Method and apparatus for optimizing throughput in a trickle bed reactor

Abstract

The geometry of the reactor is tailored to increase the heat transfer capacity of the initial sections of the reactor columns where the greatest heat is generated. This is accomplished by reducing the inner diameter of the initial column sections relative to that of the final column sections and by increasing the rate of heat transfer from to the coolant proximate the initial column sections by increasing the velocity of coolant surrounding the initial column sections. Further, the coolant flow is directed in a direction perpendicular to the axis of each column by spaced, laterally offset baffles.

1 . A trickle bed reactor adapted to oxidize a solute in its liquid phase, the reactor comprising a reactor column containing inert packing, said reactor column having an inlet end into which the solute is introduced and an outlet end from which the product is removed, means for creating a flow of oxygen containing gas through said reactor column, an enclosure substantially surrounding said reactor column, means for introducing coolant to the enclosure proximate one end of the column and for removing coolant from the enclosure proximate the other end of the column, said column comprising first and second connected sections, said first column section having a smaller inner diameter than said second column section.  
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein said first column section is proximate the inlet end of said column and said second column section is proximate the outlet end of said column.  
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising an intermediate column section said intermediate column section connecting said first and said second columns.  
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 3  wherein said intermediate column section varies in inner diameter from the inner diameter of said first column section to the inner diameter of said second diameter section.  
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein said means for creating a flow of oxygen containing gas comprises means for creating gas flow through the reactor column counter-current or co-current with solute movement.  
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure has a first end and a second end and wherein the coolant is introduced into said enclosure proximate said outlet end of said column and the coolant is removed from said enclosure proximate said inlet end of said column.  
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising means for increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate said first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate said first column section.  
     
     
         8 . The reactor of  claim 7  wherein said heat transfer rate increasing means comprises means for reducing the volume occupied by the coolant surrounding said first column section.  
     
     
         9 . The reactor of  claim 7  wherein said heat transfer rate increasing means comprises a jacket surrounding said first column section through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         10 . The reactor of  claim 8  wherein said enclosure comprises a portion of said enclosure surrounding said first column section and wherein said volume reducing means comprises means for reducing the coolant containing volume of said enclosure portion.  
     
     
         11 . The reactor of  claim 1  further comprising means for directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said reactor column.  
     
     
         12 . The reactor of  claim 10  wherein said flow directing means comprises at least two laterally offset baffles spaced along said reactor column.  
     
     
         13 . A trickle bed reactor adapted to perform a gas-liquid reaction comprising at least two packed reactor columns, each of said reactor columns having an inlet end into which a solute in a liquid phase is introduced and an outlet end from which the product is removed, means for controlling the flow rate of the solute into each of said reactor columns, means for creating a gas flow within each of said reactor columns, a enclosure substantially surrounding said reactor columns, means for introducing coolant to said enclosure and for removing coolant from said enclosure, each of said reactor columns comprising first and second connected sections, said first column sections having a smaller inner diameter than said second column sections.  
     
     
         14 . The reactor of  claim 13  wherein each of said reactor columns further comprises an intermediate column section connecting said first and said second column sections.  
     
     
         15 . The reactor of  claim 14  wherein said intermediate column section varies in inner diameter from the inner diameter of said first column section to the inner diameter of said second diameter section.  
     
     
         16 . The reactor of  claim 13  wherein the gas flow through each of said columns is counter-current or co-current with solute movement.  
     
     
         17 . The reactor of  claim 13  wherein said first column section of each of said columns is proximate said inlet end of said column and said second column section of each of said columns is proximate said outlet end of said column.  
     
     
         18 . The reactor of  claim 13  wherein said solute flow rate control means comprises means for equalizing the liquid flow rate to each of said columns.  
     
     
         19 . The reactor of  claim 18  wherein said solute flow rate control means further comprises means for measuring the liquid flow rate to each of said columns.  
     
     
         20 . The reactor of  claim 13  wherein said enclosure comprises first and second ends, wherein the coolant is introduced into the enclosure proximate said outlet ends of said columns and the coolant is removed from the enclosure proximate said inlet ends of said columns.  
     
     
         21 . The reactor of  claim 13  further comprising means for increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate said first column section of each reactor column by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate said first column section of each of said reactor columns.  
     
     
         22 . The reactor of  claim 21  wherein said heat transfer rate increasing means comprises means for reducing the volume occupied by the coolant surrounding said first column section of each of said reactor columns.  
     
     
         23 . The reactor of  claim 22  wherein said coolant volume reducing means comprises a jacket through which the coolant flows surrounding said first column section of each of said reactor columns.  
     
     
         24 . The reactor of  claim 21  wherein said enclosure comprises a portion surrounding said first column section of each of said reactor columns and wherein the coolant containing volume of said enclosure portion is reduced.  
     
     
         25 . The reactor of  claim 13  further comprising means for directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of each of the reactor columns.  
     
     
         26 . The reactor of  claim 25  wherein said flow directing means comprises at least two laterally offset baffles spaced along said reactor columns.  
     
