Sealing systems for tubular reactors

Abstract

1. A sealing system for a tubular reactor (10), the sealing system comprising a body (60) having an inner wall (11) and a circular cross section (61), at least an upper portion of which comprises a peripheral wall (62) configured to fit against the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor, the peripheral wall (62) comprising at least an annular lodging portion (22) comprising a sealing portion (ring 50) seated on an annular pusher (40), the pusher (40) being configured to push the sealing ring (50) into the peripheral wall (62) of the body, the body (60) having a sufficient weight to press the sealing ring (50) against the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing system for tubular reactors, particularly catalytic reactors, and to a method for loading said sealing system into a tubular reactor.

[0002] A sealing system inserted into the tubular reactor prevents gas leakage between the inside and outside of the tubular reactor.

[0003] The sealing system that is the subject of the present invention relates to all applications requiring the sealing of tubular reactors over a wide temperature range, from cryogenic temperatures, through ambient temperatures, up to high temperature levels that can reach and even exceed 1000°C.

[0004] One possible application of the present invention is the catalytic steam reforming of hydrocarbons for the production of hydrogen-rich gas. A mixture of steam, hydrocarbons, and / or carbon dioxide is used as the process gas. This gaseous mixture is fed at a temperature of about 400-600°C and a pressure of up to 4 MPa to a reaction chamber, which may consist of multiple catalyst-filled tubes, where it is heated to about 750-800°C. The gaseous mixture then reacts endothermically over the catalyst to form a hydrogen-rich gas containing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and excess steam and a portion of the hydrocarbons. [Background technology]

[0005] An example of a catalyst tube is described in WO 2018 / 077969, which describes a catalyst tube in a combustion heater consisting of an outer reactor tube 1, a catalyst 2, an inner tube 5, a boundary 3 between the catalyst tube and the inner tube, and an inlet partition 4, an outlet partition 6, and an outlet reducer 7. This is shown in Figure 1. In this application, it is important that the outlet partition 6 forms a seal with the catalyst tube 1 to prevent hot gases from the catalyst outlet from escaping into the outlet reducer, maximizing heat transfer at the boundary and the inner tube.

[0006] Tubular reactors traditionally do not include internal heat exchange tubes as described in the above example (i.e., the regenerative reactor). To improve plant efficiency, this regenerative reactor concept replaces conventional tubes that have been used for some time. Often, these catalyst tubes include a catalyst support grid at the bottom of the tube, which is a grid plate with holes. As a result, a simple conical seal will not work. If the grid plate can be removed, the conical surface of the outlet reducer in the existing tube is also not necessarily machined to achieve a conical surface that perfectly matches the seal, making gas leakage more likely.

[0007] It should be noted that these tubular reactors that have been in use for some time may also suffer from the following problems: weld shrinkage, weld protrusion, as well as manufacturing tolerances already present in new tubes, and possible creep growth of the diameter of the tubular vessel. Therefore, the sealing device during installation should take these problems into account and be able to pass through the smallest diameter, while still sealing at the largest diameter after creep growth. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a new sealing system for tubular reactors.

[0009] The solution of the present invention is a sealing system for a tubular reactor 10, comprising an inner wall 11, a body 60 with a circular cross section 61, and a peripheral wall 62, at least an upper part of which is configured to fit into the inner wall of the tubular reactor, said peripheral wall 62 comprising at least an annular lodging portion 22 with a sealing ring 50 seated on an annular pusher 40, the pusher being configured to push the sealing ring into the peripheral wall 62 of the body 60, the body 60 having a sufficient weight to press the sealing ring 50 against the inner wall 11 of the tubular reactor 10.

[0010] The sealing system may be understood as a sealing system for a tubular reactor comprising an inner wall, a body, a peripheral wall having a circular section arranged on top of the peripheral wall, the circular section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the inner wall of the tubular reactor, the peripheral wall having a tapered section and providing an annular lodging portion extending between the inner wall of the tubular reactor and the tapered section, the annular lodging portion comprising a sealing ring seated on an annular pusher, the sealing ring configured to press an inner surface of the sealing ring against the peripheral wall of the body together with the pusher, and the body having a sufficient weight to press an outer surface of the sealing ring against the inner wall of the tubular reactor.

[0011] In the sealing system according to the invention, sealing is achieved by compression of a sealing ring between the annular pusher 40 and the peripheral wall of the body and the inner wall of the tubular reactor 10 .

