DE1544017A1 - Separation of the components of a predominantly gaseous flow - Google Patents

Description

Dr. Karl Th. Hegel ™ »° SSSaS * ^{July 8 , 1966} Patent attorney CEIngang Staphanaplatz 103 _M _,, _. ^ -

r. _Ieton a _4eia , 1544017

^Dr - ^{He / L}

Dapoaltonkaaae EUplanadt Talaoramm-Adraeaa: D6llnarpatent

Esso Production Research Company description

Separation of the components of a predominantly gaseous flow.

The priority for this application is August 27, 1965 from the USA patent application Serial No. ^ 83 1? 6 to complete taken.

The invention relates essentially to a method for separating the constituents of gaseous flows with several constituents. The invention relates in particular to the technical implementation of such a separation, in which the use of heavy and very large auxiliary equipment is not necessary is required.

There is a significant economic incentive to Separation of such components of a gaseous flow, e.g. a natural gas flow, which is normally liquid or has relatively high condensation temperatures, of gases such as methane, which has relatively low condensation temperatures. Large separation systems that require a lot of space have been built at various installation sites to separate such products from gas supplies. The gaseous components with low condensation temperatures were either added to a pipeline or into the. Container from which they came back. The remaining ingredients were sold or otherwise used. The separation systems required for this made high economic investments necessary.

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dig and Wirtschaftlick were obviously only be used 'when the product · from the GasvorrMten of ingredients "it high ^r condensation temperatures Bs task were relatively rich * was therefore, do create facilities that actually belittled required for such separation economic investment"

Such executions are created by the invention · According to the teachings of the invention, a predominantly gaseous flow occurs Supersonic speed accelerated, the expansion being essentially at the same entropy with a high adiabatic Efficiency takes place. A "predominantly gaseous flow" is a completely gaseous flow as well denotes a flow that has a small amount of liquid or solid components, eg. a Gaeatrom with 0-10 $ Liquid and / or solid components * According to the invention, the supersonic flow is directed against a porous obstacle and after this slows down to subsonic speed * When the gas is accelerated, a wide band of sound waves can be generated, causing the droplets as a result of the enormous drop in temperature caused by the acceleration the supersonic speed is accompanied, clump together. The droplets penetrate through the porous obstacle and fill the pore spaces of the same in such a way that the gas is partially excluded from flowing through the obstacle * By regulating the back pressure on the other side of the obstacle, a product is obtained which is highly enriched with components from high condensation temperatures. Furthermore, according to the invention, if so desired, a separation of the constituents of a predominantly gaseous flow can be achieved also take place if these consist of a very meager mixture of heavy hydrocarbons and liquids in proportion to the methane component. For this purpose, the flow, after it has been accelerated to supersonic speed, becomes a « intense electric field, preferably of about 50 kV / cm,

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Subjugate. It was found that such an electrical TeIA is a combination with the intense sound by accelerating the dases to supersonic speed * increasing the agglomeration of the liquid droplets causes that are formed when the accelerated gas flow #ioh cools down to a temperature that is lower than the condensation temperature of certain components of the same.

Furthermore, according to the invention, a whistle or some other sound source can be provided which has specially adapted frequencies "To create a cumulative agglomeration of the droplets on certain droplets, if such frequencies are of low amplitude in the visual hall «Pektru · generated by the acceleration of the oasis to supersonic speed.

Next · Features and advantages of the invention, which are not apparent from the above discussion, are from a knowledge of the The following detailed description of the invention can be seen with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it

1 shows a side view of an embodiment example ₄ * according to the invention, partially in section

Depiction, Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the intersection

Z "Z according to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the intersection

3-3 according to Fig. 1,

Fig 1 · h a partial view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. For another execution of this part of the invention;

Fig. $ A schematic representation of a flow plan for a complete separation system according to the invention.

SvnKchst refer to the device according to the invention according to Fig. Taken besieged. A DUsengeha'use 2 is shown from together «

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screwed parts 5 and 7. The nozzle housing part 5 is connected to a pipe 1 which leads to a source of high pressure gas, as will be described later with reference to FIG. The tube 1 opens into a cavity 3 »which is delimited by the housing parts 5 and 7. A replaceable nozzle 9 is arranged at the exit of the cavity 3. The effect of the nozzle 9 is that the gas flowing through it, coming from the high pressure ^{source, pipe 1 and from the cavity 31 in FIG. 1,} expands substantially with the same entropy with a high adiabatic efficiency. The design for nozzles of this type are known from the prior art.

