Patent ID: 9149778
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: B01D,B01J

Abstract:
1. A method for dispensing catalyst pellets to a chemical reactor, comprising the steps of: providing a hopper for holding a plurality of catalyst pellets at an elevation above the chemical reactor; loading a plurality of catalyst pellets into the hopper; providing a large diameter open conduit through which the catalyst pellets pass in order to flow from the hopper to the chemical reactor, with the diameter of the conduit being at least eight times the largest dimension of the catalyst pellets; providing a sieve between the hopper and the conduit defining a plurality of openings that are small enough relative to the size of the catalyst pellets so that the catalyst pellets form bridges above the sieve; and repeatedly breaking the bridges to allow the catalyst pellets to flow through the openings in a controlled manner to form a flow in which the catalyst pellets are separated from each other in a homogeneous manner and have minimal or no contact with each other as they fall through the open conduit.