GB668180A - Apparatus for carrying out catalytic reactions - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0668180/III/1> A vertical cylindrical catalytic reactor, subdivided into a number of reaction spaces, each having cooling devices disposed externally thereof, and having means for feeding the catalyst at the top and the reactant gases at the bottom of the reactor, is provided with a central rotating shaft carrying impeller blades which cause the reactant gases to be withdrawn from each reaction space, passed through the cooling device and recycled. Either fluidized or moving bed technique may be employed. The left-hand side of Fig. 1 shows two superposed fluidized beds supported on grates 17 and separated from each other by plate 23. Catalyst enters at 21 and passes downwards through the overflow pipes 22. Reactant gases entering at 13 are thrown outwardly by impellers 7 on rotating shaft 6, under the grates 17, fluidizing the catalyst bed. A cooling device 19 is adjacent the reaction spaces and the reactants circulate down the length of the cooler and back to the catalyst bed. Part of the reactants passes through apertures 29 above the impellers, into the central space and from thence to the next uppermost bed. In the right-hand side of Fig. 1, reaction spaces and cooling devices are disposed alternately radially about the central shaft. Catalyst is fed from a distributer 3 into the reaction spaces and is withdrawn at 10. Reactants are withdrawn from the reaction spaces inwardly into the central shaft and passed under the action of the impellers through the radially arranged cooling devices into the annular space between the reactor wall 1 and the reaction spaces, and thence through radial channels 8 to the catalyst bed. Gases may be withdrawn from the reactor at any stage, reaction products separated and the reactants recycled. The working temperature of the reaction spaces may be further controlled by the action of cooling gas or water, introduced preferably automatically by a temperature regulator.