WO2012095616A1

WO2012095616A1 - Energy transfer equipment for alcohol distillation alembics

Info

Publication number: WO2012095616A1
Application number: PCT/FR2012/050089
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pierre Olivier Cogat
Original assignee: Honore Sas
Priority date: 2011-01-14
Filing date: 2012-01-13
Publication date: 2012-07-19
Also published as: FR2970479A1

Abstract

Equipment, processes for the implementation thereof. The equipment is provided for transferring the energy available at an alembic at pressure comprising a vapour-jet ejector to an alembic operating under vacuum. It is constituted of exchangers, a vacuum device and transfer networks. It ensures: the exchange of one portion of the energy of vaporization exiting from the boiler at pressure ALP to provide its own heating owing to the exchangers Fl and F2 associated with the vapour jet ejector Ejv; the exchange of the balance of the energy of vaporization exiting from the boiler at pressure ALP to provide the heating of the boiler under vacuum ALV owing to the third exchanger F3; the reheating at each alembic of the wine introduced by the distilling slops owing to the exchanger EVV. The processes define the commissioning sequences to be respected in order to produce either low wines or Eaux de Vie. The use of the equipment makes it possible to make energy savings of close to 75% compared to the conventional method of operation.

Description

Energy transfer apparatus for stills of alcohol distillation.

In the field of equipment to achieve energy savings in the operation of stills we can report the patent application of Pierre-Olivier COGAT published under No. 2 933 309 which describes a "Apparatus for transferring the energy available at the level of a still operating at pressure to a still operating under vacuum.

The equipment, as defined above, allows significant energy savings in operation, savings in the usual range of 40 to 60% according to the comparison made with the operation of a traditional type still .

The present invention aims to define an apparatus that will be even more efficient vis-à-vis the energy expenditure.

With this object in view, the invention relates to an apparatus as defined by the appended claims.

Thus the implementation of this new device allows energy savings of about 75%, compared with a traditional mode of operation.

The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, the description referring to the appended drawings among which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a distillation plant comprising an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to the figure according to a second embodiment of the invention. Apparatus for transferring available energy at a pressure still having a steam jet ejector to a vacuum still, comprises:

a first exchanger Fl which takes a part of the vaporization energy available at the outlet of a pressure boiler ALP of the pressure still to transfer it to a second exchanger F2 with the ejv steam jet ejector ,

the second exchanger F2 which provides all the heating of the ALP pressure boiler,

a third exchanger F3 which ensures, at the same time, the end of the condensation of the hydro-alcoholic vapors emitted by the boiler with pressure ALP and the heating of the vacuum boiler ALV,

a transfer circuit T1 of the steam condensates produced by the second exchanger F2 towards the first exchanger Fl and discharging these excess condensates from the first exchanger F1 towards the return boiler,

a transfer circuit T2 of the hydro-alcoholic vapor condensates produced by the first and third exchangers F1 and F3 for discharging them in casting or in retrogradation to a first concentration column C1,

- a vacuum device attached to the ALV vacuum boiler.

The vapor jet steam ejector Ejv provides, by mixing with the driving steam at a pressure Im, the entrainment of the suction vapor 1a, under vacuum, generated by the beam F1 to the beam F2. The steam jet steam ejector has one or more nozzles.

The assembly of the steam ejector Ejv, the first and the second heat exchanger Fl and F2 and the transfer circuit T1 constitutes a single heat pump transferring the energy represented by the portion of the condensed hydro-alcoholic vapors onto Fl to produce low pressure (vacuum) water vapor sucked by the steam jet ejector Ejv and mixed with high steam Im pressure so that the mixture is at a sufficient pressure to heat the ALP pressure boiler.

The vapor jet steam ejector Ejv comprises either a single nozzle and in this case it is commonly called thermo-compressor or several nozzles and it is called "stato-booster". A "stato-booster" which comprises for example 7 nozzles will have a better recovery coefficient Ia / Im than a thermo-compressor with a single nozzle. Improved performance may justify the choice of the "stato-booster" if the distillation campaign is extended.

A degassing device D connected to the second exchanger F2 consists of a vacuum pump associated with a condenser. It may also be constituted by an ejector associated or not with a condenser. This degassing device D ensures the proper start of the "heat pump". Indeed, given the cyclic operation of the still, it is necessary, at each start, to chase the incondensables and ensure the possibility of a vacuum condensation of the water vapor transferred by the ejector Ejv on the tubular bundle of the second exchanger F2, in certain phases of the operating cycle.

