METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNIFORMLY LOADING PARTICULATE MATERIAL INTO CYLINDRICAL BEDS

摘要

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNIFORMLY LOADING PARTICULATE MATERIAL INTO CYLINDRICAL BEDS A method for simultaneously distributing catalyst particles across the full diameter of catalyst bed with a single rotor is disclosed. The bed has substantially uniform high density by forming a multiplicity of annular rings of catalyst concentric with the vessel or bed center. Such action is achieved without varying rotor speed by deflecting catalyst from a feed hopper into a plurality of arcuate sectors or portions of different radial lengths on a rotating disc. Preferably, each arcuate portion has a volume proportional to one of the annular areas of the bed within the cross-sectional area of the vessel. The desired volume is formed by both the radial length of the arcuate sector and its included angle on the disc. Depending upon the overall cross-sectional area of the vessel, the cylindrical volume of catalyst flowing from the feed tube may be divided into an outer annular column and an inner cylindrical column. In a preferred embodiment this may be done by a frusto-conical member extending upwardly and inwardly into the feed tube from the main distribution surface of the disc. Another plurality of separate arcuate flow paths of different radial lengths are rotated by the single rotor or disc. Desirably, each other path is shorter than the radius of any of the arcuate portions formed by the disc.