Installation for separation of emulsion of water and hydrocarbons
Field of Technique
The invention is concerned with an installation for separation of emulsion of water and hydrocarbons, applicable to various fields of chemistry.
Prior art
'Unit Operations In The Chemical Industry* ('Procesi i aparati v himicheskata promishlenost'), D.G. Elenkov, Sofia, 1970, Tehnika publishing house, p. 178- 227 describes various types of devices for separation of emulsions: coolers, condensators, separators, centrifuges, as well as apparatuses with application in the oil processing, based on the electrolysis principle and other, designed for separation of the emulsion of water-hydrocarbons.
The shortcomings of the above-mentioned apparatuses lay in the complexity of their construction, their limited use in uninterruptible processes, their low efficiency and high power consumption.
Summary of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to create an installation for the separation of emulsion of water and hydrocarbons that could be used in uninterrupted processes with increased efficiency and decreased power consumption. The aim is achieved by creating an installation for separation of the emulsion water-hydrocarbons, which is characterized in that it includes 2 columns, the lower parts of which are connected through a column for balancing the water and hydrocarbon currents in them. In the middle zone of the first column, an orifice is located, under which a deaf tray is located. In the upper part of the first column, a system of sieve-grid trays, among which profiled fillings are located, is positioned. On the top of the column an orifice is located. The deaf tray is equipped with a bell overflow system, around which an overflow pipe, a serpentine, and a separating device are located. The overflow orifice is located at
a certain distance under the deaf tray, connected through an overflow pipe to the middle zone of the second column. A similar separating device is located under the level of the overflow pipe. A system that includes at least one profiled filling and one sieve-grid tray is located in the upper zone of the second column. The highest part of the second column and the balancing column are connected to the middle part of the first column through orifices.
It is suitable for the separating device to have cell structure, formed in S-shaped elements, with overlapping levers. It is also preferred for each sieve-grid tray to be made of a support over which a perforated plate is fixed. The perforation is performed in such a manner that passing openings are obtained, located at a certain distance from each other, while the walls of the passing openings are located at an angle to the plain of the plate. It is suitable for the filling to be accomplished as a package of vertically oriented profiled metal sheets, located parallel and at a distance from each other.
The advantages, according to the inventions, lay in its fitness for using it in uninterrupted processes. The installation provides increased efficiency and decreased power consumption, because neither moving devices nor devices that require a great expenditure of electric power are used.
Description of attached drawings
Figure 1 represents, according to the invention, the technological scheme of the installation for separation of water and hydrocarbons; Figure 2 illustrates the accomplishment of an element of the separating device; Figure 3 shows the structure of the sieve-grid fractioning trays; Figure 4 shows the structure of the profiled filling
Examples for particular realization
The installation for the separation of emulsion of water and hydrocarbons (fig. 1) consists of the column 1 , column 2 and column 3, balancing the currents of
hydrocarbons and water in columns 1 and 2. An orifice 4 is located in the middle part of the first column 1 under which a deaf tray 5 is located. A system of sieve- grid fractioning trays 7 is located at the upper part of the first column 1 and the profiled filling 6 is located between the trays. An orifice 8 is fixed on the top of column 1. The deaf tray 5 is equipped with a bell overflow system around the overflow pipe on which a serpentine 12 and a separating device 12, 13 are located. An overflow orifice 11 is fixed at a certain height above the deaf tray 5, connected through an overflow pipe to the middle part of the second column 2. Under the level of the overflow pipe a similar separating device 13 is located. In the upper part of the second column 2 a system that has at least one profiled filling 21 and sieve-grid fractioning tray 23 is located. The top of the second column 2 and the balancing column 3 are connected to the middle part of the first column 1 through the orifices 18 and 19. The separating device (fig. 2) has cell structure shaped of S-shaped elements 24 with overlapping levers 25.
Each sieve-grid fractioning tray (fig. 3) consists of support 26, over which a perforated plate 27 is fixed. The perforation is performed in such a manner that passing openings 28, spaced at a certain distance, are obtained. The walls 29 of the passing openings 28 are located at an angle to plane A of plate 27. The filling (fig. 4) can be accomplished as a package of vertically oriented perforated metal sheets 30, spaced parallel at a distance from each other. The functioning of the installation, according to the invention, is as follows: Uncondensed fractioning gases are charged in the middle part of column 1 through the orifice 4 and while passing through a liquid layer over the deaf tray 5 they partially condense. The remaining part of the gases is cooled down and condenses through the system of profiled filling 6 and the sieve-grid fractioning trays 7, located in the upper part of the column 1, while the unsuitable for condensing gases are transported for additional processing through orifice 8 on the top of column 1.
The level of the liquid over the deaf tray 5 is maintained through a bell overflow system so that the surplus of the liquid is charged in the lower part of the column 1. The water in the hydrocarbons is heated through serpentine 12 in the lower part of the column 1 and is separated from the hydrocarbons through the separation device 13, as a result of which the concentration of the hydrocarbon phase exceeds 70%.
The sieve-grid fractioning trays 7 located in the upper part of the column 1 serve as drop collectors preventing the discharge of the liquid phase with the gases. The surplus of the liquid hydrocarbons is charged in column 2 through overflow orifice 11. The surplus of water is automatically charged in a circulating water collector through orifice 14 of column 1 and orifice 16 of column 3. The orifices 9 and 10 are reserve.
The column 2 is intended for the final separation of the hydrocarbons from the water. The separation is accomplished by a similar separation device 13 as the one used in column 1 , located in the lower part of the column 2, based on the principle of the reciprocating (pulsating) movement of the mixture of hydrocarbons and water, which decreases the concentration of water to less than 2 - 4% and its final discharge is accomplished in horizontal and vertical reservoirs. The effective separation of the emulsion of water and hydrocarbons is accomplished by the laminating effect of the currents, passing through filling 6, 21, sieve-grid fractioning trays 7, 23 and separating device 13. The evaporating gases from columns 3, 2 are charged in the middle part of the column 1 for following condensation through orifices 18 and 19 on the top parts of columns 3, 2.
The surplus of water is automatically charged to drainage through orifice 17, while orifice 20 serves for reserve purposes.
Column 3 represents balancing vessel between column 1 and column 2, so that the water charged from orifice 14 of column 1 is introduced through orifice 15 in
the middle of the column 3 and the latter connects to the bottom of column 2 through orifices 16 and 17.
The purpose of the balancing vessel 3 is the achievement of uniform action (laminar movement of the liquid) of column 1 and column 2, as well as the prevention of hydrocarbons losses with the current of the drainage water.