WO2001024902A1 - Plateau de fractionnement dote d'orifices disposes selon un modele - Google Patents

Plateau de fractionnement dote d'orifices disposes selon un modele Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001024902A1
WO2001024902A1 PCT/US2000/026150 US0026150W WO0124902A1 WO 2001024902 A1 WO2001024902 A1 WO 2001024902A1 US 0026150 W US0026150 W US 0026150W WO 0124902 A1 WO0124902 A1 WO 0124902A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vapor
openings
liquid
tray
tray deck
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/026150
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Neil Yeoman
Ralph W. Weiland
Michael J. Binkley
Chang-Li Hsieh
Charles A. Griesel
Original Assignee
Koch-Glitsch, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koch-Glitsch, Inc. filed Critical Koch-Glitsch, Inc.
Publication of WO2001024902A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001024902A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D3/00—Distillation or related exchange processes in which liquids are contacted with gaseous media, e.g. stripping
    • B01D3/14—Fractional distillation or use of a fractionation or rectification column
    • B01D3/16—Fractionating columns in which vapour bubbles through liquid
    • B01D3/22—Fractionating columns in which vapour bubbles through liquid with horizontal sieve plates or grids; Construction of sieve plates or grids
    • B01D3/225—Dual-flow sieve trays
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D3/00—Distillation or related exchange processes in which liquids are contacted with gaseous media, e.g. stripping
    • B01D3/14—Fractional distillation or use of a fractionation or rectification column
    • B01D3/16—Fractionating columns in which vapour bubbles through liquid
    • B01D3/22—Fractionating columns in which vapour bubbles through liquid with horizontal sieve plates or grids; Construction of sieve plates or grids

