Methods for cleaning the distributor plate in a fluidized bed reactor system

• Main Authors: MARKEL ERIC J, IMPELMAN RYAN W, PANNELL RICHARD B, HAGERTY ROBERT O, SALADINO CECILE F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.02.2013
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

A method for cleaning a distributor plate in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor system according to one embodiment includes, in a first mode, operating with about a normal, baseline value of superficial gas velocity in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor system having a reactor vessel, a recycle line, and a distributor plate in the reactor vessel near an inlet of the reactor vessel. In a second mode, the superficial gas velocity is increased above the baseline value of the first mode to a level sufficient to raise the temperature of the cycle gas at the inlet above an average temperature of the cycle gas at the inlet in the first mode, and to a level sufficient to dislodge foulant from holes in the distributor plate.