Process and device for separating off solid particles from a water phase

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for separating off solid particles, in particular coke particles, from a water phase by means of gravity in a plant for generating hydrocarbons by cracking a hydrocarbonaceous feed, and also to a device for carrying out the process. In contrast to the prior art, the water phase is taken off predominantly from a point above the column bottom B via the outlet A. The first gravity separatorwhich is constructed as a multistage settling tankis situated not beneath, but next to, the scrubbing water column. The bottom phase of the scrubbing water columnalready acts as a part of the first gravity separator. Thus, via the outletin the column bottom B, a heavy water phase which is loaded with coke particles is already taken off and passed into the second gravity separator. This heavy water phase is further treated, together with the heavy water phase which is loaded with coke particles from the recessesof the multistage settling tank. In this embodiment of the invention, the feed rate into the multistage settling tankneed not be controlled as in the prior art. The multistage settling tankand the bottom phase of the quench columnform a communicating liquid system in which the same level of the water phase is established.