[0012] In the present invention, the expression "its upper part matches the inner wall of the tubular reactor" means that the space between the inner wall of the tubular reactor and the upper part of the peripheral wall of the main body is 0.5 to 5 mm, for example, 1 to 3 mm. In practice, the space can be at most slightly smaller (0.5 mm) than the minimum width of the sealing ring. The minimum space is then the diameter of the peripheral wall of the main body 0.5 mm smaller than the minimum reactor wall diameter, which allows the installation of the sealing system. The inventors have discovered that this spacing advantageously provides maneuverability during installation, for example, to pass through obstacles such as protrusions or weld contractions inside the tubular reactor.

[0013] Advantageously, the sealing system may have a height of 25 to 500 mm, preferably 25 to 100 mm. The circular cross section of the body may have a diameter of 25 to 500 mm, preferably 100 to 150 mm. It should be noted that the diameter of the circular cross section of the body is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular reactor. Therefore, at least the upper part of the peripheral wall of the body coincides with the inner wall of the tubular reactor. It should be noted that the height of the sealing system can be adjusted to seal at an optimal position on the peripheral wall.

[0014] According to the present invention, "sufficient weight of the main body" is a weight between 10 and 10,000 kg, preferably between 100 and 500 kg. "Sufficient weight" includes both the static weight from the sealing system and the dynamic weight resulting from the pressure difference across the sealing system. It should be noted that the more weight there is on the sealing system, the tighter the seal will be.

[0015] The sealing ring may be formed in any suitable manner. However, it will generally be sufficiently compressible to accommodate the smallest diameter of the tubular reactor. The sealing ring is generally a flexible seal. Compressible split rings or rings with high expansion coefficients may be used. The sealing ring may be formed of any suitable material that can withstand the reaction conditions. Typically, the sealing ring material may be selected from carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, high nickel alloys, other alloys, ceramics, or any material capable of withstanding deformation and the reaction conditions.

[0016] The other elements of the sealing system may be formed from any suitable material, which is generally selected to withstand the operating conditions of the reactor. Typically, these elements are fabricated from carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, high-nickel alloys, other alloys, or any material capable of withstanding the deformation and reaction conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a catalyst tube in a combustion heater consisting of an outer reactor tube, catalyst, inner tube, boundary between the catalyst tube and inner tube, inlet partition, outlet partition and outlet reducer. [Figure 2] 1 shows an embodiment of a sealing system according to the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 shows an embodiment of a sealing system according to the present invention; [Figure 4]FIG. 10 shows that overlapping gaps are observed in the sealing ring when the sub-portions overlap. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 shows that the innermost ring has a smooth inner wall configured to fit over the top wall of the lodging section. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 illustrates different compression means.

