US1992946A - Reaction chamber for contact masses - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1 935. J. w. 'HARRISON 1,992,946

, REACTION CHAMBER FOR CONTACT MSSES l Filed Feb. 2o, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented .Maru 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REACTION CHADIBER FOR CONTACT MASSES poration of Delaware Application February 2o, 1934, serial No. 712,203

11 Claims.

This invention relates to converters for effecting chemical reactions by, on, or in the presence of contact masses which may be inert or active, either catalytically or otherwise. More particularly, it relates to the chamber in which the reaction takes place and to certain novel features having a bearing upon the reaction and upon the results obtained thereby.

One object of the invention is to provide a reaction chamber in which the reaction will take place under substantially the same conditions and to substantially the same extent throughout the chamber. Another object is to contact a predetermined quantity of the charge with a unit volume of the catalytic or other contact mass. Another object is to modify conventional forms of converters in order to improve their operation, to increase their yield, or to produce a superior product. Other objects will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In a converter having fluid distributing and/or venting elements embedded therein designed to produce uniformity of operating conditions throughout the reaction chamber, difficulties have been encountered in maintaining uniform conditions and in securing the expected yield of products from a transforming reaction, or in effecting reasonably complete regeneration of the mass when the latter is regenerated or reactivated while in place after an on-stream or transforming period. For convenience and for strength, especially when the reactions take place under pressure, converters are usually round in cross section, although they may be of any desired shape. In any case, a uniform and symmetrical pattern of uid conducting and/or distributing elements vdesigned to effect uniformity of action throughout the mass will rarely, if ever, t the reaction chamber. As a result, there will be irregular and unequal bodies of the contact mass in the marginal part 3f the reaction chamber in contact with the converter wall on the one hand and in unbalanced and non-uniform relation with the :duid conducting elements on the other. Such bodies function poorly and irregularly, if at all," and often produce cold or hot areas which tend to spread and still further disrupt the operation of the apparatus.

'I'he present invention overcomes or avoids the above diculties by the use of suitable means for modifying the marginal portion of the reaction chamber so as to dispose substantially the same volume of the contact mass about each of the fluid conducting elements, thereby to produce substanthe converter. To this end, the wall of the converter is made to conform, so far as practically possible, to the arrangement or pattern of the fluid distributing and/or venting elements embedded in the contact mass. The wall may be designed of the proper shape in the beginning, or, if conventional, it may be changed permanently by the use of forms and filling material which hardens after it is in place. A convenient solution involves the use of inserts of suitable size, shape and distribution. These inserts may be referred to as dummies, since their primary function is to occupy space.

In order to illustrate the invention, concrete embodiments thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a converter substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a quarter section of a converter having a different arrangement of distributing and venting conduits from that shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views similar to Fig. 3, showing different dummy arrangements for the same converter; y

Fig. l6 is a vertical sectional -viewon an enlarged scale of a portion of a converter showing the dummy member in side elevation and means for securing the same in place;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view showing the lower end of the dummy member of Fig. 6 in front elevation;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a. sectional View conforming to the upper portion of Fig. 6, but on a slightly larger scale, and showing a modified form of securing bracket.