Definitions

  • This invention relates to fractionation trays used for distillation, absorption, and stripping, and, more specifically, to an improved vapor-liquid contact tray
  • a common type of tray known as a single or one-pass tray, has a liquid receiving area at one end where liquid is introduced onto the tray from a downcomer on the tray above, a central bubbling or active area where liquid flows across the tray and interacts with rising vapors, and a downcomer at the opposite end through which liquid flows to the tray below
  • the placement of the liquid receiving area and downcomer on the tray below is reversed from the tray above so that liquid flow is in the opposite direction
  • two, three, and four-pass trays in which multiple downcomers are employed are frequently used in the industry
  • the passageways for liquid are very large compared to the passageways for vapor, and the number of vapor passageways is at least an order of magnitude greater, and can be as much as four orders of magnitude greater, than the number of liquid passageways
  • the smallest liquid passageway typically used would be at least four inches wide and several feet long, while the largest vapor
  • Vapor as it ⁇ ses from the tray following interaction with the liquid on the tray' s surface, contains entrained liquid which must be separated before the vapor reaches the tray above. Separation occurs when the gravitational effect on the denser entrained liquid overcomes the drag effect exerted on the entrained liquid by the rising vapor. This separation can be improved if the velocity of the vapor is reduced, such as by allowing the vapor to expand into a larger volume. Vapor rising from the tray below does expand slightly into the region above the downcomers in conventional trays, but expansion of the vapor into all of the volume above the downcomers generally does not occur in the limited spacing between trays because the vapor must contract as it approaches the active area of the tray above.
  • vapor- liquid contact trays with downcomers that block less of the effective gas expansion volume above or below the tray in comparison to conventional designs to facilitate separation of liquid from rising vapors by reducing vapor velocity between the trays. It is also an object of this invention to provide a uniform distribution of vapor and liquid openings across the entire tray so that better vapor flow distribution can be achieved across the entire surface of the tray and in the volume between adjacent trays with resulting increases in vapor flow capacity.
  • a vapor-liquid contact tray for placement within a mass transfer column.
  • the vapor-liquid contact tray has an upper surface and a lower surface, a plurality of first openings extending through the tray, and a plurality of second openings extending through the tray.
  • the first openings are constructed in a manner so they preferentially facilitate the downward passage of liquid from the upper surface of the tray through the first openings while inhibiting upward passage of vapor through the same openings.
  • the second openings are likewise constructed in a manner so that they preferentially facilitate the upward passage of vapor through the second openings while inhibiting the downward passage of liquid through those openings.
  • the first and second openings are intermixed and distributed in preselected patterns across all or substantially all of the tray.
  • the means used to facilitate preferential flow of one type of fluid while inhibiting passage of another type of fluid can include different elevations for the inlets to the respective openings, as well as different opening size, geometry, and pattern layout.
  • the present invention is directed to a method of operating a mass transfer column utilizing the trays of the present invention to provide enhanced separation of liquid from rising vapor.
  • FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mass transfer column employing vapor- liquid contact trays constructed in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the vapor-liquid contact trays
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the tray illustrated in FIG. 2 taken within the circle designed by the numeral 3;
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the tray; and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side perspective view of a further embodiment of the tray.
  • a mass transfer or heat exchange column is designated generally by the numeral 10.
  • Column 10 comprises a cylindrical external shell 12 which defines an open interior region 14 in which a plurality of vapor-liquid contact trays 16 of the present invention are located.
  • Column 10 is of the type used for processing liquid and vapor streams, including to obtain fractionation products.
  • Column 10 is vertically elongated and may be of any suitable configuration, including polygonal, instead of the cylindrical shape which is illustrated.
  • the dimensions of column 10 may be selected as desired for the intended processing operations to be performed therein.
  • the material used for the external shell 12 can be selected from various materials which are suitably rigid and compatible with the fluids present in the column 10 and the processing conditions.
  • One or more liquid streams can be directed to the column 10 in a conventional manner through side stream feedline 18 and overhead reflux return line 20.
  • one or more vapor streams can be charged to the column through side stream feedline 22, or can be generated within the column.
  • Vapor product is removed from the top of column 10 through overhead removal line 32, and liquid product is removed at the bottom of column 10 through removal line 34.
  • Liquid can also be removed at an intermediate portion of the column through side stream draw off line 36.
  • a plurality of manways 38 extend through the shell 12 to facilitate installation and removal of the various internal column components such as liquid distributors and packing beds that are illustrated but form no part of the present invention.
  • the vapor-liquid contact trays 16 of the present invention are positioned in the interior region 14 of column 10 and are placed in vertically spaced apart relationship.
  • the trays 16 are generally horizontally disposed and mounted on supports attached to the inner surface of the column shell 12.
  • Each tray 16 is generally planar and extends completely across the horizontal cross section of column 10.
  • the trays 16 each comprise an upper surface 40 and a undersurface 41 and a plurality of liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 that extend completely through the tray 16 to permit vapor and liquid streams to pass countercurrently through the tray.
  • the liquid openings 42 are constructed to preferentially facilitate downward passage of liquid through openings 42 while impeding or, preferably substantially preventing, upward passage of vapor through the openings 42
  • the vapor openings 44 are constructed to preferentially facilitate upward passage of vapor while impeding or substantially preventing downward passage of liquid through the openings 44 In this manner, all or substantially all of the liquid stream present on tray 16 passes downwardly through the liquid openings 42 while all or substantially all of the ascending vapor passes through the vapor openings 44
  • the liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 are interspersed and dist ⁇ ubbed across the tray in a pattern selected to handle the liquid and vapor flows and achieve the desired vapor and liquid distribution across the tray Typically, the openings will be intermixed and dist ⁇ ubbed in a uniform, repeating pattern across the entire tray Alternatively, the openings can be grouped to provided a larger concentration of liquid and/or vapor flow through selected portions of the tray 16 to create or accommodate a greater concentration of vapor or liquid flow through selected portions of the tray or to correct an undesired fluid dist ⁇ bution
  • the pattern selected for openings 42 and 44 can be the same or different on adjacent trays. For example, in some applications it may be desirable to provide a greater concentration of liquid openings 42 about the pe ⁇ meter of one tray 16 and a greater concentration of liquid openings 42 in the center portion of an adjacent tray 16 to facilitate mixing of the liquid stream