In order for the production of water vapor generated by the condensation of the hydro-alcoholic vapors, on the first exchanger Fl to be made with a minimum temperature difference which will allow an optimal recovery by the steam jet ejector, it is proposed said first exchanger Fl is of falling water type, fed from the inner side tubes by steam condensate with the aid of a first transfer pump Prl and exterior side tubes by steam hydro alcoholic ^¬ emitted by the ALP pressure boiler.

In the case of the use of an ejector comprising a single nozzle, the recovery of low-pressure steam emitted by Fl will be slightly less than if using an ejector equipped with several nozzles. A technical-economic analysis will validate the choice of one or the other solution.

Any remaining hydro-alcoholic vapors that would not have been condensed in the third exchanger F3 are fed to a final condenser Cond.

The condensates from the first and third exchanger Fl, F3 and the final condenser Cond are collected by the Coll collector and transferred to a storage location, not shown. The condensates from condenser CondV and column C2 concentration are collected separately.

The design of the second and third exchangers

F2 and F3, which respectively heat the ALP pressure boiler and the ALV vacuum boiler, are very important because heat exchange with a small difference in temperature and without clogging must be ensured. It will also take into account the adaptation of the equipment to existing stills.

The transfer circuit T2 brings a comfort of use of the installation, allowing to easily adjust the degree of alcohol of the final product obtained.

According to a complementary feature, the apparatus comprises a device for reheating wine or brouillis, supplying ALV and ALV vacuum boilers respectively, by the vinasses or phlegmasses extracted from each still through an intermediate storage tank vinasses / flegmasses BV and an EVV surface exchanger. A first embodiment is characterized in that the second and third exchangers F2 and F3 are forced circulation type, the exchanger being located outside the boiler, in accordance with Figure 1. A second transfer pump Pr2 draws the liquid contained in the pressure boiler to force it into the second exchanger F2 and send it back to the boiler via a watering boom. Similarly, a third transfer pump Pr3 takes the liquid contained in the boiler under vacuum to force it into the third exchanger F3 and return it to the boiler by a spray bar. This embodiment will be preferred for the adaptation of existing stills or for the implementation of high viscosity fermented worts, loaded with lees, for example.

A second embodiment is characterized in that the second and third exchangers F2 and F3 are of the tubular type, placed inside the boiler in the open position, the wine or the brouillis being distributed by spray nozzles to the boiler. the outside of the tubes by means of the transfer pumps Pr2 and Pr3, in accordance with FIG. 2. This more compact embodiment will be preferred when new distillation units are made and for the implementation of fermented mashes with "normal" viscosity. It goes without saying that a combination of the two embodiments can be realized, with one of the exchangers being forced convection, the other being tubular with a de-positioned position.

The vacuum boiler ALV can be evacuated by means of various devices including a steam jet ejector, an air jet ejector, a water jet ejector, a vacuum pump.

The proposed embodiment is characterized in that the evacuation device comprises a vacuum pump PV associated with one or more valves "break- vacuum »CV providing vacuum control at the desired service pressure. Vacuum control by one or more valves calibrated at a similar pressure causes the ALV vacuum boiler to not go into a high vacuum that generates drives during restart operations after an unscheduled shutdown.

The vacuum device further comprises a condenser CondV upstream of the vacuum pump PV.

Each still has or not respectively a first and a second concentration column C1 and C2 of conventional design with multiple trays, not detailed here. The concentration column intercepts the hydro-alcoholic vapors from the boiler and forms alcohol-depleted condensates that return to the boiler. ^¬ hydro alcoholic vapors coming out of the first column Cl continue to the first Fl exchanger while that from column C2 are to CondV condenser.

Thus the distiller, if it does not install or does not operate the columns C1 and C2, will work in 2 passes, the first pass allowing the production of brouillis by distillation of the wines and the second pass allowing the production of water of life by distilling the clutter.

On the other hand, the operation of the two columns C1 and C2 makes it possible to directly obtain the spirits in one pass by distillation of the wines.

The final organoleptic quality of the brandies may be different, the distiller may use one or the other mode of operation.

The putting into service of the apparatus, object of the present invention, comprises the following process sequences:

- the wine or the brouillis feeding the boiler of the pressure still are reheated by the vinasse or the phlegmasse that were previously extracted and stored in the Intermediate Bv,

the degassing device D is made operational, wine or brouillis, circulated on the beam F2 by the second transfer pump Pr2, is brought to a boil by heating provided by the transfer of steam through the steam ejector With steam Ejv, the suction valve V being closed, the condensates of heating vapor produced in the beam F2 are transferred into the first exchanger

