Method and article for distributing air in a regenerator

Claim 3

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the last step comprises, a. forming the orifices in both sides of the bottom of the circular ring and the plenum for ejecting air downwardly at a 45 degree angle below the horizon on both sides of the ring and plenum for ensuring improved air distribution throughout the regenerator.

Claim 4

A method as recited in claim 1 with the addition of the following steps between steps (e) and (f) of claim 1, a. forming the orifices on both inside and outside of the circular ring and the plenum for ejecting air into the catalyst on both sides of the ring, and b. forming the number of orifices on each side of the circular ring and the plenum in proportion to the amount of catalyst on each side of the ring for insuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 5

A method as recited in claim 3 with the additional steps of, a. repeating the first seven steps of the above method for forming a second air distribution ring inside and concentric with the first formed air distribution ring for added efficiency of completion of reaction of a carbon coating on the catalyst.

Claim 6

A method as recited in claim 3 with the additional steps of, a. repeating the first seven method steps a plurality of times, forming each time a smaller concentric ring inside of the last ring for added efficiency of completion of reaction of a carbon coating on the catalyst.

Claim 7

AN AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR A REGENERATOR HAVING A FLUIDIZED BED A FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING UNIT COMPRISING, A. REGENERATOR MEANS HAVING A PRESSURIZED AIR SUPPLY MEANS, B. HORIZONTAL PERFORATED CIRCULAR TUBE MEANS CENTERED IN SAID REGENERATOR MEANS, C. SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR FROM SAID PRESSURIZED AIR SUPLY MEANS TO SAID PERFORATED CIRCULAR TUBE MEANS, AND D. SAID SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS HAVING A CLOSED ENDED PERFORATED CYLINDERICAL PLENUM MEANS POSITIONED VERTICALLY OVER AND AROUND A PORTION OF SAID SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS SAID PLENUM MEANS HAVING AIR DUCT MEANS FOR RECEIVING AIR FROM SAID PRESSURIZED AIR SUPPLY MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN IMPROVED FLUIDIZED BED IN THE REGENERATOR.

Claim 8

AN AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR A REGENERATOR HAVING A FLUIDIZED BED A FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING UNIT COMPRISING, A. REGENERATOR MEANS HAVING A PRESSURIZED AIR SUPPLY MEANS, B. HORIZONTAL PERFORATED CIRCULAR TUBE MEANS CENTERED IN SAID REGENERATOR MEANS, C. SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR FROM SAID PRESSURIZED AIR SUPLY MEANS TO SAID PERFORATED CIRCULAR TUBE MEANS, AND D. SAID SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS HAVING A CLOSED ENDED PERFORATED CYLINDERICAL PLENUM MEANS POSITIONED VERTICALLY OVER AND AROUND A PORTION OF SAID SPLITTER TUBE JOINT MEANS SAID PLENUM MEANS HAVING AIR DUCT MEANS FOR RECEIVING AIR FROM SAID PRESSURIZED AIR SUPPLY MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN IMPROVED FLUIDIZED BED IN THE REGENERATOR.

Claim 9

An air distribution system as recited in claim 6 wherein, a. said circular perforated tube means has orifice means for ejecting the air downwardly from both sides of the tube means at a 45* angle below the horizon for ensuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 10

An air distribution system as recited in claim 6 wherein, a. said splitter tube joint means comprises two arcuate air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air inlet and ending with air exits pointed in opposite directions, b. each of said air exits is connected to an opposite semicircular portion of the perforated circular tube means for supplying air to its tube portion to a location in the circular tube means diametrically opposite said splitter tube means, and c. each of said semicircular tube portions is tapered from the splitter tube joint means to said opposite location for providing an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 11

An air distribution system as recited in claim 6 wherein, a. said splitter tube joint meaNs comprises two arcuate air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air inlet and ending with air exits pointed in opposite directions, b. each arcuate air duct curves from its air inlet through an arc of 90* in an opposite direction to the other air duct to form its air exit for connecting in the circular tube means, and c. each arcuate duct maintaining a constant cross-sectional area from its inlet to its exit.

Claim 12

An air distribution system as recited in claim 6 wherein, a. said splitter tube joint means comprises two arcuate air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air inlet and ending with air exits pointed in opposite directions, b. said plenum means comprises an elongated closed end perforated cylinder mounted on top of and around a portion of said splitter tube joint means between said two oppositely projecting arcuate air ducts and an air inlet for said plenum, and c. said air inlet comprises a tube extending from said large air inlet to the center of said perforated cylinder.

