Sulzer Brothers Limited

Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Charles Mandrin

Mehmet Sahabettin Ergenc

Rene Keller

Hans Ruckstuhl

A method for separating a first liquid from a second liquid, with the one liquid not being soluble in the other, the first liquid being contained as droplets in the second one, and with the two liquids having different densities. In a first step the liquid mixture is conducted during a first time interval as a turbulent flow through installations, in particular through a filler body in a packing column or through a static mixer, for coalescing the droplets. In a second step the flow rate of the mixture is reduced during a second time interval to continue the coalescence, and, in a third step, the speed of the mixture flow is further reduced and directed opposite to or with the force of gravity so that larger descending or rising droplets can be collected and separated out. The smaller droplets are carried along further by the second liquid.

Method for the separation of a first liquid from a second one

The water is brought into contact with a gas mixture for the removal of its oxygen content. The gas mixture is then circulated in a circulation (6, 7) and at the same time the oxygen is removed from the gas mixture charged therewith in a catalytic device (9) by means of a fuel gas. For this purpose a gas mixture (15) is produced from a fuel gas (12) and an inert gas (13), conveyed to the circulation in an explosion-proof manner and added to the recycling gas by mixing. The fuel gas content and the inert gas content of the gas mixture supplied (15) are adjusted so that the resultant gas mixture (16) in the circulation in front of the catalyst device (9) has firstly an excess factor E=1 and so that secondly it lies under the ignition limit (Z). This produces by simple means a cost-effective plant, which can be operated so that it is explosion-proof.

Process and a plant for the deoxidation of water

The natural gas which is obtained from a maritime deposit is purified on a platform or ship and is then compressed and cooled while on the platform or ship before being delivered under pressure to a LNG tanker where liquefaction takes place by expansion. An expansion group is disposed on the tanker in order to obtain liquefied natural gas at approximately 1 bar while non-liquified residual gases are returned to the platform or ship via a return line.

Method and apparatus of obtaining natural gas from a maritime deposit

A method and apparatus for deoxidation of water uses a catalytic combustion chamber in which a fuel having a low ignition temperature is first delivered during a start-up phase in order to begin ignition. The fuel used for start-up may, for example, be vaporized methanol or hydrogen. After an interval of time, the fuel supplied is continuously throttled and, at the same time, an operational fuel having a higher ignition temperature is supplied in increasing quantities until the stripping gas reaches a required temperature. On completion of the start-up phase, only the operational fuel which consists of, or least contains natural gas as a component, is then fed to the catalytic combustion process.

Method and apparatus for deoxidation of sea-water

The method for the deoxidation of chlorinated water, more particularly sea water, by means of a low oxygen content stripping gas, comprises a closed circuit in which a liquid absorbent circulates. For dechlorination, the liquid absorbent is brought into contact in an absorption column with the stripping gas charged with oxygen and chlorine. The absorbent is of a nature not to absorb at least one of the components comprising carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrocarbons, and is fed to the absorption column by a pump from a reservoir in the circuit.

Method and apparatus for deoxidation of chlorinated water

The plant for the periodic charging and discharging of a gas reservoir comprises a gas circuit containing a compressor and a heat exchanger. A line for supplying the gas for storage and for discharging stored gas to a consumer is connected to the gas circuit. The gas is stored as a gas at low temperature and elevated pressure or as a liquid gas at substantially ambient pressure. A heat exchanger disposed in the gas circuit is operated as a cooler or heater depending on whether gas is to be stored or discharged. The heat-transfer or refrigerant liquid flowing through the heat exchanger is either cooled in a refrigerating machine or heated in a heater. Depending upon requirements, a gas, e.g. natural gas, can be prepared in one and the same plant for charging a reservoir or for emptying the same.

Plant and method for periodic charging and discharging of a gas reservoir

A liquified hydrocarbon is vaporized in the installation by being brought into direct contact with heated compressed hydrocarbon in a heat exchanger. The hydrocarbon is compressed in a compressor (2), which is driven by a steam turbine (1). To heat the compressed hydrocarbon, the hydrocarbon is brought into heat exchange with the waste steam from the steam turbine, in the process of which the waste steam condenses. The product can be withdrawn before or after the compressor (2).

Apparatus and process for vaporizing a liquified hydrocarbon

The multi-stage process separates at least one heavy isotope from a hydrogen-containing compound or a hydrogen containing mixture, using ammonia synthesis and a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen. The main product is water at least substantially free of deuterium and tritium, additional products being compounds enriched in deuterium and tritium, and nitrogen enriched in .sup.15 N.

