divided into two or more sections can be, or at a point between divided reaction chambers and / or one or more heat transfer surfaces provided, which are designed so that an indirect heat exchange with the feed gas with the low Temperature or a different coolant than the feed gas can be effected.

In such conventional reactors, each reaction chamber, which is provided in the respective reactor and with a catalyst is packaged for use, generally in a cylindrical or inter-cylindrical shape Shape, especially with regard to the training

creation of a uniform flow passage for a gas through the catalyst bed and to facilitate its production. The term "inter-cylindrical ¹¹ shape, as used herein, is intended to mean a shape that arises between two cylinders which have different diameters and are arranged coaxially, in other words a shape defined by the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder and the As the direction of flow of a gas through each of these reaction chambers, as is generally known, the gas is forced to flow in the axial direction of the cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chamber (ie in axial flow) or in the radial direction of the same reaction chamber (ie Accordingly, a cylindrical outer jacket provided with lids at both ends has been used in a conventional reactor as a pressure-resistant outer jacket to enclose a cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chamber Proposed permanent outer jacket, which was constructed differently than these cylindrical pressure-resistant outer jackets.

The main task of this invention is to reduce the wall thickness of a pressure-resistant outer jacket of a reactor, so as to reduce the weight of the reactor, and to make the reactor shorter, so as to reduce the lengths of the associated Shorten piping systems, creating the supports and foundations required for the installation of the reactor are made smaller and accordingly the construction cost of the reactor can be reduced.

As already indicated at the beginning, the present invention relates to a reactor with a spherical, approximately spherical or spheroidal and pressure-resistant outer jacket. In the case of same inner

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Volume and internal gas pressure, a spherical pressure-resistant vessel has a smaller surface and allows the use of a thinner steel material for its pressure-resistant outer jacket as compared to a cylindrical pressure-resistant vessel. For example, a spherical pressure-resistant vessel and a cylindrical pressure-resistant vessels that have the same inner diameter and are used at the same pressure become the thickness of a steel material for the former Vessel can be lowered to about half that of the steel material required for the latter vessel. Accordingly, it is known that the weight of a pressure-resistant outer jacket is made lighter per se can be if its shape is changed to a spherical one. Taking advantage of this, many will spherical pressure-resistant vessels e.g. used as storage tanks for liquid natural gas. However, there is nothing about it it has become known how the inner space is used when a spherical pressure-resistant vessel is used as the outer Shell of a pressure-resistant reactor is used.

The inventors have made studies on the utilization of the inner space of a spherical pressure-resistant outer Mantle carried out as a reactor. As a result, the present invention has been completed.

In one embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, which is designed so that a feed gas with a fixed bed of a granular catalyst under elevated pressures is brought into contact so that the feed gas is forced to undergo a chemical reaction pass through, and a gaseous reaction product is obtained in this way, this reactor being characterized is that it comprises a pressure-resistant outer jacket · and at least two reaction chambers, the inside of the outer jacket are included, this is the

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Outer jacket either (a) a ball or a spheroid (resp. approximate

/ Ellipsoid of revolution), <3as from a cylinder with a

Length equal to or less than three-quarters of its diameter and hemispherical end plates of the same diameter as the cylinder, the hemispherical end plates being provided at both ends of the cylinder, or (b) another sphere or spheroid with the the same configurations as the aforesaid sphere or spheroid, provided with at least one cylindrical protrusion / covering a quarter of the total surface area of said sphere or spheroid or less; and the reaction chambers are cylindrical, intercylindrical, frustoconical and / or inter-frustoconical (i.e., located between the truncated cones ) in shape and / or have shapes respectively defined by parts or all of the outer surfaces of the cylindrical, intercylindrical, frustoconical or inter-frustoconical Shapes and the inner surface of the outer shell are defined and limited and annular cross-sections in cutting planes along planes extending perpendicular to their axes, and are arranged in such a relationship that the reaction chamber with a smaller outer diameter within the reaction chamber with a larger inner diameter is located.

In another embodiment of the invention is also a method of contacting a feed gas created with a fixed bed of a granular catalyst under increased pressures, so that the feed gas is forced to enter into a chemical reaction, and a gaseous reaction product is thus obtained, said process being characterized is that the reaction is carried out using the reactor described above and the feed

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gas is forced successively through at least two reaction chambers to flow in the reactor.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings show:

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cylindrical reactor and a spherical reactor Reactor, whereby the principle of the invention is explained;

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, in which the spherical outer shell with a cylindrical Protrusion is provided and the spherical jacket has a cylindrical reaction chamber and enclosing two inter-cylindrical reaction chambers;

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, in which the outer shell is formed from a sphere and contains two reaction chambers, one of which one resembles a truncated cone and the other an inter-frustoconical (or between truncated cones located) shape;

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the reactor according to the invention, in which the outer jacket is a combination of a ball and a cylindrical projection and includes two reaction chambers, one of which is cylindrical and the other of which is im is substantially toroidal or annular;

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a still another embodiment of the reactor cream

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of the invention, in which the outer shell is made from a ball or ball socket and two includes inter-cylindrical reaction chambers and a feed gas is forced radially through the To flow reaction chambers; and

FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of the reactor according to FIG Invention, in which the outer jacket is formed from a ball or spherical shell and a cylindrical one Contains reaction chamber and two inter-cylindrical reaction chambers, and in which the Reactor is provided with external heat exchangers.

The fundamental feature of using the interior of a spherical and pressure-resistant outer shell as The reactor according to this invention consists in providing at least two reaction chambers in the interior space, these Reaction chambers in detail each cylindrical, intercylindrical, frustoconical and / or inter-frustoconical Shape and / or toroidal or annular shape, each between parts or all parts the outer surfaces of the cylindrical, intercylindrical, frustoconical or inter-frustoconical Shapes and the inner surface of the outer shell lie and are limited by these. Because of the above fundamental Property can be the interior of a spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket in an effective way can be used for a reactor and the weight of the reactor can be compared to any kind of known cylindrical reactors are reduced. The basic features of the invention are first described with reference to Fig.1 explained.

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view for comparing the surface area of a spherical outer shell A with that of a cylindrical outer jacket B, the three react

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tion chambers, each having the same horizontal cross-sectional size. The letter C denotes a cylindrical reaction chamber which is arranged in contact with the inner surface of the spherical reactor A and is designed to contain a catalyst in a packed state. According to the illustration, the reaction chamber C is common to the two outer jackets. The letter D denotes an inter-cylindrical reaction chamber which is disposed outside the reaction chamber C in contact with the inner surface of the spherical reactor A and has the same horizontal cross-sectional size as the reaction chamber C. The letter D ¹ denotes another cylindrical reaction chamber, which has the same internal volume and the same horizontal cross-sectional size as the reaction chamber D and is mounted on the reaction chamber C. The inner volume of the reaction ^{chambers D and D 1} is smaller than that of the reaction chamber C. The letter E is another inter-cylindrical reaction chamber which is arranged in contact with the inner surface of the spherical reactor A outside the reaction chamber D and has the same horizontal cross-sectional area as the reaction chambers C and D owns. The letter E ¹ denotes another cylindrical reaction chamber, the inner volume and the horizontal cross-sectional area of which is the same as the reaction chamber E and which is mounted on the reaction chamber D ¹ within the cylindrical reactor B. The volume of the reaction chambers E and E ¹ is smaller than that of the reaction chambers D and D ¹ . Due to this arrangement, the spherical reactor A can be packed with a catalyst having the same volume as the cylindrical reactor B. Further, the linear velocity to be achieved by a gas flowing through the individual reaction chambers C, D and E becomes equal to the linear velocity of a gas flowing axially through the cylindrical reactor B when a feed gas is forced axially in the order CDE or

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E-D-C to flow through spherical reactor A. Accordingly, the spherical reactor A is equal to the cylindrical reactor B in terms of catalyst volume and the pressure loss that occurs when a gas passes through the reactor. When you know Lids attached to both the top and bottom of the cylindrical reactor B (hemispherical End plates in the embodiment shown in Figure 1) and the surface area of the two reactors Calculated per se known method, it is easy to see that the surface area of the spherical reactor A is considerably smaller than that of the cylindrical reactor B. Assuming that the two reactors each can be charged with high-pressure gases of the same pressure, "the pressure-resistant outer shell of the spherical Reactor can be made 10 to 20% lighter than that of the cylindrical reactor or possibly even lighter, even if the additional weight of a cooling system described below is provided between the reaction chambers should be considered. Such a decrease in the weight of a pressure-resistant outer jacket is achieved by making its wall thickness thinner. The upper limit for a large reactor is common limited by the maximum thickness of steel material that can be manufactured. The decrease in the required wall thickness means that such a restriction has been successfully avoided can be.