By expanding the gas with essentially the same entropy, the temperature of the gas can be below the condensation temperature the desired components of the same are reduced. For example, assume that the temperature of the entering gaseous flow is about plus 37i5 ° C; the temperature of the Gases can then easily be reduced to about minus ^ O C and minus 65 C. will.

Adjacent to the exit of the nozzle 9 is a droplet agglomeration section 11. The housing for the droplet aggregation section 11 is through a flange 23 on the output side of the nozzle housing part 7 and by a Flange 25 on the inlet side of a gas-liquid separation unit 31 held between them. The unit 31 will be later described.

Several Haltestar.eren 21 are to hold the droplet cone ball lower section 11 in its position between the flanges 23 »And 25 screwed. The droplet aggregation section 11 includes a diverging channel 26 for maintaining a high velocity of gas flow. Execution such a divergent channel 26 is known in the art State of the art shown. The length of the 'droplet clustering section 11 k ^ nn be between about 30 and 60 cm.

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This length was found to be sufficient to keep it balling up of the droplets, as will be described later.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the droplet aggregation portion 11. This can consist of four blocks screwed together exist, keep the high-voltage electrodes 28 in their position. These high-voltage electrodes 28 form the side wall of the diverging channel 26. The blocks holding the high-voltage electrodes 28 in their position are made of insulating material, e.g. made of ceramic or plastic. The effect respectively. di The function of the high-voltage electrodes 28 is to create a very strong electric field across the channel 26 in this way create that the agglomeration of the liquid droplets is promoted in the gas stream. Preferably the intensity is of the electric field not less than 50 kV / om. A preferred range for the electric field strength is between and 300 kV / cm. The connections 27 for connection to the high voltage source protrude through the side walls of the insulating Material through.

A gas-liquid separator 31 is connected to the outlet side of the droplet agglomeration section 11. This device 31 consists of a curved porous wall 33i which can be formed from a porous stainless steel such as that made by Pail Micrometallic Corp. of New Tork City, confused. Furthermore, the device 31 * consists of a housing for the porous wall 33 * consisting of several screwed together parts 36, 38 and * f0, which form a curved channel or passage 37, whose wall is the aforementioned porous wall 33 * The passage receives the gas from the channel 26 in the droplet agglomeration section 11 and is also designed in a divergent manner. The di porous wall 33 is held in place by a wall fastener 39 _t which is clamped or screwed to the plate 38. Several Auelaßkanält 35A bie 35F are provided, which are used to receive the fluid

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droplets as a result of Teeperaturänderung flow through the poröee wall 33 in this, are suitable · The valves 59 couple each exhaust passage on lines zn more back pressure regulators and a pressure vessel, as described later with reference to Fig. 5, lead * Better than using multiple pieces of metal screwed together as shown in Figure 3, the channels or passages as shown in Figure 1, except for the porous metal wall 33, can be made from a single machined metal plate. A cover plate can be screwed onto this.

A screw flange. 45 is on the outlet side of the Qas liquid separator 31 for connection to an outlet nozzle unit ^ 9 via a flange V? provided on this. One Outlet nozzle 51 in the outlet nozzle housing unit is formed so that the speed of the gas flow drops and while the gaseous flow is compressed with high adiabatic efficiency. Such a nozzle becomes general referred to as a diffuser. The gas then flows through a drain pipe 55 to other parts of the system, as further below will be described with reference to FIG.

In Fig. 5 the device described with reference to Fig. 1 is shown in a complete system for separating the constituents of a gaseous flow. A line 95 from a gas supply or gas container is connected to the inlet pipe 1 of the apparatus of FIG. 1 via the heat exchangers 87, 85 and 86 which are connected to one another by the lines 89 and Bk . A high voltage / source 6? is connected to the electrodes 28. The source of high voltage, however, is not absolutely necessary, except when extremely lean. Such wax gas mixtures are to be separated, as will be described later.

The output line from the separator 31 is: via the; Line 91 connected to a heat exchanger 87 · Ώηη Sas

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ana this becomes a pipeline or through line 97 a consumer jelle led.

