Koch Engineering Company, Inc.

Koch-glitsch, Inc.

Praxair Technology, Inc.

Other

Koch Engineering Chemical, Inc.

Neil Yeoman

Chang-Li Hsieh

Michael A Ulowetz

Ronald Pinaire

Timothy P Nace

David A Furse

O Jeffrey Berven

Michael James Lockett

John Fredric Billingham

Christoph Ender

Kenneth J McNulty

Matthew Buchholz

David H Koch

Kirk Walztoni

Verne E Griffith

Robert Kuratle

Jason M Nigg

Lonnie L Ingram

Daniel L Kallenberger

Lawrence D Berg

Tsuan Y Chang

Bernardo Y Lucero

Ronald F Cascone

Kenneth J McNully

Frank E Mattke

Andrew M Marcinkowski

Vui Van Le

Christopher R Harmon

Richard L Shilling

Chang Li-Hsieh

Kirk A Walztoni

A packing section includes a plurality of vertically oriented, diagonally cross-corrugated packing sheets defining a section height. The section height has a base region, a bulk region, and a top region. The base region has a first particular geometry different from the geometry of the bulk region.

Packing for mass transfer column

A hollow, saddle-shaped packing structure includes a pair of porous outer and inner semi-cylindrical side walls that are spaced from one another to define an interior space and a particulate catalyst component retained in the interior space between the side walls. The packing structure may be formed by a pair of saddle-shaped shell elements each of which presents one of the side walls and a pair of radially opposed laterally extending flanges The flanges are connected together by tabs welding, or the like, and the interior space between axially spaced marginal edges of the outer and inner shell elements is closed off to retain the particulate catalyst component between the side walls.

Saddle structure for reactive distillation

A packing section includes a plurality of vertically oriented, diagonally cross-corrugated packing sheets defining a section height. The section height has a base region, a bulk region, and a top region. The base region has a first particular geometry different from the geometry of the bulk region. The top region has a second particular geometry different from the geometry of the bulk region, and different from the first particular geometry of the base region.

A method for operating a column having a region for reaction with distillation of fluid streams is provided with structures including catalyst-filled containers having liquid permeable upper surfaces which allow for the accumulation and flow of liquid from a liquid stream. The containers include catalyst beds positioned beneath the upper surface of the containers. A portion of the liquid on the containers is driven through the catalyst bed by the liquid head created by the accumulated liquid and is catalytically reacted. Another portion of the liquid may be directed through a downcomer which allows the accumulated liquid to leave the container without passing through the catalyst bed so that higher volumetric flow rates can be achieved.

Method for concurrent reaction and distillation of fluid streams

A plurality of structured packing bricks are positioned in a column having a longitudinal axis to form one or more structured packing beds. Each brick is formed from a plurality of corrugated plates disposed in parallel relation and having opposed ends that form end surfaces of the bricks. At least one end surface, and normally both end surfaces, of the bricks are inclined at an angle to the column axis so each brick has an end surface that engages and overlaps the inclined end surface of a horizontally adjacent brick. The inclined end surfaces include openings formed by the plate corrugations and, due to the overlapping positioning of adjacent end surfaces, liquid is able to flow vertically downwardly from openings in one brick end surface into openings in the adjacent brick end surface. These angle end surfaces also disrupt the vertical flow of vapor so that vertical channeling of vapor along the end surfaces is disrupted. The shape of the packing bricks can include trapezoidal and parallelogram.

Exchange column structured packing bed having packing bricks

A vapor-liquid contact tray (16) is provided with an upstream downcomer (46) and a downstream downcomer (48) which form a two-stage downcomer. The discharge outlet (62) of the upstream downcomer (46) feeds liquid into the downstream downcomer (48) to help seal the discharge outlet (58) of the downstream downcomer (48) against vapor entry at lower liquid flow rates and to allow positioning of the discharge outlet (58) above the height of the weir (66) on the underlying tray (16). Because the upstream downcomer (46) does not discharge liquid directly onto the underlying tray deck (40), the area of the tray deck (40) underlying the upstream downcomer (46) can contain vapor flow apertures (68) to increase the active area and mass transfer efficiency of the tray (16).

Vapor liquid contact tray with two-stage downcomer

Packing brick and method of constructing packing bed in exchange column

A downcomer having a screened or otherwise liquid permeable wall is provided for use in a mass transfer or distillation column. The liquid permeable wall provides another avenue for liquid to be removed from the downcomer to increase the liquid handling capacity of the downcomer. When wetted, the liquid permeable wall provides a barrier against vapor entry into the downcomer through the wall.

Distillation column downcomer having liquid permeable wall

A reaction with distillation column is provided with a plurality of discrete catalytic reaction containers. The containers contain a plurality of solid catalyst particles which form a catalytic reaction zone. The containers also include a liquid collection tray cover which defines a liquid accumulation zone immediately overlying the catalytic reaction zone. Overflow weirs are provided on the tray cover to allow for overflow of liquid on the tray cover. A member may be provided within the containers to create an open area within the catalytic reaction zone to facilitate entry of the liquid into the catalytic reaction zone. The containers can be individually positioned within the reactor to suit particular process requirements.

