Reactor loading

According to specification, BUCHEN-ICS loads reactors by means of "sock loading" or "dense loading". In "sock loading", catalyst and ceramic beads are loaded through a special loading hose in a controlled process which does not stress the material. The continual shortening of the loading hoses prevents free fall in the loading line.

In the case of "dense loading", a rotation system during the loading process produces a uniform distribution of the catalyst in the reactor. The high catalyst density achieved in this way inhibits channelling and hot spots.

Fixed Bed Reactors / Primary Reformers / Cracking Furnaces

BUCHEN-ICS offers all "dense loading" processes known on the market, for the loading of catalytic reactors with catalyst, molecular sieve, activated carbon and other bulk goods. For primary reformers and cracking furnaces, the "Unidense" process is used. With our own skilled personnel and equipment we guarantee the reliable performance of all work to the satisfaction of our customers.

Tube reactors

Ethylene oxide plants contain reactors with up to 15,000 catalyst tubes of extremely small diameter which may be up to 14 m long. This renders loading by conventional means a complicated and time-intensive activity. We have developed our own loading unit which can load up to 10 tubes simultaneously. Even acrylic acid plants or or other tube reactors with up to 36,000 catalyst tubes can be quickly and cleanly loaded with special machines. The relatively coarse-grained catalyst is screened, dusted and dosed during the loading process, in order to achieve uniform density in the tubes. According to local circumstances, we employ up to five machines simultaneously.