The lines 57A to 57F from the outlet channels 35A to 35F are bit connected to a liquid pressure vessel 69 via back pressure regulators 58A to 58F. The function of the back pressure regulators is to maintain a relatively constant pressure drop over the porous wall 33, as will be described later . The liquid collected in the pressure vessel 69 is, on the other hand, directed to the back pressure regulator 73 via line 71. The function of the back pressure regulator 73 is to ensure that a flow through the liquid pressure vessel 69 is maintained. The back pressure regulator 73 ensures a pressure which is somewhat lower than the pressure of the back pressure regulator 58. The outlet of the counter pressure regulator 73 is connected to a multi-stage stabilizer 79 via the 75 bit line. The function of this stabilizer 79 is to separate normal gaseous constituents with low condensation temperature, such as methane and xthane in the liquid products, to allow such gas to be liberated slowly so that no liquid is entrained into the gas outlet line 83. The gas from the gas outlet line 83 flows through the heat exchanger 85 and then into the finished product line 93. The liquid from the separator 79 flows through the line 81 to a heat exchanger 86 and then to a fluid generator line 9k.

The operation of the device described above is as follows with reference to Figures 1, 3 and 5: The gas vott respectively the supply connected to line 95. container flows through the heat exchangers 87, 65 and 86 into the inlet line 1 of the separation unit. Expansion nozzle 9 flows, a sound is very wide Spectrum and proportions of high frequencies generated. This sound is very intense, so that the liquid droplets suck up by the temperature drop that the gas allows when it passes through the nozzle expands through, vibrate in such a way ',

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that the droplets agglomerate and grow to substantial sizes as they pass through the droplet agglomeration section 11 stream. The gas flows at a speed of about 550 m / sec ^ and the condensed liquid agglomerates in droplets at the outlet of the agglomeration section 11 together, with the droplets large enough to be expelled from the flow when the direction the flow is changed '.

It follows that the droplets at the outlet of the droplet aggregation section 11 are much heavier than the molecules of the gas in the flowing stream. Therefore, they are thrown against the porous wall 33 when they soak around in the bend provided in the gas-liquid pipeline separator 31. Very quickly the pores of the wall 33 are so saturated with liquid over 90 ° that very little gas can flow through this wall 33 Gas in line 55 colder than the gas flowing through line 1, so that it is desirable to pass this gas through the. To allow heat exchanger 87 to flow to one of the some cooling from the conduit 95 into the heat exchanger 8? entering gas to achieve.

The liquid flowing through the porous wall 33 is collected in the outlet channels 35A to 35F and flows therethrough the line 57A to 57F and the pressure regulator 58A to 58F ♦ eu the pressure vessel 69. The back pressure regulators 58A to 58F are adjusted to cause a pressure drop across the porous wall 33 that eliminates the in the porous wall 33 collected. Liquid corresponds. This pressure depends on the penetrability of the porous wall 53 and the amount the liquid that is collected in the wall, weo eber

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usually between 5 to 50 horsepower. Because a pressure drop in the gas flowing through the channel 37, the back pressure regulators 58A to 58F are set to increasingly lower back pressure adjusted to maintain a pressure drop in the porous wall 33 "d" r is substantially constant and prevent backflow through wall 33. The one in that Liquid collected in kettle 69 passes through a back pressure regulator 73 and separator 79 Gas is used to cool the outlet gas from separator 87 because this gas in line 83 is very cold. Farther the liquid generated by the separator 79 is fed through the line 81 to the heat exchanger 86 for further cooling of the the heat exchanger 85 left gas guided so that the thermodynamic efficiency of the system reaches a maximum,

If extremely lean mixtures are being admitted into the system from the conduit, it is advantageous to apply a very high electrical voltage to the electrodes 28. This tension can be taken from either an AC or DC voltage source. It was found that when such a electric field across the device; will, dL » Droplets tend to clump together much more quickly than if just using sound waves alone as the clumping force will. An increase in the field strength accelerates the agglomeration of the droplets, but the field strength must not reach the electric breakdown field strength of the gas between the electrodes. The break through point is through the electrical Field strength marked at which there is an electric Arc forms in the gas flow. The breakthrough point of the gas depends on the gas pressure.

The curvature of the channel or passageway 37 eats large Importance. Preferably the length of the channel is or Passage 37 between 0.9 and ^, 50 m, and the radius of the. Curvature is between 0.60 and 1 ^ 50 m. The entire arch can

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be between 90 ° and 150 °.

