FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: inventions may be used in chemical industry. A steam cooled isothermal chemical reactor (1) comprising a vertical vessel (2), a plate heat exchanger (8), embedded in a catalytic bed (7), a water inlet (10) and a steam outlet (11), and a piping to distribute the water and collect the steam flow (12) to/from evaporation channels of the plates (9, 9A) of the heat exchanger (8). Said water inlet (10) and steam outlet (11) are located underneath the plate heat exchanger (8). Said piping (12) and the plates (9, 9A) of heat exchange (8) are arranged to provide a path for the cooling flow comprising a first ascending path from bottom to top of the catalytic bed (7), and a second descending path from top to the bottom of catalytic bed (7). Said evaporation channels of the plates (9, 9A) providing one of said first and second paths, and one or more water upcomer(s) (14) providing the first path. Total cross section of the evaporation channel(s) of each plate (9, 9A) is greater than the total cross section of the water feed passage(s) (14) of the same plate (9, 9A). A number of evaporation channels of each plate (9, 9A) is greater than the number of water feed passage(s) (14) of the same plate (9, 9A).
EFFECT: invention helps to avoid the formation of a possibly unstable two-phase flow inside channels, deviation from nominal condition, non-uniform distribution of temperature, or local overheating of the catalytic bed.
11 cl, 4 dwg