The preceding description has related to the principle of this invention. In addition to cylindrical or inter-cylindrical Reaction chambers it is possible in the present invention, reaction chambers with frustoconical or inter-frustoconical shape to use the have never been used in any conventional cylindrical reactors. Frustoconical

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and here referred to as "inter-frustoconical" reaction chambers will be described later in the description. It should be noted that the reactor according to the invention can be used for carrying out two types of chemical reactions »namely for both exothermic as well as endothermic reactions. An endothermic reaction is referred to later, and the The present invention is described below with reference in principle to exothermic reactions. It it should be noted, however, that there is no fundamental difference here between these two types of reactions insofar as this invention pertains, and the following description may equally refer to an endothermic one Reaction can be applied by taking the thermal aspects apart from the preheating of the feed gas, be reversed, for example by turning cooling in an exothermic reaction than heating in an endothermic one Reaction reads. It is generally necessary to have devices and devices inside a reactor Provide means for cooling the catalyst or the gases which have been heated as a result of the reaction are to a desired temperature and to preheat the feed gas to the working temperature of the catalyst are adapted, these devices and facilities are to be provided in addition to the reaction chambers described above.

As a first method of cooling the temperatures of the catalyst and the hot gas inside a reactor offers itself as possible, the feed gas with a direct low temperature to one or more desired locations within the catalyst bed, or if the catalyst bed (i.e. the reaction chamber) is divided to lead to the gas flow path, which is an upstream catalyst bed and its subsequent downstream catalyst bed connects. as

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second method to achieve the same goal, it is possible to use a heat transfer surface for indirect heat exchange in the catalyst bed or, if the catalyst bed is divided, in a space between one upstream reaction chamber and its subsequent Provide downstream reaction chamber so as to exchange the hot catalyst or hot gas for heat to submit with the feed gas with the low temperature. The second method can also be effective to preheat the feed gas. Additionally As a third method for the same goal, there is the possibility of replacing the feed gas, which is used as the lower temperature side fluid in the heat exchanger serves in the second method, another Cooling fluid, e.g. another gaseous medium or a liquid or a mixed-phase fluid consisting of a Liquid and its vapor is to be used, being the liquid or the mixed-phase fluid Has reached boiling point at a given temperature under an elevated pressure. The feed gas can be preheated are either using the second method described above or by using indirect heat exchange is subjected to a hot gas emanating from the most downstream reaction chamber, before the feed gas is introduced into the reactor. If a pressure-resistant outer jacket is not a problem or Difficulty maintaining its strength and avoiding its corrosion and embrittlement raises, even if the pressure-resistant outer jacket is heated to the working temperature of its catalytic converter as a method of preheating the feed gas, it is possible to use this feed gas in one Heat the heat exchanger, which is provided outside the reactor, and then the feed gas, which is up to the working temperature of the catalyst has been heated

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is to be introduced into the reactor. However, it is necessary to use the indirect heat exchanger specified above, which is used for Preheating of any feed gas is appropriate to provide within a reactor if necessary To keep the temperature of the pressure-resistant outer jacket below the working temperature of the catalyst.

According to the present invention, the interior of a spherical and pressure-resistant outer shell is both as space for enclosing the reaction chambers as well as the functional devices for cooling a catalyst and utilizes the gas and the preheating of a feed gas as described above. The volume required for the installation of each of these facilities varies up to a substantial one Extent depending on the type of reaction that occurs in the reaction chambers takes place, the type of catalyst used, the amount of heat generated when the reaction occurs is generated, the reaction temperature, the reaction pressure and other reaction parameters. Therefore, the present invention in addition to the described reduction in weight and wall thickness of the individual reactor provide many other advantages. Of such advantages, those common to all the embodiments will first be described common to the invention.

The advantageous features of this invention may not show themselves so clearly in general in reactions in which

2
a reaction pressure of 5 kg / cm (approx. 5 bar) or less is applied (the pressure information is given on the manometer

2 read pressures, i.e. overpressure; all designations in kg / cm,

2 which are given below refer to kg / cm G, unless otherwise stated, so that they essentially correspond to "bar overpressure"), because no essential Difference between the weight of a steel material that

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is required for the pressure-resistant outer shell of a spherical reactor according to the invention and that is for a cylindrical reactor using the same amount of a catalyst as that of the spherical reactor. The advantages of this invention result more clearly at reaction pressures of 10 kg / cm (about 10 bar) and higher and in particular at reaction pressures of 30 kg / cm (about 30 bar) and. higher. With regard to the reaction chambers which are essentially the same as those in the cylindrical reactor, it is preferable to use cylindrical and / or inter-cylindrical reaction chambers for the spherical reactor according to the invention, so that a gas can flow through the individual reaction chambers in a cross section perpendicular to the flow direction of the gas ^{can be increased uniformly / 8} and the effective utilization rate of the catalyst can be increased. However, if only a single cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chamber is provided in a spherical reactor, a large internal space is left apart from the reaction chamber. Even if the means for cooling the catalyst and the gas and the means for preheating the feed gas are included in the interior, the spherical reactor still has an excess space inside and the advantages of the spherical reactor are not used. Accordingly, it is essential to provide at least two cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chambers in order to make effective use of the interior of a spherical reactor. In contrast to cylindrical reactors, it is easily possible to use the interior space of a single spherical reactor effectively, in addition to cylindrical and intercylindrical reaction chambers, truncated conical reaction chambers, inter-frustoconical reaction chambers (i.e. chambers located between the truncated cones) and essentially toroidal reaction chambers

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or to utilize annular spaces between parts or all parts of the outer surfaces of such cylindrical, intercylindrical, frustoconical and inter-frustoconical shapes and part of the inner Surface of the pressure-resistant outer jacket are formed. The use of reaction chambers with such various configurations is indeed advantageous. This is clearly evident from the fact that a spherical reactor is short and thick. Hence the term "at least two reaction chambers" as used herein

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is used ' reaction chambers other than cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chambers as described above. Advantages of these reaction chambers, other than cylindrical or inter-cylindrical reaction chambers, will be described with reference to their specific embodiments. For efficient use of the interior of a spherical reactor, it is also important to arrange these two or more reaction chambers of the above-described shape in such a way that they have a common axis with each other, in other words that they are arranged coaxially and the reaction chamber with each other a smaller outer diameter is arranged within the reaction chamber with a larger inner diameter.

