Patent ID: 8307696
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: B01J,F28D,F28F,G01M

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting the existence of damaged heat exchangers in at least one group of heat exchangers of an isothermal reactor comprising: a pressure vessel closed at the opposite ends by respective bottoms, a reaction zone in said pressure vessel in which at least one catalytic basket is positioned, at least one heat exchange unit embedded in said at least one catalytic basket, each heat exchange unit comprising a plurality of heat exchangers each having an inner chamber intended to be crossed by an operating heat exchange fluid, the method comprising the steps of: operating said isothermal reactor by feeding reactant gases to said reaction zone for the production of a predetermined chemical compound and by feeding said heat exchange operating fluid to said plurality of heat exchangers in order to carry out a chemical reaction in said reaction zone in substantially isothermal conditions; picking up at least one sample of operating heat exchange fluid from at least one group of exchangers of said at least one heat exchange unit; and ascertaining whether there are damaged exchangers in said at least one group of exchangers through analysis of said samples of operating heat exchange fluid wherein the above steps of picking up and ascertaining are carried out during operation of the isothermal reactor.