Method for distributing a vapor-liquid feed and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

A METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING A MIXTURE PHASE FEED UNIFORMLY OVER THE CROSS-SECTION OF A BED PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL CONFINED IN A REACTOR WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A MIXED PHASE FEED COMPRISING A VAPOROUS COMPONENT AND A LIQUID COMPONENT INTO A REACTOR AT A POINT SPACED VERTICALLY FROM THE TOP OF A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL, DISENGAGING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID VAPOROUS COMPONENT WHILST SUBJECTING SAID LIQUID COMPONENT TO NON-TURBULENT FLOW THROUGH A DISTRIBUTING ZONE SPACED ABOVE, CONCENTRIC WITH, AND HAVING SUBSTANITALLY THE SAME CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AS SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL FLOWING SAID LIQUID COMPONENT FROM SAID DISTRIBUTING ZONE AS A PLURALITY OF STREAMS DOWNWARDLY ONTO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OD STREAMS HAVING A SUPERFICIAL VELOCITY NOT EXCEEDING 30 FEET PER SECOND AND FLOWING SAID DISENGAGED VAPOROUS COMPONENT THROUGH THE AFORESAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL IN INTIMATE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID LIQUID COMPONENT.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING A MIXTURE PHASE FEED UNIFORMLY OVER THE CROSS-SECTION OF A BED PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL CONFINED IN A REACTOR WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A MIXED PHASE FEED COMPRISING A VAPOROUS COMPONENT AND A LIQUID COMPONENT INTO A REACTOR AT A POINT SPACED VERTICALLY FROM THE TOP OF A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL, DISENGAGING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID VAPOROUS COMPONENT WHILST SUBJECTING SAID LIQUID COMPONENT TO NON-TURBULENT FLOW THROUGH A DISTRIBUTING ZONE SPACED ABOVE, CONCENTRIC WITH, AND HAVING SUBSTANITALLY THE SAME CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AS SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL FLOWING SAID LIQUID COMPONENT FROM SAID DISTRIBUTING ZONE AS A PLURALITY OF STREAMS DOWNWARDLY ONTO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OD STREAMS HAVING A SUPERFICIAL VELOCITY NOT EXCEEDING 30 FEET PER SECOND AND FLOWING SAID DISENGAGED VAPOROUS COMPONENT THROUGH THE AFORESAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM MATERIAL IN INTIMATE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID LIQUID COMPONENT.

Claim 3

AN APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AMIXED PHASE FEED COMPRISING A VAPOROUS COMPONENT AND A LIQUID COMPONENET UNIFORMLY OVER A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES A CLOSED CONTAINER, A MIXED FEED INLET, AN OUTLET, A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL IN THE LOWER REGION OF SAID CONTAINER, A SECONDARY DISTRIBUTOR VERTICALLY SPACED UPWARDLY FROM SAID BED PARTICLE-FROM MATERIAL CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONDUITS IN THE RATIO OF ONE CONDUIT FOR EACH 0.1 TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 1.0 SQUARE FOOT OF HORIZONTAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL, A PRIMARY DISTRIBUTOR CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO DELIVER IN SUBSTANTIALLY NONTURBULENT FLOW TO SAID SECONDARY DISTRIBUTOR SAID LIQUID COMPONENT WHILST DISENGAGING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID VAPOROUS COMPONENT OF SAID MIXED PHASE FEED, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID MIXED PHASE FEED, AND PRIMARY DISTRIBUTOR.

Claim 4

AN APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AMIXED PHASE FEED COMPRISING A VAPOROUS COMPONENT AND A LIQUID COMPONENET UNIFORMLY OVER A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES A CLOSED CONTAINER, A MIXED FEED INLET, AN OUTLET, A BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL IN THE LOWER REGION OF SAID CONTAINER, A SECONDARY DISTRIBUTOR VERTICALLY SPACED UPWARDLY FROM SAID BED PARTICLE-FROM MATERIAL CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONDUITS IN THE RATIO OF ONE CONDUIT FOR EACH 0.1 TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 1.0 SQUARE FOOT OF HORIZONTAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID BED OF PARTICLE-FORM SOLID MATERIAL, A PRIMARY DISTRIBUTOR CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO DELIVER IN SUBSTANTIALLY NONTURBULENT FLOW TO SAID SECONDARY DISTRIBUTOR SAID LIQUID COMPONENT WHILST DISENGAGING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID VAPOROUS COMPONENT OF SAID MIXED PHASE FEED, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID MIXED PHASE FEED, AND PRIMARY DISTRIBUTOR.