The first structural advantage of a spherical reactor with such a structure as described above, is that the wall thickness and weight of its outer shell compared to a cylindrical reactor with the same catalyst packing volume can. The reasons for the first structural advantage have already been described. The second structural advantage of the spherical reactor is the one that connecting openings for supplying or discharging a gas, a cooling medium or catalyst are designed, easily

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at desired points in the spherical surface of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket can be formed. It is of course possible to use a room Bring in or to provide for the discharge of a gas or cooling medium at a point that is one of the two end plates conventional reactor with an elongated cylindrical shape is removed. However, this requires a pressure-resistant Outer jacket with a considerably extended length. Especially when using an inner cylinder as a reaction chamber is required, there is a substantial thermal expansion or contraction difference between the outer jacket and the inner cylinder due to the temperature differences that develop during operation. Therefore, the overall structure is made complicated and it is so impractical to pass pipes through both the peripheral wall of the cylindrical and pressure-resistant outer jacket as well as through the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder for feeding or to provide discharge of gas and cooling medium. In contrast to the conventional cylindrical reactor, with the spherical reactor according to the invention made use of the toroidal or annular space which inside the reactor by a partition wall and the inner spherical surface of the pressure-resistant outer jacket is designed and permitted, pipes for introducing or discharging a gas, cooling medium and the like as curved tubes or coils extending along the inner surface of the pressure-resistant outer jacket, to be provided. This allows the structure to be made simpler and avoids the development of severe thermal Stresses due to the thermal expansion of the reactor. Furthermore, the provision of the above toroidal space convenient or advantageous for making a large reactor because it is wide enough to allow workers to work in it.

In the above description of the principle of the present invention made with reference to FIG a peripheral wall of a reaction chamber is in contact arranged with its adjacent peripheral wall of another reaction chamber in order to simplify the description. However, it is desirable to have reaction chambers in to be arranged in such a way that their peripheral walls are kept partly or mainly in mutual contact as shown in Figure 1, since such an arrangement of reaction chambers allows more To utilize space in the spherical reactor as reaction chambers. However, it becomes necessary to have a room for the Provide installation of such a described cooling system within each reactor, regardless of the shape of the reactor when a large amount of heat is generated in the course of a reaction taking place in the reaction chamber, because the catalyst packed in the reaction chamber has a low resistance to heat and its capacity is reduced by any excessive rise in temperature, or increased gas and catalyst temperatures adversely affect the course of the reaction in terms of its chemical equilibrium. If in a conventional cylindrical reactor a space is formed to provide the cooling system described above, i.e., a supply line for a low temperature inflowing gas to a reaction chamber or to a Gas flow path between two adjacent reaction chambers or a tubular heat transfer surface to a To subject high-temperature gas to the indirect heat exchange with the supplied gas of low temperature without that the amount of catalyst in the reactor is changed, it becomes necessary to adjust the diameter or length of the cylindrical Increase reactor. On the other hand, in a spherical reactor having two or more reaction chambers, a toroidal or annular space remains

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between the reaction chamber and the outer shell of the spherical reactor. The space left free can be used directly as a flow path for a reaction gas or used as an installation space for pipes, which are designed in such a way that the reaction gas, supplied gas and cooling medium flow through, whereby the degree of utilization the interior space is improved without increasing the internal volume of the spherical reactor.

As is clear from the above description, it is unnecessary that the spherical reactor according to FIG of the invention is exactly spherical in shape to produce the benefits of the invention. The advantages of this invention can also be obtained by reactors having configurations or shapes that are only spherical. Even if part of a spherical outer shell protrudes outward, the Advantages of the invention are not adversely affected as long as only the projection is cylindrical and the diameter of the cylindrical projection is relatively small compared to the diameter of the spherical outer shell. According to a result that the inventors had obtained in relation to a spherical outer shell, which with one or more cylindrical projections was provided, the interiors of the projections with the interior of the spherical outer shell, for example, it was found to be essentially the same Advantages as with a spherical reactor that had no protrusions, even with a spherical reactor could be obtained in which the surface of the part - which has a spherical surface with the adjacent one Part between the cylindrical projection and the spherical outer shell as its boundary forms - at least three quarters of the total surface of the same spherical Make up the outer jacket without the cylindrical projection. In this case, the advantages described above

essentially also obtained in a spherical reactor which has a considerably long cylindrical protrusion compared to a cylindrical one Reactor with the same interior as the spherical one Outer shell of the spherical reactor. It is not necessary to limit the number of these cylindrical protrusions only to restrict a single one, but it is also possible to have many small protrusions in desired places on the Provide surface of a spherical outer jacket. As another example of reactors that also has the advantages This invention provides, but does not have an exactly spherical surface, can be a spheroidal (i.e. rotationally symmetrical) reactor may be mentioned, which consists of a cylinder with a length not greater than three quarters of its diameter, and hemispherical end plates / which are the same diameter as the cylinder have and are each provided at the two ends of the cylinder is formed. This spheroidal The reactor has a preferable shape, as will be described later, when a large amount of heat is caused by the reaction is generated, the gas is allowed to flow through the reaction chamber at a high speed, and it is necessary to provide a large heat transfer surface for indirect cooling in the reaction chamber. In the spheroidal reactor described above hinders the provision of one or more cylindrical protrusions not achieving the advantages of the invention by analogy with the spherical reactor. In the following description become the spherical one described above

and the

Reactor, a spheroidal reactor similar to / described above simply called "spherical reactors" regardless of the presence or absence of cylindrical protrusions. Although it is preferable here in many cases, the common axis of the individual reaction chambers is one Reactor in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 1, in terms of assembly and maintenance and

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Ordering the inspection of the reactor will not be functional Problems or inconveniences arise even if the common axis extends horizontally or at an angle, because the starting materials and the reaction product are both gaseous.

Next is the operation of the spherical reactor described in accordance with the present invention. It is possible to be inside the reactor of this invention to provide two or more reaction chambers having the same cross-sectional shape as viewed along a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of a gas, and the same length have along the direction of flow of the gas. If two or more such reaction chambers with the same When the catalyst is packed, a supplied gas can flow in parallel through the two or more reaction combs will. However, such a parallel passage of a supplied gas has the potential danger that the flow rate of the supplied gas through a reaction chamber cannot be balanced, so that the supplied Gas flows through another reaction chamber and thus a channeling effect occurs. The risk of channeling increases if that supplied gas is forced in parallel through reaction chambers with different cross-sectional shapes or different Lengths to stream. To avoid channeling it is necessary to add certain resources to each reaction chamber so as to maintain the same gas flow rate through the reaction chamber. On the other hand, the The interior space of a cup-shaped reactor cannot be used in the most efficient way when there are two or more reaction chambers having the same cross-sectional shape as viewed along a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of a Gas, and the same length in the direction of flow of the gas are provided within the spherical reactor For these reasons, it is highly desirable to use the

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To use the reactor according to this invention so that a fed Gas successively through at least two reaction chambers, which are provided inside the spherical reactor, is flowed by the fact that the feed gas flowing successively through the reaction chambers, it becomes possible to put a large amount of a catalyst in to pack the spherical reactor so as to effectively utilize the catalyst and the effective utilization rate to increase the interior of the spherical reactor. The first advantage that can be obtained in that a feed gas is sequentially allowed to flow through two or more reaction chambers is based on the fact that it is it becomes easier to avoid overheating a catalyst that is on the upstream side with respect to the flow of feed gas is packed (especially on the most upstream side). It is namely, a feed gas that has been preheated to the working temperature of a catalyst is necessary, first to bring into contact with the catalyst packed on the most upstream side to provide a to achieve effective utilization of the catalyst. On the most upstream side contains the feed gas no reaction product at all or contains only a little reaction product. As a result takes place a violent Reaction takes place in the catalyst bed that is packed on the most upstream side, what leads to a sudden increase in both gas and catalyst temperatures. It is well known that such an excessive rise in the catalyst temperature has adverse effects such as decreased catalytic activity and increased occurrence of undesirable by-products with many catalysts. These problems can can be easily solved by using a reaction chamber on the upstream side, which is a smaller one Cross-sectional area, seen along a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of the gas, and a shorter

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Has a longer length, so as to have a high gas flow rate in the reaction kairaner to maintain and the reaction rate and the development of too high Control heat of reaction; and by allowing a gas discharged from the reaction chamber through any of the coolant described above is cooled. When the gas is then forced to flow at a slower rate to flow through one or more subsequent reaction chambers with a larger cross-sectional area, when the concentration of the reaction product in the gas becomes higher, the reaction product can become exactly the same Way like in a conventional cylindrical reactor can be obtained. At the same time it is possible to get the added effect that the life of the Catalyst can be extended or the occurrence of by-products can be reduced. If desired is to achieve the above-described effects in a conventional cylindrical reactor, it is essential to to increase the internal volume of the reactor.