[0018] Depending on the embodiment, the sealing system according to the invention may include one or more of the following features: The sealing system comprises a base 20, preferably an annular base, configured to support at least the pusher 40 by means of connection means 30. Advantageously, the base 20 can be adapted to fit the surface on which the sealing system rests or the means for retaining said sealing system within the tubular reactor 10. In one embodiment, the base can be configured to rest on a support surface 67 of the tubular reactor, for example a grid. The connecting means 30 are chosen from among a cylinder or a connecting rod. Advantageously, the connecting means comprise several notches inserted into the base 20. The height of the connecting means 30 is such as to allow axial displacement or movement of the body 60 relative to or above the base 20. Advantageously, the height of the connecting means can be extended in order to seal at a desired position inside the tubular reactor. The lodging section 22 comprises at least one smooth, straight upper wall that projects towards the inner wall 11 of the tubular reactor 10. Later, this smooth, straight upper wall of the lodging section will be called an "inclined wall". Preferably, the inclined wall of the lodging section 22 and the inner wall 11 of the tubular reactor 10 form an angle of 5° to 45°. As such, the lodging section can be understood as an annular space for a sealing ring, which is bounded by at least one straight side wall formed by the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10) and a smooth, preferably inclined side wall formed by a tapered section. The inner wall of the pusher 40 is significantly parallel to the upper wall of the lodging section 22. This configuration may prevent the pusher from colliding with the body 60. Alternatively or additionally, as shown in the figure, the ring (50) is pressed against the wall, preventing the body from moving further downwards. For example, if the ring is not clean or if the inner diameter of the tubular wall is larger than the expanded ring, the pusher (40) may come into contact with the body (60), which may have a negative effect on the seal. The appropriate selection of parameters to ensure a proper fit can be obtained by prior parameter selection, for example, by dimensioning and / or expanding the seal, body, etc., with respect to the tubular reactor to be sealed. The sealing ring 50 has a smooth inner wall configured to fit against the upper wall of the lodging section 22. The sealing ring can therefore be understood as having a smooth inner wall that is largely parallel to the smooth, preferably inclined, side walls formed by the tapered sections. It should be noted that the sealing ring also has an outer wall that is parallel to the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor, at least when in the expanded state. The peripheral wall 62 of the body 60 is provided with one or more outwardly extending steps, also referred to as protrusions 66, which are configured to lift at least the connecting means 30, the pusher 40 and the sealing ring 50 during loading and / or unloading of the sealing system into the tubular reactor 10. The sealing ring 50 comprises a portion longitudinally divided into two sub-portions that are configured to overlap one on top of the other or simply overlap, depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring. When the sub-portions overlap, an overlapping gap 53 is observed in the sealing ring (see FIG. 4). This overlapping gap 53 is configured to allow compression to the minimum diameter required for loading and / or unloading the sealing system in the tubular reactor. Typically, the overlapping gap has a length corresponding to 0.5% to 5% of the length of the sealing ring. The sealing ring may consist of two or more separate rings, e.g., concentric ring elements. The rings are configured so that, in use, the smooth outer surface of the inner ring is pressed against a correspondingly shaped, e.g., parallel, smooth inner surface of the outer ring, forming a seal. If a ring is provided, it is preferably divided longitudinally into sub-portions, which are offset relative to one another to avoid overlap. For example, the sub-portions of each ring are arranged in different positions (preferably opposite) so that the inner ring blocks openings between the sub-portions in the outer ring and the outer ring blocks flow to the sub-portions in the inner ring. In the sealing system, the pressure exerted by the body 60 is between 10 kPa and 100 MPa, in particular between 10 kPa and 20 MPa, preferably between 100 kPa and 1 MPa. The body 60 is provided with channel openings on both sides and is configured to be connected to pipes 90 inside the reactor and / or pipes outside the reactor (see Figure 3). According to the invention, the channels may be gas passages, gas conduits, gas lines, lumens, etc. Preferably, the channels are elongated.

[0019] An embodiment of a sealing system according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The sealing system shown in FIG. 2 comprises a body 60 comprising the peripheral wall of the annular lodging section 22, with a sealing ring 50 seated on an annular pusher 40. The force exerted by the static and dynamic weight of the body 60 presses the sealing ring 50 against the inner wall 11 of the tubular reactor 10 to form a good seal. The base 20 can be adjusted (in diameter, thickness, and edge shape) to fit the surface on which it rests. The base is connected to a cylinder 30, which serves as a connecting element with the pusher 40. The height of the cylinder should be a minimum height sufficient to allow axial movement of the body 60 above the base 20 and can be extended to seal at the desired position. The pusher 40 is adjusted to push the sealing ring 50 into the body 60, more specifically, into the inclined wall of the lodging section 22. The body has a step 66 for lifting the pusher 40 and cylinder 30 during loading and unloading of the sealing system. In this embodiment, the body does not have channel openings on either side and is configured to be connected to tubing inside the reactor and / or tubing outside the reactor.

[0020] An embodiment of a sealing system according to the invention, in which the body comprises a channel 63 open on both sides and adapted to be connected to a tube 90 inside the tubular reactor, is shown in Figure 3. In fact, this Figure 3 shows the bottom of a tubular reactor, typically a catalytic reactor, equipped with an inner tube 90 and a sealing system according to the invention.

[0021] According to one variant, the base 20, the pusher 40 and the connecting means 30 are made in one piece or in several pieces connected to one another.

[0022] Advantageously, the annular lodging section 22 comprises a plurality of concentric sealing rings 50, and the pusher 40 is configured to push the concentric sealing rings simultaneously. According to one variant, the annular lodging section 22 comprises N concentric sealing rings seated on N concentric annular separate pushers, where N is comprised between 2 and 4. It should be noted that the concentric sealing rings are in contact with each other. Each sealing ring has a wall that matches the wall of the sealing ring with which it is in contact. The innermost ring 55 has a smooth inner wall that is configured to match the upper wall of the lodging section (see FIG. 5). The advantage of parallel concentric rings is that the inner rings block the overlapping gaps of the outer rings.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is a tubular reactor comprising a sealing system as defined in the present invention and means for retaining said sealing system in the tubular reactor, for example at at least one end of the tubular reactor, preferably at the bottom of the tubular reactor.