Method for separating at least one heavy isotope from a

The synthesis gas plant is operated in n successive periods. During the first period, fresh water in excess is supplied to the synthesis gas plant (1) and the waste water from the resulting mixture is separated in a condenser (8) and supplied to a storage container (25). During the next (n-1) operating periods the waste water stored in the container (25) is used as freed water for the synthesis gas plant (1) and the waste water obtained on each occasion is stored in layers, depending on its deuterium concentration, in the container (25). The waste water having the highest deuterium concentration, obtained during the last operating period, is introduced into a second container (24) and supplied therefrom to a heavy-water plant. In order to recover deuterium from the gas mixture leaving the condenser (8) and consisting of hydrogen, steam and residual components, the gas mixture is introduced into an exchange stage (38), in which the gas mixture is brought into isotope exchange in counter-current with additional water, as a result of which the additional water becomes enriched in deuterium and is supplied to the synthesis gas plant.

Method and plant for obtaining deuterium-enriched water

The synthesis-gas plant is operated in a number of successive operating periods such that during the first operating period an excess of fresh water is supplied to the synthesis gas plant and the waste water from the resulting mixture is separated in a condenser and supplied to a storage container. During the subsequent operating periods, the waste water stored in the container is used as the feed water for the synthesis gas plant and the waste water obtained on each occasion is stored in the container with increasing deuterium concentration. The waste water obtained during the last operating period and having the highest deuterium concentration is used to feed a plant for producing heavy water. This process, when used in a synthesis gas plant for producing hydrogen, can be used to obtain deuterium-enriched water as a feedstock for a heavy-water plant without expensive additional energy-consuming devices.

Method for the preparation of deuterium-enriched water in the

Hydrogen is produced in a synthesis gas plant which is subdivided into several units. The units are operated in such a way that concentrated water is separated from the effluent leaving the first unit in a condenser and supplied to the next stage as feed water. The steam produced in the last unit which is most strongly enriched with deuterium relative to the first unit is separated in a condenser and the deuterium-enriched water is introduced into a tank from which the water is supplied to a heavy water production plant as a starting material.

Method for the preparation of deuterium-enriched water

An installation for producing compressed gas or mechanical energy contains an aircraft jet engine, the exhaust gases from which are used to heat a steam generator. A heat exchanger cools the exhaust gas to atmospheric temperature. The steam generator can provide steam for a steam turbine driving the compressor which compresses the exhaust gas to the final pressure. A gas turbine without a useful turbine or a second jet engine can be disposed between the heat exchanger and compressor and its exhaust gas can be used to heat a second steam generator. An additional heat exchanger cools the gas to atmospheric temperature and the compressor compresses it to the final pressure. The compressor can also comprise the compression stage of a gas turbine without a useful turbine or the compression stage of an aircraft jet engine having an expansion stage which drives a useful turbine producing mechanical energy. The expanded exhaust gas from the useful turbine can be used to supply heat for an additional steam generator.

Installation for generating pressure gas or mechanical energy

To reduce the consumption of electricity, a portion of the deuterium-enriched water is stored during the winter while the remainder is used to produce hydrogen in the heavy water preparation plant. The stored deuterium-enriched water is then used in the summer with fresh water to produce hydrogen in the electrolyzer for delivery to the ammonia synthesizing plant. Surplus hydrogen is stored during the summer for subsequent use in the synthesizing plant during the next winter.

Process and apparatus for the preparation of ammonia and heavy water

In order to replace the electricity required to drive the compressors of the apparatus, the nitrogen-producing means is supplied with a flow of a synthesis gas mixture from the synthesis circuit of the synthesizing plant. This gas mixture is burned with compressed air to form a mixture of water vapor and nitrogen. The water vapor is then condensed in a condensor and separated out for entry into an exchange tower of the monothermal isotope exchanger. The separated nitrogen is supplied together with hydrogen to form the synthesis gas mixture for the synthesizing plant. In addition, a steam circuit is connected with the condensor and has a steam turbine which produces work to drive the compressor for the air and the compressors used to compress the synthesis gas mixture.

Process for the preparation of ammonia and heavy water

A flow of hot combustion gas from an open gas turbine plant surrenders heat via an intermediate forced-flow circuit to a vapor circuit system in which a hydrocarbon working medium flows. The forced-flow intermediate circuit uses a liquid heat vehicle such as a mixture of diphenyl and diphenyl oxide to transfer heat from the hot exhaust gas of the open gas turbine plant to the working medium of the vapor circuit system. This heat vehicle is passed through a plurality of successively connected tubes in the exhaust gas duct so as to reduce the amount of leakage should a leak occur in the tubes and, thus, the chance of an explosion. The waste heat transferred to the vapor circuit system can be used to drive a compressor of a refrigerating circuit, e.g. used to cool a flow of natural gas in a pipeline located in an arctic region.

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Winterthur, Switzerland

Charles Mandrin