Donut-Shaped Mixing Device for Multi-Bed Reactor Volume Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-bed hydroprocessing reactors have inefficiencies in the quench section, which occupies significant reactor volume and complicates maintenance, due to the need for cooling, mixing, and distribution of fluids, leading to a requirement for a more compact and accessible mixing device that minimizes pressure drop and maximizes active reactor volume.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical mixing device with a donut shape is positioned between catalyst beds, featuring collecting, mixing, and discharging sections outside the center of the reactor's circular cross-section, allowing for efficient mixing and reduced reactor height, with circular arc divider walls creating a spiral flow path for effective fluid distribution and minimizing pressure loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional quench section elements (quench pipe, mixing chamber, splash plate, rough cut tray, distributor tray) are installed between catalyst beds, then cooling and mixing functions are achieved, but the reactor volume is significantly occupied and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate quench section elements (mixing chamber, distributor tray, splash plate) into a single integrated mixing device. This merging eliminates the need for separate components, reducing the overall volume occupied in the reactor while maintaining all necessary functions of cooling, mixing, and distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a mixing chamber, a distributor tray, and a splash plate all in one component. This multi-functionality allows the device to replace several traditional elements, thereby reducing reactor volume occupancy while ensuring reliable cooling and mixing operations.
2Reliability
If multiple separate quench section elements are installed, then cooling and distribution functions are achieved, but the number of elements requiring installation, maintenance, and cleaning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple quench section elements into a single mixing device, reducing the total number of components from five or more (quench pipe, mixing chamber, splash plate, rough cut tray, distributor tray) to one unified device. This simplification directly reduces installation, maintenance, and cleaning complexity while preserving all essential functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing device is designed as a universal component that performs the functions of multiple specialized elements. By consolidating mixing, distribution, and splash functions into one device, the system reduces operational complexity without compromising the reliability of cooling and distribution operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If distributor trays are installed to achieve even fluid distribution, then distribution quality is improved, but the reactor height increases and active reactor volume decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the distributor tray function with the mixing chamber into a single integrated device. This eliminates the need for a separate distributor tray positioned below the mixing chamber, thereby reducing reactor height while maintaining even fluid distribution through the integrated design of the mixing and distribution sections.
4Manufacturing precision
If quench section volume is increased to improve mixing effectiveness, then mixing quality is improved, but pressure drop increases and active reactor volume decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing device incorporates a curved or spiral flow path design that引导 fluid through a circular motion pattern. This curved trajectory enhances mixing effectiveness by creating rotational flow and improving fluid redistribution without requiring a large volume, thereby maintaining low pressure drop while achieving high mixing quality.
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
The solution achieves efficient cooling, mixing, and redistribution with minimal reactor volume, facilitating easier maintenance and reducing the reactor's overall height, while maintaining effective fluid distribution to the catalyst beds, thus enhancing the hydroprocessing efficiency and operational simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
circular arc divider walls creating a spiral flow path for effective fluid distribution
Implementation Method 2
the quench zone must achieve spatial uniformity of species/temperatures of the liquid phase leaving the section to the lover bed
Data Source
AI summary
A mixing device mounted between two catalyst beds in a multi-bed catalytic reactor with a cylindrical shape. The mixing device has a circular outer rim which corresponds to the inner wall of the reactor, and includes a collecting section for collecting fluid from an up-stream catalytic bed, a mixing section for mixing the collected fluid, and a discharging section for discharging the mixed fluid to a down-stream catalytic bed. The collecting section, the mixing section and the discharging section are disposed outside the center of the circular cross-section of the reactor.