DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DISLODGING AND EXTRACTING SOLID MATERIAL FROM TUBE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and method for dislodging and extracting at least a part of a solid material effectively from one or more reactor tubes of a shell-and-tube type reactor without damaging at least a part of the solid material. SOLUTION: This device has at least a rod 332a, a rotor assembly 378a for rotating the rod and a transmission assembly that inserts the rod into the corresponding reaction tube 314a and imposes an axial force in order to dislodge a solid material 318 present therein. Also, the rod is in a fluid communication with an aspirator for extraction of the dislodged solid material. This method involves the step to insert one or more rods into the corresponding reactor tube to dislodge at least a part of the solid material while the damage on the solid material or on the tube is minimized by rotating the rod and imposing an axial force on the rod when the rod contacts the solid material. Then the dislodged solid material is extracted from the reaction tube. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT