Catalytic apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING CATALYTIC CHEMICAL REACTIONS COMPRISING A CLOSED SHELL, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PERFORATE CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS WITHIN SAID SHELL, SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS EXTENDING OVER A MAJOR PORTION OF A HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION OF SAID CLOSED SHELL AND BEING IN CONTACT WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF A PERIMETER OF THE WALL OF SAID SHELL, A NORMALLY CLOSED OPENING ADJACENT TO SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS IN THE WALL OF SAID SHELL ADAPTED FOR CHARGING SOLID CATALYST TO AND DISCHARGING SOLID CATALYST FROM SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS, TUBULAR HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS POSITIONED BELOW SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS, A DUCT FORMED IN PART BY THE SHELL WALL AND IN PART BY A VERTICAL WALL ADJACENT TO AN EDGE OF SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS LEADING FROM BELOW SAID TUBULAR HEAT EXHCHANGE MEANS FOR EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY ABOVE SAID CATALYST SUPPORTING MEANS, INLET MEANS ADAPTED FOR INTRODUCING FRESH FLUID REACTANTS INTO SAID DUCT, OUTLET MEANS ADAPTED FOR WITHDRAWING FLUID PRODUCTS FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID SHELL, AND IMPELLER TYPE CIRCULATING MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DUCT ADAPTED TO CIRCULATE FLUID REACTANTS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID CATAALYST SUPPORTING MEANS OVER, SAID HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS, AND THROUGH SAID DUCT BACK TO SAID IMPELLER TYPE CIRCULATING MEANS.