Device of dispersion of a solid material divided inside a container.

DISPERSION DEVICE OF A SOLID MATERIAL DIVIDES

The present invention relates to a device for dispersing a divided solid material, such as granules or sticks, within a trough-like container.

The invention is particularly useful in the petrochemical industry, for filling the reactor with the catalyst material, but could be used for the filling of any type of container, with any type of divided solid material, since the bed of material deposited in the container is to be flat, homogeneous and/or dense, and that the filling is to be performed with limited transmission of dust. The invention would thus, for example, usable for the grain fill silos.

In the field of petrochemical industry, it is common to treat fluids by passage of fluids through a bed of catalyst material. This catalyst material is in the form of sticks of a few millimeters in length and is placed into the reactor vessel, generally cylindrical in shape.

A method of loading such a reactor consists discharge purely and simply the catalyst material in the vessel. This material has however the disadvantage settle as a heap more or less conical, whose packing is much more pronounced in the center portion than in the peripheral portions. The result is that the fluid to be treated preferably at tends to pass through layers of lesser thickness and lower density, thereby substantially decreasing the efficiency of the reactor.

In addition, the catalyst material is frequently alumina-based, and thus is brittle and brittle. The sticks which make it up break more or less during pouring, seriously treatment efficacy and leads to a significant loss of material by dust emission.

Further, the amount of material can be placed in the reactor is decreased.

Another technique of filling comprises providing, to the output of the input conduit of the material in the vessel, a dispersing head including trays or payroll trained in rotation, which breaks up the flow of material.

This kind of head enhances the distribution of the product in the tank, without however provide a perfectly homogeneous material bed. Indeed, the dispersion is very random trajectories, and the sticks frequently found with the peripheral wall of the tank before reaching the bottom of the vessel, and hence have a tendency to accumulate preferentially at the base of the wall. The result is that the upper face of the bed obtained has more or less the form of a conical cup, also creating preferential passages for the fluid to be treated.

Further, the sticks against shocks to the trays or the blades, causing deterioration and issuing a dust abundant.

Some problems of the control of the rate of flow of the material arise, and bed density obtained is not very high.

The present invention aims to remedy all of these drawbacks, by providing a dispersing device for depositing the material in the form of a flat bed, homogeneous, high density, without risk of damage to the pellets or rods constituting this material, and with a dust emission of limited.

The device that it relates comprises, in a known manner, an element driven in rotation about a vertical axis, placed at the outlet of the supply line of the divided solid material into the container.

According to the invention, this member comprises two conduits for dispersion of the material, each having a curved shape and a flow opening of material within the vessel; these conduits are curved about a common axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said dispersion member but in opposing relation to one another, and are shaped such that their flow openings are each located on one side of the axis of rotation of said dispersion member, substantially in the same diametrical plane, and are oriented in opposite directions; each of these conduits further includes at least one longitudinal partition extending across all or a large portion of its length, said partition being capable of dividing the flow of material and to distribute flow thereof, against the centrifugal force, across all or a large portion of the flow opening.

These conduits, by their curved shape above, eliminates any impact of the material as it flows and allows, when the member is rotated, a projection of the material according to two helical streams of opposite direction, the width of which corresponds substantially to the radius of the container to be filled. The rotational speed of the dispersion member can be adjusted, depending on the type of material, the flow velocity thereof and the distance between it and the bottom of the container or the surface of the material, so that the pellets or rods located outside of these streams essentially fall to the base of the container sidewall.

A bed of packing material substantially flat and homogeneous is thus obtained, without deterioration of granules or sticks, nor dust emission.

The section of the ducts can be relatively reduced such that two helical streams spread, each rotation of said member, a relatively limited amount of material, and the rotational speed of said organ may, in return, be relatively high. A bed of very high density is thus obtained, without affecting the rate of filling of the container in view of said rotational speed.

Preferably, the center distance between two adjacent partitions increases from the portion of each opening located on the side of the axis of rotation of the dispersion member towards the same opening located on the opposite side. This positioning partitions allows a better distribution of the material within the flux emitted by the conduit.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each conduit has a substantially half-turn of a helix. This particular form is found to give excellent results.

Advantageously, the dispersion member comprises means for regulating the flow accessories of the material, such as wafers are adjustable for position, located at conduits so as to increase or decrease the section of these conduits, or opposing openings of said ducts. Platelets disposed opposite the openings of the ducts may have inclined edges adapted to slightly deflect the flow adequately in the vertical plane, if necessary.

Preferably, the inventive device comprises a dust extraction system the divided solid material, acting inside the container to be filled and/or within the device itself.

For its good understanding, the invention is again described below with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the dispersion device that it relates.

Figure 1 is a simplified partial view, in longitudinal section, of a reactor useful in the field of petrochemical industry;

figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device according to the invention;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the dispersion member that includes said device, and

figure 4 is a view in section of this member the IV line-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 1 represents a reactor used in the field of petrochemical industry for processing fluids, this processing is effected by passing said fluid through a bed of catalyst material contained in the cylindrical vessel 1 of this reactor.

