Patent ID: 7547387
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: B01J,C10G,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for passing a fluid through a bed of particulate material, the process comprising: a) maintaining particulate material in a vertically extended bed having a fluid inlet face, wherein the bed is maintained between the fluid inlet face and an outlet partition having a perforated section extending over at least part of its length, wherein the size of the perforations retains the particulate material while permitting fluid flow therethrough; b) passing an inlet fluid to the fluid inlet face and transversely through the bed; and c) withdrawing the particulate material from the bottom of the bed at a rate to achieve a desired solid fraction of the bed while recovering outlet fluid from the perforated section of the outlet partition at an operating flow rate that is not less than a stagnant bed pinning flow rate corresponding to the desired solid fraction of the bed.