[0024] Preferably, the tubular reactor according to the invention is a vertical reactor with downward flow: the reactant(s) flow downwards through the tubular reactor and thus first come into contact with the upper surface of the sealing system, more particularly with the surface of the body of the sealing system.

[0025] Advantageously, the tubular reactor may have a height of between 1 and 30 m, preferably between 10 and 14 m.

[0026] Advantageously, the tubular reactor may have a circular cross section with a diameter of between 25 and 500 mm, preferably between 100 and 150 mm.

[0027] Advantageously, the sealing system may be placed up to 1000 mm, preferably up to 150 mm, away from the outlet of the tubular reactor.

[0028] Advantageously, the tubular reactor according to the invention is a tubular reactor for catalytic conversion of process gases, in other words the tubular reactor is a catalytic tube.

[0029] According to a more preferred variant, the tubular reactor is a reactor for catalytic conversion of process gases, the tubular reactor comprising: an outer reaction tube 10; an inner tube 90 extending coaxially inside the outer reaction tube 10; a boundary 80 located between the inner wall of the outer reactor tube 10 and the outer wall of the inner tube 90; - A passage 82 through the boundary at the bottom of the tube near the seal. The passage may be a perforated tube, a large annular hole or a support structure boundary tube. a first annular channel for catalytically converting the process gas, said channel being defined by the inner wall of the outer reactor tube 10 and by a boundary outer wall, said channel being filled with a catalytic material; a second annular channel for flowing process gas countercurrently or cocurrently with respect to the process gas flowing through the first annular channel, the second annular channel being defined by an inner wall of the boundary and the outer wall of the inner tube; an inlet partition at the inlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from exiting the outer reactor tube from the second annular channel and inner tube at the inlet end of the catalyst tube; an outlet partition at the outlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from exiting the outer reactor tube from the first annular channel and from one of the second annular channel and the inner tube 90, while allowing process gas to exit the outer reactor tube from the other of the second annular channel and the inner tube 90; a sealing system as defined in the present invention and held on said outlet bulkhead, the sealing system having a body with channel openings on both sides connected to said inner tube.

[0030] The catalyst in the outer annulus may be supported on the body 60 of the sealing system or on the bottom catalyst support 81 .

[0031] In other words, the sealing system according to the present invention can be added to a catalytic tubular reactor such as that described in WO 2018 / 077969.

[0032] Preferably, the catalyst is used to carry out catalytic conversion reactions, preferably to modify a reformer.

[0033] As explained above, an embodiment of a catalyst tube according to the present invention is shown in FIG.

[0034] Finally, another object of the invention is a method for loading a sealing system according to the invention into a tubular reactor, said method comprising a step of compressing the sealing rings before loading and a step of depressurizing the sealing system after loading.

[0035] Advantageously, the sealing ring comprises a portion divided in the longitudinal direction into two sub-portions, namely an upper sub-portion and a lower sub-portion, which are arranged to overlap or simply overlap one another depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring, the compression step implementing one of the following compression means: - a tape or band around the sealing ring; a pin 100 inserted vertically and completely penetrating the upper sub-part of the sealing ring but halfway through the lower sub-part of the sealing ring; - adhesive applied to the surface between the two sub-parts 56 and / or to the ends of these sub-parts; - soldering of one or both ends of the sub-portions of the sealing ring 57;

[0036] These different compression measures are illustrated in Figure 6. Either a single compression measure or a combination can be applied.

[0037] It should be noted that by inserting the pin partway into the lower sub-portion of the sealing ring, leakage is avoided if the pin melts at high temperatures.

[0038] In the compressed state, the seal is minimal and to ensure optimum sealing, the compression means should be removed / disconnected before reaching operating conditions.

[0039] In all these cases, the means is capable of decomposing at temperatures below normal operating temperatures, but is strong enough at room temperature to maintain the ring in compression during loading. Typically, decomposition temperatures are between 100 and 500°C, while operating temperatures are between 600 and 800°C. Alternatively, these materials can be dissolved in the working fluid. Another alternative is for the material to collapse / break under weight and / or pressure differentials along the seal, allowing the ring to expand freely.

