Patent ID: 6620386
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: B01J

Abstract:
A radial flow reactor apparatus comprising in combination:(a) a substantially cylindrical reactor housing, said housing defining a reactor interior including a reactor core region around a central axis of said reactor, a reactor inlet region adjacent to a first end of said reactor core region, and a reactor outlet region adjacent to a second end of said reactor core region; (b) a reactor feed inlet for feeding a fluid reactant stream to said reactor inlet region; (c) a first annular-shaped catalyst bed region of said reactor interior radially surrounding said reactor core region, said first annular-shaped region being defined by substantially concentric first bed inner and outer walls of a porous material of suitable mesh size to retain a first bed of catalyst material therein while permitting fluid flow therethrough; (d) a second annular-shaped region radially surrounding said first annular-shaped region wherein the outer wall of said first annular-shaped region also defines the inner wall of said second annular-shaped region; (e) a reactor product outlet for withdrawing a fluid reactor product stream from said reactor outlet region; (f) a plurality of axially-disposed heat exchange tubes located outside of said catalyst bed region in said reactor core region alongside said first bed inner wall, in said second annular-shaped region alongside said first bed outer wall, or both; further wherein said reactor interior defines a fluid stream flow path consisting sequentially of: a first axial segment running substantially axially from said reactor inlet region into the reactor core region without passing through any part of said catalyst bed region; a radial segment running substantially radially from said reactor core region across any heat exchange tubes alongside said first bed inner wall, through said catalyst bed region, across any heat exchange tubes alongside said first bed outer wall and into said second annular-shaped region; and a second axial segment running substantially axially from said second annular-shaped region to said reactor outlet region.