The second advantage, that of successively passing through of a gas can be obtained through reaction chambers according to this invention relates to that described above second structural advantage of this invention. In fact, it is relatively easy to use a high-temperature gas that has flowed once through a bed of a catalyst, by means of a tube from the pressure-resistant outer jacket and then pull the gas back into the pressure-resistant outer jacket from another location on the surface of the pressure-resistant outer jacket. This advantage is particularly valuable when the feed gas Contains trace amounts of a substance that could poison the catalyst. In this case it is possible in which. spherical reactor to provide a reaction chamber that is completely isolated from other reaction chambers. This additional reaction chamber is considered to be the furthest

used upstream reaction chamber. In this way, the catalyst packed in this reaction chamber absorbs the catalyst poison and its activity will worsen. All the other catalysts in the reaction chambers further downstream however, are protected against the poisoning substance. In this way, the additional reaction chamber can be used to extend the mean life of the entire catalytic converter without the need for it is to replace the catalysts packed in the downstream reaction chambers, provided that that the catalyst in the reaction chamber located furthest upstream is replaced by a fresh one Catalyst is replaced. In addition, the second advantage allows two or more chemical reactions to occur where different catalysts are used, to be carried out sequentially in a single reactor. A specific example explaining this feature will be described later in the specification.

In the spherical reactor according to the invention, a gas can flow either in the axial direction or in the radial direction be passed through its reaction chambers. When the gas flows in the axial direction, the gas can flow from the upper Part of the flow to the bottom and from right to left or in opposite directions. If on the other hand the gas is allowed to flow in a radial direction, it becomes from the inside to the outside or vice versa directed. In addition, it is still possible to combine the axial flow and the radial flow, each for different reaction chambers to use as desired, e.g. by passing the gas through in the axial direction at least one of two or more reaction chambers and is passed in the radial direction through the remaining reaction chambers.

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As described above, the interior of the spherical reactor according to the invention is used for reaction chambers, as gas flow paths, as a space for mixing a high temperature gas with a low temperature feed gas, as installation space for a heat transfer surface used to effect the indirect heat exchange and the like. Construction and layout requirements for these built-in devices can vary according to a variety of parameters, including the type of reaction the feed gas undergoes, the reaction conditions such as temperature and pressure, art of the catalyst, the feed rate of the feed gas and the way of removing the heat of reaction. In this way can create innumerable embodiments by combining these Requirements and parameters are suggested in various ways. Various examples of this execution Forms of execution are described more specifically below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Man however, it should be kept in mind that the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the following embodiments which are given as examples only.

In FIG. 2 there are three reaction chambers 31, 32, 33 which are either inter-cylindrical or cylindrical in shape and packed with a catalyst, arranged coaxially and vertically. A cylindrical protrusion is in one provided upper part of the reactor which encloses a tube and jacket heat exchanger for preheating the feed gas. The reactor is designed to be exothermic To carry out the reaction. The feed gas that has not been preheated to a sufficient extent, is introduced into the reactor through a line 1 and from the lowest part of a pressure-resistant outer jacket 3. It then flows through a space 11, which is connected to the inner

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Surface of the spherical wall of the pressure-resistant outer shell 3 is in contact. The feed gas then flows through a space that corresponds to the inner surface of the cylindrical projection on the pressure-resistant Outer jacket 3 is in contact, and reaches an upper space 12 of a heat exchanger 4. Due to the The pressure-resistant outer jacket is kept at low temperatures along the flow path of the feed gas. That Feed gas then flows through a number of tubes in the heat exchanger 4 and undergoes indirect heat exchange with a reaction gas mixture having a high temperature which has left the reaction chamber 33. After the feed gas has been preheated to a desired temperature, it then reaches a space 13. The feed gas continues to flow through the inner space of a tube 14 and enters the reaction chamber 31, where part of the feed gas undergoes a chemical reaction and the temperature of the resulting gas mixture is increased due to the heat of reaction. The reaction chamber 31 has an inter-cylindrical shape, with their Axis runs vertically through the center of the spherical outer shell. The high temperature gas mixture, which has been partially subjected to the reaction in the reaction chamber 31 enters a space 15 and flows by an inter-cylindrical space which is formed in connection with the space 15 between the reaction chambers 31 and 32 is. While the high temperature gas mixture passes through the two spaces 15 and the inter-cylindrical space, i. the space between the two cylindrical chambers, flows, it is brought into contact with cooling tubes 63, through which a cooling medium flows, and cooled to a predetermined temperature. The gas mixture thus cooled is achieved then a room 17. Then the gas mixture enters the Reaction chamber 32 and the reaction of the supplied gas continues, whereby the temperature of the resulting gas mixture is increased. The gas mixture

ORIGINAL

A space 19 then suffices. The reaction chamber 32 is one inter-cylindrical reaction chamber with a vertical axis passing through the center of the spherical outer shell passes through. The reaction chamber 32 is coaxial with the reaction chamber 31. Its inner diameter is smaller than that of the reaction chamber 31, but its horizontal cross-sectional area and height can be made larger are considered the corresponding dimensions of the reaction chamber 31. While the gas mixture passes through a space 19 and an internal cylindrical space 20 formed between the reaction chambers 32 and 33 flows it is brought into contact with cooling pipes 53 through which a cooling medium flows and is heated to a predetermined temperature cooled down. The gas mixture cooled in this way flows through a space 21 and then enters the reaction chamber 33 a. This reaction chamber 33 has a vertical axis passing through the center of the spherical outer shell passes through it, and is a cylindrical reaction chamber with a tubular space 23 along it This tubular space 23 is used as a gas flow path. The chemical reaction of the supplied gas is completed in the reaction chamber 33, and the resulting gas mixture, its temperature is again increased, flows through the spaces 22, 23 and enters the shell side of the heat exchanger 4 through an opening 24. As already described above, the reaction gas mixture is used to feed the Preheat gas in the heat exchanger 4. As a result, it is cooled and flows out of the reactor an opening 2 5 and a gas outlet line 2 from.

On the other hand, the pressure of the cooling medium is adjusted so that a desired boiling point is reached. The cooling medium is fed as a liquid with approximately its boiling point distribution heads 51, 61 and through

Tubes 52, 62 inserted into the reactor. It then trijtt in the cooling tubes 53, 63 and is subject to the heat exchange with the gas mixture flowing from the reaction chambers 32, 31 is discharged while flowing through the pipes 53, 63 to thereby cool the gas mixtures, and becomes partial evaporated into a vapor phase or a mixed gas-liquid phase. The cooling medium then flows through pipes 54, 64 and enters a gas-liquid separation plant 70 one where it is separated into vapor and liquid. The steam is used for certain purposes, while the Liquid to the headers 51, 61 by gravity or by means of a pump (which in the drawing is not shown) is returned.

In the above embodiment, the cooling tubes 53, 63 both shown as coil-like heat transfer surfaces. They can each be a coil made up of either a single tube or two or more tubes is formed. These cooling tubes 53 or 63 can either be in a single circle or in two or more circles be arranged. The only important thing here is that there is a heat transfer surface arises as it is required according to the amount of heat that is required during heat exchange occurs. In addition to forming the cooling tubes as a coil, they can also by arranging a number essentially vertical tubes can be formed in concentric circles, as will be described later in the description will.

