bed and limit the temperature rise to 500F.

Thus, the first and second beds

may contain 10 and 15% of the total catalyst, while the third and fourth
beds contain 30 and 45% of the total catalyst.
Reactor internals are provided between the catalyst beds to ensure
thorough mixing of the reactants with quench and ensure good
distribution of vapor and liquid flowing to each bed. Good distribu-
tion of reactants is of utmost importance to prevent hot spots and
maximize catalyst life.
Directly under the reactor inlet nozzle is a feed distributor cone inside
a screened inlet basket. These internal elements initiate feed stream
distribution and catch debris entering the reactor. Below the inlet basket,
the feed stream passes through a perforated plate and distributor tray for
further distribution before entering the first catalyst bed.
Interbed internal equipment consists of the following:

• A catalyst support grid, which supports the catalyst in the first bed,
covered with a wire screen.
• A quench ring, which disperses quenching gas into hot reactants
from the bed above.
• A perforated plate for gross distribution of quenched reaction mix-
ture.
• A distribution tray for final distribution of quenched reaction mix-
ture before it enters the next catalyst bed.
• A catalyst drain pipe, which passes through interbed elements and
connects each catalyst bed with the one below it.

To unload the catalyst charge, the catalyst from the bottom bed is
drained through a catalyst drain nozzle, provided in the bottom head of
the reactor. Each bed then drains into the next lower bed through the bed
drain pipe, so that nearly all the catalyst charge can be removed with
a minimum of effort.
Differential pressure indicators are provided to continuously measure
pressure drop across top reactor beds and the entire reactor.
The reactor is provided with thermocouples located to allow obser-
vation of catalyst temperature both axially and circumferentially. Thermo-
couples are located at the top and bottom of each bed. The temperature
measured at the same elevation but different circumferential positions
in the bed indicate the location and extent of channeling through
the beds.