Patent EA-002389-B1 (EA)
Title: Process and apparatus for fluidizing solid particles in gas stream flow
Inventor: RALL RICHARD R
IPC: B01J38/30
Filed: 1999-12-14
Abstract: 1. An apparatus for fluidizing solid particles in a gas stream flow comprising: a container having a shell and an open internal region within the shell; a contacting device positioned within said open internal region and comprising pairs of planar portions arranged in intersecting planes, each planar portion comprising one or more webs and one or more open slots adjacent each web, the webs and slots being arranged such that a web in one of the planar portions intersects a slot in the paired planar portion; solid particles within the contacting device; and at least one gas stream flowing in a first direction through the contacting device and causing fluidization of the solid particles within the contacting device. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, including gas stream flow conduits in communication with the container for directing the gas stream into the open internal region for said flow through the contacting device and removing the gas stream from said contacting device after said flow through it. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, including solid particle flow conduits in communication with the container for directing the solid particles to the contacting device and removing the solid particles from the container after passing through the contacting device. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said gas flow conduits and solid particle flow conduits are arranged to provide countercurrent flow of said solid particles and said gas stream. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said solid particles comprise catalyst particles. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, which is selected from the group consisting of an FCC catalyst stripper and an FCC catalyst regenerator. 7. A process for fluidizing solid particles within a container having a shell and a contacting device positioned within an open internal region within the shell, said contacting device comprising pairs of planar portions arranged in intersecting planes, each planar portion comprising one or more webs and one or more open slots adjacent each web, the webs and slots being arranged such that a web in one of the planar portions intersects a slot in the paired planar portion, said process comprising the steps of: providing a quantity of solid particles within the contacting device; and causing fluidization of the solid particles within the contacting device by flowing at least one gas stream through the contacting device. 8. The process of claim 7, including directing the solid particles through the contacting device in a direction countercurrent to a flow direction of the gas stream. 9. The process of claim 8, including providing additional quantities of solid particles within the contacting device while removing at least some of the fluidized solid particles from the contacting device while said gas stream is flowing through the contacting device. 10. The process of claim 7, including retaining the quantity of solid particles within the contacting device while the gas stream is flowing through the contacting device. 11. The process of claim 7, wherein said solid particles are catalyst particles associated with volatile hydrocarbons, and wherein during said step of flowing said gas stream through the contacting device at least some of the volatile hydrocarbons are stripped from the catalyst particles by the gas stream during said fluidization. 12. The process of claim 11, wherein said gas stream comprising water vapor. 13. The process of claim 7, wherein said solid particles are catalyst particles containing coke deposits, and including the step of burning the coke deposits to cause regeneration of the catalyst particles during said step of flowing said gas stream through the contacting device. 14. The process of claim 7, wherein during said fluidization of the solid particles within the contacting device the webs of the contacting device impede flow of the solid particles in a direction of flow of the gas stream. 15. The process of claim 7, processing selected from the group consisting of one or more of mass transfer, heat exchange and chemical reaction occurs during said fluidization of the solid particles.