Figure 3 shows a spherical reactor which is provided with a reaction chamber that resembles a truncated cone, and another reaction chamber that resembles a hollow or double-walled truncated cone (hereinafter referred to as "inter-frustoconical" shape denotes ^ and the for is designed to carry out an exothermic reaction.

BATH ORIGINAL

The reaction gas mixtures are cooled in that an inflow gas of lower temperature enters both reaction chambers is admitted. It should be noted that the drawing in Figure 3 has been simplified to illustrate the arrangement of the To illustrate reaction chambers and their configurations. In Figure 3, reference numeral 31 denotes an inter-conical reaction chamber with a vertical one Central axis that passes through the center of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket 3. the inter-conical reaction chamber 31 is packed with a catalyst bed. On the other hand, reference numeral 32 denotes a reaction chamber which is a truncated cone and has a vertical axis passing through the center of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket 3 passes through. In this embodiment occurs the supplied gas, which has been preheated to the working temperature of the catalyst, through an inlet pipe 1 for the supplied gas, which is located in an upper part of the reactor, into the reactor. It flows then through two or more gas flow paths 11, which in radial Direction are provided, and reaches a toroidal or annular space 12. It then enters the Reaction chamber 31. Due to the contact of the supplied gas with the catalyst in the reaction chamber the reaction partially proceeds and the gas temperature increases. Inside the reaction chamber 31 is a cooling system provided, which is constructed from a gas distributor 80, which via a pipe 71 with the outside of the reactor is in communication and is designed so that the low temperature feed gas uniformly in a desired horizontal plane within the reaction chamber flows and supplies. Because of the supply of a desired Amount of the low temperature inflow gas by means of the gas cooling system is prevented from the gas and Catalyst temperatures become excessively high, and the re-

"324ÖÜ89

action is allowed to continue. In this way the reaction gas mixture is heated again and is discharged from the reaction kairaner 31 into a space 13, where the reaction gas mixture with a fresh inflow of the low temperature inflow gas through another gas cooling system is supplied from a pipe 72 extending to the outside of the reactor and a gas distributor 80 is formed, which is in communication with the tube 72. After the resulting gas mixture with has been mixed with the freshly supplied feed gas, it has been cooled to a predetermined temperature. The gas mixture thus cooled then flows through a space 14 which is formed between the reaction chambers 31 and 32 and enters the reaction chamber 32 through a space 15 where the reaction proceeds. As a result of the progress of the reaction in the reaction chamber 32, the reaction gas mixture then becomes wider heated. Similar to the reaction chamber 31, the thus heated reaction gas mixture is twice with fresh Supply streams of low temperature feed gas mixed, each supplied by two gas distributors 80 which are in communication with pipes 73, 74, respectively. The reaction gas mixture has thus been cooled, and the Reaction is completed in this way. The resulting reaction gas mixture flows through a space 16 and a reaction gas outlet 2 to the outside of the reactor. It is possible to remove heat from the reaction gas mixture, which flows out of the reactor, for example to be recovered by a waste heat boiler. However, this part is not shown in the drawing. Because the additional supply of low temperature feed gas for cooling the reaction gas mixture in each case in the reaction chambers and in a space between the two reaction chambers is carried out in this embodiment, the Tendency for more gas to flow when the reaction chambers

closer to the downstream end. In doing so, however Reaction chambers are used, which resemble a truncated cone or an inter-conical shape, and the gas is flowed in a direction from the top of each chamber towards its bottom, grows the cross-sectional area of the gas flow path when the Gas flows down. This prevents the flow rate of the gas in the reaction chamber becomes faster and makes the pressure loss which occurs due to the passage of the gas relatively small, whereby the decrease in the conversion rate due to an increase in the volume velocity (English: space velocity) is avoided.

Similarly, the cross-sectional area of the gas flow path can be enlarged as the reaction chambers come closer to the downstream end. This is effective in reducing the gas flow rate and thus achieving further effects, which can be attributed to reduced pressure loss. In addition, the volume velocity can be adjusted to a suitable Level can be maintained by increasing the packed amount of the catalyst when the reaction chambers come closer to the downstream end.

In Figure 4 is a cylindrical reaction chamber 31 and another reaction chamber 32 for performing an exothermic Reaction shown. The reaction chamber 32 is formed by a toroidal or annular space, that by the peripheral wall of the former reaction chamber 31 and the spherical wall of the pressure-resistant outer shell 3 is limited. The reaction chambers 31, 32 have the same central axis. The gas works in a similar way cooled as in the reactor shown in FIG. 3 by supplying a low temperature feed gas. However

is the preheating of the feed gas and the cooling a reaction gas mixture that has not yet fully undergone the reaction / in a jacket-and-tube heat exchanger 4, which is provided in an upper part of the spherical outer shell 3, performed by both gases are subjected to indirect heat exchange. In the drawing, the representation is simplified, to show the arrangement of the reaction chambers and their configurations. In Figure 4, the reference numeral denotes 31 the cylindrical reaction chamber, which has a vertical central axis passing through the center of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket 3 passes through it. On the other hand, reference numeral 32 denotes the toroidal one Reaction chamber, which has a vertical central axis, which also passes through the center of the pressure-resistant Outer shell 3 passes, and through the spherical wall of the outer shell 3 and part of the outside of the Wall of the reaction chamber 31 is formed. In this embodiment, the feed gas does not enter yet has been preheated to a sufficient level, through a pipe 1, flows through a space 11, which is in a upper part of the heat exchanger 4 is formed, and flows through a number of tubes of the heat exchanger 4. Here, the feed gas undergoes indirect heat exchange with a reaction gas mixture at a high temperature which has been drained from the reaction chamber 31 and preheated to a desired temperature. Then the thus preheated feed gas enters a space 12 and then into the reaction chamber 31, where it is with a Catalyst is brought into contact and where its reaction proceeds to a certain extent. on in this way the temperature of the resulting gas mixture is increased. In the reaction chamber 31 is a gas cooling system provided, which is formed from a gas distributor 80 connected to the outside of the reactor through a pipe

communicates and is designed so that it is freshly supplied low temperature feed gas evenly distributed in a predetermined horizontal plane within the reaction chamber. Due to the provision of the gas cooling system prevents the temperatures of the reaction gas mixture and the catalyst from becoming excessively high by adding a desired amount of the low temperature feed gas. In this way, the Reaction continues to proceed, and the resulting reaction gas mixture is heated again. The so heated Reaction gas mixture is mixed twice with freshly fed streams of low temperature feed gas, which is introduced through two manifolds 80, each in communication with pipes 72, 73, and is thus cooled. The reaction gas mixture cooled in this way then leaves the reaction chamber 31, flows through the spaces 13, 14 and enters the shell side of the heat exchanger 4 through an opening 15. The reaction gas mixture is used here to preheat the supplied / and their temperature accordingly lowers to a predetermined one Level. The reaction gas mixture cooled in this way flows further through spaces 16, 17, 18 and enters the reaction chamber 32. Your reaction continues in the reaction chamber 32, and so does the resulting reaction gas mixture flows out of the reactor through a space 19 and an outlet 2. In Figure 4 is the cross-sectional area of the gas flow path in the reaction chamber 31 is the same that in the reaction chamber 32. In the construction shown in FIG as a truncated cone, as shown in Figure 3, or the reaction chambers a multi-stage To give cylindrical shape so as to change the cross-sectional area of the gas flow path to thereby the To reduce pressure loss and to control the reaction conditions in a suitable manner.

