Filtration and flow distribution method for chemical reactors using reticulated ceramics with uniform pore distributions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIG.
1, for treatment of an organic-based feed stream a single fixed bed chemical reactor 22 with reticulated ceramic material 15 in the shape of substantially spherical balls 122 (FIG.
11) will be described, although as previously discussed other shapes of the reticulated ceramic material 15 may be used.
If the reactor 22 is of a downflow configuration, the contaminated organic-based feed stream 20 will enter the reactor 22 at the inlet 24.
The invention may be used in either fixed beds or fluidized bed chemical reactors.
Preferably, the present invention is used in one or more fixed beds, in either an upflow or downflow or radial flow configuration.
Preferably, the chemical reactors include hydrotreater, hydrorefiner, hydrocracker, reformer, alkylation, isomerization and polymerization reactors.
Contaminants typically found in the feed stream include dirt, iron oxide, iron sulfide, asphaltenes, coke fines, catalyst fines, sediments or other entrained foreign particulate material.
A layer 26, preferably layers 26, 28, of reticulated ceramic material 15 is provided in the vessel in an amount sufficient to filter the contaminants from the organic-based feed stream 20.
Preferably, multiple layers 26, 28 may be provided wherein the size of the articles of reticulated ceramic material 15 such as balls 122 is graduated from a larger size in layer 26 to a smaller size in layer 28 as the incoming organic-based feed stream flows through the reticulated ceramic material 15.
The reticulated ceramic material may be made from any commercially available materials, for example, ZTA.
The ZTA may have a product composition of ZrO.
sub.
2 /Al.
sub.
2 O.
sub.
3 and is available from SELEE Corporation headquartered in Hendersonville, N.
C.
The graduated sizing of the reticulated ceramic material 15 from large sizes to small sizes lessens the pressure drop through the reactor attributable to filtering of the suspended solids.
Optionally, the pore size of the reticulated ceramic material may also be graduated from large pores (low ppi) to small pores (high ppi) to lessen the pressure drop through the reactor attributable to filtering of the suspended solids