     
         27 . A trickle bed reactor adapted to perform a gas liquid reaction, said reactor comprising a packed reactor column, said reactor column having an inlet end into which a solute in a liquid phase is introduced and an outlet end from which the product is removed, means for creating a gas flow within said column, an enclosure substantially surrounding said column, means for introducing coolant into said enclosure and for removing coolant from said enclosure, said reactor column comprising first and second connected sections, and means for increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate said first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate said first column section.  
     
     
         28 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein said heat transfer rate increasing means comprises means for reducing the volume occupied by the coolant surrounding said first column section.  
     
     
         29 . The reactor of  claim 28  wherein said coolant volume reducing means comprises a jacket surrounding said first column section through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         30 . The reactor of  claim 28  wherein said enclosure comprises a portion surrounding said first column section and wherein the coolant containing volume of said enclosure portion is reduced.  
     
     
         31 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein said first column section has a smaller inner diameter than the second column section.  
     
     
         32 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein said reactor column further comprises an intermediate column section connecting said first and second column sections, wherein said intermediate column section varies in inner diameter from the inner diameter of said first column section to the inner diameter of said second diameter section.  
     
     
         33 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein the gas flow through said column is counter-current or co-current with the liquid movement.  
     
     
         34 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein said first column section is proximate said inlet end of said column and said second column section is proximate said outlet end of said column.  
     
     
         35 . The reactor of  claim 27  wherein said enclosure has first and second ends and wherein coolant is introduced into said enclosure end proximate said outlet end of said column and is removed from said enclosure end proximate said inlet end of said column.  
     
     
         36 . The reactor of  claim 27  further comprising means for directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said reactor column.  
     
     
         37 . The reactor of  claim 36  wherein said flow directing means comprises at least two laterally offset baffles spaced along said reactor column.  
     
     
         38 . A trickle bed reactor adapted to perform a gas-liquid reaction, said reactor comprising a packed reactor column, said reactor column having an inlet end into which the liquid is introduced and an outlet end from which the product is removed, means for creating a gas flow within said column, an enclosure substantially surrounding said column, means for introducing coolant to said enclosure and for removing coolant from said enclosure, said reactor column comprising first and second connected sections, said first column section having a smaller inner diameter than said second column section, and means for directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of said reactor column.  
     
     
         39 . The reactor of  claim 38  wherein said coolant flow directing means comprises at least two laterally offset baffles spaced along said reactor column.  
     
     
         40 . The reactor of  claim 39  wherein said coolant flow directing means comprises a plurality of baffles spaced along said reactor column with each baffle laterally offset relative to the adjacent baffles.  
     
     
         41 . The reactor of  claim 38  further comprising means for increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant said first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate said first column section.  
     
     
         42 . The reactor of  claim 41  wherein said heat transfer rate increasing means comprises means for reducing the volume occupied by the coolant surrounding said first column section.  
     
     
         43 . The reactor of  claim 42  wherein said coolant volume reducing means comprises a jacket surrounding said first column section through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         44 . The reactor of  claim 42  wherein said enclosure comprises a portion of said enclosure surrounding said first column section and wherein the coolant containing volume of said enclosure portion is reduced.  
     
     
         45 . The reactor of  claim 38  wherein said reactor column further comprises an intermediate column section connecting said first and said second column sections, wherein said intermediate column section varies in inner diameter from the inner diameter of said first column section to the inner diameter of said second diameter section.  
     
     
         46 . The reactor of  claim 38  wherein the gas flow through said column is counter-current with liquid movement.  
     
     
         47 . The reactor of  claim 38  wherein said first section of said reactor column is proximate said inlet end of the column and said second column section of said reactor column is proximate said outlet end of said reactor column.  
     
     
         48 . The reactor of  claim 38  wherein the coolant is introduced into said enclosure proximate said outlet end of said reactor column and is removed from said enclosure proximate said inlet end of said column.  
     
     
         49 . A method for optimizing the throughput of a trickle bed reactor adapted to oxidize a solute in a liquid phase in a reactor column containing inert packing, the method comprising the steps of: introducing the solute into the inlet end of the reactor column; removing the oxidized product from the outlet end of the reactor column; creating a flow of oxygen containing gas through the reactor column; introducing coolant into a enclosure substantially surrounding the reactor column; removing coolant from the enclosure; and causing the solute to flow along the reactor column from a first column section of relatively smaller inner diameter to a second column section of relatively greater inner diameter.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of situating the first column section proximate the inlet end of the column and situating the second column section proximate the outlet end of the column.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of causing the solute to flow through an intermediate column section connecting the first and second column sections, the inner diameter of the intermediate column section varying from the inner diameter of the first column section to the inner diameter of the second diameter section.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the steps of introducing the coolant into the enclosure proximate the outlet end of the column and removing the coolant from the enclosure proximate the inlet end of the column.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate the first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the step of increasing the velocity comprises the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant proximate the first column.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of surrounding the first column section with a jacket through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of reducing the coolant containing volume of the enclosure portion surrounding the first column section.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reactor column.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the step of directing the coolant flow comprises the step of laterally offsetting baffles spaced along the reactor column.  
     
