Air Lance Feeding System for Tubular Reactor Catalyst Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of unloading catalyst particles from large industrial catalytic reactors is labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring multiple trained personnel and inefficient use of space on the reactor tube sheet.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising an air lance unit with a flexible guide tube system that automates the air lance feeding and vacuuming process, allowing for simultaneous unloading of multiple reactor tubes, reducing personnel requirements and optimizing space usage by storing unused air lance parts in cleaned reactor tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual air lancing methods are used for catalyst unloading, then the process can be performed with simple equipment, but it requires multiple trained personnel and is labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The air lance feeding system is designed to be self-operating, automatically feeding the air lance into and out of reactor tubes without requiring manual intervention. The system uses the reactor tube sheet openings and cleaned reactor tubes as integral parts of the feeding mechanism, eliminating the need for complex external feeding equipment while reducing labor requirements from multiple personnel to a single operator.
Solution Approach 2:
Cleaned reactor tubes are repurposed to serve dual functions: they remain part of the reactor structure and simultaneously serve as storage locations for the air lance when not in use. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate storage structures and simplifies the overall system while improving space utilization on the tube sheet.
2Speed
If air lances are stored on the reactor tube sheet during catalyst unloading, then quick access is available, but significant space on the tube sheet is occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The air lance is nested within cleaned reactor tubes when not in use. The flexible guide tube allows the air lance to be stored inside the hollow space of cleaned tubes, effectively utilizing the volume of existing reactor components for storage purposes. This nesting approach provides quick access when needed while occupying minimal space on the tube sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the air lance horizontally on the two-dimensional tube sheet surface, the system transitions to three-dimensional storage by placing the air lance vertically inside cleaned reactor tubes. This dimensional change efficiently utilizes the vertical space already present in the reactor structure, freeing up tube sheet area while maintaining rapid access capability.
3Reliability
If multiple personnel are used for catalyst unloading operations, then safety and control are improved, but the process becomes more labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The automated air lance feeding system performs the feeding and retrieval operations autonomously without requiring multiple personnel to manually handle the air lance. The system maintains safety through automated control mechanisms while reducing the time required for catalyst unloading by eliminating manual coordination overhead and continuous human intervention.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the air lance is made flexible to navigate reactor tubes, then adaptability to different tube positions is improved, but control precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The air lance system is segmented into a flexible guide tube portion for navigation and a rigid lance portion for catalyst loosening. The flexible guide tube provides adaptability to reach different reactor tube positions, while the rigid lance portion maintains control precision during the actual catalyst loosening operation. This segmentation allows both flexibility and precision to coexist in different functional zones of the same system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution significantly reduces the time and labor needed for catalyst unloading, enabling a single person to manage multiple reactor tubes while minimizing space requirements on the tube sheet and enhancing safety by securing pressurized components.
Implementation Method 1
an air lance for loosening the particulate material inside the reactor tube using pressurized air
Implementation Method 2
vacuum removed
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a device and a method for unloading particulate material from a reactor tube of a catalytic reactor comprising an array of substantially vertically aligned reactor tubes. The device comprises an air lance (11, 111-113) for loosening the particulate material inside the reactor tube using pressurized air, an air lance unit (10) for feeding the air lance in and out of the reactor tube, and a flexible guide tube (12, 121-123) on one end connectable to the air lance unit and on the other end connectable to a cleaned reactor tube (7, 71-73) for guiding the air lance from the reactor tube to the cleaned reactor tube for storing a part of the air lance that has not been fed into the reactor tube within the first cleaned reactor tube.