[0040] Typically, the material of the tape or band may be selected from plastic, paper, ceramic, or metal.

[0041] Typically, the pin material may be selected from plastic or metal.

[0042] Typically, the adhesive material may be selected from epoxy adhesives, isocyanate adhesives, or other single or multi-component adhesives.

[0043] Typically, the soldering material may be selected from brazing materials that have a melting point at least below 100°C at the operating temperature.

[0044] Alternatively, a temporary thin band or tube may be placed around the compressed sealing ring, which is removed after installation.

[0045] If the sealing system must be removed after some time in operation, the body can be pulled (either by the tube or the lug connected to the body) to release the force on the sealing ring, after which the sealing ring can be released and the entire sealing system can be removed from the tube.

[0046] The different objects of the present invention have several advantages.

[0047] First, a major advantage of the present invention is that the sealing system can accommodate changes in the diameter of the tubular reactor. Typically, when ring-type seals are applied, the tolerances for the inner tube diameter and ring dimensions require very tight tolerances (<0.1 mm). The seal design of the present invention can accommodate significantly larger tolerances (typically up to several mm) because the weight of the body and / or pressure drop allows the pusher to push the sealing ring upward. The sloped wall of the lodging section of the circumferential wall of the body against which the sealing ring slides expands the diameter of the ring, thereby ensuring that a tight seal exists between the inner wall of the tubular reactor and the body in all scenarios. This advantage is particularly beneficial for applications in tubular reactors that have been in operation, since tolerances may not be optimized for sealing. Furthermore, material creep is a well-known phenomenon in high-temperature applications. As a result of creep, the diameter of the tubular reactor may increase slightly over time. The weight-biased seal design ensures that the sealing ring always fits tightly between the tubular reactor and the body throughout the life of the tube. The seal does not diminish during the life of the tubular reactor.

[0048] Second, because the weight of the sealing ring and the sealing system presses the ring tightly against the inner wall of the tubular reactor, the pretensioning force required for the sealing ring is less critical. This is especially important for high-temperature applications where material strength is reduced. Therefore, the present invention reduces leakage through the sealing system. The sealing ring is designed to cover reactor tube diameters between a deviation of up to 4 mm from the nominal size and a deviation of up to 4 mm from the nominal size.

[0049] Third, the present invention allows the seal to be applied in applications where the seal is placed on some existing structure that does not need to be linear. The base can be adjusted relative to the surface on which it is supported. The actual seal between the tube and the housing achieves a slightly higher height where there is no obstruction. This can be particularly useful in the case of welds applied to the bottom of a tubular reactor.

[0050] The solution of the present invention is particularly beneficial when installed at the bottom of a pipe, since gravity ensures sufficient load on the sealing device to ensure the sealing of the sealing ring 50. However, the seal may also be applied in a horizontal position, at the top of the pipe, or at an angle. In these cases, it may be necessary to apply an additional static load to the seal.