     
         59 . A method for optimizing the throughput of a trickle bed reactor having at least two packed reactor columns adapted to perform a gas-liquid reaction, the method comprising the steps of: introducing a solute in a liquid phase into the inlet end of each column; removing the product removed from the outlet end of each of the columns; equalizing the flow rate of the solute to each of the reactor columns; creating a gas flow within each column; introducing coolant into a enclosure surrounding the reactor columns; removing the coolant from the enclosure; and causing the solute to flow along each of the reactor columns from a first column section of relatively smaller inner diameter to a column section of relatively greater inner diameter.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising the step of causing the solute to flow through an intermediate column section connecting the first and second column sections, the inner diameter of the intermediate column section varying from the inner diameter of the first column section to the inner diameter of the second diameter section.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising the step of situating the first section of each column proximate the inlet end of the column and situating the second section of each column proximate the outlet end of the column.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the step of equalizing the solute flow-rate comprises the steps of measuring the solute flow rate to each reactor column and regulating the solute flow rate to each reactor column.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate the first column section of each column by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate the first section of each column.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer comprises the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant proximate the first column section of each reactor column.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of surrounding the first column section of each reactor column with a jacket through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of reducing the coolant containing volume of the enclosure portion surrounding the first sections of the reactor columns.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising the step of directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of each of the reactor columns.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  wherein the step of directing the coolant flow comprises the step of laterally offsetting baffles spaced along the reactor columns.  
     
     
         68 . A method for optimizing the throughput of a trickle bed reactor adapted to perform a gas-liquid reaction in a packed reactor column having first and second connected column sections, the method comprising the steps of: introducing a solute in a liquid phase into the inlet end of the reactor column; removing the product from the outlet end of the reactor column; creating a gas flow through the column; introducing coolant into a enclosure substantially surrounding the reactor column; removing coolant from the enclosure; and increasing the rate of heat transfer to the first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the step of introducing the coolant to the enclosure comprises the step of introducing the coolant to the enclosure proximate the outlet end of the column.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer comprises the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of surrounding the first column section with a jacket through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of reducing the coolant containing volume of the enclosure portion surrounding the first column section.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 68  further comprising the step of causing the solute to flow along the reactor column from the first column section of relatively smaller inner diameter the second column section of relatively greater inner diameter.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 68  further comprising the step of causing the liquid to flow through an intermediate column section connecting the first column section and the second column section, the inner diameter of the intermediate column section varying from the inner diameter of the first column section to the inner diameter of the second diameter section.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 68  further comprising the step of directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reactor column.  
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75  wherein the step of directing the coolant flow comprises the step of laterally offsetting baffles spaced along the reactor column.  
     
     
         77 . A method is provided for optimizing the throughput of a trickle bed reactor adapted to perform a gas-liquid reaction in a packed reactor column comprising the steps of: introducing a solute in a liquid phrase into the inlet end of the reactor column; removing the product from the outlet end of the reactor column; creating a gas flow through the column; introducing coolant into a enclosure substantially surrounding the reactor column; removing coolant from the enclosure; causing the solute to flow along the reactor column from a first column section of relatively smaller inner diameter to a second column section of relatively greater inner diameter; and directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reactor column.  
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the step of directing the coolant flow comprises the step of laterally offsetting baffles spaced along the reactor column.  
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 77  further comprising the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate the first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer comprises the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of surrounding the first column section with a jacket through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 80  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of reducing the coolant containing volume of the enclosure portion surrounding the first column section.  
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 77  further comprising the steps of causing the solute to flow through an intermediate column section connecting the first and second column sections, the inner diameter of the intermediate column section varying from the inner diameter of the first column section to the inner diameter of the second diameter section.  
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 77  further comprising the step of situating the first section of the column proximate the inlet end of the column and situating the second column section of the column proximate the outlet end of the column.  
     
     
         85 . A method for optimizing the throughput of a trickle bed reactor adapted to oxidize a liquid in a reactor column with inert packing by varying the geometry of the reaction column; the method comprising the steps of: introducing a solute in a liquid phase to be oxidized to the inlet end of the column; removing the oxidized product from the outlet end of the column; creating a flow of oxygen containing gas within the column; cooling the column; and causing the liquid to flow along the reactor column from the inlet end to the outlet end, the inner diameter of the column varying in accordance with the temperature profile generated by the oxidation reaction along the reactor column.  
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the step of creating a flow of oxygen containing gas comprises the step of creating a counter-current flow of oxygen containing gas.  
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer to the coolant proximate the first column section by increasing the velocity of the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the step of increasing the rate of heat transfer comprises the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant proximate the first column section.  
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 88  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of surrounding the first column section with a jacket through which the coolant flows.  
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 88  wherein the step of reducing the volume occupied by the coolant comprises the step of reducing the coolant containing volume of the enclosure portion surrounding the first column section.  
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising the step of directing the flow of coolant in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reactor column.  
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 90  wherein the step of directing the coolant flow comprises the step of laterally offsetting baffles spaced along the reactor column.