Feed distribution system for a fluidized solids vessel

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING TWO GASIFORM FLUIDS INTO A CONTACTING ZONE CONTAINING A DENSE BED OF FLUIDIZED SOLIDS WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A FIRST GASIFORM FLUID INTO THE BOTTOM ONLY OF SAID CONTACTING ZONE FOR ADMIXTURE WITH SAID FLUIDIZED SOLIDS, PASSING THE MIXTURE UPWARD INTO THE BOTTOM OF A RESTRICTED PASSAGE WITHIN SAID CONTACTING ZONE, INTRODUCING A SECOND GASIFORM FLUID INTO THE BOTTOM OF SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGE FOR ADMIXTURE WITH SAID PREVIOUSLY FORMED MIXTURE OF SAID FLUIDIZED SOLIDS AND SAID FIRST GASIFORM FLUID, PASSING THE RESULTANT MIXTURE UPWARD IN SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGE, SUBDIVIDING SAID LAST-MENTIONED MIXTURE INTO A PLURALITY OF SMALL STREAMS, RECOMBINING THE PLURALITY OF SMALL STREAMS INTO A SINGLE STREAM, PASSING SAID STREAM UPWARDS OUT OF SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGE INTO SAID CONTACTING ZONE WHEREIN THE SUPERFICIAL VELOCITY OF SAID STREAM IS REDUCED, SETTLING OUT A PORTION OF SAID FLUIDIZED SOLIDS, AND FLOWING THE SETTLED OUT FLUIDIZED SOLIDS AS A DOWNWARD MOVING DENSE FLUIDIZED MASS WITHIN SAID CONTACTING ZONE AND AROUND AND EXTERIOR TO SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGE FOR ADMIXTURE WITH SAID FIRST GASIFORM FLUID IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTACTING ZONE.