Method for filling apparatuses with solids

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for filling apparatuses for chemical production with solids using a controllable metering device, and an apparatus, displaceable from place to place, for carrying out the method. The apparatus is suitable in particular for filling heat exchangers, absorption columns, distillation columns or tube-bundle reactors with solids.

1 . A method for filling tubes with solids, in which the solid is discharged from a filling funnel onto a skew plane having vibrating channels, which are arranged in an approximately horizontal position and extend from a discharge orifice of the funnel up to at least a connection to a drop tube or a flexible hose connection by which the solid is fed to the tubes to be filled, the method comprising: 
 adjusting a height of an outlet tube connected to the drop tube;    applying a reduced pressure through an extraction tube and an extraction apparatus, which are disposed in a vicinity of the filling funnel and the outlet tube, to extract dust; and    moving the apparatus mounted on rolls or rollers, after the filling of the tubes, for filling further tubes.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solids have a geometry of spheres, solid or hollow cylinders, stars or rings.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein tubular or plate-type heat exchangers, which are used as reactors, are filled.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein an amount of solid to be filled is determined for apparatuses initially by volumetric or gravimetric determination and is fed to the filling funnels of a portioning device in loose form or in collecting vessels remaining in the filling funnels.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of apparatuses are filled in parallel simultaneously.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a feed device is designed so that the funnels containing the solids empty onto the skew plane which has parallel passages as the channels in the number of the tubes to be filled in each case and is closed by a cover.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the solids are filled zone-by-zone and different fillings of solids are introduced simultaneously along an axial profile of a reaction tube with predetermined heights of fill, fill volumes and masses.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein reaction tubes which contain internals for controlling a reactor are filled such that at least one catalyst particle per second is metered into the tube.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein an amount metered of the solids to be filled is adjusted by a flow controller which is adjustable in height.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a portioning device is mounted on rollers or rolls which are adjustable in height to be operated and moved simultaneously by one person.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, displaceable from place to place, for filling tubes with solids, comprising 
 a filling funnel configured to store the solid;    a skew plane comprising vibrating channels arranged in an approximately horizontal position and extending from a discharge orifice of the funnel up to at least a connection to a drop tubes or a flexible hose connection by which the solid is fed to the tubes to be filled, wherein in each case    an outlet tube is connected to the drop tube and is configured to be adjusted in height,    reduced pressure is applied and dust is extracted through an extraction tube and an extraction apparatus in the vicinity of the filling funnel and the outlet tube, and    the apparatus is mounted on rollers or rolls.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a cross section of the outlet tube is at most equal to that of the tube to be filled.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the outlet tube tapers conically at an end and the end has a smaller cross section than the tube to be filled.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the skew plane with the vibrating channels is closed by a cover.