Claim 13

An air distribution system for a regenerator having a fluidized bed in a fluid catalytic cracking unit comprising, a. regenerator means having a pressurized air supply means, b. horizontal perforated circular tube means centered in said regenerator means, c. splitter tube joint means for supplying air from said pressurized air supply means to said perforated circular tube means, d. said splitter tube joint means having a closed ended perforated cylindrical plenum means thereover for said perforated circular tube means for receiving air from said pressurized air supply means for providing an improved fluidized bed in the regenerator, e. said splitter tube joint means comprises two arcuate air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air inlet and ending with air exits pointed in opposite directions, f. said plenum means comprises an elongated closed ended perforated cylinder mounted on top of said splitter tube joint means between two oppositely projecting arcuate air ducts and an air inlet for said plenum, g. said air inlet comprises a tube extending from said large air inlet to the center of said perforated cylinder, h. said perforated cylindrical plenum means has orifice means for ejecting the air downwardly from both sides of the cylindrical plenum means at a 45* angle below the horizon for ensuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 14

An air distribution system for a regenerator having a fluidized bed in a fluid catalytic cracking unit comprising, a. regenerator means having a pressurized air supply means, b. horizontal perforated circular tube means centered in said regenerator means, c. splitter tube joint means for supplying air from said pressurized air supply means to said perforated circular tube means, d. said splitter tube joint means having a closed ended perforated cylindrical plenum means thereover for said perforated circular tube means for receiving air from said pressurized air supply means for providing an improved fluidized bed in the regenerator, e. said splitter tube joint means comprises two arcuate air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air inlet and ending with air exits pointed in opposite directions, f. said plenum means comprises an elongated closed ended perforated cylinder mounted on top of said splitter tube joint means between two oppositely projecting arcuate air ducts and an air inlet for said plenum, g. said air inlet comprises a tube extending from said large air inlet to the center of said perforated cylinder, h. said perforated cylindrical plenum means has orifice means for ejecting the air downwardly from both sides of the cylindrical plenum means at a 45* angle below the horizon for ensuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 15

An air distribution system for a regenerator having a fluidized bed in a fluid catalytic cracking process comprising, a. a regenerator having an opening in the lower portion thereof, b. an air supply conduit having an upper end protruding upwardly through said regenerator opening from a pressurized air supply means, c. a horizontal circular tube perforated on the bottom thereof and substantially centered in said regenerator, d. a splitter tube joint having a large air inlet connecting said air supply conduit upper end to said circular perforated tube, e. said splitter tube joint having a perforated plenum mounted vertically over and around a portion of said large air inlet, and f. a plenum air duct connected between said air supply conduit upper end and said plenum for improved distribution of air for forming an improved fluidized bed in the regenerator.

Claim 16

An air distribution system for a regenerator having a fluidized bed in a fluid catalytic cracking process comprising, a. a regenerator having an opening in the lower portion thereof, b. an air supply conduit having an upper end protruding upwardly through said regenerator opening from a pressurized air supply means, c. a horizontal circular tube perforated on the bottom thereof and substantially centered in said regenerator, d. a splitter tube joint having a large air inlet connecting said air supply conduit upper end to said circular perforated tube, e. said splitter tube joint having a perforated plenum mounted vertically over and around a portion of said large air inlet, and f. a plenum air duct connected between said air supply conduit upper end and said plenum for improved distribution of air for forming an improved fluidized bed in the regenerator.

Claim 17

An air distribution ring for use in a regenerator in a fluid catalytic cracking unit comprising, a. two substantially semicircular tapered tubes, each tube having a large end and a small end, b. said small ends of the tubes being joined together with the two semicircular tubes being coplanar and with the larger ends facing each other, c. a splitter tube joint interconnecting said two tube larger ends for supplying compressed air thereto, d. said splitter tube joint comprises two arcuate 90* air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air supply outlet and ending with aiR exits pointed in 180* opposite directions, e. each of said splitter tube joint air exits is connected to one of said semicircular tapered tube large ends for supplying air to the semicircular tapered tubes, f. an elongated double lobe closed end cylindrical plenum mounted to the top of said two arcuate air ducts, and g. both of said semicircular tapered tubes and said elongated closed end cylindrical plenum has orifices formed in the lower portion of both sides of the bottom of said tubes and plenum for ejecting air at a 45* angle below the horizontal on both sides for ensuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.

Claim 18

An air distribution ring for use in a regenerator in a fluid catalytic cracking unit comprising, a. two substantially semicircular tapered tubes, each tube having a large end and a small end, b. said small ends of the tubes being joined together with the two semicircular tubes being coplanar and with the larger ends facing each other, c. a splitter tube joint interconnecting said two tube larger ends for supplying compressed air thereto, d. said splitter tube joint comprises two arcuate 90* air ducts projecting oppositely from a common large air supply outlet and ending with aiR exits pointed in 180* opposite directions, e. each of said splitter tube joint air exits is connected to one of said semicircular tapered tube large ends for supplying air to the semicircular tapered tubes, f. an elongated double lobe closed end cylindrical plenum mounted to the top of said two arcuate air ducts, and g. both of said semicircular tapered tubes and said elongated closed end cylindrical plenum has orifices formed in the lower portion of both sides of the bottom of said tubes and plenum for ejecting air at a 45* angle below the horizontal on both sides for ensuring an equal proportion of air-to-catalyst throughout the regenerator.