BATH ORIGINAL

Figure 5 shows yet another embodiment of the Invention in which the gas flows in the radial direction through an inter-cylindrical (i.e. formed between cylinders) Reaction chamber 31 and another inter-cylindrical Reaction chamber 32 which is within the reaction chamber 31 is provided, is allowed to flow so as to subject it to an exothermic reaction. Within the inter-cylindrical reaction chamber 32 is a plurality of cooling tubes 53 arranged vertically in one or more concentric circles through which a cooling medium can flow through. The feed gas that is still is not preheated, enters through a gas inlet 1 provided in a lower part of the reactor the reactor. It then flows through a space 11 running along the inner surface of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket 3 is formed. Then it enters an upper space section 12 of a jacket and a tubular heat exchanger 4 provided in the central space of the reaction chamber 32. The feed gas flows through a large number of tubes of the heat exchanger 4. There it is exchanging heat with subjected to a reaction gas mixture having a high temperature, which has terminated the reaction, causing it to become a predetermined temperature is preheated. The feed gas, which has been preheated in this way, then enters a lower one Space section 13 of the heat exchanger 4. The feed gas thus preheated then enters an am Circumferential distribution space 15 through space 14 within radially arranged connecting pipes, from where it is in a substantially horizontal and radial direction flows through the inside of the reaction chamber 31, in other words from the outer peripheral part of the inter-cylindrical Reaction chamber 31 in the direction of its central axis, which extends through the center of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket extends. Since that

BATH ORIGINAL

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supplied gas with the catalyst in the reaction kairaner 31 is brought into contact, an exothermic reaction is set in motion and the resulting gas mixture is heated. Similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a fresh supply stream of low temperature feed gas is introduced through a pipe 71 from the outside of the reactor and distributed uniformly in a cylindrical plane coaxially to the reaction chamber 31 by a gas distributor 80, thereby preventing the reacting gas mixture from becoming too hot. The reaction gas mixture flows then out of the reaction chamber 31 and flows into an inter-cylindrical distributor space 16, which between the Reaction chamber 31 and the inter-cylindrical reaction chamber 32 disposed within the reaction chamber 31 is provided. After the reaction gas mixture has been held in the plenum 16 for a while, it flows into the inter-cylindrical reaction chamber 32 in a substantially horizontal and radial direction Direction, i.e. towards the central axis of the reactor. -The reaction chamber 32 is in the vertical direction longer than the reaction chamber 31. The reaction continues again. As mentioned above, the reaction chamber 32 is provided with a plurality of cooling tubes 53 arranged in concentric circles are. By the cooling medium flowing through the cooling tubes 53, that in the reaction chamber 32 is developed Heat of reaction appropriately removed, thereby successfully preventing the internal temperature the reaction chamber 32 becomes too high. In this embodiment, the reaction chamber 32 is with the above described cooling system equipped. This is preferred because such a cooling system is able to to develop a very high cooling effect if a cooling medium, e.g. a desired boiling point at a

has suitable pressure through which cooling tubes 53 flow left while it is boiling. Furthermore, it is by controlling the density of the arrangement of these cooling tubes in the reaction chamber 32 also possible, the temperature distributions in the catalyst bed and the gas flow along the direction of flow of the gas through the reaction chamber 32 (namely in the radial direction) in accordance with the desired temperature distributions that have been previously set. It is important to check the gas temperature distribution along the direction of flow of the gas in a catalyst bed in a suitable manner to prevent the Concentration and the yield of the reaction product due to a lower achievable upper limit of the reaction, caused by chemical equilibrium phenomena often observed in exothermic reactions, as gas temperatures increase be, or to obtain a predetermined amount of a reaction product, while the amount of necessary for it Catalyst is minimized. The reaction gas mixture, which radially through the reaction chambers 32 has flowed after completion of their reaction and is still hot, flows into an inter-cylindrical space 17 between the heat exchanger 4 and the reaction chamber. It then flows into the shell side of the heat exchanger 4 from a lower part of the same and, as described above, serves to preheat the supplied Gas. Then it flows out of the reactor through the gas outlet 2.

On the other hand, the cooling medium is at a desired pressure as a liquid at its boiling point of the Outside of the reactor introduced into the reactor by means of a pipe 51. After that it turns into a variety of Cooling tubes 53 through one or more toroidal or annular

HRiGlNAL

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Mige distributor heads 52 , which are in communication with the pipe 51, distributed. It then flows as ascending currents through the cooling tubes 53 while it is boiling and collects in one or more toroidal uno-annular headers 54. It then flows through a tube 55 into a gas-liquid separator 70 provided outside the reactor . In the gas-liquid separation system 70, the cooling medium is separated into liquid and vapor. The vapor is discharged through a pipe 56 for a given purpose, while the liquid, without being cooled, is returned to the pipe 51 by gravity or by means of a pump. This part is not shown in the drawing. In the illustrated reactor, the weights of the reaction chambers are suspended by means of turnbuckles 91 which are provided on the upper parts of the reactor. With regard to thermal stresses and stresses, this structure is more advantageous compared to supporting and holding these reaction chambers on their bottom.

Figure 6 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, where heat exchangers installed outside the reactor are used. In the illustrated The embodiment is the reactor with two inter-cylindrical reaction chambers 31, 32 and one cylindrical Reaction chamber 33, all of which have a common axis extending along a line, which runs through the center of the reactor. The reaction chambers 31, 32, 33 are each two equal Divided into halves, each by a level that extends through the center of the spherical reactor and is perpendicular to the common described above Axis runs in two half-spaces or hemi-

will./

Spheres partitioned The independent reaction chambers partitioned in this way are respectively identified by the reference numerals 31a and 31b; 32a and 32b and 33a and 33b, respectively

.. J

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designated. Toroidal spaces 13 and 17 are each called Gas flow paths are formed between the reaction chambers 31a and 31b and between the reaction chambers 32a and 32b. On the other hand, there is a disk-shaped space 20 between the reaction chambers 3 3a and 33b. A

preheated feed gas is introduced into the reactor through inlet 1 of a double-walled tube and first enter room 11. From this room 11 from the flow of the supplied gas is divided into roughly two equal parts. One of the streams, viz the stream a, flows through a gap formed between the reaction chamber 31a and the inner surface of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer jacket is formed and as indicated by the arrow, and flows into the reaction chamber 31a through a toroidal space 12a. The other stream b flows through a gap, that between the reaction chamber 31b and the inner surface of the spherical and pressure-resistant outer shell is designed as indicated by the arrow and then flows through a toroidal space 12b into the reaction chamber 31b. The supplied gas that has entered the reaction chambers 31a and 31b, a chemical reaction occurs in the two reaction chambers brought. The resulting reaction gas mixtures, which have heated up when the reaction is exothermic Reaction, or which have cooled if the reaction is an endothermic reaction, are then mixed and let it flow into room 13. The so mixed Reaction gas mixture flows through the space 14 and flows into an indirect heat exchanger 8, the is provided outside the reactor. Their temperature is then adjusted through a heat exchange that takes place between the reaction gas mixture and a fluid at a desired temperature, this Fluid flows in through a pipe 81a and flows out through a pipe 81b. The reaction gas mixture is accordingly

