Uop Lcc

Kevin J Richardson

Zhanping Xu

Nicholas F Urbanski

Robert J Miller

Brian J Nowak

Mohamed S M Shakur

Joseph Agnello

Michael J Behm

Shanda Gardner Fry

David M Wollaber

An apparatus and process doubles the number of trays in a single fractionation column. A dividing wall is used to isolate a first side from a second side and fractionation on trays on each side is independent of the other. A transition vapor stream is ducted from a top of a first side to the bottom of the second side, and a transition liquid stream is ducted from a bottom of the second side to the top of the first side.

Folded fractionation column and process

An arrangement of downcomers oriented at a 45-degree angle to a support that is either a wall within a divided wall column or a support beam that allows for reduced spacing of from 0.3 to 0.76 m spacing between trays within a distillation column. The advantages include the use of a single support beam to support two trays as well as more efficient operation and allowing for columns having diameters from 0.9 to 15.2 meters.

Fractionation trays with downcomers oriented at 45 degrees

The performance of multiple downcomer fractional distillation trays is improved by intercepting the liquid egressing from the bottom of the downcomers in a manner which directs a portion of the liquid along the major axis of decking of the next lower tray. This is accomplished by the use of improved antipenetration pans suspended below the downcomers of the upper tray. The antipenetration pans have extensions running parallel to the decking areas of the next lower tray. A portion of the liquid falling from the upper downcomer flows to the end of the extensions, where it falls onto the lower decking at more distant points than with prior art antipenetration pans.

Multiple downcomer fractional distillation tray and process

Growing community of inventors

Hamburg, NY, United States of America

Kevin J Richardson