  • the openings 42 and 44 can be positioned in patterns such as concent ⁇ c ⁇ ngs, t ⁇ angular or square pitches, or other regular or irregular geomet ⁇ c patterns
  • the liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 are each positioned in a repeating t ⁇ angular pattern with a liquid opening 42 positioned in the center of one leg of each t ⁇ angular pattern of vapor openings 44 and vice versa.
  • the number of liquid openings 42 will be of the same order of magnitude as, and sometimes roughly equal to, the number of vapor openings 44
  • concentration of each type of opening will normally be roughly equal at any selected portion of the tray, although there may be varying concentrations of openings at different portions of the tray
  • the spacing between adjacent vapor openings 44 is selected so that vapor, after ascending through the openings 44, is able to expand ho ⁇ zontally to fill substantially all of the ho ⁇ zontal cross-sectional area immediately above the upper surface 40 of the tray 16.
  • the sizes of the liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 are preferably selected to accommodate the desired respective flow rates of the liquid and vapor streams.
  • the number, size and shape of the liquid openings 42 need not be the same as the number, size and shape of the vapor openings 44, and the total cross-sectional area occupied by the liquid openings 42 may be the same, less than, or greater than the total cross-sectional area occupied by the vapor openings 44.
  • the number and size of the liquid and vapor openings and the total cross-sectional area occupied by each type of opening will be of the same order of magnitude. In certain applications, however, it may be desirable to provide more and/or larger vapor openings 44 than liquid openings 42 to accommodate higher flow rates of vapor than liquid.
  • liquid openings 42 may be provided to accommodate higher flow rates of liquid than vapor.
  • the liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 are roughly equal in number and size and are both of a circular shape. Other shapes which can be utilized include rectangular, square or other polygonal shape, oval and the like.
  • the tray portions surrounding the liquid openings 42 may include a perimeter skirt or lip 46 on the undersurface 41 of the tray while the vapor openings 44 have a perimeter lip 48 formed on the upper surface of the surrounding tray surface.
  • the perimeter lips 46 cause the outlet of the liquid openings 42 on the tray undersurface 41 to be positioned below the inlet to the vapor openings 44 on the undersurface 41.
  • the perimeter lips 48 surrounding the vapor openings cause the outlet of the vapor openings 40 to be elevated above the inlet to the liquid openings 42 on the tray upper surface 40.
  • the perimeter lips 46 and 48 can be formed in any suitable fashion, such as by using a hydraulic punch to form the respective openings 42 and 44 by punching through the tray in opposite directions.
  • the tray 16 is positioned so that the punch operates in the direction from the upper surface 40 toward the undersurface 41 of the tray.
  • the tray 16 is positioned so that the punch operates in the direction from the undersurface 41 toward the upper surface 40 of the tray during formation of the vapor openings 44.
  • the punch should be operated at a speed that is slow enough to cause formation of the perimeter lips 46 and 48 on opposite sides of the tray. Operation of the punch at a rapid speed may cause tearing rather than the desired deformation of the opposite side of the tray.
  • the perimeter lips 46 and 48 su ⁇ ounding the liquid and vapor openings 42 and 44, respectively, are effective to cause the desired preferential flow of liquid downwardly through liquid openings 42 and vapor upwardly through vapor openings 44.
  • This preferential flow is obtained, at least in part, as a result of liquid initially being blocked, during column start-up, from entering vapor openings 44 by the presence of the perimeter lips 48 surrounding those openings.
  • vapor will initially be blocked from entering the liquid openings 42 by the presence of the perimeter lips 46 surrounding those openings.
  • liquid will initially flow through the liquid openings 42 and vapor will initially flow through the vapor openings 44.
  • the desired preferential flow of the liquid and vapor can be accomplished in other ways, such as by tapering the openings 42 and 44 in opposite directions as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the tapered liquid openings 42 have a greater cross-sectional area at the upper surface 40 than at the tray undersurface 41.
  • the tapered vapor openings 44 have a greater cross-sectional area at the undersurface 41 than at the tray upper surface 40.
  • liquid openings 42 in comparison to the vapor openings 44, have a lower resistance to fluid entry in the downward direction and downwardly flowing liquid will preferentially enter the liquid openings 42.
  • the vapor openings 44 have a lower resistance to fluid entry in the upward direction and vapor will preferentially enter and ascend through the vapor openings 44 rather than through the liquid openings 42 which have a higher entry resistance
  • Additional means may be used to obtain or reinforce the preferential flow of liquid through liquid openings 42 and vapor through vapor openings 44 For example, by selecting different shapes and/or sizes for the respective openings 42 and 44 or selecting different pattern layouts, the desired fluid flow can be obtained or reinforced
  • the method of using the trays 16 to facilitate mass transfer between the vapor and liquid streams will now be descnbed
  • One or more liquid streams flow downwardly within column 10 and onto the upper surface of the tray deck 40. This liquid then preferentially passes through the tray deck 40 via the plurality of liquid openings 42
  • one or more vapor streams flow upwardly through the tray 16, passing preferentially through the plurality of vapor openings 44 formed in the tray.
  • the upper surface 40 of tray 16 is the active area where the descending liquid intermixes with the upwardly moving vapor stream to form a frothy, two-phase mixture.
  • liquid droplets entrained in the vapor stream must be removed from the gas stream before it reaches the overlying tray.
  • the vapor stream is able to expand to occupy the entire ho ⁇ zontal cross section of the column 10. This expansion reduces the vapor velocity and facilitates deentramment of the liquid from the vapor stream, thereby increasing the vapor handling capacity of the tray 16.
  • liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44 By using the dispersed pattern of liquid openings 42 and vapor openings 44, relatively large conventional downcomers need not be utilized to convey liquid from one tray to an underlying tray. As a result, the volume between trays need not be occupied by these downcomers and the volume available for vapor expansion and liquid disengagement from the vapor is further increased Moreover, because the liquid flowing from one tray to another is widely dispersed, rather than concentrated in one or more areas such as when downcomers are utilized, the trays need not contain imperforate liquid receiving areas. As a result, the vapor openings 44 can be dispersed across the entire surface of the tray.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un plateau (16) à contact vapeur-liquide présentant des surfaces supérieure et inférieure. Ledit plateau est doté d'une pluralité d'ouvertures destinées au liquide et d'une pluralité d'ouvertures destinées à la vapeur, disposées selon un modèle présélectionné. Les ouvertures destinées au liquide sont conçues de telle façon qu'elles éliminent, de préférence, le liquide sur la surface supérieure du plateau en même temps qu'elles empêchent la vapeur de passer dans les ouvertures destinées au liquide. Les ouvertures destinées à la vapeur sont conçues de telle façon qu'elles permettent, de préférence, le passage ascendant de la vapeur en même temps qu'elles empêchent le passage descendant de liquide à travers les ouvertures destinées à la vapeur.
PCT/US2000/026150 1999-10-04 2000-09-22 Plateau de fractionnement dote d'orifices disposes selon un modele WO2001024902A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US41154999A 1999-10-04 1999-10-04
US09/411,549 1999-10-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001024902A1 true WO2001024902A1 (fr) 2001-04-12