Hi

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cools when its temperature after mixing in the space 13 is excessively higher than a suitable one Is the temperature for a catalyst bed which is arranged directly after the heat exchanger 8. In contrast to do this, the mixture is heated to a desired temperature if its temperature is excessively low is. The resulting stream of reaction gas mixture, the temperature of which has been set, is again divided into roughly two equal halves. One of these streams, namely stream a, flows through a pipe 15a and flows through a toroidal space 16a into the reaction chamber 32a, while the other flow b is through one Tube 15b flows and flows through a toroidal space 16b into the reaction chamber 32b. The chemical reaction is set in motion again in the two reaction chambers 32a and 32b. The temperature of the reaction gas mixture increases if the reaction is an exothermic reaction, but decreases if the reaction is endothermic Reaction is. After the resulting reaction gas mixtures through the reaction chambers 32a and 32b in the toroidal space 17 have flowed, they are combined with one another. The reactant gas mixture thus obtained flows through a space 18 into another heat exchanger. In the heat exchanger 9, the temperature of the reaction gas mixture set in the same way as previously described, and then it will be roughly divided into two equal halves, each correspondingly through tubes 19a and 19b into the reaction chambers 33a and 33b flow in. The reaction gas mixtures that flowed into the reaction chambers 33a and 33b, respectively are again subject to a chemical reaction, with their temperatures changing. After completion After the chemical reaction they are mixed again in the space and then through an outlet 2 for the reactant gas mixture drained from the reactor. This outlet 2

BATH

leads through the pressure-resistant outer jacket 3 in a direction which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The gas that has flowed out of the reactor through outlet 2 is still hot and it can remove heat from it thus discharged gas can be recovered. However, this part is no longer shown in the drawing. In the embodiment shown, the pressure loss is reduced by the fact that the inter-cylindrical Feaktionskammern and the cylindrical reaction chamber are each divided into two halves and the same in parallel can be used switched. Due to this structure, the pressure-resistant outer jacket can be relatively lower temperatures when used for an exothermic reaction.

In the embodiment described, the means runs axis that is common to all reaction chambers, vertical. The reactor can, however, without any Problems or difficulties arise even when this common axis is horizontal or runs obliquely, as long as it is only ensured that the position of each gas-permeable catalyst holder appropriately adjusted and secured. The chemical reaction can be either exothermic or endothermic be as already described. Furthermore, the same type of catalyst can be used as catalysts for The packings in the reaction chambers 31, 32 and 33 are used to carry out the same chemical reaction in each individual reaction chamber. However, it is also possible to carry out the same chemical Reaction in each of the reaction chambers is different To use catalysts designed to initiate the same chemical reaction, however different temperature characteristics, optimal

Have volume velocity and the like. It is also possible to have three different chemical reactions carry out the necessary to use two-step or three-step chemical reactions of two or three reactors, if one has to rely on conventional reactors, to carry out in the essentially as a one-step reaction, as described, in which various catalysts are introduced into the reaction chambers 31, 32, 33 are packed in order to set the various chemical reactions in motion in motion, and the feed gas and the reaction gas mixtures whose temperatures are for the various catalysts appropriately suitable temperatures have been set, successively through the beds with the different Catalysts are allowed to flow. The different chemical reactions can be one or include more exothermic reactions and endothermic reactions in combination. When performing such various chemical reactions it is preferable to use a heat insulating material for each partition wall too use, which is located between two adjacent reaction chambers, if the temperature of a reaction chamber is considerably different from that of the other reaction chamber. In addition, it is also possible to carry out a chemical reaction in the reaction chamber 3 3 which is different from that which takes place in the two other reaction chambers is carried out, if desired, by additionally by an additional gas supply port 10, another supply gas is introduced, which is different from that through the gas inlet 1 supplied feed gas is different. Furthermore, it can also be possible between the space 18 and the heat exchanger 9 means for separating and removing a certain reaction product from the mixture, which has arisen in the reaction chambers 31, 32 to be interposed.

As an example of performing such various chemical reactions, synthesizing methanol from hydrogen gas and carbon oxide and then synthetically obtaining hydrocarbons from the methanol thus synthesized can be cited. Here, a high pressure feed gas rich in hydrogen gas and carbon oxide is fed through the feed gas inlet 1. Using a known methanol synthesis catalyst (e.g. one _{containing chromium f} copper, zinc and / or the like) in the two reaction chambers 31 and 32, the feed gas

2
converted at the pressure of 100 kg / cm (about 100 bar) and a temperature of about 300 ° C into a gas mixture consisting of methanol, hydrogen gas and the carbon oxide. By causing the gas mixture thus obtained to be introduced through the heat exchanger 9 into the reaction chamber 33, which contains a zeolite catalyst, without separating methanol from the unreacted starting materials, but after setting its temperature to 350 ° C. or similar temperatures, methanol can be converted into hydrocarbons being transformed. Unreacted hydrocarbon gas and carbon oxide are returned to the feed gas inlet 1 after separation of methanol and hydrocarbons from the reaction gas mixture, while methanol which has not been converted into hydrocarbons is returned to the feed port 10 for additional starting material and then into the reaction chamber 33 as steam or Liquid is reintroduced after its separation from hydrocarbons.

As already mentioned, with the reactor according to the invention and the type of process in his Use a number of advantages. In summary, the first benefit relates to the reactor itself. Namely, by the present invention it becomes

possible to reduce the wall thickness of the pressure-resistant outer jacket of the reactor and, accordingly, the weight of the reactor while still allowing the same amount of catalyst to be packed into the reactor. Due to this advantage, it is possible to save steel material for the manufacture of a reactor and the Reactor to manufacture thus at lower cost. In addition, it is also possible to replace the foundation, the holding and support devices, the pipe system and the like, which are used for the installation of the inventive Reactor are necessary to make smaller or shorter. As a result, the overall construction cost for the Reactor to be lowered. This advantage is particularly noticeable when the reactor is using a high pressure reactor large capacity is. The second advantage of the invention relates to the method of performing a Reaction in the reactor. Since the reactor according to the invention with two or more of those described in detail above Reaction chambers are equipped, ranging from cylindrical, inter-cylindrical, frustoconical or inter-frustoconical shape and various Cross-sectional areas at right angles to the direction of flow of a gas and also the amount of the catalyst packed in them is different these reaction chambers having various configurations as appropriate according to need according to the kind of chemical The reactions that take place in them and the properties of the catalysts packed into them are designed will. If, in fact, a single chemical reaction with the same volume velocity (especially in a large reactor), a cylindrical reactor must be very thin and very long. When a Gas flowing therethrough in the axial direction of the cylinder can cause the channeling phenomenon of the gas in the catalyst bed be minimized. However, this leads too much

high flow velocities, which in turn lead to an increased pressure loss. In contrast, when the gas is flowed in the radial direction with a view to reducing the pressure loss, the flow velocity becomes uneven along the long axis of the cylindrical reactor. However, when a spherical reactor is used as in the present invention, each of its inner reac tion chambers formed in a shape that they u-height ratio has a small Durchme'sser- ^Z, in other words it is thick and short. Therefore, in the reactor according to the invention, the channeling problem does not develop and the reactor can operate with a small pressure loss.

This benefit can also have a beneficial effect in terms of extending the life of a catalytic converter entail. The extended life of a catalytic converter is due to two reasons which in principle differ are derived. For example, the first reason can be explained with reference to a reaction produced by the Generation of a large amount of heat is accompanied, such as the synthesis of methanol from hydrogen gas and Carbon oxide. In reactions of the above type occurs when a gas passes through each of the catalyst beds with a uniform flow rate which is the mean flow rate for all the catalysts appropriate flow rates in each case, generally a violent one exothermic reaction on the catalyst with which the supplied gas is first brought into contact, since the The concentration of a reaction product is still low there. Such a violent exothermic reaction does that The catalyst is excessively hot, causing thermal degradation in relation to the activity of the catalyst.

wraps. This phenomenon can be avoided by passing the gas through the catalyst bed at a high rate is directed. If desired, a cylindrical reactor for carrying out a reaction of the type described above without developing this phenomenon, it becomes necessary to use the length of the reactor if the gas is supplied in the form of an axial flow, or one or more to leave unused spaces in the reactor when the gas is passed through as a radial flow. if As the length of the reactor is increased as mentioned above, the pressure loss becomes larger. Therefore is neither the former still the latter measure practically feasible. In contrast, it is easy to make little short ones and to form thick reaction chambers in a reactor without increasing the wasted space therein when the present invention is applied. Therefore, the above-described phenomenon can be avoided with success. The second reason for the extended life of the catalyst lies in the following situation. if a feed gas containing a trace amount of a substance which is toxic to the catalyst can be a small space containing a bed of catalyst (i.e. reaction chamber) with which the feed gas first enters Is brought into contact, encloses, be formed in such a structure that it is separated from other reaction chambers and spaces for a heat exchanger and a cooling system in the reactor are sufficiently insulated. if these reaction chambers are connected to one another by means of pipes which extend outside the spherical reactor provided and equipped with valves, it becomes possible when the first comes into contact with the feed gas the catalyst that has stepped on is poisoned, the reaction chamber, which contains the catalyst poisoned in this way, is

Ren reaction chambers to isolate by suitable actuation of the valves and the so poisoned catalyst to replace with a fresh batch of the catalyst, so that the life of the remaining catalyst, i.e., the majority of the catalyst, is elongated.

