RU189768U1 - UNIVERSAL MODULAR ASSEMBLY FOR INSTALLATIONS OF MEMBRANE GAS DIVIDE - Google Patents

Abstract

The universal modular assembly, which is based on a single unit, is designed for the installation of gas separation membrane plants with any number of membrane modules, which allows you to choose the best installation option for specific production tasks, adapt it to various technological processes, and reduce the cost of transportation, installation, and Maintenance. The universal modular assembly includes a plurality of horizontally oriented membrane modules arranged in an array, which are sequentially grouped into single blocks, as well as collectors of the original, retentate and permeate flows, which consist of separate sections. Unit 1 contains membrane modules 2 located in the form of horizontal and vertical rows parallel to each other, mounted on a common support frame 3 and equipped with nozzles 4, 5, 6 of the initial, retentate and permeate flows, respectively, as well as collector sections 7, 8, 9 source, retentate and permeate flows, connected to the corresponding nozzles of the modules. At the ends of the collector sections, connecting flanges 10 are installed to connect to the collector sections of adjacent single units to form a common collector of a universal modular assembly. 9 hp f-ly, 10 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of gas mixture separation technologies and can be used during installation, transportation and operation of large industrial gas separation plants based on membrane modules.

In modern membrane gas separation technology, gas separation membrane modules are used, which contain a housing divided by a membrane into high and low pressure cavities. The initial gas mixture enters the high-pressure cavity and, moving along the membrane, partially penetrates through it, forming two output streams: non-penetrating through the membrane stream enriched in the hardly penetrating components of the gas mixture — retentate or retentate flow, and penetrated stream enriched in the easily penetrating components mixtures - permeate, or permeate stream.

The membrane on which the gas mixture separates is a complete, as a rule, non-separable structure in the form of a membrane element (cartridge) that is installed inside the housing and with the help of a sealing system divides the internal cavity into the two mentioned above.

In order to increase the capacity of the module, two or more membrane cartridges can be installed in the case, which requires a more complex sealing system and often leads to an increase in the number of inlet or outlet nozzles of the module. However, in this case, the module must have one or more inlet, permeate and retentate connections.

The simplest design of the module containing more than one nozzle is a two-cartridge module (RF Patent for utility model No. 171611, B01D 63/02, 15.02.2017). This module design allows you to maintain each cartridge module without dismantling the other, opening the end cover of the module with one or the other side.

The two-cartridge module of this patent has one inlet and retentate port located on opposite sides of the module case in its central part, as well as two permeate pipes located on the case near the end caps.

Currently, due to the increased demand for gas separation products, there is a need for large high-performance industrial installations containing up to several hundred modules and representing large structures occupying large production areas, with many communications, with a complex system of control and adjustment of the separation process. gas mixture, as well as requiring regular maintenance during operation.

The basis of these installations is an assembly of membrane modules containing several parallel-connected modules of the same type. The number of modules in an assembly determines its performance and can be changed by attaching or detaching modules.

Modules, depending on their weight and dimensions, can be grouped and connected by pipelines into blocks of several pieces. Such blocks are easier to manufacture at the manufacturer of the modules, and delivered to the operating site as an assembled single unit, where it will be mounted in a modular assembly. At the same time, the dimensions and weight of a single unit are determined solely by the convenience of transportation.

In turn, the laboriousness and complexity of installation at the site of operation and maintenance, as well as the ability to adapt to different modes of the membrane gas process and the complexity of adjusting its parameters, for the entire industrial installation, ultimately determined by the design of a single unit.

A gas compressor station is known for producing nitrogen from air in which a gas separation unit connected to a compressor, a cooler, an air preparation system and a heater (Utility Model RF № 115837, 02.12.2011, F04B 41/00).

To obtain a given product concentration corresponding to the selected mode of operation, the gas separation unit contains N parallel-connected modules, with N≥2. Parallel connection of modules provides the ability to disable any of them without changing the operating conditions of other modules. The number of connected modules is proportional to the concentration of the product in the gas mixture at the exit from the station. At the inputs of all modules of the gas separation unit, or at the inputs of all such modules, except one, there are placed locking devices designed to disconnect or connect the modules in accordance with the specified mode of operation and the required concentration of nitrogen in the gas mixture at the station exit.

The gas separation unit may also contain N = 3 parallel-connected modules, while the station contains N = 3 parallel-connected load nodes. The technical result of the known utility model is to simplify the switching of the gas compressor station to operating modes with different product concentrations at the outlet and to reduce the transfer time from one operating mode to another.

