Multiple bed catalyst apparatus having close temperature control

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONDUTING A CHEMICAL REACTION IN THE GASEOUS PHASE CMOPRISING A VERTICALLY POSITIONED, CYLINDRICAL OUTER SHELL, A HEAT EXCHANGER POSITIONED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SHELL, A PLURALITY OF CATALYST BEDS CONTAINED IN SUPERIMPOSED CATALYST RECEPTACLES POSITIONED ABOVE SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND SPACE FROM THE INNER WALL OF SAID SHELL TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR SPACE THEREBETWEEN WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER, THE UPPER AND LOWER LIMITS OF EACH OF SAID CATALYST RECEPTACLES BEING DEFINED BY UPPER AND LOWER PERFORATED PLATES, AND THE CATALYST RECEPTACLES BEING SEPARATED BY CHAMBERS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A FIRST STREAM OF GASES TO BE REACTED INTO SAID ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID CATALYST RECEPTACLES AND SAID SHELL, FROM THENCE UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER FROM THENCE TO THE UPPERMOST OF SAID CATALYST BEDS, FROM THENCE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID CATALYST BEDS, AND FROM THENCE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORTION OF SAID FIRST STREAM OF GASES PASSING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND OUT THE SAID APPARATUS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A SECOND STREAM OF GASES TO BE REACTED INTO SAID FIRST STREAM OF GASES AFTER SAID FIRST STREAM OF GASES HAS PASSED THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A THIRD STREAM OF GASES TO BE REACTED INTO THE GASES LEAVING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CATALYST BEDS OTHER THAN THE LAST, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A CIRCUMFERENTIAL MANIFOLD POSITIONED IN THE ONE OF SAID CHAMBERS IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID ONE OF THE CATALYST BEDS, SAID MEANS INTRODUCING THE GASES INTO SAID MANIFOLD, SAID MANIFOLD BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF HOLES SERVING AS CONDUITS THROUGH WHICH SAID THIRD STREAM OF GASES CAN FLOW INTO ADMIXTURE WITH THE GASES LEAVING SAID ONE OF THE CATALYST BEDS POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID MANIFOLD AND A BAFFLING PLATE POSITIONED HORIZONTALLY BELOW THE HOLES IN SAID MANIFOLD, SAID PLATE BEING PROVIDED AT ITS PERIPHERY WITH NOTCHES WHICH ARE LOCATED OPPOSITE SAID HOLED AND WHICH SERVE AS CONDUIT MEANS WHEREBY GASES LEAVING THE CATALYST BED POSITONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID MANIFOLD CAN FLOW TO THE CATALYST BED POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID MANIFOLD, SAID HOLES DISCHARGING SAID THIRD STREAM OF GASES DIRECTLY INTO THE GASES FLOWING THROUGH SAID NOTCHES WHEREBY INCREASED MIXING OF THE GASES LEAVING SAID ONE CATALYST BED AND SAID THIRD STREAM OF GASES IS ACCOMPLISED.