VOOLAPALLI RAVIKUMAR (IN)
KAALVA SRINIVASULU (IN)
AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 22 December 2014 (22.12.14) 1. A cross-flow reactor (100) enclosed in a shell for three phase catalytic hydroprocessing, the cross-flow reactor (100) comprising at least one reactor stage (104), wherein the at least one reactor stage (104) comprises; a central gas distributor (204) having perforations on a lateral surface for distributing reactant gas into the cross-flow reactor (100), wherein the central gas distributor (204) is configured to distribute the reactant gas through the perforations in a direction substantially tangential to a downward flowing liquid reactant; a middle region (206) for accommodating a packed catalyst bed and receiving the liquid reactant, the middle region (206) being concentric to the central gas distributor (204), wherein the lateral surface of the central gas distributor (204) forms an inner bound of the middle region (206) and perforated support plates (240) form an outer bound of the middle region (206), and wherein porous support plates form an upper and a lower bound of the middle region (206), and wherein the middle region (206) is configured to allow a substantially vertically downward flow of the liquid reactant through the packed catalyst bed; and an outer gas space (202) for removal of effluent gases from the middle region (206), the outer gas space (202) being concentric to the middle region (206), wherein the perforated support plates (240) form an inner bound of the outer gas space (202) and the shell of the cross-flow reactor (100) forms an outer bound of the outer gas space (202), and wherein the outer gas space (202) of each reactor stage includes an outlet (108) provided on the shell of the cross-flow reactor (100) to remove the effluent gases flowing in the direction substantially tangential to the downward flowing liquid reactant from the middle region (206) of the respective reactor stage. 2. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least two reactor stages stacked vertically one over another, wherein each of the at least two reactor stages is separated from a next reactor stage by a liquid re-distributor (304A). 3. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the liquid re-distributor (304A) comprises: a middle annular re-distributor to re-distribute the liquid reactant from the middle region (206) of each of the at least two reactor stages to the next reactor stage, wherein a non-perforated outer surface forms an inner bound of the middle annular re-distributor and non-perforated separator plates form an outer bound of the middle annular re- distributor, the non-perforated separator plates having an inlet for receiving recycle feed; and an outer recycle space for introduction of the recycle feed into the middle annular re-distributor, wherein the non-perforated separator plates form an inner bound of the outer recycle space and the shell of the cross-flow reactor forms an outer bound of the outer recycle space, and wherein non-porous support plates form an upper and a lower bound of the outer recycle space to prevent flow of the effluent gases from each of the at least one reactor stage to the next reactor stage. 4. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a base of the central gas distributor (204 ) of a last reactor stage is bound by a non-porous support plate to prevent exit of the reactant gas from the central gas distributor (204); and a base of the outer gas space (202) is bound by another non-porous support plate to prevent exit of the effluent gases from the outer gas space (202). 5. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim I, wherein effluent liquid is removed from a bottom of the middle region (206) of a last reactor stage. 6. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a density of perforations on the perforated surface of the central gas distributor (204) and the perforated separator plates (310) varies over a length of the cross- flow reactor (100). 7. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim I, wherein the catalyst bed comprises catalyst particles, and wherein sizes and shapes of the catalyst particles vary over a length of the cross-flo w reactor ( 100). 8. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one co- current downward flow hydroprocessing reactor stage stacked below the at least one cross flow reacting stage (104). 9. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central gas distributor (204) is one of cylindrical, hexagonal, elliptical, tapered cylindrical, tapered hexagonal, tapered elliptical, stepwise cylindrical, stepwise hexagonal, and stepwise elliptical in shape. 10. The cross flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of reactant gas flow and liquid reactant flow is operated in a pulsing flow mode. 1 1. The cross-flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central gas distributor (204) has perforations on lateral surface of distributor at an acute angle to the lateral surface. 12. The cross-flow reactor ( 100)as claimed in claim 1 , wherein product gases are released at each stage of the at least one reactor stage of the reactor through the outer gas space (202). 