[0051] The present invention further provides a sealing system for a tubular reactor according to paragraphs 1 to 10 below, a tubular reactor comprising a sealing system as defined in any one of paragraphs 1 to 10, the use of a tubular reactor according to paragraph 12, and a method for loading a sealing system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 10 into a tubular reactor: Paragraph 1. A sealing system for a tubular reactor (10), the sealing system comprising a body (60) having an inner wall (11) and a circular cross section (61), at least an upper portion of which comprises a peripheral wall (62) configured to fit against the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor, the peripheral wall (62) comprising at least an annular lodging portion (22) comprising a sealing ring (50) seated on an annular pusher (40), the pusher (40) configured to push the sealing ring (50) into the peripheral wall (62) of the body, the body (60) having a weight sufficient to press the sealing ring (50) against the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10). Paragraph 2. The sealing system of Paragraph 1, comprising a base (20) configured to support at least a pusher (40) by a connection means (30). Paragraph 3. A sealing system according to paragraph 2, wherein said connecting means (30) is selected from among a cylinder or a connecting rod. Paragraph 4. A sealing system according to paragraph 2 or paragraph 3, wherein the height of the connection means (30) is such as to allow axial movement of the body (60) above the base (20). Paragraph 5. The sealing system of any one of Paragraphs 1 to 4, wherein the lodging portion (22) includes at least one smooth, straight upper wall that protrudes toward the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10). Paragraph 6. A sealing system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, wherein the inner wall of the pusher (40) is significantly parallel to the upper wall of the lodging portion (22). Paragraph 7. The sealing system of any one of Paragraphs 1 to 6, wherein the sealing ring (50) has a smooth inner wall configured to fit against the upper wall of the lodging portion (22). Paragraph 8. A sealing system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, wherein the peripheral wall (62) of the body (60) comprises a step configured to lift at least the connecting means (30), the pusher (40) and the sealing ring (50) during loading and / or unloading of the sealing system into the tubular reactor. Paragraph 9. A sealing system according to any one of Paragraphs 1 to 8, wherein the sealing ring (50) comprises a portion longitudinally divided into two sub-portions configured to be superimposed one on top of the other or simply overlap, depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring. Paragraph 10. A sealing system according to any one of Paragraphs 1 to 9, wherein the body (60) has channel openings on both sides and is configured to be connected to a tube (90) inside the reactor or to a tube outside the reactor. Paragraph 11. A tubular reactor comprising the sealing system of any one of Paragraphs 1 to 10 and means for retaining the sealing system at at least one end of the tubular reactor. Paragraph 12. The tubular reactor is a reactor for catalytic conversion of process gases, - an outer reaction tube (10); an inner tube (90) extending coaxially inside the outer reaction tube (10); a boundary (80) located between the inner wall of the outer reaction tube (10) and the outer wall of the inner tube (90); - A passage (82) through the boundary at the bottom of the tube near the seal. a first annular channel for catalytically converting a process gas, said channel being defined by said inner wall of the outer reactor tube 10 and said outer wall of said boundary, said channel being filled with a catalytic material; a second annular channel for flowing the process gas countercurrently or cocurrently with respect to the process gas flowing through the first annular channel, the second annular channel being defined by the inner wall of the boundary and the outer wall of the inner tube; an inlet partition at the inlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from exiting the outer reactor tube from the second annular channel and the inner tube at the inlet end of the catalyst tube; an outlet partition at the outlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from exiting the outer reactor tube from the first annular channel and from one of the second annular channel and the inner tube (90), while allowing process gas to exit the outer reactor tube from the other of the second annular channel and the inner tube (90); - a sealing system according to paragraph 10, held on the outlet partition, the body of which comprises channel openings on both sides connected to the inner tube. Paragraph 13. Use of a tubular reactor according to paragraph 11 or paragraph 12 for carrying out catalytic conversion reactions, preferably for retrofitting a reformer. Paragraph 14. A method for loading a sealing system according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 10 into a tubular reactor, comprising a step of compressing the sealing rings before loading and a step of depressurizing the sealing system after loading. Paragraph 15. The sealing ring comprises a portion divided longitudinally into two sub-portions, namely an upper sub-portion and a lower sub-portion, the sub-portions being configured to overlap or simply overlap one another depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring, and the compression step being one of the following compression means: - a tape or band around the sealing ring; - a pin (100) inserted vertically and completely penetrating the upper sub-portion of the sealing ring but halfway through the lower sub-portion of the sealing ring; - adhesive applied to the surface between the two sub-parts (56) and / or to the ends of these sub-parts; - soldering one or both ends of the sub-portion of the sealing ring (57). Paragraph 16. The sealing system of any one of Paragraphs 1 to 10, wherein the sealing ring (50) comprises two or more concentric rings, and the pusher 40 is configured to push the concentric sealing rings together. The concentric sealing rings are in contact with each other. Each sealing ring has a wall that matches the wall of the sealing ring it is in contact with. The innermost ring 55 has a smooth inner wall that matches the top wall of the lodging portion. The inner ring fills the gap where the outer rings overlap. Paragraph 17. The sealing ring may consist of two or more separate rings, e.g., concentric ring elements. The rings are configured so that, in use, the smooth outer surface of the inner ring presses against a correspondingly shaped, e.g., parallel, smooth inner surface of the outer ring, forming a seal. If such a ring is provided, it is preferably divided longitudinally into sub-portions, which are offset relative to one another to avoid overlap. For example, the sub-portions of each ring are positioned at different (preferably opposite) positions such that the inner ring blocks openings between the sub-portions in the outer ring and the outer ring blocks flow to the sub-portions in the inner ring.

