Catalyst holder and agitation system for converting stirred tank reactor to fixed bed reactor

Abstract

This invention relates to apparatus particularly a monolith catalytic reactor in a stirred tank reactor. The stirred tank reactor including the fixed bed catalytic reactor apparatus comprises: an housing having an open top and open bottom portion supportably maintained with said tank, said housing having a substantially outwardly extending, horizontal baffle near its top portion said baffle having a least one perforation in its surface, and said housing having at least one perforation in the wall near its top portion; a fixed bed catalyst system supportably retained within said housing permitting both liquid and gas flow therethrough; and, an agitator shaft terminating in a turbine blade substantially adjacent the perforation in the wall of said housing, said agitator having a passageway including an opening in an upper portion thereof to the interior of an upper part of said tank and terminating in an opening adjacent the turbine blade.

1 . An apparatus for effecting a reaction between a reactant gas and a reactant liquid in a stirred autoclave which includes a catalyst holder which comprises: 
 an autoclave having an opening therein to permit access to its interior, a cover for the opening and at least one line to introduce reactants and remove product;    a fixed bed catalyst holder disposed within the autoclave comprised of a housing that is open at its top and at its bottom and having at least one side wall perforation at an upper portion of the housing and extending through the housing to permit flow of reactant liquid and reactant gas from the bottom of the housing and then from the interior of the housing to a point exterior of the housing;    a horizontal baffle connected at upper portion of the housing above said side wall perforation, the baffle configured to the contour of the interior wall of the autoclave to limit flow of reactant gas and reactant liquid between the edge of the baffle and the interior wall of the autoclave, said baffle having at least one perforation present in the baffle to permit flow of reactant liquid and reactant gas therethrough;    a side baffle external to the housing or affixed to the interior wall of the autoclave for directing reactant gas and reactant liquid downwardly from said side wall perforation to the inlet of the fixed bed catalyst;    an agitation system that includes a motor, an agitation shaft extending into the autoclave terminating in a turbine impeller; and,    a fixed bed catalyst retained within the housing to permit reactant liquid and reactant gas to pass from the bottom of the housing through the fixed bed catalyst and out the upper end of the fixed bed catalyst.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said agitator shaft incorporates a passageway having an end terminating for discharge at said turbine impeller and terminating at another point near an upper portion and into the headspace of said autoclave, said turbine positioned adjacent the at least one side wall perforation in said housing such that reactant liquid and reactant gas are forced outwardly through said side wall perforation by said turbine impeller and against the interior wall of the autoclave.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein there is a plurality of perforations substantially uniformly distributed about the side wall of said housing for permitting a mixture of reactant liquid and reactant gas to flow therethough.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the horizontal baffle has a plurality of perforations substantially uniformly distributed for permitting flow of a reactant liquid and reactant gas upward and downward in the autoclave.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the fixed bed catalyst is a monolith catalytic reactor comprised of a monolith substrate and a catalytic metal.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the catalytic metal in said monolith catalytic reactor is selected from the group consisting of VIb, Group VIIb, Group VIII, and Group Ib metals of the periodic table.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the catalytic metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, Raney or sponge nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, ruthenium, rhodium and rhenium.