Patent ID: 8646492

Claim:
A method for loading pellets into a vertical reactor tube in a chemical reactor, wherein the vertical reactor tube has an inside diameter and extends downwardly from a horizontal upper tube sheet, comprising the steps of: providing a first body including means for holding a plurality of pellets above the reactor tube; loading a plurality of pellets onto the first body; defining a first opening through which the pellets pass in order to flow from the first body into the vertical reactor tube, said first opening having a smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the vertical reactor tube; and imparting a direct mechanical force to at least one of the pellets adjacent to the first opening that is different from forces being applied to the surrounding pellets in order to break up any bridging that may occur within the pellets lying above and adjacent to the first opening; wherein imparting said direct mechanical force includes providing relative movement in the horizontal direction between said first body and a second body located adjacent to the first opening; wherein the first body is a tray, the second body defines a horizontal surface located directly below the tray, and wherein the pellet to which the direct mechanical force is applied is resting on the horizontal surface of the second body.