Claims

1. A sealing system for a tubular reactor (10) having an inner wall (11), comprising a body (60), the peripheral wall (62) having a circular section (61) arranged at an upper portion of the peripheral wall, the circular section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10), the peripheral wall (62) having a tapered section, and an annular lodging section (22) extending between the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10) and the tapered section. a sealing system for a tubular reactor (10), wherein the annular lodging portion comprises a sealing ring (50) seated on an annular pusher (40), the sealing ring being configured to press an inner surface of the sealing ring (50) against the peripheral wall (62) of the body together with the pusher (40), and the body (60) has a weight sufficient to press an outer surface of the sealing ring (50) against the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10).

2. 2. The sealing system of claim 1, comprising a base (20) resting on a support surface (67) of the tubular reactor (10) and configured to support at least the pusher (40) by means of a connection means (30).

3. 3. The sealing system according to claim 2, wherein said connecting means (30) is selected from among a cylinder or a connecting rod.

4. 4. A sealing system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the height of the connection means (30) is such as to allow axial displacement of the body (60) relative to the base (20).

5. 3. The sealing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lodging section (22) is bounded by at least one straight side wall formed by the inner wall (11) of the tubular reactor (10) and a smooth side wall formed by the tapered section.

6. 3. The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the pusher (40) is parallel to the smooth side wall formed by the tapered section.

7. 3. The sealing system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing ring (50) has a smooth inner wall parallel to the smooth side wall formed by the tapered section.

8. 3. The sealing system of claim 2, wherein the peripheral wall (62) of the body (60) comprises one or more outwardly extending protrusions (66) configured to lift at least the connecting means (30), the pusher (40), and the sealing ring (50) during loading and / or unloading of the sealing system into the tubular reactor.

9. 3. The sealing system of claim 1, wherein the sealing ring (50) comprises a portion longitudinally divided into two sub-portions configured to be superimposed one on top of the other or simply overlap, depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring.

10. 3. The sealing system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the body (60) has channel openings on both sides and is configured to be connected to a pipe (90) inside the reactor or a pipe outside the reactor.

11. A tubular reactor comprising a sealing system according to claim 1 or 2 and means for retaining said sealing system within said tubular reactor.

12. The tubular reactor is a reactor for catalytic conversion of a process gas, the tubular reactor comprising: an outer reaction tube (10), an inner tube (90) extending coaxially inside said outer reaction tube (10); a boundary (80) located between the inner wall of the outer reaction tube (10) and the outer wall of the inner tube (90); A passage (82) through said boundary at the bottom of the tube close to the seal. a first annular channel for catalytically converting a process gas, said channel being defined by the inner wall of said outer reactor tube 10 and the outer wall of said boundary, said channel being filled with a catalytic material; a second annular channel for flowing process gas countercurrently or cocurrently with respect to the process gas flowing through the first annular channel, the second annular channel being defined by an inner wall of the boundary and the outer wall of the inner tube; an inlet partition at the inlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from leaving the outer reactor tube through the second annular channel and the inner tube at the inlet end of the catalyst tube; an outlet partition at the outlet end of the catalyst tube for preventing process gas from exiting the outer reactor tube from the first annular channel and from one of the second annular channel and the inner tube (90), while allowing process gas to exit the outer reactor tube from the other of the second annular channel and the inner tube (90); - a sealing system according to claim 10, which is held on said outlet bulkhead, said body being provided on both sides with channel openings connected to said inner tube.

13. 13. Use of the tubular reactor according to claim 12 for carrying out catalytic conversion reactions.

14. 3. A method for loading a sealing system according to claim 1 or 2 into a tubular reactor, comprising the steps of compressing the sealing ring before loading and depressurizing the sealing system after loading.

15. The sealing ring comprises a portion divided longitudinally into two sub-portions, namely an upper sub-portion and a lower sub-portion, the sub-portions being configured to overlap or simply overlap one another depending on the compression applied to the sealing ring, and the compressing step being one of the following compressing means: - a tape or band around the sealing ring; a pin (100) inserted vertically and completely penetrating the upper sub-portion of the sealing ring, but halfway through the lower sub-portion of the sealing ring; - adhesive applied to the surface between the two sub-parts (56) and / or to the ends of these sub-parts; - soldering one or both ends of said sub-portions of said sealing ring (57).

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