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011088530A1 (fr) * 2010-01-20 2011-07-28 Utc Engenharia S/A Plateaux perforés sans verseurs pour procédés de séparation et/ou réactions à plusieurs phases
WO2020046698A1 (fr) * 2018-08-29 2020-03-05 Uop Llc Plateaux de fractionnement à goulottes de descente orientées à 45 degrés

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5651203A (en) * 1979-10-02 1981-05-08 Kansai Kagaku Kikai Seisaku Kk Lift tray device with immovable perforated floor
DD300773A7 (de) * 1987-02-18 1992-07-30 Ingenieur- Und Consulting Leipzig Gmbh,De Vorrichtung zur fluessigkeitsverteilung und zum stoffaustausch in stoffaustauschkolonnen
RU1801537C (ru) * 1991-01-31 1993-03-15 Московский Институт Химического Машиностроения Тепломассообменный аппарат
US5707563A (en) * 1993-12-16 1998-01-13 Uop V-module fractionation tray

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5651203A (en) * 1979-10-02 1981-05-08 Kansai Kagaku Kikai Seisaku Kk Lift tray device with immovable perforated floor
DD300773A7 (de) * 1987-02-18 1992-07-30 Ingenieur- Und Consulting Leipzig Gmbh,De Vorrichtung zur fluessigkeitsverteilung und zum stoffaustausch in stoffaustauschkolonnen
RU1801537C (ru) * 1991-01-31 1993-03-15 Московский Институт Химического Машиностроения Тепломассообменный аппарат
US5707563A (en) * 1993-12-16 1998-01-13 Uop V-module fractionation tray

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
DATABASE WPI Derwent World Patents Index; AN 94-165582, XP002155510 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 005, no. 111 (C - 063) 18 July 1981 (1981-07-18) *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011088530A1 (fr) * 2010-01-20 2011-07-28 Utc Engenharia S/A Plateaux perforés sans verseurs pour procédés de séparation et/ou réactions à plusieurs phases
WO2020046698A1 (fr) * 2018-08-29 2020-03-05 Uop Llc Plateaux de fractionnement à goulottes de descente orientées à 45 degrés

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