Supplying a dispensing device for loading a refinery and/or petrochemical reactor with solid particles
An assembly for loading a refinery and/or petrochemical reactor ( 100 ) with solid particles, comprising a dispensing device ( 110 ) for loading the reactor with solid particles in a relatively uniform manner, a system ( 200 ) for supplying the dispensing device, comprising a flexible sleeve ( 140 ) connected to a solid particle tank ( 130 ) and to the dispensing device, and a control system ( 300 ) comprising a blocking device ( 310 ) for blocking the particles flowing in the flexible sleeve, adjacent to a portion ( 141 ) of the flexible sleeve and capable, when activated, of moving the walls of the flexible sleeve in such a way as to reduce a cross section of said sleeve at said portion, and an actuating device ( 350 ) for actuating the blocking device located at a distance from the blocking device.
1. A system comprising a refining and/or petrochemical reactor and an assembly for loading the refining and/or petrochemical reactor with solid particles, the assembly comprising
a dispensing device for loading the reactor with solid particles, said device being arranged such as to homogenize and/or make uniform the loading of solid particles into the reactor,
a system for supplying the dispensing device, said supply system comprising a flexible sleeve intended to be connected to a solid particle reserve firstly, and to the dispensing device secondly, wherein the solid particles can flow, generally from the top to the bottom,
a system for controlling the supply system, comprising:
a device for blocking the particles flowing in the flexible sleeve, which device is adjacent to a portion of the flexible sleeve and suitable for, when activated, moving walls of the flexible sleeve such as to reduce an effective cross-section of said sleeve at said portion, and
a device for actuating the blocking device located remotely from the blocking device.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking device is arranged such as to urge the walls of the flexible sleeve against a rigid or semi-rigid pipe through which said flexible sleeve passes at the portion adjacent to the blocking device.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blocking device includes a balloon element pneumatically connected to a gas supply pipe.
4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the balloon element is adapted to be connected to a pneumatic network by means of a single pipe.
5. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the balloon element comprises two planar parts made from flexible material, which are connected to one another in a sealed manner.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device comprises distributing means suitable for giving the solid particles a speed with a component perpendicular to the vertical direction.
7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the distribution means comprise blades and a motor to rotate these blades about a vertical axis.
8. A method of managing loading of a refining and/or petrochemical reactor with catalyst particles and/or inert beads, comprising installing the assembly as claimed in claim 1 in the refining and/or petrochemical reactor.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reactor has an opening for the loading.
10. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the dispensing device is placed through this opening into the reactor and loads with a rain effect the reactor with solid particles comprising catalyst particles and/or inert beads.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating device is located at a distance from the blocking device that is greater than or equal to the radius of the base of the reactor.