Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland

Markus Friedrich Fischer

Mark William Pilling

Stefan Tobias Hirsch

Emil Fehr

Felix Moser

Adrian Faust

Dale Edward Nutter

Ireneusz Bobrowski

Vincenzo Curti

Giuseppe Mosca

Odolphus Simon Leo Bruinsma

Elena Tacchini

Mark W Pilling

Heat integrated distillation column for separating components in a fluid mixture. The heat integrated distillation column is provided with a stripper part (S), a rectifier part (R) and a compressor () between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R). Furthermore, a heat exchange assembly for transferring heat between the stripper part (S) and the rectifier part (R), and a mass transfer assembly for condensation and vaporization in the heat integrated distillation column are provided. The stripper part (S), the rectifier part (R), or the stripper part (S) and rectifier part (R), comprise a channel formed by adjacent channel assemblies (), each forming a structural part of the heat integrated distillation column and a functional part of the heat exchange assembly and of the mass transfer assembly. A plate () and a structured packing in the form of two or more corrugated plates () are provided.

Heat integrated distillation column using structured packing

The valve cover has a guide vane extending laterally and downwardly from the central portion towards and in spaced relation to the tray deck for deflecting a majority of the vapor passing upwardly through an orifice downward towards the tray deck. A de-entrainment device with a downwardly angled deflector in vertical alignment with an orifice in the tray deck may be integrated or not with the valve cover below the tray deck.

Contact tray for a mass transfer column

A vapor-liquid contact tray apparatus having a tray with a fluid infeed section and a fluid travel section together with downcomer which is in fluid communication with the fluid travel section of the tray. A redirecting baffle is positioned at an inlet opening of the downcomer and push valves are provided in the fluid travel section of the tray. The push valves are preferably arranged in one or more zones of high concentration of push valves relative to one or more bubbling aperture zones with a lower concentration of push valves or no push valves. The redirecting baffle is provided in the downcomer and extends above the tray to capture fluid flowing horizontally off of the tray (e.g., exiting from a weirless or weir interface) and into a preferably concave upper portion of the redirecting baffle for controlling and redirecting the high momentum flow into and through the downcomer. A plurality of redirecting baffles are featured in one embodiment together with apertured straight sections extending down into the downcomer as in down to the half way mark of downcomer depth or further down including out of the bottom of the downcomer.

Tray apparatus, column with same and method of assembling and using

The tray has an infusion field of infusion tab valves adjacent the inlet to dissipate the momentum of the liquid flowing across said infusion field. Each valve includes a vertically upstanding wall of a height to obstruct the flow of liquid and the valves are disposed in a staggered array. An adjacent bubbling area has openings for the passage of an ascending flow of vapor into contact with the liquid/vapor mixture flowing across the area. Each infusion tab valve may also have a push valve incorporated therein.

Tray for a mass exchange column

The tray valve for a tray column includes an opening in a tray for a vapor passage and a valve body that is made to match the tray opening. The valve body consists of a top plate and vertically downwardly directed guide limbs arranged at the edge of the plate. The guide limbs have barbs for the anchoring of the valve body in the opening. The material and shape of the valve body are selected so that upon insertion of the valve body into the tray opening the top plate deforms in an arched manner while the guide limbs and barbs without deformation pass through the opening in a snap-fit manner. Weakened portions, in the form of grooves, slits or bores, can be provided in the top plate to facilitate upward arching of the top plate. Any deformation at the inserted valve body can be reversed, with the exception of a slight residual deformation, by an application of force onto the top plate.

Tray valve for a tray column

The tray column ( ) has downcomers ( ) for transporting a liquid between adjacent trays ( ). The liquid transport takes place in each downcomer through a plurality of discharge apertures ( ) onto a loaded tray. Liquid flows out of the discharge apertures in the form of jets ( ) that blend into a regionally divergent flow field ( ) on striking the loaded tray. The flow field has transverse components of the flow speed with respect to a longitudinal main flow direction ( ). Guide elements ( ) are arranged beneath the discharge apertures and at a spacing from the loaded tray which each guide the impulse of liquid corresponding to the divergent flow field. The guide elements contribute to forming the transverse speed components such that the longitudinal component of the flow speed has a largely constant profile in each plane perpendicular to the main flow direction. The discharge apertures are preferably made in different sizes in a graduated fashion to be smaller in a central region than in adjacent flank regions.

Tray column

The liquid distributor ( ) for columns ( ) has a main passage ( ), a plurality of secondary passages ( ) and an outflow system ( ) of the main passage. The liquid ( ) to be distributed can be fed into the secondary passages in accordance with a pre-set ratio by this outflow system. The outflow system ( ) comprises apertures ( ) in the side walls of the main passage and&mdash;associated with the secondary passages&mdash;guide elements ( ) for the liquid ( ) exiting through the apertures. The guide elements are designed with respect to a liquid guidance such that the liquid ( ) can be led into the associated secondary passage.

Liquid distributor for columns

A counterflow column that includes a liquid distributor including a plurality of tubular or trough-like distributor members. The distributor members are arranged in a column above a packing such that a plurality of partial flows develop in an upwardly flowing gas at the level of the distributor members. Stagnation zones are present between the packing and the distributor members. Through screen-off structure, not required per se for a liquid output, the stagnation zones and/or the flow of a liquid to be distributed are influenced such that a liquid, after emerging from the distributor members and prior to entry into the packing, traverses in free fall through the stagnation zones, and where appropriate also further regions, in which the gas flow is largely free of horizontal velocity components. The gas flow may also be influenced by a suitable shaping of the distributor members.

Counterflow column with a liquid distributor

A liquid distributor for packing columns. The liquid distributor includes at least one tubular or trough-like distributor member including outlet openings for an output of liquid in the form of jets. Screens are arranged ahead of the outlet openings onto which the incident liquid jets are deformed to liquid films flowing off. The outlet openings screen the outlet openings against an upwardly flowing gas flow. In the event of a maximum output of liquid, the liquid jets are incident onto the screens at angles that are less than 60&deg;, and even as much as less than 10&deg;.

Growing community of inventors

Constance, Germany

Markus Friedrich Fischer