Patent ID: 8361798

Claim:
A process for testing performance levels and/or changes over time of at least one catalyst for a fixed-bed industrial chemical reactor installation having a bypass between a point that a reaction feedstock has been preheated and a point downstream therefrom, said process comprising: connecting a connectable and disconnectable catalyst testing device in said bypass, the catalyst testing device comprising at least one hollow metal cartridge containing catalyst, circulating a liquid stream comprising less than or equal to 1% of the preheated reaction feedstock through the catalyst in the at least one cartridge at reaction conditions for a period of time to produce at least one effluent and reinjecting the at least one effluent into the industrial chemical reactor installation, subjecting at least a fraction of the at least one effluent from the at least one cartridge to chemical analysis, and isolating the catalyst testing device in the bypass from the industrial chemical reactor installation after the period of time without stopping operation of said industrial chemical reactor installation, and sampling at least a fraction of the catalyst for physical and/or chemical analysis.