Method for handling solids material in the conversion of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN A CONTINUOUS CYCLIC CONTACT METHOD IN WHICH DESCRETE PARTICLES OF SOLID MATERIAL OF A MINIMUM SIZE OF AT LEAST 40 MESH ARE PASSED REPEATEDLY THROUGH A CONTACT ZONE, A RECONDITIONING ZONE, A TRANSFER ZONE, A GAS RELEASING ZONE, AND INTERCONNECTING CONDUITS FORMING A CLOSED CYCLIC PATH, ONE OF SAID CONDUITS FORMING A CLOSED LIFT LEG EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE TRANSFER ZONE TO THE GAS RELEASING ZONE FROM WHICH THE PARTICLES RETURN BY GRAVITY FLOW, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES THE SEQUENTIAL STEPS OF: 1, FLOWING SOLID PARTICLES INTO SAID TRANSFER ZONE UNTIL IT FILLS TO A FIXED HEIGHT AT WHICH THE APEX OF THE CONE OF THE SOLID PARTICLE PILE INTERCEPTS THE SOLIDS INLET TO SAID TRANSFER ZONE SO AS TO STOP THE SOLIDS FLOW, 2, THEN CLOSING AND POSITIVELY SEALING SAID SOLIDS INLET BY MOVING A SLIDABLE VALVE MEMBER AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID SOLID PARTICLES AT THE END OF SAID SOLIDS INLET THUS DISPLACING SOLID PARTICLES THEREFROM INTO AN ADJACENT RECESS IN SAID TRANSFER ZONE WITHOUT JAMMING SAID VALVE OR CRUSHING SAID SOLID PARTICLES, 3, INTRODUCING A GAS INTO SAID TRANSFER ZONE AT A LEVEL ABOVE THE LOWER END OF SAID LIFT LEG AND UNDER SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO FORCE SAID LEVEL MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO ITS FIRST MOVEMENT AND AGAINST SAID SOLIDS INLET TO FORM A FLUID-TIGHT SEAL AGAINST SAID INLET THEREBY PREVENTING GAS LEAKAGE UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH SAID SOLIDS INLET AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CAUSING A GAS FLOW THROUGH SAID LIFT LEG CREATING A PRESSURE DROP IN EXCESS OF THE GRAVITATIONAL WEIGHT OF THE COLUMN OF SOLID PARTICLES PLUS THE FRACTIONAL RESISTANCE TO FLOW OF SAID PARTICLES THROUGH SAID LIFT LEG, THEN INTERCEPTING THE DISCHARGE FLOW OF A DENSE-PACKED MASS OF SOLID PARTICLES FROM SAID LIFT LEG DIRECTLY UPON DISCHARGED FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID LIFT LEG AND THERBY DIVERTING SAID DISCHARGE FLOW TO FORM A FLOWING PILE OF PARTICLES WHICH SUBMERGES THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID LIFT LEG AND EXTENDS TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID GAS RELEASE ZONE, CONTROLLING THE RATE OF FLOW OF PARTICLES FROM SAID PILE TO MAINTAIN A MAXIMUM-PACKED NON-FLUID DENSITY THROUGHOUT THE UPWARDLY MOVING MASS OF SOLIDS IN SAID LIFTING LEG, AND CONTROLLING SAID SEQUENCE OF STEPS AT A RATE TO MAKE THE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF DELIVERING MORE SOLID MATERIAL TO SAID GAS RELEASE ZONE THAN IS WITHDRAWN THEREFROM TO MAINTAIN SAID GAS RELEASE ZONE SUBSTANTIALLY FULL OF SAID SOLID PARTICLES.