REACTION APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT EXOTHERMIC AND ENDOTHERMIC CHEMICAL PROCESSES WITH RADIAL FLOW OF A HEAT EXCHANGE MEDIUM

• US 3,871,445 A
• Filed: 01/12/1973
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Friedrich Gutlhuber, Hermann Graf, Oskar Wanka
• Original Assignee: Friedrich Gutlhuber, Hermann Graf, Oskar Wanka
• Inventors: Wanka, Oskar, Graf, Hermann, Gutlhuber, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonakas, Manuel A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Connor, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US05/323,224
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 165/107,159,161 23/288K,288L,288M
• US Class Current: 165/104.14
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00212 Plates; Jackets; Cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00221 comprising baffles for guiding the flow of the heat exchange medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00256 in a heat exchanger for the heat exchange medium separate from the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/025 Two or more types of catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00777 horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/067 Heating or cooling the reactor B01J8/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2009/226 Transversal partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/02 for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/22 Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates

Abstract

The reaction apparatus comprises an annular nest of contact tubes in a reaction tank and connected into headers at their opposite ends, for passage of the reaction gas through the contact tubes in contact with catalyst material in the tubes. A heat exchange medium is circulated by a fan, pump or the like through an external heat exchanger and is supplied and discharged through respective axially spaced annular supply and discharge conduits, to flow over the contact tubes. Baffles are arranged in the tank in a known manner to extend transversely of the length of the tubes to direct the heat exchange medium to flow alternately in opposed radial directions over the tubes between the supply and discharge conduits. At least one additional annular circuit is arranged at at least one point of the tank intermediate the supply and discharge conduits, is connected to the heat exchanger and the tank and supplies and discharges a regulable partial amount of the heat exchange medium. In one embodiment of the invention, several such additional annular conduits are arranged at respective points of the tank intermediate the supply and discharge conduits. In another embodiment of the invention, diaphragms or partitions divide the tank into separate compartments each of which has a respective heat exchanger associated therewith.

Claims

1. In a reaction apparatus for carrying out exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions, of the type having an annular nest of contact tubes in a reaction tank and over which a heat exchange medium, circulated by forced flow producing means through an external heat exchanger and supplied and discharged through respective axially spaced annular supply and discharge conduits connected to the heat exchanger, is directed to flow, the improvement comprising, in combination, baffle means arranged in said tank to extend transversely of the length of said tubes to direct the heat exchange medium to flow alternately in opposed radial directions over said tubes between said supply and discharge conduits;

and at least one additional annular conduit, at at least one point of said tank intermediate said supply and discharge conduits, connected to said heat exchanger and said tank and supplying and discharging a regulable partial amount of the heat exchange medium.

2. In a reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said tank has a cylindrical side wall and a support extending centrally axially thereof;

said baffle means including first annular baffles secured at the radially outer ends to said circumferential wall and having radially inner ends spaced from said support, and second baffles secured to said support and having radially outer ends spaced from said cylindrical wall;

there being two said additional annular conduits arranged on respective opposite sides of one of said first baffles and discharging a regulable partial amount of the heat exchange medium into said external heat exchanger.

3. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including respective conduits connecting each said additional annular conduit to the associated heat exchanger;

and respective throttle valves in each conduit.

4. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including a first series of said additional annular conduits communicating with an upper section of said reaction tank and withdrawing heat exchange medium from said reaction tank and discharging the withdrawn heat exchange medium into said heat exchanger for return to said annular supply conduit;

and a second series of said additional annular conduits communicating with said reaction tank over a lower portion thereof and with said annular discharge conduit;

said second series of additional annular conduits supplying heat exchange medium from said annular discharge conduit to said reaction tank.

5. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including at least one partition extending transversely of said reaction tank and dividing said reaction tank into at least two sections;

each section having respective inlets and outlets for the heat exchange medium.

6. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said forced flow producing means comprises respective circulating pumps for each said reaction tank section operable to circulate the heat exchange medium through the respective reaction tank section.

7. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said contact tubes extend in fluid-tight sealed relation through said partitions.

8. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said baffle means comprises a series of baffles spaced apart axially of said reaction tank, each baffle being formed with openings through which said contact tubes extend;

and each opening being larger than the adjacent contact tube to define an annular flow passage, and the passages in respective baffles having different sizes to attain a uniform heat transfer, between axially adjacent baffles, between the contact tubes and the heat exchange medium.

9. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said baffle means comprises a series of baffles spaced apart axially of said tank;

the axial spacing between adjacent baffles being adapted to the quantity of heat exchange medium flowing through each space defined by a pair of axially spaced baffles.

10. In reaction apparatus, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said reaction tank has a double side wall including inner and outer cylindrical walls spaced radially from each other;

said annular conduits being defined, in part, by said inner and outer tank walls.

11. The improvement claimed in claim 5, in which the respective tube sections extending through each reaction tank section contain respective different filling materials.