The porous wall can have a wall thickness between 3 and 12 µm. Porous stainless steel has been found to be the best material for this wall except when hydrates are to be separated. If hydrates need to be separated, perforated or ribbed panels can be used for the wall material. *

The speed of the gas at the nozzle 9 should be greater than 1 Mach and preferably between 1.5 and 2 o'clock. The pressure of the gas that is fed to the separation unit from line 1 should be greater than 300 PS. be. If an electric If the field appears desirable, the gas pressure must be high enough to produce a field strength of at least about 50 kV / cm to enable the supersonic flow. The term "adiabatic efficiency" as used above denotes the percentage of enthalpy change (heat content change) for a given expansion compared to the enthalpy change for an expansion to the same entropy. With others In other words, the actual drop in enthalpy is a certain percentage of the drop in enthalpy t -.-. I equal entropy, if the latter pressure becomes konstar * ge'taltiji. In the nozzle block the adiabatic efficiency should be as close as possible to 10Q #. Actual measurements at different points along in the flow channel behind the nozzle 9 show an adiabatic Efficiency, which is actually lower. The adiabatic efficiency after expansion in the droplet agglomeration section 11 should not be less than $ 50 "

FIG. K shows another embodiment of the device according to FIG. 1 for use when it is desirable to feed sound waves of particular frequencies into the droplet agglomeration section 11. A line 61 with a pipe opening 65 protrudes through an opening in the wall of the nozzle housing part in such a way that the pipe opening is 6.5 in

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the cavity It is located. A parabolic or natural sound reflective surface 63 is arranged to throw the sound into the droplet aggregation portion 11. A source with a Qaa τοη very high pressure is connected to the line 61. This high pressure gas source can be a pump connected to the line 95, to a. The pressure of the gas coming from the line 95 will rise to a pressure su "which is greater than the gas pressure at the outlet of the line 1" and the dimensions of the opening 65 is determined *

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Claims (1)