The known device, due to the parallel connection of the modules and the ability to turn off any of them without changing the operating conditions of other modules, allows you to adapt the installation depending on the concentration of the product in the gas mixture at the exit from the station. However, it has a number of drawbacks, which include the lack of universality, interchangeability of modules, as well as the narrow specialization of its application, since the position of each module is fixed and each module is designed to work only with specified flows and pressures for which it was originally designed. In addition, modules with different number of cartridges are quite difficult to operate and require individual maintenance.

Known membrane separation units are arrays that include a plurality of connected modules connected in parallel, on the basis of which large installations are subsequently assembled containing up to hundreds of modules. The typical design of such an array (or assembly) is described in the prior art in the RF patent 2587447, B01D 63/00, 01.23.2012, FIG. 3

In the specified array, the modules are arranged horizontally, in the form of 4 vertically stacked rows, each of which includes twelve horizontally located modules. To direct the flow of various fluids, each row of modules is provided with a collector of the initial flow, a collector of the retentate flow, and a collector of the permeate flow. The collectors are oriented horizontally, but perpendicular to the modules, due to which the collector of each row is functionally connected to its corresponding nozzle of each module.

Also, the array further includes a main supply header of the source stream, a main collector of the retentate stream and a main collector of the permeate stream. The main collectors are located vertically and functionally connected to the feed, retentate and permeate collectors of each rad module, respectively (Patent of the Russian Federation 2587447, B01D 63/00, 23.01.2012, Fig. 3).

A disadvantage of the known device is the use of a horizontally located individual collector for directing separated flows for each series of modules, which leads to the need to introduce vertically oriented additional main collectors designed to form a common flow. This overloads and complicates the design and creates difficulties during transportation, installation, maintenance and operation of the array as a whole. Also, the disadvantages of the described device include the absence of individual module supports, which, according to FIG. 3, rely only on the pipes connecting them with horizontal collectors, which reduces the strength of the array structure and may lead to its deformation and depressurization.

Also known membrane separation unit designed for fluids, adopted for the prototype of this utility model, which includes many individual horizontally oriented membrane modules, forming an array consisting of horizontal and vertical rows parallel to each other. Each of the modules contains one or several membrane elements designed to separate the initial stream into retentate and permeate streams, and is equipped with corresponding nozzles.

The array forming the membrane separation unit also includes a source flow manifold to the membrane separation modules, a retentate flow collector from the membrane modules, and a permeate flow diversion system from a variety of membrane separation modules located on one or both ends of the membrane separation modules.

A specific feature of the arrangement of such a membrane assembly is that each of the rows of modules, or at least two rows of modules, is directly connected to each other in a fluid medium through the feed and retentate nozzles of the modules, which allows using them as a single (through) vertical collector supply of the initial stream and / or as a single (through) collector for diverting the retentate stream. The use of common through a variety of modules through collectors formed by nozzles of individual modules, allows, according to the description of the prototype, to reduce the number of technological connections, due to which the membrane assembly becomes less cumbersome, massive and expensive, easier to manufacture and install (RF Patent 2587447, B01D 63 (00, 01.23.2012, fig. 4-7).

The technical result of this invention is to increase the number of membrane modules on a given area, which allows you to expand production capabilities in facilities with limited space.

However, the known design has several significant drawbacks.

A common shortcoming inherent in the design of the analogue and the prototype is the lack of individual module supports. Installing a large number of massive membrane modules only on end-to-end collectors of each row, without using individual supports, significantly increases the load on the nozzles of the modules of the lower rows due to the weight of the upper ones, which can lead to a decrease in structural strength, its deformation and depressurization. Specified in the description of the prototype, the distance between the rows of modules, amounting to 5-10 cm, practically does not allow to place additional supports to strengthen the structure, and the solution of this task by increasing this distance would increase the overall dimensions of the array, complicate the installation and maintenance of the entire structure.

In addition, from the point of view of the influence on the characteristics of the gas separation process, the design of the prototype does not ensure uniform flow of the gas flow through the common through collector. Since the through-collector consists of a plurality of nozzles and sections of module housings, it is a sequence of “constriction-expansion” zones, which for gas mixtures, like natural or associated gases, can provoke the formation of a liquid phase of lightly condensable components of the partial gas mixture, first of all heavy hydrocarbons. The formation of condensate flow in the separation stream has a negative effect on the polymer membrane, reducing its operational characteristics, up to and including failure.