The converter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a casing 10 enclosed by a thick layer of heatinsulating material and having upper and lower partitions or tube sheets 12 and 13 dividing the interior of the converter into a central reaction chamber and end chambers 14 and 15 for the entering fluids to be converted or treated and for the products of the reaction. Either or both of the partitions or tube sheets 12, 13 may support fluid conducting elements extending into the re.- action chamber, and either partition may have a layer of insulating material such as 16 thereon to check heat losses between the reaction chamber and the end chambers. In the form shown, the top tube sheet 12 supports a series of perforated fluid conducting elements 17, while lower tube sheet 13 supports a similar series of perforated iluid conduits 18. Elements 17 and 18 may be single conduits, but are preferably of the nested conduit type such as disclosed, for example, in the copending applications of Eugene J. Houdry, Serial No. 569,530, filed October 17, 1931, and Serial No. 611,363, led May 14, 1932, and in the copending application of Thomas B. Prick'ett and Eugene J. Houdry, Serial No. 612,222, illed May 19, 1932, so as to insure distribution of fluids uniformly and at substantially the same temperature throughout the contact mass M in the reaction chamber and to effect even transitions of the entire mass from one reaction temperature to another. Either series may be used as the inlet members for the reactant fluids, while the other series provides the outlets, the movement of the fluids through the contact mass M being localized in a plurality of areas of substantially the same size in a plurality of horizontal planes. Contact mass M may be of any type whatever for effecting or permitting the reaction desired, but is preferably composed of bits, fragments or molded pieces of substantially the same size for uniformity of reaction, especially when the converter is used for alternate endothermic and exothermic reactions, as, for example, in the catalytic transformation of heavier hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons followed by the regeneration of the catalytically active contact mass by the oxidation of the carbonaceous and tarry deposits made during the onstream or transforming operation.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the particular converter shown is circular, and the series of conduits 17 and 18 are in the pattern of a square. To make mass M conform to the pattern of the inlet and outlet elements and to insure substantially the same volume of mass M per distributing or outlet element, the volume of the reaction chamber must be modified. While this could be done by redesigning the converter case, it is more practical and economical to modify the marginal portion of the case by a false wall, preferably formed by space-occupying members or dummies of suitable size and shape. In the present instance, three forms of dummies, namely 19, 20 and 21,

, differing in size and shape, are utilized, with the same forms repeated in diametrically opposite parts of the reaction chamber.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a different pattern or disposition of fluid conducting elements (indicated diagrammatically only) and a progression of dummy forms to suit the same. While the pattern shown in`Fig. 2 gives an equal number of conduits of both series, the hexagonal arrangement of conduits shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 tends to provide twice as many conduits or units of the series indicated by reference character 22 as compared with the series of conduits indicated by reference character 23. The units of the series 18 and 19 in Figs. 1 and 2 are of the same size, while Athe units of the series 22 and 23 are of different sizes.

In the quarter section of the converter shown in Fig. 3, only two vertically disposed dummies are illustrated, a small one, 24, and a much larger one, 25, the outlines of which modify the marginal portion of the reaction chamber so as to dispose substantially the same quantity of contact mass M adjacent the conduits of both series. Fig. 4 shows a rst transition in dummy forms and outlines, a larger number of individual units being provided. Member 24a takes the place of v cent member 24 of Fig. 3, and members 25a1, 25a, 25a3, 25a, 25a5, and 25a8 take the place of the single member 25 of Fig. 3. In Fig. 5, the dummy members are hollow and fabricated from sheet material, certain of the individual forms shown in Fig. 4 having been combined. In this instance, member 24h takes the place of members 24 and 24a of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, while members 25131, 25172, 25b3, 25b4, and 25125 takeV the place of member 25 of Fig. 3 and members 25m-a6 of Fig. 4.

From Figs. 4 and 5 it will be apparent that, while the individual forms of dummy members shown do not proportion so exactly the volume of catalyst per conduit member as in Fig. 3, they are quite practical and do overcome or avoid, to a very substantial extent, the diiliculties in operation and temperature regulation involved when very marked irregularities in contact mass volume exist in the marginal portion of the converter.

Dummies 19 to 21 of Figs. 1 and 2, 24 and 25 of Fig. 3, and 24a and 25111-0.6 of Fig-4 may be solid or hollow as desired. If solid, they may be of any suitable material, metallic or otherwise, molded, cast or otherwise formed, and may be attached to or mounted in the converter in any suitable manner. They may be of heat insulating material or partly of heat insulating material and of metal. However, dummies of the solid type have certain disadvantages. If made of metal, they arelikely to absorb too much heat; if of insulating material, they may not' take up sufficient heat. If the reaction temperatures are low, such solid dummies give reasonably satisfactory results. When the operating temperatures are high, a hollow form, preferably of metal, constructed after the manner of any of the forms 24h and 25121-1)5 of Fig. 5, is preferable. 'I'hese hollow dummies may be left open at top and bottom, or be otherwise vented as by ports in the side for free movement of fluids and to avoid danger of distortion or of explosions.

