CATALYTIC DISTILLATION STRUCTURE

摘要

A catalytic distillation structure (10) having a plurality of corrugated vertically disposed catalyst containing elements (12) separated by inert spacing elements (24) is disclosed. The catalyst containing elements (12) each have two layers of gas permeable material (18, 20), such as wire mesh, joined together at regularly spaced intervals (13) to form a single sheet (12) having pockets (22) disposed on the surface. A particulate catalyst (26) is disposed within the pockets (22). The catalyst (26) within the pockets (22) provides a reaction zone where catalytic reactions may occur and the gas permeable sheets (18, 22) provide mass transfer surfaces to effect a fractional distillation. The spacing elements (14) allow for a variation of the catalyst density and loading.