Fl, the excess returning to the boiler room,

loading the wine or the scramble of the ALV vacuum boiler, heated by vinasses or phlegmasses stored in the vinasse tank, vacuum stabilization, - once the boiling is reached and the hydro-alcoholic vapor emitted circulates through the beam Fl, to the final condenser Cond, the circulation of the condensates on the beam of the first exchanger Fl is established thanks to the first transfer pump Prl, - the valve V to the suction of the jet jet ejector vapor Evj is gradually opened so that the vapor la, generated by the beam F1, is extracted and mixed with the steam at pressure Im to complete the heating of the beam F2,

- the optimization of the heating to ensure the casting program, defined by the distiller, is done by modulating the driving steam pressure with the PC controller,

Conducting the distillation on the ALV vacuum still after the vaporization is noted on this aambic,

end of distillation on the vacuum still,

once the heating cycle is over, the Im steam supply is shut down by the PC controller, the V valve is closed, the transfer pumps are stopped and the residual charge of vinasse or phlegmasse contained in the boilers is evacuated in the intermediate storage tank Bv.

At this stage, the following cycle is established according to the sequences defined above.

The vacuum level in the vacuum boiler is typically set between 0.35 and 0.45 bar absolute, for example 0.4 bar absolute.

The apparatus, according to its mode of conduct, makes it possible to produce:

- or only by distilling the wines on ALP and ALV stills, columns C1 and C2 not being put into service,

either scrambling by distillation of the wines on the ALP pressure boiler, and Eau de Vie by distilling the brouillis on the vacuum boiler

ALV, columns C1 and C2 not being put into service,

or only brandy by distillation of the wines on ALP and ALV stills, columns C1 and C2 being put into service.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described solely by way of example. The transfer circuit T2 could send the condensates also to the second column C2.

Claims

Apparatus for transferring available energy at a pressure still comprising a steam jet ejector to a vacuum still, characterized in that it comprises:

a first exchanger F1 which takes a part of the vaporization energy available at the outlet of a pressure boiler ALP of the pressure still to transfer it to the second exchanger F2 by means of the ejv steam jet ejector ,

a second exchanger F2 which provides all the heating of the ALP pressure boiler,

a third exchanger F3 which ensures at the same time the end of the condensation of the hydro-alcoholic vapors emitted by the pressure still and the heating of a vacuum boiler ALV of the vacuum still,

a circuit for transferring water vapor condensates produced by the second exchanger F2 to the first exchanger Fl and discharging these excess condensates from Fl, and

- a vacuum device attached to the ALV vacuum still.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first exchanger Fl is of falling water type, fed from the inner tube side by condensates of water vapor and the outer tube side by hydro-alcoholic vapor emitted by the pressure ALP ALP.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer of water vapor produced on the first exchanger Fl to the second exchanger F2 is through a vapor jet steam ejector having one or more nozzles.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the exchangers F2 and F3 are of forced circulation type, the exchanger being located outside the boiler.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the exchangers F2 and F3 are of the tubular type, placed inside the boiler in the open position, the wine or the brouillis being distributed by spray nozzles outside tubes.

Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum device coupled to the vacuum boiler ALV comprises a vacuum pump and one or more vacuum break valves for controlling the vacuum at the desired operating pressure.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each pressure and vacuum still comprises or not a first column and a second concentration C1 and C2.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device for heating wine or brouillis respectively supplying the ALP pressure boiler and the ALV vacuum boiler by the vinasses or phlegmasses extracted from each boiler through a tray intermediate storage of vinasses or phlegmasses BV and a surface exchanger Evv.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a transfer circuit condensates of hydro-alcoholic vapor produced by the first and third exchanger Fl, F3 to evacuate pouring in retrogradation to the first column Cl or to the second column C2.

10. A method for implementing the apparatus defined according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises the following sequences of operation: - Evacuation of vinasse or phlegmasses ALP pressure still in BV wine tank, heating of ALP by ejv steam jet ejector, valve V being closed,

- loading the wine or the brouillis of the ALV vacuum still,

opening of the valve V upstream of Ejv as soon as the vaporization on ALP is noted,

- Conducting the distillation on the pressure still and then conduct distillation on the still under vacuum after the vaporization is observed on this aambic,

Stopping the heating on the pressure boiler only when the end of distillation on the vacuum still is noted.

11. The method of claim 10 implemented on an apparatus according to claim 8, wherein is heated through EVV wine or brouillis supplying the ALP pressure boiler or vacuum boiler ALV by vinasses or stored phlegmasses. in the storage bin BV.

12. A method for implementing the apparatus defined according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it allows the production of:

- distortion of wines on ALP and ALV stills, columns C1 and C2 not being put into service,

- of scrambling by distillation of the wines on the ALP pressure still, and of Eau de Vie by distilling the brouillis on the ALV vacuum still, columns C1 and C2 not being put into service,

of eaux de vie by distilling wines on ALP and ALV stills, columns C1 and C2 being put into service.