Catalytic reaction and mass transfer structure

A column having a region for reaction with distillation of fluid streams is provided with structures including catalyst-filled containers having liquid permeable upper surfaces which allow for the accumulation and flow of liquid from a liquid stream. The containers include catalyst beds positioned beneath the upper surface of the containers. A portion of the liquid on the containers is driven through the catalyst bed by the liquid head created by the accumulated liquid and is catalytically reacted. Another portion of the liquid may be directed through a downcomer which allows the accumulated liquid to leave the container without passing through the catalyst bed so that higher volumetric flow rates can be achieved.

Apparatus for concurrent reaction with distillation

A vapor-liquid contact tray is provided which includes a plurality of openings and associated fixed roof structures which redirect vapor flowing vertically upward through the openings to horizontal flow paths. Each fixed roof structure includes a generally planar deflector which overlies and is spaced above the associated opening in the tray. The deflector is joined to the tray by end plates connected at one end to the tray and at the other end to the deflector. In one embodiment the deflector is generally parallel to the tray and divides the vertically flowing vapor stream into roughly equal oppositely flowing vapor streams. In other embodiments, the deflector is inclined in relation to the tray to preferentially direct the vapor stream in one direction or to split the vapor stream into equal portions which are directed in the same general direction. The openings and deflectors are arranged to more uniformly push the vapor and hence the liquid into and through those areas of the tray where liquid stagnation and gradients are a problem. The fixed roof structures in the row of apertures closest to liquid receiving area at the inlet end of the tray are oriented so that the end plates shield the openings against entry of liquid leaving the receiving area. Louvre-type fixed roof structures are used in association with at least some of the openings in the first row so that more rapid frothing of the liquid can be achieved with reduced incidence of liquid weeping through openings in successive rows of openings.

High capacity vapor-liquid contact tray

A regenerative thermal oxidizer is provided with a combustion chamber and a plurality of heat transfer columns. Heat transfer media within the columns include solid surfaces which define vapor flow passages. To permit higher volumetric vapor flow rates nearer the combustion chamber, the passages are larger in cross-sectional area and the solid surfaces have less total surface area in those portions of the heat transfer media nearer the combustion chamber than in those portions away from the combustion chamber. The larger cross-sectional area of the passages and reduced area of the solid surfaces decreases the resistance to vapor flow and allows the passages to accommodate the higher volumetric flow rate of the vapor stream passing through the hotter portions of the heat transfer media. The relatively smaller cross-sectional area of the passages and increased area of the solid surfaces in that portion of the heat transfer media located away from the combustion chamber allows for more efficient heat transfer between the media and the vapor stream in those cooler portions of the heat transfer media.

Media for heat exchange columns in regenerative thermal oxidizers

An integral collector-distributor device including chimney hats and adapted for use in a gas-liquid exchange column to promote radial mixing of a liquid on a distributor tray surface. The collector-distributor device includes a tray having a tray surface adapted to extend generally horizontally across the cross-sectional area of the column to collect downwardly flowing liquid. A plurality of gas risers on the tray permit the upward movement of an upwardly flowing gas through the tray, and a plurality of liquid distributors permit the generally uniform distribution of the collected downwardly flowing liquid to a lower section of the column. A plurality of chimney hats, each having an upper surface and a one and other end, extend over and above at least a portion of the gas risers, are angularly inclined from the horizontal, or are horizontal, collect downwardly flowing liquid on the upper surface and permit the collected liquid on the upper surface to flow away from the point of liquid collection to another section of the tray to promote improved liquid mixing across the tray surface and to reduce liquid concentration gradients on the tray surface. The chimney hats are of a selected width, wider that the width of the gas risers, to provide for minimal space between each adjacent chimney hat. The wide chimney hats, particularly where horizontal, may also be of different selected vertical heights to permit the upward flow of gas.

Liquid collector-distributor device, system and method

A mass transfer or heat exchange column is provided with a vapor distributor having, in one embodiment, a deflecting surface which directs a vapor stream about the inner periphery of the column. Following discharge from the distributor, the vapor stream contacts circumferentially spaced guide vanes which redirect the vapor stream toward the center of the column to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across the horizontal cross section of the column.

Method and apparatus using guide vanes for vapor distribution in mass

A vapor-liquid contact tray and downcomer assembly is provided with ramps which serve to impart a horizontal directional flow to the liquid exiting the downcomer and/or the vapor passing through the tray. The downcomer includes a bottom plate which closes the outlet region of the downcomer and includes a plurality of ramps which redirect the downwardly flowing liquid to include a horizontal component in the direction of liquid flow across the underlying tray. The downcomer receiving area in the underlying tray can include valves having floating caps which shield the associated openings in the tray against liquid weeping and redirect the vertical movement of the vapor streams to a generally horizontal momentum.

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Merrick, NY, United States of America

Neil Yeoman