The third advantage of this invention relates to the method of using the reactor according to the invention. As already mentioned in the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the reactor can of this invention can be used to carry out two or more different chemical reactions that proceed at the same pressure and at the same or different temperatures. Although the reactor according to of the invention as a reactor for the parallel implementation of two or more chemical reactions that are not correlated can be used, so makes the use of the reactor according to the invention in general possible to carry out two or more chemical reactions essentially as a one-step reaction, so as to obtain a final reaction product from starting materials in which the two or more chemical reactions be carried out successively one after the other. In this way is the method of the invention suitable for reducing the number of reactors.

The reactor according to this invention is designed as a reactor for obtaining a gaseous reaction product gaseous starting materials at pressures above

5 kg / cm (about 5 bar) suitable, and those described above The more the reaction pressure and the internal volume of the individual rise, the greater the advantages Reactor gets bigger. As chemical reactions, which are preferably carried out using the reactor according to of the invention can be carried out as follows

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Reactions are called: synthesis reaction of ammonia from a gas that contains hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas? Synthesis reactions of aliphatic monohydric alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanols and butanols from a gas, the hydrogen gas and a carbon oxide contains; direct synthesis reaction of hydrocarbons from a gas, the hydrogen gas and a carbon oxide contains (i.e. the so-called Fischer-Tropsch synthesis); Synthetic processes involving the synthesizing of aliphatic monohydric alcohols from a gas containing hydrogen gas and carbon oxide, and subsequent conversion the thus obtained aliphatic monohydric alcohols to hydrocarbons; reaction for converting a gas containing steam and carbon monoxide into another gas containing hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide contains; Reaction to convert a gas that contains one or more hydrocarbons such as methane and / or contains naphtha or petroleum and steam, into another gas, the hydrogen gas and a carbon oxide contains; and reaction for synthesizing saturated hydrocarbons from a gas containing one or more unsaturated hydrocarbons and hydrogen gas contains. The reactions and processes given are basic examples.

When these chemical reactions are carried out, the reaction conditions such as temperature, pressure vary and volume velocity from one reaction to another according to the type of reactions, the properties the catalysts to be used, etc. However, it is generally possible to carry out such reactions under im perform essentially the same conditions as they are well known for conventional cylindrical reactors.

BATH ORIGINAL

Known gas distributors, heat exchangers and gas-permeable catalyst holders can also be used as distributors for the supply of a low temperature feed gas for cooling the catalysts and gases in the reactor according to the invention, for aie different heat exchangers and the gas permeable catalyst mounts are used. As cooling media that are used for cooling of catalysts and reaction gas mixtures are useful and which correspond to the indirect heat exchange method not passed through the reactions, the following can be given as preferred examples are: water the pressure of which has been adjusted to boil at a desired temperature; one the hydrocarbons, which are liquid at room temperature, or a mixture of two of these hydrocarbons; a heat transfer medium like "DOWTHERM" (Trade name; product of Dow Chemical Company). However, gaseous cooling media or other liquid ones can also be used Cooling media can be used satisfactorily in some cases.

Having now described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there can be many changes and modifications from those described Embodiments can be made without that the scope of the invention is left.

BATH ORIGINAL

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Claims (6)

Claims 1. Reactor for contacting a supplied gas with a fixed bed of a granular catalyst under increased pressures to the gas supplied go through a chemical reaction and in this way create a gaseous reaction product, characterized in that it has a pressure-resistant outer jacket (3) and at least two reaction chambers (31,32,33) which are located within the outer shell, the Outer jacket (3) is either (a) a ball or approximately a ball or a spheroid that consists of a cylinder with a length equal to or less than three quarters of its diameter and hemispherical End plates of the same diameter such as the cylinder provided at both ends of the cylinder is formed, or (b) another Sphere or other approximated sphere or spheroid having the same configuration as has the aforementioned ball or the aforementioned spheroid and with at least one cylindrical Projection is provided, which is a quarter of the total surface of the last-mentioned ball or spheroid or less covered, and the reaction chambers (31,32,33) cylindrical, inter-cylindrical (i.e. as Spaces formed between cylinders), frustoconical and / or inter-frustoconical (i.e. formed as a space between truncated cones) spaces and / or have shapes that between Parts or all of the parts of the outer surfaces of the cylindrical, inter-cylindrical, frustoconical or inter-frustoconical structures and the inner surface of the outer shell (3) lie and are bounded by these and have annular cross-sections in planes that extend extend at right angles to their axes and which are arranged in such relation to one another that a reaction chamber (33 or 32) with a smaller outer diameter within a reaction chamber (32 or 31) is located with a larger inner diameter. 2. Reactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the reactor additionally at least one curved tube that extends through the spherical wall or the approximately spherical Wall or spheroidal wall of the pressure-resistant outer jacket (3) extends, and one of the interior comprises the partition dividing the reactor, so that the so divided interior of the reactor with the External space of the reactor is in communication, and that the bent tube between the outer shell and the Partition wall within a room near the inner surface of the spherical or approximately spherical or spheroidal wall of the outer shell (3) is arranged. 3. Reactor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized characterized in that (a) the individual reaction chambers (31,32) each have an inter-cylindrical (i.e. formed as a space between cylinders) in shape and arranged upright are, (b) the reactor further comprises a distributor space (16), each between two adjacent Reaction chambers (31,32) is provided, and (c) a plurality of cooling tubes (53) within at least one (32) the reaction chambers in at least two concentric circles and parallel to the axis of the reaction chamber is arranged with the feed gas being forced radially and sequentially through each of the reaction chambers (31,3 2) to flow, and a cooling medium at a desired pressure as a boiling one Gas-liquid mixed phase is allowed to flow upwards through the cooling tubes (51,52,53,54). 4. Reactor according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the outer jacket (3) is a sphere or an approximated sphere or a spheroid which has at least a cylindrical projection is provided, and that within at least one of these cylindrical Projections an indirect heat exchanger (4) is provided in which the gas supplied with a High-temperature gas generated in the course of the reaction or after the completion of the reaction is preheated will. - 4 - 324ÜQ89 5. A method for contacting a supplied gas with a fixed bed of a granular catalyst under elevated pressures, at which the supplied gas undergoes a chemical reaction and in this way a gaseous reaction product is formed, characterized in that that the reaction is carried out using the reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the gas supplied is forced through at least two reaction chambers one after the other to flow in the reactor. 6. Use of a reactor according to one of claims 1 to 4 for a method for contacting a supplied gas with a fixed bed of a granular catalyst under increased pressures, in which the supplied gas undergoes a chemical reaction and in this way a gaseous reaction product is formed, the supplied gas successively through at least two reaction chambers is passed in the reactor.