- 12 - ί ": ■ '■■'" ■■ ^; ■■ ^: - Esso Production Research Company Claims 1, method for separating the residual parts of a gaseous ■ Strb'munp with several components, whose harvested component condenses in a liquid or solid phase at temperatures that are below the temperature of the gaseous flow, and in which at least one other component in the gasartipen phase exists at said low temperature, characterized in that, for the condensation of the first component, the flow is expanded to supersonic speed and brought to reduced pressure in such a way that the expanding flow has a lower temperature, and that the Direction of flow of expanding. Strb'irun? is changed, namely in the way that the condensed first constituent is thrown off the direction of flow by centrifugal force. re "s and for the. condensed first component du'-orlässires porous Kediur. Fepchl is eudert, and that the pressure change is maintained üVer the rorose Mediurr to the condensed first component a Durchetrön.en d'jr ^ h d- ^r s porous Kediuir.Tevorzurt perer.above the. gas & rtenden remaining part of the] .rn ir the increasing tendency to allow the flow. 2.A NAC ^v claim ', d'by cekennzeicy.net, d-> ß before Änderunß- the Ströir.unrsrichtunr-- ^J π the expanding gasartiß-e are fed flow sound waves. • · - 13 - 00 9811/1177
BAD ORIGfNAL 3 «Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the solid or liquid flowing through the porous medium first component additionally separated from and to lower the temperature of the gaseous by a heat exchanger Multi-component flow is flowing. k. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the non-condensed portion of the expanding flow is compressed to subsonic speed in order to reduce the speed of the flow. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the gaseous flow initially expands by reducing the pressure with essentially the same entropy and the uncondensed portion of the expanding flow later by increasing the pressure at substantially is compressed with the same entropy. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the expanding flow before changing the direction of flow to agglomerate the liquid droplets in exposed to an electric field of at least 50 kV / cm will. 7 · The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the expanding flow is exposed to sound waves. 8. Process for separating the components of a predominantly gaseous pressurized flow with several components, in de'r certain constituents higher condensation temperatures than other components in the flow, characterized in that they exert pressure Part of the flow path is decreased until the flow velocity in this part of the flow path supersonic 009811/1177 - ^1lf .- BAD ORiGJNAL speed has reached and that at least a part the non-gaseous constituents are centrifugally ejected from the flow through a permeable porous obstruction is that one then increases the pressure and the speed of this flow after passing said part of the Reduced flow path. 9 · The method according to claim 8, characterized in that »ur Agglomeration; of the liquid droplets in the flow from supersonic speed the flow is an electric field with a potential gradient of at least 50 kV / cm is exposed. 10. The method according to claim 9 »characterized in that the Flow pressure is reduced essentially with the same entropy before said part of the flow path and after this part of the flow path is essentially the same Entropy is increased » 11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that - the liquid is continuously withdrawn from the side of the obstacle that is remote from the flow, and that the pressure on this remote side is adjustable for optimal flow through the obstacle. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the The obstacle is made of a porous metal. 13 · The method according to claim 9 »characterized in that the Supersonic flow is exposed to sound waves. 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the liquid from the opposite side of the flow Obstacle is continuously withdrawn by this, and that the pressure on this remote side for one 009811/1177 BAD ORIGINAL '- 15 - optimal flow of the liquid through the obstacle • is adjustable Process for separating the first constituents of a predominantly gaseous stream with several constituents from the second constituents of the flow, the first constituents having a higher condensation temperature than the second constituents, characterized in that the flow is accelerated to supersonic speed and the flow temperature to a value is brought smaller than the high condensation temperature, that the excess flow is directed against a porous obstacle, and that the pressure on the side of the obstacle remote from the gaseous flow is adjusted in such a way that the pores of the obstacle are filled with constituents of the non-gaseous currents. The flow that flows through the obstacle must be grounded, and that the supersonic flow is suppressed by compressing the flow to subsonic speed. 1f. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the Pressure is regulated in such a way that there is a maximum of the liquid bed parts the current components through the obstacle flows. 1 * ⁷ · Method ^{according to claim 1 1} ?, Characterized in that the flow Bjt has an adifibatic efficiency of at least * ert. 18. The method according to claim 15, d characterized in that the Direction of the current is changed when the current on hits the porous obstacle. 19 · Device * for carrying out the method according to one or ee several of the preceding claims, thereby eekenrzeiehnet, that this consists of feisenden parts: an extended one. Housing to limit: a part of the disturbance; one 009811/1177 ^ ORIGINAL BATHROOM Nozzle in the housing to reduce the pressure of the flow and to increase the speed of the flow to supersonic speed and to lower the temperature of the flow; a curved wall in the housing to change the direction of the flow path, arranged in such a way that non-gaseous flow components that are expelled by the centrifugal force pus of the flow, as a result of the change in direction of the flow, pnfgenomiren will. ' 20. "Apparatus fool Ansjr-i 19» dHdvrßh marked that a? Fliissi? Kei ^ fnii f ^ - " ^v " - ^r> ei ^vi h '^:>·' t rv continuous ^ eeeiti. »Ur.r the Flü ^ igkei £ en pv. ς the more permeable ward is arranged on the side separated by the flow. 21. Apparatus n? Oh ^f nsrr'ich 20, dedurcb geker.nz ° i ^ hnet, tore in the housing between the nozzle and the curved permeable wall for the application of eiros e] ectripohen field over the t'bqrschallptrcTvrr; H] ektroden vorp-e ^ ehen, and that the electric field has a potential gradient of at least 5C kV / cr to ^ 'iparmenballun «? - ' t ' t. ??. · Device nT ~ h Ar. ^ Rru ^ h 21, d-nö'-rch Characterized that a Fliinsi.rkeiisevfnahrceeinheit for continuous elimination · - ni chtr ^^ srti- ^ r Besti-.n ^ parts «ius the permeable '.vand is arranged on the d ^ rd ° r Ströir.unr abfev / ar.dter side. 2 ^ 5. Device 7 according to claim 2, characterized in that in deir. Housing for V /. r.epeipunp- from "->" ^ν . · -Λ Iwe31er into the Strcrr.urr & * ■ τ ^r .- "*> ··,? vrr der gebc -'- ene". a bowl generator is arranged through the wall. - 17 - 0098t t / 1177
BAD ORJOINAt 2k. Device according to Claim 19, characterized in that the nozzle expands the gaseous stream with the same entropy and high adiabatic efficiency. 25 · Device according to claim 20, characterized in that to regulate the back pressure on the side of the curved permeable wall facing away from the flow, a back pressure regulator is arranged. 26. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that in the housing to increase the pressure in the flow downstream behind the aforementioned curved wall to reduce the flow velocity to subsonic velocity Nozzle is arranged. 009811/1177