Device for loading chemical reactor tubes

1. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube to a desired elevation, comprising the steps of:

inserting a loading device into said chemical reactor tube, with an upper flange portion of the loading device resting on top of the reactor tube, said upper flange portion defining an inlet opening, and with a lower sleeve portion of the loading device extending downwardly from the upper flange portion into the chemical reactor tube, said lower sleeve portion defining a lower outlet opening, and said loading device defining a passageway extending downwardly from said inlet opening to said lower outlet opening;

adding pellets through said inlet opening so the pellets fall through the passageway and into the reactor tube until the level of the pellets in the reactor tube reaches the lower outlet opening located at the desired elevation;

adding more pellets to at least partially fill said lower sleeve portion;

securing the pellets inside said lower sleeve portion so they remain with the loading device when it is removed from the reactor tube; and

removing said loading device and its secured pellets from the reactor tube and leaving an open space in the reactor tube from the desired elevation to the top of the reactor tube.

2. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of securing the pellets inside said lower sleeve portion includes reducing the internal cross sectional area of said lower sleeve portion near its lower outlet opening.

3. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of securing the pellets inside said lower sleeve portion includes relying on the natural tendency of the pellets to bridge inside said lower sleeve portion.

4. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 1 , and further including the step of reducing the vertical component of velocity of pellets falling through the loading device by means of a flexible arm adjacent the inlet opening which contacts the pellets as they pass downwardly into the loading device.

5. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 1 , and further including the step of removing the secured pellets from the loading device outside of the reactor tube after removing the loading device from the reactor tube.

6. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube, comprising the steps of:

inserting a loading device into, said chemical reactor tube, with an upper flange portion of the loading device resting on top of the reactor tube, said upper flange portion defining an inlet opening, and with a lower sleeve portion of the loading device extending downwardly from said upper flange portion into the chemical reactor tube, said loading device defining a passageway extending downwardly from said inlet opening through said lower sleeve portion to a lower outlet opening;

adding pellets through said inlet opening so the pellets fall through the passageway and out the lower outlet opening into the reactor tube until the level of the pellets in the reactor tube reaches the lower outlet opening;

adding more pellets to at least partially fill said lower sleeve portion;

removing said loading device at least partially out of the reactor tube with at least some pellets retained in said lower sleeve portion; and then

contacting said loading device with a mechanical vibration device to shake out said retained pellets, wherein the step of contacting the loading device with the mechanical vibration device includes extending a portion of the mechanical vibration device into the inlet opening of the loading device.

7. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of securing said pellets includes using means for reducing the cross-sectional area of the loading device near the lower outlet opening.

8. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 7 , wherein said means for reducing the cross-sectional area has dimensions that are fixed relative to the lower sleeve portion.

9. A method for loading pellets into a chemical reactor tube as recited in claim 7 , wherein said means for reducing the cross-sectional area has dimensions that are adjustable relative to said sleeve.