Adsorbent filling process
The use of distribution ramps with inverted Y-shaped openings and a deflecting surface addresses the issue of bead segregation in adsorbers, achieving uniform and dense filling for improved performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-27
AI Technical Summary
The existing methods of filling adsorbent beads in adsorbers often result in segregation, leading to non-uniform flow distribution and performance issues during adsorption and regeneration phases.
A method using distribution ramps with inverted Y-shaped openings and a deflecting surface to create a uniform distribution of adsorbent particles, forming a curtain of beads for homogeneous filling across the adsorbent bed.
Ensures a uniform and dense filling of adsorbent beads, improving performance consistency during adsorption and regeneration phases.
Smart Images
Figure 00000005_0000 
Figure 00000005_0001 
Figure 00000006_0000
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Method for filling an adsorbent
[0001] The invention relates to a method of filling an adsorber for the treatment of a gaseous mixture.
[0002] Filling is carried out alternately from a hopper, filling orifice by filling orifice, without any special precautions. This can lead to problems with segregation of the adsorbent beads during filling, resulting in areas of low flow and areas of high flow, which negatively impacts performance during the adsorption phases and, if applicable, during the regeneration phases.
[0003] The adsorbent bed can be placed in a radial type adsorber as described in FR2836399 or in an adsorber as described in WO2020 / 169900. The adsorber can comprise a plurality of vertical beds.
[0004] The invention then relates to a method for filling an adsorbent with adsorbent particles for the treatment of a gaseous mixture, the method implementing a distribution system comprising a plurality of adsorbent particle distribution ramps, each ramp having a series of openings, the adsorber comprising at least one filling orifice, an internal volume arranged under the at least one filling orifice and configured to receive the adsorbent particles, the adsorber comprising a deflecting surface fixed on a lateral wall of the internal volume, the deflecting surface extending from the lateral wall to an opposite wall of the internal volume up to a free edge of the deflecting surface, thus partially separating said internal volume into a lower zone located below the deflecting surface and an upper zone located above the deflecting surface,the deflecting surface forming an angle with the side wall so as to retain the adsorbent particles between the deflecting surface and the side wall, the process comprising the following steps: , - Insert the distribution ramps in the upper area so that the openings are oriented towards the bottom of the internal volume, - distribute adsorbent particles using ramps onto the deflecting surface to form a slope of particles which accumulate between the deflecting surface and the side wall, until the slope overflows over the free edge of the deflecting surface into a curtain of adsorbent beads flowing down the lower area.
[0005] The method makes it possible to create a uniform distribution of adsorbent over the entire surface of the adsorbent bed, allowing for homogeneous and dense filling using ramps of distribution, in particular arranged in parallel, so as to create a homogeneous rain of adsorbents over the entire circumference or length of the bed.
[0006] [Fig-1] The [Fig. 1] is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a radial or parallelepiped bed adsorber;
[0007] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a view deployed along the perimeter for a radial bed or a front view for a parallelepiped bed; and
[0008] [Fig.3] is an overall view of the implementation with a filling hopper.
[0009] Figure 1 represents a portion of an adsorber intended to receive an adsorbent bed. This portion comprises an internal volume 2 and a deflecting surface 5 fixed to a lateral wall 11. The internal volume 2 has a free edge 14 and partially separates the internal volume 2 into a lower active zone 3 and an upper inactive zone 4. The adsorbent bed may be radial in shape, for example as described in FR-2741823, or parallelepiped in shape as described in W02020 / 16990. The inactive zone 3 serves as an adsorbent reservoir to compensate for any compaction of the adsorbent particles in the active zone 3 during operation.
[0010] Figure 2 illustrates the filling process with three filling ports, but the process is easily extrapolated to any adsorber having at least two filling ports. Similarly, it is described with an adsorber containing one adsorbent bed, but is also easily extrapolated to any adsorber having more than one adsorbent bed. An adsorber with two adsorbent beds, for example, comprises an activated alumina bed and a molecular sieve bed. The adsorber can, in particular, be used in the upstream scrubber of an air separation unit.
[0011] As shown in [Fig. 3], the adsorbent particles are placed in a hopper 12. A shut-off valve 6 can be placed at the bottom to start / stop the filling of the adsorber. At the bottom, three flexible hoses 7 extend at an angle to the horizontal that is substantially greater than the slope angle of the adsorbent to ensure downward flow of the adsorbent and lead to the filling ports 13. Each hose 7 is connected to particle distribution ramps 8, the ramps forming inverted Ys.
[0012] The ramps 8 forming the two branches of the Y are removable to allow the filling device to pass through the filling orifice 13. Each branch of the Y has regularly spaced openings (not shown). The characteristic size of each distribution opening is at least three, preferably five times, the characteristic size of the adsorbent beads.
[0013] Each flexible tube 7 (and the foot of the Y) has a cross-section of at least 1.1 times, preferably 1.3 times the total cross-section of the openings of the branches of the Y, so as to ensure a sufficient and homogeneous supply of adsorbent from each orifice 13, without the flexible tube 7 or the base of the Y being limiting. Each arm of the Y has an angle with the horizontal that is significantly greater than the slope angle of the adsorbent to ensure downward flow of the adsorbent.
[0014] All the openings of a branch are supplied simultaneously. The Y-shaped distribution ramps are positioned above the deflecting surface 5, creating a slope 9 above the deflecting surface 5, which then extends towards the active zone 3. The distance between two openings is designed so that two small slopes created by two consecutive openings meet. This results in a curtain 10 of adsorbent beads. This ensures homogeneous and dense filling, particularly across the width of the bed.
[0015] When the height of the filled adsorbent bed reaches the distribution ramps 8, they are dismantled or the filling is completed using the flexible hose 7 up to the rim of the filling orifices 13.
[0016] Filling is preferably carried out in the workshop, and the adsorber is transported thus filled. External lighting or lighting integrated into the inverted Y distribution manifold may be provided.
[0017] The adsorbent is preferably in the form of beads and may in particular be activated alumina, molecular sieve, silica gel, activated carbon.
Claims
[Claim 1] Demands A method for filling an adsorbent with adsorbent particles for the treatment of a gaseous mixture, the method employing a distribution system comprising a plurality of adsorbent particle distribution ramps (8), each ramp (8) having a series of openings, the adsorber comprising at least one filling orifice (13), an internal volume (2) arranged below at least one filling orifice (13) and configured to receive the adsorbent particles, the adsorber comprising a deflecting surface (5) fixed to a lateral wall (11) of the internal volume (2), the deflecting surface (5) extending from the lateral wall (11) to an opposite wall (1) of the internal volume (2) to a free edge of the deflecting surface (5), thus partially separating said internal volume (2) into a lower zone (3) located below the deflecting surface and an upper zone (4) located above the deflecting surface (5),the deflecting surface (5) forming an angle with the side wall (11) so as to retain the adsorbent particles between the deflecting surface (5) and the side wall (11), the process comprising the following steps:, - insert the distribution ramps (8) into the upper zone (4) so that the openings are oriented towards the bottom of the internal volume (2), - distribute using the ramps (8) adsorbent particles on the deflecting surface (5) to form a slope (9) of particles which accumulate between the deflecting surface (5) and the side wall (11), until the slope (9) overflows over the free edge of the deflecting surface (5) into a curtain of adsorbent beads flowing down the lower area (3).