Institut Francais Du Pe'trole

Ifp Energies Nouvelles

Dominique Humeau

Eric Sanchez

Jean-Marie Deves

Emmanuelle Bromet

Pierre Renard

Gerard Paul Hotier

Roland Huin

Gilles Ferschneider

Jean-Christophe Viguie

Fran&ccedil;ois-Xavier Brunet

Albert Le Corre

G&eacute;rard Hotier

Nicolas Couenne

Pascal Duchene

François-Xavier Brunet

A vessel for regenerating used catalyst comprising at least one combustion zone provided with at least two walls () between which the catalyst circulates as a moving bed, and provided with at least one conduit () for introducing at least one oxygen-containing gas entering the moving bed via one of the walls and leaving via another wall, characterized in that it also comprises a zone (FC) for monitoring and controlling the end of combustion located after the end of the flame front of the last combustion zone (Z), provided with a conduit () for introducing an oxygen-containing monitoring and control gas and at least one means for measuring the temperature and/or the oxygen content in the gas and/or the catalyst leaving the monitoring and control zone. A separator () is located between the monitoring and control zone and the last combustion zone for preventing the passage of gas while allowing for the passage of the catalyst.

Vessel for regeneration of a catalyst including monitoring and monitoring and control of combustion completion

The invention concerns a process for regenerating a catalyst in a fixed bed, for example a catalyst for reforming or for aromatic compound production, including a step for monitoring and controlling combustion completion which is carried out after the catalyst has undergone all of the combustion steps of the process. The monitoring and control step is carried out by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the zone where monitoring and control takes place, the monitoring and control step being carried out under conditions which are more severe than those in the combustion steps. The monitoring and control step is carried out with an oxygen consumption of less than 10%. The temperature advantageously remains substantially constant.

Process and vessel for regeneration of a catalyst including monitoring and monitoring and control of combustion completion

An apparatus and process for regulating the flow rate of at least one fluid or effluent circulating in a simulated moving bed comprises a plurality of beds disposed in a closed loop in at least one chromatographic column (,) and comprising at least one means for recirculating fluid and comprising at least two lines for injecting fluid at a controlled flow rate and at least two lines for withdrawing fluid, one of said withdrawal (extract or raffinate) lines being under flow rate control, the other (,) being under pressure control via at least one control valve (,), and is characterized in that said pressure controlled withdrawal line (,) comprises, in addition to the control valve, comprises at least one restriction means (,) enabling the pressure downstream of at least one of the beds to be reduced. One embodiment of the use of the invention is for separating a xylene isomer.

Apparatus for regulating the flow rate of at least one fluid in simulated moving bed separation units

The device comprises at least one column,that is filled with a number of beds A,, whereby each bed A,is separated from the next bed A,by a fluid distributor plate P,. Each plate is divided into a number of sectors P,, and P,, and each sector comprises at least two fluid distribution chambers CH,and CH,. Each chamber of the plate is connected to a transfer line LT,and LT,to the outside. Transfer line LT,, which is associated with chambers CH,of a distributor plate, is connected to transfer line LT,, which is associated with chambers CH,of the same plate, via a bypass line L,. The latter comprises means,and,for controlling and adjusting the flow rate of fluid that circulates there, such that each distribution chamber CH,is flushed by a fluid that is obtained from chamber CH,and that has approximately the same composition as that of the fluid that circulates through distributor plate P,at each of the chambers.

Device for improving the purity of a product in a simulated moving bed that comprises forced fluid recirculation

The invention concerns a process for regenerating a catalyst in a fixed or moving bed, for example a catalyst for reforming or for aromatic compound production, including a step for monitoring and controlling combustion completion which is carried out after the catalyst has undergone all of the combustion steps of the process. The monitoring and control step is carried out by injecting an oxygen-containing gas into the zone where monitoring and control takes place, the monitoring and control step being carried out under conditions which are more severe than those in the combustion steps. The monitoring and control step is carried out with an oxygen consumption of less than 10%. The temperature advantageously remains substantially constant. The vessel for carrying out the invention is also claimed.

The device comprises at least one column 1 that is filled with a number of beds A.sub.n, whereby each bed A.sub.i is separated from the next bed A.sub.i+1 by a fluid distributor plate P.sub.i. Each plate is divided into a number of sectors P.sub.10, and P.sub.11, and each sector comprises at least two fluid distribution chambers CH.sub.i and CH.sub.j. Each chamber of the plate is connected to a transfer line LT.sub.i and LT.sub.j to the outside. Transfer line LT.sub.i, which is associated with chambers CH.sub.i of a distributor plate, is connected to transfer line LT.sub.j, which is associated with chambers CH.sub.j of the same plate, via a bypass line L.sub.i,j. The latter comprises means 14, 15, 16, and 17 for controlling and adjusting the flow rate of fluid that circulates there, such that each distribution chamber CH.sub.i is flushed by a fluid that is obtained from chamber CH.sub.j and that has approximately the same composition as that of the fluid that circulates through distributor plate P.sub.i at each of the chambers.

Process and device for improving the purity of a product in a simulated

An apparatus and process for regulating the flow rate of at least one fluid or effluent circulating in a simulated moving bed comprises a plurality of beds disposed in a closed loop in at least one chromatographic column (1) and comprising at least one means for recirculating fluid and comprising at least two lines for injecting fluid at a controlled flow rate and at least two lines for withdrawing fluid, one of said withdrawal (extract or raffinate) lines being under flow rate control, the other (60) being under pressure control via at least one control valve (6), and is characterized in that said pressure controlled withdrawal line (60) comprises, in addition to the control valve, comprises at least one restriction means (201) enabling the pressure downstream of at least one of the beds to be reduced. One embodiment of the use of the invention is for separating a xylene isomer.

Apparatus for regulating the flow rate of at least one fluid in

Method for controlling with precision a permanent in-line process for separating constituents of a mixture in a simulated moving bed separation system from concentration and flow rate measurements. The system comprises a set of columns forming a closed loop comprising several zones between fluid injection and draw-off points. Control of the process (linear or nonlinear) is performed from a knowledge model and from a certain number of operating variables at a plurality of measuring points along the loop (concentrations and flow rates for example) and characteristic measurements of the fluids injected and drawn off. Ratios respectively indicative of the ratio, in each of the different zones, between the fluid flow rates and the simulated adsorbent material flow rates, are determined from actual values of controlled variables depending on the measured operating variables (purity of the constituents, system yield, etc.). Values to be given to the operating variables in order to bring or to bring back the controlled variables to predetermined set values are determined from these ratios. The method can be applied for stabilizing separation processes, notably for aromatic hydrocarbons, in the presence of notable feedstock flow rate or quality variations.

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Vienne, France

Dominique Humeau