Catalytic reaction apparatus

Claim 1

A CATALYTIC REACTOR FOR CONDUCTING ALTERNATE ENDOTHERMIC AND EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS WHICH COMPRISES A VERTICALLY ELONGATED OUTER SHALL HAVING AN INLET AT THE TOP AND AN OUTLET AT THE BOTTOM, A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR-SHAPED TRAYS SUPERPOSED WITHIN SAID SHELL ESSENTIALLY CONCENTRIC THERETO AND IN SPACED APART RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND ADAPTED TO RETAIN THEREIN A BED OF GRANULAR CONTACT METERIAL, EACH OF SAID TRAYS COMPRISING AN OUTER PERFORATE WALL OF LESSER DIAMETER THAN SAID SHELL SO AS TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR SPACE THEREBETWEEN AND AN INNER PERFORATE WALL DEFINING THE INNER SPACE OF SAID TRAY, AN IMPERFORATE TOP MEMBER FOR EACH TRAY EXTENDING RADIALLY TO SAID OUTER PERFORATE WALL AND CLOSING OFF SAID INNER SPACE AS ITS TOP, AN IMPERFORATE BOTTOM MEMBER FOR EACH TRAY EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID INNER PERFORATE WALL TO SAID OUTER SHELL AND CLOSING OFF THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN THE TRAY AND THE SHELL AT ITS BOTTOIM, A CONTINUOUS PERFORATE SUPPORT MEMBER BETWEEN EACH TWO ADJACENT TRAYS FOR SUPPORTING A RELATIVELY SHALLOW BED OF GRANULAR INERT CONTACT MASS BETWEEN ADJACENT TRAYS IN SPACED APART RELATION THERETO, AND INLET SPRAY MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PERFORATE SUPPORT MEMBERS AND THE TRAY NEXT THEREABLVE FOR INTRODUCTION OF LIQUID REACTANTS IN THE FORM OF A FINE SPRAY ABOVE EACH OF SAID BEDS OF GRANULAR INERT CONTACT MASS.