The disadvantages of the design of the analogue and the prototype also include the lack of flexibility and versatility of the design, that is, the possibility of changing the number of membrane modules in the assembly and using it as an assembly unit for quickly building up the existing installation before installing with a large number of modules or, on the contrary, reducing the number of modules , as they do not provide connections for assembly / disassembly with other blocks. Described in the well-known technical solution nodes represent a complete separate gas separation plant with a predetermined number of membrane modules and performance. The inability to change the number of modules is due to the fact that the membrane modules of the upper or lower rows differ from the modules of intermediate rows, since they are connected to only one adjacent row. Such modules are not connected to the collectors, but are terminal in the supply chain of the initial stream, or initial to the permeate or retentate selection chains. Thus, modules of at least two types of construction are used in the array, which reduces the versatility of the modular assembly.

In addition, the use of permanent connections in these membrane assemblies complicates their manufacture from the point of view of reliability, especially for high-pressure modes, as well as operation and maintenance.

The technical task addressed by the utility model is the creation of a universal modular assembly, allowing to install gas separation membrane installations with any number of membrane modules on its basis, as well as quickly change the number of working modules either by connecting additional single blocks or by connecting / disconnecting units with the help of valves and fittings, thereby adapting the installation to different modes of technological processes Nia.

The technical result consists in achieving the universality of the modular assembly formed by single blocks from the point of view of providing the optimal installation option for the chosen technological process, as well as transportation, installation, operation and maintenance in order to reduce labor costs.

This technical result is achieved due to the fact that in a universal modular assembly for membrane gas separation plants, including a plurality of horizontally oriented membrane modules, arranged in an array consisting of horizontal and vertical rows parallel to each other, made with the possibility of dividing the initial stream into retentate and permeate , and equipped with appropriate connections, as well as vertically oriented collectors for the initial, retentate and permeate flow c, according to the utility model, the collectors of the initial, retentate and permeate flows are connected to the corresponding nozzles of membrane modules, and the membrane modules of the array are sequentially grouped into individual blocks, each of which contains one section of each of the respective collectors, as well as at least two vertical and two horizontal rows of membrane modules, and the membrane modules of a single unit are installed on at least one support frame, and the pipes of the original , retentate and permeate flows of modules of a single block are connected to sections of the respective collectors that are part of a single block, at the ends of which flanges are installed to connect to the collector sections of adjacent single blocks in order to form a common collector of a universal modular assembly.

Thus, a universal modular assembly in the general case is formed by the installation of N unit blocks connected to each other along flanges at the ends of collector sections. One or more of these assemblies installed side by side form a modular part of a membrane gas separation plant. The height of the assembly and the area occupied by the assembly (s) are determined by the interests of the particular production, and the dimensions of the elements of the assembly by the requirements of transportation.

If it is necessary to maintain a constant gas velocity in the manifolds of the universal membrane assembly, it is advisable that the collector sections of adjacent single blocks have different diameters.

In addition, devices for adjusting and controlling the flow of each module can be installed between the respective module nozzles and collector sections in a single unit.

Preferably, to ensure the possibility of operative shutdown of individual single modular units during an unstable supply of raw materials, shut-off and control valves were installed between the flange connections of the collector sections of neighboring single blocks, which increases the flexibility of using the unit for various operating modes.

A single unit, as well as a modular assembly as a whole or several installation assemblies, can be equipped with a common reinforcement block, including all necessary stop-regulating and safety valves. Such a unit is necessary to enable, adjust, control the operating mode and disable the assembly as a whole. In this case, the assembly together with the general reinforcement block performs the functions of a membrane unit. The common reinforcement block is mounted in front of the first one, from the inlet side of the source stream, with a single block at the inlet of the source stream collector and at the outlet of the permeate and retentate flow collectors.

In a single block, between the collectors of the source and retentate flows and / or between the collectors of the source and permeate gas flows, bypass lines may be provided. Such bypass lines allow, in cases of need, to quickly shut down part of the assembly modules during the unstable supply of raw materials and / or to quickly warm up communications to the operating temperature during the start-up period, as well as to ensure the possibility of implementing the minimum fraction of the selection permeate relative to the total initial flow (the amount supplied to unit and sent to the bypass).

Bypass lines can also be installed between the retentate flow of one unit and the input flow next to the inlet assembly of the unit. Shut-off and control valves installed on such bypass lines allow, in cases of need, to quickly adapt the installation to operating modes according to different technological schemes, for example, to organize a two-stage separation scheme. Switching interblock valves in this case allows you to organize the separation scheme as with the total permeate flow, and with separate permeate flow stages.

