Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
Apparatus for distributing particulate material over a zone defined by sidewalls, said apparatus being located so that the distances between the center of an outlet means, described hereinafter, and at least two points of equal latitude on the sidewalls of said zone are not equal, comprising: a supply hopper, having inlet means and outlet means, for holding particulate material; a deflection plate located adjacent to the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper to deflect the direction of at least a portion of said particulate material flowing through said outlet means when gaseous media is expelled by the conduits, described hereinafter; and at least two conduits in fluid communication with at least one source of gaseous media, each of said conduits being situated such that at least a portion of said gaseous media from said conduits flows in the space between the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper and said deflection plate to thereby cause at least a portion of said particulate material to be propelled in substantially the same direction as said flow; provided that said gaseous media is expelled from at least two of said conduits at different, predetermined flowrates in different directions so that said particulate material is substantially uniformly distributed over said zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
Apparatus for distributing particulate material over a zone defined by sidewalls, said apparatus being located so that the distances between the center of an outlet means, described hereinafter, and at least two points of equal latitude on the sidewalls of said zone are not equal, comprising: a supply hopper, having inlet means and outlet means, for holding particulate material; a deflection plate located adjacent to the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper to deflect the direction of at least a portion of said particulate material flowing through said outlet means when gaseous media is expelled by the conduits, described hereinafter; and at least two conduits in fluid communication with at least one source of gaseous media, each of said conduits being situated such that at least a portion of said gaseous media from said conduits flows in the space between the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper and said deflection plate to thereby cause at least a portion of said particulate material to be propelled in substantially the same direction as said flow; provided that said gaseous media is expelled from at least two of said conduits at different, predetermined flowrates in different directions so that said particulate material is substantially uniformly distributed over said zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said particulate material comprises catalyst and said zone comprises a chemical reaction zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said conduits has substantially the same cross-sectional area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of said conduits have different cross-sectional areas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of said deflection plate is larger than the cross-sectional area of the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein both said deflection plate and the end of said outlet means away from said supply hopper are substantially aligned and substantially circular in cross-section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said particulate material comprises catalyst and said zone comprises a chemical reaction zone and each of said conduits has substantially the same cross-sectional areas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said particulate material comprises catalyst and said zone comprises a chemical reaction zone and at least two of said conduits have different cross-sectional areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 6 comprising from about 4 to about 24 said conduits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each said conduit is circular in cross-section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of said conduits has substantially the same cross-sectional areas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least two of said conduits have different cross-sectional areas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each said conduit has a cross-sectional area in the range from about 0.001 in. 2 to about 0.1 in. 2 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each said conduit has a cross-sectional area in the range from about 0.001 in. 2 to about 0.1 in. 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said particulate material comprises catalyst and said zone comprises a chemical reaction zone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said particulate material comprises catalyst and said zone comprises a chemical reaction zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gaseous media is air.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the overall gaseous media flowrate supplied to said conduits is varied in a predetermined manner.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said gaseous media is air and the overall air flowrate supplied to said conduit is varied automatically in a predetermined manner.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said gaseous media is air and the overall air flowrate supplied to said conduits is varied automatically in a predetermined manner.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said gaseous media is air and the overall air flowrate supplied to said conduits is varied automatically in a predetermined manner.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gaseous media is air and the overall air flowrate supplied to said conduits is varied automatically in a predetermined manner.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said gaseous media is air and the overall air flowrate supplied to said conduits is varied automatically in a predetermined manner.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a method for hydrocarbon conversion wherein hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrocarbon conversion catalyst particles in at least one chemical reaction zone to effect desired chemical reaction of said hydrocarbon, the improvement comprising using the apparatus of claim 2 to distribute said catalyst particles over said chemical reaction zone.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a method for hydrocarbon conversion wherein hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrocarbon conversion catalyst particles in at least one chemical reaction zone to effect desired chemical reaction of said hydrocarbon, the improvement comprising using the apparatus of claim 7 to distribute said catalyst particles over said chemical reaction zone.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a method for hydrocarbon conversion wherein hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrocarbon conversion catalyst particles in at least one chemical reaction zone to effect desired chemical reaction of said hydrocarbon, the improvement comprising using the apparatus of claim 8 to distribute said catalyst particles over said chemical reaction zone.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a method for hydrocarbon conversion wherein hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrocarbon conversion catalyst particles in at least one chemical reaction zone to effect desired chemical reaction of said hydrocarbon, the improvement comprising using the apparatus of claim 15 to distribute said catalyst particles over said chemical reaction zone.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
49 words
In a method for hydrocarbon conversion wherein hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrocarbon conversion catalyst particles in at least one chemical reaction zone to effect desired chemical reaction of said hydrocarbon, the improvement comprising using the apparatus of claim 23 to distribute said catalyst particles over said chemical reaction zone.