13. A cross-flow reactor (1 00) for three phase catalytic hydroprocessing, the cross-flow reactor ( 100) comprising a plurality of reactor stages, wherein the at least one reactor stage comprises: at least one gas distributor (204) having at least one slit (312) on a lateral surface for distributing reactant gas into the cross-flow reactor (100), wherein the central gas distributor (204) is configured to distribute the reactant gas through the slit in a direction substantially tangential to a downward flowing liquid reactant; a middle region (206) for accommodating a packed catalyst bed that receives a liquid reactant, the middle region (206) being concentric to the central gas distributor (204), wherein the lateral surface with at least one slit on the lateral surface of the central gas distributor (204) forms an inner bound of the middle region (206) and perforated support plates (240) form an outer bound of the middle region (206), and wherein porous support plates form an upper and a lower bound of the middle region (206), and wherein the middle region (206) is configured to allow a substantially vertically downward flow of the liquid reactant through the packed catalyst bed; and an outer gas space (202) for movement of effluent gases from the middle region (206) to the outer gas space, the outer gas space being concentric to the middle region (206), wherein the perforated support plates (240) form an inner bound of the outer gas space and a shell of the cross-flow reactor forms an outer bound of the outer gas space, and wherein the outer gas space (202) of each reactor stage includes an outlet (10S) provided on the shell of the cross-flow reactor (100) to remove the effluent gases flowing in the direction substantially tangential to the downward flowing liquid reactant from the middle region (206) of the respective reactor stage. 14. The cross flow reactor (100) as claimed in claim 13 further comprising at least one guiding vane (314) on the at least one slit, and wherein the at least one guiding vane (314) is at an acute angle to the lateral surface of the central gas distributor (204). 15. A cross-flow reactor (100, 400D) for three phase catalytic hydroprocessing, the cross- flow reactor (100, 400D) comprising at least one reactor stage (104), wherein the at least one reactor stage (104) comprises: a plurality of gas distributors (406) having a perforated lateral surface for distributing reactant gas into the cross-flow reactor (100, 400D) having the perforated lateral surface for distributing reactant gas into the cross flow reactor (100, 400D); a middle region (206) for accommodating a packed catalyst bed that receives a liquid reactant , wherein the perforated lateral surface of the each of the plurality of gas distributors (406) forms an inner bound of the middle region (206) and perforated support plates (240) form an outer bound of the middle region (206), and wherein the plurality of gas distributors are embedded in predetermined positions in the middle region (206), and wherein porous support plates form an upper and a lower bound of the middle region (206); and an outer gas space (202) for movement of effluent gases from the middle region (206), the outer gas space (202) being concentric to the middle region (206), wherein the perforated support plates (240) form an inner bound of the outer gas space and a shell of the cross -flow reactor forms an outer bound of the outer gas space. 16. The cross- flow reactor (100, 400D) as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one gas distributor (406) has perforations on lateral surface of distributor at an acute angle to lateral surface. 17. A method for three phase catalytic hydroprocessing using a cross- flow reactor (100, 400D) having at least one reactor stage, the method comprising; introducing hydrogen gas into at least one reactor stage, wherein the hydrogen gas is introduced into at least one gas distributor (406) of the at least one reactor stage, and gas distributor (406) bears perforations on lateral surface for distributing reactant gas into the cross-flow reactor (1 00, 400D), and wherein the hydrogen gas is distributed through the perforations in a direction substantially tangential to a downward flowing liquid hydrocarbon feedstock (102); introducing the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock (102) into at least one reactor stage, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock (102) is introduced into a middle region (206) of the at least one reactor stage and wherein the middle region (206) is packed with a catalyst and allows a substantially vertically downward flow of the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock (102) through the packed catalyst; releasing effluent gases from the middle region (206) into an outer gas space (202), the outer gas space being concentric to the middle region (206), and wherein, at each reactor stage, the effluent gases flowing in the direction substantially tangential to the downward flowing liquid hydrocarbon feedstock are removed from the middle region (206) of the respective reactor stage through an outlet (108) provided on the shell of the cross-flow reactor (100). 18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hydrogen gas is introduced through a plurality of gas distributors embedded in predetermined positions in the middle region (206). 19. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein operating temperature is from 310 to 410 °C, operating pressure is between 100 psi to 2500 psi, gas to oil ratio is between 10 to 800 Nm3/m3, and liquid hourly space velocity is between from 0.5 hr-1 to 10 hr"1. 20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of gas and liquid flow rates are manipulated such that operating regime is induced pulsing flow. |