The two-stage scheme of the assembly can be organized during the initial installation of single blocks, and during the re-assembly of the upper blocks during operation. The design of a single unit provides for the connection of the retentate collector of the lower (input) units with the input collector of the upper units.

To complete a universal assembly containing the required number of single blocks, the collector sections of the last single block in the vertical row must be plugged along free flanges.

A universal modular assembly may contain integrated service platforms. Such sites can be made on the basis of the support frames of the modules and are designed to provide access and maintenance of the assembly elements. The presence of integrated sites is especially useful when a large number of single blocks are mounted in a single vertical assembly. Maintenance sites provide access to the upper units, which greatly simplifies their operational and maintenance.

The utility model is illustrated by drawings, where:

in fig. 1 shows the construction of a single unit formed by four membrane modules arranged in two vertical and two horizontal parallel rows (2 × 2);

in fig. 2 shows a universal modular assembly based on three unit blocks (2 × 2);

in fig. 3 shows a universal modular assembly in which valves are installed between the collector sections of adjacent single blocks;

in fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of a single 2 × 2 block, indicating the direction of the incoming and outgoing flows of the membrane modules of the block;

in fig. 5 is a diagram of a universal modular assembly based on three single units (2 × 2);

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a universal assembly of three single blocks with plugged flanges at the end of the manifolds, in which the shut-off and control valves are installed between adjacent blocks and at the assembly inlet;

in fig. 7 shows a diagram of a universal modular assembly of three single 2 × 2 blocks, adapted for two stages of separation with a common permeate stream of stages;

FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a universal modular assembly of three single 2 × 2 blocks, adapted for two stages of separation with separate permeate flows of stages;

FIG. 9 shows a single block diagram (2 × 2), with a bypass line between the source flow collector and the retentate collector (shown by dotted lines);

FIG. 10 shows a single block diagram (2 × 2), with a bypass line between the source flow collector and the permeate collector (shown by dotted lines).

Unit 1 contains membrane modules 2 located in the form of horizontal and vertical rows parallel to each other, mounted on a common support frame 3 and equipped with nozzles 4, 5, 6 of the initial, retentate and permeate flows, respectively, as well as collector sections 7, 8, 9 source, retentate and permeate flows, connected to the corresponding nozzles of the modules. Connecting flanges 10 are installed at the ends of the collector sections.

The unit is a mounting unit for the universal modular assembly 11 shown in FIG. 2

An example of the implementation of the utility model

The universal modular assembly 11 is designed for the installation of a gas separation plant, and consists of 3 single blocks 1, each of which is formed by two vertical and two horizontal parallel rows in which there are two membrane modules 2 mounted on a common frame 3 and vertically oriented collector sections 7, 8, 9 of the source, retentate and permeate flows, respectively. The collector sections are connected to the corresponding nozzles 4, 5, 6 modules.

The collector sections of each unit block end with connecting flanges 10, with the help of which, when assembling an assembly 11 consisting of several unit blocks 1, the latter are mounted on each other and connected along these flanges. Such installation due to the build-up of separate assembly units, which, when assembled at the site of use, require only flange connections, allows to minimize the required working area and, at the same time, simplify transportation and installation. The simplicity of installation and further commissioning is ensured by the fact that a single unit is tested at the place of manufacture, and the assembly is transported to the assembly installation site ready for work.

For assembly 11, consisting of single blocks 1, each of which contains four membrane modules (2 × 2), according to FIG. 1, the occupied area will be slightly more than two projections of the dimensions of a single membrane module 2, taking into account the gap between the modules for the collector sections and the dimensions of the support frame. The optimal size of a single unit fits into the dimensions of the transport of one of the modes of transport, taking into account the weight of the unit and carrying capacity of the transport.

If necessary, in places of flange connections of single blocks, shut-off and control valves 12 can be installed, which provides the possibility of partial shutdown of individual single blocks, which increases the flexibility of using the universal modular assembly, due to the possibility of adjusting its performance.

To adapt the installation to different modes of the gas separation process within one universal assembly, an operational switch is made from a single-stage scheme for dividing the original gas mixture into a two-stage one, at which the retentate flow of the input unit assemblies is redirected to the input to the remaining unit assemblies. The redirection can be carried out by simply switching valves and additional bypass lines, or by re-installing and connecting the section of the input manifold 7 of the upper unit to the outputs of the section of the retentate collector 8 of the adjacent lower unit block.

