초록 ▼

Disclosed are a fixed-bed, catalytic reactor wherein reaction heat can be exchanged against a heat exchange medium circulating indirectly through the catalyst bed, and a catalytic process comprising operation of the reactor. The reactor comprises a catalyst bed having internally embedded banks of he

Disclosed are a fixed-bed, catalytic reactor wherein reaction heat can be exchanged against a heat exchange medium circulating indirectly through the catalyst bed, and a catalytic process comprising operation of the reactor. The reactor comprises a catalyst bed having internally embedded banks of heat exchange tubes. An inlet distributor distributes reactants for flow through the bed. The distributed fluid passes through the bed in a flow path wherein a catalytic reaction occurs. The reaction effluent is then collected from the bed by an outlet product collector. A heat exchange medium circulated through the internal heat exchange tubes adds or removes reaction heat as required for enhanced conversion in the reactor. Multiple heat exchange tubes can be used, and inlet and discharge manifolds are provided for distributing the circulating heat exchange medium. The heat exchange tubes can be spaced in accordance with the heat interchange required to optimize the reaction rate.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A catalytic reaction process, comprising the steps of:introducing process fluid reactants to a reactant distributor formed adjacent an upper region of a fixed-bed catalytic reactor comprising a generally cylindrical catalyst bed extending axially upwardly from a bottom region to the

[ I claim:] [1.] A catalytic reaction process, comprising the steps of:introducing process fluid reactants to a reactant distributor formed adjacent an upper region of a fixed-bed catalytic reactor comprising a generally cylindrical catalyst bed extending axially upwardly from a bottom region to the upper region spaced therefrom, a flow path for fluid to pass between the upper and bottom regions, through a plurality of generally transverse catalyst layers and tube banks comprising U-bend tubes disposed in the catalyst bed, a supply manifold for feeding a heat transfer fluid to the tube banks, and an exit manifold for gathering heat transfer fluid from the tube banks;passing the process fluid reactants along the flow path from the reactant distributor axially through the transverse catalyst layers and tube banks to a product collector for catalytic reaction in the catalyst layers, wherein the product collector is formed adjacent the bottom region of the reactor;circulating a heat transfer fluid countercurrently from the supply manifold, through the tube banks wherein heat is exchanged between said heat transfer fluid and the process fluid reactants passing across the tube banks between the catalyst layers, and to the return manifold; andcollecting process fluid products at the product collector.