REACTOR

• US 20020068026A1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB Lummus Global Inc., Auburn University
• Original Assignee: ABB Lummus Global Inc., Auburn University
• Inventors: MURRELL, LAWRENCE L., OVERBEEK, RUDOLF A., TATARCHUK, BRUCE J., DAUTZENBERG, FRITS M.
• Application Number:
  US09/131,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/211
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/32 Packing elements in the form of grids or built-up elements for forming a unit or module inside the apparatus for mass or heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00884 Means for supporting the bed of particles, e.g. grids, bars, perforated plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/3221 Corrugated sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/32286 Grids or lattices
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/32491 Woven or knitted materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/06 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/58 Fabrics or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/008 Details of the reactor or of the particulate material; Processes to increase or to retard the rate of reaction B01J8/0285, B01J8/067, B01J8/087, B01J8/1836 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/02 with stationary particles, e.g. in fixed beds
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/002 Manufacture of articles essentially made from metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1121 by using decomposable, meltable or sublimatable fillers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 30/02 containing fibrous materials

Abstract

A catalytic reactor and process wherein the reactor contains a fixed catalyst bed comprised of at least one layer of a mesh having catalyst particles and/or catalyst fibers retained in the interstices of the mesh, wherein the catalyst particles have an average particle size of no greater than 200 microns and the fibers have a diameter of no greater than 500 microns and wherein the wire mesh layer has a void volume of at least 45%.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a reactor, at least one fixed catalyst bed in said reactor, said bed comprising at least one layer of a mesh, said mesh having retained in the interstices of the mesh, a catalyst comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of particles having an average particle size of no greater than 200 microns and, having a diameter of no greater than 500 microns, said layer of mesh containing said catalyst in the interstices thereof having a void volume of at least 45%.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mesh comprises a plurality of layers of metal fibers.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the void volume is at least 65%.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said member is particles.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said particles comprise a catalytic material supported on a particulate support.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fibers forming the mesh have a diameter of at least 1 micron and no greater than 25 microns.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reactor contains a plurality of layers of said mesh, said mesh being in the form of a packing element.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said packing element is corrugated.

9. The reactor of claim 4 wherein the particles have an average particle size of at least 10 microns.

10. The reactor of claim 1 wherein said catalyst retained in the interstices of the mesh comprises a particulate catalyst support and a catalytically active material on said support, said void volume is at least 65%, and said mesh comprises metal fibers.

11. The reactor of claim 10 wherein the mesh has a thickness of at least 50 microns.

12. The reactor of claim 10 wherein the mesh comprises metal fibers.

13. A process, comprising:

effecting a chemical reaction in the reactor of claim 1.

15. The structure of claim 14 where the void volume is at least 65%.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said fibers forming the mesh have a diameter of at least 1 micron and no greater than 25 microns.

17. The reactor of claim 14 wherein said catalyst retained in the interstices of the mesh comprises a particulate catalyst support and a catalytically active material on said support, said void volume is at least 65%, and said mesh comprises metal fibers.

18. The reactor of claim 17 wherein the mesh has a thickness of at least 50 microns.

19. The reactor of claim 18 wherein the mesh comprises metal fibers.

20. The reactor of claim 7 wherein the packing element indicates attached layers of said mesh.

14. A catalyst structure, comprising:

at least one layer of a mesh, said mesh having retained in the interstices of the mesh, a catalyst comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of particles having an average particle size of no greater than 200 microns and fibers having a diameter of no greater than 500 microns, said layer of mesh containing said catalyst in the interstices thereof having a void volume of at least 45%.