For example, in FIG. 7 shows a universal modular assembly scheme of three single 2 × 2 units adapted for a two-stage gas mixture separation scheme, in which two single units 13 are installed in parallel in the first stage and one unit 14 in parallel to the second stage. Thus, a single-stage gas separation scheme a mixture of three parallel blocks is switched to a two-stage scheme - two-one. At the same time, with the help of shut-off and control valves 12 between the first and second stages 13, 14, respectively, the assembly structure can be easily switched to work with both the general permeate flow of the stages (FIG. 7) and the separate permeate flows of the stages (FIG. 8) when it is necessary to send one of the flows, for example, for processing, and the other for recycling.

For example, in FIG. 7 shows a universal modular assembly scheme of three single 2 × 2 units adapted for a two-stage gas mixture separation scheme, in which two single units 13 are installed in parallel in the first stage and one unit 14 in parallel to the second stage. Thus, a single-stage gas separation scheme a mixture of three parallel blocks is switched to a two-stage scheme - two-one. At the same time, using the stop valves 12 between the single blocks 13 and 14 of the first and second stages, respectively, the assembly structure can be easily switched to work with both the general permeate flow of the stages (FIG. 7) and the separate permeate flows of the stages (FIG. 8) when it is necessary to send one of the flows, for example, for processing, and the other for recycling.

The presence in the design of the universal assembly of additional bypass lines between the sections of the collectors allows to accelerate the exit to the operating temperature mode due to the rapid heating of the collector gas by the raw gas, bypassing the modules. FIG. 9 and 10 schematically show examples of a universal assembly with such bypass lines: a bypass line 15 between the source flow collector and the retentate collector and a bypass line 16 between the source flow collector and the permeate collector.

Thus, the universal modular assembly, which is based on a single unit, makes it possible to create gas separation membrane plants for specific production tasks, as well as to adapt the plants to various technological processes due to the operative change in the number of working modules and flexible adjustment of operating modes with minimal labor costs for transportation , installation, and maintenance, while ensuring the minimum area occupied by the assembly.

Claims (10)

1. Universal modular assembly for membrane gas separation installations, including a set of horizontally oriented membrane modules arranged in an array consisting of horizontal and vertical rows parallel to each other, made with the possibility of dividing the initial flow into retentate and permeate, and equipped with corresponding nozzles, as well as vertically oriented collectors for the source, retentate and permeate flows, connected to the corresponding nozzles of membrane mode it, characterized in that the collectors of the source, retentate and permeate flows consist of separate sections, and the array membrane modules are sequentially grouped into single blocks, each of which contains one section of each of the respective collectors, N vertical and N horizontal rows of membrane modules, where N≥2, moreover, the membrane modules of a single unit are installed on the support frame, and the nozzles of the initial, retentate and permeate flows of the membrane modules of a single unit are connected to the units LfTetanus unit sections corresponding collectors, which are installed at the ends of the flanges for joining with sections collectors adjacent unit blocks to form a common collector universal modular assembly. 2. Universal modular assembly according to claim. 1, characterized in that the collector sections of adjacent single blocks have different diameters. 3. Universal modular assembly on PP. 1 and 2, characterized in that between the respective nozzles of the membrane modules and the collector sections of at least one single unit, devices are installed for adjusting and controlling the flow through the modules. 4. Universal modular assembly on PP. 1-3, characterized in that between the sections of the collectors of at least two adjacent single blocks installed shut-off and control valves. 5 Universal modular assembly on PP. 1-4, characterized in that a common block of stop and control valves is installed at the inlet of the source stream and at the outlet of the permeate and retentate flow collectors of at least one single unit. 6. Universal modular assembly according to claim. 5, characterized in that the single unit is equipped with a common reinforcement block, including valves, safety valves and safety valves. 7. Universal modular assembly on PP. 1-6, characterized in that between the collector of the original flow and the collector of the retentate flow, at least one unit block, a bypass line is made to bypass the modules, equipped with shut-off and control valves. 8. Universal modular assembly on PP. 1-6, characterized in that between the collector of the original flow and the collector of the permeate flow of at least one unit block, a bypass line is made to bypass the modules, equipped with shut-off and control valves. 9. Universal modular assembly of PP 1-8, characterized in that the collector sections of the last single unit in the vertical row are plugged along free flanges. 10. Universal modular assembly on PP. 1-9, characterized in that it contains integrated service platforms.

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