Figs. 6 and 7'show one manner of securing in place a typical hollow dummy such as 25125. It is supported on lower partition 13 of the converter on shims 26 which are fastened to partition 13 in any suitable mannerv as by welding. These shims are thick enough to permit movement cf fluid into the lower open end of the hollow dummy 25115, but not thick enough to provide a passage for the contact mass. A bracket, such as 27 in Figs. 6 and 8, having an integral foot or base 27a suitably secured to casing 10, as by welding, secures the upper part of "dummy 25h5 in place in a manner to permit relative movement through expansion and contraction. To this end, bracket 27 has a vertical slot 28 through which a bolt 29 extends to have threaded engagement with a nut 30 welded to the inner face of the side wall of the dummy over an aperture receivingbolt 29. A washer 31 may be interposed between the head of bolt 29 and bracket 27. If space islacking between adjadummy members, a longer securing bracket 32 (Fig. 9) may be provided, with its base 32d welded to the wall of casing 10 and with an outer b ent end 32h to engage the front face of a dummy member such as 25114. The outer bent end 32h may have the same bolt and slot arrangement to permit relative movement as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. If the dummy and the converter wall with which it is in contact are of the same material or of different materials having the same or approximately the same coelcient of expansion, the fdummy" may be welded directly to the converter wall. In such a case,v

providing a wall of irregular outline about said chamber for insuring a substantially equal volume of said mass for each of said elements.

2. A converter providing a reaction chamber,

' a contact mass in said chamber, uid distributing elements embedded in said mass, and means restricting the volume of said mass between certain of said elements and the wall of said chamber.

3. A converter having walls defining a reaction chamber circular in cross section, a contact mass in said chamber, iluid conducting elements embedded in said mass in uniform symmetrical arrangement and in parallelism with the circular wall of said chamber, and means on said circular walls projecting into said chamber in a definite relation to the arrangement of said elements to restrict the volume of said mass between said wall and certain of said elements.

4. A converter providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, uid distributing elements embedded in said mass, and space occupying members or "dummies` interposed between certain of said elements and the enclosing wall of said chamber to restrict the volume of said mass lying therebetween.

5. A converter having walls dening a reaction chamber circular in cross section, a contact mass in said chamber, uid conducting elements em- `bedded in said mass in uniform symmetrical arrangement and in parallelism with the circular wall of said chamber, and space occupying members or dummies interposed between said elements and said circular wall selectively to restrict the volume of said mass therebetween.

6. A converter providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, fluid conducting elements extending into said mass in parallelism with one another and with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetrical arrangement, and hollow members or dummies mounted on said converted walls selectively to restrict the volume of said mass in relation to certain of said elements.

7. A converter providing a reaction chamber,

-a contact mass in said chamber, iiuid conducting elements extending intcrsaid mass in parallelism with one another and, with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetrical arrangement, and space occupying members or dummies adjacent said surrounding walls of said converter in suitable form and in such rela'- tion to the outermost of said elements-to provide substantially the same volume of said contact mass about each of said elements.

8. A converter providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, fluid conducting elements extending into said mass in parallelism with one another and with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetrical. arrangement. and space occupying members disposed at intervals adjacent said converter Walls selectively to restrict the volume of said mass in relation to. certain ofsaid elements. said members being mounted on said walls in a manner to permit relative movement. l

9. A converter providing a reaction chamber, a conta/ct mass in said chamber, iluid conducting elements extending into said mass in parallelism with one another and with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetrical arrangement, and hollow members or dummies about said converterfwalls selectively to restrict the volume of said mass relative to certain of said elements, said members being vented and mounted upon said walls in a manner to permit rela- 4 tive expansion and contraction.-

10. A converter providing a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, fluid conducting elements extending into said mass inparallelism with one another and with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetricalarrangement, and open ended hollow members or dummies adjacent said surrounding walls selectively to restrict the marginal volume of said mas's, means spacing the lower ends of said members from the bottom of said reaction chamber, brackets extending from said walls, and a sliding connection between said members and said brackets.

11. A converter providing'a reaction chamber, a contact mass in said chamber, uid conducting elements extending into said mass in parallelism with one another and with the surrounding walls of said converter and in symmetrical arrangement, and open ended hollow members or dummies adjacent `said surrounding walls selectively to restrict the marginal volume of said mass, shims on the lower ends of said members serving as spacers and secured to the bottom of said ohamber,'brackets extending from said surrounding walls, and bolt and slot connections between said members and said brackets to permit limited relative movement resulting from expansion and contraction.

f JAlWES W. HARRISON.

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