US 6,981,422 B1
Method and apparatus for differential pressure testing of catalytic reactor tubes
Mathis P. Comardo, 7042 Satsuma Dr., Houston, Tex. 77041 (US)
Filed on Oct. 14, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/965,338.
Int. Cl. G01L 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 73—756 48 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for conducting blow-down and differential pressure testing of the catalyst tubes of a tube and shell type catalytic reactor having an upper tube sheet and a multiplicity of reactor tubes each having the upper ends thereof extending downwardly from the upper tube sheet, comprising:
providing at least one test probe defining a testing path having an air supply thereto and a restricted orifice therein and having a selectively activated blow-down path in communication with the air supply and by-passing the restricted orifice;
establishing sealing of the test probe with a selected reactor tube;
activating the blow-down path and injecting compressed air from the air supply into at least one reactor tube at a predetermined pressure and volume for reactor tube blow-down;
de-activating the blow-down path and controllably injecting a pressurized gas through the orifice and into a reactor tube at a predetermined test pressure and volume determined by air supply pressure and by the restricted orifice;
measuring the back-pressure of the reactor tube and developing an electronic signal representing the measured back-pressure; and
recording the electronic signal representing the back-pressure measurement.