Energy-efficient process for the stripping of gases from liquids
First Claim
1. In a process for stripping noncondensable or high-vapor-pressure gases from a liquid by contacting said liquid with a stripping vapor and thereby producing an overhead mixture of gas and stripping vapor, the improvement comprising:
- (a) separating said stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said separated stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said gas;
(b) compressing and condensing said separated stripping vapor; and
(c) recovering said separated, condensed stripping vapor and the sensible and latent heat thereof.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process is disclosed for the recovery and reuse of the heat contained in the gas/vapor overhead mixture from a stripping column in which a noncondensable gas is stripped from a liquid solution by contacting the solution with a hot vapor such as steam. The steam or other vapor in the overhead mixture is separated from the non-condensable gas or gases by preferentially passing the vapor through a semipermeable membrane. The water or other condensable vapor is then compressed and either reinjected at the bottom of the stripping column or condensed in the column reboiler, thus permitting its reuse in the stripping process. If the compressed vapor is reinjected into the stripping column, it serves as the stripping medium itself. If the compessed vapor is condensed in the column reboiler, its latent heat of vaporization is thereby recovered and used to generate the required stripping vapor by boiling the solution being stripped.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. In a process for stripping noncondensable or high-vapor-pressure gases from a liquid by contacting said liquid with a stripping vapor and thereby producing an overhead mixture of gas and stripping vapor, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating said stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said separated stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said gas; (b) compressing and condensing said separated stripping vapor; and (c) recovering said separated, condensed stripping vapor and the sensible and latent heat thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 6, 19, 21, 22, 23)
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3. In a process for stripping noncondensable or high-vapor-pressure gases from a liquid by contacting said liquid with a stripping vapor and thereby producing an overhead mixture of gas and stripping vapor, said process being conducted in a stripping column with a base, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating said stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said gas; (b) compressing said separated stripping vapor; and (c) injecting said compressed stripping vapor directly into the base of said stripping column as live stripping vapor.
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4. In a process for the purification of gases utilizing selective absorption of one or more gaseous components dissolved in a liquid absorbent solution followed by regeneration of the spent liquid absorbent solution in a steam or vapor stripping operation producing an overhead mixture of stripped gas and stripping vapor, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating said stripping vapor in said stripper overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said stripped gas; (b) compressing and condensing said separated stripping vapor; (c) recovering the heat of condensation of said stripping vapor; and (d) transferring by heat transfer means said recovered heat of condensation to said liquid absorbent solution. - View Dependent Claims (5, 7, 8, 10)
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9. In a process for the purification of gases utilizing selective absorption of one or more gaseous components dissolved in a liquid absorbent solution followed by regeneration of the spent liquid absorbent solution in a steam or vapor stripping operation producing an overhead mixture of stripped gas and stripping vapor, said process being conducted in a stripping column with a base, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating said stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing the stripping vapor in said stripper overhead mixture through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said stripped gas; (b) compressing said separated stripping vapor; and (c) injecting said compressed stripping vapor directly into the base of said stripping column as live stripping vapor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 20)
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12. In a process for stripping high-vapor-pressure contaminants from an aqueous process stream by contacting said aqueous process stream with a condensable stripping vapor and thereby producing an overhead mixture of gas and stripping vapor, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating the stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said stripping vapor and substantially impermeable to said gas; (b) compressing and condensing said separated stripping vapor; and (c) recovering both said separated, condensed, stripping vapor and the sensible and latent heat thereof. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 17, 18)
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16. In a process for stripping high-vapor-pressure contaminants from an aqueous process stream by contacting said aqueous process stream with a condensable stripping vapor and thereby producing an overhead mixture of gas and stripping vapor, said process being conducted in a stripping column with a base, the improvement comprising:
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(a) separating the stripping vapor in said overhead mixture by passing it through a membrane that is substantially permeable to said stripping vapor and substantially impermable to said gas; (b) compressing said separated stripping vapor; and (c) injecting said compressed stripping vapor directly into the base of said stripping column as live stripping vapor.
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Specification