Measuring catalyst(s) for filling reactor tubes in reactor vessels

1. A method for filling a plurality of reactor tubes contained in a reactor vessel with at least one catalyst, comprising:

feeding the catalyst into a plurality of main hoppers:

passing the catalyst from the plurality of main hoppers onto a plurality of independent lanes;

vibrating the catalyst across the plurality of independent lanes until the catalyst traveling across each of the plurality of independent lanes reaches a plurality of respective gating mechanisms:

collecting the catalyst moving off of each of the plurality of independent lanes, and automatically and independently measuring a plurality of respective quantities of the catalyst by weight;

independently closing the plurality of respective gating mechanisms as determined by said step of automatically and independently measuring a plurality of respective quantities of the catalyst by weight; and

dispensing the plurality of quantities of the measured catalyst into a plurality of respective reactor tubes.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including:

delivering a bulk catalyst to a location of the reactor vessel for the purpose of measuring the catalyst performed prior to said feeding step.

3. The method according to claim 1 further including dispensing a plurality of the quantities of the measured catalyst into a multi-compartment cassette prior to said step of dispensing the plurality of quantities of the measured catalyst into a plurality of respective reactor tubes.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of independently closing the plurality of respective gating mechanisms comprises closing by lowering a brushing mechanism over an end of each of the plurality of independent lanes.