This catalyst material is in the form of sticks of a few millimeters in length and is fed into the vessel 1 through line 2.

A dispersing device 3 is placed at the outlet of the conduit 2, for distributing the catalyst material in a flat bed, homogeneous and dense.

As publicised to Figures 1 and 2, the device 3 comprises a fixed tubular portion 5, a tubular portion 6, rotatably mounted with respect to the portion 5, and a dispersion member 7 mounted on the lower end of the part 6.

The part 5 is fixed to a frame (not shown) by means of four bars 10 U-bolting on pads 11 and is connected to the conduit 2. It encloses two sets of four radial braces 12 located 90° from each other. These cross bars 12 are attached to the wall of the part 5 by one of their ends and are connected, at their other ends, to a frame 14 axially supporting a motor 15 for rotating the part 6.

The part 5 also includes two series of holes 20 arranged circumferentially through its wall. An annular box 21 is attached to this part 5 facing these holes 20, this box 21 being connected to a vacuum source by a length of tubing (not shown) engaged on a tip 22.

A second annular box 23 is attached to the part 5 below the box 21. This box 23 has a lower annular opening 24 and is connected to a vacuum source by a length of tubing (not shown) engaged on a tip 25.

The part 6 internally includes two series of four radial braces 27 located at 90° from each other. These cross bars 27 are attached to the wall of the portion 6 by one of their ends and are connected, at their other ends, to an axial shaft 28 fixed to the engine shaft 15.

The diameter of the portion 6 is larger than that of the portion 5, and the assembly is configured such that the upper end of the portion 6 is engaged over the lower end of the part 5 when the shaft 28 is fixed to the motor shaft 15.

The lower end of the part 6 and the upper end of the member 7 each include a flange 29, 30 for mounting said member on said part 6 at 7 bolt means 31.

The member 7 is hollow and includes a primary conduit 35 dividing, at its lower part, into two secondary conduits 36.

Figure 3 shows more particularly that the primary 35 passes from a circular opening, at its top, a rectangular-shaped opening and a reduced cross-section, at its lower part, so that it has two opposite walls buckle 35a which gradually toward the lower portion.

Each of the secondary conduits 36 has a curved shape, substantially half-turn of a helix, and terminates in an opening 37 of flow of the material in the vessel 1. The half-turns wind around horizontal axis and are consecutive in the space, such that the openings 37 are each located on one side of the axis of rotation of the member 7, in a diametral plane, and are oriented in opposite directions.

Figures 3 and 4 show that each of the conduits 36 40 internally includes seven longitudinal partitions which extend over the entire length thereof. The center distance between two adjacent partitions 40 increases from the portion of each opening 37 located on the side of the axis of rotation of the member 7 to the same opening 37 located on the opposite side. In the example shown, for a total width of each conduit 36 of 300 mm and a height of about 20 mm, the distance between the side wall of the conduit 36 and the partition 40 adjacent located closest to the axis of rotation of the member 7 is 30 mm, then, away from said axis of rotation, the deviations between each adjacent two partitions 40 of 30 mm, 35 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm, 40 mm and 45 mm, and the gap between the side wall of the conduit 36 and the partition 40 adjacent the outermost exterior 45 mm.

Further, the two walls 35a comprise platelets 50 adjustable in position in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of the lower opening of the conduit 35, these plates 50 for increasing or decreasing the passage area of the catalyst material in the conduits 36. The positional adjustment of the pads 50 is realized by means of lights arranged in the walls 35a, threaded rods secured to the pads 50, through the lumens, and nuts screwed onto the threaded rods to permit, as they are tightened or loosened, prevent or allow movement of the wafers. The wafers 50 overlie said lights in any position thereof, so that no flow occurs through these lights.

The conduits 36 comprise, in turn, vertical walls 51 disposed substantially in the plane of their openings 37, along which the wafers 52 adjustable in position are displaceable in a direction parallel to the plane of the openings 37. To adjust the position of wafer 52 is formed in the same manner as described above, by means of lights arranged in the walls 51, threaded rods secured to these wafers 52, through the lumens, and nuts screwed onto the threaded rods to permit, as they are tightened or loosened, prevent or allow movement of the wafer 52. Grooves are inclined edges 52a own to slightly deflect the flow of catalyst material in the vertical plane, if necessary depending on the type of material.

In practice, the rotary drive member 7 allows, by means of the lines 36, a projection of the catalyst material according to two helical streams of opposite direction, the width of which corresponds substantially to the radius of the vessel 2.

Means for 7 located about four meters from the bottom of the tank 2 and a vessel of about three meters in diameter, the speed of rotation of member 7 will be about 90 revolutions per minute. This rate of 10 to 12% will increase as the level of catalyst material rises of one meter.

The partitions 40 divide the material flow and distribute its flow, against the centrifugal force, over a large part or all of the openings 37.

The conduits 36 eliminate further stroke of the material as it flows.

The plates 50, 52 can increase or reduce the cross-section of these conduits 36 to control the flow of the catalyst material, if desired.

The caissons 21, 23 allow, in turn, collects the dust of the catalyst material, the inside of the vessel 2 that inside the portion 5.