Distillation: processes – separatory – With chemical reaction – Including step of adding catalyst or reacting material
Reexamination Certificate
1994-11-29
2001-06-26
Yildirim, Bekir L. (Department: 1764)
Distillation: processes, separatory
With chemical reaction
Including step of adding catalyst or reacting material
C203SDIG006, C502S300000, C502S527110, C435S180000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251227
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of bringing fluids into contact with solid materials, the invention relates to the use of containers for granular materials and which are permeable to fluids and the general shape of which is substantially a tetra-hedron. The containers have a surface area:volume ratio which is particularly suitable for the use of granular material, particularly for catalysis, adsorption, ion exchange and distillation.
The use of these containers relates particularly to adsorption, distillation, ion exchange, as well as simultaneous distillation and catalysis.
Materials in the form of small, discrete particulate solids are used in many industrial applications: this is the case for instance with ion exchange, adsorption on activated charcoals, molecular sieves or activated silica, or for catalytic reactions or liquids or gases which have to be in contact with these materials.
In a fixed bed, these materials offer considerable resistance to the passage of fluids, resulting in substantial losses of potential, formations of preferred routes and a more or less regular grading by order of particle size. Formations of gas pockets may occur giving rise to piston effects which lead to clogging.
Granular materials in an expanded or fluidized bed are subject to considerable abrasion and fracture, thereby losing their efficacy and giving rise to fines which have a particular tendency to clog, causing major problems.
Finally, for certain applications, there is a need for a large surface contact area for a given volume of granular material or even free space around caked granules.
Therefore, certain operations have been proposed as a way of bringing solid granular materials in contact with liquids or gases by enclosing the said materials in containers or bags which are permeable to the fluids but in which the points of fluid passage (pores or spaces, interstices or meshes, if grids are used or woven or knitted textile materials are involved) are sufficiently small to trap the finest particles of the solid materials.
To-date, the bags or containers proposed have proved to be inadequate in that they either become deformed when they are stacked or they have an insufficient surface area:volume ratio or they may be difficult or expensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is the use of containers which have good mechanical properties.
Another object of the invention is the use of containers having a maximum surface area:volume ratio having regard to their geometrical form.
Another object is to use containers which have only a low level of potential loss in relation to the granular mass.
Another object is to use containers the contents of which may vary from one container to another without this resulting in mixtures of granular products.
All these uses of containers relate to the provision of contact masses for catalysis, ion exchange, adsorption, simultaneous distillation and catalysis, for which these containers are particularly suitable.
Further objects will become apparent in the light of the following:
In the field of bringing fluids into contact with solid materials, the invention concerns the use of a container for particulate or granular solid materials comprising a closed container permeable to gases or liquids and of which the pores are adapted to the granular size of the bodies with which the container is filled, so that these can be completely retained. This container comprises four substantially triangular surfaces which are adjacent three by three so that it substantially constitutes a tetrahedron.
Preferably, at least two of the opposite edges offer a rigidity greater than that of the other edges; these two opposite edges are preferably those which constituted the closure of the cylinder which gave rise to the tetrahedron.
They may comprise a plate, a reinforcement or a reinforcing rod or may more simply result from the welding or gluing of the common bases of the adjacent triangles. If one of the triangles is taller than the other, it is likewise possible to fold over the excess onto the base of the first.
It is likewise possible to reinforce a greater number of edges or even all the edges but this is not vital if the mechanical stresses remain moderate.
The term “permeable or porous material” is understood to mean any solid material which allows gases and/or liquids to pass through it but the apertures in which are of a sufficiently small size to retain the grains of solid granular material which the containers are required to hold. If the smallest grain size of the solid material is equal to (n), the dimensions of the points of passage for the fluids must, for instance, be equal to or less than 0.9n and preferably equal to or less than 0.5n. Subject to this condition, there is no limit on the size of the grains and of the pores (a pore designating any point through which a fluid can pass, whatever its size). Thus it is possible to have containers for materials in grain form which range for instance from 0.1 to 20 mm, these figures not being restrictive.
The attached drawings illustrate the container the use of which in the field of bringing fluids into contact with solid materials, is the object of the invention.
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Millen White Zelano & Branigan P.C.
Yildirim Bekir L.
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